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The iChange shape-changing concept car
By Mike Hanlon
18:27 December 28, 2008 PST
Each year for the last three decades, Swiss-based Rinspeed has presented a new concept car at the Geneva motor show – customizing Porsches might be the company’s bread and butter, but synthesizing highly inventive and original concept cars is the company’s forte. This year’s concept car is entitled the iChange, and its defining feature is its ability to change shape from a streamlined teardrop one-seater, to a three seat compact sportsvan. The iChange car makes the most of its 130 kw electric propulsion system by having very low weight and high aerodynamic efficiency. Read More
Gyroscopic golf club irons out your swing
21:37 December 17, 2008 PST
Part of the attraction - and frustration - of golf is that the slightest imperfection in your swing can quickly be transformed into a utter disaster on the scorecard. Because of this, the game has also created a huge market for devices designed to help you train your swing correctly and the Gyro Swing - a training club that incorporates a 20,000 RPM gyroscope into the head - is one of the most high-tech examples we've seen to date. Read More
The Whip promises a revolution in Snowboard design
21:28 December 14, 2008 PST
Developed in the 60s and 70s and first appearing as a Winter Olympic Sport in 1998, snowboarding has now well and truly taken a hold on the ski-slopes. But despite the growing popularity of the sport, slicker graphics and better board construction have been the only notable innovations in recent times, with the core design of the snowboard not undergoing any major changes since steel edges were added two decades ago. That's the argument put forward by Cheetah Ultra Sports, a company that is set to reveal what it calls the most advanced snowboard ever - "The Whip". Read More
The TAG Heuer Grand CARRERA Calibre 36 RS
21:24 December 2, 2008 PST
The newest member of TAG Heuer’s high-end Grand CARRERA watch collection, the Calibre 36 RS Caliper Chronograph features a COSC-certified movement oscillating at 36,000 vibrations per hour and is the only automatic chronograph capable of both measuring and displaying 1/10 of a second intervals using an innovative rotating scale design. Read More
The Climax bioethanol-powered supercar
By Darren Quick
23:36 October 19, 2008 PDT
Greener motoring doesn't usually mean high-performance, but bio-ethanol powered sports cars like the Lotus Exige 265E and Aston Martin's Vantage GT2 have shown that the two terms aren't always mutually exclusive. Now another British company is joining the ranks with the Climax mid-engine open-top two seater. Read More
Universal remote control with built-in WiFi, color screen
By Emily Clark
01:17 October 16, 2008 PDT
There’s no point hauling yourself off the couch to go outside only to find that the weather’s terrible, right? The Universal Smart Remote Control from Acoustic Research eliminates the guess work displaying up to date weather information, plus news, sports and TV listings using a built-in WiFi connection. Read More
ZEISS Victory binoculars integrate laser rangefinder
20:02 September 29, 2008 PDT
Carl Zeiss has incorporated a laser rangefinder into its new Victory RF binoculars, providing hunters, hikers and birdwatchers with an all-in-one viewing solution in a compact form factor. The Victory 8x45 T RF and Victory 10x45 T RF binoculars feature a world first design that incorporates a folding bridge without separate transmission optics and boast fast rangefinding capabilities that can determine the distance from an object up to 200 meters (300 yards) away in less than one second with an accuracy down to one meter. Read More
Cy-Fi Bluetooth wireless sports speaker
00:25 September 11, 2008 PDT
There's nothing like strapping on the earphones and cranking up your favorite tunes to help you through a serious bout of exercise, but in many outdoor scenarios, especially cycling, this can become a major safety risk by preventing you from hearing traffic noise and other potential hazards that might not be visible. This is the thinking that inspired Los Angeles entrepreneur Jeff Lotman to invent the Cy-Fi Bluetooth wireless sports speaker, a palm-sized unit that attaches to a bike or backpack and wirelessly transmits music and phone calls from Bluetooth enabled devices. Read More
Honda's all-new 2009 CRF450R Motocrosser gets fuel injection
By Loz Blain
17:29 September 8, 2008 PDT
Honda's CRF450R motocross bike has been hugely successful since its launch in 2002 - and although the bike is already recognized as the class leader, it's receiving a kitchen-sink included upgrade for 2009. Lighter, quicker, more powerful and with even tighter mass centralization for quick handling, the 2009 CRF450R also sports a Honda first - battery-free, programmable fuel injection that raises output power and control while dramatically reducing fuel consumption. Out of the box, Honda says it's two seconds faster around a supercross track than this year's bike. Read More
