Tech & Science China creates app to recognize Pandas

Worn like a necklace, this sleek device acts as a replacement for armbands for swimmers. While wearing it, if you get submerged in water for 30 seconds, its sensor would automatically inflate the built-in floats and push you up to the surface – avoiding a potential drowning incident.

Missing your partner in a long-distance relationship? The Kissenger smartphone attachment might help in easing the pangs of separation. Developed by professors and students at City, University of London in partnership with several Japanese universities, the unique attachment fits with most smartphone models. When you are video-chatting with your special someone, you can kiss the rubber pad on the device which registers and replicates the exact pressure of your lips on your partner's device, giving you a feeling that you are kissing for real.

Thanks to entrepreneur Eric Hawkins's clever invention, sunbathers will never have to worry about running out of charge on their device on their day out. The Solarbrella is a fold-away solar panel which can be fitted on top of a beach parasol. The panel is connected to power ports where you can plug in your charging device or any other gadget, such as speakers and laptops. Hawkins designed two models – the 25-watt system is good enough to charge two devices at once, while the other is a bigger 60-watt system suitable for restaurant and hotel owners.

Celebrations and sorrow creates headaches for both sides of politics

It was the battle of the hangover for Coalition and Labor staffers on Sunday morning following Scott Morrison's shock victory the night before.

China has developed an app that allows conservationists to identify individual pandas using facial recognition technology, state-run Xinhua China last year also announced plans to create a bastion for giant pandas three times the size of Yellowstone National Park to link up and encourage breeding

China has developed an app to track giant pandas using facial recognition software as a way to help conservationists tell the large, lumbering animals apart. Researchers also built a database with over 120,000 images and 10,000 video clips of giant pandas so they can be identified.

Businessman Raymond Crane has created wing mirrors for cyclists to wear on their arms. Following a near miss with a rider, he learned that riders were facing difficulties monitoring traffic around rear view mirrors would vibrate when fixed to handlebars. Crane's invention will help bike riders to see the traffic behind them without taking their eyes off the road. The product rotates 360 degrees, making it adaptable for anyone.

Designed by Brent Jelley, this device lets people take selfies using their feet. It straps your smartphone to either foot and a hand-operated fob captures images of yourself and friends over a bluetooth connection. Users can also attach the Selfie Feet to other objects and click photographs. Jelley said, "I began developing it because I wanted to be hands-free when I take a selfie - also, I don't want to have to carry around a selfie stick."

The Smartduvet Breeze allows users to have different temperatures on each side of the bed. Controlled via a smartphone, it uses separate air chambers to deliver different levels of hot or cold air. The device will help both partners enjoy the night at their ideal temperature, thanks to an air blower located under the bed.

AFL to open office in China

League doubles down its footprint on the ground in China ahead of third annual game for premiership points.

Created by Chinese company NXROBOA, this personalized household robot can perform simple household tasks, such as controlling other smart devices and providing reminders. It can interpret voice commands and also has facial recognition technology. Standing at 2ft 6in, it is able to move freely around the home, avoiding obstacles and can be controlled via a smartphone app.

Brainchild of a young inventor Michael Vaga, this new gadget allows users to charge the battery on their phone on the go by simply holding the device and rotating their hand. This motion activates the device's gyroscope to produce energy that can then either be stored or used to immediately charge a mobile.

The motorcycle-inspired electric off-road Moto Parilla Carbon is a rugged off-road bike designed to cope with the toughest of surfaces. Equipped with eight gears, the bike has a 50-mile (80-km) range on an eight-hour charge. Available in 250w or 500w versions, it can hit speeds up to 18 mph (28.9 kmph).

Hover Camera floats in front of a person and takes high-resolution portraits and 4k videos. It uses stabilizer technology and advanced algorithms to follow you and capture the perfect image. This device weighs less than 0.56 pounds (250 grams) and is small enough to fit in a shoulder bag.

