Health and Wellbeing
Personal cooling kits for extreme climatic conditions
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January 2, 2006 The human body is a remarkable thing, as is evidenced by its ability to adapt to less than ideal conditions. The temperature in the cockpit of a Formula 1 racing car sometimes reaches 120 degrees Fahrenheit, with the driver required to drive consistently within the 99th percentile of perfection for up to 90 minutes under this overwhelming heat stress whilst racing wheel-to-wheel, experiencing enormous G-forces and constantly processing large amounts of additional information. Now consider the equivalent stresses experienced by combat soldiers in Iraq. HMMWV crews in IRAQ are experiencing temperatures as much as 10 degrees more than this, for up to 12 hours at a time, while people are trying to kill them. The problem has been exacerbated in recent times by additional armour fitted to the HMMWV and has resulted in the rapid development of personal cooling kits. Each HMMWV cooling kit consists of four water-filled vests known as, Air Warrior Microclimatic Cooling Garments (MCGs). The vests fit over a soldier’s normal body armor and are connected via hoses to a vehicles’ on-board air conditioning system. One wonders if Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen and Michael Schumacher might be able to squeese an extra tenth of a second here and there if they were fitted with such parephenalia. Read More
The airbag jacket for motorcycling, horseriding and power sports.
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March 17, 2006 Motorcyclists have long been the most vulnerable road users because they do not have an effective barrier between themselves and other objects in an accident. A flurry of activity in motorcycle protective gear could change things. Honda recently showed its first air-bag on a motorcycle and manufacturers are developing a cross between the airbag and a protective jacket designed to protect the motorcycle rider's neck and spine in the event of an accident. One of the first to market with the new design is Hit-Air which sells a range of jackets and vests featuring airbag technology designed to keep riders safe and comfortable in a wide range of driving and climatic conditions. The jackets are already in use by police departments in Brazil, Italy, Japan and Spain and appear to offer significantly greater protection than a normal jacket. The inflatable vests are finding application in many other potentially dangerous activities such as horseriding and power sports. Read More
Razorba - the shaver for backs!
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December 13, 2005 Stand in front of the mirror when you get up tomorrow morning and you’ll notice more than a few reminders that man descended from the apes – an unhealthy disposition when threatened and a liberal sprinkling of hair are the most obvious. Males of the species range from growing hair on their heads to hair all over their body and personal grooming preferences often necessitate shaving some or all of this hair regularly. We’ve already covered the shaver designed specifically for shaving heads, and now there’s an equally ingenious shaving accessory for shaving your back – until now, everybody has had to employ the indulgence ofa friend to successfully shave their inaccessible regions. Now you need just slip their favourite razor into the Razorba and shave yourself. All of the alternatives have major drawbacks - chemicals (costs, needs volunteer, potential skin irritation), laser treatment (costs muchos, requires appointment), waxing (costs, hurts muchos) are the sum total of ways man has used technology to combat this age-old problem. So you can see why Razorba should be commended for a job well done!
