Fermilab experiment will attempt to answer whether we actually live in "the Matrix"

Scientists will attempt to discover if the universe is 'real' or a holographic 3-D illusion (Photo: Fermilab)

In what may be one of the most mind-bogglingly surreal experiments ever floated, scientists at the US Department of Energy's Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) will attempt to discover if the universe is "real" or merely a holographic 3-D illusion that we just think is real. Using high-powered lasers, the scientists intend to determine if space-time is a quantum system made up of countless tiny bits of information.

In explaining their theory, the scientists involved make much of the analogy that, if you stand near enough to a TV screen, you will be able to see the individual pixels that, as you move away, image resolves into a whole image with the individual pixels no longer distinguishable as separate points of light.

So, the scientists propose that if the characters displayed on a TV screen don't know that their apparent 3-D world exists only on a 2-D screen, we too could also be ignorant to the possibility that our 3-D space is also just an illusion. As such, the Fermilab scientists believe that the information about everything contained in our universe may somehow be embedded in tiny packets of information in two dimensions.

The scientists further premise that this information is contained in a "pixel size" container approximately 10 trillion, trillion times smaller than an atom, (a dimension of size that physicists call the Planck scale). At this sub-atomic scale, standard physics no longer holds much sway and quantum theory dictates the rules. As such, it is not possible – in accordance with Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle – to know both the precise location and the exact speed of subatomic particles at the same time.

As a result, his phenomenon ensures that matter continues to jitter as quantum waves even when cooled to absolute zero. If the digitized space proposed by the researchers continues to vibrate even in its lowest energy state, they believe that their theory may be proved correct.

To attempt to test this premise, the Fermilab researchers have designed and built what they call a "Holometer" – or holographic interferometer – to see if the characteristic quantum jitter that exists in matter is also found in empty space.

"We want to find out whether space-time is a quantum system just like matter is," says Craig Hogan, developer of the holographic noise theory and a director at Fermilab. "If we see something, it will completely change ideas about space we’ve used for thousands of years."

Recently commissioned and now operating at full power, the Holometer uses a pair of interferometers (devices that superimpose one laser beam over another to look for anomalies in intensity or phase to test an external influence) located next to each other. Each interferometer directs a one-kilowatt laser beam at a beam splitter and then down two 40-m (130-ft) arms located at right-angles to one another.

The laser beams are then reflected and returned to the beam splitter and the two beams are recombined; if there is any motion detected, fluctuations in the brightness of the combined beam will result. Researchers will then analyze these fluctuations to see if the beam is being influenced by the jitter of space itself.

One major difficulty in such a test will be noise – "Holographic noise", the researchers call it – which they expect to be present at all frequencies. To mitigate this, the Holometer is testing at frequencies of many megahertz so that motions contained in normal matter are claimed not to be a problem. The dominant background noise of radio wave interference will be the most difficult to filter out, according to the team.

"If we find a noise we can’t get rid of, we might be detecting something fundamental about nature – a noise that is intrinsic to space-time," said Fermilab physicist Aaron Chou. "It’s an exciting moment for physics. A positive result will open a whole new avenue of questioning about how space works."

The Holometer team is made up of 21 scientists and students from Fermilab, MIT, the University of Chicago and the University of Michigan, with the experiment set to gather data over the coming year.

Updated Jaguar Mark 2 puts new spin on a classic

The updated Jaguar Mark 2 was designed in a collaboration between Jaguar designer Ian Callum and CMC (Photo: CMC/Charlie Magee)

Whether driven by Inspector Morse or the less-than-pristine example in Withnail and I, the Mark 2 is one of the most memorable Jaguars. It may not have the flash and stand-out gorgeous lines of the E-Type, but since it was introduced in 1959, the Mark 2 had a reputation as a fast, capable saloon. Now an 18-month collaboration between Jaguar Director of Design Ian Callum and Classic Motor Cars Limited (CMC) has produced an updated riff on the Mark 2 suitable for the 21st century.

The one-off update of the Mark 2 was built for Callum’s personal use and was unveiled by Jaguar test driver Norman Dewis at the official opening of CMC’s new headquarters in Bridgnorth, Shropshire. According to CMC, the Callum Mark 2 is meant to combine the main features of the original car with updated interior features and tweaks to style and performance suitable to everyday driving.

From the outside, Callum’s take on the Mark 2 is pleasingly restrained with only its sitting 20 mm lower, the 17-in split rim spoke wheels, the less prominent bumper flowing into the body, and brake air intakes to show the decades of progress. However, since this is Callum’s personal car, he was free to indulge his personal tastes.

"I have always loved traditional louvers as seen on many older race cars," says Callum. "Four louvers appear on the side of the car to add to that sense of power and 'something different.' Of course they had to work, so they have been designed in a low-pressure area for a better internal airflow from the modified engine."

The updated Mark 2 gets a bit more punch than its 1960s predecessors with a 4.3-liter engine feeding into a five-speed manual gearbox. There’s a new independent rear suspension designed and reengineered by CMC, new outboard front disc brakes, a bespoke power-assisted rack, reengineered coil springs, blade control wishbones, roll bar and wishbone bushes, adjustable dampers, and solid subframe mountings.

The interior is marked by a wood texture dash, red leather trim, a mixture of vintage-style analog gauges and digital displays combined with refreshingly large toggles, and a classic steering wheel. Under the dash is Clarion’s NZ502E single DIN multimedia station for the onboard infotainment controlled by the 6.3-inch touchscreen that makes for a jarring counterpoint as if half a century of design had suddenly short-circuited.

"This is a very personal statement," explains Callum. "A long held notion that, although the Mark 2 has always been a beautiful car, it could be even more exciting in shape and performance. Whilst maintaining the purity of the car’s form, I wanted to add a number of modern twists to the design. Simplification and clarity was my objective."

CMC says that the Callum Jaguar Mark 2 will make its public debut on September 3 to 5 at Syon House, Brentford.

The video below introduces the updated Mark 2.

CruiserBoard blends stand-up paddleboarding and sit-down kayaking

The CruiserBoard can be paddled from a sitting or standing position

As popular and fast-growing a sport as stand-up paddleboarding has been, sometimes you just need to sit down and take a load off. A cross between a kayak and paddleboard, the CruiserBoard is a sit-down, stand-up paddleboard that gives paddlers more versatility than ever.

Its thermoplastic composite was developed for paddleboard use by California-based Bounce Composites, and offers a mix of low weight, resiliency and durability. CruiserBoard has crafted that composite into a uniquely shaped craft with a cathedral hull, molded-in keel, and extra high sides.

The sides are designed to help keep the deck drier, and a deck pad provides stable footing. The concave deck is said to provide better stability by lowering the paddler's center of gravity, and it also helps prevent the paddle from rolling off should the rider place it down on the board.

While the CruiserBoard looks a bit different from other paddleboards on its own, it really separates itself with its removable folding chair. That chair gives the board a ride more like a high, sit-atop kayak, a design that's directed at anglers, beginners and others that may feel more comfortable in a seated position.

The chair's trucks slide into the board's dual rails, providing easy front-back adjustment and removal. Those tracks are also built to work with Scotty accessories, allowing the owner to customize his craft. When flipped up, the chair serves as a stabilizing support that the paddler can lean against.

