Friday, 19 August 2022
Meet the JournalistsPremiumAucklandWellingtonCanterbury/South Island
CrimePoliticsHealthEducationEnvironment and ClimateNZ Herald FocusData journalismKāhu, Māori ContentPropertyWeather
Small BusinessOpinionPersonal FinanceEconomyBusiness TravelCapital Markets
Politics
Premium SportRugbyCricketRacingNetballBoxingLeagueFootballSuper RugbyAthleticsBasketballMotorsportTennisCyclingGolfAmerican SportsHockeyUFC
NZH Local FocusThe Northern AdvocateThe Northland AgeThe AucklanderWaikato HeraldBay of Plenty TimesHawke's Bay TodayRotorua Daily PostWhanganui ChronicleStratford PressManawatu GuardianKapiti NewsHorowhenua ChronicleTe Awamutu Courier
Covid-19
Te Rito
Te Rito
OneRoof PropertyCommercial Property
Open JusticeVideoPodcastsTechnologyWorldOpinion
SpyTVMoviesBooksMusicCultureSideswipeCompetitions
Fashion & BeautyFood & DrinkRoyalsRelationshipsWellbeingPets & AnimalsVivaCanvasEat WellCompetitionsRestaurants & Menus
New Zealand TravelAustralia TravelInternational Travel
Our Green FutureRuralOneRoof Property
Career AdviceCorporate News
Driven MotoringPhotos
SudokuCodecrackerCrosswordsWordsearchDaily quizzes
Classifieds
KaitaiaWhangareiDargavilleAucklandThamesTaurangaHamiltonWhakataneRotoruaTokoroaTe KuitiTaumarunuiTaupoGisborneNew PlymouthNapierHastingsDannevirkeWhanganuiPalmerston NorthLevinParaparaumuMastertonWellingtonMotuekaNelsonBlenheimWestportReeftonKaikouraGreymouthHokitikaChristchurchAshburtonTimaruWanakaOamaruQueenstownDunedinGoreInvercargill
NZ HeraldThe Northern AdvocateThe Northland AgeThe AucklanderWaikato HeraldBay Of Plenty TimesRotorua Daily PostHawke's Bay TodayWhanganui ChronicleThe Stratford PressManawatu GuardianKapiti NewsHorowhenua ChronicleTe Awamutu CourierVivaEat WellOneRoofDriven MotoringThe CountryPhoto SalesNZ Herald InsightsWatchMeGrabOneiHeart RadioRestaurant Hub

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.
Technology

Tech Universe: Wednesday 11 September

10 Sep, 2013 08:20 PM3 minutes to read
Don't rock the boat. Photo / Thinkstock

Don't rock the boat. Photo / Thinkstock

Herald online
By Miraz Jordan

THE SHIP WITH NO WAVES: Ships roll in the waves, making those on board seasick and throwing objects around. The Norwegians designed a ship that doesn't roll because it creates its own opposing waves in specially designed tanks fitted in the hull. The design is intended for housing those who work on off-shore platforms such as oil rigs. The hotel ships can also be equipped with thrusters that oppose the external forces from waves, currents and wind. The first such hotel ship is currently being built. Wave-cancelling ships: brilliant.

LOW PRESSURE COMMS: Cubesats are very small, so they're cheap and easy to launch into orbit. But because they're small their communication range is limited thanks to smaller, less powerful antennae. Researchers at MIT think the solution may be an inflatable antenna that can fold into a compact space and inflate when in orbit. With an inflatable antenna a satellite could communicate from even as far away as the Moon. The idea is to use sublimating powder — a chemical compound that transforms from a solid powder to a gas when exposed to low pressure. Tests on Earth of both conical and cylindrical antenna designs suggest either could be much more powerful than current antennae on Cubesats, transmitting data both further and faster. Though engineers will need to keep pressure in the launch vehicle constant to prevent early inflation.

JUNIOR KIDNEYS: Researchers at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China took a mixture of cultured cells and a nutrient rich hydrogel then printed a miniature but functional human kidney.
The printed cells can live up to 4 months. This preliminary work could eventually lead to more people having access to lifesaving kidney transplants. Size and lifespan of the printed kidneys obviously both need work.

A NEW PERSPECTIVE: Ricoh's Theta camera is tiny — at around
42x129x22.8 mm it fits easily in your hand. Its special feature though is that it captures fully spherical images in a single shot and from any angle without aiming or pointing. It syncs via WiFi with a smartphone which can operate the camera remotely. The device uses a proprietary ultra-small twin-lens folded optical system that captures the scene around, above and below the device in one shot. It's all in how you look at things.

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

GREEN LIGHT DISTRICT: You may be happy to just run the vacuum cleaner over the floor, but apparently there may still be dirt lurking underfoot. Never worry. Samsung's Motion Sync Vacuum Cleaner SC20F70 gives you a green light if the area is completely clean and a red light if it detects a particularly dusty spot. Go for green.

Miraz Jordan, knowit.co.nz

Related articles

Technology

Tech Universe: Monday 2 September

01 Sep 08:25 PM
Technology

Tech Universe: Tuesday 3 September

02 Sep 08:10 PM
Technology

Tech Universe: Wednesday 4 September

03 Sep 09:15 PM
Technology

Tech Universe: Thursday 5 September

04 Sep 08:45 PM

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Technology

Premium
Business

What to expect from Chorus' earnings

19 Aug 05:30 AM
Business

Apple warns of serious security flaw in tech

19 Aug 12:25 AM
Business

New meme stock victim: Bed Bath & Beyond tumbles

18 Aug 11:19 PM
Premium
Business

Rocket Lab reveals more about Venus jaunt, cops downgrade

18 Aug 05:40 AM
Premium
Business

Civil construction firm warns customers about hack, fraudulent invoices

18 Aug 05:35 AM

Most Popular

Ombudsman sends PM 'please explain' over Sharma allegations
New Zealand|Politics

Ombudsman sends PM 'please explain' over Sharma allegations

19 Aug 07:04 AM
Kawhia shooting: Mum haunted by frightening escape into darkness with children
New Zealand|Crime

Kawhia shooting: Mum haunted by frightening escape into darkness with children

19 Aug 04:04 AM
Premium
Cecilia Robinson rejoins My Food Bag board amid 'deeply disappointing' share price
Business

Cecilia Robinson rejoins My Food Bag board amid 'deeply disappointing' share price

19 Aug 05:32 AM

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.
About NZMEHelp & SupportContact UsSubscribe to NZ HeraldHouse Rules
Manage Your Print SubscriptionNZ Herald E-EditionAdvertise with NZMEBook Your AdPrivacy Policy
Terms of UseCompetition Terms & ConditionsSubscriptions Terms & Conditions
© Copyright 2022 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP