Soundbrenner Pulse: The musician's smartwatch

For over two hundred years the mechanical metronome has been a vital tool for musicians, but it's limited, often distracting, and can't be used in a performance setting. Berlin-based startup Soundbrenner's answer is the Pulse wearable metronome, which keeps the beat by vibration or light and can be programmed for multiple players... Continue Reading Soundbrenner Pulse: The musician's smartwatch

Section: Wearable Electronics

Tags: Bluetooth, Indiegogo, Vibrators, Wearable

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Dyson unveils next-generation air purifier

Not content with vacuums and fans, Dyson is expanding into the realm of air purification with its Pure Cool purifier fan, which was unveiled today. Building on the company's Air Multiplier technology, it's designed to capture ultrafine particles, which are a major component of air pollution. To learn more, Gizmag talked to Dyson engineer Robert Green. .. Continue Reading Dyson unveils next-generation air purifier

Section: Around The Home

Tags: Air Purification Systems, Carbon Monoxide, China, Dyson, Filters, Japan, Pollution

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NASA outlines Asteroid Redirect Mission

NASA has released new details on how it plans to boldly go to an asteroid and come back with a bit of it. The Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) is part of the space agency's Asteroid Initiative announced in 2013, which envisions the capture and return of an asteroid to lunar orbit for study by astronauts as a rehearsal for a later mission to Mars... Continue Reading NASA outlines Asteroid Redirect Mission

Section: Space

Tags: Asteroid, Asteroid Redirect Mission, NASA, Orion Spacecraft, Spacecraft

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Catch up

When we laid eyes on the Elytron 2S tiltrotor plane prototype last year at the Experimental Aircraft Association's fly-in airshow in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, it was a half-built concept with only part of its Prandtl wing box installed. The company has now completed the airframe ahead of planned flight tests later this year... Continue Reading Elytron 2S tiltrotor demonstrator airframe completed




Section: Aircraft




Tags: Aircraft, Elytron, Experimental, Prototype, Tiltrotor




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Marathons may be an everyday occurrence for people on Earth, but are a little more noteworthy when you're a little robot on Mars. According to NASA, as of March 16, the Mars Opportunity rover has covered 26.219 mi (42.195 km) in the leisurely time of about 11 years and two months. or 3,968 Martian days. In 2014, Opportunity broke the record of any space rover when it passed the distance covered by the Soviet Union's Lunokhod 2 moon rover, which was launched in 1973... Continue Reading Opportunity rover completes Martian marathon




Section: Space




Tags: Mars, NASA, Opportunity, Spacecraft




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In another hopeful sign that Mars was once habitable, NASA's Curiosity rover has detected nitrogen in the soil of the Red Planet for the first time. While NASA doesn't think that the compounds are biological in origin, they are still significant to Mars having been more favorable to life in the ancient past... Continue Reading Curiosity rover finds nitrogen on Mars




Section: Space




Tags: Curiosity Rover, Mars, Mars Science Laboratory, NASA, Spacecraft




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Table saws can make working with wood a breeze. They can also take fingers off the unwary in the blink of an eye. To help avoid the latter, Bosch has come up with its Reaxx portable jobsite table saw, which can tell the difference between a piece of wood and a finger, and drop the blade out of the way to prevent a messy accident... Continue ReadingBosch Reaxx table saw saves fingers and blades




Section: Good Thinking




Tags: Accidents, Bosch, Portable, Safety, Wood




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In anticipation of more ambitious planetary missions, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, in collaboration with Masten Space Systems in Mojave, California, has recently been testing new landing technologies using an Autonomous Descent and Ascent Powered-flight Testbed (ADAPT). Aimed at developing new systems for landing on Mars and other planets with much greater precision, a new imaging landing system and algorithm were tested using the demonstration vehicle on two successful flights... Continue Reading Precision planetary lander technology tested by NASA




Section: Space




Tags: Autonomous, JPL, Masten Space Systems, NASA, Navigation, Rocket, Test Flights




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It had to happen sooner or later; robots have replaced infants... at least, as subjects in psychological research being conducted by a team at the Indiana University (IU) Bloomington College of Arts and Sciences. The robots are being used to study how infants learn and have revealed that posture and body position are important factors in early learning... Continue Reading Robotic infants reveal posture may play an important role in learning




Section: Robotics




Tags: Behavior, Humanoid, Indiana University, Learning, Psychology, Robotic, Robots




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The European Space Agency (ESA) has temporarily suspended its attempt to reestablish contact with its Philae lander on Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. For eight days, the agency’s Rosetta probe unsuccessfully beamed a wake up signal to the hibernating lander, which has been silent since its batteries were exhausted in November. .. Continue ReadingFirst attempt to wake up Philae lander unsuccessful

