Who Needs Fireworks When You Can Set Off Your Own Meteor Shower
On-Demand Meteor Shower Fireworks? So passé. The latest in skyward entertainment is launching your own meteor shower. That's the aim of a Japanese company, Sky Canvas, which says it is building the technology for the 2020 Olympics in Japan. Satellites would drop what the company calls "source particles," which when entering the Earth's atmosphere would become meteors. Sky Canvas already plans to launch its first satellite next year, believing its project can do more than light up the night sky—potentially helping researchers better understand space science.
Drone Database Want to know how many people registered drone in Prescott, AR? (That would be two.) Or Avon Lake, OH? (Apparently, 49.) Now you can find how many hobbyists and non-hobbyists have registered their drones with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The agency just published a list that breaks down owners by zip code—but does not identify them by name or street address, noting "...that many of the registrants are minors," in a release. Remember: Drones that weigh more than .55 pounds must be registered.
Drunk? Check Your Wrist Skyn is a wearable that measures your blood alcohol levels from just your sweat—pulling the data from your wrist and sending the data over Bluetooth to a smartphone. The device just won first place—and a $200,000 prize— from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. You can sign-up for a pre-order online.
Levi's Busts IoT Move Google's Advanced Technology and Projects (ATAP) group is weaving its Project Jacquard wearable tech into a new Levi's jean jacket aimed at cyclists. Conductive metallic fibers in the weave act as sensors, allowing wearers to swipe away a call and bring up music, plus maps. When will the jacket be ready? Google says 2017, with anyone interested able to sign up on Levi's site.
HomeKit How-To Think you know everything there is to grok about Apple HomeKit? Curious which product works with the system? GearBrain has a quiz to test just how genius you are about HomeKit and its IoT network.
