Consumer

HEADLINES ARCHIVE

  • Introducing Better Synthetic Leather to Withstand the Weather

    Researchers have used a nano-engineered texture to coat plastic-based synthetic leather, making oil and water roll off and preventing stickiness in high temperatures.

  • Engineering Hacks for the Non-engineer

    Not being an engineer, it isn’t often that I can see a simple solution to an everyday problem through all of the minutiae of life. I often overlook details and make seemingly simple tasks more complicated. As such, I am always on the lookout for ways to simplify life and recently discovered a number of engineering hacks designed to do just that: simplify everyday tasks.

  • Carnegie Mellon and Sony to Create Robot Chefs

    With robots being introduced into just about every industry imaginable, it’s only a logical next step that robots would eventually make their debut in the kitchen, helping to streamline food preparation.

  • Billions of Cockroaches Bred By AI for Medicinal Purposes Could Cause Catastrophe

    A cockroach breeding farm run by artificial intelligence (AI) in China is attracting the attention of insect experts concerned that any failure (human or otherwise) to contain the pests would result in the catastrophic infestation of nearby cities.

  • New Valve Operator Operates Steam Valves from 6 Inches to 60 Inches

    This valve operator was created for the petro chemical, wastewater and water distribution industries.

  • Hawaii Considering Ban on Certain Sunscreens

    Environmentalists and lawmakers alike are showing support for a bill that proposes to ban certain sunscreens from beaches on the Hawaiian Islands.

  • UK Considering Ban on Plastic Straws, Cotton Swabs

    Officials in the U.K. are considering a ban on cotton swabs and plastic straws amid growing concern over the issue of plastic waste pollution.

  • Video: Elegant Signing Machine by Jaquet Droz Now Shipping

    Has your hand ever cramped up from signing your name too many times? If so, the 18th-century Swiss watchmaker Jaquet Droz has a solution for you that will only set you back $367,500. After four years in development, the Jaquet Droz Signing Machine is ready to ship as part of the company's 280th-anniversary celebration.

  • New Valve Creates a Pulsating and Jetting Mode in Pumps

    Cat Pumps has announced their new Mag-Jet Valve created for jetting and pulsating in pumps.

  • New Report Claims Aerosol Valve Demand Will Grow to $3.3 Billion USD by 2022

    A new report from the Report Buyer estimates that the global market for aerosol valves will grow from USD 2.71 billion in 2017 to USD 3.30 billion by 2022.

  • A Fairy Tale Written by Artificial Intelligence

    Makers of the meditation app Calm announced that for the first time artificial intelligence (AI) has been used to write a fairy tale.

  • Is Craigslist Good for the Environment?

    Craigslist and other such websites where people go to unload unwanted items may be encouraging behavior that benefits the environment, according to research from Penn State.

  • Team Develops Sensor Array Capable of Locating Humans Trapped in Rubble

    An international team of scientists has developed a portable, lightweight and inexpensive sensor that can be used by first responders to search for survivors, who may be possibly covered in the rubble of a building collapse brought on by a natural disaster like an earthquake or another disaster such as a bombing.

  • Design Team Introduces 'Standing Seats' for Budget Flights

    In a bid to fit even more people onto budget flights, Italian aviation designer Avioninteriors has revealed its design for the Skyrider 2.0 -- airplane seats that would have passengers perch rather than sit.

  • 'Do Not Disturb While Driving' Feature from Apple is Working, According to Study

    Since the debut of Apple’s “Do Not Disturb While Driving” feature last September, drivers using the feature decreased their phone usage while driving by 8 percent, according to a new study.

  • Hackers Access Casino Database Through Connected Fish Tank Thermometer

    Using an internet of things (IoT) connected fish tank thermometer, hackers were able to access an unnamed casino’s high-roller database.

  • Researchers Discover Enzyme Capable of Digesting Plastic

    As concern for plastic pollution mounts, scientists have discovered a naturally occurring enzyme capable of digesting certain plastics in a matter of days versus the hundreds of years it would take to break down otherwise.

  • MIT Media Lab Project Aims to Replace Politicians with Artificial Intelligence

    César Hidalgo, director of the Collective Learning Group at the MIT Media Lab, is working on one disruptive, ambitious and avant-garde project. Its aim is to eliminate the politicians from politics, so national and local decisions can instead be made by artificial intelligence systems.

  • Reading a Person's Thoughts and Feelings Using Combination of AI and Sensors

    If audio tech company Dolby Laboratories has its way, humans will be more transparent than ever before thanks to a combination of new technology that combines artificial intelligence (AI) and sensors.

  • Pathogen Levels Underestimated by Water Safety Checks, According to Report

    According to a report from Brunel University London, deadly bacteria in drinking water storage tanks — the kind found on roofs or in public building basements —is often overlooked by traditional health and safety tests.

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