Author: Swadesh Parasher

Nest Protect : Smart Smoke Alarm By Nest!

Nest Labs, a home automation company headquartered in Palo Alto, California has recently come up with Nest Protect that aims to save homes from smoke and carbon monoxide but in a smart way.

Yes, with almost everything getting ‘smart’ these days, the team at Nest also decided to design a gadget that would work in conjunction with the smartphones replacing the regular beeping alarm with a voice alarm that can pinpoint the origin of smoke and carbon-monoxide.

The gadget continuously provides the warning before going off. The circular light fixed in the middle of unit transits color to yellow if minimal smoke is produced like from stove or from the bag popcorn bag you just heated in microwave. However, in case of true emergency i.e. heavy smoke emissions, the light turns to red color and the alarm goes off!

The team at Nest has taken into consideration many facts like the airflow, smoke chamber along with a number of sensors: heat, motion, carbon-monoxide, photoelectric and light. Specific details about the gadget are not yet official but as per the reports; batteries, alarm and voice chip have been housed inside the gadget only.

Nest Protect Safety has already won approval from California State Fire Marshals and Underwriters Laboratory. Plus, the British agencies too has signalled a green light for it. The latest update in this concept is the app ‘Nest Thermostat’ that controls Nest Protect and other gadgets.

Apparently, another big news that has reached our ears is that Google has bought Nest for $3.2 billions. Experts believe that if the rumours are true then, undoubtedly this acquistion would turn out to be much more fruitful to Google which is making remarkable advancements in all fields. Well, we too don’t the truth but one thing we can certainly say is that Google never falls short of ideas; ideas which are worth executing. It won’t be surprising if we see some more designs being put forward by Google!

February 2, 2014
This Floor Generates Electricity As You Walk On It!

Energy Floors, a Netherlands-based firm has come out with products like Sustainable Energy Floor and Sustainable Dance Floor which can convert footsteps into electricity. Whenever anyone steps onto the floor, the tile flexes round by 10mm. This movement is then converted into electricity ranging from 15 Watts to 25 Watts. If a concurrent network of these tiles is laid together (around 40), it could generate up to 1kW energy. All thanks to the modular nature of the tiles.

We’re not sure about the exact principle behind these tiles but one thing is certain; these are not piezoelectric. It’s a rack and pinion sort of arrangement that drives a small permanent magnet generator. The flow of current is directed by a controller module.

As soon as you step on the blocks, they light up and this in turn intrigues people to step on them over and over again. It’s a fascinating marketing stragedy. You may feel that these floors aren’t of much practical application but unfortunately you’re wrong! These aren’t any techie joke or a high-tech toy. Recently, Russian Railway Research has parterned with Energy Floors and plans to put these smart floors on railway platforms and high-traffic walkways. They are also looking ways to implement use of this technology in order to fetch energy from the movement of cars and trains.

And the interesting thing is; these floor tiles not only generate clean electricity but are also a lovely example to the principle of 3R’s (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle). Yes, the tiles are made out of recyclable materials and are quite reliable with an expected lifetime of 30 years.

Laurence Kemball-Cook justifies the concept as follows:
‘Sustainable energy is a multifaceted industry. Solar, wind, and hydroelectric are the big players, but small energy-harvesting products have their place as well. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Energy Floors could make that step more productive.’

February 1, 2014
Measure Glucose Level With The New Google Smart Contact Lens!

Some people just can’t resist doing anything and everything and so is with Google. The latest member in Google’s arsenal is a contact lens that employs a wireless chip along with a mini glucose sensor which would help to monitor the blood sugar level.

Numerous researchers have been going on in different research centers around the world, but the leading internet giant Google has once again gained the remark by bringing it out as a product.

Google has begun testing the contact lens which measure the blood sugar level in tears, thus informing the user about the disease so that he may find ways to tackle it as early as possible. The research is being carried out at Google X Laboratory with Mr. Babak Parvis and Mr. Brian Otis as the leading members of the team. Basically, they have embedded a wireless chip and a mini glucose sensor between the layers of contact lens material. Well, this is what led the team to develop a prototype for it that reads blood glucose level every second and if we consider that everything works fine then, indeed it’s quite an impressive achievement.