New hangover cure could change the culture
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December 9, 2005 The launch of a promising new hangover cure in Las Vegas next week marks an interesting time to reflect on man’s relationship with alcohol. Cheerz is a safe, natural nutrition supplement that has been clinically proven to combat hangover symptoms such as headaches and nausea by bolstering the body's ability to process acetaldehyde, alcohol's most toxic metabolite. The world per capita consumption of alcohol is higher than ever, having begun at the dawn of civilisation, with the Celts, Ancient Greeks, the Norse, Sumerians, Egyptians, Romans and Babylonians all producing, trading and consuming alcoholic drinks. The Romans and ancient Greeks both worshipped Gods of wine – Dionysus and Bacchus respectively. In different cultures, alcohol and its effects have been used medically, ritualistically and socially in many different ways to calm feuds, give courage in battle, seal pacts, celebrate festivals, and seduce lovers. The world has two billion alcohol drinkers of which 76.3 million have diagnosed alcohol use disorders. The global burden of alcohol consumption, is immense - causing 3.2% of deaths and 4.0% of the Disability-Adjusted Life Years lost along with widespread social, mental and emotional consequences. These are reflected, for example, as absenteeism or abuse in workplaces and in relationships. We attempted to estimate the number of hangovers and reduced productivity in the world each day and gave up – it’s a lot. Which all adds up to … bloody good idea! The vast majority are social drinkers who can now enjoy the desirable effects without the unhealthy toxicity. So if bartenders are going to ask customers to name their poison, maybe they should offer the antidote, too. Read More
The Personal Radiation Detector
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December 7, 2005 The GammaRAE II is a gamma radiation detector designed for first responders, but hey, it’ll come in handy if you never use it. Features include fast two second response as well as certified intrinsic safety for use in hazardous environments and the ability to be immersed in water for decontamination. The detection instrument, the GammaRAE II, detects gamma radiation at extremely low levels and is designed to alert first responders to the presence of radioactive material and aid in the capture of illicit "dirty bomb" materials. Designed as a front-line security device, this product provides life-critical, real-time detection of hidden radiation sources and delivers instantaneous feedback to law enforcement personnel including municipal police departments, border check-point personnel, hazmat teams, fire fighters and cargo port screeners. At US$995 it just might be a big seller this holiday and gift-giving period. Read More
The Bionic Hand takes shape
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December 4, 2005 The popular television series The Bionic Man was probably the first inkling most of us had that one day man would be enhanced by machinery to better-than-new condition. The promise has been a long time in coming, but medical scientists across the world are advancing towards the implementation of bionic limbs. In July we reported on the work of Brazilian doctor Miguel Nicolelis, and now the CYBERHAND Project, which involves collaboration between six tertiary institutions across four countries (Spain, Germany, Italy and Denmark) has finally produced a bionic hand. The project team led by Paolo Dario with Professor Maria Chiara Carrozza leading the development of the hand, has been working on re-creating the natural link which exists between the hand and the Central Nervous System (CNS) and if all goes according to plan, the first of these bionic hands will be implanted inside a real human arm within two years.
Bone exercise monitor for potential osteoporosis sufferers
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December 1, 2005 Osteoporosis is a serious health problem in most industrialized countries where 50% of women and 25% of men over 50 years of age will suffer an osteoporotic fracture. Over 75 million people are afflicted by osteoporosis in Europe, USA and Japan alone. Bone exercise is one the things that can significantly reduce the impact of osteoporosis and has led to the development of a new Bone Exercise Monitor which indicates whether the person using it has engaged in physical activities that may have been helpful in strengthening their bones. The Finish-developed Newtest Bone Exercise Monitor is a small device worn on the hip, and offers an excellent tool for 30 – 50 year-old women to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of their bone exercise. The monitor measures and analyses the user’s physical activity in real-time and indicates the percentage of the required daily bone exercise that has been achieved. Read More
Hot Lids a Very Cool Idea
