News For The Inventor In All Of US

Welcome to Spritz, a new spin on reading.  By using speed, conditioning, and optimal recognition point science, you can learn how to read up to 1000 words-per-minute.  Available on the Samsung Galaxy S5 and Gear 2, will Spritz change the way we read as humans, or, will it need to wait until other technologies catch up first?

Looks like the creative class is next on the robotic chopping block: according to the folks at IBM, the best way to determine new recipes for human consumption is to use a supercomputer. The natural next step, of course, is to apply that theory to everything else - including writing.

Electronic Arts founder Trip Hawkins is the latest industry veteran to hop on the 'video games as education' bandwagon. The developer today announced the release his studio If You Can Company's first game, IF, to iPad. It's designed with a very simple purpose: to teach kids how to emotionally grow.

In a society obsessed with self control and self improvement, InterAxons Muse brain computer interface headband promises all the things: tracking your emotions; tracking your thoughts; more understanding of yourself; more self awareness; making alterations in your environment to improve your state of mind e.g programming your ipod to put on calming music when your brainwave headband senses you are anxious. Now rumours suggest that Google is trying to buy them.

At Lake Merritt - the oldest wildlife refuge in the U.S. - a group is exploring the future of citizen science. The Lake Merritt BioBlitz set out to explore the rich biodiversity present in this lake, allowing participants the opportunity to document the rich environment. Oh, and there were robots, too.

Architect and designer Paul Max Berchi designed the “Bath House” located in Latvia’s Liepaja Seaside Park, but after it was ultimately shuttered in 1993, the iconic building sat and stagnated for over 20 years. Homemade Dessert and Liepaja City Council are ready to pay designers up to $5,000 for ideas to renovate this historic landmark. Are you interested?

What's your garden missing right now? You've probably got a few nice statues, some pretty flowers, some edible plants...all the boring, vanilla stuff you can find in any garden. I can tell you what you probably don't have, too: Robots. Don't worry: The Toro-bots have you covered.

We've recently seen a lot of games that use social media in some pretty incredible ways. Seadelphica is the latest in that crop: it's a story-driven runner with multiple endings and Tumblr integration. Apparently, it's going to use Tumblr to influence how its main character grows and develops.

For all those naysayers out there who couldn't help but caterwaul over Facebook's demise before the ink was even dry on it IPO opening, May 19, 2012 -- including myself [see "How Many Dumb F*cks Rocked Facebook's IPO Like It's 1999?"] -- our subesquent rude awakening was the world's largest social network fooled a good many of us.

The fashion world is notorious for creating clothes that no one would wear, or no one *can* wear. Impracticality is the name of the game. Next ridiculous fashion trend? Invisible clothes. This invisible dress is the modern day version of The Emperor's New Clothes. 

It might be morbid and upsetting, but the death industry has always been killing the competition (pun intended) because of the simple fact that everyone on the planet will die. There is no other industry that caters to a basic need of the entire world population. Admittedly, some of the businesses in the industry, and the services that they offer, won't appeal to everyone; but they do demonstrate that creativity in business isn't dead. The latest business in the industry is futuristic, and takes memorializing to a whole new level.

While we're still some decades away from robots that are capable of finding religion, we're most definitely living in an era where they're capable of teaching it. An Iranian schoolteacher has taken it upon himself to build a robot that will instruct his students on proper Muslim prayer techniques.

Where Roguelikes are concerned, procedural generation is pretty  old hat. We already know all there is to know about random levels, enemies, and bosses. That's why the folks behind #Dungeon are taking a rather novel approach: they're letting players build the game using Twitter.

The ReGeneration: An International Living Competition is looking for designers to solve the problem of modern intergenerational living in the United States caused by zoning American cities by general use. If you can find a great way to keep senior citizens a central and active part of our communities, you may earn $1,000!

Women who have inherited defects in the BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 genes are at higher risk for developing breast, ovarian and other cancers. Though it has been recommended that these women undergo surgical removal of their ovaries (oophorectomy) as soon as possible, a large multi-national study defines the ages at which actions should be taken.

The merits of educational gaming have been sung many times, and now one more voice has been added to the chorus: games industry veteran Nolan Bushnell. Best known as the co-founder of Atari and the man who gave Steve Jobs his first job, Bushnell's latest venture involves games as tools for teaching.

Google made an exciting announcement today: Project Tango. Although it's not directly related to robotics, the underlying technology could very well lead to some pretty amazing developments. I should back up a bit, though: basically, Tango is a smartphone that can map your surroundings. Literally.

The age of space exploration in many ways is just beginning. Although many intrepid souls have broken through the earth's atmosphere during the course of the last half-century, our thirst for what lies beyond its shadowy realm propels us to explore further and dig even deeper. Israel has taken one benevolent step in this direction aided by France; together they may change the true nature  and scope of space exploration.

An elementary school in Wuhan, China has installed swinging metal bars on classroom desks that prevent students from looking too closely at reading and writing materials, therefore helping them avoid becoming nearsighted.

At one point in its development cycle, Mike Bithell's Volume featured a female protagonist. This was, he explained, because his last game had a male protagonist. That's no longer the case, Bithell explains; it's now all about staring traditional, masculine heroism in the face.

It is a growing trend to for businesses that have nothing to do with sex, to use it to give them an edge in their market. They use provocative tricks to grow, which is of course controversial.  Women are typically the ones putting themselves on display for the benefit of men in such businesses. The reverse business structure is marginally less common, not because there isn't a market, but because many women prefer to be more discreet when it comes to male ogling. At least, they did until Hollywood decided to make a movie about men shaking what their mommas gave them.

Everyone would like to think that, when the robot overlords arrive, they'll fight. Turns out, most of us might be likelier to submit - scientists in The Republic of Congo have made some very interesting observations about humans, concluding that we might well be wired to serve.

We might just be a few years away from Gundam Wing or Pacific Rim-esque giant mechas, thanks to a new invention from Thalmic Labs. The firm has developed an arm-band which promises to allow its user to control just about anything with gestures alone. Ladies and Gentlemen, say hello to the Thalmic Myo.

Enter its 64th year, the Good Design International Award continues to celebrate the latest and greatest innovative products and industrial goods from all over the world. With dozens of categories available to showcase your ingenuity, there’s surely a special place for your bright ideas to this classic Chicago-based contest!