MIT creates battery-free sensor for deep-sea and extraterrestrial exploration
An underwater internet of things monitoring the effects of climate change or sampling waters on distant planets is the dream of a group of MIT researchers who have created a battery-free underwater sensor. More
Winston filter promises to give people control over their online privacy
A hardware filter called Winston that users plug into their modem to protect their data has launched, in response to mounting concern over digital privacy and surveillance. More
Colourful circles denote contact-lens prescriptions in Dimple design by Universal Favourite
Australian studio Universal Favourite has designed the packaging for contact lens subscription service Dimple, which makes use of boldly patterned circles that correspond with prescriptions. More
Danish designers propose using roaming 3D-printing robots to repair environments
Buildings and coastlines could be monitored by fleets of autonomous repair robots, according to a Danish initiative that advocates "freeing" 3D printers to fix global problems. More
LARQ water bottle self-cleans using UV light
The minimalist LARQ bottle cleans itself using UV light, for people troubled by the hygiene of tricky-to-wash reusable water bottles. More
Rotofarm by Bace proposes "rotary hydroponics" as sustainable source of fresh veg
Apartment dwellers can enjoy nearly 1.5 metres of indoor veggie patch using the Rotofarm by Bace, a countertop hydroponic garden where plants are rotated to grow more quickly. More
RoundAround dynamic "bridge" is made of autonomous boats
Carlo Ratti and his team at MIT's Senseable City Lab have come up with a "bridge" made of continuously circling autonomous boats for a tricky patch of Amsterdam's waterway. More
Helsinki launches Think Sustainably digital service for residents and tourists
The city of Helsinki has revealed a first-of-its kind website meant to empower citizens, businesses and tourists to make more sustainable choices. More
Olafur Eliasson and Carlo Ratti collaborate on robot that charts the sun
Artist Olafur Eliasson and architect Carlo Ratti have collaborated on a celestial mapping robot that brings together their hit design brands Little Sun and Scribit. More
Natuzzi launches Augmented Store for VR furniture shopping
The Italian furniture brand Natuzzi has embarked on what it calls "a new era of advanced, white-glove customer service" by launching a virtual-reality shopping experience. More
Teresa van Dongen's Mud Well light uses microorganisms to create electricity
Bacteria from a boggy World War Two bomb crater generate kaleidoscopic light forms inside this telescope-like tube by Dutch designer Teresa van Dongen.
Students' 3D-printed Concrete Choreography pillars provide a stage for dancers
Dancers at the Origen Festival in the Swiss Alps will perform around nine unique columns 3D-printed in concrete by students from ETH Zurich. More
Viking-style seaweed thatch updated into prefab panelling
Traditional Danish seaweed thatching could be updated into a sustainable contemporary building material, according to research by Kathryn Larsen. More
Twitter redesigns website for first time in seven years
Twitter has launched its first major website redesign in seven years – a subtly streamlined experience that is more in line with the company's app. More
Bricks made from loofah and charcoal could promote biodiversity in cities
Plants and insects can thrive on the surface of these Green Charcoal bio-bricks, engineered as an alternative to concrete by researchers at the Indian School of Design and Innovation in Mumbai. More
Ultravioletto's Neural Mirror shows audiences an AI reflection of themselves
Visitors to a former church in the Italian city of Spoleto will encounter a mirror that uses artificial intelligence and facial recognition to build an otherworldly image of themselves. More
Daan Roosegaarde's Presence exhibition encourages visitors to make their mark
Dutch designer Daan Roosegaarde has opened his first major solo museum show — an interactive experience meant to awaken its audience to human impact on the environment. More
ElectroDermis researchers make stretchy wearable tech that sticks to the skin
Wearable devices can be stuck onto the stick like plasters, using a new method pioneered by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University. More
Climate-change data turned into colourful towering totems
Designer Alicja Biała and architect Iwo Borkowicz have aimed to capture the realities of climate change with these colourful Totemy towers that serve as multi-storey data visualisations. More
Microsoft and Kano partner on build-your-own PC for children
Kids can now build their own fully functional Windows 10 PC tablet laptop, using this powerful new kit by creative-tech toy company Kano. More