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Innovation / Technology

Nike produced parts of its Vapor Carbon Elite (top) and Vapor Laser Talon (bottom) on a 3D printer.

Super Bowl

This Super Bowl, Players Will Be Wearing 3D Printed Cleats

Nike has designed special shoes that make athletes more explosive from a standing position

The Silic shirt features nanotechnology that repels most liquids.

Tech Watch

This T-Shirt Claims To Be Stainproof

A student has invented a durable, liquid-repelling shirt that’s both comfortable and stylish

Pregnancy feels several months too long? A 3D printed fetus can give you a glimpse of how it is to actually hold your child.

Tech Watch

Expecting? Cradle Your 3D Printed Fetus In The Meantime

A startup offers to create a life-like replica of your gestating child from ultrasound images

Codenamed "Triton," the mysterious concept comes in the form of a small mouthpiece designed to mechanically capture the oxygen gas present in water and store it in a compressed air tank.

Tech Watch

A Student Claims to Have Designed Working Artificial Gills

A mysterious site showcases a detailed blueprint of a wearable device that lets users breathe underwater like fish

How Doctors Are Harnessing the Power of Gold to Fight Cancer

Can the precious metal hold the key to killing cancerous cells?

The Tsunami House, on the northern end of Washington's Camano Island, is designed to withstand the impact of high-velocity wave walls with heights of up to eight feet.

This House is Built to Withstand the Force of a Tsunami

A clever idea to let water flow through a home may allow residents in Puget Sound to escape the fate that locals centuries ago could not

Before long, artificial intelligence will stop looking to humans for upgrades and start seeking improvements on their own.

What Happens When Artificial Intelligence Turns On Us?

In a new book, James Barrat warns that artificial intelligence will one day outsmart humans, and there is no guarantee that it will be benevolent

Power Tools

10 Things Brewmaster Annie Johnson Can’t Live Without

From kettles to apps, flasks to forums, these resources help the Sacramento-based home chemist concoct her award-winning beers

Ballistic Recovery Systems, based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, has outfitted small aircraft with parachutes designed to support as much as 4,000 pounds.

Tech Watch

Will Commercial Airplanes Have Parachutes Someday?

Whole-aircraft parachutes are already being used in small planes to save lives, but one company believes they are also feasible for commercial airlines

The beauty of the Thermomix is that its mixer bowl is augmented with a timer-controlled heating mechanism that enables it not only to cook, but also steam vegetables, melt butter and emulsify sauces and seasonings.

Tech Watch

This All-In-One Appliance Can Whip Up Entire Dishes

The German-made Thermomix—the Swiss Army knife of kitchen appliances—has a cult-like following in Europe

The iOptik system pairs a set of unique contact lenses with eyeglasses designed to project digital imagery.

Tech Watch

Will These Augmented-Reality Contact Lenses Replace Your Smartphone?

A little known startup showcases a wearable technology that generates an interactive display right before your eyes

Is this the next big thing in sleep tracking?

Tech Watch

This Mask Can Tell You How You’ve Been Sleeping

Its inventors say that through its sensors, the NeuroOn will also let you know the best times to take naps

The new Temperfect mug harnesses the heat-soaking properties of what's called phase-changing materials.

Tech Watch

This Mug Keeps Coffee Warm (Not Piping Hot) For Hours On End

An inventor may have perfected a way to make scalding hot coffee or tea instantly warm, and keep it that way

Designer Anna Glansén says that the self-cleaning plate and bowl is not only safe, but has been shown to work exactly as advertised, on both water and oil-based foods.

Tech Watch

This Self-Cleaning Plate May Mean You’ll Never Have To Do The Dishes

Slobby housemates rejoice! A special liquid-resistant coating makes cleaning up after yourself as easy as dumping your leftovers

Sometime early next year, a small subset of patrons will be able to sample a precision-poured cocktail concocted by a smooth operator named Monsieur.

Tech Watch

Cheers! Robot Bartender Mixes Drinks, Senses When You Need a Double Shot

Will the Monsieur be the espresso machine of party cocktails?

The tracks and individual cabins of a new train would be built so that, as the high-speed and local train move alongside each other, a link can be secured momentarily, creating a transfer gate for passengers to get on and off.

Tech Watch

This High-Speed Train Picks Up Passengers Without Having to Stop

It’s possible to let passengers board trains through separate cars that latch on, but who will take the risk to make it happen?

Tvilight, which automatically dials down the brightness when no one is around and restores maximum radiance upon detecting the presence of oncoming human activity, has been installed in cities in Holland and Ireland.

Tech Watch

Clever? Smart Street Lamps Light Up Only When Needed

The Tvilight lighting system is designed to dim when no one’s around, saving cities as much as 60 percent on energy bills each year

Comprised of more than 500,000 Lego pieces, this yellow-and-black hot rod can be driven at speeds of up to 17 mph.

Watch This Air-Powered Lego Car Cruise Down A Street

A Lego-maniac builds a life-sized working car made from more than 500,000 plastic toy pieces

Automatic is designed to collect and relay vitals such as the distance, duration and fuel costs for each trip.

Tech Watch

This Device Can Save You Money On Gas (And Maybe Even Your Life)

The Automatic Smart Driving Assistant is designed to warn drivers when they accelerate too quickly and make other fuel-costly choices

The SlimStyle’s radical design allows for continuous operation without the need for aluminum heat sinks, one of the major cost drivers of LED bulbs.

Tech Watch

Switching to This Flat LED Light Bulb Could Be an Easy Resolution to Keep in the New Year

With its radical new design, the Philips SlimStyle may be the cheapest LED yet

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