Top Stories
Bridge specialist Knight Architects has announced that its novel design for a footbridge in Paddington, London is to go ahead. The hydraulic Merchant Square Bridge will raise and lower like a traditional folding Japanese fan. Read More
Players of the Forza and Gran Turismo race series understand that every little advantage counts when working to trim lap times. In game, details like tires, camber angles, damper settings, plus engine mods are just a few of the tuning tricks to enhance a racer's performance. But deep down, budding racers know that such sops to realism are nothing compared to a full-scale F1 simulator. Luckily for them Costco UK and FMCG International have a solution – a US$116,650 full-scale F1 simulator. Read More
If you work with machinery, engines or appliances of any type, then you’ve likely experienced the frustration of hearing a troublesome noise coming from somewhere, but not being able to pinpoint where. If only you could just grab a camera, and take a picture that showed you the noise’s location. Well, soon you should be able to do so, as that’s just what the SeeSV-S205 sound camera does. Read More
There can be little doubt that people love their mobile devices. But, by leaving them high and dry at the most inconvenient of times, this love generally doesn't extend to the batteries that power said devices. New microbatteries developed by researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) that measure just a few millimeters in size, yet are powerful enough to power a mobile phone may be more likely to inspire a little love. Read More
After a long day at work, the last thing most folks want to do is lug a 100-pound ball of drooling, pent-up energy around, all the while shoveling and hauling its feces. But that's exactly what dog owners have to do every day. The Smart Dog Leash aims to make the process a tad smoother by storing every item that you'll need to walk your dog safely and sanitarily. Read More
Anyone that looks at press releases with any regularity will no doubt have felt the onset of re- fatigue, induced by the weight of new products which claim to "rethink," "re-imagine" and "redefine" things (but seldom do). So while we're a little dubious of the claim that Rainshader "reinvents" the umbrella – it is still a canopy on a stick, after all – at least there's no denying that there is actual innovation in evidence. Apparently the helmet-shaped Rainshader doesn't turn inside out in the wind, drip on people, or poke them in the eye. Read More
As the Android world focuses on the HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4, it’s almost easy to forget about the Nexus 4. But the latest “pure Google” phone is still ringing up for a nice off-contract price from Google Play. Is it still a good buy? Or are you better off getting one of the newer flagships? Let’s see if we can answer that, as we compare the Nexus 4 and the HTC One. Read More
As long ago as 1807 – and possibly up to 200 years earlier – many artists used an optical device known as a camera lucida to help them in sketching subjects. A controversial theory even suggests that some of the famous Old Masters created their masterpieces not by sketching freehand, but by using such gadgets. Now, two art professors are trying to bring the camera lucida back, in the form of the low-cost portable NeoLucida. Read More
Despite the one-way nature of the trip, it seems there’s no shortage of people willing to pack their bags and experience life on Mars. Just two weeks after putting out the call for potential Mars settlers, Mars One had received over 78,000 applications from people in over 120 countries. With the application period set to last 19 weeks, the Mars One selection committees face a daunting task in whittling the numbers down to the four individuals that will ultimately make the journey that is planned for September 2022. Read More
Dubbed Springtime, this bike-ready picnic kit from Dutch designer Jeriël Bobbe contains everything that one could need for a pleasant lunch in the park. Read More
