Self-healing battery electrodes are an exciting development for lithium ion based products. Scientists at Stanford University’s SLAC laboratory have developed electrodes that are able to heal the small cracks in silicon that come from repetitive battery operation, as reported in the Nov. 19th issue of Nature Chemistry. Silicon electrodes are a prized commodity for charging and…
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One of the more difficult challenges soft robotics aim to fix is the inflexibility of robot technology. Jointed robots are interrupted if conditions impede their performance. For better versatility, researchers are creating robots inspired by invertebrates such as octopuses and earthworms. While they would be slower and weaker than their counterparts, pliable automatons are adaptable,…
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DrawBraille may be the future smartphone for the visually impaired. This concept by designer Shikun Sun reminds me of something John F. Kennedy once said “A rising tide will lift all boats.” This is a perfect example of how technology will improve our lives. The DrawBraille phone is made up of two sides and offers a rich…
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[easyazon-image align=”left” asin=”1568983557″ locale=”us” height=”75″ src=”http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61zkmYzNAWL._SL75_.jpg” width=”74″]Subway-generated heat sets a great precedence for future public transit developments and energy efficiency at home. The sweltering heat that accompanies the comings and goings of London’s Northern Line will be put to use by powering up to 500 homes in the Islington borough. The power plant, Bunhill Heat…
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[easyazon-image align=”left” asin=”B003AUF1XI” locale=”us” height=”75″ src=”http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41J1H28SZcL._SL75_.jpg” width=”75″]New research on infrared vision could pave the way to ultimately realizing science fiction’s fabled X-ray vision as a viable technology. A research team from the University of Buffalo has found a way to see through multiple layers of graphene sheets in order to identify the electronic properties of…
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The eco island is the next step in noninvasive architecture that actively improves the environment. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Cancun’s development into a worldwide tourist destination, designer Richard Moreta Castillo has envisioned the Grand Cancun eco-complex, expected to be completed in 2020. The island’s concept was inspired by Cancun’s Mayan translation, ‘nest…
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Oceanic farms are the way we will address global warming, solve our upcoming water shortage, and protect our interests in the future. Designed by the Paris-based company Sitbon Architectes, Bloom is a futuristic submersible farm that removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by cultivating phytoplankton. Bloom will also be able to convert salt water into…
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[easyazon-image align=”left” asin=”B007G95FJE” locale=”us” height=”110″ src=”http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41za%2BrcWr9L._SL110_.jpg” width=”76″]Noise-cancelling headphones are an ideal object for an international flight. Long hours of listening to young children pestering their parents, overhearing the pilot’s turbulence precautions, and trying to ignore the drone of jet engines is agitating at the best. Even if you don’t have noise-cancelling headphones, the disquiet on…
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[easyazon-image align=”left” asin=”B00EP0SIOG” locale=”us” height=”94″ src=”http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41Qrq-OUN7L._SL110_.jpg” width=”110″]Virtual reality is an immitation of the real world in a digital context. Augmented reality supplements a real-world experience with layers of digital interaction. In a combined experience, British researcher William Steptoe created a dual, virtual and augmented reality system to create what seems like a new reality altogether.…
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[easyazon-image align=”left” asin=”B00BFZOVGI” locale=”us” height=”62″ src=”http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41PJIhHwW0L._SL110_.jpg” width=”110″]3D-Printers are something of a zeitgeist these days among the futurism community. Companies like MakerBot Industries are producing consumer versions of formerly prototype or high-end 3D-printers. And science fiction writers and tech journalists are all caught up in what potential 3D-printing has to usher-in a revolution that allows consumers…
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[easyazon-image align=”left” asin=”B00EUDOSS8″ locale=”us” height=”75″ src=”http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/511U%2BDrag1L._SL75_.jpg” width=”59″]Status prediction could be a crucial step needed in order to advance future robot consciousness. What Would I Say? is a program that analyzes all a Facebook user’s status updates and constructs a randomly generated “Frankenstein” status from the user’s history. The program was co-developed by Princeton graduates for…
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[easyazon-image align=”left” asin=”B00E435N1A” locale=”us” height=”75″ src=”http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Eo4EoCByL._SL75_.jpg” width=”75″]Touch technology has altered over a third of infants’ development milestones, and we are seeing the creation of a true technophile generation happening right now. A surprising new study from Common Sense Media finds that 38% of babies under two use tablets and smartphones before learning how to speak.…
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