World’s fastest production car

What you see above is the world’s fastest production car. Called the SSC Ultimate Aero II, the vehicle has a 1350 H.P. engine that can help reach a top speed of 275 mph. Since this bad boy will go on sale soon, the price has been decided to be $970,000. Pretty steep, but hey…you get to be the fastest dude on the planet while driving this, and that has to count for something!

The car includes wheels that are made from carbon-fibers, a first of its kind.

A humanoid that can naturally sing

Robots can do some really weird stuff, but only a few intelligent ones can do something sensible. Meet HRP-4C from Japan, the humanoid that can sing, for real. “In this year’s demo, the robot utilized a system for singing using a human singer as a model. This enables it to sing with a more natural voice and expression.”

The amazing Paik Nam June Media bridge in South Korea

The amazing bridge you see above is the Paik Nam June Media bridge in South Korea, that has been planned to re-define what a bridge is all about. Other than its futuristic looks, this man-made structure will have museums, shopping malls, libraries and of course a full-service bridge across the Han river.

Underwater Robot Gavia to scan Antarctic waters

Previously we have seen how fish robots were specially built to detect ocean pollution. Well, here’s another robot, called Gavia which also has responsibilities as important as the previous one. Designed by researchers of the University of British Columbia, the robot is to move and scan through unreachable waters of Antarctica to record data that highlight the grave scenario of global warming.

The autonomous robot is equipped with “mapping sonar, a digital camera, current meters, and a slew of sensors” and is scheduled to collect data “below the 330-foot Erebus Glacier Tongue“.

China now has the world’s fastest supercomputer, USA falls behind

China has recently overtaken the US in making the world’s fastest super computer. The Tianhe-1A is stationed at the National Supercomputer Center in Tianjin and can perform a mind-boggling 2.507 petaflops, when measured by the LINPACK benchmark. The computer is using 14,336 Intel Xeon CPUs and 7,168 NVIDIA GPUs.

In contrast to that the previous record holder USA’s Cray Jaguar can perform 2.3 petaflops.

M-Dess

This could just have been one of the many special elements of a sci-fi flick or otherwise would you have believed, a gorgeous black dress doubling as a cellphone? Dubious as it may sound, this dress called the M-Dress from CuteCircuit actually has a slot to insert sim card and antenna embodied right within the fabric, so that the person could answer calls [when the dress rings] by just bringing her palms near to the ear without having to carry a bulky cellphone!

The technology at this stage simply can’t replace a cellphone because neither there’s a way to know who’s calling [no display] nor to keep a log of all your contacts but as humans we certainly would look forward to such amazing innovations.

Scubster, the environment friendly submarine

You are presently gazing at the pedal powered submarine, called Scubster. Built by French engineers, this 3.5m underwater vessel is propelled forward by simple pedaling [no harmful emissions involved]. Although the compartment is watertight, one has to have an oxygen cylinder and mask to enjoy the ride.  The man powered craft can speed up to 8km/hr [5mph] with the efficiency directly depending upon the rider. The more you pedal, the faster it is

upon the rider. The more you pedal, the faster it is

Underwater plane from Virgin to explore the ocean

U.K. based Virgin Ltd. has come up with a three-person “aero-submarine” to take you to an underwater ride like you have never seen before. For most people the idea of cruising in the deep ocean at 36,000 feet below the sea-level is like a dream. Ofcourse to enjoy this ride, you need to be super-rich, unless ofcourse you want to spend over $25,000 a week to rent the “hydrobatic” vehicle. Called the Necker Nymph, this sub can “fly” through the water and can even perform flips like a dolphin.

The Batumi Aquarium in Georgia

Surprised at the pack of pebbles in place of an aquarium? This is actually what the Batumi Aquariumin Georgia is supposed to look like when built at the Georgian port. The design conceived by Denmark-based Henning Larsen Architects, was selected from a competition. The larger than life pebbles are a representation of the smooth pebbles found near the Batumi beach, reflecting the on-going process of the sea.

Each of the four pebbles would contain marine life from different regions which include the “Aegean Sea & the Mediterranean Sea, the Indian Ocean, the Black Sea & the Red Sea“. The four realms would have a central hallway for visitors to sit, enjoy, relax, shop etc. The aquarium in addition to being an attractive experience in understanding and enjoying,  the diverse forms of the aqua world would also open up possibilities  for outdoor marine research and learning.

