Jumping. Jehosephat. When we talk about 'the Future', THIS is what we are referring to: using knowledge that we've had for decades and using it to contribute to the betterment of medicine. This National Geographic video shows the 'Skin Gun', a practically brand new invention that uses healthy stem cells grafted from a healthy part of a patient's skin to 'spray paint' over damaged or burned skin. The result is a healing process that is almost less than a week elapsed. Inventions like this are exciting because they show the extent of our handle on technology, but disappoint me because this kind of innovation has definitely been around for a while. The whole 'stem cell debate' has been drawn out too long at the expense of scientific discovery and medial breakthroughs. Now that the regulations on stem cell research have loosened up a bit, I'm anxious to see where all this research goes. If we get anything comparable to the 'skin gun', then 'the Future' should be a lot brighter.
Yes, yes people!! The 'Future' is coming, complete with laser vision, dehydrated food and transforming vehicles!! Okay... So the first two are nowhere near fruition, but the last one is shown in the above video. The Uno Transformer made its debut at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show, and features the capacity to transform from a triple-wheeled unicycle to a sleek two-wheeled motorcycle. The Uno uses a gyroscope to balance itself and does its transformation while accelerating for maximum stability and speed for its small frame. It's completely electric-powered, meaning you won't have to break your bank, and lets out zero-emissions, meaning it's 'green' by default. The only thing that the Uno's design sacrifices is horsepower, clocking in at a top speed of 35 MPH. You won't blow by the Ducatti's and Kawasaki's, but you'll definitely look cool doing it. Check out the BPG Uno III in action.
In another case of Google attempting to take over the world, the California technology firm has apparently logged over 140,000 miles in a car controlled by nothing more than a computer. The cars, which have been under wraps for about a year, are completely automated, using artificial-intelligence software that senses anything near the car and mimics decisions made by a human driver. By all means, this might very well be the invention of the decade, and it's only 2010. According to Google, the car reacts faster and works with the flow of traffic better than most human drivers. Because they do not get sleepy, distracted, or under the influence of alcohol or drugs, the automated car is virtually impervious to accidents. In fact, the only accident the cars were involved in was when a human driver rear-ended one of the Google Cars (the name sounds right, doesn't it?). Obviously, this is the testing phase of the technology, and automated cars are almost a decade away from production. That said, the concept is revolutionary. The applications are endless, not only from a consumer standpoint, but when dealing with military and public transportation. The only caveat I can see is that Google will now truly know where we are. We're getting closer to a dystopian future, and Google and Apple are at the forefront. I guess talking cars are reward enough for signing our lives over to technology companies. Check out a video of the Google Car in action...
The reason a comic like Iron Man is so successful is because of the premise of strengthening the human body through machinery. Now, we sure as hell aren't on the level of Stark Industries as of yet, but our military expenditures aren't being used in vain these days. The engineers at Raytheon have revamped their XOS Exoskeleton to create a 2nd version of the armor that is not only lighter, but stronger than its predecessor. The new version, which uses a high-pressure hydraulic frame to move in conjunction with the user, also boasts less power usage than the first, although this one still has to be connected to a power source to work. The applications for such an invention are endless. All you've got to do is crack open a comic book to pique your imagination as to the possibilities for the XOS-2 Exoskeleton. Raytheon says that the XOS-2 can do the work of 2 or 3 soldiers without the wear and tear that the human body would go through. If that isn't reason enough to want to see the XOS-2 in action, then nothing is. Check the video out...
Think someone's just on a Bluetooth idly chatting with what seems to be themselves? Think again. For those moments that you want to record, but can't see yourself lugging around a video camera, there's the Looxcie personal video recorder. You wear the Looxcie just like you would a Bluetooth earpiece, and when you want to record, you just turn on the camera to get 30 seconds of video. The idea looks interesting, especially because you can instantly upload those videos to Youtube, Facebook or Twitter from your phone. Speaking of phones, the Looxcie functions as a regular Bluetooth headset. The video quality is mediocre, but the possible applications for the Looxcie are attractive. Live video blogging and World Star Hip-Hop can definitely make use of this. Check out the Looxcie in action...