Given that switching from seated to standing position entails completely different paddling dynamics, CruiserBoard includes an adjustable Transformer paddle that switches from a single-blade, T-handle paddleboard paddle to a dual-blade kayak paddle.

CruiserBoard launched its sit-down, stand-up paddleboard in March and has been touring water-sport and boat shows ever since. The board + paddle package is available for US$2,590.

Cartilage grown from patients' noses used to repair their knees

Nasal septum cartilage cells can easily be coaxed into reproducing, providing a patient with their own source of replacement joint cartilage (Photo: Shutterstock)

Depending on the part of the body and the nature of the injury, cartilage either doesn’t grow back at all, or does so very slowly. That’s why joint injuries often take a long time to heal, to the point that scientists are looking into using things like hydrogels and 3D printers to help speed the process. Now, however, researchers from Switzerland’s University of Basel are reporting that cartilage cells harvested from a patient’s own nose can be used to grow replacement cartilage for their knee.

In the ongoing study, 6 mm-wide plugs of cartilage are being taken from test subjects’ nasal septum (the bit inside the nose, that separates the nostrils). Cells are extracted from that tissue, multiplied in the lab, and then applied to a piece of biocompatible scaffolding-like material.

Once the lab-grown cells have colonized that material, it’s formed into a 30 x 40-mm graft. That graft is then used to replace damaged articular cartilage (the tissue that covers the ends of the bones, where they meet to form joints), which has been surgically removed from one of the patient’s knees. So far, the results are described as "very promising," with the nose cartilage adapting well to its new environment.

Nasal septum cartilage cells differ from articular cartilage cells, in that they don’t express certain homeobox (HOX) genes. What this means in practical terms is that the nasal cells reproduce much more readily, so growing cartilage from them is a lot easier. The cells possess this quality throughout a person’s lifetime, so the treatment should work even on the elderly, who are the ones most likely to require it as their joints deteriorate. That said, it could conceivably be used on anyone suffering from cartilage injuries or defects.

The research is being led by professors Ivan Martin and Marcel Jakob. A paper on it was recently published in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

Cosmic "magnifying glass" used to identify distant colliding galaxies

The foreground galaxy can be seen cutting across the lensing light from the distant merging galaxies (Image: ESO/NASA/ESA/W. M. Keck Observatory)

An international team of astronomers has used a range of telescopes including the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) to observe a pair of galaxies colliding at a time when the universe was just half its current age. The project made use of a gravitational magnifying glass created by the gravity of a galaxy between Earth and the subject, and required observations in both visible and infrared light.

The galaxies, known collectively as H-ATLAS J142935.3-002836 (H1429-0028 for short), were originally discovered in the Herschel Astrophysical Terahertz Large Area Survey (H-ATLAS). The system is obscured by a closer galaxy in the foreground, and was found to be extremely faint when viewed in visible light, but appeared much brighter in far-infrared observations.

While the closer, obscuring galaxy created obvious difficulties in directly observing the distant object, the team was able to make use of an effect known as gravitational lensing, wherein a cosmic lens is created by the gravity of a foreground galaxy. This lens deflects the light being emitted from the obscured object, allowing astronomers to study it in detail.

Diagram showing how gravitational lensing deflects light around an obscuring galaxy (Image: ESO/M. Kornmesser)

Knowing that this was possible, a campaign of observations were embarked upon, utilising both space and ground telescopes. NASA/ESA’s Hubble Space Telescope and the Keck Observatory were used to reveal the gravitationally-induced ring of light around the obscuring galaxy, helping to gather details about its nature.

The team then used ALMA and the Karl Jansky Very Large Array (JVLA) to study the area at longer wavelengths, penetrating the intervening clouds of dust. Together, these observations revealed that the obscured system was in fact two galaxies in the process of colliding, the light of which has taken so long reach Earth that, according to astronomers at the European Southern Observatory, the witnessed events actually took place when the universe was around half its current age.

ALMA was particularly useful in identifying the nature of the objects, tracing carbon monoxide to gather information about star formation in the distant galaxies. The telescope’s observations revealed the movement of material in the objects, showing them two be two galaxies, one of which was found to be a disc galaxy, in the process of colliding.

The nature of the colliding galaxies was found to be similar to a much closer object known as the Antennae Galaxies. Though these colliding galaxies are much closer to Earth than H1429-0028, at the time of observation, the more distant object was producing significantly more stars. The distant galaxies annually turn out in excess of 400 times the mass of our Sun of gas into new stars, while the Antennae Galaxies only produce stars equal to one-tenth of the mass of the Sun each year.

In the hills with Aston Martin's DP-100 Vision GT concept, and Q-series rides

The Aston Martin DP-100 Vision Gran Turismo concept was on display at a private event at the recent Monterey Auto Week (Photo: Angus MacKenzie/Gizmag.com)

During the concept lawn show at Pebble Beach’s Concours d’Elegance a few weeks back, Mercedes-Benz’ Gran Turismo inspired AMG VGT literally stole the show. But while that PlayStation concept enjoyed its 15 minutes of fame down by the Pacific, another GT6 concept was enjoying its North American debut at a private event up in the sun-scorched hills east of Monterey. Aston Martin had invited a select group of media and clientele to not only drive and experience cars like the Vanquish and V12 Vantage S, but also to view firsthand the digital-inspired awesomeness that was the DP-100 Vision Gran Turismo.

The DP-100 Vision Gran Turismo (which in the game features an 800 hp, twin-turbo V12) made its global debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed last month in England. "The car is not just an exercise in entertaining the whims of the GT6 set," notes Matthew Clarke, PR & Brand Communications Manager for Aston Martin The Americas. "The car, which is only drivable in PlayStation’s Gran Turismo 6, actually allowed the design team to have some fun/break the rules, while exploring future design concepts."

Unlike the Mercedes-Benz GT6 concept, Aston Martin kept its concept in the shade, protected from the intense California sunshine. Although the DP-100 may look ready to go it is just in fact a rolling four ton concept.

"The car, albeit a fantasy based vehicle for GT6, has allowed our designers to experiment,” says Clarke. “The DP-100 concept, as extreme as it may be, does in fact carry with it a number of signature Aston Martin design elements. The orange 'light blade' LED taillights may push current design boundaries, but could one day become possible in production models."

Clarke noted that Aston Martin has worked closely with Gran Turismo since the game’s conception, so this clearly was not the company's first PlayStation rodeo. The concept, which took the design team over six months to produce, is a fairly substantial machine in person.

Taller and longer than I expected, the concept’s proportions are future-world fantastic and the first time Aston Martin has presented such a radical mid-engined design. The floating front fenders flare up from the descending hood line, a departure from Aston’s normal ascending treatment highlighted by Clarke. The hoodline starts so low in the front that you can hardly see the signature Aston Martin grill, but that glorious line carries uninterrupted in one fluid motion from tip to tail.

In the tail end of those winged fenders are rear view cameras which act as mirrors. Vented wheel arches, inspired from GT racing, are designed to increase downforce and handling at speed, while near seamless "swan wing" doors are fashioned in such a way as to improve access to the cockpit area.

The rear fender treatment is equally complex, as the shape flares out into a floating wing up top. This surface covers the LED taillights then snakes and wraps itself in and around the rear section. Twin exhaust pipes recessed into a tapered, vertical element are situated low in the tail, right above the concept’s massive rear deck that resembles a yacht’s boat launch.

