60-Second Tech

Contact Lens Binoculars Are in Sight

19 Feb 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Researchers revealed their latest prototype contact lenses that magnify vision almost three times with the wink of an eye. Larry Greenemeier reports ...

Keurig Coffee Drinkers Hack Back

13 Feb 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Users of the K-cup coffee company’s products have counterattacked against its efforts to restrict the brands that their new machines can brew. Larry...

Radar Makes All Houses Glass

05 Feb 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Law enforcement agencies have handheld radar that can “see” through walls via RF signals, raising Fourth Amendment concerns. Larry Greenemeier rep...

Smart Keyboard Gets a Charge out of You

30 Jan 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Researchers have made a secure, waterproof wireless keyboard that gets charged by the action of your fingertips as you type. Larry Greenemeier reports...

Rival Space Internets Vie for Sky Pie

23 Jan 2015

Contributed by Lukas

SpaceX’s Elon Musk and fellow tech mogel Greg Wyler both have plans for low Earth orbit satellite networks that could fill in many of the world's cu...

Gestures and Eye Movements Will Control Cars

16 Jan 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Carmakers are working on ways to let drivers interact with their cars using presumably safer hand gestures and eye movement in addition to voice contr...

Facebook Puts Its Money Where Your Mouth Is

12 Jan 2015

Contributed by Lukas

The social media behemoth buys voice-recognition start-up Wit.ai to prepare for the impending Internet of Things. Larry Greenemeier reports  

Teen Inventors Connect DVR to Your Zzzs

24 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

British students made a wrist monitor that senses if you nod off and sends a signal to your DVR to record whatever you were watching. Future such devi...

Future Smartphone Could Fall Smartly, Too

19 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Apple got a patent for a system to adjust your falling device in flight to minimize the damage on landing. Larry Greenemeier reports  

Recycled Laptop Batteries Bring Light to Power Poor

11 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

IBM scientists in India developed an experimental power supply from reusable lithium ion cells salvaged from three-year-old laptop battery packs. Larr...

NYC School Computers Are MIA

08 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

New York City public schools are missing hundreds and possibly thousands of computers, due to poor record keeping, theft, corruption or some combo. La...

Cats Teach Robots to Land on Feet

21 Nov 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Training rescue robots to land safely from falls like cats could give them nine lives in the field. Larry Greenemeier reports  

Solar Roadways Take Baby Steps

18 Nov 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Dutch cyclists can now pedal a path paved with solar panels. Larry Greenemeier reports  

Smartphone Case Furthers Unplug Movement

06 Nov 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Yondr’s locking gadget-case aims to keep digital distractions down during live performances. Larry Greenemeier reports  

Apple Pay Perturbs Prying Personal Prospectors

28 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Law enforcement agencies and retailers such as Walmart and Best Buy balk at Apple's operating system and payment app privacy efforts. Larry Greenemeie...

Tapping the Twitterverse for Meaning

10 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Twitter and M.I.T. have teamed up to launch the Laboratory for Social Machines to analyze the impact of social media messages on society. Larry Greene...

Drivers While Voice Texting Are Still Distracted

02 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Drivers in a simulator reacted slowly to sudden traffic emergencies regardless of whether they were thumbing texts into smartphones or dictating them ...

App IDs Other Battery-Eater Apps

29 Sep 2014

Contributed by Lukas

More than a million volunteer users of the smarthphone app Carat have helped researchers identify those apps that really suck battery power in both th...

Jet Pack Keeps You Grounded, but Faster

19 Sep 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Mini-jet backpack for runners could help military personnel and others get home faster. Larry Greenemeier reports

Bike Helmet Meets Black Box

12 Sep 2014

Contributed by Lukas

A future smart bike helmet can track the rider's motion, determine if a crash was likely and call for help if the rider is incapacitated. Larry Greene...

Apple Expected to Set Its Sights on Wearables, Mobile Payments

05 Sep 2014

Contributed by Lukas

The rumor mill surrounding the company's latest is in high gear, with possibly a wearable device and smartphone wallet capabilities to be announced ne...