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November 2, 2005 We’ve discussed the peculiar human trait of heating liquids to boiling temperature and pouring it on the second most sensitive area of our bods once before when we wrote about the ingenious Brugo Travellers mug. Now we’re proposing an equally ingenious solution for the take-away coffee industry – a colour changing disposable beverage lid that indicates the temperature of the liquid inside and clearly indicates that the lid is securely in place. The "smart" lid alerts consumers that the contents are hot by changing from coffee brown to bright red in colour with the colour range designed to indicate the temperature, enabling regular customers to “read” the temperature of their coffee. It’s a small but significant product upgrade, adding significant functionality to the old dumb coffee lid at a price of US$0.01 (a cent to you) per item for the approximately 50 billion take-away cup a year United States marketplace, with the European and Asian take-away coffee markets believed to be of similar magnitude. The company’s product development plans for the subsequent generation of coffee cups are even more ambitious. Read More
The automotive airbag turns 25 years old
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October 29, 2005 It is now 25 years since the first production car to be fitted with an airbag, a Mercedes-Benz S-Class Saloon, rolled off the production line – the culmination of over 13 years of development work and the beginning of a new era in vehicle safety. According to accident research, the airbag has saved over 14,200 human lives in the USA to date; in Germany, meanwhile, the airbag has prevented over 2,500 fatal injuries to car occupants since 1990. Mercedes-Benz offered the airbag long before any other car manufacturer and has so far fitted the airbag to more than twelve million vehicles. It has been fitted as standard in all passenger cars displaying the Mercedes star since October 1992. In recent years, Mercedes engineers have continued to develop airbag technology, for example by introducing side airbags and systems that adapt in line with the severity of the accident. Airbags are also set to become an integral part of the PRE-SAFE anticipatory occupant protection system, equipped with new, anticipatory sensors which will enable them to deploy in advance of a possible accident so as to reduce the forces exerted on the car occupants both before and during any impact. For the same reasons, the airbags of the future will also take into account individual parameters such as the body size, sex and age of the occupants. Read More
First-Ever Global Outdoor Advertising Campaign
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October 28, 2005 The first-ever global outdoor advertising campaign, was announced today - a global HIV/AIDS awareness campaign in conjunction with UNICEF. The powerful image that will be seen in more than 50 countries on six continents was also unveiled - a hand-drawn family portrait of a young girl standing beside the graves of her mother and father. The campaign hopes to raise global awareness of the need to help the world's children who are affected and infected by HIV and AIDS Read More
Anti-Odour Fabrics: antimicrobial capabilities embedded in fibres
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September 23, 2005 Apparel manufacturer ARC Outdoors has announced a new line of anti-odor fabrics and yarns. To date, most anti-odor technologies have relied on chemical treatments as their antimicrobial component, while other technologies have come in the form of silver strand or silver-coated fibres. ARC claims existing fibres lack effectiveness and durability while causing manufacturing challenges and limitations as they often affect the comfort, flexibility, elasticity, wicking and insulation properties of fabrics. At the same time, many such fibres can add complexity to manufacturing processes, increasing production time, which ultimately leads to high costs. ARC will offer advanced anti-odor fibre technologies for licensing by other manufacturers. Read More
The Whiz - like the P-Mate, only reusable
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September 22, 2005 We’ve written about the P-mate disposable device that enables women to urinate standing up several times and each time it has been deluged with traffic so this product, the Whiz, is likely to be be just as popular and interesting. It’s effectively the same thing as the P-mate except that instead of being a disposable paper-based device it’s reusable and made of an elastomer thermoplastic that is flexible and soft. This enables you to scrunch or roll it up to put it in a bag or purse, then it springs back to shape once you want to use it. The plastic used contains an anti-bacterial additive - similar to chopping boards - that means that it always stays clean and hygienic. This makes it great for women who travel, especially in the third world where squat toilets can be a problem and a pack of 6 disposable items doesn't last long. It's also great for women who love the outdoors and don't want to throw out a paper p-mate in the bush.
