Nicole DiGiose

Bionic eye restores vision

Posted on September 25, 2014 by Nicole DiGiose

Eyes aren’t the windows to the soul; they’re the windows to the brain

Biotechnology has become one of the fastest-growing areas of scientific research in the past 20 years, with new devices quickly going into clinical trials. We’ve seen successful bionic arms and legs, but how about a bionic eye? The Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System provides sight — the detection of light — to people who have gone blind due to degenerative eye diseases such as macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa. Both diseases damage the eyes’ photoreceptors, which are the cells at the back of the retina responsible for perceiving light patterns to pass along to the brain. The bionic eye implant takes the place of these photoreceptors.

How does it work?

The system has three parts: a small electronic device that is implanted in and around the eye, a small video camera attached to a pair of glasses, and a video processing unit that’s worn or carried by the patient. Read More

Drones are coming to Disney World

Posted on September 25, 2014 by Nicole DiGiose

Disney is imagining ways to use unmanned aerial vehicles in its entertainment productions

Drones here, drones there, but drones flying around Disney World? Yes, even the self-proclaimed happiest place on Earth is looking to get its hands on unmanned aerial vehicles. Though it seems like something that can only exist in a movie, Walt Disney World is envisioning flying robots that could animate giant puppets, carry projection screens, and act as floating pixels, called “flixels,” in virtual fireworks shows. Earlier this month, the company applied for the three drone-related patents.

One of the patent applications describes a system in which helium-filled, blimp-sized Disney characters could be tethered and controlled by a fleet of synchronized drones. Sounds a bit frightening, doesn’t it? Well, this way Disney doesn’t have to worry about getting puppeteers to do the job — and it gets better: Check out the illustration of a drone-enabled blown up puppet of Jack Skellington from the movie “The Nightmare Before Christmas” below.

Image via Disney.

According to Disney’s inventors, the unmanned aerial vehicles that light up with their own display screens could act as single pixels in a digital light show Read More

Electronic bracelet can charge your mobile devices

Posted on September 25, 2014 by Nicole DiGiose

Charge your devices with style using the QBracelet

Wearables are all the rage lately, tracking your life and making things easier, but now they’re on to something greater: charging your mobile devices. The sleek and shiny electronic bracelet, called the QBracelet, promises to do just that.

Although it looks like nothing but a nice piece of jewelry, within the QBracelet you’ll find a micro USB connector for Android devices and a Lighting connector for the iPhone. Depending on the device that’s being charged, the company behind the bracelet, Q Designs, claims its internal lithium-ion battery will deliver a charge of up to 60%. It takes nearly 90 minutes to charge, and lasts about 30 days in standby mode.

To charge their devices, users can simply pull open the bracelet to access the USB connector. Read More

What’s Trending: Superfood Cocktails

Posted on August 24, 2014 by Nicole DiGiose

Who says cocktails can’t be healthy? Mixologists from California to New York and plenty of places in between are brainstorming delicious ways to sneak nutritious-packed goodness into their boozy creations, and the trend seems to be rocking the country. These superfoods are all natural ingredients low in calories and packed with essential antioxidants and nutrients. Although they don’t provide your daily vitamin intake, they will certainly help. And they’re way too delicious to turn down.

According to bar manager Jeremy Lake from Crossroads Kitchen, a West Hollywood restaurant that offers plant-based cuisine, the reason behind the trend is two-fold.

“First, when I design recipes I’m often seeking to offer up flavor combinations that no one else is doing or to reproduce a known cocktail in a way that is unique, and using superfoods is a great way to do this,” Lake said. “Second, it makes sense to sell cocktails with healthy components. Drinking healthy is a very marketable concept in a time where consumers are counting calories and are overall health conscious.”

When it comes to his favorite superfood drink, Lake finds himself caught between two cocktails, Read More

Experience Google Street View with sound

Posted on August 24, 2014 by Nicole DiGiose

An experimental platform adds a 3D soundscape to Google Street View

Google Street View allows you to poke around surrounding neighborhoods, and you can even go as far as taking a stroll through Half Moon Island, Antarctica in the comfort of your own home. But now thanks to a new third-party feature, you can enjoy an extra dimension of reality with your viewing experience.

Check out the wind and the squeaking of car tires at Buckingham Fountain in Chicago from Amplifon’s project gallery.