The massive turbine wheels, that look ready to devour lesser machines, possess some interesting dual-purpose aerodynamics. Aston Martin calls them Active Wheel Blades.

"At lower speeds the design provides cooling to the brakes," explains Clarke. "But at higher speeds, the inner vanes help develop a high pressure system inside the cavity that in turn creates a pressurized area that behaves like a flat disc. The pressure system thus increasing the car’s aerodynamics and reduces drag around the wheels."

Away from the DP-100 concept, guests were invited to inspect limited edition and bespoke versions of Aston Martin's performance line. To tempt those with sufficient liquid assets to acquire such machines, finely polished examples were laid out. These included a V12 Vantage S roadster, a Vantage GT4 race car, an Alloro Green Vantage GT, a couple of DB9s in various trim levels, and a 568 hp Vanquish.

In addition to the usual suspects, Clarke also showed me examples of the brand’s Q series. A burnt orange Q-treated Vanquish Coupe had received radical graphic treatments to the car’s door liners, seats and roofliner. Priced at around US$395,000, the car also comes with its own bespoke luggage in the boot.

To see the GT6 Aston Martin DP-100 in digital action, check out the video below. Those interested in experiencing the mid-engined, 800 hp DP-100 concept themselves, can head to their nearest PlayStation console and download the car.

SLS completes key development review

Artist's concept of the SLS in flight (Image: NASA)

NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) program has received the green light to progress after the completion of a critical design review. The next generation heavy launch system, which is designed to lift the Orion spacecraft for manned missions into deep space, is NASA’s most ambitious project since the 1960s and the most powerful rocket ever built, with 12 percent more thrust than the Saturn V booster used to send the Apollo missions to the Moon.

Scheduled to fly its first mission with an operational Orion spacecraft in December 2017, the SLS is currently undergoing a series of reviews in anticipation of final construction. As part of this process, Wednesday’s announcement moved the rocket from formulation to development, which the space agency says is the first for a NASA exploration-class space vehicle since the Space Shuttle.

Although the SLS will provide a lift capability of 130 tonnes (143 tons) in its most powerful configuration, for its first flight test it will be configured with a 70 tonne (77 ton) lift capacity and carry an unscrewed Orion spacecraft beyond low-Earth orbit. The review, known as Key Decision Point C (KDP-C), provides a development cost baseline for the 70-tonne version of US$7.021 billion from February 2014 through the first launch and a launch readiness schedule based on an initial SLS flight no later than November 2018.

As development progresses, SLS, its Orion manned space capsule, and the Ground Systems Development and Operations programs will continue to receive design reviews to make sure technical and cost factors are met.

"The Space Launch System Program has done exemplary work during the past three years to get us to this point," says William Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for the Human Explorations and Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "We will keep the teams working toward a more ambitious readiness date, but will be ready no later than November 2018.”

Old tires may find their way back to cars – in their batteries

Carbon black from tires reportedly makes a better anode material than the traditional graphite (Photo: Shutterstock)

There may soon be a new use for discarded tires ... besides turning them into mattresses for cows, that is. Researchers from the US Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have devised a method of harvesting the carbon black from them, and using it to make anodes for better-performing lithium-ion batteries.

The process was developed by a team led by Oak Ridge scientists Parans Paranthaman and Amit Naskar. It involves pretreating the tires and then using pyrolysis – the decomposition of organic materials by heat in the absence of oxygen – to recover pyrolytic carbon black material from the rubber.

Carbon black is similar to the graphite commonly used in battery anodes, although unlike graphite, it’s man-made.

When a lithium-ion battery with one of the carbon black anodes was tested in the lab, it was found to have a higher energy capacity than similar batteries with regular graphite anodes. This quality was attributed at least partly to the porous microstructure of the carbon black, which offers more surface area than that of graphite.

The Oak Ridge team is now working on a pilot project to scale up the process, with an eye towards ultimately licensing the technology to an industrial partner. Once the technique is commercialized, it is estimated that batteries made using it will actually be cheaper than conventional lithium-ions ... plus, of course, the tires will be diverted from sitting in a landfill.

A paper on the research was recently published in the journal RSC Advances.

NHTSA advances with vehicle-to-vehicle technology

Vehicle-to-vehicle technology allows cars to communicate with one another – and with their drivers – while sharing the road

Early this year, the US Department of Transportation’s (DoT) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced that it would begin steps to enable vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) technology, in a bid to prevent accidents. Now, the NHTSA has come one step closer to making V2V a reality.

The NHTSA has released an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking for the technology, as well as a supporting research report on V2V communications technology. The report covers key findings such as technical feasibility, privacy and security as well as estimates of costs and safety benefits.

The report details early estimates of the safety benefits of two features – Left Turn Assist (LTA) and Intersection Movement Assist (IMA) – which it states could prevent up to 592,000 crashes and save 1,083 lives per year.

LTA warns drivers not to turn left in front of another vehicle travelling in the opposite direction. Meanwhile, IMA informs drivers as to whether or not it's safe to enter an intersection. Other features of V2V technology could also help drivers to avoid dangers from forward collisions, blind spots, stop light/stop sign warnings and more.

The report will help the DoT and NHTSA gather significant backing from the public stakeholders as NHTSA works to deliver a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking by 2016.

"By warning drivers of imminent danger, V2V technology has the potential to dramatically improve highway safety," said NHTSA Deputy Administrator, David Friedman. "V2V technology is ready to move toward implementation and this report highlights the work NHTSA and DOT are doing to bring this technology and its great safety benefits into the nation’s light vehicle fleet."

V2V technology functions by allowing cars to trade basic vehicle and safety data, such as speed and positioning. It aims to provide both the vehicle and driver with a 360-degree awareness of the situation around them. V2V technology can even detect threats from hundreds of yards away, even when the vehicle in question cannot be seen.

The DoT has already tested V2V technology in the Ann Arbor region of Michigan, whereby 3,000 vehicles took to the road in what was the world’s biggest test of connected-vehicle communication technology.

Car manufacturers have caught on to the hype, too, with Mercedes, Volvo, Honda, and GM all having plans for V2V communications technology.

Like a fish out of water: RMJM designs aluminum scale-clad tower

The Doumen Observation Tower, by RMJM (Image: RMJM)

There's something fishy going on in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, China. Following an architectural competition, RMJM's Shenzhen office has been given the nod to build a striking observation tower that's meant to resemble a fish out of water and is clad in 1,400 aluminum scales.

The Doumen Observation Tower draws design inspiration from both the movement of water, and a fish leaping out of the river – the latter is meant to symbolize the prosperity and rapid transformation of the city.

Such symbolism can often be seen as more important to architectural projects in China compared to, say, the US, where it can often seem an afterthought. This is highlighted by projects like the Guangzhou Circle Mansion and Phoenix Towers, which draw upon Feng Shui, and the traditional Chinese Phoenix, respectively.

The observation tower will rise 88 m (288 ft) into the sky, with a total floor space of 4,563 sq m (49,115 sq ft). The interior will be split into three sections: cafes, restaurants, and souvenir stores on the ground, while the middle features an unspecified "recreation platform," and up-top there's a glass-encased observation platform that offers 360 degree views.

In addition to lending the tower the appearance of a shimmering fish, RMJM states that the aluminum "scales" will provide a degree of sun protection to the building and create interesting natural light patterns within.