How China Uses High-Tech Surveillance to Subdue Minorities

A God’s-eye view of Kashgar, an ancient city in western China, flashed onto a wall-size screen, with colorful icons marking police stations, checkpoints and the locations of recent security incidents. 

Dutch firm Windblocker created this device that stop strong winds interfering with your phone calls. Once the device, a tiny foam clip, is slipped over the phone’s speaker, any sort of noise from gales will be cut out.

An Italian firm has designed Pet On Wheels (POW) to help owners carry their pets on various vehicles, including scooters and cars. Pets weighing less than 22 pounds (10 kgs) can fit inside a plastic box featuring a hole at the top, which allows the pet to look out. The carrier can be secured on any vehicle with its special mounting plate.

Designed by Akoustic Arts, the device is an alternative to headphones and enables a person to listen to music or watch a film without disturbing others. It uses a directional sound beam which points directly at the listener.

This mirror — designed to help users track body measurements, fat and muscles — renders a realistic image of a human body from every angle. When a user stands on a rotating plate in front of the mirror, a 360-degree scan takes place and the data is sent to a connecting smartphone application.

The world's smallest camera drone, named Skeye Nano Camera Drone, is just 5-inches (4 cm) wide and can fly up to heights of 165 feet (50 m). The tiny drone can flip and tumble mid-air, while capturing images using its on-board camera. It weighs a mere 0.5 ounce (14 grams) — roughly the same as an empty Coke can. A fully-charged battery gives four minutes of flight time.

China’s space program just suffered its first rocket launch failure since 2017

It's a rare setback for a program that has been full steam ahead.

Lifted by 36 high-power electric ducted fans and fitted with onboard sensors, Arca Space Corporation's ArcaBoard can rise up to one foot (30 cm) above the ground and can power along at the speed of up to 12.5 mph (20 kph). A fully-charged ArcaBoard powers a flight time of about six minutes.

Imagine the comfort of traveling with a smart suitcase that follows you while avoiding obstacles. Israeli company NUA Robotics has designed it. The Hands-Free suitcase communicates with the user's smartphone through Bluetooth to track the user's location. It also features a camera sensor, an anti-theft tool, and a backup battery reserve.

A groundbreaking home-security system that detects and tracks movement through walls and furniture in real time using radio waves — informing the exact location of an intruder on a smartphone app. Called Xandem Home, the system takes just 15 minutes to install and is a product of years of research funded by major US intelligence services.

A lamp that uses the flame of a candle to power the LED bulb and lights up an entire room. Lumir C lamp's inventor Jay Pack from Seoul, South Korea, said: "The heat from the flame rises into the device, where the temperature difference between hot and cool air generates thermoelectricity, a principle known as the Seebeck effect. Then the energy turns on the LED at the top. Depending on the power of the flame, it usually it takes about one to two minutes to shine brightly."

Coffee lovers can now create the ultimate personalized coffee from the comfort of their own sofa, thanks to the world's first fully-integrated smart connected bean-to-cup coffee machine. The stunning new state-of-the-art PrimaDonna Elite from De'Longhi allows you to create, personalize and deliver your perfect coffee straight from a Bluetooth-enabled app on your mobile device, wherever you are in the home. It can create hundreds of different varieties of coffee-based drinks, all from one machine.

She Thought She’d Married a Rich Chinese Farmer. She Hadn’t.

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Rabia Kanwal’s parents were sure her marriage to a wealthy Chinese Muslim she had just met would give her a comfortable future, far from the hardships of their lives in Pakistan. 

Kyocera, a Japanese company, has developed the world's first washable smartphone — the Digno Rafre. It is water-proof, dust-proof, shock-resistant and can be hand-washed with soap and water. On top of that, scratch healing paint on the back means the phone can 'self-heal' from everyday shallow scratches. The Digno Rafre, which will run Android 5.1 (Lollipop), is 10.1 mm thick and has a 5-inch, 720p display with a 13-megapixel camera. It features a special touchscreen that will work even when wet and has smart sonic receivers to prevent the speakers from being damaged during the washing process.

