Anyone who has been caught in a summer storm knows that it kind of sucks. Evidently, mosquitoes think the same thing, as they apparently choose to seek shelter when they sense an approaching storm, rather than risk hanging out and biting people. Who can blame them, right? Well, maybe no one can blame them, but smart engineers can certainly jump […]
Wristband Protection Against Mosquitoes
Google Assistant Goes Billingual
Whether you’ve come to say “Hola!” or “Bienvenue” or “Auf Wiedersehen,” Google Assistant is ready to answer you right back as the smart assistant becomes the first of its kind to go fully bilingual. Users can now speak two languages interchangeably with the Google Assistant on smart speakers and phones and the Assistant will respond in kind. As of right […]
Inflatable Paddle Up Board
Stand-up paddleboarding is a lot of fun and it’s great exercise, too. But sometimes it can be a real challenge to store and transport the board to and from the water. Inflatable models have helped with this issue somewhat, but an ultra-portable SUP board has been the Holy Grail for serious outdoor athletes for some time. Now, Red Paddle Co. […]
Brexit Prompts More Automation Of Work
Britain is facing a strawberry labor shortage that only threatens to get worse as Brexit approaches, so roboticists at the University of Essex are working in conjunction with jam makers Wilkin & Sons of Tiptree to develop robotsto take up the slack. Led by Vishuu Mohan, from the School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering, the team’s goal is to […]
TechDen Limits Kids Screen Time
While most parents don’t want their kids spending too much time on their smartphones or tablets, it can be difficult to monitor how long they’ve been using such a device, and to keep it out of temptation’s way when it’s not in use. Well, that’s why the TechDen was created. Unveiled this week at the IFA 2018 consumer electronics show […]
Can This Cloth Really Pull Water From The Air?
Imagine if it was possible for people in drought-stricken parts of the world to literally pull fresh drinking water from the air. Such technology does, in fact, exist in the form of fog collectors. Fog collectors are mesh nets, able to capture between 2 and 10 percent of moisture in the air, depending on the efficiency of the material used. […]
Sustainable Beer Production
One innovative Melbourne-based brewery is going the distance when it comes to eco-friendly beer production. Located in the heart of Melbourne’s Docklands district, the design of the newly-opened Urban Alley Brewery incorporates a sustainable end-to-end production cycle to create its frothy cold brew without harming the environment. The innovative system includes a number of eco-friendly practices, such as an on […]
Amazon Dedicates New Book Subscription For Children
If two-day shipping wasn’t enough motivation to check out Amazon Prime, it seems the online-shopping company has added yet another cool Prime-only feature. In fact, Amazon’s new children’s book subscription — Prime Book Box — is the company’s latest Prime member perk and it might be a parent’s best friend if their kids always seem to have their noses in a book, […]
Fizzy Automatic Insurance for Delayed Flights
Insurer AXA launched Fizzy, insurance that uses blockchain technology to automatically refund travelers for delayed flights, in Italy in June. Users can purchase a Fizzy policy up to 15 days before their flight. Fizzy records flight details on the blockchain, calculates risk of delay, and charges accordingly. If the flight is delayed by two hours or more the user is compensated automatically upon landing; […]
Self Powered Sensor
When someone is recovering from joint surgery, it’s important for doctors to monitor factors such as their range of motion. A new self-powered sensor could make doing so easier than ever, by wirelessly transmitting movement data from an orthopedic brace on that joint. Developed by scientists at Canada’s University of Waterloo, the prototype sensor takes the form of a small […]