As yet, we've no word on when building will begin, nor when the project is due to be completed, but have contacted to RMJM in a bid to find out.

Brabus fancies up the Mercedes Sprinter with Business Lounge package

The Brabus Business Lounge gives the Mercedes Sprinter a thorough cabin makeover

One of the more interesting vehicles to come out of Moscow International Auto Salon's press day, the Brabus Business Lounge transforms the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter into a spacious, luxurious conference room on four wheels. It's the latest way for wealthy businessmen to work and relax while being chauffeured from point to point.

German tuning shop Brabus has built quite a business out of upgrading Daimler vehicles that run the full spectrum from ultra-powerful, aggressive cars like its 800-hp SL 65 AMG to luxurious professional cars like the recent 800 iBusiness G 65, which incidentally also packs 800 ponies.

The all-new Sprinter-based Business Lounge is obviously in the latter category, though it does appear to break Brabus' recent habit of 800-hp upgrades, as the outfit doesn't say anything about engine tuning. Instead it's focused the bulk of its attention on the interior, gutting the standard Sprinter cabin and replacing it with a more open set-up of face-to-face conference-style seating. All four seats recline and include heating, ventilation, massage, lumbar support, and power adjustment with three-position memory. A third two-seat row in back faces forward and can be removed to increase cargo space.

The interior is upholstered in Mastik leather colored in a dual-tone combination of cognac and mocha. The sides of the seats feature contrasting Alcantara and high-gloss white trim. An authentic wood floor adds to the cozy, professional ambiance.

Modern business doesn't get done without the proper supporting technologies, and the Business Lounge keeps its occupants wired and connected. Developed with the help of Ruhr West University, the onboard media center is powered by a dedicated computer tucked away neatly out of view. It offers seamless integration with Android, iOS and Windows-based tablets. Each passenger can select his or her tablet's operating system on one of the media center's 5-inch, seat-mounted touchscreen displays, and the device is detected and added to the network, where the user has access to shared programs and files, as well as LTE internet. Each business seat is also equipped with a wireless mouse and keyboard.

Passengers can collaborate on the 42-in LCD HD TV mounted behind the driver, with rear-facing passengers following along on their own 10-in display in the center console. For down time, the system includes a PlayStation 4, Apple TV, Blu-ray player and DVB-T digital TV equipment, in addition to any multimedia content stored on the computer hard drive.

The 42-in TV can also display smartphone multimedia content using Miracast. Audio is driven by a 1,200-watt Dolby surround sound system custom-built for the unique interior. Eight USB 3.0 ports and three 220-volt outlets keep all gadgets topped off.

The modern, high-rise-office feel continues with onboard refreshment capabilities. Between the business seats, a pod-based coffeemaker and refrigerator serve up hot and cold drinks.

Even the busy, tireless executive needs to sleep at some point, and sometimes the best opportunity is on the commute. In the Business Lounge, the sleepy exec can draw the eight power curtains and kick all the way back into sleeping position in the reclining seat. The specialized 2,700-color LED headliner display offers 12 relaxing themes, ranging from cloud-filled blue sky, to starry night sky, to fireworks display. Six reading lights are available around the cabin for late-night work.

Outside drivers and pedestrians too far away to peek through the Business Lounge's windows can distinguish it from standard Sprinter vans by way of a few body modifications. Brabus has swapped the bumper out for a sportier version with daytime running LEDs, added its own dual tailpipes, and built fender flares to accommodate the 18-in Brabus Monoblock nine-spoke wheels. High-performance Continental tires sit between those wheels and the road below.

Now that the Business Lounge is out in the open in Moscow, Brabus is building it to order, offering four- and six-seat passenger cabins and a variety of options.

NASA's "swarmies" robots would team up to explore alien worlds

NASA's 'swarmies' stand at the ready to work together explore alien worlds (Photo: NASA/Dmitri Gerondidakis)

A collection of autonomous robots designed to scuttle around on distant planets looking for resources and materials in much the same way that members of insect colonies do on Earth are currently being tested by NASA engineers. The robots, dubbed "swarmies," are designed to individually survey an area, signal the others when they have found something of value, and then divide up the task of collecting the material and returning it back to base.

Currently, four of these robots have been built, each of which is fitted with a webcam, a Wi-Fi system to communicate with each other, and a GPS unit. Whilst the test terrain is a little less alien than they one day may encounter – the swarmies are being deployed in an empty car park at Kennedy Space Center in Florida – the tests are meant only to prove that the software is functioning as it should and that the robots are operating as expected.

In the tests the robots are searching for barcoded pieces of paper. However, in the future similar robots deployed on an asteroid, the moon or Mars could continuously scan the surface for water, fuel resources or other commodities vital to an away mission.

"We’re entering the phase where we do a ton of trial runs and collect the data and that’s well ahead of schedule," says Cheryle Mako, an engineer at Kennedy who is leading the project. "From an investigation perspective, we are spot-on and have made great strides."

Even before one swarmie turns a single wheel in the name of space research, however, the engineers use a computer simulator to test their search and gather software to make sure that the algorithms do what they are supposed to. Similarly, the researchers can also simulate a much larger network of virtual robots without having to build a huge fleet of them to gauge their behavior.

Testing is designed to continue for quite some time and, as it does, other elements will be introduced into the program. To see how well the software translates to different robotic vehicles, the NASA-designed RASSOR experimental mining robot (pictured above) will join the tests. RASSOR (Regolith Advanced Surface Systems Operations Robot) is a concept robotic vehicle designed to trial different techniques for digging into the lunar or Martian surfaces and gather useful materials.

"Assuming this pays off, we know somebody’s going to take this and extend it and go beyond the four or five rovers we have here," said Kurt Leucht, a Kennedy Space Center engineer working on the project. "So as we design this and work it through, we’re mindful about things like minimizing bandwidth. I’m sure there will be a team whether it’s us or somebody else who will take this and advance it and scale it up."

In line with the current trend for swarming capabilities of UAVs and robots, NASA's swarmies also represent the new concepts being analyzed for potential space exploration applications. Namely, using a number of smaller units each with their own capabilities that, when combined, result in a cheaper and more powerful option than sending a single large vehicle.

The Mars Curiosity rover is a case in point – it is basically the size of a small car and is logistically heavy and difficult to get around. Robots such as swarmies and RASSOR are much smaller and built with only a few instruments and more specific purpose.

"For a while people were interested in putting as much smarts and capability as they could on their one robot," said Leucht. "Now people are realizing you can have much smaller, much simpler robots that can work together and achieve a task. One of them can roll over and die and it’s not the end of the mission because the others can still accomplish the task."

From a more mundane perspective, the NASA engineers also suggest that groups of swarmies may also be useful in pipeline and water main inspections on Earth, with their ability to quickly and safely inspect tight spaces and long tunnels. They may also be suitable for hazardous search and rescue tasks.

Stanley's portable coffee system boils, brews and sips

Stanley Vacuum Coffee System nests a mug, pot, cups and French press together

Traditionally, coffee-loving commuters have brewed coffee at home and poured it into travel mugs or purchased it mid-commute in paper cups with plastic tops. More recently, coffee has been getting easier and easier to brew on the move. The latest all-in-one brew-and-carry option, the Stanley Vacuum Coffee System, nests a boiling pot, French press and insulated mug into a neat, portable package.