Section: Space

Tags: Comets, ESA, German Aerospace Center, Philae, Rosetta, Spacecraft

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Though the Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) Dream Chaser spaceplane was kicked out of the running to ferry crew to the ISS, a variation on the craft may still end up visiting the station. As part of its bid to win NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services 2 (CRS2) contract, SNC has unveiled an unmanned autonomous version of Dream Chaser to carry cargo into orbit... Continue Reading Unmanned version of Dream Chaser spaceplane unveiled

Section: Space

Tags: Autonomous, Dream Chaser, International Space Station, NASA, Spacecraft,Unmanned

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Study claims lunar caverns could hold city-size colonies

We tend to think of future lunar colonies as being cramped futuristic domes or subsurface rabbit warrens, but what about underground caverns big enough to hang glide in? According to a study by a Purdue University team, that may not be so daft as it calculates that the Moon may contain lava tubes large enough to house entire cities... Continue Reading Study claims lunar caverns could hold city-size colonies

Section: Space

Tags: Cave, Engineering, Lunar, Moon, Purdue University

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Designing supersonic wheels for the Bloodhound Supersonic Car

If the Bloodhound Supersonic Car (SSC) team makes good in its attempt to break the land speed record, the car will be traveling at 1,000 mph (1,609 km/h). At such speeds, the wheels will be spinning so fast that hitting even the smallest pebble could be catastrophic. To protect both the car and the driver, the designers of Bloodhound have had to come up with some high-tech answers to building the wheels and protecting against their failure... Continue Reading Designing supersonic wheels for the Bloodhound Supersonic Car

Section: Automotive

Tags: Bloodhound SSC, Car, Record, Supersonic, Wheel

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Breitling B55 Connected watch puts smartphone at its service

Is the mobile phone threatening to kill off the wristwatch? Not if Swiss watchmaker Breitling has anything to say about it. With an apparent motto of "if you can't be 'em, then make 'em work for you," the Breitling B55 Connected combines smartwatch technology with haute horlogerie in a partnership where the phone serves the watch instead of the other way round... Continue Reading Breitling B55 Connected watch puts smartphone at its service

Section: Wearable Electronics

Tags: Breitling, Chronometer, Rechargeable, Smartwatch, Watches, Wireless

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New catalyst material quickly neutralizes nerve gas

While the Iran-Iraq war of 1981-1988 saw the only large-scale use of chemical weapons since WWII, in a world beset by rogue states, civil wars, and terrorism, protecting against nerve agents and disposing of them remains a major problem. One bright spot is a team from Northwestern University, which has developed a new material capable of neutralizing nerve gases. The zirconium-based Metal-Organic Framework (MOF) called NU-1000 is not only useful for disposing of stockpiles of such toxins, but also for use in gas masks and protective suits for soldiers and rescue workers... Continue Reading New catalyst material quickly neutralizes nerve gas

Section: Military

Could this 18-motor wing be the future of electric aircraft?

It might look like it was designed by a six-year-old, with 18 motors crammed onto a too-thin wing, but the Hybrid-Electric Integrated Systems Testbed (HEIST) experimental wing demonstrator could be the future of electric aircraft. A key component of NASA'S Leading Edge Asynchronous Propeller Technology (LEAPTech) project, it is designed to test whether electric propulsion can allow for a tighter wing design leading to greater efficiency and safety... Continue Reading Could this 18-motor wing be the future of electric aircraft?

Section: Aircraft

Tags: Aircraft, Aviation, Electric, Electric Aircraft, Hybrid, NASA, Transport

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Aurorae indicate subterranean ocean on Ganymede

An ultraviolet light show has provided space scientists with the best evidence yet that the Jovian moon Ganymede has a gigantic ocean beneath its icy surface. Images captured by the Hubble Space Telescope of the aurorae in the moon's tenuous atmosphere provide what NASA calls the best evidence yet for a wet Ganymede where life could exist... Continue Reading Aurorae indicate subterranean ocean on Ganymede

Section: Space

Tags: aurora, Galileo mission, Hubble, NASA

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A step back in time: The 50th anniversary of the first spacewalk

"A sailor must be able to swim in the sea. Likewise, a cosmonaut must be able to swim in outer space." With those words, the head of the Soviet space program, Sergei Korolev, initiated the crew of the first spacewalk mission. On March 18, 1965, cosmonauts Alexei Leonov and Pavel Belyayev lifted off in Voskhod (Sunrise) 2, from which Leonov would exit to become the first person in history to step into the vacuum of space. .. Continue Reading A step back in time: The 50th anniversary of the first spacewalk

Section: Space

Tags: Anniversary, History, Spacecraft, Spaceflight, Spacewalk, USSR

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New catalyst material quickly neutralizes nerve gas