The 'magic wand', known as an Mstick, is a multi-functioning device that can act as an alarm, a LED bike light, a timer and a weather forecast display. Featuring a stylish design, the Mstick comes in a variety of colors and features a detachable hand-strap. The Mstick pairs with Bluetooth and can connect to an app on an accompanying iOS or Android device.

It uses a battery-swap program, where the user can swap a dead, or low-running, battery at a roadside kiosk for a fully-charged replacement. The bike features apps that find battery kiosks, analyze the rider's behavior and determine what is best for their smartscooter's energy consumption. A zero-emissions vehicle, it can reach a maximum speed of 60 mph (100 kph).

Peter Craciun, a British designer, has created the 'world's lightest' folding bike, weighing less than four pineapples. The ‘Hummingbird’ bike could be revolutionary for those who have a long walk as part of their commute. The company, a London start-up called Hummingbird Bike Company, designed the bike using carbon fiber, making it super-light. Weighing just 14.33 pounds (6.5 kilograms), the bike folds down into a compact size using a foldable back wheel and handlebars.

Fruitleather Rotterdam are a team of undergraduate design students who have come up with a new way to deal with leftover food: by turning it into vegan leather. What originally began as a university project has now turned into an incredible design project. The team uses leftover food from local food markets and turns it into a fabric called 'fruitleather'. This leather-like material, which is made from rotting fruit and vegetables, can then be turned into a trendy tote bag or satchel.

British researchers have created the world's first self-heating gloves, which they say are perfect for beating the cold during winter exercise. The unique technology in the gloves uses the body's own energy to heat hands, which means they use no artificial heat sources (such as batteries) and work in any conditions.

An automated fast food restaurant in San Francisco has no servers, no wait staff and a virtual cashier that offers fresh food. Customers place their orders at an interactive kiosk and then collect their food at a first-of-its-kind automated pick-up system that features a collection of glass door 'cubbies' with personalized graphics that open to reveal your meal.

Here’s how you can cut back on your smoking in a classy way. Controlled by a smartphone app and a fingerprint reader, Lowiee is an anodised aluminium case that allows the user to set the number of cigarettes they wish to smoke in a day, week, or month as well the amount they want to spend on it. The app also provides details of the health benefits and financial savings made by regulating their consumption.

A revolutionary coin-sized device now ensures you never forget to pick up essential items — because it warns you when you're about to leave the house without them. The groundbreaking tools, called 'Trakkies', are a collection of tiny circular gadgets which can be attached to keys, a bag, or a wallet or purse. They then alert the user if they have forgotten to pick up a certain item by flashing their LEDs and making noises. Users can also connect their smartphone to the devices by downloading the Trakkies app and will be given precise directions to the item they have left behind.

A U.S. innovator has created a portable hot water hammock, designed to be put up anywhere. Known as the Hydro Hammock, Benjamin Frederick thinks that his product could be used by the Red Cross and other charities as well as holidaymakers and even as a replacement for baths in places short of water.

Inspired from Joseph Kosinski's "Tron: Legacy," this custom electric motorcycle is likely to go on sale in May. Said to be priced in a range of $25,000-$40,000, it will be sold at the Andrews Collection auction in Forth Worth, Texas. This bike is powered by a 96-volt direct-drive electric motor with lithium batteries and computer-controlled throttle along with spring-preload front suspension, rear rigid suspension and hydraulic brakes (rear and front).

This wind-up case is designed to ensure that mobile phones never run out of battery. Known as the Ampware CrankCase, it features a pop handle that can be used to charge the phone when it is out of battery. A minute of turning the handle charges a smartphone for 40 minutes.

The Sun Strap is a unique charging device that makes use of solar energy for charging gadgets through a USB port. The flexible solar panel, which is made of weather- and water-proof material, can be attached to the strap of a bag. The panel draws sunlight and converts it into energy, thereby charging the internal battery. Any device connected to the USB port in the Sun Strap can be charged.