Stanley's Vacuum Coffee System is similar to French press travel mugs like the GSI Commuter Java Press, with one key difference: it includes not just the French press and mug, but also a pot for boiling the water. This makes it a handy all-in-one system for camping, backpacking, picnicking and other outdoor activities.

To use the Coffee System, you simply boil the water in the pot over the top of a camp stove or other heat source, brew the coffee following the French press procedure, press the grounds down and pour the coffee into the vacuum-insulated, double-wall bottle. You now have a liter (1.1 qt) of coffee that'll stay hot for up to 24 hours. If you need to take all the components with you, there's dry storage in the stopper for the coffee grounds and you can slide the French press and pot back over the base of the mug, carrying it all in one package.

The system's lid includes two cups for sharing the brew with someone special (or just your grumpy, half-awake camping mate). The mug can also be used to keep a cold beverage chilled for up to 20 hours.

Having discovered the benefits of French press coffee on my recent Overland Expo trip, I'd prefer this system over the Hey Joe mug we recently covered. Thanks to an integrated heating element, that mug is more convenient for day-to-day use, but the Stanley offers French press-brewed coffee-of-your-choice over electrically heated, limited-selection pod coffee.

Stanley will launch the Vacuum Coffee System in 1-L and 500-ml (17-oz) sizes in the Northern Hemisphere fall, with retail prices to be set at US$60 and $50 respectively. The 500-ml model has the same general design as the 1-L version we discussed above, but its insulation numbers drop to 15 hours hot/13 hours cold.

Another option for those considering an all-in-one camping coffee system is the Jetboil Java Kit. This system doesn't give you the nice double-wall, dual-cup drinking gear, but it does include a neatly integrated canister stove.

Bygen's Hank Direct Bike swaps a chain for direct-drive levers

The Hank Direct Bike offers an alternative to traditional folding bikes ... and to chains or belt drives

Folding bicycles definitely have an advantage when it comes to easy toting and storage, although their chain presents a design challenge – it can’t just be folded sideways along with the frame, and there’s a risk that it will transfer gunk onto the rider’s clothing as they’re carrying the bike. Korean manufacturer Bygen has devised a solution, in the form of its Hank Direct Bike. Instead of a chain or belt drive, it has levers that transfer power from the pedals to the rear wheel.

The levers are joined to the hub via an articulated linkage. This allows them to extend forward, placing the pedals in the "normal" position beneath the saddle. On some other direct-drive bikes (such as penny farthings), the pedals/cranks are located right on the wheel.

Just because it’s a direct-drive, however, doesn’t mean that the Hank is a fixie. It actually has three available gear ratios, thanks to a hub transmission. Additionally, according to Bygen, the elimination of variations in chain tension results in a 7 to 8 percent increase in pedaling power.

As you might have already noticed, the Hank’s frame doesn’t actually fold. Instead, the rear end slides forward, along the rail-like front section. This arrangement allows the bike to be tipped back and stored in a vertical "standing" position, plus it lets smaller riders set the cockpit length to their liking, then lock it in place.

The handlebars can also be folded back, for easier carrying and storage.

Thanks to the use of carbon fiber in its frame and 20-inch wheels, along with its unique design, the Hank reportedly weighs in at just 7 kg (15 lb). It’s being presented to the public at this week’s Eurobike show in Germany, although there is presently no word on pricing or availability.

You can see a demonstration of its direct-drive system in the video below.

Aalberg's wireless guitar effects control revolution hits Indiegogo

Aalberg Audio's Ekko and Aero

Norway's Aalberg Audio has developed what's billed as the world’s first remote-controlled effects pedal for electric guitars. The first part of the equation is a delay pedal named Ekko that's cabled up somewhere between the guitar and amp pretty much like any other floor stomp. Things get interesting when its Aero companion enters the picture, which can be mounted onto a guitar or attached to a strap or belt and wirelessly controls the Ekko effects on the fly.

The Aalberg inspiration muse hit during a heated debate with friends in 2010. While arguing about which stomps were the Kings of Creativity and which were the Dukes of Dork, company co-founder Rune Aalberg Alstad was hit by the realization that all of the pedals being discussed suffered from the same fatal flaw – they all required the player to return to the same spot on the stage to tweak the tone or activate/deactivate a stomp.

He grabbed an envelope and started scribbling (see above), and the Aalberg Ekko and Aero system was birthed. He went on to use the idea as the basis for his Masters degree, then further developed the system after a cash injection from the government-backed Innovation Norway. Four years, and a number of music show demos, later and the system is being primed for mass production.

"Guitarists have used stationary wired effects pedals for so long that they've learned to live with having to run over to the stompbox in the middle of a song to change effects," said Aalberg's Aleksander Torstensen. "But it is restrictive as the guitarist never feels comfortable venturing too far away from their pedals. Our solution is highly liberating because it means guitarists can access all our effects no matter where they are on the stage – which is great for creativity and is why I think this product is the next big evolution in effects pedals."

The Ekko EK-1 is described as a semi-analog delay pedal with high quality 24-bit/48kHz sample rate audio. It sports stereo in/out, true bypass circuit (which removes its influence on the output when not active), and manual controls up top for up to 10 seconds of delay time, level and feedback. There's no battery hatch in this 55.4 x 141 x 89.3 mm (2.2 x 5.6 x 3.5 in), 533 g (19 oz) unit, so it will need wiring up to a 9V DC power supply, but all parameters can be controlled wirelessly using the Aero controller.

The 30 x 73 x 43 mm (1.2 x 2.9 x 1.7 in), 37 g (1.3 oz) Aero AE-1 wireless companion controller features a proprietary 2.4 GHz wireless chip from Nordic Semiconductor to communicate with the effects pedal from up to 30 m (100 ft) away and a rechargeable battery. It can be used to dial in up to three saved presets, and puts stomp parameter tweaks at the fingertips (including tap-tempo). The setup allows a player freedom to move around the stage and still activate and control the stationary stomp effects pedal wired up to the pedalboard or rack.

For the moment though, this effects pedal revolution is banking on gathering momentum in the crowdfunding space before breaking into production. Aalberg has today launched a fixed funding campaign on Indiegogo, with early birds able to put their names down for the first systems off the production line for US$249. If all goes according to plan, the first deliveries are estimated to start in March 2015.

The EK-1 is the company's first effects offering. Aalberg says that musicians can expect a fill suite of AE-1-compatible stomps in the future.

Check out the pitch video below.

Kobo announces Aura H2O waterproof e-reader

The new Kobo Aura H2O is IP67-certified against water and dust ingress

The main benefits of waterproofing our gadgets are twofold: devices are protected in case of accidental exposure to water or can be purposely used it wet environments. The new Kobo Aura H2O has been created for precisely these reasons.

Perhaps the most high profile devices released of late that have some degree of waterproofing are the Sony Xperia Z2 and the Samsung Galaxy S5 smartphones. Kobo claims, however, that the Aura H2O is the world's first premium waterproof e-reader.

The Aura H2O is a successor to the Aura HD, which was released last year. It's said to be thinner and lighter than the Aura HD, and has a 6.8 in anti-glare touch-display with a resolution of 265 dpi. Kobo says this is the highest resolution of any e-ink device available.