Electrifying food while it is being cooked could be major breakthrough
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September 23, 2005 American cookware manufacturer LifeWare Technologies has announced the launch of a new line of cookware that it claims electromechanically reduces the number of free radicals created from food oxidization during the cooking process. Oxidation creates harmful free radicals and carcinogens while also degrading vitamins, minerals and enzymes. The company web site shows a number of convincing “with and without Lifeware” imagesand once we'd found that the cookware runs a micro-current through the food whilst it is being cooked, thanks to a AA battery in the handle, the patented methodology of delivering “an almost unlimited supply of electrons to the food as it is being cooked” makes sense, and if the company’s claims are correct, it could be a landmark breakthrough in the preparation of healthier food. Read More
The P-Mate enables women to urinate upright
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The P-Mate is disposable paper device which enables women to urinate easily while standing up. It is in common usage in Europe since launching four years ago and is marketed as a convenient, hygienic, portable, leak proof, discreet, no-brain solution to the bad sanitary and problematic circumstances which continually confront women, particularly at mass gatherings. The P-Mate has become an entrepreneurial success story in Holland where Moon Zijp conceived the P-Mate while traveling in Indonesia, designed it at the Academy of Arts in Amsterdam and commercialised it to national and global acclaim as a clever solution to the long queues and dirty toilet seats with which women are so often confronted with in daily life. That’s Moon demonstrating her invention on Dutch National television, one of many performances which caused a lot of gaiety and attention during the P-Mate’s launch period. Read More
The Gray Kangaroo
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September 17, 2005 Now this makes a lot of sense, particularly if you like to drink liquor and want to minimise the damage it does to your body, reduce the hangover, take the edge off your moonshine or significantly improve the quality of the liquor you drink. We’re not sure just how well it works but the press reviews so far seem very promising, and … oh, what is it? The Gray Kangaroo Personal Liquor Filter uses a carbon-based filtration system to filter out impurities – just stick an empty bottle in the bottom and a full bottle of cheap plonk in the top and voila! … Additional filtration to remove the impurities is one of the processes involved in the manufacture of expensive liquor – the idea is that by using this US$30 filter you can make cheap liquor taste as good as the top shelf stuff. Read More
Gillette introduces a five blade shaving system
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September 16, 2005 The US$2 billion dollar shaving market was energized yesterday when market-leader Gillette announced it will introduce a five blade razor. Apart from being the first five blade razor, it is the world’s first razor to feature advanced technology on the front AND back of the blade cartridge. On the back of the cartridge is a Precision Trimmer blade enabling the approximately 40% of US males sporting some form of facial hair to trim, shape and shave under their nose. Though Gillette has approximately 70% of the global shaving market, Schick has been making inroads recently with a temporary injunction against false advertising claims by Gillette for its M3Power razor (currently the top selling razor in the U.S.), Gillette’s inability to legally prevent Schick selling its four blade razor by arguing that the patent it holds for three-bladed razors extends to four-bladed razors, and the news a fortnight ago that Schick would introduce a powered model of its four blade razor.
Samsung set to launch Silver Nano Wash system that kills 99% of bacteria
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August 31, 2005 Samsung’s Silver Nano Health System has been applied to a new range of front-loader washing machines that are launching later this year in Australia. A breakthrough function, ‘Silver Wash’, kills 99 percent of bacteria in the wash load and coats the clothes with antibacterial protection which lasts for up to 30 days. To feature on five flagship front-loader models from 5kg to 7.5kg capacity, Samsung’s patented Silver Wash is the first technology that combines disinfectant and antibiotic properties in washing machines. When activated, the Silver Wash releases up to 400 billion silver ions during the first wash and the last rinse cycle. After the wash cycle is completed, Samsung claims that the washed clothes are totally devoid of bacteria. Whereas some other brands use a silver ion coating on the washing machine drum, Samsung claims its approach is far more effective as it ensures that all parts of the clothes are penetrated with the silver ions, rather than short-term surface contact by only some of the clothes on an otherwise silver ion coated drum. Read More
Disposable battery-operated toothbrush
