BLASTIC INVENTIONS IN I.T.

ARPITA SINGHIX-A

3D PRINTED CARAt the international manufacturing technology show in Chicago, a little known Arizona-based car maker

created a media sensation by manufacturing this car at the show.

The car is called a “Strati", Italian for layers, so named by it's automotive designer Michele Anoè because

the entire structure of the car is made from layers of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (A.B.S.) With

reinforced carbon fiber into a single unit. It was a full scale, fully functional car that was 3d printed in 44

hours and assembled in 2 days. The average car has more than 20,000 parts but this latest technology

reduces the number of parts to 40 including all the mechanical components.

OLED SCREENS

Organic light-emitting diodes (OLED) are now available in a wide range of devices and in 2016 the prices

look set to fall greatly in price. These use less power than traditional lcds whilst allowing sharper, thinner,

brighter displays and eliminating the need for back lights. Additionally, sunlight that would normally 'wash

out' a display has no effect; the screens appear the same even in broad daylight, or when tilted at an

angle. Even apple has reportedly started planning for OLED research.

AIR INTO WATER (WATERMILL)

Johathan Ritchey has invented the watermill, which is an atmospheric water generator. It converts air into

fresh water.

This latest technology invention produces fresh water at a cost of about 3 cents a liter (1 quart). Originally

designed for areas that do not have clean drinking water, the watermill is for households that prefer an

eco-friendly, cost effective alternative to bottled water.

Atmospheric water generators convert air into water when the temperature of the air becomes saturated

with enough water vapor that it begins to condense (dew point).

"What is unique about the watermill is that it has intelligence," says ritche. This makes the appliance more

efficient. It samples the air every 3 minutes to determine the most efficient time to convert the air into

water.

It will also tell you when to change the carbon filter and will shut itself off if it cannot make pure clean

water.

VEIN IDENTIFICATION

Another technology innovation is the biometric identification and security device known as PalmSecure.

It works by identifying the vein pattern in the palms of our hands.

Similar to our fingerprints, vein patterns are unique to each individual. The purported advantages of this

technology is that it is less expensive, easier to manage, and is more reliable than traditional methods of

identification.

A HOUSE THAT WALKS

A new prototype house walked around the campus of the Wysing Arts Centre in Cambridgeshire, England.

The eco-friendly house is powered by solar cells and minature windmills, and comes with a kitchen, a

composting toilet, a system for collecting rain water, one bed, a wood stove for CO2 neutral heating, a

rear opening that forms a stairway entrance, and six legs.

A collaborative effort between MIT and the Danish design collective N55, the house walks about five

kilometers an hour similar to the walking speed of a human.

The legs reguire a software algorithm to calculate the movement and position of the legs to provide

stability over varying terrain.

The house can turn, move forward or backwards, or change height as required and can be programmed

with GPS waypoints for traveling to destinations.

VIRTUAL REALITY GAMING

The fun and games of virtual reality (VR) devices started some time ago however, it wasn't until 2014

when people started to realise the potential of these futuristic high tech devices. According to research

firm juniper, about three million virtual reality headsets will be shipped next year. Thats not massive ��

amounts, but its a significant start.��

Facebook has invested its billions with Oculus. Sony is powering into PlayStation VR. Microsoft is covering

all its bases with its own holographic computer system, HoloLens, and a partnership with Oculus for

streaming games from the Xbox through Windows 10. And with CES just around the corner, we can expect

some serious VR-related announcements in the coming weeks.

A DRONE TO SECURE HOME

Tokyo-based security company Secom is putting the final touches to a drone that is capable of following

an intruder while taking pictures for future use. The private security drone, which measures just 60cm

across will be capable of quickly responding to a security threat, using four separate sets of rotors to fly to

the scene. Alternatively, it can be pre-programmed to patrol areas that aren't covered by static cameras.

Keep in mind that this security drone won't be of much help when it comes down to taking down an

intruder, however. It can only travel at 6MPH and doesn't have any form of defensive manoeuvre should it

be attacked. However, the upside is that should anything go wrong, the homeowner will have photos to

hand over to the cops. AND, all data collected by the drone is sent over to secom's security center via the

web.

THE WEARABLE REVOLUTION

Wearable tech is nothing new but in 2016 there'll be a lot more competition, which suggests that prices

may come down and become more affordable. Fitness trackers will need to go up against smartwatches,

which include a lot of fitness-tracking features already but in a more fashion-forward package. But since

smartwatches aren't known (yet) for their accuracy when it comes to fitness-tracking, wearers will want to

see increased accuracy as a focus for both standalone fitness trackers and smartwatches. This could

mean that Smartwatches and fitness trackers from the 'big guys' like Samsung and LG are also due for

release in 2016. With higher-end wearables that can do more - like the LG G Watch Urbane LTE and

Samsung Gear S2 - coming from nearly every major and minor tech company on the planet, new

wearables, including never-before-seen concepts, are very likely to show their faces in 2016.

BIONIC EARS

Here Active Listening system, a groundbreaking set of earbuds from New York–based Doppler Labs. Unlike

hearing aids, which amplify or decrease all noises at once, Here’s processor syncs with a smartphone app,

so users can handpick which frequencies they want to filter. That means you could stand on a subway

platform and have a normal conversation as a train screeches by, or even tune out a crying baby on a

plane. “It’s augmented audio reality,” says Doppler Labs CEO Noah Kraft, who initially developed Here for

musicians and concertgoers before pivoting to a general audience.

SMARTGLASSES FOR THE BLIND

Smartglasses designed to assist blind and partially sighted people by using a specially adapted 3D camera

were developed by researchers at the university of Oxford.

The camera separates and highlights objects ahead and projects them on the lens to maximize the

remaining vision of the wearer.

They are now being developed further through a partnership with the Royal National Institute of Blind

People, with hopes that they will be available commercially in 2016.