We're All Hawking Products Now

24 Aug 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Software start-ups getting big bucks to write code that can identify, find and link logos and brands in the billions of images posted daily. Larry Gre...

Robotic Exoskeletons Giving (and Gaining) Support

17 Aug 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Hydraulic-powered, mind-controlled support suits aren’t just for superheroes. Soon you might have to wear one to work. Larry Greenemeier reports

Medical Workers Page Google Glass

03 Aug 2014

Contributed by Lukas

The Internet-connected headset is drawing interest in the medical community as a video consultation tool. Larry Greenemeier reports.  

Moth Eyes Inspire Different Solar Cell

25 Jul 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Moth eyes absorb almost all incident light, thus reducing reflection that predators would notice. Researchers have now used the moth eye structure as ...

Feline Facial Recognition Overcomes Kitty Overconsumption

18 Jul 2014

Contributed by Lukas

A multicat feeder system incorporates facial recognition so that owners can tell if individual cats are eating too much or too little. Larry Greenemei...

Hacked E-Cigs May Get around Regulations

10 Jul 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Some users are modifying electronic cigarettes to produce stronger flavors, more impressive vapor clouds and to deliver even more nicotine. Larry Gree...

Software Finds Best Parts of Boring Video

27 Jun 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Machine-learning researchers are developing software that automatically searches through long videos to create edited summaries, or personalized trail...

Apple, Google Say "Drop That Doughnut!"

20 Jun 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Tech companies are offering an ever-increasing number of health monitoring and promoting apps, to keep you in shape and interesting in buying more gad...

Microsoft Bets on Gestures to Buoy Windows Phones

15 Jun 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Microsoft is allegedly adding Kinect-for-Xbox–like gesture recognition to the next generation of Nokia’s Lumia smartphone. Larry Greenemeier repor...

Cyber Currencies Get Boost from High-Profile Endorsements

06 Jun 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Don't bet all your chips on crypto coins yet, but Apple's app acceptance makes things interesting. Larry Greenemeier reports  

Thought-Controlled Flight Reaches the Runway

29 May 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Researchers at Munich's Technical University had subjects control flight simulators with brainwaves via an EEG interface. Larry Greenemeier reports  ...

Facebook Encourages Yentas to Share Info about Friends

22 May 2014

Contributed by Lukas

The social network hopes to fill in the info blanks for its low-profile members by having their friends supply the details. Larry Greenemeier reports ...

The Internet Gets Amnesia—in Europe at Least

16 May 2014

Contributed by Lukas

A European Union court ruling endorses the right to be forgotten online. The U.S. is less forgiving. Larry Greenemeier reports  

Tape Data Storage Makes a Comeback

12 May 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Sony's new process lets them store more than 185 terabytes of data on a single tape cartridge. Larry Greenemeier reports  

Lytro Camera Refocuses on Upscale Audience

25 Apr 2014

Contributed by Lukas

The Lytro Illum camera system allows refocusing of a photo after it's taken. It's faster guts and more professional design make the camera more attrac...

Broadcast TV Streamer Aereo Fights for Legal Life

18 Apr 2014

Contributed by Lukas

The U.S. Supreme Court will decide whether Aereo can keep streaming live broadcast TV to mobile gadgets and other devices. Larry Greenemeier reports ...

Being Bad at Video Games Ups Aggression

10 Apr 2014

Contributed by Lukas

A custom-designed video game that frustrated players left them at least as aggressive after playing as did other games famous for their violence. Larr...

Umpires Show Bias for Stars and Strikes

07 Apr 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Baseball's expanded review system excludes ball and strike calls, which a study finds to be biased in favor of star players, especially late in games....

Greatest Invention in Human History Helps You Avoid Certain People

28 Mar 2014

Contributed by Lukas

The era of antisocial networking has begun with the development of apps such as Cloak, which identifies locations of your contacts so you don't have t...

