Technology has no boundary. This week, we look at tech for pets, balls that teach kids about computer programming and robots inspired by salamanders.
1. Nissan Sway
This week at the Geneva Motor Show, plenty of new cars were on display. But we were partial to Nissan's concept car, the Sway, because it's a hatchback and that means average joes like us could afford one of these beauties.
2. Soil in 3-D
Studying soil may not sound exciting, but what scientists learn could help save lives by better predicting earthquakes and avalanches.
This week, researchers from Duke University showed off a new model for measuring the forces inside sand, soil and snow when put under pressure. The technique, demonstrated here using a solution of hundreds of translucent hydrogel beads in a Plexiglass box, uses lasers, sensors, cameras and algorithms to measure the three-dimensional forces between neighbouring particles.
3. Freezeway
Here's a great way to commute when your city is gripped in the icy throes of winter: ice skate. It's the Freezeway and it comes from landscape architecture student Matthew Gibbs, who won a prize for his idea in 2013.
But now it looks like a prototype of the trail, to be piloted by the Edmonton Ski Club, could be live next winter. The trail would connect two existing greenways with a seven-mile path that, in winter would produce a frozen avenue for skaters and in the summer would work as a bike lane. [Video]
4. High-Tech Pet Collar
Image via Gizmodo
If humans can sport wearable electronics, why not dogs? Motorola showed off its smart collar, the Scout 5000 (US$199), which has GPS, a video camera and Wi-Fi connectivity. A built-in speaker allows the owner to issue commands from a distance.
5. Luxury Dog House
And if cats can have condos, why can't dogs have luxury apartments? Samsung unveiled a high-tech dog house that comes with a treadmill, a hydrotherapy pool and an automated feeder. The Dream Doghouse is just that - a dream. Because this concept kennel was only built to promote Samsung's sponsorship of the UK's Crufts dog show. That's ruff.
6. Blackberry Leap
The week in Barcelona, Spain, vendors at the Mobile World Congress showed off their electronic devices. Among them was BlackBerry, who unveiled their new Leap, a US$200 all-touch, mid-range handset. It has a 5.0" screen, an 8MP camera, 25-hour battery life and BlackBerry's signature security system.
7. Samsung Pay
Samsung was also at the Mobile World Congress showing off its new new Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge, which both work with Samsung Pay - Samsung's answer to Apple Pay, the app service that allows users to make purchases with their phones.
8. E-Bike
The Mobile World Congress meeting wasn't limited to phones. Ford was there showing off two new electric bicycles - the MoDe:Me and MoDe:Pro. Ford sees these bikes as part of a larger, connected transport future where cars are just one component of traveling. The MoDe:Me folds up to be taken on public transportation in urban areas and the MoDe:Pro is for commercial couriers.
9. Pleurobot
We love robots inspired by nature and Pleurobot is right up there. It comes from researchers at Switzterlands' EPFL, who recorded three-dimensional X-ray videos of salamanders to study the animal walking on ground, walking underwater and swimming. The video tracked 64 points on the animal’s skeleton, which were used to create this new salamander-like robot.
10. Hackaball
Adults are already impressed with the way middle school kids - or toddlers - can work our DVRs, video games, smartphones and various other electronic devices. Soon, they'll be hacking into these gadgets.
Hackaball is a wireless ball that kids can program in order to invent and play games. The ball has motion sensors, a gyro, accelerometer, vibration motor, nine LEDs, rechargeable battery and memory to store sounds and a speaker. Kids use an iPad to reprogram the ball to behave differently under playful circumstances. In this way, they begin to grasp the connection between programming and the myriad electronic devices in their lives.
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