Hey all!
Finnish aeronautical engineer Aki Suokas has created a new single-seat aircraft made entirely out of carbon fiber composite. It lands and takes off on water and it weighs only 70 kilograms! It was launched at Aero Friedrichshafen. There are three models and one of which is made for racing purposes. The wingspan is nearly five meters long and its speed ranges from 70 kilometers/hour to 140 kilometers/hour.
It costs $39,000 here in the United States (which is equivalent to 27,000 Euros).
I don't know about you guys, but I think it looks pretty cool. Would I ever fly in it? No, probably not. I'm terribly afraid of heights but I wouldn't mind watching people race in them! It reminds me of Pod racing in Star Wars. :)
I would include a picture of the FlyNano but my computer is acting up so here's the link!
http://www.gizmag.com/flynano-microlight-aircraft/18411/ --- check out the images!!!
Friday, April 15, 2011
Friday, April 8, 2011
The Portable Wavedrum Percussion Synthesizer
Hi guys!
I've got more news for you related to my favorite topic... MUSIC! Korg has created a Wavedrum percussion synthesizer to be used in Middle Eastern music. This pad has built-in speakers and tons of effects. The neat thing about this portable synthesizer is its clip sensor which allows finger taps or hand slaps into amplified percussion sounds!
According to the article, it runs on battery power and it has a strap attachment to help hold it in place. There are one hundred pre-recorded sounds on this device (including stringed instruments) and it also has one hundred different rhythm patterns as well. It has a 1.3W speaker (Whatever that means... :) Haha! I apologize for my lack of technological knowledge). The price for the Wavedrum has yet to be determined.
That's my news for this week. Here's the article: http://www.gizmag.com/korg-wavedrum-mini-portable-percussion-synth/18358/
Have a great rest of your week everyone!
I've got more news for you related to my favorite topic... MUSIC! Korg has created a Wavedrum percussion synthesizer to be used in Middle Eastern music. This pad has built-in speakers and tons of effects. The neat thing about this portable synthesizer is its clip sensor which allows finger taps or hand slaps into amplified percussion sounds!
According to the article, it runs on battery power and it has a strap attachment to help hold it in place. There are one hundred pre-recorded sounds on this device (including stringed instruments) and it also has one hundred different rhythm patterns as well. It has a 1.3W speaker (Whatever that means... :) Haha! I apologize for my lack of technological knowledge). The price for the Wavedrum has yet to be determined.
That's my news for this week. Here's the article: http://www.gizmag.com/korg-wavedrum-mini-portable-percussion-synth/18358/
Have a great rest of your week everyone!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Thought-Controlled Prosthetic Arm
Hey everyone!
Two undergraduate students, Michal Prywata and Thiago Caires, from Toronto's Ryerson University have created a prosthetic arm that is powered by compressed air and controlled by thoughts (brain signals) of the wearer. The wearer does not have to undergo surgery to get this arm because it is attached by straps. This prosthetic arm also has a fuller range of motion than other arms. In order to move the arm, the amputee wears a headset that detects brain signals. Whenever the signals in the brain match one of the established command signals, the arm moves accordingly.
One interesting tidbit about the creation of this arm is the fact that it took about a year to develop the software but the actual arm only took 72 hours to build.
As of right now, the two students are trying to get the fingers to move individually. They are also trying to establish a sense of capacitive touch into the fingers as well.
This students have also established their own company Bionik Laboratories, Inc. in order to commercialize their arm.
Interested to see the original article? Check it out! http://www.gizmag.com/pneumatic-thought-controlled-prosthetic-arm/18289/
Two undergraduate students, Michal Prywata and Thiago Caires, from Toronto's Ryerson University have created a prosthetic arm that is powered by compressed air and controlled by thoughts (brain signals) of the wearer. The wearer does not have to undergo surgery to get this arm because it is attached by straps. This prosthetic arm also has a fuller range of motion than other arms. In order to move the arm, the amputee wears a headset that detects brain signals. Whenever the signals in the brain match one of the established command signals, the arm moves accordingly.
One interesting tidbit about the creation of this arm is the fact that it took about a year to develop the software but the actual arm only took 72 hours to build.
As of right now, the two students are trying to get the fingers to move individually. They are also trying to establish a sense of capacitive touch into the fingers as well.
This students have also established their own company Bionik Laboratories, Inc. in order to commercialize their arm.
Interested to see the original article? Check it out! http://www.gizmag.com/pneumatic-thought-controlled-prosthetic-arm/18289/
Friday, March 18, 2011
Solar Powered Military (Suits)
Wow guys!
Apparently the Engineering and Physical Research Sciences Center in the United Kingdom is currently working on camouflage uniforms that use solar power and body heat. It would keep power going for their radio, GPS, and even some of their weapons. The fabric that they are creating uses solar photovoltaic cells and thermoelectric devices (along with lightweight batteries). This suit would even help hide a soldier more effectively with infrared cameras. Other militaries are also looking into this source but these suits will be quite expensive. The project alone costs 1.4 million dollars.
I think this sounds like a really neat idea if the power can be harnessed and used correctly. I'm not sure how well it would work in some situations but I can see these being especially helpful in deserts.