The stand-out feature of the Aura H2O, though, is its waterproofing. "When we asked our customers what held them back from reading more ebooks, many told us they love to read in the bath, by the pool, or on the beach, but believed that devices and water didn’t mix," explains president and chief content officer of Kobo Michael Tamblyn. "As we dug deeper, we found that more than 60 percent of customers surveyed said they would love to be able read near water without worry."

With that in mind, Kobo has designed the Aura H2O to be IP67-certified. This means it is waterproof for up to 30 minutes in 1 m (3.3 ft) of water, as long as its port cover is closed. In addition, the device is said to be dust-proof.

It is powered by a 1 GHz processor aimed at providing snappy performance and it has 4 GB of onboard storage, which can be augmented with a further 32 GB using a microSD card. Battery life, meanwhile, stretches up to 2 months. The device features 10 size-adjustable fonts, recommendations for users, note-taking, highlighting and bookmarking functions.

The Aura H2O is available from October 1 and will retail for US$179.99. It will go on sale initially in Canada, the US, the UK, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and Spain, with more countries added in the future.

Multi-tasking nanoparticle both seeks and destroys cancerous cells

A new multi-purpose nanoparticle has shown to possess both diagnostic and drug-delivering properties to treat cancer (Image: Shutterstock)

Nanoparticles hold great potential as a way of both detecting cancer cells and delivering the drugs to treat them. One hurdle that has proven difficult to overcome is incorporating these properties into one multi-purpose device, as nanoparticles are generally engineered with either goal in mind. In what appears a promising development, researchers at the University of California Davis (UC Davis) Cancer Center have created a multi-tasking nanoparticle shown to be effective both in the diagnosis of a tumor and attacking its cells – a flexibility that could lead to new treatment options for cancer patients.

Nanoparticles are constructed using either inorganic or organic compounds, each with strengths of their own. Inorganic nanoparticles, such those made from gold, are effective in imaging and diagnostics. Particles made from organic compounds on the other hand, are biocompatible and provide a safe method of drug delivery, but without the great imaging potential.

The nanoparticles developed at UC Davis are built on a polymer made from a common organic compound called porphyrin and cholic acid, which is produced by the liver. The researchers then added cysteine to create a fluorescent carbon nanoparticle (CNP). This final ingredient is an amino acid serving to stop the particle prematurely releasing its payload as it moves through blood proteins and other barriers.

The team then put its new nanoparticle to the test, observing its effects across a range of tasks, both in vitro and in vivo. They found the particle was effective in delivering cancer-fighting drugs such as doxorubicin (commonly used in chemotherapy). Furthermore, applying light (known as photodynamic therapy) causes them to release reactive molecules called singlet oxygen that destroy tumor cells, while heating them with a laser (known as photothermal therapy) provided another way for the particles to destroy tumors.

One notable finding was that the release of a payload sped up as the particle was exposed to light. The researchers claim this ability to manipulate chemotherapy release rates from inside the tumor could help to minimize toxicity.

In relation to imaging and phototherapy, the nanoparticle remained in the body for extended periods and bonded with imaging agents. And because CNPs are drawn more to tumor tissue than normal tissue, it helps to improve contrast and light them up for MRI and PET scans.

"This is the first nanoparticle to perform so many different jobs," says Yuanpei Li, research faculty member from the UC Davis Cancer Center. "From delivering chemo, photodynamic and photothermal therapies to enhancing diagnostic imaging, it’s the complete package."

The team is now focusing on further pre-clinical studies, with a view to advancing to human trials if all goes to plan.

The research was published in the journal Nature Communications.

Haibike unleashes mid-motored carbon fiber and electric-suspension e-bikes

Haibike introduces the Xduro Full Carbon

Eurobike 2014 gets underway this week in Germany, and the country's own Haibike is showing two innovative electric bikes. The brand-new Haibike Xduro FullCarbon rolls the "carbon fiber construction" and "mid-engine layout" familiar in supercar design into a high-tech e-bike. Equally high-tech, the Sduro AllMtn Pro uses its Yamaha electric motor system to control an intelligently adjustable suspension system.

The latest addition to Haibike's Xduro line, the Xduro FullCarbon has a carbon fiber build that extends not just to the frame, but also to components like the wheels, seat post and cranks. Mounted at its bottom bracket is a Bosch Performance pedelec drive unit electrified by a 400-Wh lithium-ion battery pack on the down tube.

We're not positive if Haibike is accurate in calling its new bike the "world's first" carbon fiber, mid-motor full suspension e-bike, but we do know that the red-trimmed, black-out bike and its six-spoke Bike Ahead Biturbo S wheels exude carbon fiber design like no other e-bike we've laid eyes on. The bike benefits from carbon's renowned combination of low weight and superior stiffness.

The Xduro FullCarbon has a RockShox fork and rear shock, Shimano XTR Di2 11-speed drivetrain components, and the all-new, Red Dot-awarded Nyon computer from Bosch. The Nyon computer, which is soon to launch on Bosch Performance-driven electric bikes from a dozen manufacturers, combines e-bike information, navigation and fitness-monitoring into a 4.3-in display unit. The computer can pair wirelessly with a smartphone, connecting to Bosch's online portal. It can also push SMS messages from the phone for reading on the bicycle (only when stationary).

Haibike will launch the Xduro FullCarbon in three different model levels next year. We don't have price information just yet, but we don't think anyone's going to be calling it "cheap."

Usually, launching something like the "world's first central motor full suspension carbon e-bike" would be enough for one trade show, but Haibike has another first up its sleeve for Eurobike. It calls the new Sduro AllMtn Pro with e:i shock the "first e-bike with a fully automated suspension system."

Like the Xduro, the aluminum-framed Sduro is powered by mid-mounted electric drive, however, the logo changes to that of Yamaha. The 250-watt Yamaha unit puts out up to 70 Nm (51.6 lb-ft) of torque with power from a 400-Wh lithium-ion battery. It includes a zero cadence support feature that applies power in slow, difficult terrain, helping cyclists to gain or keep momentum.

The 2015 Sduro is a multi-bike lineup, but the real highlight is the Sduro AllMtn Pro and its e:i suspension system. In 2012, Haibike, together with sister companies Lapierre and Ghost and partners RockShox and Trelock, revealed a mountain bike version of the e:i automatic suspension-adjustment system. The mountain bike version uses fork, stem and bottom bracket sensors to assess conditions relating to the terrain, acceleration and cadence. The onboard computer crunches that information in a tenth of a second, then adjusts the suspension damping by way of a servo motor mounted on the rear shock.

The e:i system finds its first e-bike use on the Sduro AllMtn Pro. It derives its power and sensor data from the Yamaha e-drive system, adjusting the damping of the Rock Shox Monarch rear shock as necessary to maintain a smooth ride. It appears that the the crank and stem sensors have been rolled into the greater e-drive system and the fork sensor left intact on the e-bike version, but it's not 100 percent clear from Haibike's brief description.

The e:i design allows the rear suspension to automatically fine-tune itself around the current ride and terrain conditions, eating up bumps and ensuring smooth, slip-free pedaling. In this way, it can open up full travel for fast, bumpy downhills and completely stiffen for smooth climbs, in which drive-wheel suspension is more of a hindrance than a help. Other systems require the user to make such adjustments, either via a handlebar-mounted remote or on the shock itself.

For now, the e:i system only extends to the rear suspension. When it revealed the technology in 2012, Haibike's head of product management Felix Puello alluded to the possibility of incorporating the suspension fork into the system, suggesting it was a "challenge for the future."