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August 31, 2005 You might find this hard to believe, particularly after we gave Oralbotics a bollocking for their overly zealous copywriting, but we’ve been trialing the new Oral-B Pulsar Manual Toothbrush for over a week now and we’re all incredibly impressed. Three people have been trying out the battery-operated toothbrush, and the company’s claims that the Pulsar will “redefine clean” have moved from ridiculous to reasonable . Specifically, the brush gives a result that has never been attained by any method of teeth cleaning this side of a dentist, and it is so good at getting in between teeth that you could almost go without flossing. Read More
“Mini-hospital” for seniors and people requiring medical monitoring – worn on the wrist
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August 29, 2005 Israel-based Tadiran Spectralink has used its considerable mobile communication expertise to create a portable “mini-hospital” to make life easier for at-risk patients, chronically ill patients and people requiring nursing care. The company which is best known for its Advanced Data Links for Guided Weapons Systems, UAV datalinks, satellite communications and personal survivor radios for adventurers and the military has leveraged this expertise to develop a medical device that lets patients monitor their health and call help when there is no doctor around. The device, which is worn on the wrist like a watch, uses biosensors to continuously check vital functions, which are then transmitted by an embedded Siemens GSM/GPRS radio module to a medical center for further analysis. This innovative device will become available early in 2006 under the name MDKeeper. Read More
Oralbotic Research's HydraBrush cleans both sides of the tooth at the same time
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August 28, 2005 In an age where only the most outrageous advertising claims are legally challenged, it’s easy to become anesthetised to the hyperbole of “whiter than white” copywriters describing every new technology as breakthrough, every reshaped component as innovative and every new version as landmark. So excuse us if we’re reserving judgement on the new HydraBrush Express, which is billed by the company as "The Future of Home Oral Care." Now it looks great and doesn’t at all appear like the toothbrush we all grew up with, so that’s what attracted us, but perhaps our readers can be the judge of whether they’ve gone over the top with the press release: “The distinctive, multi-brush design ensures users of any age RECEIVE proper oral care every time they put this brush in their mouth. No more twisting and turning to brush those hard to reach areas. HydraBrush Express brushes all surfaces of the teeth automatically in 40 seconds or less.” In the high tech brush’s favour are a parent company with a very cute name (Oralbotic Research) and some real cred comes from winning the prestigious Frost & Sullivan "2005 Oral & Dental Care Product of the Year Award." So if they can rein in the copywriters, they’ll probably do okay. Read More
VIDSTONE - Multimedia Tombstone Enhancement
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August 23, 2005 Woody Allen’s take on death probably mirrors the thoughts of most of us: “I don’t want to achieve immortality through my work; I want to achieve immortality through not dying.” In reality, the best we’re likely to do is to be remembered as we see ourselves and now there’s a fledgling industry hoping to help people and their loved ones do just that - create and deliver tributes and messages from the grave.
Though home moviemaking has been around for decades, the full possibilities of multimedia to create a lasting memory and tribute have certainly not yet been fully explored though Florida-based VIDSTONE is now planning a full suite of memorial products ranging from a tribute video production service, specialist multimedia software for creating life tributes at home and a solar-powered, weatherproof multimedia system inside the gravestone. Read More
The STRESSERASER: handheld biofeedback device to offer relief from physical, mental and emotional stress
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August 23, 2005 The StressEraser is a handheld biofeedback device designed to calm the mind and relax the body at any time, anywhere. The StressEraser incorporates cutting-edge biofeedback technology to provide mental calm and physical relaxation, even during intense stress and difficult life events. The announcement was made at the 113th annual convention of the American Psychological Association, being held from August 18-21. Later this year, at the conclusion of an ongoing series of pilot tests and studies, the StressEraser will become available for purchase for US$399 on the StressEraser web site. Read More
The paraSITE - an inflatable shelter for the homeless that runs off expelled HVAC air
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Artist Michael Rakowitz feels strongly about the issue of homelessness. So strongly that when he focussed his creative attentions on the subject he began manifesting practical outcomes, specifically the ParaSITE. The parasite is a is a small, collapsible, double-membrane shelter that uses the escaping warm air from a building’s HVAC system to inflate and warm the temporary home. Rakowitz has now been nominated for a prestigious Index Award for the paraSITE and his work is far from finished. We invited Michael to explain the project. Read More
