The James Dyson Award is an international competition to recognize and encourage engineering students to get creative to solve some of the most pressing problems facing the world. The national finalists from 28 regions have been announced for 2021, ahead of the international leg of the competition. Now in its 15th year, the James Dyson Award gathers some of the […]
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Self-Powered Trailerduck
Cargo bicycles may indeed be a clean, green option for making urban deliveries, but they can only carry moderately sized loads. The Trailerduck lets bikes haul much more cargo, by matching its power and steering to that of the bike that’s towing it – and a subsequent system may require no bike at all. Manufactured by German startup DroidDrive, the […]
Cargo Dropping Deliver System
It was just last year that we heard about A2Z Drone Delivery’s RDS1 system, which lets third-party delivery drones drop cargo to customers on a long tether. Well, the technology has now been incorporated into a custom-designed multicopter drone. To recap our previous coverage, the initial RDS1 (Rapid Delivery System 1) kit consists of a motorized reel of Kevlar cord, […]
Modular Guitar
Back in 2018, Ian Reddick unveiled the Mercury Modular Guitar, which could be broken down into numerous components and packed into a small suitcase for travel. Now he’s back with a pro guitar where you can swap out pickup blocks on-the-fly. There are two main modular options for the Voyager guitar. First, you can reach around back and pull out […]
Glowing Antibacterial Bandage Shows Data On Wounds
Bandaged wounds need to be checked for infection, yet removing the bandage to check the wound can delay its healing. Australian scientists may have a fix for this paradox, in the form of a dressing that glows if the wound is infected. Currently being developed at RMIT University, the material incorporates nanosheets of magnesium hydroxide that are embedded onto the […]
“Farmscraper”
Greenery covered skyscrapers have become fairly commonplace in recent years, but what if, as well as bringing some nature into cities, they could also be used to grow food? Such is the thinking behind the “Farmscraper” by Italy’s Carlo Ratti Associati (CRA), which the firm says could feed up to 40,000 people a year. The Farmscraper, which has the official […]
ZUV Electric Cargo From Recycled Plastic Waste
Single-use plastic packaging may help keep produce fresh, but subsequently becomes a huge environmental problem when tossed in the trash. Looking to repurpose waste from our throw-away society, a social enterprise/industrial design studio has created an electric cargo trike concept with a chassis 3D printed from supermarket plastic waste. Plastic waste is a gargantuan problem, with a recent study projecting […]
Sunpower Pollen Used In 3D Bioprinting
When it comes to the 3D bioprinting of replacement body parts or other implanted items, the material that’s used needs to be strong yet flexible, and also biocompatible. According to new research, sunflower pollen may be the way to go. For the study, scientists at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University began by incubating sunflower pollen in an alkaline solution for six […]
Softtop Keeps Cyclist Dry From Rain
Dedicated bicycle commuters may not let a little rain stop them, but that still doesn’t mean they like getting rained on when they ride. The Softtop, from German manufacturer RainRider, is one of the latest gadgets that’s designed to help keep them dry … or at least, drier. Made of coated polyester fabric and transparent UV-resistant polyurethane, the Softtop is […]
Future of Prosthetic Limb May Be Magnetic
Currently, most powered prosthetic limbs are controlled by electrodes in the user’s residual stump. An experimental new MIT system, however, is claimed to work better by replacing those electrodes with implanted magnetic beads. In a conventional setup, electrodes are either implanted into the muscles of the arm/leg stump, or they’re adhered to its skin. Whichever the case, the electrodes proceed […]