From CTV News: Researchers use unmanned electronic ‘surfboard’ to track ocean’s social networks
International marine researchers are getting a glimpse beneath the world’s oceans using a surfboard-inspired, unmanned ‘wave glider’ device that collects data about the creatures living beneath the waves. Continue reading Weekend Reading List (06.22.2013): Surf the Waves, Kick Ash, Women Take Aim
Baseball has seen its fair of changes over the years. The sport is far more ethnically diverse than it was 100 years ago. The stadiums are more high tech, but the bats have mostly remained the same. However, ProXR looks to change that by making an ergonomic baseball that could be the biggest thing to improve hitting since steroids!
The ProXR Kickstarter project is now field testing its new baseball bat technology, which utilizes an ergonomic knob at the base. This provides a better grip and could just improve the swing. Video after the jump
We see many products that are waterproof but bioengineers at the University of California, Davis are developed a new fabric that can form excess sweat into droplets that drain away. In other words this could lead to fabric that is actually “sweat proof.” The new textile microfluidic platform utilizes hydrophilic (water-attracting) threads stitched into a highly water-repellent fabric, which can literally suck droplets of water from one side of the fabric, propel those droplets along the threads and expel them from the other side. This in turn could leave the fabric dry against the skin. Video after the jump
While we always encourage walking when possible, according to an MIT study a typical pair running shoes actually generates 30 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions, which is equivalent to keeping a 100-watt bulb lit for one week!
The study noted, “The researchers found that more than two-thirds of a running shoe’s carbon impact can come from manufacturing processes, with a smaller percentage arising from acquiring or extracting raw materials. This breakdown is expected for more complex products such as electronics, where the energy that goes into manufacturing fine, integrated circuits can outweigh the energy expended in processing raw materials. But for ‘less-advanced’ products — particularly those that don’t require electronic components — the opposite is often the case.”
The European Cyclists’ Federation (EFC) has announced a new partnership with the International Sport and Culture Association that includes a 1 million euro grant from the European Union budget that will be used for the 2013 edition of MOVE Week, which will take place in October.
This annual Europe-wide event is an integral part of the NowWeMove (2012-2020) Campaign, which promotes the benefits of being active and participating regularly in sport and physical activity. A wide range of promoters of physical activity will be supporting MOVE Week 2013 including individuals, non-governmental organizations, schools, companies and municipalities from all European countries.
This offers advice on reasons to start being active, and how just swapping 30 minutes of TV for 30 minutes of activity can go a long way. We see this as the beginning of a serious MOVEMENT towards better health across Europe.
While many people fear the rays of the sun – which can lead to skin cancer and other nasty stuff, new research suggests that there is much good that comes to exposure to the sun. Not only does it provide a dose of vitamin D, but researchers at the University of Edinburgh have found that exposure to the sun can increase the release of a compound called nitric oxide into the blood vessels. This compound can help lower blood pressure, and thus reduce the risks of heart disease and stroke.
While skin cancer is still a concern, the study noted that deaths from cardiovascular disease and stroke are 60 to 100 times higher in northern Europe than those from skin cancers. Moreover Vitamin D can also help lower the risk of heart disease so perhaps a little tan can improve one’s health.
[Via Medical News Today: Sun Exposure Benefits May Outweigh Risks Say Scientists]
The surf isn’t the only thing that is up. Apparently so are the tariffs that U.S. surf board makers are now facing when selling American made products aboard. However, the United States allows foreigners to sell in the United States duty-free. The question, as asked on PBS Newshour – which first reported on this story – whether a response could in turn create a trade war.
Surfing was supposed to be about catching waves and good vibrations, but nothing about this story sounds like it.
[Via PBS Newshour: High Foreign Tariffs on US Surfboards: Should We Retaliate?]
The market for wearable health tracking devices is truly on the rise as these have attracted increased attention from health-conscious consumers. According to IHS iSuppli MEMS and Sensors Service revenue for MEMS sensors in wearable electronics and fitness monitoring is set to climb to $31.0 million this year and then jump 33 percent to $41.3 million in 2014.
“The biggest leap will occur in 2016 when annual revenue rises 50 percent to $91.5 million,” said Marwan Boustany, senior analyst for MEMS & sensors at IHS. “That means the market by then will have expanded by more than a factor of four from $20.8 million in 2011.” Continue reading Health Awareness on the Rise
Researchers have found that retro reflector technology could be used in detecting bioterrorism threats and diagnosing everyday infectious diseases. Scientists from the University of Texas and Sandia National Laboratories are developing an ultrasensitive, all-in-one device that utilizes retroreflectors to rapidly tell first-responders exactly which disease-causing microbe has been deployed in a bioterrorism attack.
These microfabricated retroreflectors were given a biochemical surface capable of detecting pathogens, effectively making them a lab-on-a-chip. These feature minute channels that can process small amounts of blood or other fluids, whereby a sample fluid containing bacteria could cause parts of the reflectors to go dark, thus signaling a positive test, whereas if the fluid sample was free of the bacteria or disease-causing virus, the reflectors would shine brightly.
This gives us something to reflect on.
Tablets can do many things beyond playing Angry Birds and watching a movie. A team at the University of Notre Dame is developed a tablet-based test that can detect a concussion. Typically concussions, which should be treated as soon as possible, often are difficult to diagnose without a trip to the hospital.
This new software, which could certainly see use in sports, requires that the person recite a variety of words before they start playing and then again once there has been the potential of an injury occurring. The software works by analyzing the differences in how the words are said before-and-after, and looks for key indicators that could suggest a traumatic brain injury. These could include things such as distorted vowels, imprecise consonants even a hyper nasal sound. Unlike just asking an athlete if they are alright, this one can listen to how they say it. Video after the jump
While Amsterdam could arguably be the cycling capital of Europe the Mayor of London looks to develop a new €1 billion master bike plan aimed at revitalizing urban cycling. This plan backs Dutch style infrastructure with a strong commitment towards better cycling routes, traffic restrictions and even so-called “Little Holland” style developments. This is just some of what could occur via a 10-year plan that could see the majority of the new infrastructure built within the first four years.
“Both the Mayor and I pay tribute to the London Cyclists’ Campaign, journalists, bloggers and other campaigners for driving the issue so far up the political agenda,” says Andrew Gilligan, London’s newly appointed cycling commissioner. Continue reading Bike London
Often times when a car hits a cyclist the driver claims that the bicycle came out of nowhere or just wasn’t seen. Imagine if the car had some form of radar that could help detect riders and react! Well, that’s exactly what Volvo has introduced with its update to the pedestrian detection system, which features a full auto brake trigger.
The pedestrian system has been in place since 2010, but now will alert drivers and react to bicycles as well. If an imminent impact with a rider or pedestrian is detected the driver will receive a red warning flash while the car will activate full breaking power. The technology will be available in the V40, S60, V60, XC60, V70, XC70 and S80 from mid-May 2013. Video after the jump
Helmets are often called brain buckets, but the SMART is actually a cycling helmet that is pretty darn smart. While still under development via an Indiegogo project, its developers hope to create a cycling helmet with an integrated heart rate sensor.
Instead of wearing a heart rate monitor strap this system would provide real time, accurate monitoring via a sensor located in the helmet. This same type of sensors are currently used by fighter pilots and astronauts, and the developers have placed these in a Lazer Genesis helmet. The information gathered by the SMART sensor can be sent in real time to a mobile phone, sports watch or cycling computer via ANT+ and Bluetooth. Video after the jump