JUST LIKE THE REAL THING: You can't make use of it at home yet, but the 2012 Olympics are being recorded in super hi vision, with pictures 16 times as sharp as HDTV and multi-channel surround-sound. Special showings at a handful of locations have used a special 7.62 metre cinema-size screen. Viewers claim it is a truly immersive experience that feels just like being at the real event. Now imagine ads recorded with super hi vision. Scary. BBC has further info.
CURIOUS LANDING: For other viewing pleasure, the Olympics aren't the only game on at the moment. Watch live this afternoon as the 900 Kg Mars Curiosity Rover arrives at 21,000 Kph at the top of the atmosphere and just 7 minutes later lands on the surface. This Mars Rover won't just bounce onto the surface though, but arrives by parachute, thrusters and crane for a soft landing in the right place. Or at least, that's what the engineers are hoping for. The nail biting commences just after 5 pm NZ time. NASA details. Check out the video and live feed.
A BIT OF A PILL: An ingestible sensor from Proteus Digital Health allows caregivers and health workers to easily monitor patients. The sensor is integrated into an inert pill that the patient swallows. It's powered by contact with stomach fluid and sends signals about ingestion through the user's body tissue to a patch worn on the skin and from there to a mobile phone. The skin patch also collects data on heart rate, body position and activity. Carers can then monitor all the data on the phone. Do the sewage systems have the capability to handle the electronic waste though? Proteus Digital Health has more. Video here.
BLUE IN THE MORNING: Astronauts on the International Space Station have to work some pretty gruelling schedules. They often miss out on some or all of their allotted sleep time, and are dealing with a 90 minute long day as well, as the ISS orbits the Earth. One neuroscientist from Thomas Jefferson University has research that suggests careful colour toning of the new LED lights to be installed soon could help astronauts sleep and wake better. Accurate colour perception is important aboard the ISS as astronauts may need to repair electrical systems where colour is significant, so the lights have to be very carefully calibrated. All will be white, but the wake-up lights will be brighter with cool blue tones and the going to sleep lights will be warmer with heavier red tones. Don't cut the red wire. Wired explains.
KEEP THEM GUESSING: Nike's SPARQ Sensory Performance system evaluates 10 sport-relevant visual and sensory performance skills for athletes. That gives a picture of strengths, weaknesses and abilities. The SPARQ Vapor Strobe Eyewear is a special pair of glasses to help athletes train by blocking the wearer's vision for short periods of time. The idea is to improve an athlete's reaction time, visual acuity and sense of timing because the glasses strengthen the ability to anticipate what's coming. One study found the glasses improved visual short-term memory retention. It's not just athletes who could find that useful. Mashable elaborates. Watch the video.
