In 2009, Belgian architecture firm dmvA had a problem. They had been commissioned to build an office extension for an Italian design firm, but the local zoning board refused to approve any permanent structures. Their solution: make it smaller, and make it mobile. The result is this “egg house,” a moveable micro-house that combines kitchen, bathroom and bedroom into just 215 square feet of space.< … Read More → "Belgian ‘egg house’ combines bed, bath and kitchen in self-contained unit"

Today, the computer programming field is dominated by men. But that wasn’t always the case. In fact, for a long time, computer programming was a women’s field.  At Gender News, Brenda D. Frink explains how “computer geek” overtook “computer girl” as the stereotype. She writes:

As late as the 1960s many people perceived computer programming as a natural career choice … Read More → "Computer programming used to be women’s work"

The last time we saw the sprinting “Cheetah” robot, our fear for the future of humanity was soothed slightly by the knowledge that it remained tethered to the offboard hydraulic pumps it relied on for power. Now, Boston Dynamics is taking the chains off of its world record holder and letting the next generation of sprinter run, called WildCat.
via Engadget</ … Read More → "Boston Dynamics frees its four-legged sprinting robot: Cheetah becomes WildCat"

If you’re worried that you’ve been sleeping in too much, or spending more time in front of the TV than you really should, you can finally see how your lifestyle stacks up to your fellow man by just glancing at your wrist. The rotating disc on Mr Jones Average Days watch takes 24 hours to make a full lap, and as it spins it reveals the most common activity for a given … Read More → "This watch tells you how much time you waste compared to everyone else"

XYZ Workshop is a company in Melbourne, Australia that promotes the use of 3D printing by ordinary people. Its members design projects that you might enjoy having in your own home, such as this clever chess set.
via Neatorama

Continue reading

Designed for developer ONW/BNG GO, The Citadel is a flotilla of apartments in one modern luxury development. The project, which will begin building work early next year, will consist of 60 units in a high density arrangement (30 units per acre of water). Part of the project means halting some flood defenses and letting the water back in. Olthuis points out that Holland has as many as 3,500 polders (patches of low-lying land that are protected by … Read More → "World’s first floating apartment build to commence in 2014"

Reality TV is struggling like a man trying to get out of a glass coffin full of scorpions on a Japanese game show.

How can the producers make it more interesting? We’ve surely seen everything.

Well, we’ve never seen the winners being shot into outer space, have we?
via Read More → "NBC reality show to launch real people into space"

Sometimes it’s hard to get the big picture from the ground. In a vineyard, the color of vines and signs of stress are easier to see, especially for a whole field, from the sky. Today, this kind of aerial surveying for agriculture can be done with an appointment and service fee from a manned airplane or helicopter, but in the future it could all be& … Read More → "Drones are helping make delicious wine"

Apple’s Siri might have finally found its true voice.

Susan Bennett, a voice actor from suburban Atlanta, told CNN in an interview published Friday that she’s the voice behind Siri. To confirm her claim, CNN worked with an audio forensics expert who claims with 100 percent certainty that the voice of Siri is, in fact, hers.
via Read More → "This woman says she is Siri’s original voice"

New research has shown that individuals who play an instrument are more capable at identifying errors and correcting mistakes, and that these benefits apply to amateur musicians as well as professionals.