Bear farming

enochliew: Typography by Alex Trochut

Sun, 19 May 2013 06:28:51 +1200

Typography by Alex Trochut

courtenaybird: On a normal weeknight, Netflix accounts for...

Sat, 11 May 2013 17:13:33 +1200

On a normal weeknight, Netflix accounts for almost a third of all Internet traffic entering North American homes. That’s more than YouTube, Hulu, Amazon.com, HBO Go, iTunes, and BitTorrent combined.

(via Businessweek)

Technoccult: Eco-Friendly Burials: Human Composting

Sat, 11 May 2013 16:56:54 +1200

Technoccult: Eco-Friendly Burials: Human Composting:

technoccult:

Klint Finley

About 2.5 million people die every year in the U.S. alone. Disposing of human remains creates a serious ecological challenge. Traditional burials involve treating a body with formaldehyde and other chemicals then burying it in a wooden casket where it takes years to decompose….

emergentfutures: Planet Money T-shirt Paul Higgins: I just...

Tue, 07 May 2013 08:17:13 +1200

emergentfutures:

Planet Money T-shirt

Paul Higgins: I just backed this on Kickstarter because I think it is an interesting experiment in the future of journalism and documentary making

Planet Money is a joint project of NPR and This American Life, which focuses on coverage of the global economy. Imagine you could call up a friend and say, “Meet me at the bar and tell me what’s going on with the economy.” Now imagine that’s actually a fun evening. That’s what we’re going for at Planet Money.

So wait, what does this have to do with t-shirts?

Almost every single t-shirt out there — from the cheesiest vacation tank top to the fanciest boutique designer tee — is the result of a complicated global odyssey. We will take you on that odyssey and document the route our t-shirt took to your back. We’ll meet the people who grow the cotton, spin the yarn, and cut and sew the fabric. We’ll ride on the cargo ships that bring our t-shirt from factories in Bangladesh and Colombia to ports in the US. And we’ll examine the crazy tangle of international regulations which govern the t-shirt trade the whole way.

Full Story: KickStarter

nevver: Pulp

Sun, 05 May 2013 21:32:47 +1200

TrustoCorp

TrustoCorp

TrustoCorp

nevver:

Pulp

nevver: I am here, or elsewhere.

Sun, 05 May 2013 21:28:34 +1200

Joe Webb

Joe Webb

Joe Webb

nevver:

I am here, or elsewhere.

dashperiod: Forbes Magazine ad offers free WiFi via mini usb...

Thu, 02 May 2013 23:33:15 +1200

dashperiod:

Forbes Magazine ad offers free WiFi via mini usb and the claim ‘You’re three steps away from an out of office experience” - That’s just wicked!

springwise: Men’s suit that turns transparent when wearer is...

Thu, 02 May 2013 23:31:49 +1200

springwise:

Men’s suit that turns transparent when wearer is lying

Hot on the heels of our recent coverage of the MJ v1.0, a jacket that enables wearers to make music solely by gesturing, we’ve come across another example of wearable tech. Netherlands-based design group Studio Roosegaarde is set to expand its Intimacy 2.0 range of smart clothing to include a men’s business suit which turns transparent when the wearer is being untruthful. READ MORE…

helloyoucreatives: Un baby...

Thu, 02 May 2013 23:30:29 +1200

helloyoucreatives:

Un baby me.

Via http://wordsilikeandothershinythings.wordpress.com/2013/04/30/unbaby-me/

futuretechreport: Behind the Scenes at Thalmic Labs - Creator...

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 13:07:36 +1200

futuretechreport:

Behind the Scenes at Thalmic Labs - Creator of the Wearable Gesture Control Device “Myo”

The Myo is one of the most anticipated gesture control wearable devices expected to be released to early adopters later this year (my order is already in!).

Based in my hometown of Waterloo, Canada - this video gives a great behind the scenes look at the team, the Thalmic Labs office and some great shots of Myo in action and also provides some more information on the product and their development process which hasn’t been previously released before.

Myo uses the electrical activity from your muscles as your move your hand to detect what you are doing with your fingers as well as the motion of your hand. These gestures control connected devices via bluetooth.

The Myo stretchable cuff has been designed to be one-size fits all (they even considered making sure that arm hair doesn’t get in the way).

The team has confirmed that their developer program in the next few months giving out exclusive access to early versions of the software of the devices.

Thalmic Labs believes that the Myo device could revolutionalize the way we interact with technology - and I agree.

smarterplanet: IBM Solar Collector Harnesses the Power of 2,000...

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 07:39:24 +1200

smarterplanet:

IBM Solar Collector Harnesses the Power of 2,000 Suns | Inhabitat - Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building

A team of IBM researchers is working on a solar concentrating dish that will be able to collect 80% of incoming sunlight and convert it to useful energy. The High Concentration Photovoltaic Thermal system will be able to concentrate the power of 2,000 suns while delivering fresh water and cool air wherever it is built. As an added bonus, IBM states that the system would be just one third the cost third of current comparable technologies.

