This cooking simulator, being developed by a research group at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, features a force feedback fry pan and spatula to accurately recreate the sense of cooking. This simulator calculates the heat transfer from the pan to the meat or vegetables that are being cooked, and displays the visible changes caused by heating. The fry pan interface allows for three dimensional input, and as well as moving the fry pan to aid the cooking process, the simulator can feed back the weight of ingredients combined with the tactile feeling of the ingredients cooking. "When you move the frying pan,
Read MoreWorry about cybercriminals getting into personal files and online banking accounts? Imagine if someone could actually extract that information directly from your brain. Scientists from the University of California and the University of Oxford in Geneva are working on developing technology that could hack or retrieve sensitive data from a person’s brain, such as PIN numbers and place of birth, by using a low-cost device. With the help of an off-the-shelf Emotiv brain-computer ($299) — a wireless head piece — researchers are able to track brain signals when someone is shown familiar messages. For example, scientists asked subjects to wear the device
Read MoreWe live in such a busy world that some people don’t even have the time to go to church anymore. Luckily, there’s the Pray-O-Mat, a converted old photo booth that features 300 pre-recorded prayers and incantations in 65 different languages, and lets you get your blessing on the go. Waiting for the service at the local church or temple takes time, and in this day and age that’s a valuable commodity. But thanks to German artist Oliver Sturm, you don’t have to skip out on getting closer to the supreme being you happen to be worshiping. Known as the “Gebetomat” in
Read MoreTanning can be dangerous, especially if you fall asleep on the beach while soaking in some rays. These UV-sensing wristbands will let you know when you’ve had too much sun. Once you’ve had your fill, they change colors to let you know when to cover up. The bands work through an acid-releasing agent that picks up UV light. A dye responds to pH levels in the indicator. Once you’ve reached a predetermined UV level, the bands change from yellow to pink. The Swedish company Intellego Technologies plans on releasing different sensitivity levels, because people react differently to UV exposure: some people
Read MoreYou're sitting down, working at your computer, like you are right now. Then your phone rings, or you grab a glass of water, or you need a potty break. You know you should turn off your computer to save energy, but you don't want to take the time to restart it when you get back. Or maybe energy conservation isn't the first thing on your mind. Now the Brazilian company Ecobenefícios has a simple idea to put a dent in this energy suck: the GreenCam, a free app that automatically turns off your monitor when you leave your desk. It uses
Read MoreThis is video footage of proteins moving within a single neuron. The USC researchers were able to capture this video by using bioluminescent proteins from a jellyfish to visually track their movement. It gives scientists an opportunity to observe how these tiny, yet vital, cerebral elements restore themselves. ??According to Professor Don Arnold of the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, the video offers a rare peek at how proteins, the brain's building blocks, are directed through neurons to renew its structure. Video depicting the flow of transport vesicles containing NgCAM, an axonal protein.
ANY new mother will tell you that parenting is a workout, but a world-first baby sling designed in Australia takes the concept to a whole new level. The Smiling Sling (AU$ 129.9), invented by Sydney mum and personal trainer Nikolinka Krstanoska-Blazeska, features elasticised bands that transform a baby into a living, breathing gym weight. Using the baby like a dumbbell, barbell or medicine ball, parents don the sling and do bicep curls, lateral raises and a host of other exercises. The ‘Smiling Sling’ is a uniquely designed sling for infants. Exercise and physical activity is an important concept in achieving great health,
Read MoreEvery once in a while, someone tries to give the humble light bulb a little next-gen flavor. This time, we're adding Bluetooth 4.0 to the mix. The Bluetooth Bulb lets you pair your phone with one or more of the lights in your home, and then control them via an app. Switch them on, off, change brightness, set a timer, and a special RGB bulb even lets you change the color ambiance. If you're worried about the cost and waste when these things burn out, fear not, as apparently every part is replaceable and as there's no home automation system
Read MoreAn engineering professor, Behrokh Khoshnevis, at the University of Southern California, is really thinking big He has figured out a way to build housing with a giant 3D printer. The apparatus, instead of being the size of your typical laser printer, would actually be somewhat bigger than the house it would build through a concrete layering system called Contour Crafting. Contour Crafting technology has the potential to build safe, reliable, and affordable lunar and Martian structures, habitats, laboratories, and other facilities before the arrival of human beings. Behrokh Khoshnevis is a professor of Industrial & Systems Engineering and is the
Read MoreA few years ago, there were rumors that a futuristic oceanographic marine vessel would be constructed with the sole aim of exploring the world’s oceans. Known as The SeaOrbiter, it would serve as a scientific laboratory as scientists explore the places that cover two-thirds of our planet and contain 80% of all life on Earth — the oceans. Ambitions for the last 12 years, the SeaOrbiter is finally set to begin construction later this year. The ship is slated to measure 170 feet (51 meters) tall, but to stabilize the vessel over half of the vehicle would stay below the surface,
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