Flow measurement gives Olympic swimmers the edge
By Kyle Sherer
07:27 August 12, 2008 PDT
One of the secret weapons of the US assault on the pool in Beijing is a high-tech flow measurement technique developed at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute which aims to help athletes gain that critical few extra milliseconds by providing state-of-the-art analysis of how much energy the swimmers exert and how their body affects the water. Read More
Cleatskins take sports shoes to the street
By Emily Clark
14:16 July 23, 2008 PDT
Designed to slip over cleats used in sports like soccer, baseball, football and golf, this new footwear accessory protects studs off the field and eliminates the need to change shoes after training or a match. Read More
Nike’s USA Track and Field uniforms unveiled
By Emily Clark
00:54 July 3, 2008 PDT
Shaving milliseconds of personal best times could mean the difference between gold and silver at the forthcoming Beijing Olympics - and once again high-tech clothing is seen as one way of finding that extra yard. Speedo's LZR Racer swimsuit has already had a record run since its release in February and now it's Nike's turn to bask in the Olympic spotlight with the unveiling of its new ultra-lightweight uniforms for the USA’s 2008 Track and Field team (USATF). Read More
Plans for 193,000 square foot indoor golf center
19:15 June 30, 2008 PDT
When you think indoor golf you usually think mini-golf: leaving the bag at home and tackling odd shaped obstacles with your putter. All good fun, but hardly a serious training session for your all-round game. This impression is set to change if the Indoor Golf Arena® concept takes off. Aiming for a 2010 opening, the planned "world’s largest Indoor Golf Center" in The Netherlands will incorporate 20 ProTee golf simulators, a roof top driving range with 34 bays and 150,00 square feet (14,000m2) of golf practice facilities with chipping greens, bunkers and water hazards catering for every aspect of your short game along with a huge golf shop, kid’s training facilities, a wellness center with sauna and spa and a 4-star hotel. Read More
The fully autonomous "follow me" golf caddy
22:48 May 15, 2008 PDT
May 16, 2008 Mark Twain once famously quipped that "Golf is a good walk spoiled". Perhaps if he'd had access to the fully autonomous Shadow Caddy, he might have been a little more enthusiastic. The ability to trail you around the course without the use of remote control makes this a civilized compromise between dragging a set of clubs and foregoing the benefits of a pleasant stroll entirely by riding in a golf cart. It's also cheaper than hiring a human caddy and because it operates itself, it leaves your mind free to concentrate on connecting with that little white ball. Read More
3D motion capture technology gives Olympic triathletes the perfect fit
By Emily Clark
21:01 April 17, 2008 PDT
April 18, 2008 The Retul 3-D motion capture and analysis technology system for cyclists promises fast and accurate data collection to aid in bike fitting, avoiding injury and ultimately, better bike design. The active system, which uses infra-red LEDs (light emitting diodes) placed on the body in specific skeletal locations, will be used by the US Triathlon team in the lead up to the Beijing Olympics. Read More
Nike+ SportBand training aid
By Emily Clark
21:54 April 2, 2008 PDT
April 3, 2008 Expanding on its "Nike+ experience", the sports giant has released a new SportBand designed to help runners monitor performance and enhance their training. The Nike+ SportBand is a minimalistic wristwatch that monitors steps and allows runners to check time, pace, distance and calories burned at a glance. The watch face is a detachable LINK that captures all the run data from a sensor located in the runner’s Nike+ ready footwear. Once a run is completed, the LINK plugs into a computer via a USB socket so data can then be sent to nikeplus.com where a runner’s progress is tracked. Read More
Extreme swimming pools: the biggest and deepest dips on the planet
By Jude Garvey
21:56 February 27, 2008 PST
February 28, 2008 Looking to beat the heat this summer by installing your own swimming pool? We thought we would give you a taste of what you almost certainly can't have when designing your dream backyard aquatic paradise. Firstly, there's the world's largest pool with an area equivalent to an incredible 6,000 standard-size 26 ft long domestic pools located at the San Alfonso Del Mar resort in Chile, and, going to the other extreme, there's Belgium's amazing 100 foot deep, 660,000 gallon (and heated!) Nemo33 dive pool. Read More
Fit fur life doggy treadmill
By Emily Clark
21:01 February 27, 2008 PST
No matter how big a backyard you have, the reality is that your dogs will not walk itself. Dogs need to be encouraged and stimulated to pound the pavement. Inspired by a human fitness regimes, dogs can now work the treadmill in order to stay fit, thanks to Fit Fur Life Treadmills. Read More