Beyond its Yamaha motor and intelligent suspension, the Sduro AllMtn Pro has a solid component set that includes a Shimano XT drivetrain, Rock Shox Pike RC fork, and DT Swiss wheels rolled up in Schwalbe tires.

We will update with further spec and price information on both bikes if it makes its way out of Eurobike.

The Lapierre video below provides a closer look at the updated 2015 e:i tech as it pertains to a non-electric mountain bike.

Spheree takes a globular approach to displaying 3D models

Spheree presents 3D models in a fish bowl-like display, which responds to changes in the viewer's perspective

Although viewing a 3D digital model of an item allows you get a sense of the "real" object, it certainly doesn’t help if you’re looking at that three-dimensional model on a flat screen. That’s why Spheree was created. The result of a collaboration between a group of Brazilian and Canadian universities, it’s a spherical display that users can walk around, viewing a model from various angles as if the object were physically in front of them.

Although it might at first appear to incorporate holograms, Spheree actually utilizes multiple mini-projectors located at the base of its translucent sphere. As the user moves around the display, infrared cameras track their position. The appropriate view of the model is then projected onto the appropriate area of the inside of the sphere, continually changing to adapt to the user’s shifting perspective.

An algorithm is used to keep the pico projectors calibrated with one another, so that their composite image of the object has a uniform pixel density throughout, and doesn’t contain any gaps or seams. Additionally, the algorithm allows for more projectors to be added, if a larger sphere is being used.

One of the Spherees, with its pico projectors visible underneath

Users can also just stay in one place, and rotate or edit the model within the sphere. This can be done either using hand gestures, or a Wii-style handheld device. Alternately, objects can be edited on a linked computer, with the results being viewable on the Spheree.

Several of the team members recently presented two sizes of Spheree, at the SIGGRAPH 2014 conference in Vancouver. A demo of the technology can be seen in the following video.

UNICEF updating Uganda's Digital Kiosk computing platform

The new Digital Drum 2.0 from UNICEF and partners

For the past couple of years, UNICEF Uganda and partners have been designing, developing, prototyping and rolling out youth-focused community computers that can operate on mains power where available, or solar-power in remote rural areas. Work has just finished on the design of the second generation Digital Kiosk, and the UK's fanless computer specialist Aleutia is now working on a new open source, low power computer system to squeeze into the table-topped repurposed oil drum that will become the Digital Drum.

The aim of the Digital Kiosk project was to develop a rugged, multi-use computer kiosk to address the educational needs of young people, to be installed in established youth centers, community resource hubs, business centers, teacher colleges and other education hubs throughout Uganda. Though some community facilities have access to AC power and the internet, many do not, so the system needed to be able to operate on solar power and include sufficient offline digital content to cater for the educational and locally relevant needs of users.

The design brief called for systems that were easy to use and able to withstand the rigors of frequent use. They also needed to be pretty easy to repair on the ground. The first generation Digital Youth Kiosk comprises three computer workstations with small wall-mounted screens and input peripherals on a shelf-like table running the length of the installation.

"The current Digital Kiosk is already used and installed in around 50 locations in Uganda, as a wall-mounted, three-computer, solar-powered system," UNICEF's Technology for Development unit coordinator in Uganda Stefan Bock told Gizmag. "The next version of the Digital Drum 2.0 is aiming at upgrading the previous version: new design (round set-up to improve interactivity and accessibility for youth), bigger screens, less power-consumption, better performance, public screen for presentations or bigger events and audience, easier handling for shipment and installation, and half the price."

Working on a new design

In a collaboration that began in 2012, UNICEF partnered with Norway's Design Without Borders on the overall design of the next generation kiosks, with the aim of scaling the system and preparing it for global rollout. The firm's interaction designer spent considerable time getting to know the needs, interest and skills of the young people in rural Uganda who would be using the system.

The new Digital Drum design adapts locally available oil drums into digital kiosks, with a rugged circular table divided into three booths up top. The system comes complete with webcams, microphones, speakers and a USB charging port for juicing up portable devices or saving/sharing files. The three screens are larger than the wall-mounted kiosks, each fronted by scratch-resistant plexiglass. There's a single larger public screen up top for the delivery of video learning or training packages to a larger audience, or perhaps a village entertainment hub for a budding local video-jockey.

"UNICEF has worked with Design without Borders over the last year to do a lot of user testing with the youth in Uganda and get user feedback on the previous version of the Digital Kiosk," said Bock. "All information gathered fed into and led to the new design of the Digital Drum 2.0."

The Aleutia connection

Now Aleutia is working with UNICEF to develop a low power all-in-one computer for deployment in the next generation of off-grid Digital Drum kiosks. Aleutia already has experience of providing low power, low cost systems to schools in Uganda, having installed its T1-based "Solar Classroom in a box" solution in more than 100 schools by October last year, with over 1,200 computers and custom fanless servers all running from power provided by PV systems.

The company's new brief is to improve the overall design of the new Digital Drum, with an eye on reducing cost of production and installation. All of the electrical components (including the 12 V battery, power inverter and charge controller) will be contained within the oil drum and accessed via a hinged door. The design will be module-based to make repair and maintenance easier, flexible enough to be solar or AC powered and capable of being setup and ready to use in one day.

"UNICEF is now partnering with Aleutia in an 'open-source design collaboration,' basically using the already available design idea, but now further explore the technical side of the whole Drum, including adequate ICT hardware and all other requirements already mentioned above (including the PV system: mainly focusing on long battery life, especially since most low-cost charge controllers are usually not designed to ensure such long battery life due to the pre-set LVD levels)," revealed Bock.

A preview of the new computer system

Although the new all-in-one computer system is still in development, Aleutia's Mike Rosenberg did give us a taste of what to expect.

"We've developed a ground-breaking all-in-one PC that uses less than 10 watts power consumption," he told us. "Working with UNICEF we'll develop a low cost solar platform that not only builds manufacturing capacity, but also provides ICT access to those who need it most."

"Though we are considering ARM-based boards for the prototype, we will be using Intel's new Bay Trail Atom NUC board with E-3815 processor and probably 4 GB of RAM (1.35V Low Voltage)," he revealed. "Bay Trail gives us much better Linux support than Cedartrail and we can operate fanless in temps > 40° C (104° F). Though it's only 1.5 GHz single core, it benchmarks the same as the older D410 1.8 GHz Atom processors used in nettops like the Asus EeeBox."

"Most importantly, it has peak power consumption (with RAM and embedded SSD) of just 4.9 watts and can run on a wide range of DC input. A 12 V battery varies from 11 V (empty) to 14.4 V (fully charged) and we want to avoid using a 12 V regulator since that's hard to buy locally. This way we can run directly from the charge controller – keep it simple – and we can even use 24 V battery if we need to."

"The greatest innovation is on the display. There's a huge discrepancy between what the actual LED panel uses and what an off-the-shelf monitor consumes and it's down to the commoditized inefficient internal PSUs they use. Instead, we are powering a 15.6-inch LG laptop display directly from the board using an internal embedded Display Port (just like on a laptop) so we have power consumption of just 3 W and wide input. The display is protected by plexiglass."

