A new exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria is blending art and design in an incredibly novel way, presenting the mind-bending work of legendary 20th century artist M.C. Escher within an immersive, custom-designed space created by innovative Japanese design studio nendo. The exhibition, entitled Escher X nendo: Between Two Worlds, was inspired by the influence Escher’s work has had […]
Japanese Design Studio
Control Tablet Via Thoughts
In recent years, a brain-computer interface (BCI) developed by the US BrainGate consortium has allowed people to control a robotic arm and to type, using only their thoughts. Now, a group of paralyzed volunteers has utilized the technology to perform various functions on a tablet. At the heart of the BrainGate system is a silicon chip that’s about the size […]
Social Media Sitter
A new service offered by Ibis hotels in Switzerland appears to suggest that for some Instagrammers, the pressure to post amazing images on the social media site may be so huge that it’s ruining their vacations. To ease the strain, the hotel chain is now offering help in the form of a “social media sitter.” It means handing the keys […]
Space Robot Speaks
A first-of-its-kind robotic helper has completed its first day on the job at the International Space Station, with ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst powering up the CIMON assistance system and putting its conversational skills to the test. CIMON, which stands for Crew Interactive Mobile CompanioN, is a medicine-ball-sized plastic sphere that was 3D printed and equipped with software by IBM Watson […]
Water Stabilized Hydrogen Fuel
Israeli-Australian company Electriq Global’s new technology stabilizes hydrogen in a recyclable liquid that can be pumped and transported just like gasoline. That’s huge news, because it enables long-range electric driving with fast refueling – and it plugs right into the existing fuel logistics model. Plenty of people want to move on from gasoline and diesel. Some are environmentalists, some want […]
Electric Bandage
For some time now, scientists have known that electrical currents can help heal chronic wounds. And while there are electrotherapy units that are in use, they can be quite bulky and complex. That’s why researchers have created an “electric bandage” that’s powered by the motion of the body. Developed by a team at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the bandage is […]
Robotic Bartender
If you need a hand entertaining over the holidays, Stella Artois has a suggestion. The brewing company has come up with its Bartending Automated Robotic Technology (BART), which converts a robotic vacuum cleaner into a drinks- and snacks-toting bartender that can both serve guests and clean up simultaneously. Sometimes it’s the simplest of ideas that have the biggest impact. We […]
Cargo E-Bike
Cargo bikes may be handy for schlepping stuff around, but they’re also rather long and ungainly to park, store, or use as regular commuters. That’s why German product design student David Maurer-Laube created the Convercycle – it’s a standard-length e-bike that folds out to haul cargo. In regular-bike mode, the Convercycle’s rear swing arm folds down/forward and locks in place, […]
Will Electric Vehicles Be the Future of Clean Transportation?
When we talk about preserving the environment, one of the most common lines of conversation focuses on electric vehicles. If the entire world transitioned to all-electric transportation, at least on land, we could dramatically reduce the amount of pollution pumped into our atmosphere. People would breathe better, and animals would live better. Heavily polluted cities like Hong Kong and Los […]
Pupple’s Pet Entertainment
We’ve been seeing quite a few products lately that are designed to entertain dogs who are at home alone – some of them have been stationary devices, while other have been mobile. The currently-crowdfunding Pupple, however, combines both in one system. The mobile component of Pupple is a Wi-Fi-controlled motorized ball known as the Bird. Utilizing an iOS/Android app, users […]