Science

At first glance, the Fitbit Tracker looks like an ordinary exercise device used for counting steps, recording calories burned, etc. However, the small gadget has received a great deal of attention from many of the tech industry's major players. What ... makes the Fitbit Tracker so special? It is the first of its kind to use accelerometers for data extraction purposes. In a nutshell, accelerometers are chips that measure acceleration, movement and gravity forces. This is what fuels popular motion-sensitive products like the Nintendo Wii and Apple iPhone. The cost of implementing an accelerometer ... (view more)

After showing the world it could safely conduct the Olympics, China has again drawn the attention of the global community. As if the country's steady economic incline hasn't been noticeable enough, the emerging superpower can now add space walking ... to its growing list of achievements. China's Zhai Zhigang is being welcomed home as a hero this week after he made a 20 minute spacewalk Saturday afternoon. The exploration was part of a larger operation called the "Shenzou VII mission", which began on September 25. Understandably, the Chinese are ecstatic. After Zhigang and crewmates Liu Boming and ... (view more)

We have all heard the horror stories. A person spends what seems like an eternity walking around a crowded parking lot in search of their vehicle only to discover that their keys have been locked inside. A new mobile phone developed by Sharp will ... not only give owners access to their vehicles without the use of a key, but also create the ability to start a car engine without having to put a key in the ignition. Of course, there is one catch: The actual key must still remain in the vicinity of the vehicle prior to activation. The new phone will use technology similar to the "Intelligent Key" ... (view more)

When people envision the Italian landscape, images of ancient architecture, paintings and sculptures abound. Imagining old-world Italian cities as havens for hi-tech innovations is difficult for many. But located in the main piazza of Duino-Aurisina ... is a trash bin like no other; one that could potentially alter our approach to garbage collection here in North America while improving pollution and traffic controls around the world. The communal bin contains a small metal box about the size of a one-quart milk carton. A radio connection lies beneath the box, allowing the bin to "communicate" ... (view more)

The Large Hadron Collider, the machine tipped to revolutionize our understanding of physics, could be out of action for the rest of the year. Scientists had planned to use the machine to create a near light-speed collision between particles so they ... could answer fundamental questions like "what makes up black holes?" and "why is gravity so weak compared with other forces?" However, after an earlier delay with a power failure, the project is on hold thanks to a suspected melted electrical connection between two of the giant magnets which steer the protons (a type of particle ... (view more)

When you think of an "interactive classroom" what are the first images that pop into your head? Is it a classroom filled with computers? Interactive activities shared using a smartboard? Teacher-led discussions being conducted via podcasts? While ... some of the above items have been adopted into modern classrooms already, a coalition of researchers at Durham University (UK) calling themselves the TEL (Technology-Enhanced Learning) Research Group have aspired to redefine the concept of an interactive classroom, with the recent introduction of the first available multi-touch student desks. Think ... (view more)

Ever wonder what it would be like to live in a 'house of the future'? Several companies, including LG and Toto, are working to re-define the way we think about 'housework'. Stepping into the kitchen, LG Electronics has a new refrigerator model ... complete with built-in cable television, electronic cookbook and weather channel for roughly $4,000. Other modern refrigerators boast advanced climate controls that monitor food expiration dates to let their patrons know when certain foods have spoiled. (Source: matr.net ) In a few years, manufacturers are even hoping to include a "projection kitchen ... (view more)

How many times have you been driving to work and thought "Did I remember to lock the front door?" Or who remembers coming home early from school and finding all the doors locked with nobody home? Thanks to a new system, people will never have to ... worry about forgetting to lock their doors or bringing their house keys with them again. All you need is an Internet connection or a mobile phone. The company behind the plan, Ingersoll-Rand (under the "Schlage Lock" brand name) has manufactured a system that allows locks to be opened and closed via Internet commands. Now, users can lock and unlock ... (view more)

Those returning to school this month might want to invest in a new writing tool sure to take the pain out of jotting down lecture notes. The Pulse Smartpen boasts a hi-tech twist: while the pen writes with real ink, it also contains an infrared ... camera, audio recording device, twin microphones and a speaker. How does it work? The user removes a sheet of specialized "dot-paper" from their coiled notebook (included with the purchase of the Smartpen) and writes down information as they would using a standard pen. However, while a user is listening to what the teacher is saying, the built-in ... (view more)

If Plastic Logic has its way, printed newspapers will be a thing of the past. The company today introduced a new electronic reader focused on handling business and newspaper documents. The reader offers the same highly-readable display created by E ... Ink and offered on Sony and Amazon readers. The primary benefits of the E Ink display are that it does not need to be backlit, content remains on the screen even after power is turned off, and it looks better, not worse, in bright light. The Plastic Logic display, however, is more than twice the size of the Sony and Amazon readers and can store ... (view more)