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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How consensus can undermine science
The main objective of consensus statements appears to be to reduce doubt, which may stifle scientific inquiry.
Pac-Man turned 45 today. The surgeon general once warned that playing it could make kids violent.
Officials’ warnings about the impact of video games on kids were never proven true. They may be making the same mistake with social media.
Grand Theft Auto 6’s delay could lead to a spike in real-life crime
If violent video games caused real-world violence, we’d see spikes in crime right after their release. Instead, we see the opposite.
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3D printing gives lab-grown beef Wagyu marbling
Japanese researchers have created a morsel of lab-grown beef with the distinct marbling of fat found in Wagyu steaks.
World-class surfers help kids with disabilities ride the waves
Ten children with disabilities got a chance to go surfing through an adaptive sports program at NYC’s Hospital for Special Surgery.
Researchers have 3D-printed an active tumor
Tel Aviv University researchers have 3D-printed an active glioblastoma tumor, potentially paving a way to better study the lethal brain cancer.
MIT has created an inflatable prosthetic hand
MIT researchers have created a soft, inflatable prosthetic hand that provides advanced abilities at a fraction of the cost and weight.
Facebook wants your next meeting to take place in its new VR app
Horizon Workrooms is Facebook’s attempt to bring the corporate world into the metaverse.
3D-printed nuclear reactor parts installed at US plant
An Alabama power plant is now using 3D-printed nuclear reactor parts, a milestone that could shape the future of nuclear energy.
NASA needs people to pretend they’re living on Mars
To prepare for a future in which astronauts are living on Mars, NASA is looking for people willing to live in a simulated Mars habitat.
Robot café hires people with disabilities to operate robo-waiters
At the Dawn Avatar Robot Café in Tokyo, diners are served by robotic avatars controlled remotely by people with disabilities.
The 2021 Disney Accelerator sheds light on Disney’s metaverse ambitions
From AI to AR to live video shopping: these are the 8 companies selected for the Disney’s yearly accelerator program.
Holograph tech “teleports” Olympic badminton competition
Japanese telecom company NTT is using holograph tech to recreate Olympic badminton matches at a venue 22 miles away in real time.
This 3D-printed graft may improve ruptured eardrum surgery
Researchers at Harvard have developed a 3D-printed graft they hope will make ruptured eardrum surgeries safer, faster, and more effective.
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Hard Reset
What will the Disneyland of the future look like?
VR theme park experiences are adding a new dimension to an industry that’s long relied on 20th-century technology.
Honda startup equips shoes with vibrating navigation system
A Honda-established startup is developing a vibrating navigation system that helps visually impaired people get around by vibrating their feet to relay directions.
Surgeons can now practice on a 3D-printed copy of your liver
A new technique for creating life-like 3D-printed livers based on individual patients’ scans could help surgeons be better prepared for operations.
Many amputees couldn’t afford a bionic arm — until now
Indian startup Makers Hive has developed a bionic arm that’s not only 90% cheaper than most, but also more functional.
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Ramen Profitable
A new kind of haptic wearable: GPS for the blind
A new kind of wristband is about to enter the wearable tech scene — the first haptic GPS for the blind.
VR aromatherapy might be coming to a headset near you
VR smell can be used to improve immersion—and possibly even mental health.
How Spin is making its e-scooter service more accessible
Spin, a micromobility provider, is using AI to help make e-scooters safer and city streets more accessible to all residents.
This 'Metaform' optical device could shrink the size of AR headsets
By bridging nanophotonics and freeform optics, University of Rochester researchers hope to enable next-gen AR optics in XR wearables.
Startup turns sawdust “ink” into 3D printed wood
Massachusetts startup Forust can make 3D printed wood with a natural-looking grain out of two wood waste products: sawdust and lignin.
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