Swimming in pools may be fun, but using a dip net to skim leaves off of them can be a tedious chore. That’s why the solar-powered Ariel robot was created, as it autonomously does the job for you. Manufactured by Arizona-based company Pivot-Solar Breeze, Ariel features a pair of waterproof photovoltaic panels on its topside. These power the robot during […]
Paddlewheeler Skims Debris From Swimming Pools
Wireless Knuckles 5 Controller
Conventional dual-joystick drone controllers require pilots to use both hands – this can be inconvenient, plus not everyone has two functional hands. That’s where the one-handed Knuckles-5 controller is designed to come in. Created by “an international team of specialists from various fields related to the drone industry,” the device is currently in functioning prototype form. Once it reaches production, […]
Collision Avoidance Powered Wheelchairs
If you’re the user of a powered wheelchair, it goes without saying that you really don’t want that chair to tip over, or to crash into obstacles. The LUCI system – which gets added to existing chairs – is intended to keep those things from happening. LUCI consists of multiple sensor modules that combine technologies such as stereo computer vision, […]
MIT Implant Delivers Drugs
When taken orally or intravenously, medications typically travel throughout the body, producing unwanted side effects. MIT scientists are working on an alternative, that delivers both light and a light-activated drug directly to the target area. So-called “photoswitchable” drugs contain light-sensitive molecules that essentially switch the drug on when exposed to a flash of light. This means that a pharmaceutical could […]
Paddlewheeler Skims Debris From Swimming Pools
Beekeeping can be an arduous task, as keepers have to repeatedly bend over and lift wax/honey-laden honeycomb panels out of each hive. The Hive Controller is designed to help, by robotically lifting and collecting the honeycombs. Made by Korean company Daesung (aka Smart Hive), the Hive Controller is simply placed on top of a hive, once that hive’s lid has […]
Fingerprint Activated Wallet
Everything is coming up smart these days, so why should your wallet be any different? Meet theCashew Smart Wallet with Biometrics and Bluetooth, an innovative personal gadget that will keep your valuables safe wherever you go. Successfully funded on Kickstarter, the Cashew Smart Wallet was designed to ensure your wallet is always by your side. With an innovative fingerprint reader, […]
Microbiome Altering Mosquito Repellant
DEET may be an effective mosquito repellent, but it can cause irritation, and has to be reapplied every few hours. Scientists are now working on a more innocuous, longer-laster alternative, that involves introducing genetically engineered bacteria to people’s skin. The “Live Biotherapeutic Product” (LBP) repellent is being developed as part of the ReVector Program, which is spearheaded by DARPA (the […]
Are Mushrooms The Most Sustainable Vegetables?
Although abiding by a vegan or predominantly plant-based diet is easily considered to be one of the most sustainable ways of life, certain plant-based foods are more sustainable than others. Growing and harvesting olive oil is significantly more sustainable than producing palm oil, for example, while certain types of fruit agriculture has a lower impact than others. That being said, […]
Complete Chef
Even if you like cooking, it can still be a hassle transferring ingredients between bowls – all of which subsequently have to be washed. Cuisinart’s new Complete Chef food processor was designed with that in mind, as it also cooks what it slices and dices. Processing-wise, the Complete Chef does all of the usual things – it chops, mixes, purees, […]
1st Mate System Alarm
If a boat full of people is zipping across the water, it’s possible that one of them could fall overboard without anyone noticing … at least, not right away. The 1st Mate Marine Safety and Security system is designed to keep that from happening. Manufactured by Mercury Marine, the system incorporates wristband fobs worn by the captain and up to […]