"So the total system consists of three Atom-based terminals, two with small SSDs (just enough for apps and Ubuntu OS) and one that doubles as a file server with a larger SSD and a 2 TB hard drive (so we can fit all 4.4 million Wikipedia articles with photos). Total power consumption of 35 watts means we can use a single low cost 160 W solar panel and 100 Ah battery to run everything and provide full day use. It's evolving and we'll offer larger battery combinations and may also reduce power further with ARM, but we're onto something that provides very, very low cost computer mini labs for rural Africa."

Bock confirmed that at the end of the 6 month deal, the results of the collaboration will be open-sourced, with blueprints of the Digital Drum available to anyone who wants to build their own systems.

"More and more jobs and educational opportunities in today's connected world require a basic understanding of how to use a computer, basic word processing, and the internet; and youth who do not have these skills will have a difficult time bridging this digital divide," he said. "The open-source design collaboration is bringing together UNICEF´s expertise, knowledge of the specific needs and already established access to partners with Aleutia's professional experience in high-quality product design and development."

In Photos: Highlights from the Quail and Rolex Monterey Motorsports events

Steve McQueen's old 1956 Jaguar XKSS sports a number of design elements from the D-type racers (Photo: Angus MacKenzie/Gizmag.com)

Recently, we witnessed the coming together of millionaires and their million dollar car collections on the misty coast of Monterey, California. While US$40 million Ferraris were being auctioned off, the Concours d'Elegance provided visitors with spectacular automotive eye candy. But events like The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering and the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion have proven equally engaging.

The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering takes place every year in conjunction with Monterey auto week. This exclusive event brings together some of the best classic collectibles and allows new manufacturers to show off their latest wares to a select group.

Vehicles onsite ranged from Porsche's 919 Hyrbrid endurance racer to a beast of a restored firetruck to Infiniti's Eau Rouge concept to a flock of Paganis. This year none other than the Flying Scotsman himself, Jackie Stewart, was on hand to enlighten guests with tales and anecdotes from his racing days.

Just down the road at California's iconic Laguna Seca racetrack and the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, there's an equally important event. Every year priceless, irreplaceable automotive toys come out to the track with the famous corkscrew to demonstrate their driving prowess against fellow enthusiasts.

For those with a genuine passion for historic rides and who love to be within spark plug distance of a Maserati Tipo Birdcage, then the Rolex Monterey Historic races are the place to be. This year, with Maserati celebrating its 100th Anniversary, the opportunity to see any number of classic racers from the Italian manufacturer was guaranteed. In addition to the Italians was a healthy dose of American bred race cars and quite a few Porsches.

One of the biggest draws of the day that I attended was the new/old E-type from Jaguar. Parked away from the pits next to the solitude of the garages, and surrounded by gawkers and the curious, the new silver #00 E-type Jag is the first of six to be built over the next year. An original run of 18 Special GT E-Types was planned in 1963, but only 12 were built. Now Jaguar wants to finish the job it started over 50 years ago.

So here in images is Gizmag's extensive gallery from both the Quail Gathering and the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion.

BMW reveals new armored X5 Security Plus in Russia

The X5 Security Plus is rated to VR6 for ballistic protection

Earlier this month, Mercedes revealed its S600 Guard armored car. BMW has now followed suit by using Moscow’s International Auto Salon to launch the new X5 Security Plus, an armored version of the X5 SUV designed to protect customers against "violent assault, kidnapping and organized crime."

The new X5 Security Plus isn't BMW's first attempt at an armored SUV. The last generation X5 was also given the Security Plus treatment, after BMW took a standard X5 and made it AK-47 proof, while retaining the luxury features for which the German brand is renowned. The new car takes a similar armor plating system, and applies it to the third-generation X5 SUV.

Changes start with the X5’s passenger cell. The cockpit is surrounded by a steel armor-sheath, and potential vulnerabilities in the car’s structure are protected by pre-shaped aramid and polyethylene components. Special attention has been paid to areas where body panels overlap and gaps in the car's doors.

On top of the armor plating, BMW has fitted its beefed-up X5 with run-flat tires and a self-healing fuel tank. All of these changes add up to a car with a ballistics protection level of VR6, which falls short of the S600 Guard's maximum rating of VR9, the highest possible rating for protection against ballistics.

Glass shrapnel is another one of the big dangers that faces occupants when they’re under attack, so the X5 Security Plus has been fitted with laminated security glass, which is thicker and stronger than the glass you’ll find on an everyday X5 SUV. After all, soccer mums aren’t often under threat from AK-47 wielding attackers on the school run.

If you’re under attack, being able to get out of trouble is key. All armored X5s are fitted with a 330 kW (443 hp) TwinPower turbo V8 engine, which puts its power down through BMW’s xDrive all-wheel drive system. BMW claims that the powertrain of the Security Plus has "outstanding driving characteristics," which will allow the car to be "guided securely through difficult situations."

Driver dynamics are also taken care of by standard chassis systems like active steering, which BMW claims give the X5’s armored cousin the same depth of dynamic talent afforded to the standard SUV.

Like Mercedes, BMW hasn’t revealed details about pricing, but expect a hefty premium over the standard X5’s price tag.

Robo Brain uses the web to teach robots human knowledge

The team behind the Robo Brain project (Aditya Jami, Kevin Lee, Prof. Ashutosh Saxena, Ashesh Jain, Ozan Sener and Chenxia Wu)

One of the steps towards to making robots into the all powerful overlords envisioned in books and movies is to teach them all human knowledge. A project named Robo Brain can do this without any help from humans, trawling the web in search of information and then sharing it with robots.

The project is being carried out by academics at Cornell University's Department of Computer Sciences. A team comprised of many of the same researchers who were responsible for producing the Tell Me Dave robot that's able to understand and follow natural language instructions.

Robo Brain is also able to understand natural language, and uses this capability to make sense of the information it finds on the internet. It allows robots to understand how the world works using the data it finds, as opposed to simply storing the data without having any insight into it. The system can teach robots things like how to find your keys, pour a drink, put away dishes and when not to interrupt two people having a conversation.

"If a robot encounters a situation it hasn't seen before it can query Robo Brain in the cloud," explains assistant professor of computer science at Cornell University Ashutosh Saxena. "Robo Brain will learn to recognize objects by comparing them with images online. From this, it will be able to learn what they are called and how they are used.

In a given example, a robot might see a coffee mug and learn from Robo Brain that not only is it a coffee mug, but that liquids can be poured into or out of it, that it can be held by the handle and that it must be carried upright when it is full, but need not necessarily be upright when it is in a dishwasher or cupboard.

"We have first built the infrastructure layer for the brain, and are currently feeding it with data and learned pieces of information," says Saxena to Gizmag. "Currently, we are applying learning algorithms such as 'structured deep learning' and 'co-active learning' to help the brain to learn better."

Approximately 1 billion images, 120,000 YouTube videos and 100 million how-to documents and appliance manuals are being downloaded and analyzed by Robo Brain. The information is translated and stored in an open-source format that can be understood by robots.

The conceptual stage of the Robo Brain project began a few months go and it went live in July. There are currently four university partners working on the project and it will be opened up to others as progress is made. It's expected to be 2-3 years before Robo Brain can be used on a larger scale.

The project is supported by the National Science Foundation, The Office of Naval Research, the Army Research Office, Google, Microsoft, Qualcomm, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and the National Robotics Initiative.

A talk by Saxena at the 2014 Robotics: Science and Systems Conference last month provided an introduction to Robo Brain.