Sikorsky X2: World’s fastest helicopter revealed

The future of helicopters gets better. The Sikorsky X2, although a prototype, is currently the fastest helicopter which just broke the 258 MPH speed barrier. The key to the design is the unique co-axial tri-blade of the X2, which enables the helicopter to travel longer distance at a higher speed. But the objective of the X2 is even more ambitious. The target speed is actually 287.5 mph!

The other innovative technologies incorporated in this high-speed helicopter are:
• Fly-by-wire flight controls
• Counter-rotating rigid rotor blades
• Hub drag reduction
• Active vibration control
• Integrated auxiliary propulsion system

A Westfield LYNX ZBX-500 held the original speed record of 249 MPH since 1986, until now.

Football field sized airships for surveillance

According to the aerospace and defense company Northrop Grumman, the U.S. army has ordered the delivery of three Long Endurance Multi-Intelligence Vehicles (LEMV),that can carry up to 2,500 pounds payload while cruising along at 92 mph (148 kph) at the same time. Meant to be flying at 20,000 (6,096 meters) above the sea-level these super-large airships are literally longer than a football field. The army believes that the LEMVs will serve as surveillance stations and will assist in watching over battlefields in Afghanistan.

Northrop Grumman has received the $517 million dollar contract and is estimated to deliver all three LEMVs before the end of 2011

[source: space.com]

Fire Extinguisher lighter

Most smokers cannot live without a cigarette lighter. Although there are several available designs, we definitely found this Fire Extinguisher lighter to be interesting. Although this does look like micro fire extinguisher, make no mistake, this is a fully functional cigarette lighter.

Even the connected hose has its own functionality, “as it nests a little LED to guide your path.”

Its a pity, this thing is only available in Japan.

Price? $4.89 (approx.) 

Laser watch

If you think you have seen crazy designs on watches, then think again. Check out the Alessi Invisible Shot Laser watch. Although it’s purpose is to show time, a watch design can hardly be weirder than this. Looks exactly like a bracelet the device features a discreet button, that when pressed reflects laser light on your wrist to show the time. We think if you consider this as a bracelet that shows time, it will probably be more appropriate.

Designer for this Alessi Invisible Shot Laser watch is Andy Kurovets.

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi : The World’s Largest Indoor Theme Park

Want to get swept off your feet? Well the world’s first Ferrari Theme Park, called the Ferrari World Abu Dhabi seems to be formulating the right bundle of excitement, to make it happening. Located on Yas Island, the world’s largest indoor theme park will have “20 Ferrari-inspired attractions including rides, a 4D fantasy adventure, a racing academy, children’s play area, restaurants offering Italian cuisines and various shops.” The venue would also feature the world’s fastest roller coaster with speeds more than 210 km/hr, allowing visitors to experience the feel of riding a Formula One Car.

By now, you might also have been overwhelmed by the roof structure itself. The shape is inspired from the side profile of the classic double curve body of the Ferrari GT which also showcases the largest Ferrari logo. The park is scheduled to be opened to the public on 28th October 2010. Ferrari World Abu Dhabi is a collaboration project of “Ferrari and Aldar Properties PJSC, Abu Dhabi’s leading property development, management and investment company“.

 

Terrafugia Transition, finally a ‘flying car’ that receives the FAA approval

Don’t mistake this as just a small airplane. Well, yes it is a plane alright, but is also an automobile like any other. The Terrafugia Transition will soon go into full scale production if you wondering whether this is just a concept. It recently got the approval from Federal Aviation Administration of U.S. Department of Transportation.”The two-seater vehicle uses its front-wheel drive on roads at ordinary highway speeds. But once it arrives at an adequate take off spot, it can extend its wings, take off and glide through the sky at 115 mph.”

The two-seater ‘flying car’ can go up to 460 miles non-stop and can carry up to 450 pounds. To take off it takes at least a third of a mile, so don’t expect to do it in every street available. Retail price is estimated to be around $194,000 a piece. For most multi-millionaires this shouldn’t be an issue, I guess.

Vertical Gardening with Lifewall

This very picture caught my attention and made me wonder what I perceived was actually true or not. Called the Lifewall from Ceracasa, these are indeed individual tiles laden with different types of flora that is maintained by drip irrigation. The special tiles, each measuring a square meter, in addition to supporting green life also helps in breaking down oxides of nitrogen present in air.The Lifewall tile has been conceived by architect Emilio Llobat of Maqla Architects, Azahar Energy and Ceracasa.

