Lifeboat Foundation

GOLDEN, Colo. — Researchers are mapping out how to build a human outpost in cislunar space — the region around Earth’s moon.

The ongoing work is expected to help plot out other deep-space trips, such as the journey to a near-Earth asteroid and the larger leap to distant Mars.

Under NASA’s Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships (NextSTEP) Projects, scientists and engineers are examining how best to utilize NASA’s Orion deep-space crew capsule and future human habitats to set up a cislunar outpost. [Visions of Deep-Space Stations (Gallery)].

Reactions to LG VR 360 virtual reality headset, from MWC 2016. #LG #MWC2016

More from Mobile World Congress 2016: http://bit.ly/24mukpB
Forgoing the use of a phone as its display, LG’s VR headset features two independent screens and connects to your handset with a USB Type-C connection.

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Researchers from a university and Google demonstrate a crucial error-correction step needed to make quantum computing practical.

Our next step is to develop a photo-catalyst better matched to the solar spectrum,” MacDonnell said. “Then we could more effectively use the entire spectrum of incident light to work towards the overall goal of a sustainable solar liquid fuel.

A team of University of Texas at Arlington chemists and engineers have proven that concentrated light, heat and high pressures can drive the one-step conversion of carbon dioxide and water directly into useable liquid hydrocarbon fuels.

This simple and inexpensive new sustainable fuels technology could potentially help limit global warming by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to make fuel. The process also reverts oxygen back into the system as a byproduct of the reaction, with a clear positive environmental impact, researchers said.

Continue reading “Proven one-step process to convert CO2 and water directly into liquid hydrocarbon fuel” »

Cancer is devastating enough, and now this…

There is no sign of an imminent threat. But research suggests contagious human cancer could be possible. The New York Times reports.

Sometimes, it seems like the tech world is inexorably bending towards a future full of curved devices. At MWC in Barcelona, we saw yet another prototype display, this time from English firm FlexEnable. Now, this isn’t a working device of any kind — it’s essentially just a screen running a demo — and neither is FlexEnable a consumer electronics company. But the firm says its technology is ready to go, and it’s apparently in talks with unnamed hardware partners who want to make this sort of device a reality. How long until we see fully-fledged wristbands like this on the market? Eighteen months is the optimistic guess from FlexEnable’s Paul Cain.

The prototype uses plastic transistors to achieve its flexibility, creating what the company calls OLCD (organic liquid crystal display) screens. FlexEnable says these can achieve the same resolutions as regular LCD using the same amount of power, but, of course, they have that added flexibility. These transistors can be wrapped around pretty much anything, and also have uses outside of display technology. FlexEnable was also showing off thin flexible fingerprint sensors, suggesting they could be wrapped around a door handle to add security without it being inconvenient to the user.

Continue reading “FlexEnable has created a screen you can wrap around your wrist” »

Nathalie is agoraphobic and acrophobic, both anxiety disorders, the former involves fear of places or situations that may cause panic, the latter a pathological fear of heights.

To treat her doctors at the Van Gogh hospital in Charleroi, Belgium, are using virtual reality to help her control her fears.

Continue reading “Virtual reality the tool in the quest to end phobias” »

MindMaze has received $100 million to further medical research and launch a VR gaming system.

For a soldier who has endured an amputation, severe phantom limb pain can be debilitating.

Virtual reality company MindMaze has designed a medical virtual reality, augmented reality, and motion capture video game system that immerses the amputee in a virtual environment, where moving the existing arm will move the non-existing arm of the avatar. Neuroscientist and MindMaze founder and CEO Tej Tadi says this “mirroring” tricks the brain into believing the severed limb is actually there, and has proven benefits in phantom pain management.

Continue reading “This VR Company Helps Soldiers Cope With War Injuries” »