If I told you that the old ideas about 'the Future' from movies would come true in the next decade, would you believe me? Now that I think of it, I might not believe you either. The fascinating technological concepts of movies such as Minority Report, the Matrix and the latest Star Trek, always seemed farfetched, considering how slowly companies are to unveil their future plans. However, that doesn't mean those pipe-dreams can't or won't be achieved in time for my generation to care or take advantage. Swedish tech startup, TAT, commissioned a bunch of designers, tech people and computing engineers to design a realistic and aesthetically-captivating model of the future of the touch screen, called Open Initiative. The result is quite astonishing, to say the least. The video above shows a rendering of what the future holds for us, computing-wise. From alarm clocks you don't have to fumble around the snooze button for, to mirrors that show news headlines, to wireless collaboration and sharing over touch-friendly user interfaces, it seems as if the sky is the limit. It will be interesting to see if companies pick up this model or can run with it at all, because this simply looks cool. The fact that it's integrated in regular life, but not hindering it by being too (there is such a thing; think robot vacuums) has me thinking the future won't be as automated as we think. My only concern is how integrating all of the networks we have will work out. That's neither here nor there at the design point, though. Check out the video, and see what the next generation is looking like...
How many of you guys would sleep in a public place, like a train station or a bus stop? Trust, I find ways to sleep everywhere, but sleeping in public always has the aspect of danger or just plain old exposure that will keep you awake. I suppose that's what the people at The Arch Group were thinking about when they began designs on their SLEEPBOX. The architects see the boxes installed at train stations, airports and shopping centers, where users would rent between 15 minutes and several hours.. Between users, the bedding would be automatically changed, with sheets wound from one roller onto another. While I think the idea is brilliant, especially for Europe and Asia (light rail travel is the norm outside of the US), I can't help but think there are some gross people out there who'd turn the SLEEPBOX into their personal public and drug sex rooms. Also, the whole idea of resting my head where I know thousands have been is just a bit eerie to me (though we do the same thing everyday on public transportation). Even so, the invention is great for people with layovers or foreigners without immediate accommodation. How about you? Would any of you guys (readers) rock with a SLEEPBOX?
Maybe I've just read 1984 a few too many times, but this just seems eerie...
It was only a matter of time. I always thought that sooner or later a company would begin laying the foundation down for them becoming Big Brother. Google, you have taken that first step. You introduced Google TV today, which is a pretty simple idea: add internet functionality to TV's. We could get our favorite videos and shows online instead of through cable, and pretty much have some semblance of a computer at our televisions. It's actually a very innovative idea, and might damn well revolutionize media as we know it. Yet somehow, it might do some damage. Google, your new product isn't all it's cracked up to be, and for 2 reasons:
First of all, America has an obesity problem already. Every day more and more people are stuffing themselves full of extra-fatty, extra-salty, extra-sugary food. To put it short, obesity is an epidemic. One of the causes is inactivity. A good chunk of people sit on their asses all day, get up for bathroom breaks and sit right back down, until they have to go home and sit right back down again. Why would you give an already fat, television-obsessed nation another reason not to get off their couch? That's like providing heroin-users with free needles. You're doing a lot of harm for some good. Yes it's cool that we can access the internet on our TV's now, but you guys know that some people will take it to the extreme. The worst part is, by you guys knowing all of our viewing patterns, we basically are giving you guys free access to our minds...
No, that's not just me being a conspiracy theorist; it's me showing what happens when one company has this much reign. Think about it. Reason 2: We use everything Google nowadays - phones, internet content, and now TV? It's only a matter of time before there's Google Food, Google Transportation and All Google Everything. People will begin investing their livelihoods into you, Google. You'll become the 'Party' while everyone is glued to their telescreens Google TV. You'll be able to monitor and maybe alter what everyone is seeing until it fits the Google Image. Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself, but you guys have always been a company that looked forward. You can't honestly say that you don't see any of this on the horizon, in any capacity. You are leading the digital revolution. Let's just hope the revolution takes us in the right direction...
