Snow nanogenerator would allow solar panels to generate energy on wintry days
US researchers have invented a nanogenerator that could one day be added to solar panels to keep them producing energy when covered in snow. More
Ford makes Self-Braking Trolley that can't be crashed
Automobile maker Ford has borrowed anti-collision technology from its cars to build a supermarket trolley that children can't crash. More
Contraceptive jewellery offers alternative method of birth control
Contraceptives and other drugs could be administered through an earring, using a method invented by researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology. More
"China is one of the best places for experimenting" with urban technology says Carlo Ratti
All eyes should be on China in the race to develop smart cities, says architect Carlo Ratti, who is co-curating this year's Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture in Shenzhen. More
PepsiCo launches SodaStream-style drinks dispenser for refillable bottles
PepsiCo has launched a drinks machine for offices and schools, to give its customers an alternative to using single-use plastic. More
Samsung postpones launch of Galaxy Fold over screen breakages
Samsung has pushed back the launch of its highly anticipated folding smartphone after multiple reviewers reported the screens broke within days. More
Thermobimetal shutters by Doris Sung self-regulate the temperature of buildings
Buildings could be cooled with zero energy using the Invert shading system, made from a smart material called thermobimetal that changes shape in response to heat. More
Foster + Partners and LG reveal partnership behind roll-up television
Foster + Partners has been revealed as a collaborator on LG's Signature OLED TV R, the world's first television that rolls out of sight. More
Vitra and Panasonic collaborate to create glass cabinet that is actually a TV
Vitra, Panasonic and designer Daniel Rybakken have joined forces to create the concealed Vitrine television, on show at Milan design week. More
Bang & Olufsen launches TV that can be folded away to "reduce its visual presence"
Bang & Olufsen has unveiled its Beovision Harmony television, which can fold down into a sculptural form when not in use, at Milan design week. More
Neri Oxman builds with melanin for Totems project
Neri Oxman's Mediated Matter Group at MIT has designed an installation using melanin — and says the skin pigment will inevitably be used in architecture. More
Bryte smart bed adjusts throughout the night to help users stay asleep
Tech startup Bryte has designed a robotic bed that can automatically adjust the temperature, customise support for different parts of the body and even rock a person to sleep. More
Instant Windows offers quick fix for houses in war zones
Swiss designer Reto Togni has developed a cling-film-like temporary window to make damaged houses in conflict zones habitable. More
Sony launches Wena smartwatch strap to update classic timepieces
Sony has launched a different take on the smartwatch, with all the technology embedded in a band that users can attach to their favourite analogue face. More
Apple launches credit card touting privacy and security
Apple has made its first foray into financial services with a numberless credit card that CEO Tim Cook calls the most significant change to card payments in 50 years. More
Bontrager's WaveCel bike helmet promises to radically reduce head injury
US bike brand Bontrager has launched an improved bicycle helmet that they say is 48 times more likely to prevent concussion than standard foam versions. More
Seymourpowell's Élever makeup printer replicates looks straight from the internet
Makeup looks seen online could be downloaded and printed directly onto the face, using a gadget concept imagined by UK studio Seymourpowell. More
IKEA upcycles furniture into colourful Wildhomes for Wildlife
IKEA worked with UK artists and designers to create this series of animal habitats, repurposed from the company's used furniture. More
Scientists turn carbon dioxide back into coal
Carbon dioxide could be removed from the atmosphere and stored as a solid in a bid to manage climate change, using a new technique pioneered at Australia's RMIT University. More
IKEA's ThisAbles add-ons adjust furniture for people with disabilities
IKEA has released a set of furniture hacks that anyone can download and 3D-print to make their products more usable by people with disabilities. More