Some new ideas – technologies, products, applications and projects – are just so novel that they’re hard to classify. Some might say they’re "on the fringe" or not commercially viable. But there’s no denying that they're innovative and definitely interesting. That’s what we call “Out There.” Cuttlefish inspires soft material turbines
January 13, 2020
Inspired by the cuttlefish’s undulating fin motion, startup company Undula Tech LLC has developed a turbine using soft material that can harvest the energy in flowing air and water. The goal, is to make renewable energy accessible and affordable worldwide. Its Undula Generator is, by design, more adaptable, sustainable and cost-effective
Read MoreWood pulp and algae T-shirt decomposes at end-of-life
November 25, 2019
Tech-based clothing startup Vollebak has launched a T-shirt made entirely from wood pulp and algae. The shirt will break down in soil or in a composter within three months. Photo: Vollebak. Vollebak sources wood from eucalyptus, beech and spruce trees, which are chipped and pulped before being turned into fiber,
Read MoreArtificial skin may provide a natural feel for smartphones.
November 7, 2019
Scientists have developed a new product called Skin-On that’s meant to look and feel like a human, as well as react to caressing, tickling and pinching. According to an article on designboom.com, the interfaces are sensitive cases that can be attached to mobile phones, wearable devices and laptop touchpads to increase
Read More“Sleep Robot” encourages restful sleep
October 25, 2019
The Somnox Sleep Robot is designed to help users fall asleep by mimicking breathing patterns.The device was developed by a team of engineers who met at the Robotics Institute of the Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands. The soft robot is meant to be cuddled like a teddy bear, helping to induce slow,
Read MoreWalking again with a brain-controlled exoskeleton
October 21, 2019
A 65 kilogram robotic suit has helped a paralyzed man walk again. The suit uses advanced computer software and two brain implants that read and transmit information from the part of the patient’s brain that controls motor function. Photo: Fonds de Dotation Clinatec (Clinatec Endowment Fund) Grenoble. As reported on designboom.com,
Read MoreYSL will launch Google Jacquard™ backpack
September 23, 2019
Photo: Saint Laurent and Google Project Jacquard. According to Google, Cit-e Backpack by Saint Laurent (YSL), featuring Jacquard™ by Google Technology, is “the first connected luxury backpack that can control music, drop pins on the go, take pictures, and do more with a simple gesture.” According to digitaltrends.com, the backpack
Read MoreMagnetics used to make “anti-gravity” shoes
September 3, 2019
Japanese artist and designer Yukako Hihara has created a pair of shoes that uses magnetic forces to create the physical sense of walking on the moon. The “anti-gravity” shoes were created as part of an experiment to offer consumers a product that made them feel like they were flying. To create shoes that
Read MoreSquid-inspired jacket reflects full color spectrum
August 26, 2019
Vollebak’s Black Squid jacket, inspired by the ocean creature, is able to reflect all colors of the visible light spectrum. Innovative sportswear and sports gear company, Vollebak, has launched a jacket that will reflect all colors of the visible light spectrum. The Black Squid Jacket is a fully waterproof and
Read MoreRobotic tail for humans developed
August 23, 2019
Researchers at Keio University in Japan have developed “Arque,” a robotic tail that humans can wear to improve balance. The device was informed by the ways animals passively use their tails to shift their center of gravity. Arque consists of interlocking plastic vertebrae that use a spring-based structure to handle shearing and
Read MoreTouch-sensitive robotic e-skin developed
August 12, 2019
Robots and prosthetic devices may soon have a sense of touch equivalent to, or better than, the human skin with the Asynchronous Coded Electronic Skin (ACES), an artificial nervous system developed by a team of researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS). Sciencedaily.com reports that the new material has
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