Ummmmm... I hearken back to this idea all the time: The Future (capital F), when technology will be as close to us as life is. Okay, maybe not that close, but we all envision a world where man and machine can co-exist in the same entity. We might not be seeing androids any time soon, but this is another huge step in the right direction, especially after seeing an amputee control a robotic arm with their mind. The possibilities and applications of an invention like the i-Limb are endless. The bionic hand has patented pulsing technology to give it increasing and controllable grip strength to each individual digit, depending on settings you create. It can lift up to 200 lbs (more than most people can). Also, the i-Limb can be programmed to sync with Bluetooth for you techies who need a helping hand (drums for corny joke). No word yet as to whether the i-Limb can be attached as a prosthetic, but with the way the hand looks, synthesizing the two shouldn't be far away. Touch Bionics' i-Limb Pulse goes on sale on June 1st. I guess the Future is closer than we think...
Man vs. machine is one of the ideas that has always been in society's mind's eye since the Industrial Revolution. Whether the plight of John Henry vs. the steam engine, the rise of computers in the latter half of the century, or the advent of true artificial intelligence, we've always been curious as to how we stacked up against the machines of our own creation. Such is the case here, where Joe Nedney, the kicker for the San Francisco 49ers engages in the battle of his lifetime against machine. Some engineers participating in the annual Robogames, crafted a 360-pound robot capable of kicking field goals with the best of them. And that machine almost took Nedney to the wire, until Nedney his a 45-yard shot against the wind. Ziggy (aka the robot) was nowhere close. I suppose in most feats of physical prowess, humans will prevail; that is, until modern science perfects physiological function. When it's 'the Future' (with a capital F), we'll see...
Anyone remember the movie The Rocketeer, where the Nazis and the FBI were working against each other to steal a rocket pack from a failed stunt pilot? If not, IMDB it AT ONCE. Now, this isn't the same premise, or a movie for that matter. This ish is REAL. The Martin Aircraft Company has created its own personal jet pack, which is now available to the public, given you can pass the company's stringent training sessions. The pack supports a weight of up to 280 pounds and is powered by a 2.0-liter V-four two-stroke engine that can take you about 31.5 miles (or the typical American's work commute). Plus, the jet pack can travel up to 8000 feet in the air, so it's definitely not for the acrophobic. Last but not least, Martin AC made sure they thought about the recession with this offering, with the MSRP chiming in right around the price of a high end motor-cycle. The description doesn't do it justice, so check the video and the pictures below...
Now, when I say 'the Future' (capital F), this is what I mean. Unfortunately, heads like to call it 'augmented reality'. Scientists in the United Kingdom have used cameras and a type of projection screen on building facades in order to superimpose what's 'around the corner' ON the corner. It's a simple idea, but the application is useful, especially for those of you who like to use the celly while driving. Check out the video to get a glimpse of 'the Future'...
When you think about 'the Future' (F is capitalized), what do you think about? My first thought is always interactive environments, where EVERYTHING becomes a source of input, either actively or passively. This is the latter. Enter the Light Touch, from Light Blue Optics. This machine can take any solid, flat surface and turn it into a touch screen through a projection technology called HLP (you can see how HLP works below). The manufacturer says HLP and concepts like the Light Touch will become especially useful in venues such as restaurants, hotels and specialty shops. I, for one, can't wait until this technology starts getting to consumers. But seriously, how long until 'the Future'?
I'd probably say the exact same thing if I saw this. If there's one thing that always blows mine when dealing with portable electronics, it's losing or not having a charger when you got 1% battery left. This might not change the problem, but definitely adds to the solution. The convenience of having a charger like this is only offset by the price: $100 for the actual mat, and up to $40 for the cases for each device. I'm not sure I'm ready for it yet, but this is a step towards 'the future'...
