functional

Itel Icon 2 will launch in India soon. The company has been teasing the smartwatch over the past few days. The teasers have hinted at the design of the upcoming watch and confirmed that it will get a functional crown. Now, a report is suggesting some key features of the awaited smart wearable. It is likely to succeed the Itel Icon smartwatch that was unveiled in the country in August 2023. The Itel Icon 2 is expected to come with upgraded features over the older model.A 91Mobiles report claims…

Max Buondonno/ZDNETOn a snowy day in New York City, I saw the future of laptops. Well, at least what science fiction and, oddly enough, Nickelodeon have suggested are the future of laptops.Also: Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Fold is the most bizarre, fun, and expensive laptop I've ever testedAt MWC 2024, Lenovo is showcasing a concept ThinkBook at its booth with one very neat trick. We saw transparent displays hit the mainstream back at CES in January when LG and Samsung both unveiled TVs using the technology. Now, Lenovo has…

Researchers at Washington State University have developed the smallest and fastest micro-robots, potentially transforming fields from artificial pollination to surgery. Utilizing shape memory alloys for movement, these robots—significantly lighter and quicker than previous models—aspire to achieve greater autonomy and efficiency by mimicking natural insect behavior. Credit: WSU Photo ServicesTwo insect-like robots, a mini-bug and a water strider, developed at Washington State University, are the smallest, lightest and…

Mushrooms are having a moment. Whether it’s in the form of a functional beverage, using the mushroom root to make alternative protein, creating leather-like materials or just the mushroom itself, the fungi is gaining an audience. Spacegoods is the latest startup to join this craze. The London-based wellness brand is tapping into functional mushrooms and nootropics to create a line of powder blends that it touts enhances energy, relaxation, mood and general well-being. E-commerce entrepreneur…

The team’s graphene device grown on a silicon carbide substrate chip. Credit: Georgia Institute of TechnologyScientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed the world’s first world’s first functional semiconductor made from graphene. Graphene, characterized by a single layer of carbon atoms linked by the strongest bonds available, serves as the basis for this advancement. Semiconductors, essential materials that allow the flow of electricity under certain conditions, are critical for the operation of…

Odyssey, a mushroom-based functional energy beverage maker, raised another $6 million in an equity investment to give it $14 million in total funding since launching its first drink two years ago. Odyssey’s products tap into the health benefits of Lion’s Mane and Cordyceps mushrooms to produce a drink that combines an energy boost with 2,750 milligrams of the mushrooms to provide cognitive clarity and focus. Lion’s Mane, in particular, was shown to positively impact cognitive function and mood…

Researchers have used a novel technique to 3D print brain tissue whose cells developed into functional neurons that communicated with each other in a matter of weeks. They say the approach could be used to study healthy and unhealthy brains, test drugs, or simply observe how the brain develops.Creating an organ as close as possible to the real thing is essential for research exploring disease pathology and testing new drugs. The brain presents particular challenges, including the fact that neurons grown in the lab have to…

Researchers have successfully regenerated functional bladder tissue in a baboon using the animal’s own bone marrow cells. With the organ working within a few months and staying healthy throughout the two-year study, the findings open the door to a novel treatment for severe bladder dysfunction for which treatment is currently limited.Certain conditions can affect the bladder, including spina bifida, spinal cord injuries, and malignancy, resulting in urine leakage, bladder stiffness, and loss of bladder capacity. The…

There is no computer even remotely as powerful and complex as the human brain. The lumps of tissue ensconced in our skulls can process information at quantities and speeds that computing technology can barely touch.Key to the brain's success is the neuron's efficiency in serving as both a processor and memory device, in contrast to the physically separated units in most modern computing devices.There have been many attempts to make computing more brain-like, but a new effort takes it all a step further – by integrating…

Max Buondonno/ZDNETWith Cyber Monday creeping closer, the deals keep on coming -- and here's a deal that makes one of the best hybrid smartwatches even more affordable. The Withings ScanWatch and Best Buyfor well over a year, and it's by far one of my favorite smartwatches. If you've been eyeing one, now's the time to buy. !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};…