Designer Creates Fashionable Dinner Bib for Mother, a Stroke Victim
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August 18, 2005 "No! My Mother is not wearing a giant baby bib," Joy Murphy repeated over and over when she tried to buy her mother an adult dinner bib. Murphy's Mother had suffered a stroke that left her paralysed on her left side and Mom had trouble keeping food in her mouth. The only adult dinner bibs on the market were just giant baby bibs. So she created fashionable adult dinner bibs for seniors. "I refused to buy the giant sized baby bibs," says Murphy. "They are too big, too ugly and too heavy. My Mother is not wearing a giant baby bib because she deserves something better, she deserves something stylish, fashionable and more dignified." So Murphy, a seamstress, designer and online entrepreneur went to work in her attic workshop and created fashionable dinner bibs for men and women called Aunt Joy's Fancy Bibs. Read More
Urine-Powered Batteries for Biochip Devices
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August 17, 2005 – Scientists at the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN) in Singapore have developed the first urine-activated paper battery for use in biochip devices. This battery could potentially be the perfect power source for cheap, disposable healthcare test-kits for diseases such as diabetes. While researchers around the world race to produce ever smaller and more effective diagnostic biochips that can be mass produced cheaply, they have been unsuccessful in finding a power source that is as small and as cheap to fabricate as the detection technology itself. IBN’s latest invention solves this problem by using the urine test sample as the power source for the testing device. The chemical composition of urine is widely used to test for signs of various diseases and as an indicator of a person’s general state of health. Read More
ElectroNeedles may provide diabetes patients a painless way to check blood glucose levels
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August 5, 2005 Two tiny devices recently developed by researchers at the United States National Nuclear Security Administration's Sandia National Laboratories could mean the elimination of blood drawing by diabetes patients to test glucose levels or by medical personnel to determine if someone is having a heart attack. Test results would be instantaneous. The two arrays of micron-sized needles operate similarly by penetrating painlessly into the skin. Arranged in varying numbers on a small patch, the needles can measure molecules inside the body, eliminating the need to withdraw blood from a patient. Read More
Monsanto files patent for new invention: the pig
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August 3, 2005 Greenpeace has unearthed two particularly disturbing patent applications from Monsanto Corporation that would make the corporate giant the sole owner of that famous Monsanto invention: the pig. The patent applications were published in February 2005 at the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) in Geneva. A Greenpeace researcher who monitors patent applications, Christoph Then, uncovered the fact that Monsanto is seeking patents not only on methods of breeding, but on actual breeding herds of pigs as well as the offspring that result. According to Then, "I couldn't believe this. I've been reviewing patents for 10 years and I had to read this three times. Monsanto isn't just seeking a patent for the method, they are seeking a patent on the actual pigs.” Read More
Life Balancing Software
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July 31, 2005 Leading a balanced life is good for you. We all know that. Even the Dalai Lama teaches, 'A balanced and skillful approach to life, taking care to avoid extremes, becomes a very important factor in conducting one's everyday existence. It is important in all aspects of life.” So how do we manage to get it wrong so frequently? Why do we continually forget about the reasons we’re doing the hard yards in the first place. If you’re an ideal football coach or politician in that you’re “smart enough to understand the game and dumb enough to think it’s important”, Llamagraphics software Life Balance is for you! Life Balance is coaching software that provides a dynamically ordered To Do List driven by the importance of your goals, your desired allocation of time and effort, and feedback from what you get done each day. Check out this MP3 that describes how to use the software to organize your life into your high level goals, the projects that help you achieve those goals, and the tasks you need to accomplish to complete those projects. It sure beats confronting an endless to-do list! Read More
The Talking First Aid Kit
