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Technology

Video: Sony's Prototype 360-Degree Display Shows Off 3-D Image

By Stuart Fox Posted on 10.22.2009 9 Comments
While the first 3-D television sets may start shipping as early as next year, they don't represent true three dimensional images. The televisions require 3-D glasses to work, and only present an image when viewed head on.

10.26.2009 at 01:13pm - Comment by Kickstand27

the glasses thing doesnt work, really does it though? Im not sure.. i dont really see anything in 3-d all that much anyhow.. legally blind in one eye, you know..
Technology

Mouse Scampers on Giant Trackball, Plays Quake

By Paul Adams Posted on 10.14.2009 10 Comments
In this video, a mouse runs through a virtual maze derived from a Quake 2 level, by steering a trackball suspended on a jet of air. Obviously the Princeton scientists did this because it's awesome, but the ostensible reason is because it gives them unprecedented access to study the neurological activity of the rodent while it moves around.

10.15.2009 at 01:57pm - Comment by Kickstand27

poor poor mouse.. in a real maze at least he can physically get out of it.. virtual maze? not so much. "it smells like ive been here before"
Science

Water Bears Are Headed for a Martian Moon

By Jeremy Hsu Posted on 10.12.2009 7 Comments
Water bears, the tiny creatures that have already been proven to survive direct exposure to the vacuum of space, were slated for launch to a Martian moon this month. But Russian officials chose to delay their first interplanetary mission in more than a decade due to safety and technical issues, until the next launch window opens in 2011.

10.13.2009 at 11:57am - Comment by Kickstand27

Do you all really think that water bears (and the other two forms of life they're including) are going to contaminate phobos to the point where we can't ascertain if it was life we put there arleady? I mean, given that we would document that we sent them there and given the extremely long amount of time it takes anything to evolve, i think we might be able to figure out whats ours and whats truly alien, if that circumstance even presents it's self. Decontaminating mars rovers and the like would be a bit different, because microbial life forms and the like that happen to be on it aren't catalogued (undefined variables), there could be anything on there. This is a small biocapsule that we know the exact contents of. I understand that scientifically it does contaminate precise (absolute) results, however i dont think the amount of contamination is even really quatifiable, given the vast lifelessness of phobos. Furthermore, Suzan, How are we certain that past missions havent already taken microbial life to other destinations? Ponderous.
Science

NASA Levitates a Mouse With Magnetic Fields

By Susannah F. Locke Posted on 9.9.2009 13 Comments
Scientists working on behalf of NASA have successfully levitated a mouse using a strong magnetic field. I pay taxes so that stuff like this can happen. I don't hate animals. It's for understanding microgravity better, ok?

9.9.2009 at 05:30pm - Comment by Kickstand27

this just in, in a bid to go greem popsci recycles news about maglev mouse. :/
Cars

McDonald's to EV Drivers: Do You Want Fries With that Power?

By John Brandon Posted on 7.6.2009 7 Comments
On July 14, electric vehicle owners will be able to charge up on a Big Mac while their electric vehicle charges in the parking lot. A new McDonald's in Cary, North Carolina, will be the first of its kind, testing a pilot program with NovaCharge and Coulomb Technologies. The program may pave the way for electric charging stations in close proximity to where people drive and spend their leisure time.

7.7.2009 at 01:29pm - Comment by Kickstand27

this is a good idea.. its just sad that McDonalds was the company that decided to run with this.
Technology

Construction Begins on Spaceport America

By Posted on 6.19.2009 39 Comments
For everyone looking to hop the next commercial flight to space, your departure gate has finally been announced. Almost two years after the first plans were announced, construction has finally begun on Spaceport America. The spaceport, which will serve as the launch and landing pad for Virgin Galactic flights, is the first of its kind anywhere in the world, and represents the first serious commitment of infrastructure to manned commercial spaceflight.

6.18.2009 at 02:42pm - Comment by Kickstand27

I hope this becomes big. perhaps it may force space agencies to evolve a bit as space travel becomes commonplace.
Science

Teamworkbot Can Anticipate Your Needs

By Val Wang Posted on 6.18.2009 2 Comments
Instead of envisioning robots as either mindless slaves or potential overlords, couldn't we just figure out how to all work together? Cognitive scientists, neuroscientists, and psychologists are teaming up with roboticists to do just that -- developing teamworkbots that know how to read their partner's actions and intentions and to predict what he or she will do next as they complete tasks together.

6.18.2009 at 02:39pm - Comment by Kickstand27

Whats say the human component of this partership is criminal minded. ?
Gadgets

A Lightweight Display Brings Instant Army Intelligence to Your Wrist

By Posted on 6.16.2009 24 Comments
A special-ops soldier carries a slew of gadgets into battle. There's the GPS unit to pinpoint his squad's location, and a laptop for pulling up blueprints of terrorist compounds or infrared readings of buildings scoped out by robotic surveillance drones. With a radio and its five-pound battery, it's too much gear. But in a couple years, troops could lighten their load with a rugged, flexible, wrist-mounted display that's in development by the U.S. Army and HP Labs.

6.16.2009 at 06:57pm - Comment by Kickstand27

its not just about what helps the troops though. most of the technological advances weve seen in the past 50 years have been governments applications that eventually trickle into commercial markets.
Science

Car-Powered Supermarket Check Outs

By Dan Smith Posted on 6.15.2009 32 Comments
A supermarket in the UK is using a novel way of harnessing energy from their customers. Embedding their parking lot with weight-sensitive plates, cars impart kinetic energy as they pass through, which is then collected and used to power their cash registers. When a car drives by, plates are depressed and the motion is passed along hydraulics to a generator, which produces 30kw of energy an hour. If one parking lot can power cash registers, imagine packing roads with this technology and how much energy can be recollected from all the world’s drivers?

6.16.2009 at 02:06pm - Comment by Kickstand27

someone said something about "why dont they use these in floors where people walk" tehre as a future city article on yere months back that did adress that. its not a bad idea.. it would be a logistical nightmare, tearing up all the old siddewalks.. but look at a place like NY, where you have a lot of foot traffic.. it seems almost insane for them not to do it.
Science

Car-Powered Supermarket Check Outs

By Dan Smith Posted on 6.15.2009 32 Comments
A supermarket in the UK is using a novel way of harnessing energy from their customers. Embedding their parking lot with weight-sensitive plates, cars impart kinetic energy as they pass through, which is then collected and used to power their cash registers. When a car drives by, plates are depressed and the motion is passed along hydraulics to a generator, which produces 30kw of energy an hour. If one parking lot can power cash registers, imagine packing roads with this technology and how much energy can be recollected from all the world’s drivers?

6.16.2009 at 01:29pm - Comment by Kickstand27

To all of you saying that these will increase resistance to the cars passing over, causing them to use more fuel to drive over them.. 1)its not as if you cant coast over bumps in the road. seeing as how you have a large amouont of mass it would take a sumbstantial amoutn of resistance to slow or stop a coasting car. its not going to happen in the 30 feet or so that this design uses. 2)even if that were the case, that a driver would have a significant increase in resistance, its pretty simple to get around. a slight downhill pitch, which youd have anyway as most parking garages at stores are underneath the stores, would combat this nicely.. 3)in the rare case that it actually would be in-efficient, due to a hypethetical amount of resistance, you could just call it a speed bump, as most stores have those amyway. withi thinking like some of the posters here, its no wonder no progress is ever made s