SPEEDO LZR RACER - the world's fastest swimsuit
22:19 February 13, 2008 PST
February 14, 2008 Following three years of research that included input from NASA, tests on more than 100 different fabrics and suit designs, and body scans of more than 400 elite swimmers, Speedo has launched its most hydro-dynamically advanced - and fastest - swimsuit to date. The SPEEDO® LZR RACER™ is made from a unique lightweight, water repellent and fast-drying fabric that has been developed to reduce drag and help hold the swimmer’s body in a more streamlined shape. Speedo says the suit has been independently tested as the "world's fastest", a claim that translates to up to 5% more efficiency for swimmers and hopefully, at least for Michael Phelps and other elite athletes donning the suit in Beijing later in the year, more gold medals. Read More
Beijing’s Olympic Aquatic Centre: the eye-catching, eco-friendly Water Cube
By Jude Garvey
23:19 February 5, 2008 PST
February 6, 2008 Construction work on the Beijing National Aquatic Center began in December 2003 in preparation for the 2008 Olympics and four years later, a stunning piece of architecture has been completed. The “Water Cube” is a rectangular-shaped steel building covered by a membrane of brightly lit blue bubbles which is incredible to look at but it is also important on an environmental level. The Water Cube consists of 100,000 sq m of ETFE, (Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene) a unique transparent plastic which absorbs solar radiation and reduces thermal loss. This is the first time EFTE has been used in China and it is the world’s largest and most complex EFTE building ever constructed. Read More
Coleman’s Nightlight Airbed for camping kids
By Jude Garvey
16:07 February 5, 2008 PST
February 6, 2007 Kids love camping but as soon as the sun sets, the great outdoors can seem a little scary, especially when they have to crawl into a dark tent. The Coleman Company's solution is the Nightlight Airbed, a kid's camp bed consisting of a comfortable 8-inch thick air-mattress with a built-in nightlight. The 3-LED nightlight lasts for 8 hours, so it will provide a reassuring glow long after the campfire has died down. Read More
Snowter: the BMX of the ski slopes
By Loz Blain
22:50 January 21, 2008 PST
January 22, 2008 The winter sports market is proving a little conservative it would seem. Inventors looking to push beyond skis and snowboards in search of new ways to enjoy the ski slopes aren't getting much enthusiasm from major companies – but those that have the vision and means to bring their own ideas to the market are coming up with some very interesting results. We recently covered Venomsnow's Switchboard, essentially a snowboard with a suspended steering bar – and now there's the Snowter, which looks something like a seatless BMX with two mini skis replacing the wheels. You split your feet between the front and rear pedals as you like, then steer it with the handlebars at slow speeds, and dig the rear in to carve turns or drift it like you're power-sliding once you've got some pace up. Read More
Twice the fun: Cozy Cruiser Double Baby Sled
By Jude Garvey
17:18 January 5, 2008 PST
January 6, 2008 This winter, grownups might be maneuvering down the slopes on a Ski-Doo snowmobile or even a Snoxcycle, but the kids will have a safer trip careering down on a Cozy Cruiser Double Baby Sled. This nifty sled is inflated by air pump in about five minutes and is comfortable but sturdy with three-sided security enclosures and tough, welded-on rubber handles. It is made from crack-and-cold-resistant PVC and is light enough to drag through the snow using the extra-long tow rope. Read More
Life saving Nebulus floatation device
By Emily Clark
16:29 November 18, 2007 PST
November 19, 2007 Over 50 deaths per year in the US and Canada are attributed to drowning when snowmobiles and ATVs (All Terrain Vehicles) crash through thin ice. In an effort to significantly reduce the risk of such tragedies occurring, the University of Minnesota in partnership with JTW Associates have developed the Nebulus Emergency Flotation Device - a self-inflating shell that deploys quickly and allows a water or ice rescue to be performed by one person without waiting for back up. Read More
Venomsnow’s Switchboard hits the ski slopes
By Loz Blain
03:41 November 7, 2007 PST
Venomsnow’s Marcel Jonker hopes his company’s double-hinged Switchboard will open up a new segment in the winter sports market alongside skiing and snowboarding. The Switchboard is made up of two short woodcore boards joined end-to-end on a double hinge, with lightweight footstraps on top, twin skates underneath the rear board, and an aluminum steering bar on a pogo stick-like suspension unit mounted on the front board. Is it the evolution of the snowboard, or the kick-scooter of the ski slopes? Whatever your opinion, it’s hard not to be fascinated by this innovative product from the Netherlands. Read More
Freedom Glen
- November 25, 2009 @ 02:47 UTC