What is Google striving for is how to alert the user about the abnormal glucose levels? One idea under consideration suggests employing small LED lights which would illuminate whenever glucose level falls below the normal value.

However, Google admits the fact that they’re still far away from actually making the gadget commercial. The company has carried out plenty of clinical researchers and is soon going to submit the product to FDA for further scrutiny and approval. This apparently raises the hope that soon we might be witnessing these smart contact lenses in our closest market!

The Galaxy Note III Neo LTE version does come with a hexa-core processor with two cortex-A15 and four Cortex-A7 cores

February 1, 2014
10 Nerdy Home decoration items to showcase the geeky self

Home is where your heart stays, and it sure reflects the real you. If you are real geek, you won’t hesitate to show the world that you hold something precious in you. You can sure start with putting hundreds of books on your shelf and making your reading room a showpiece, but getting into the theme will be more effective if every room in your house is geeky.

From Star Wars bookends to floppy disk planters, these handmade home goods on Etsy will leave your a right place to showcase the inner you. Let’s have a look at few of them:

1. Star Wars Book Ends

Image: GentleGiantLTD

2. Computer Chip ClockImage: Hardresols

3. Floppy Disk Coffee Table

Image: FloppyTable

4. Super Mario Potted PlantImage: Burritoprincess

5. Keyboard DoorMat

Image: Thisiswhyimbroke

6. IP Floormat

Image: ThinkGeek

7. Mario LampImage: Thebackpackshoppe

8. Beaker PlanterImage: Hensandchicksplants

9. Nerdy Element Prints

Image: ETSY

10. Periodic Table Shower Curtain

Image: ThinkGeek

February 1, 2014
You may use Google Glass with prescription lenses

Google introduces Glass for prescription lenses and hopes that it will be a way for increasing the reach of their product and Glass maybe will be considered by the non-Glass users.

According to the reports, four prescription frames will be released for Google Glass. “Titanium Collection” is what Google call these frames because of the metal they are produced from. Google preferred themselves over any other traditional glass designers for designing these frames which have the necessary shape.

Definitely, you want to know the cost of these frames. Don’t you? Well, according to the reports the frame might be on sale today and it will cost you $225 and Google will charge you additional $1,499 for Glass which means that the whole set, frame and Glass, will cost you $1,724. Still, something is missing. Isn’t it? That’s your prescription lens. Google will not help you with that. For that, you have to stop by an eyeglass shop and get the lens cut in the shape that fits in your prescription frame that you bought for your Glass.

Glass comes already mounted on a frame and till now, for the ones using prescription lenses it was like wearing two glasses. With the introduction of these new prescription frames for Glass, Google is hoping to reach a wide range of people and invite them to purchase Glass.

January 28, 2014
Some Creative And Fantastic USB Designs![Images]

USB Drives have indeed revolutionized the manner we used to carry and share data. In the present world, USBs have become one of the fundamental gadgets that every computer user should have. Relatively, we have found that there is a huge competition in this much sought after gadget’s market. There are thousands of companies which employ new and crazy designs to manufacture USBs every month.

Here’s a list of some amazing and extremely creative USB designs that we’ve so far come across. Have a look! Do tell in comments which one is your favorite!

Shoe USB –>

Cat Paw USB –>

Buffalo USB –>

Transformers USB –>

Angry Birds USB –>

Crime Scene Finger USB –>

Design Finite USB –>

Creative USB –>

Elephant USB –>

Fish USB –>

Folder USB –>

Grenade USB –>

Yummy Hamburger USB –>

Cute Kitty USB –>

Key USB –>

Lego Brick USB –>

Light Bulb USB –>

Pod Drive USB –>

Pizza USB –>

Ninja USB –>

Lock USB –>

Pen USB –>

Funny Sperm USB –>

Robot USB –>

Rubber Man USB –>

Teddy USB –>

Lighter USB –>

Syringe USB –>

Coin USB –>

Sushi USB –>

Weapon USB –>

Sunglasses USB –>

Banana USB –>

December 28, 2013