Altaeros Energies is aiming high with new heights for wind energy. The company, led by Ben Glass, has created a new invention with the help of balloon and airship technology to lift a wind turbine. Their novel Buoyant Airborne Turbine--the BAT--is a balloon that lifts a wind turbine. Most wind turbine manufacturers are competing to build taller turbines to harness more powerful winds above 500 feet, or 150 meters. The Altaeros BAT can reach 2,000 feet, or 600 meters. At this altitude, w...

A new medical device called Tenease  has been developed by Ranjan Vhadra, a leading orthopedic surgeon for the treatment for tennis elbow.  The disease itself is a chronic condition caused by damage to the fibres of the elbow which lead to weakness and pain. As this is a common condition, it may affect most adults at some stage in their lives. Vibration therapy has proven to be the most effective method for treating tennis elbow and can also help reduce pain by more than 40 percent; however, ...

A novel nanocoating promises to permanently protect surfaces from damage or deterioration. Scientist Thomas Choate has introduced the world's first Wipe-On clear nanomaterial that will protect surfaces from damage or deterioration and also help restore them. The product, named Vecdor Nano-Clear®, has the ability to permanently restore original color, gloss and surface hardness back into oxidized textured plastics, highly oxidized fiberglass and highly oxidized paint surfaces while reducing...

3Doodler is the world’s first 3D printing pen. The pen, created by science inventors Max Bogue and Peter Dilworth is called the 3Doodler, and allows the user to draw in the air. It does not require any software but simply needs to be plugged into an electrical outlet for use. This pen has been fed into with colorful plastic thread. The thread is then extruded as heated plastic that cools and solidifies instantly as it exits the tip. This allows solid 3D structures to be drawn on any surfac...

A new glass has been developed that swells up like a sponge to clean contaminated groundwater. A company called Absorbent Materials has used nanotechnology to create a nanobot particle made from glass that can absorb pollutants from dirty water. The glass particles act like sponges by attracting and binding contaminants to themselves and expanding eight times in size during the process. However, unlike a sponge, these nanobots are hydrophobic, meaning they don't absorb water. This new s...

An innovative product promises dirt and germ free surfaces without using toxic coatings. This latest science invention from the Saarbrücken Institute for New Materials in Turkey and patented by Nanopool GmbH Germany is a spray-on invisible thin glass coating that sterilizes, protects and strengthens surfaces. It is a flexible and breathable spray-on glass film which repels water, dirt, stains, fungus, bacteria and viruses. The film is approximately 500 times thinner than a human hair and h...

 Inventor Micheal Pritchard has found a solution for safe drinking water with a handheld water purification device that creates fresh water instantly. The LifeSaver bottle provides refreshing, germ free water anywhere. The bottle itself is designed to be uncomplicated and user friendly. This bottle consists of long lasting cartridges which help remove viruses and bacteria from contaminated water. One just needs to pump the products manually a few times and pristine drinking water will start t...

Wireless charging is already here. Though most individuals connect their phones to a wired charger, the charging landscape may soon change as companies such as Powermat Technologies Ltd., a developer of wireless power solutions for consumers, act as pioneers in the field. Wireless power, also known as inductive coupling and is based on magnets. The Powermat, is the first, perhaps, of many wireless chargers for hi tech gadgets. How does it work? You simply place your gadget on the mat to ch...

Bahrain is the home of the first skyscraper to have wind turbines integrated into the structure of the building. The Bahrain World Trade Center is a 50-story twin tower complex containing two identical towers that rise over 240 meters in height. The sail-shaped buildings offer a visually striking image and boasts of one its very unique feature which is the 3 giant wind turbines tying the two “sails” together. It is the first skyscraper in the world to integrate wind turbines into its desig...

Order and pick up your customized personal car. That's the vision of Arizona-based company Local Motors. Local Motors plans to transform the traditional automotive world with the launch of a three dimensional (3D) printed car next year. Strati is an electric car developed by Local Motors and manufactured in collaboration with Cincinnati Incorporated and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. It is made from ABS plastic that has been enforced with carbon fibre. The car was manufactured using a Larg...