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July 29, 2005 If you’ve never done a first aid course, the chances are that a first aid kit would be of little use to you in an emergency. Given that the majority of people haven’t the foggiest idea about first aid, the talking first aid kit makes a lot of sense, particularly if it’s you with the sudden, potentially life-threatening injuries. Intelligent First Aid is designed to help people, with little or no first aid training, provide assistance to an injured person in the crucial minutes before professional help arrives. The kit includes individually wrapped packs of supplies critical for common injuries, such as bleeding, breathing problems, or broken bones. The audio chip affixed to each injury card takes the technology a step further – just press the button and it narrates step by step instructions to manage the injury, pausing and repeating when necessary. Read More
KWIKTOP: The bottle combination lock
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July 13, 2005 We’ve all seen and heard horror stories of what can happen with shared refrigerators and opened bottles of drink in such environments, be they in the family or extended family home, in the workplace, in schools, colleges and universities, in sporting clubs, bars, nightclubs, backpacking and travelling – sometimes it’s a joke, sometimes it’s just someone having a mouthful of your drink and with the advent of Rohypnol and other clear, odourless, tasteless drugs it can be much worse. Now there’s a simple solution to prevent someone leaving their cooties or worse in your drinks. It's a bottle combination lock. Read More
MetroNap PODS - power napping for productivity
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July 12, 2005 MetroNaps is a new take on an old idea – providing purpose-built comfortable facilities for a daytime powernap in city locations. The concept of daytime naps was once a ritualistic part of all our lives as children and in many latin and equatorial countries, the siesta is still a part of the culture. Even NASA has investigated the benefits of controlled naps and found was that performance was improved 34 percent and alertness improved 54 percent.
Citizen releases personal doctor healthcare system
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July 6, 2005 As the world ages, the health care system will come under a lot of pressure in coming decades and with one of the oldest populations, Japan is more accutely aware of this than any country. hence, we suspect, the reason for this latest device which could be a portent of things to come in all nations - home health care devices. Citizen Watch and its subsidiary Citizen Systems Corporation have developed what is being marketed as a personal doctor home health care management system which will go on sale in Tokyo this Friday. The system comes with a blood pressure monitor, PC computer software for health management and tracking of the main vital stats and a wireless connection kit which transmits the readings from the blood pressure monitor to the PC. Read More
New Lens Technology Helps People With Aging Eyes To See More Clearly When Looking Down
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June 28, 2005 With the world’s baby boomers beginning to experience the inevitable symptoms of aging eyes, selecting the right eyeglass lenses is an issue that goes beyond trendy looks. According to recent studies, the ability to see clearly when looking down has been linked to an increased risk of slips and falls. Fortunately for boomers who want to maximise their visual ability and avoid the tell-tale aging signs of reading glasses or bifocals as a solution for aging eyes, a new breakthrough technology is available in progressive lenses, also known as no-line bifocals, which combines the benefits of a single-vision look with an expanded field of view. Read More
The staircycle – a mobile stair climber
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June 28, 2005 Combining many of the key features of a scooter, a bicycle and a stair-step exercise machine, the staircycle has just won Yahoo! Search Marketing’s Think Big contest and a bundle of publicity not to mention ten million free adverts on the Yahoo! Network. Accordingly, if you hate the idea of going nowhere while you’re exercising and prefer stepping to cycling, this’ll be just what you’ve been looking for. Priced at US$795 the Staircycle can be used indoors or outdoors as it comes with an additional mounting device to turn it into a stationary stepper machine at an extra US$200 – there’s also a childrens version at US$595. Read More
New Spray Impacts Perception of Age - takes an average six years off a woman's age
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June 15, 2005 If perception is indeed the ONLY reality, then Alan Hirsch of the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation (STTRF) appears to have invented the legendary “elixir of youth” and it’s not a magical potion, and doesn’t require injections or surgery. It only works for women and it only works on men, but a few sprays of the STTRF Timeless View is all it takes to change the perception of men about a woman’s age. A preliminary clinical study has found that men perceived women who wore this formula to be an average of six years younger than their actual age. Bottles of the claimed “revolutionary fountain-of-youth mist” are selling over the web for US$29.95 for women who wish to "spray away the years." Read More