Based on information by Greenpeace International and the European Electricity Association, IBM claims that it would require only two percent of the Sahara’s total area to supply the world’s energy needs. The HCPVT system is designed around a huge parabolic dish covered in mirror facets. The dish is supported and controlled by a tracking system that moves along with the sun. Sun rays reflect off of the mirror into receivers containing triple junction photovoltaic chips, each able to convert 200-250 watts over eight hours. Combined hundred of the chips provide 25 kilowatts of electricity.

The entire dish is cooled with liquids that are 10 times more effective than passive air methods, keeping the HCPVT safe to operate at a concentration of 2,000 times on average, and up to 5,000 times the power of the sun. The direct cooling technique is inspired by the branched blood supply system of the human body and has already been used to cool high performance computers like the Aquasar. The system will also be able to create fresh water by passing 90 degree Celsius liquid through a distillation system that vaporizes and desalinates up to 40 liters each day while still generating electricity. It will also be able to amazingly offer air conditioning by a thermal drive absorption chiller that converts heat through silica gel.

Replacing expensive steel and glass with concrete and pressurized foils, the HCPVT is less costly than many other similar installations. Its high tech coolers and molds can be manufactured in Switzerland, and construction provided by individual companies on-site. Through their design, IBM believes they can maintain a cost of less than 10cents per kilowatt hour.

betalist: Twoodo is a collaboration tool that turns...

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 07:11:34 +1200

betalist:

Twoodo is a collaboration tool that turns conversations into actions. Current users reduce internal emails by 100%. Why? Because you can share ideas, discuss and give out tasks using Twitter-like tags (website + mobile app). We’ve been called “Twitter for business” or “Google Wave done right”. We fit between your personal task management tool and industry specific tools.

Sign up here

enochliew: Bamboo spectacles by Takemoto Handmade and can be...

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 21:14:51 +1200

enochliew:

Bamboo spectacles by Takemoto

Handmade and can be engraved with words of your choice on the inside of the arm.

emergentfutures: Twitter Happiness Levels Soar As People Travel...

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 21:13:26 +1200

emergentfutures:

Twitter Happiness Levels Soar As People Travel Further From Home

Happiness levels caputred by Tweets rise logarithmically with distance from our average location, say computer scientists studying Twitter sentiment

Full Story: MIT

nevver: Ceci n’est pas une pipe

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 12:13:09 +1200

nevver:

Ceci n’est pas une pipe

treehugger: 3D printing skin. Yep, skin. 10 ways 3D printers...

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 08:43:45 +1200

treehugger:

3D printing skin. Yep, skin.

10 ways 3D printers are advancing science

spaceplasma: ‘Artificial leaf’ gains the ability to self-heal...

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 22:03:48 +1200

spaceplasma:

‘Artificial leaf’ gains the ability to self-heal damage and produce energy from dirty water

Back in 2011, researchers at MIT developed an artificial leaf technology that could produce energy from water and sunlight. The artificial leaf is essentially a silicon solar cell that has different catalytic materials bonded to each side that allow it to split water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen, the latter of which could be stored and used as clean fuel. While that technology is groundbreaking enough, the project team, led by Daniel G. Nocera, Ph.D., has announced that the technology now has the ability to self-heal and produce energy from dirty water.

emergentfutures: Sarah Hanson, 19, Auctions Off Future Earnings...

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 20:40:06 +1200

emergentfutures:

Sarah Hanson, 19, Auctions Off Future Earnings To Launch Senior Living Map

Fed up and sinking in college loan debt,Sarah Hanson decided to gamble on a novel idea. The 19-year-old student and developer decided that she would sell 10 percent of her future earnings to the highest bidder so she could drop out of college to focus on her startup.

Full Story: Huffington

joshbyard: Self-Powering Electronics: New Fabric Metamaterial...

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 17:19:45 +1200

joshbyard:

Self-Powering Electronics: New Fabric Metamaterial Generates Electricity From Heat, Movement

Thermoelectrics are not exactly new, but usually made of materials that are brittle, heavy, and expensive. Carroll’s fabric, on the other hand, is lightweight, feels like wool felt, and can be wrapped around surfaces or even sewn into clothing.

While energy can’t be “created” this fabric can essentially pull electricity out if thin air, from heat and movement. The fabric Carroll’s group has can turn heat — from your body, the sun, anywhere — into usable electricity. And unlike anything ever before, it can simultaneously collect power from vibrations or movement — letting your smartphone case bounce on a carseat during a long drive could charge your phone. So could a shirt flapping in the wind.

(via David Carroll On Thermoelectric Fabrics - Business Insider)

emergentfutures: Vending machines deliver 3D-printed goods...

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 13:42:58 +1200

emergentfutures:

Vending machines deliver 3D-printed goods designed by the consumer

Dreambox enables users to design an object and pick it up from an automated booth once it’s ready.

Full Story: Springwise