A promising new voice stick can convert can read what you write--out loud. Invented by Sungwoo Park, this cool new gadget is a portable scanning device that reads printed text and converts it into a voice. The Voice Stick can read any written document including newspapers, books and mail. It is very hard for someone with sight to understand the experience and needs of blind people, who would love to read these same newspapers, books, and mail as we all do. Braille is the most important way...

Plant-based, natural building materials have the potential to boost energy savings for homeowners. Over a three-year period, University of North Texas researchers developed and tested a low-cost process to prepare kenaf, a plant in the hibiscus family that is similar to bamboo, for use as a building material; specifically, kenaf is used to create structured insulated panel building materials. Scientists worldwide are turning to plants as a resource for biodegradable, renewable and environm...

Scientists at Harvard Medical School have developed soft contact lenses which can ‘dispense' prescription drugs over a period of weeks to the exact spot they are needed. Eye drops are used to dispense most eye medications but they are inefficient in several ways. Only about 1 to 7 percent of eye drop medications are absorbed into the eye because most of it drips out; drugs applied to the eyes in this manner may be washed out after only thirty minutes or so. To add, patients find eye drops cum...

Biomimicry, the science that imitates nature to create new products, is the field responsible for new, airless, tubeless, tires that cannot go flat. Resilient Technologies, a Wisconsin based company, is behind this invention. The inspiration for the design of the tire was found in nature: the honeycomb. Instead of using a pressurized air cavity, the tire design relies on a geometric pattern of six-sided cells that are arranged in a matrix like a honeycomb. The tire has uniform flexibility ...

New biosensors use suits of light and virus-filled fibers for accurate and timely detection to improve safety. Researchers funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) are creating a new biosensor that uses laser light and engineered viruses, created with advanced manufacturing techniques, to more accurately detect the smallest amounts possible of biological molecules in our food, water or blood. Health tests conducted for pregnancy and blood sugar involve putting a drop of fluid on a t...

Scientists are recycling nutrients in the oceans to make waterproof glue. Today, animal glues made from bone glue, hide or skin glue, and fish glue are sparsely used for making and restoring objects, paintings, and illuminated parchment manuscripts due to difficulty of storage in a wet state and constant requirement for fresh raw materials. For 20 years, Sam Bowser, a scientist at the New York State Department of Health's Wadsworth Center, has been doing research on a single-celled creatur...

Invented by orthopedic surgeons, HipGrid™ is one of the latest non-invasive measurement systems for hip replacement. This measurement system surgeons is used during operations to access the implant position and restoration of anatomic alignment of the patient. With the help of this technology, they can visualize and quantify where the implants are positioned in relation to key anatomical landmarks while operating. Patients rely on their surgeons' ability to ensure proper positioning and align...

GeoBee!, a new intelligent, accessible, and affordable tablet game, can provide training for skills for children with learning disabilities. Today, there is a tremendous need for vision support in school and in rehabilitation. Children and adults with developmental and language disorders are constantly looking for tools to help boost their performance. GeoBee! is the flagship game from VisionMechanic, Inc., a new tech technology company led by Dr. Charles Boulet who works on vision and motor ...

'HAL' a company in Japan has developed wearable robot for autonomous motion assistance which is controlled by the person's brain wearing the suit. When a person moves its body, the brain sends various signals to muscles via nerves. At that time, the signals leak out on the skin surface as BES. HAL for Living Support – Lower Limb Type Model reads a wearer’s BES and reinforce the lower limb’s muscle power accordingly. Consequently Robot Suit assists the wearer to walk, stand up and sit down by ...

Scientists at Pennsylvania State University have create a power plastic that sticks together with a drop of water. This mold-able polymer heals itself when exposed to water. It was observed that all squids around the world had proteins in their system which allow them to self-heal. This observation was the basis for creating this polymer. The yield of these proteins is quite low per squid meaning that many animals would have to be processed in order to obtain a usable amount for use in pol...

