technology

One of the most exciting, applicable but often ignored areas of technology research is that involving the development of prosthetics. A new project aims to give amputees the ability to reacquire limb functionality by effectively connecting the brain ... to a prosthetic limb through a computer interface. A first look at the new technology may cause some film fans to shudder. That's because the new prosthetics, free of their synthetic skin and flesh, look eerily similar to the exoskeleton used in the movie 'The Terminator'. New Technology Transfers 'Feeling' to the Brain The technology allows ... (view more)

A coalition of mechanical engineers in Iran are reporting that sometime in the near future, dental patients will actually be able to print off their own custom tooth prosthetics, thanks in large part to the innovations made in three-dimensional ... printing. The current dental prosthetic procedure usually takes a few weeks for a dentist to take x-rays of the jaw and later, make the necessary cast for dental implants or replacement crowns that are unique to the patient's mouth. 3D Printing Drastically Cuts Waiting Time The new innovation is currently in the testing phase of development and is said ... (view more)

Ohio-based firm Impulse Technology has sued Microsoft for allegedly ripping off the idea behind the Xbox Kinect, Microsoft's new and very popular hands-free gaming peripheral for the Xbox 360 video game console. According to Impulse, Microsoft ... infringed on its patents for motion-sensing technology. The lawsuit was filed earlier this month in the U.S. District Court in Delaware, says Law 360, an American online media company that tracks and publishes legal news. Big-Time Game Companies Named in Suit The suit also names a number of popular video game makers, including Ubisoft (responsible for ... (view more)

Microsoft is reportedly planning to integrate Skype into the online edition of the Microsoft Office suite. But there's controversy over a Microsoft patent that would allow government officials the ability to monitor calls made by Skype users. ... Microsoft Office 365 Launches June 28, 2011 Office 365 officially launched this week. It works the same way as the traditional Office package but the software runs on Microsoft servers and is accessed via an Internet connection (this is an example of " cloud computing ", which uses the " centralized computing " model to share ... (view more)

Apple has filed for a patent that would enable it to stop people from illegally recording a live concert or a movie playing in a theater. The patent was filed in late 2009 by Apple inventors Victor Tiscareno, Kevin Johnson and Cindy Lawrence. In the ... document, the three outline plans for an invisible infrared sensor that would be integrated into mobile iOS devices that house a built-in camera (including popular iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch models). The infrared sensor would work in conjunction with the signals emitted from these real-time venues, telling the camera-laden device that it is not O ... (view more)

A recent nation-wide survey investigating sleeping habits has linked the use of technology with insufficient sleep. But the findings may not be that clear-cut. The details come from the National Sleep Foundation, a non-profit group aiming to tackle ... sleep-related health issues and thus cut the number of tiredness-related problems. It surveyed 1,500 people aged 13 to 64. The two most prominent figures are that 43 per cent of those questioned say they rarely, if ever, get a decent night's sleep on weeknights, and that 95 per cent of people use electronic devices in the hour before bedtime. ... (view more)

Scientists at Carnegie Mellon University have developed new technology that is set to revolutionize the ways in which we manipulate certain handheld devices, by transforming the human body into an actual touchscreen platform. Skinput, the name given ... to the wireless device, allows an individual to push a few holographic buttons on their arm or hand to control their mobile phone, MP3 player and even certain video game consoles. The technology was first developed by Chris Harrison at Carnegie Mellon University, in collaboration with Desney Tan and Dan Morris at Microsoft Research Computational ... (view more)

A Massachusetts-based research and development facility has created a detection prototype that could determine the driving abilities of someone wishing to operate a motor vehicle after consuming alcohol. While a number of similar systems already ... exist (such as those requiring an individual to blow into a breath-testing device before the automobile can operate), the new system would use cutting-edge, sensory technology never before added to a motor vehicle. Wheel, Door Lock Sensors Measure Blood Alcohol Level The new approach, called "The Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety", uses ... (view more)

IBM has revealed their annual "Five in Five" list, which highlights five innovations that the company predicts will change the lives of everyday people over the next five years. Among the predictions turning heads is the belief that IBM researchers ... are five years away from enabling mobile phones to produce 3D hologram images of people talking and moving in real time. Image Princess Leigha's hologram inside R2D2 from the mega-smash hit movie Star Wars, and the experience may be similar. 3D Visual Images to be Displayed on Virtually Any Surface Paul Bloom, IBM's CTO for telecommunications ... (view more)

Intel is working on new technology designed to increase the response time in diagnosing and treating NFL-related injuries. By embedding a small Intel Atom microprocessor inside a football helmet, impact measurement data can help quickly determine ... the severity of an injury for medical personnel on the sidelines. Intel, renowned for being the largest computer chip maker in the world, has worked with football helmet maker Riddell on computer simulations to improve future designs and reduce the number of injuries in the contact sport. Joining the tandem are a number of select universities, ... (view more)