Eye-Catching Adapter Makes Smartphone Ophthalmic Screener

14 Mar 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Researchers are developing adapters that let smartphones take high-quality images of the eye that could be used to remotely screen patients for eye co...

Facebook Plans Remote Coverage via Drones

11 Mar 2014

Contributed by Lukas

A consortium including Facebook and Qualcomm wants to launch solar-powered atmospheric satellite drones that can carry equipment for relaying wireless...

Contest Takes Aim at Smart Guns

02 Mar 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Competitions like the Firearms Challenge could give guns that use radio-frequency tags, biometrics and other tech a push into the mainstream. Larry Gr...

Mobile Device Thieves Face Off against Kill Switch

20 Feb 2014

Contributed by Lukas

California wants to be the first state to mandate antitheft features on mobile devices, but carriers fear lost insurance revenue. Larry Greenemeier re...

Digital Flicks Invade Art House Cinemas

10 Feb 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Paramount Pictures is the first of what will be many studios to release major motion pictures in all-digital, forcing small movie houses to upgrade th...

Kid Smartphone Gives Parents More Control

31 Jan 2014

Contributed by Lukas

A new smartphone for youngsters is being marketed for its ability for parents to set parental filters and strict guidelines for use. Larry Greenemeier...

Your Driving Data Can Reveal Your Routes

24 Jan 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Using data about when you drive, the times of your starts and stops, and your speed, insurance companies may be able to also tell where you go, even w...

Eye Reflections Could Catch Crooks

06 Jan 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Photos that include people now produce images clear enough to make a positive ID of any individuals whose faces are reflected in the corneas of the pe...

Big Majority of Facebook Posters Self-Censor

20 Dec 2013

Contributed by Lukas

In a study of user behavior, Facebook determined that about 70 percent of people about to post an item engage in some form of self-editing or self-cen...

Whistleblowers, Courts Reveal Surveillance Secrets

12 Dec 2013

Contributed by Lukas

The year brought numerous revelations about government surveillance on ordinary citizens. Do we care? Larry Greenemeier reports.

In Emergency, Smartphone Might Not Know Your Location

09 Dec 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Just because your smartphone can bring up your position on a map does not mean that a call to 911 automatically shows responders where you are. Larry ...

Snapchat Makes Messages Disappear

21 Nov 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Snapchat, a time-limited message-sharing app, has allegedly turned down billion-dollar offers from Facebook and Google. Larry Greenemeier reports.

Polled People Ponder Whither Wearable Tech

15 Nov 2013

Contributed by Lukas

A Harris poll finds that many Americans wondery how smartwatches and smartglasses would fit into the average person's life. Larry Greenemeier reports.

Are Google's E-mail Scans Wiretapping?

04 Nov 2013

Contributed by Lukas

A group of e-mail users have filed suit claiming that Google's scans of Gmails for commercial data gathering purposes is in fact wiretapping. Larry Gr...

Let There Be Li-Fi

28 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Researchers see light-emitting diodes as the Internet gateway for tomorrow's wireless gadgets. Larry Greenemeier reports

Smartphone Security Could Be Based On User Behavior

26 Sep 2013

Contributed by Lukas

With implicit identification aka implicit authentication, your smartphone would shut down after recognizing it was lost or stolen based on how the new...

Fido Learns to Fetch from Afar

20 Sep 2013

Contributed by Lukas

A small backpack worn by a dog emitted vibrations and tones to remotely guide the canine from one point to point, with no handler present. Larry Green...

Home Wireless Network Detects Elderly Tumbles

13 Sep 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Wireless signals create a 3-D map of a room and can monitor any unusual movement, such as a fall or unusual period of quiescence. Larry Greenemeier re...

California Tables Plans for RF Enhanced Driver's License

06 Sep 2013

Contributed by Lukas

EDLs contain a RFID chip and let you rapidly reenter the U.S. at a land border without needing a passport. Proponents in California want to alleviate ...

Professors Still View MOOCs Skeptically

29 Aug 2013

Contributed by Lukas

A survey of professors finds that most see online courses as inferior to in-class lessons--but those who have taught online are more open to their pot...