Scientists from RIKEN and Sumitomo Riko Company Limited have developed a new experimental nursing care robot called ROBEAR. The robot is capable of performing tasks such as shifting a patient from a bed to a wheelchair and providing assistance to a patient who needs help to stand up.

The Runcible is described as the first personal device for the post-smartphone era and is modeled on an old-fashioned pocket watch. The round device has a natural design reminiscent of a pebble and includes a high-performance phone and camera.

This unique bathroom addition can simply be attached to a toilet and allows men the chance to go without lifting the seat up.

Mint is a pocket-sized device lets users measure breath quality. This device communicates wirelessly to Breathometer, a smartphone application, and gives results to users.

This unique cooking appliance lets users get their faces on a slice of bread by using custom heating inserts.

Aimed at optimising the body efficiency of a person by raising blood oxygen levels, the Fittersift shirt makes use of responsive textile technology, which transforms waste body heat into infra-red energy.

The Experience Helmet is designed to enable a person to hear his/her own brainwaves. It makes use of an electroencephalography (EEG) sensor that records any electrical activity taking place, which is then converted into sounds that reflect their state of mind.

American company Jaasta has developed a new keyboard which can be customised to your needs. Depending on the application — or language — being used, the user can amend the keys to display relevant characters. International users will also be able to make their own country's letter characters appear at the touch of a button.

The Orrb is a pod inside which the user can escape bustling open-plan workspaces and find time for themselves. Designed by Lee McCormack, the orb-like structure requires an online account through which one choose exercises best suited for your mood. The devices are currently being hand-finished in the USA and UK and are expected to launch officially in Spring. The developers aim to see them being placed in airports, universities and public spaces.

RoboDynamics is working to develop Luna - the first human size (almost 4.9 feet) personal robot designed for everyday use. Luna will be able to walk the dog, serve you drinks and much more.

If you are tired of your partner’s snoring, invest in this anti-snore pillow that detects vibrations and gently nudges the sleeper to change positions without waking them. This revolutionary pillow is available online for $139 (£92).

Designed by Ingeniarius, the InPutter is a golf club which monitors around 16 variables that includes the player's swing, angles and power generated in a shot and gives instant feedback by transmitting the data on your preferred device.

Developed by the Japanese company Korg, this gadget is composed of three clips with internal sensors which transforms the surface it's attached to into a drum kit.

Aura, a US based company, has solved our wire woes by developing a magnetic ring that will transmit power to LED lights - which will act as Christmas lights, when activated.

Designed by Nifty, the belt comes in brown or black leather fitted with tiny charger of 2,100mAh capacity and a USB port connected to the buckle and leather.

Simply balance your body in the direction you want to travel and your AirWheel will take you there and last up to 45 km (28 miles) on a single charge.

Australian Ian Edwards has developed a remote-controlled trolley that lugs your golf clubs around.

An Israeli company has developed a device that monitors a person’s eating habits and provides real-time dietary suggestions that are displayed on a smartphone.

A UK based company has developed this 40-seater Bio-Bus which generates enough power to travel up to 186 miles (300km) on a full tank of treated food waste and human poo.

US-based company Bleen Inc. has developed a gadget that projects holographic 3D images!

Experimenting with food and design, Yukiko Morita from Japan created a unique lampshade made entirely out of bread. First the design is hollowed out of flour, water and salt, then a resin coating is applied to prevent mildew and finally LED bulbs are fixed inside.

This prototype fitted with propellers and two water jets mounted behind rotating louvres at the front. This two-seater car, costing $2,000,000, is powered by six 48-volt Lithium-ion batteries, can reach a speed of  75 mph (120 kmph on land and two knots when submerged.

Canadian Todd Weimer created a unique device 7.8 in (20 cm) long that can hold 15 essential items including a first aid kit, compass, matches, whistle, razor blade, mirror, can opener, LED light, a wire saw and more.

Bicycle riders have a reason to smile since Philippe Arrouart has invented a folding helmet that one can then stow away into their bag.

Slovenian designed Bostjan Zagar has developed a suitcase that is literally for people on the go.