Consumer Tech

A person wearing an Oculus virtual reality headset.

Consumer Tech

The technology of the next decade could remake the modern world, from AI agents to virtual worlds and beyond. The real question is what today’s gadgets mean for tomorrow’s world.
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You’re thinking of the metaverse all wrong, says Matthew Ball
Rumors of the metaverse’s demise have been greatly exaggerated.
Meet Thresh, the world’s first professional gamer
Was Elon Musk any good at Quake? “He’s a legit gamer,” but…
How smart devices helped me unlock hidden health wins
By measuring many different body metrics, smart health devices can help support the mental game as much as the physical fitness gains.
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New 3D bioprinter could repair organs inside the human body
A snake-like soft robot designed to 3D bioprint tissues inside patients’ bodies might one day replace invasive implantation surgeries.
Batteries not included: How your own body could power wearables
Batteries are the weak link for wearable and implantable devices. But what if you could harvest energy from the heat, sweat or vibrations of the wearer?
Could 3D printing help solve the US housing crisis?
3D printing could help solve the nation’s housing crisis, as it’s cheaper, faster, and more sustainable than conventional construction methods.
World’s largest 3D-printed affordable housing project launches in Kenya
Construction of the world’s largest 3D-printed affordable housing development is underway, with the first 10 houses going up in just 10 weeks.
Apple has a secret project to help people with diabetes
Apple is developing tech that could put noninvasive blood glucose monitoring right into its smartwatches, according to a Bloomberg report.
These 3D-printed batteries could be the future of clean energy
Silicon Valley startup Sakuu has developed a 3D-printing platform that it says can mass produce solid-state batteries, in any shape and size
Amazon TVs can now stream directly to cochlear implants
Amazon is making it possible for people with hearing impairments to stream audio from its smart TVs directly into their cochlear implants.
This tiny device lets you see your heart while exercising
A new wearable heart monitor powered by AI provides accurate and continuous measurements of cardiac performance at all times.
Skin grafts can now be 3D-printed to fit “like a glove”
Bioprinted skin grafts come in sheets, not the contours of the body. New research from Columbia envisions grafts which fit like a glove.
“Bioprinted” skin could help end animal testing for cosmetics
Bioprinted skin can now look and act so much like real skin that it could one day replace some animal testing.
World’s fastest “shoes” increase walking speed by 250%
Shift Robotics is taking pre-orders on Moonwalkers — $1,400 “shoes” that let you walk 2.5x faster without expending any extra energy.
Why 2023 will be “the year of mixed reality”
Mixed reality, in which immersive virtual content is seamlessly combined with our physical world, is set to transform the world.
New AI will teach soldiers to dress wounds, fly helicopters in AR
DARPA is developing AI assistants that will display instructions to military personnel through augmented reality headsets.
Two-story 3D-printed house is first of its kind in the US
The US’s first two-story 3D-printed house is being built in Houston, Texas, from a mix of concrete and wood.
This 3D-printed home is made entirely of bio-based materials
Maine researchers are testing a new approach to 3D printing homes, swapping out the standard concrete “ink” for a material made of wood waste.
Sophia the robot becomes first humanoid to be signed by a gaming org
Sophia the robot has signed to XSET, a gaming organization and lifestyle brand focused on diversity and inclusion.
Just a few short bursts of physical activity each day might yield huge health benefits
Researchers tracked 25,241 non-exercisers wearing accelerometers to find out of brief bursts of activity lowered their risk of dying.
NASA invests $57 million in a 3D laser printer to build moon bases
NASA has invested $57.2 into construction company ICON’s 3D printer for building on the moon, Mars, and beyond.
Diplomacy game AI can negotiate, form alliances, and persuade people
The game of Diplomacy, based on social skills, has long been seen as a tough challenge for AI. But Meta’s CICERO has proven itself up to the task.
“SkinKit” lets ordinary people build their own “smart tattoos”
“SkinKit” smart tattoos are wearable devices that collect data directly from users’ bodies and display useful information in real time.
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