The British subset of Italian hearing-aid company Amplifon, which is in no way affiliated with Google, took on creating ambient noise for three Street View locations as a web experiment back in July. The areas include Balboa Park in San Diego, California; Place du Palais in Monaco; and Hapuna Beach in Waimea, Hawaii. Dubbed the Sounds of Street View, the sounds include those you would hear when actually visiting these locations, such as chirping birds, chiming bells, or crashing waves. Read More

Hotel hires robot butlers to provide room service

Posted on August 24, 2014 by Nicole DiGiose

A.L.O Botlr will bring robotic concierge service to a California hotel

What’s three feet tall, 100 pounds, and has a touchscreen for a face? The A.L.O Botlr, of course. Designed to provide concierge service to guests at the Aloft Hotel in Cupertino, CA, the robotic butler is Wi-Fi and 4G-equipped, and with sonar, LADR, and a Kinect-like 3D camera, it can navigate a hotel all by itself.

Image via Mashable.

Using its four wheels to cruise the hallways, Botlr can carry guest deliveries of up to two pounds in its compartment located on its head. Read More

6 tech phobias that actually exist

Posted on August 5, 2014 by Nicole DiGiose

With all this new tech comes all these new phobias

What comes to mind when you hear the word “phobia”? Heights, spiders, public speaking? Probably so, but with the quickly growing, tech-dominated world we now live in, new phobias are creeping their way into our lives. Although tech-related anxiety is not yet officially covered by clinical terms, it sure does exist. Read on below to learn more.

Nomophobia

Image via wonderoftech.com

Short for no mobile phone phobia, nomophobia is the fear of losing or being out of touch with your phone. If you’re a phone addict, you know this feeling all too well. This phobia causes panic when your phone is unavailable, including losing reception, running out of battery life, and, of course, losing your precious communication device and feeling completely disconnected from the world. Hey, it happens to the best of us. Read More

Exploring the Secrets of Keens Steakhouse (and the bar)

Posted on August 3, 2014 by Nicole DiGiose

Known as New York City’s legendary steakhouse, Keens Steakhouse is smothered in juicy secrets. From the ceiling lined with clay pipes to the mysterious painting of the nude woman over the Scotch bar, it’s certainly worth checking out. First opening its doors in 1885, it stood the test of time for over 130 years. Once described as “world renowned,” the restaurant grew to become legendary with the new Millennium.

The bar at Keens Steakhouse.

Comfortable and classy, the environment of Keens is rich with history. Every room in the steakhouse displays some kind of record of America’s or New York’s younger days, and there are hundreds of pieces visitors can spend hours looking at, sometimes discovering something new that they missed the last time. As for the types of guests the steakhouse attracts, they’re a very diverse and fun crowd. Read More

Candy Cocktails: Flirty Drinks with a Sugar-Kissed Twist

Posted on August 2, 2014 by Nicole DiGiose

Spontaneous and imaginative, mixologists Flannery and Katherine Good have always been inspired by anything colorful and sweet. As girls, the fascination started off with candy, and the Shirley Temples with extra cherries they made eventually graduated into mojitos and margaritas. When they combined the best of both worlds, it really shook up their true passion.

The sisters began experimenting with candy liquor infusions when they started their cocktail blog, Fashionably Bombed. One of their first creations was a bubblegum martini made with homemade bubblegum infused vodka and garnished with gumballs. Not only was it crazy festive, it was also irresistibly delicious. After that sweet success, they began infusing everything they could get their candy-coated hands on, and the result was Candy Cocktails, a book full of the tastiest candy cocktail concoctions imaginable.

“My favorite thing about the book is that almost all of the cocktails have a candy liquor infusion base,” said Flannery Good. “Bubblegum rum for our Bubblegum Mojito, Cherry Jolly Rancher vodka for our Chocolate Covered Cherry Martini, and Banana Runts tequila for our Circus Peanut Margarita are just a few of my favorites.” Read More

Dad builds kids the ultimate NASA spacecraft simulator

Posted on August 2, 2014 by Nicole DiGiose

Spacecraft includes LED lights, sound effects, switches, dials, and more

Remember that adventure you had as a kid when you jumped into that cardboard box and used it as your own personal spaceship to soar through the stars? Although that was most likely tons of fun, one awesome father took imagination to the next level with his homemade NASA simulator.

Highsmith’s NASA spacecraft simulator. Image via makezine.com.

Earlier this year, the handy and creative Jeff Highsmith designed and built a mission control desk for his two sons. As if that wasn’t cool enough, it now interfaces with his new spaceship simulator, thanks to a fully functional intercom system. The spacecraft features LED lights, a robotic arm, real switches, buttons, and dials that trigger flashing along with sound effects, an iPhone mount that plays real NASA footage, and the best part: it also includes a bass shaker in the floor so the mini-astronauts on board can feel the rocket blasting off. Read More