Locked Out? There's an App for That

23 Aug 2013

Contributed by Lukas

A service available for Apple users allows you to have a replacement key made based on a digital picture of the original. Larry Greenemeier reports.

Fancy Figuring Ferrets Out Fake Photos

20 Aug 2013

Contributed by Lukas

New software identifies doctored images by finding inconsistent shadows, even with complex shapes and uneven surfaces. Larry Greenemeier reports.

Tooth Sensor Watches Your Mouth

05 Aug 2013

Contributed by Lukas

An accelerometer-based oral sensory system embedded in a tooth could identify various oral habits based on dental movement. Larry Greenemeier reports

Electronic Skin Could Bring Touchy Robots

30 Jul 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Paper-thin sensor networks might someday give machines the ability to feel their surroundings. Larry Greenemeier reports

New TV Channel Gives Dogs Pause

17 Jul 2013

Contributed by Lukas

DOGTV, featuring programming to entertain stay-at-home dogs, debuts nationally August 1 on DirecTV. Larry Greenemeier reports

Navy Aims for Electromagnetic Guns

11 Jul 2013

Contributed by Lukas

An electromagnetic rail gun would use magnetic fields created by electrical currents to accelerate a sliding metal conductor along two rails. Larry Gr...

Robotic Companion Animal Comforts Dementia Sufferers

27 Jun 2013

Contributed by Lukas

A small group of people with mid- to late-stage dementia appeared happier and less anxious after spending time with a robotic animal programmed to res...

6-Month-Old E-Mails Easy Pickings for Police

06 Jun 2013

Contributed by Lukas

The outdated 1986 Electronic Communications Privacy Act considers e-mail "abandoned" and searchable if it's stored for more than 180 days on a server....

Safe Water? Ask the Smartphone

30 May 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Researchers combine an iPhone with optical filters to create a handheld analyzer for toxins, bacteria and other items of public health importance. Lar...

E-Tailers Want Amazon and Apple to Set Readers Free

24 May 2013

Contributed by Lukas

An industry report says there is no good technological reason for Amazon and Apple to restrict readers to their formats. Larry Greenemeier reports

Grifters Increase Their Internet Attacks

16 May 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Consumers were victims of nearly 290,000 online frauds and lost more than $525 million in 2012, up 8 percent from 2011. Larry Greenemeier reports

Bullies Turn Cyberspace Sour

11 May 2013

Contributed by Lukas

One in six high school students report being victimized via e-mail, chat rooms, instant messaging, Web sites or texting. Larry Greenemeier reports

Spear Phishers Want Your Info

02 May 2013

Contributed by Lukas

The recent AP Twitter account hack looks like an example of a successful spear phishing attack, in which a targeted e-mail duped the news agency's emp...

Plan Your Digital Death

26 Apr 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Google's Inactive Account Manager allows you to arrange for the deletion of your data upon your demise. Larry Greenemeier reports

Controlling Some Devices Will Be a Snap

21 Apr 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Various HP products will soon be controllable by hand gestures. Larry Greenemeier reports

Mental Health-Related Google Searches Decline in Summer

13 Apr 2013

Contributed by Lukas

A study tracking Google searches about mental health issues showed substantial decreases in summer versus winter, implying a lessening of symptoms dur...

Amazon X-Ray Aims to End Unidentified Actor Angst

07 Apr 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Amazon's X-Ray allows viewers watching certain movies or TV shows on certain devices to touch the screen for instant actor identification. Larry Green...

State Seeks to Ban DUI (of Google Glass)

29 Mar 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Even before any Google Glass augmented-reality headsets are available to the public, West Virginia is considering a bill to ban drivers from wearing a...

Most Laser Pointers Are Too Strong

24 Mar 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Federal researchers find that most green laser pointers and half of red ones are stronger than safety standards permit, creating an eye hazard. Larry ...

