Scientists are now studying the walking patterns of spiders, crabs and other invertebrates to figure out how to control motion in robots.
Invertebrates’ neural systems, which govern how they move, are relatively basic — which makes them the ideal study subject. Researchers figured out that rhythmic impulses known as central pattern …
Consider it the ultimate in green engineering: Researchers at Sao Paulo State University in Brazil have developed a way to use plant fibers to create a stronger, lighter and more environmentally-friendly automotive plastic than ever before.
The new nano-cellulose fibers, which come from “delicate fruits” like bananas and pineapples, …
According to our friends over at TechCrunch, Apple’s next major update to iOS 5 won’t happen until later this year – in the fall. Traditionally, along with the announcement of a new iPhone, updates are usually announced in the early spring and pushed for a summer release. Oh noes.
TechCrunch sources state that the iOS 5 update …
Yes, what you are looking at is an anthropomorphic toy that reads your Twitter updates aloud for you. And yes, you want one.
Its name is Twimal, and once jacked into your computer he or she will chirp out your latest tweets and replies, the always-important tweets from users you deem worthy, and even items from selected user lists. …
No longer will you have to dig out those USB cables to ensure your audio books are available on your Kindle. Audible has announced that more than 50,000 of its audiobooks are now available for Kindle owners to download via WiFi. For those who need a little convincing that audiobooks are worth spending time and money on, Audible is ready …
When someone says “computer networks,” the first thing you think about is fruit flies, right? Well, maybe it should be. According to Dr. Ziv Bar-Joseph, associate professor at Carnegie Mellon and one of the authors of a paper called “A Biological Solution to a Fundamental Distributed Computing Problem,” fruit flies and parallel …
When was the last time you used your landline phone? For many people, especially 20-somethings in the UK, the answer to that will be: “What landline?”
With cell phones now ubiquitous, and house prices so astronomically high that buying a home is beyond the means of many young couples, the idea of having a fixed phone line connecting …
Want to stay ahead of the Dow Jones? Apparently, the new way to do it is to pay attention to Twitter. A paper from the Universities of Indiana and Manchester called “Twitter Mood Predicts The Stock Market” seems to suggest that the overall mood of the social network is a surprisingly good indicator of where the market will go soon …
Throw away your iPad. Trash your Kindle. The future of reading is made of something far more innovative, and it’s called “paper.”
The flipback is, according to Patrick Kingsley at the UK Guardian, an ingenious new kind of printed book designed for the iGeneration. “Could this kill the Kindle?” the headlines asks. Err, no.
The pages …
The picture above caught my attention, and I assume it’s grabbing yours. No, it’s not from a new line of 2011 DEVO headwear, nor is it a robotic metal spider frozen in mid-reach around your head, poised–as soon as you don the headset–to devour your brain.
It’s actually a wireless head-gizmo dubbed the “Mynd,” designed by …
Seeking to capture that sadly underserved market of billionaire tech-crazed environmentalists, the folks at Porsche have announced that they are taking orders for a $845,000, 500-hp plug-in hybrid.
I’ll pause a moment, while you scribble out a check.
Known as the 918 Spyder — a name that evokes both the glory and gruesomeness …
It’s a shame this prototype stand is not commercially available, but art student Andrew Kim just proved you can make a pretty nice looking stand by yourself. (Well, if you have access to a laser cutter.)
The stand itself is made from some acrylic plastic and birch plywood, and can hold up to three devices: mainly an iPad, an iPod …