Imagine having a 360-degree experience to capture, explore with a device that can fit snugly in your hand. The Theta camera, from the Japanese firm Ricoh, is the world's first handheld camera that takes fully spherical photos with just one press of a button. The device fits comfortably in the palm of a hand, similar to a remote control. Its twin-lens system captures the scene around, above and below the device. The shutter button is positioned below the lens making it easy to take the p...

Casio America Inc. has launched a magnificent 9-foot concert grand piano outstanding experience in a compact form for music lovers. Latest Hybrid Digital Pianos with Revolutionary New Technology have been launched by Casio America.Inc which combines the advantages of digital technology with the traditional sound and feel of pianos. There are two new models: the CELVIANO Grand Hybrid GP-500BP and GP-300. The hybrid has unmatched sound quality and advanced technological features that allow m...

The Assisi Loop provides non-invasive pain relief therapy for pets, an alternative to conventional drug-based treatments. Assisi Animal Health is a science-based company specializing in offering clinical therapeutic solutions to veterinarians or by veterinary prescription to pet owners. As of today, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are the primary therapy mode for treating pain in animals. Yet they account for the largest number of adverse drug reactions as reported to the FDA. To add...

MARVEL is the world’s first 3D, high definition endoscope under 4mm with rotating tip . MARVEL which stands for Multi Angle Rear Viewing tool, has just received the award for Outstanding technology from the federal laboratory Consortium for Innovation in brain surgery Industry today has shifted from open skull operations to the latest techniques in which a tiny camera and tools are inserted through a small hole in the brain called an endoscope, a device that examines the interior of a body...

A novel non-drug treatment, the Freespira Breathing System, can train individuals with panic disorder to adjust their breathing, reducing the number of panic attack occurrences substantially—all at home. Individuals with panic disorder have a different breathing pattern than others, even during times when they are not having a panic attack. Scientists have proved this difference through research that has shown varying respiration rates and exhaled CO2 levels between those with panic disorder ...

The founders of Eatsa, a new fast food eatery in San Francisco, aimed to be different. The eatery provides an unprecedented, personalized ordering experience—with a “virtual cashier.”   “‘eatsa is reinventing fast food by combining the speed and affordability of fast food with the delicious flavors and nutritious ingredients of premium fast casual," said Tim Young, co-founder of eatsa.  ‘By developing new technology to automate every aspect of the food experience, we are able to d...

What if the traffic lights could tell you were passing by and then give you extra time to cross the street? This is one of the many features of Responsive Street Furniture, which was part of the Designs of the Year exhibition at London's Design Museum. ("Customization the Crosswalk Experience.") There are many individuals in the United States with visual impairments: around 285 million. As Citylab.com describes, "It works like this: Users log on to a website and select from a range of pote...

A. T. C. G. These four letters, put into a specific order, help determine who we are--our physical traits, personality, intelligence, risk for certain diseases later in life, and much more. And scientists have put their heads together and developed a simple, quick way to edit this order.  It is designed to remove unwanted genes (perhaps a gene that is linked to a genetic disorder) and "paste" other As, Ts, Cs, and Gs. CRISPR, as the technology is called, consists of RNA and a nuclease. The RN...

New research at the University of Maryland could lead to a generation of light detectors that can see below the surface of bodies, walls, and other objects. Using the special properties of graphene, a two-dimensional form of carbon that is only one atom thick, a prototype detector is able to see an extraordinarily broad band of wavelengths. Included in this range is a band of light wavelengths that have exciting potential applications but are notoriously difficult to detect: terahertz waves, ...

With the forward progress of NASA’s new Space Launch System and emphasis on future deep space missions, the breadth of technology required to successfully complete such long duration flights is inadequate. The challenges that exist – from producing food on the journey to effectively recycling breathable air to utilizing every last resource available – create opportunities for groundbreaking innovation. The X-Hab Challenge seeks to provide university students with the opportunity to be on the ...