What do you guys think?
Here's my source: http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2011-03/%E2%80%98solar-soldier%E2%80%99-project-could-lighten-load-british-infantry-while-keeping-soldiers-safe
Apparently the Engineering and Physical Research Sciences Center in the United Kingdom is currently working on camouflage uniforms that use solar power and body heat. It would keep power going for their radio, GPS, and even some of their weapons. The fabric that they are creating uses solar photovoltaic cells and thermoelectric devices (along with lightweight batteries). This suit would even help hide a soldier more effectively with infrared cameras. Other militaries are also looking into this source but these suits will be quite expensive. The project alone costs 1.4 million dollars.
I think this sounds like a really neat idea if the power can be harnessed and used correctly. I'm not sure how well it would work in some situations but I can see these being especially helpful in deserts.
What do you guys think?
Here's my source: http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2011-03/%E2%80%98solar-soldier%E2%80%99-project-could-lighten-load-british-infantry-while-keeping-soldiers-safe
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
A Stretchable Catheter for the Heart
Hey everyone!
Here's a new science development for you all. Scientists have just recently created a single catheter that does the work of the usual two used to treat arrhythmia. Arrhythmia is the fancy word for an irregular heartbeat. Usually cardiologists will put in a catheter that maps out the heart and finds the source of the irregularity. The second catheter then gets directed to the location (through the use of the electrode on the end) and kills the aberrant cells.
This new catheter is a "flexible meshwork of linked sensors and electrodes onto a conventional endocardial balloon catheter. It looks like this:
Those sensors (that you can see on the picture) measure various things such as temperature or electrical activity and then use the data to lock onto the aberrant cells. Then, just like before, the cells are destroyed. The other neat thing about this catheter is that it will inflate when it is inserted in order to open up blood vessels and then it will deflate once the source of arrhythmia is gone.
Pretty neat, huh? Check it out here: http://www.gizmag.com/balloon-catheter-with-stretchable-electronics/18098/
Here's a new science development for you all. Scientists have just recently created a single catheter that does the work of the usual two used to treat arrhythmia. Arrhythmia is the fancy word for an irregular heartbeat. Usually cardiologists will put in a catheter that maps out the heart and finds the source of the irregularity. The second catheter then gets directed to the location (through the use of the electrode on the end) and kills the aberrant cells.
This new catheter is a "flexible meshwork of linked sensors and electrodes onto a conventional endocardial balloon catheter. It looks like this:
Those sensors (that you can see on the picture) measure various things such as temperature or electrical activity and then use the data to lock onto the aberrant cells. Then, just like before, the cells are destroyed. The other neat thing about this catheter is that it will inflate when it is inserted in order to open up blood vessels and then it will deflate once the source of arrhythmia is gone.
Pretty neat, huh? Check it out here: http://www.gizmag.com/balloon-catheter-with-stretchable-electronics/18098/
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Machinima Links and Videos
Hey guys! If you happened to find anything I said remotely interesting, here's the couple of links I used to do my research.
http://www.machinima.com/
http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/218111/the-13-best-machinima-projects/
__________________________________________________
Here's the youtube videos that I used, and the one I didn't end up showing about the "Trashmaster."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxIota-k8rA - The Leet World, Episode 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHhKPFw-WMo&list=SL - Sanity Not Included, Save the World
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVYCXw-dSKE - The Trashmaster trailer
Lastly, I really hope you guys like(d) my presentation -- and have a great week!!! : )
http://www.machinima.com/
http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/218111/the-13-best-machinima-projects/
__________________________________________________
Here's the youtube videos that I used, and the one I didn't end up showing about the "Trashmaster."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxIota-k8rA - The Leet World, Episode 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHhKPFw-WMo&list=SL - Sanity Not Included, Save the World
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVYCXw-dSKE - The Trashmaster trailer
Lastly, I really hope you guys like(d) my presentation -- and have a great week!!! : )
Monday, February 28, 2011
A Robot Cheetah! Wicked!!!
Whoa!
Okay, I just found something stellar! Apparently Boston Dynamics is working on creating a humanoid modeled after a cheetah. It would be the fasted (four)-legged robot in the world! They've already created the headless humanoid PETMAN and the Big Dog robts, and now they have gotten two more grants to
create this "cheetah."
They want it to be able to climb, turn sideways in order to sidle through narrow spaces, and even use its hands! Right now they only expect it to move at 20-30 miles per hour but they are thinking that it will eventually be able to run just as fast as an actual cheetah.
Interested? You know I am! :) I think this is really cool! If you want to read the article for yourself, here you are:
http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2011-02/darpa-wants-boston-dynamics-build-robotic-cheetah-fastest-legged-robot-world
Okay, I just found something stellar! Apparently Boston Dynamics is working on creating a humanoid modeled after a cheetah. It would be the fasted (four)-legged robot in the world! They've already created the headless humanoid PETMAN and the Big Dog robts, and now they have gotten two more grants to
create this "cheetah."
Interested? You know I am! :) I think this is really cool! If you want to read the article for yourself, here you are:
http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2011-02/darpa-wants-boston-dynamics-build-robotic-cheetah-fastest-legged-robot-world
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