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Big news! Last week Fives hit 500 subscribers! Thanks for all the love. I hope it wasn't just the thanksgiving wine that convinced you to subscribe (though I don't blame you if it did).
If you subscribed by mistake, well, you're probably not getting any work done between now and xmas anyway so might as well read on. Onward!
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1. Levitating Pixels
Remember all the crazy shapes we made with sound in last week's edition? This takes that principle to a whole new dimension...literally. Researchers at the University of Tokyo have figured out how to use ultrasonic waves to manipulate "pixie dust" (read: tiny styrofoam balls) in 3D space. They're able to create standing waves with peaks and troughs that, when focused correctly, can suspend and move these balls in air. The effect is pretty incredible (click the thumbnail above for a video), especially when they combine it with a projector. [More]
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2. LightPaper
The world's thinnest LED. That's right, these are red-blood-cell-sized LED's mixed in with some ink and printed onto a conductive layer. Then, they sandwich it between some plastic, hook up a battery and the mixture glows. The company claims it can be cut/printed onto pretty much any size and shape (their website is complete with glowing car logos and wallpaper). Reminds me of a brighter version of that electroluminescent paint company from a while back. [More]
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4. E-Ink Watch
I know what you're thinking. "E-ink watches are old news, Rohan." Hear me out, this e-ink watch is unlike anything I've seen before. The entire watch is made out of e-ink (band included). This means you can change the band AND watch-face style. I'm especially a fan of the minimalist faces and can totally see how flexible e-ink displays might one day be a part of many wearable devices (especially if they're in color). [Strange Video]
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3. Sound-based Fall Reconstruction
Researchers have used some clever mathematical techniques to reconstruct how a rigid object - say a wrench or an eraser - has fallen solely from the sound it makes while hitting the ground. Just drop in the object and the sound file into the simulator and it will try and guess how it probably bounced, flipped, and reverberated in the air to create that sound. The results are surprisingly accurate when shown side-by-side in the above video. [More Videos]
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5. Space Mirrors
Sensationalist title, I know. Was easier than calling it "energy-saving roof material that reflects light back into space." This was just published in arguably the most prestigious scientific research journal: Nature. Stanford researchers have invented an "ultra-thin, multi-layered [roofing] material" that acts as a mirror to the sunlight above (reflecting it away) but simultaneously offloads infrared light (heat) from the interior of the building. The result is a building that can be as much as 5 degrees cooler than the ambient air. It's a small but important step towards AC-less buildings. [Paper, soon to be free because Nature has recently made an awesome announcement]
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