While the Iran-Iraq war of 1981-1988 saw the only large-scale use of chemical weapons since WWII, in a world beset by rogue states, civil wars, and terrorism, protecting against nerve agents and disposing of them remains a major problem. One bright spot is a team from Northwestern University, which has developed a new material capable of neutralizing nerve gases. The zirconium-based Metal-Organic Framework (MOF) called NU-1000 is not only useful for disposing of stockpiles of such toxins, but also for use in gas masks and protective suits for soldiers and rescue workers... Continue Reading New catalyst material quickly neutralizes nerve gas

Section: Military

Tags: Battlefield, Enzyme, Gas, Northwestern University, Protection, Soldiers, Terrorism,Weapons

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Goodyear BHO3 concept tire generates electricity

One of the biggest hurdles that electric cars face in going mainstream is range anxiety – that dreadful realization that you're in the middle of nowhere and your car might not reach the next charging station. To help combat this, Goodyear came up with its BHO3 concept tire, which generates electricity by converting heat and motion into current as the tire rolls ... and even when it's standing still. .. Continue Reading Goodyear BHO3 concept tire generates electricity

Section: Automotive

Tags: Electricity, Energy, Geneva Motor Show 2015, Piezoelectric, Thermoelectricity, Tire

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Bulletproof laptop bag can stop a .44 Magnum round

You know you're having a bad day when you wish you had a bulletproof laptop bag – as in proof against actual bullets. The Savior Multi-Threat Shield laptop bag unfolds into a shield that can stop a .44 Magnum round... Continue Reading Bulletproof laptop bag can stop a .44 Magnum round

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Tags: Bulletproof, Law Enforcement, Luggage, Security

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Lockheed Martin previews next generation space cargo ships

Lockheed Martin has provided a glimpse at the next generation of commercial spacecraft by revealing its proposal for NASA's Commercial Resupply Services 2 (CRS-2) program. The new cargo ships, which Lockheed compares to the US transcontinental railroads of the 19th century, are designed to not only resupply the International Space Station, but also support manned deep space missions, such as the first expedition to Mars. .. Continue Reading Lockheed Martin previews next generation space cargo ships

Section: Space

Tags: International Space Station, Lockheed Martin, Mars, MAVEN, NASA, Spacecraft,Spaceflight

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Saturnian moon may have deep-ocean vents that harbor life

In science, it's often the case that solving one mystery just raises more questions. Take Saturn's moon Enceladus. For almost a decade, scientists have been puzzled by the gossamer plumes that waft up from its surface. Data from NASA's Cassini spacecraft now indicates that these may might be due to present-day hydrothermal activity in the vast ocean beneath the crust of the frozen moon, raising the possibility that Enceladus may harbor life... Continue Reading Saturnian moon may have deep-ocean vents that harbor life

Section: Space

Tags: Cassini, Methane, NASA, Saturn, Solar System, Spacecraft, Thermal

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NASA tests parachute-like space brakes to de-orbit satellites

Getting to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS) by jumping out of an airlock with a parachute may seem daft, but a group of students are trying just that with a CubeSat. According to NASA, TechEdSat-4, which was jettisoned from the space station on March 3, has reached its designated orbit, where it will use a parachute-like "exo-brake" to slow it down enough to safely re-enter the Earth's atmosphere. .. Continue Reading NASA tests parachute-like space brakes to de-orbit satellites

Section: Space

Tags: International Space Station, NASA, Orbit, San Jose State University, Satellite,Spacecraft, Test

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SS astronauts use airlock to test lungs

The airlock of the International Space Station (ISS) was turned into a laboratory last week. In a station with as much space as a 747, that may seem a bit odd, but its purpose was part of a study of the lungs of space travelers by monitoring the effects of one the astronauts most surprising hazards: dust. .. Continue Reading ISS astronauts use airlock to test lungs

Section: Space

Tags: Astronauts, ESA, High Altitude, International Space Station, Karolinska Institutet,NASA, Space Travel, Sweden

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Mars may have had more water than the Arctic Ocean

In Edgar Rice Burroughs's Barsoom novels, Earthman John Carter's adventures took place on the dry beds of Mar's ancient oceans. Now NASA scientist's say that may not be so far fetched. Though they haven't found signs of any thoats, they have estimated that Mars may once have had enough water to form a vast ocean surrounding its north pole of which only plains remain... Continue Reading Mars may have had more water than the Arctic Ocean

Section: Space

Tags: Chile, European Southern Observatory, Hydrogen, Infrared, Keck observatory, Mars,NASA, Ocean, Water

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US satellite explodes and ESA assesses risk

