- Islands and the CounterIntuitive Effect They Have on Tsunamis
Computer simulations show that, far from protecting coastal communities, islands can dramatically amplify the damaging impact of tsunamis.
- Wearable Computing Pioneer Says Google Glass Offers "Killer Existence"
Thad Starner thinks people will soon crave the ultrafast communication that Google Glass makes possible.
Few gadgets have generated as much excitement and hostility as Google Glass, a voice-activated computer-monitor combo worn on eyeglass frames. Now being tested by early adopters, Glass is an ambitious attempt to advance “wearable computing.” It’s also a milestone for Thad Starner, a Georgia Tech professor who has been building and wearing head-mounted computers since 1993. A decade ago, he showed Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin a clunky version of such a device; in 2010 they hired Starner to be a technical lead for Project Glass. He met recently with MIT Technology Review IT editor Rachel Metz.
- Cheap Batteries for Backup Renewable Energy
A battery made of cheap materials could store power when it’s windy for use when it’s not.
Investors recently chipped in $15 million to fund battery startup EOS Energy Storage, a company that says its batteries could eventually compete with natural-gas power plants to provide power during times of peak demand.
- Marketers Must Hate Gmail’s New People-Focused Inbox
Gmail’s redesign, which filters automated e-mails and newsletters, is a marketer’s worst nightmare.
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