Not only Lifewall lets you enjoy a vertical garden, it also enables designing of the exterior in any pattern. Each Lifewall actually incorporates another technology called the Bionictile from Ceracasa which helps in cleaning the air. Research reveals that “if 200 buildings were coated by ceramic Bionictile, an equivalent volume of 2,638 million cubic meters of air per year would be decontaminated” which would allow 400,000 people to enjoy purified air. It sums up to be a double gain; more plants, less pollution!

Robot fish for guiding other fishes in distress

We have already come across various robot fishes that are meant to perform definite tasks. Here’s another one which is said to have leadership qualities programmed into it! The sole purpose of such a robot is to guide a shoal of fish to a destination that’s safe for them. So how do the real fishes follow a fake fish?

Scientists at Polytechnic Institute of New York University, headed by Maurizio Porfiri have found out that the tendency of the fishes to accept and follow one of them as a leader is its capability to demonstrate faster tail movement which induces greater acceleration. The faster it is, the more it is competent to gather other fishes around it and lead them.

The research was carried on with common bait fish which move about in groups. The fish robot made of iconic polymers as of now has been developed to move in one plane only.The next step would be to make it dive and surface. If the use of robot fish to lead fishes to safe areas succeeds then there is also a probability of constructing robot birds to lead flocks of birds away from disaster stricken places. To know more on this visit here.

Hungry Batteries

You have a pack of rechargeable batteries which you use to power up your devices.You think of charging them again, only when you find out that the device isn’t working. Since there is no way to determine an uncharged battery from a charged one here’s an idea from Mac Funamizu that lets you know about the battery condition before it is completely drained out.The new batteries called the Hungry Batteries starts getting thinner as their energy gets used up. So you can spot the difference that easily. Moreover such thinning of batteries also makes it easier to be removed from the battery holder while replacing.

Sound Proof Stadium in South Africa

You are looking at the Green Point Stadium in Cape Town, South Africa. Apart from it being one of the venues for the FIFA 2010 World Cup, the interesting fact is that it is a ’sound proof’ stadium. Well, you need to think about the residents staying around. Right? The stadium has been equipped with the world’s largest glass ceiling to resist the booming sound effect comprising of cheers and screams from escaping the premises. “The 4,700-ton glass roof is supported by 72 radial steel cables arranged symmetrically around the arena to steady the structure against high winds“. The structure was conceived by designers from German engineering firm Schlaich Bergermann.

Undoubtedly, the use of glass ceiling to the once open air stadium have been appreciated by the residents but it will be a double bonanza for the teams in action because the roaring sound of the fantastic crowd is supposed to reflect back [and you know what that means]! The glass bordering also would act as a shield against the fluctuating weather conditions of Cape Town allowing fans to enjoy as much as they can without any interruption.

The £17million yacht that comes with its own supercar

As far as freebies go, a luxury supercar has got to be near the top of the list.

But then if you're already forking out £17million for a 122ft state-of-the-art super-yacht, you wouldn't really expect anything less.

This ultimate 'buy one, get one free' offer has recently gone on the market attracting attention from billionaires all over the world.

But even if you could afford to buy the exclusive boat, you'd have to order sharpish, as the company are only making six models and has already attracted five possible buyers in the first week on the market.

The luxury yacht has a plush Art Deco interior, boasts four large, double state rooms, a reception area, salon, 52in LED TVs and state-of-the art sound systems in every room - all of which can be personalised.

And you will never be short of thrills as the ship can reach top speeds of 43 knots, with its twin MTU 16V000 engine, with the ability to achieve 55 knots with its optional Rolls Royce KaMeWa boosters offering a staggering 14,000hp.

But not to be outdone, the supercar, which is powered by a 880hp twin turbo V12 engine, has a top speed of 233mph.

You can even park your new car on board the impressive boat in its very own garage, located at the stern of the ship.

Founder of the Swedish company Strand Craft, Kurt Strand, said they had built the boat and car for the 'very wealthy'.

He said: 'We have had a lot of interest from all over the world, specifically the Middle East. It was designed for luxury and for people who want the best.

'The custom-made supercar is the best feature, both the boat and the car are very high performance and the boat is very fast.

'It is very unique and we are making it in limited numbers, so it's exclusive, we are only making six.

'It has a very futuristic design and nothing like this has ever been made before. It even has bulletproof windows.'

Mr Strand said that they would sell the duo on a first come, first served basis, and said the new owner would need to be wealthy to afford it.

'We have already had five people interested in it and we will have meetings with them next week,' he added.

'It's a very expensive boat to produce, it will be the most exclusive in the world.

'It's very good that this design has found so much interest from clients. I am very proud of it.'