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Monday, 1 February 2016

TASTY TECH EYE CANDY OF THE WEEK LXXVII


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Tasty Tech Eye Candy: Glass Bridge, Drone Races
By Tracy Staedter,
Discovery News, 31 January 2016.

Feast your eyes on the world's highest, longest bridge, a virtual reality experience that shows the surreal world of Salvador Dali's art and zoom along with drone racers.

1. Glass Bridge

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Glass bridges are becoming all the rage in the China. There's one in Hunan Province, for example, that's 984 feet long and spans a 590-foot deep crevasse. Now Israeli architectural firm Haim Dotan is on track to build a 1410-foot-long glass-bottom bridge over the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon, 984 below. The architects say it should hold 800 people at a time. You first.


2. Dali Art in VR

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A new exhibit at the Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida, offers visitors a way to immerse themselves in the surrealistic art of Salvador DalĂ­. But you can also get a view of it online and by watching this interactive YouTube video that lets you scan the field by moving arrows up or down.


3. Thin, Flexible Pressure Sensor

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Superthin and flexible pressure sensors were developed by scientists in the Someya Laboratory at the University of Tokyo. Extremely sensitive, the sensors could one day be incorporated in gloves to physically screen for breast cancer or tumours.


4. Bobsleigh

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To show just how aerodynamic their seven-seater X-Trail crossover vehicle is, Nissan built a seven-seater bobsleigh. British Olympic medallist Sean Olsson took it for a spin at the Igls Olympic track in Innsbruck, Austria, and found that the sled accelerated from 0 to 62 mph in 30 seconds. We're wondering if it has cup holders.


5. Whip FR-II Snowboard

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Cheetah Ultra Sports has a new carbon composite snowboard called The Whip FR-II. The open slot running down the middle is supposed to minimize weight and friction, while also providing stability.


6. Sleep Mask

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For jet lag, people used to take melatonin. Remember that? Now there's technology. Neuroon is a sleep mask that uses Bluetooth to connect to a mobile phone app. The mask monitors brain waves, analyzes sleep patterns, and uses light therapy to improve sleep quality.


7. Brightline Train

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Floridians are getting a new train. Beginning some time in 2017, the Brightline will whisk passengers between Orlando International Airport, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami, reaching speeds of 120 miles per hour.


8. Drone Racing

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For the first time ever, drones are getting their own competition. The Drone Racing League is setting up its first race course of the year on February 22 at Sun Life Stadium, home of the Miami Dolphins. Other events will be announced at different venues throughout the year.


9. Origami Innovations

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Scientists at Harvard University have discovered that a simple fold in origami called mountain-valley fold is so versatile, it could be the key to creating just about any shape. Objects that fold and collapse into smaller packages could have applications in space travel, architecture, surgery and robotics.


10. Lifeshirt

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The Lifeshirt from Aegis is a shirt you can wear while boating, surfing, waterskiing, etc. But unlike other shirts, this one works like a floatation device in emergency situations. Just pull the handle in the shoulder and a CO2-cylinder inflates a bladder designed to keep the head above water. The shirt can also be set to automatic and inflate as soon as it detects that the wearer is submerged in water.


Top image: Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge, China. Credit: Haim Dotan.

[Source: Discovery News. Edited. Top image and some links added.]

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