Sci-Tech

NASA’s new Horizons Spacecraft nears encounter with Pluto

NASA scientists held a news conference on Tuesday (April 14) to discuss the spacecraft New Horizons and its nearing of Pluto. No spacecraft has ever visited Pluto. Scientists are hoping that will change on July 14, when NASA’s New Horizons probe is expected to fly within 6,200 miles (9,978 km) of the dwarf planet after a nine-year journey. During the briefing, scientists showed the probe’s first color photos of Pluto and its moon Charon. Alan […]

Toyota to rent out electric three-wheelers to reduce pollution

Toyota is to rent out its electric three-wheelers called the “i-Road”, in a bid to reduce pollution in Tokyo. Japan’s Toyota Motors Corporation is set to rent out its “i-Road” electric three-wheelers starting from Friday (April 10) in a bid to reduce pollution in Tokyo. Drivers can pick up one of the five cars at one location, but can drop it off at five other locations in the city. Select locations will have i-ROAD charging […]

Robotic glove could help stroke survivors

A robotic glove designed to help stroke sufferers regain movement in their hands and rebuild their muscles has been developed as part of a collaborative project in Britain, the Netherlands, Germany and Italy. The device is called SCRIPT (Supervised Care and Rehabilitation Involving Personal Tele-robotics), and has been developed by researchers at the University of Hertfordshire and a team of European partners. SCRIPT has been designed to facilitate repetitive movement and exercise of the hand […]

Voice-controlled GPS helmet to help bikers

Russian engineers have developed a motorcycle helmet that uses smart technology to make the often difficult navigation of busy city streets potentially a thing of the past. Start-up company LiveMap’s android-based helmet has in-built Global Positioning System (GPS), voice control, and a heads-up display system that allows the rider to access navigational information without looking away from the road. The helmet will provide a referencing map for the motorcyclist on the go, using the GPS […]

U.S. targets overseas cyber attackers with sanctions program

WASHINGTON | By Jeff Mason and Andrea Shalal (Reuters) – President Barack Obama launched a sanctions program on Wednesday to target individuals and groups outside the United States that use cyber attacks to threaten U.S. foreign policy, national security or economic stability. In an executive order, Obama declared such activities a “national emergency” and allowed the U.S. Treasury Department to freeze assets and bar other financial transactions of entities engaged in destructive cyber attacks. The […]

Amazon launches button for instant product ordering

(Reuters) – Online retailer Amazon.com Inc has launched a hardware that allows its Prime members to order a product by pushing a button. The ‘Dash button’, which is connected with the Amazon app through Wi-Fi, is brand specific and the company has tied up with household names such as Tide, Huggies and Gillette. The ‘Dash button’ comes with an adhesive and a hook and can be hung or hooked anywhere in the home. (amzn.to/1G40UlZ) The […]

Arab robot contest held in Jordan

Around 500 students from across the Arab world took part in a two day robotics competition in Jordan. The event was organized by the Arab Robotics Association and held at the Dead Sea’s King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Centre. The participants, aged between 9 and 25 years old, came from Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Palestine, Lebanon, Yemen and Oman. Organizer said the aim was to make science interesting for […]

Bulgari unveils “intelligent watch” at Swiss watch and jewellery expo

Luxury jeweler and watchmaker Bulgari unveiled its first “intelligent watch” on Wednesday (March 18) at the Baselworld watch and jewelry show. The watch, called the Bulgari Diagono Magnesium watch, fitted with a microchip and near field communication (NFC) technology which unlocks doors as well as gives access to confidential information contained in the user’s mobile phone such as passwords and credit card details. Bulgari CEO, Jean Christophe Babin, insisted the watch is not a smart […]