A US Air Force weather satellite exploded in Earth orbit on February 3, scattering debris along its path. In a report by Space.com, Air Force and space officials indicated the breakup of Defense Meteorological Satellite Program Flight 13 (DMSP-F13) was due to a malfunction of its battery system rather than a collision with a foreign body. Meanwhile, The European Space Agency (ESA) has released an assessment of the hazard posed by the debris... Continue Reading US satellite explodes and ESA assesses risk

Section: Space

Tags: Debris, ESA, Explosion, NOAA, Orbit, Satellite, US Air Force, Weather

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Dawn orbits dwarf planet Ceres

NASA's Dawn spacecraft added another trophy today to the conquest of space as it went into orbit around Ceres. According to the space agency, the unmanned probe arrived at about 4:39 am PST and is currently circling the dwarf planet at an altitude of about 38,000 miles (61,000 km) – making it not only the first spacecraft to reach a dwarf planet, but also the first to orbit two extraterrestrial bodies... Continue Reading Dawn orbits dwarf planet Ceres

Section: Space

Tags: Asteroid, Ceres, Dawn, Dwarf planet, ion engine, NASA, Orbit, Spacecraft, Unmanned

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Astronomers see supernova explosion using galaxies as lenses

A team of astronomers led by the Australian National University (ANU) has discovered a lens of galactic proportions. Using the Hubble Space Telescope and the Keck Observatory in Hawaii, the scientists saw a supernova not once, but four times by using the gravity of a distant cluster of galaxies to act as a natural lens that magnified and quadrupled the image of the exploding star. .. Continue Reading Astronomers see supernova explosion using galaxies as lenses

Section: Space

Tags: Australian National University, Gravity, Hubble, Lenses, relativity, Supernova

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LISA Pathfinder gravity probe moves to testing

A European Space Agency (ESA) mission aimed at testing new technologies for understanding the universe has left Britain for final testing before being launched into space. The LISA Pathfinder mission's propulsion and science modules left Airbus Defence and Space for Industrie Anlagen Betriebs Gesellschaft (IABG) in Germany for final tests before shipment to the ESA launch site in Kourou, French Guiana, where they will be shot into low-Earth orbit atop a Vega rocket... Continue Reading LISA Pathfinder gravity probe moves to testing

Section: Space

Tags: Airbus, Dark Matter, ESA, Gravity, relativity, Spacecraft

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Curiosity suffers short circuit

NASA is putting its Curiosity Mars rover on hold for a few days as engineers try to determine the cause and severity of a recent short circuit. The space agency says that during a recent sample-taking operation, the unmanned explorer suffered a transient short circuit that activated an automatic shutdown by the rover's computers... Continue Reading Curiosity suffers short circuit

Section: Space

Tags: Curiosity Rover, Mars, Mars Science Laboratory, NASA, Robotic, Unmanned

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Lockheed Martin laser weapon takes out truck

The battlefield of the future recently came a step closer, as a Lockheed Martin laser weapon took out a truck in a field test. The 30-kW fiber laser weapon system was fired at a small truck mounted on a test platform, the laser beam disabled the running engine and drivetrain within seconds... Continue Reading Lockheed Martin laser weapon takes out truck

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Tags: Laser weapon, Lockheed Martin, Weapons

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Royal Navy subs provide insights for Arctic science

The National Oceanography Centre in the UK has used data on the Arctic Ocean gathered by Royal Navy submarines to study the effects of a possible future shrinking of the ice cap. This meeting of oceanography and military intelligence has seen declassified data from the 1990s analyzed to gain insights into how diminished ice cover affects turbulence in arctic waters. .. Continue Reading Royal Navy subs provide insights for Arctic science

Section: Science

Tags: Arctic, Climate Change, Royal Navy, Submarine, Temperature

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First satellites with all-electric propulsion call home

The launch of two new communications satellites may not seem like news these days, but it is when they're the first satellites with all-electric propulsion. Boeing announced that the two 702SP small platform satellites, called ABS-3A and EUTELSAT 115 West B, that launched on Sunday evening are sending back signals to mission control as they power towards geosynchronous orbit under ion drive... Continue Reading First satellites with all-electric propulsion call home

Section: Space

Tags: Boeing, Electric, Elon Musk, ion engine, Satellite, SpaceX

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NASA releases new Ceres images prior to Friday encounter

As NASA’s Dawn spacecraft makes its final approach to Ceres, the ion-propelled spacecraft is sending the best images yet with more details about the surface of the dwarf planet. The images from Dawn have shown the presence of numerous craters and unusual bright spots that scientist hope will provide clues as to not only how Ceres formed and if it is still active, but the early history of the Solar System as well. .. Continue Reading NASA releases new Ceres images prior to Friday encounter

Section: Space

Tags: Asteroid, Ceres, Dawn, Dwarf planet, Hubble, NASA, Solar System, Spacecraft,Unmanned

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