Hasta La Gadget!

Airport terminals can be soul-destroying places at the best of times, with little to distract you as wait for your connection, so we can only hope we end up killing time at Singapore Airport’s Terminal 1 on our next trip. The refurbished terminal has a new “kinetic sculpture” called Kinetic Rain by ART+COM, consisting of 1,216 individually controlled copper droplets that can be moved to create ephemeral shapes, waves and more.

Each droplet is actually a lightweight aluminum shape clad in copper, and suspended from a narrow-gage steel wire connected to a precise motor. A computer controls two banks of 608 droplets, running through a 15 minute display of shimmering choreography, at times creating the outline of aircraft or other geometric forms.

Spotlights underneath, meanwhile, allow the droplets to sparkle as they move, as well as creating interesting interplays of shadow on the ceiling above. Part of what makes it so impressive is the cleanness and crispness of the movement: there’s no bounce in the wires or even any apparent lateral movement, and your eyes quickly overlook any glimpses of the wires.

Kinetic Rain making-of video:

It’s not the first time we’ve seen precision control over individual parts of a sculpture used in this way. Car company BMW has a similar installation at its BMW Museum in Munich, Germany, dating back to 2009, and also made by the team at ART+COM:

[via Core77]

Kinetic Rain sculpture makes art in mid-air is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Nuance Communications unveiled Dragon Drive in May this year. Dragon Drive hopes to provide car owners the capability to send and read text messages through voice using its voice recognition technology. Nuance previously said that its messaging service will be followed by other services soon, which will include controls for listening to music, web browsing, directions and more. Today, Nuance is announcing that German automaker BMW will be the first car manufacturer to utilize Dragon Drive! Messaging.

(more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: BMW USB key won’t unlock your car, BMW M5 is a speeding bullet, blows an Apple in slow motion,

BMW has rolled out a new USB flash drive that looks like a BMW key. The BMW M USB Key features carbon patterns on the front and back and the BMW M logo. Each purchase comes equipped with a slim lanyard, an included USB cable and a gift box. The BMW M USB Key provides an 8GB of storage capacity. If you are interested, you can buy the BMW M USB Key for $38.74 a pop. [Product Page]

If you want to fool people into thinking you drive a BMW or you just like the idea of owning a key that looks like it unlocks a Bimmer, you’re in luck. BMW has just released a USB flash drive that is designed to look like a BMW key. To extend or retract the USB connector – just hit the trunk button. The other buttons serve no purpose other than to make it look realistic. A pretty cool flash drive that I don’t mind having in my collection. The BMW USB key comes with 8GB of storage and a USB extension cable for computers with hard to reach slots. Pick one up on BMW’s website for $38 apiece.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Queen Orb USB gift box, Memory on Hand Band is fashionable and functional,

BMW and Toyota have inked an extension to their collaboration agreement, working together on fuel cells, electric powertrains, lightweight components and, most excitingly, “a future sports vehicle.” The new memorandum of understanding (MoU) will see the German and Japanese companies team up for “long-term strategic collaboration” with BMW bringing its sportscar prowess and Toyota its green technologies expertise to the table.

“BMW and Toyota both want to make ever-better cars. We respect each other. And I think this is shown by our taking the next step only six months since the signing of our initial agreement” Akio Toyoda of Toyota said in a statement today. “Toyota is strong in environment-friendly hybrids and fuel cells. On the other hand, I believe BMW’s strength is in developing sports cars. I am excited to think of the cars that will result from this relationship.”

The initial co-development agreement was signed back in December 2011, with BMW and Toyota starting joint research into future motor technologies. It also included an engine-sharing deal, that will see BMW-made 1.6 liter and 2.0 liter diesel engines show up in Toyota cars on sale in Europe from 2014.

A follow-up addendum in March this year focused on electric vehicle battery research. Although both firms already have hybrid cars on the road, the new deal would see them work on increasing the performance and capacity of lithium-ion battery cells using new material combinations for the cathodes, anodes, and electrolytes.

Today’s announcement throws lighter chassis and other components into the mixture, along with working together on efficient electric powerplants and fuel cell systems. There will also be collaboration on “joint development of architecture and components for a future sports vehicle” though there is no timeline for when we might see the fruits of that project shared publicly.

BMW and Toyota working on new sports car and eco-tech is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.