Consumer

HEADLINES ARCHIVE

  • Engineers Develop More Efficient and Durable Material for Insulation

    Engineers from the University of Maryland have developed a material to compete with Styrofoam™ and other insulation materials that is lighter, more durable and environmentally friendly.

  • Scientists Develop Inexpensive Device to Test Drinking Water for Arsenic

    With World Health Organization estimates of around 140 million people having to drink water containing unsafe levels of arsenic, scientists from UCL and Imperial College London have created an affordable and easy-to-use arsenic sensor.

  • Krill: A Potential Weapon in Ocean Plastics Battle

    With an estimated eight million tons of plastic finding its way into our oceans each year — threatening marine ecosystems and killing marine life — one researcher may have inadvertently discovered a potential weapon to combat the threat of ocean plastic pollution.

  • 'Creepy' Laughter Coming from Alexa

    Imagine being in the midst of a conversation with a friend or on the verge of falling asleep when suddenly laughter emerges, unprompted, from your voice-activated assistant. This has been the reality for a number of Amazon Echo and Echo Dot users who have been detailing their experiences all over the internet in recent weeks.

  • A Smartphone Case That Can Check Blood Pressure is in Development

    Checking your blood pressure in the future could be as simple as touching a smartphone case, according to developers who have been working on such a device.

  • Singapore Inks $262m Rail Upgrade Deal

    The contract covers the supply of 19 automated people mover cars, the retrofit of 13 existing cars and the delivery of a signaling system upgrade.

  • How Your Smartphone Adds to Global Carbon Emissions

    Data centers and smartphones will be the most damaging information and communications technologies to the environment in terms of global carbon footprint by 2040.

  • Google Maps Street View Adds 11 Disney Parks

    Want a Disney vacation without the cost or the long lines, all from the comfort of your own home? Google Maps Street View makes this vision a (virtual) reality with the recent addition of 11 Disney parks.

  • Germany Mulls Air Pollution Toll

    Instead of banning older diesel vehicles in certain zones throughout German cities as was recently proposed, European Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc believes that charging a toll to each driver based on their vehicle’s emissions would better combat air pollution.

  • Watch: LEGO to Launch Sustainable, Plant-based Plastic Bricks

    Plant-based plastic sourced from sugarcane will be used in the manufacturing of leaves, bushes and trees for LEGO sets.

  • Fighting 'Microfiber' Pollution Begins in the Laundry Room

    As concerns for microbead (the tiny plastic particles found in many a household product) pollution mount, environmental scientists are now turning their attention to another pollutant that is likely following in the microbead’s footsteps straight into the ocean.

  • Driving While Talking on Cell Phone Still Hazardous

    While it is no secret that driving while talking on the phone is a distraction that can lead to accidents and other driving mishaps, researchers analyzing recent studies on the topic believe that the updated data provides even more compelling evidence of the dangers, and thus a platform, for governments looking to enact legislation to restrict drivers’ cell phone use.

  • Former Google Exec Warns that Murderous Robots Are Only a Decade or Two Away

    As artificial intelligence continues to rapidly develop, many experts have expressed concern over the inevitable creation of murderous robots, with one former Google exec predicting that reality is only a decade or so off.

  • Levi Strauss Announces Project to Laser Finish its Jeans

    On February 27, clothing manufacturer Levi Strauss & Co. announced Project F.L.X., a modernized denim finishing process.

  • Porsche Mulls Plan to Develop Flying Passenger Vehicle

    While it is expected that operation of the flying cars will mostly be automated, reports are that Porsche will still allow passengers some control over the flying vehicles, even for those passengers without pilot licenses.

  • The City of Dubai Announces Plans to Test the DNA of its 3 Million Residents

    In what is being called an ambitious initiative, the city of Dubai has announced plans to test the DNA of all of its residents.

  • Amazon Takes Pictures of Your Front Door as Proof of Package Delivery

    As Amazon Logistics — the delivery arm of Amazon — grows, so too do the features offered by the company, including an option to receive pictures of delivered packages placed at or near entrances to customers’ homes.

  • World's First Plastic-Free Supermarket Aisle Debuts in Amsterdam

    With global concern for plastic pollution mounting, a Netherlands-based grocery chain has devoted an entire aisle of its store to plastic-free goods.

  • Japan to Launch AI System to Predict Crime

    Ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the Japanese police force is expected to begin employing predictive policing using artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

  • Software Engineer Built a Facial Recognition Device...for His Cat

    Considering that most cat owners are often at the mercy of their cat's every whim, one software engineer in Holland managed to take the guess work out of his cat's comings and goings using facial recognition technology.

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