Shoe Puts Mouth in Foot

17 Mar 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Google's new Talking Shoe keeps the wearer connected, but advertisers are likely to run down this as a two-way street. Larry Greenemeier reports

The Eyes Have IT Scrolling

07 Mar 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Samsung's next product is expected to have a display that senses eye movement and can scroll accordingly. Larry Greenemeier reports

Smartphone Barometers Create Weather Station Network

21 Feb 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Some Android smartphones and tablets measure atmospheric pressure. More could provide forecasters with important info in areas with few official weath...

Other Smartphones Pass iPhone Satisfaction Ratings

14 Feb 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Apple's latest iPhone ranked behind four different 4G Android handsets in a recent customer satisfaction survey. Larry Greenemeier reports

PayPal's Peers Perplex Potential Purchasers

08 Feb 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Despite digital certificate services from major companies like Google, MasterCard and Visa, digital wallets other than PayPal have not penetrated cons...

Google Maps North Korea

31 Jan 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Web users--except those in North Korea itself, where Internet use is restricted--now have a view of the secretive kingdom's landmarks, infrastructure ...

In-Between-Size Phablets Attract Consumers

25 Jan 2013

Contributed by Lukas

More than 200 million phablets (smart phone-tablets) will be sold in 2015, twice as many as last year. Larry Greenemeier reports

HAPIfork Monitors Eating Speed

17 Jan 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Sensors on this smart fork lead to a vibration if you're eating too fast. Larry Greenemeier reports

Nielsen and Twitter Team to Track TV

03 Jan 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Twitter and ratings agency Nielsen have come up a way to quantify social media buzz for TV programs. Larry Greenemeier reports

Tool Tells True Tweets from Fakes

21 Dec 2012

Contributed by Lukas

An algorithm can evaluate tweets within the overall Twitter flow to assess their veracity. Larry Greenemeier reports

Bedbugs Ignore Alleged Ultrasonic Annoyers

17 Dec 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Researchers found no proof that ultrasonic devices sold to repel these pesky blood suckers could deliver on that promise. Larry Greenemeier reports

Big Data Project Susses Us out

06 Dec 2012

Contributed by Lukas

A project called the "Human Face of Big Data" asks smart-phone users worldwide what they think about beliefs, rituals and hopes. Larry Greenemeier rep...

Smart Helmets Could Flag Players at Trauma Risk

29 Nov 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Force sensors in headgear could signal whether a hit is strong enough to cause concern should the player receive a second serious blow. Larry Greeneme...

Iceland Crowd-Sources Its Constitution

15 Nov 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Iceland's parliament will vote on whether to replace its 68-year-old constitution with a version that takes into account suggestions from Twitter, Fac...

Web Sites Share Gas Availability Info

08 Nov 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Drivers in the post-Sandy New York metropolitan area have a few high-tech ways to shorten the odds on long gas lines. Larry Greenemeier reports

Listen to Audio via Your Cheekbones

19 Oct 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Bone-conduction headphones send good vibrations directly to the cochlea without blocking the ears, thereby also allowing ambient sounds. Larry Greenem...

Left and Right Use Smart Phones for Politics

11 Oct 2012

Contributed by Lukas

A Pew Internet & American Life Project poll shows both Republican and Democrat voters are turning to their mobile phones for election information. Lar...

Technology <i>American Idol</i> Could Hit Small Screen

04 Oct 2012

Contributed by Lukas

American Idol judge Simon Cowell and pop star Will.i.am are rumored to be searching for the next great tech entrepreneur. Larry Greenemeier reports

Keeping Facebook Tabs with Ex Is a Double-Edged Sword

01 Oct 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Checking out a new old flame on Facebook may make it easier to cope in some ways, but harder in others. Larry Greenemeier reports

Facebook Posts Can Attract Legal Attention

20 Sep 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Police may create phony Facebook accounts to root out criminals, but schools and businesses may be restrained from poking into the accounts of student...

Is Wi-Fi Sniffing a Crime?

13 Sep 2012

Contributed by Lukas

One court case found that wi-fi sniffing was okay, whereas a different case judged it to be illegal. Larry Greenemeier reports