In this issue: MICRO-POWER PODSNATCHING BRAIN TRAINING HOME ALONE FLYBARS And much much more... ------------------------------------------------------------ ____ ____ ___ _____ ____ ______ ______ * / __ )/ __ \/ | / _/ | / / |/ / | / _/ / / __ / /_/ / /| | / // |/ / /|_/ / /| | / // / / /_/ / _, _/ ___ |_/ // /| / / / / ___ |_/ // /___ /_____/_/ |_/_/ |_/___/_/ |_/_/ /_/_/ |_/___/_____/ *Keeping brains healthy since 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------ Brainmail email issue 11 - December/January 2005/06 ------------------------------------------------------------ Brainmail is a free monthly newsletter about new ideas, innovations and trends. If you'd like to receive regular copies simply click on subscribe. Subscribe: mailto:subscribe-brainmail@nowandnext.com Tell the world about brainmail - forward this to a friend. ------------------------------------------------------------ > Micro-power A report by the New Economics Foundation (a think tank) says that micro-generation in (and on) homes and offices could be the foundation of a new industry in the future. Point of use power generation reduces the need for large-scale networks, increases security of supply and puts people more in touch with where energy comes from - and hence how valuable it is. Ref: The Guardian (UK) > Word detective: Podsnatching Thieves are using iPods to steal valuable data or to move illegal material from one place to another. A recent case in the UK involved an employee stealing an entire database. Employers say they are 'hip to the concept', which surely means they have got absolutely no idea what's going on. Ref: Foreign Policy (US) > Blast-proof bubble wrap Blast-wrap is a new material developed to protect rubbish bins from bomb blasts. The wrap contains 2.75-inch pockets (bubbles) stuffed with perlite. If an explosion occurs, the pockets collapse individually, thus reducing damage to the surrounding area. The material also contains fire-extinguishing chemicals to reduce the size of any fireball. Bins in the Washington DC (US) area are already fitted with the material. Ref: Popular Science (US) > Virtual gyms A junior school in California is planning to replace basketball sessions with virtual fitness games played on video game consoles. Is 'exertainment' the new way to fight paediatric obesity? Probably not. Ref: The Times (UK) > Re-mixed motors One of the latest custom car trends in Japan is customising modern mini vans to look like squashed VW buses from the 1960s and 1970s. Sort of miniaturisation meets nostalgia. Ref: Wired (US). > It's a Barbie world Mattel, maker of Barbie dolls, is launching Barbie clothing for grown up Barbie girls aged 20-30. Is this further evidence of the Kidult trend or an example of post-modern irony? Ref: Sense Bulletin (UK) > Brain training Concerns about dementia and senility are leading to an increase in sales of brain-training products in Japan. For example, Sega has launched a series of Brain Trainer products that feature a daily calculation. The games are especially popular with commuters aged 40-50+. Ref: Nikkei Weekly (Japan) > Thanks for the memory By 2009, the average computer will have at least a 160-gigabyte hard disk and many disk drives will hold 1,000 gigabytes of data. A typical computer today holds between 40-80 gigabytes. So what will we do with all that storage space? One thing we probably won't do is throw anything away. Ref: The Economist (UK) > Pet stress A survey conducted by a pet insurance company says that 25% of dog owners think that their dogs are suffering from stress. Part of the reason is that owners are too busy to take their fury friends for walks. Ref: Daily Telegraph (UK) > Tissue paper Scientists at the University of Utah (US) say that it is possible to 'print' human organs using cells as bio-ink. The resultant 'paper' can then be used to repair damaged organs or build new ones. Ref: Futurefeeder (US) > Eight to eight is the new nine to five A survey says that 20% of couples that live together hardly talk to each other anymore. Work commitments take up an increasing amount of time and, when couples do get home, they tend to occupy different rooms for at least two hours per night. Ref: Daily Telegraph (UK) > Home alone By 2020, 35% of households in the UK will be occupied by just one person. 'Singletons' currently represent 29% of UK households, up from 18% in 1971. The biggest increase in single person households is men aged 25-44. Ref: Daily Telegraph (UK) > Word detective: digiscoping Digiscoping is the taking of photographs (usually of nature) using a digital camera connected to a telescope. Ref: Nikkei Weekly (Japan) > A quick beer Turbo Tap is a new type of beer tap that, its makers claim, can pour a glass of beer up to four times faster than conventional beer taps. The device uses a 360-degree spray rather than a conventional jet, which also reduces the level of foam that is produced. Ref: Sun-Herald (Aus) > Nailed it Scientists at the University of Limerick (Ireland) have created a machine that can detect osteoporosis by scanning your fingernails. Bones and nails both contain a substance called disulphide that is critical to bone strength Ref: The Times (UK) > If they could talk Traffic lights that exchange information with cars could make possible new forms of early warning systems. They could also detect speeding vehicles and issue electronic speeding tickets on the spot. Ref: Pictures of the future (Germany) > Snore master A company in Japan is selling a pillow that allows users to hear their own snoring. Each pillow is fitted with a microphone that can be connected to a recording system so that people can analyse what happens after they fall asleep. The company also offers snore consultancy. Ref: Nikkei Weekly (Japan) > Air switches Mathmos, the company that reinvented the lava lamp, has invented something called the Airswitch lamp. Wave you hand across the rim of the lamp and the light turns itself on. Move your hand up or down and the dimmer is activated. Almost as much fun as a Jedi light sabre. More at www.mathmos.com/reol.html Ref: The Independent (UK) > Crazy Japanese inventions A Japanese company has launched a device that can warm up cold baths. Apparently it takes three and a half hours in summer and eight hours in winter. It also runs on electricity and you put it, cables and all, in the water! Ref: Nikkei Weekly (Japan) > Unusual distribution Newsagents in Australia are now offering home loans while Post Offices may soon be selling airline tickets. Meanwhile, over in the UK, Tesco (supermarkets) is selling Premium Bonds and index-linked saving certificates. Ref: Various > If only they could talk Researchers at Nagasaki University (Japan) are developing software than can turn a baby's crying into human speech Ref: The Times (UK) > Flybars Remember pogo sticks? The Flybar 1200 is a pogo stick with a difference. Designed by a professional skateboarder, Flybars can propel riders up to five feet into the air. Helmets are strongly recommended. Ref: Saab magazine (Sweden) > Low-tech remedy A study by scientists at Indiana University (US) says that washing the car and tidying the house is at least as effective at reducing hypertension as special diets. Ref: The Times (UK) > KahDo.com.au If you're young and fairly presentable (code for 'correct target audience') you can rent a brand new SMART car for just AUD $35 a week in Australia. The catch? The car is covered with advertising and you must drive the car at least 500 km a month. Ads are changed every three months and you cannot park in a private garage or off-street where the car can't be seen. Ref: Phil Beresford (philberesford.com) (Aus) ------------------------------------------------------------ : PREVIEW OF NEXT ISSUE 4 ideas account for 80% of all 'breakthrough' new businesses created between 1965 and 1995. What are they? You'll have to wait to find out ------------------------------------------------------------ : STATSHOTS In 2004 there were 30,000 music albums and 175,000 books published in the US. In contrast, 14,000,000 weblogs were published worldwide. Ref: Wired (US) 10% of the world's population (627 million people) has now shopped at least once on-line. Ref: International Herald Tribune (US) The number of British adolescents using amphetamines has fallen from 12% in 1996 to 4% in 2004. Ref: The Economist (UK) 30% of US corporate profits are derived from banks or other financial institutions. Ten years ago the figure was 21%. Ref: Business Week (US) 40% of teenage girls and 17% of teenage boys in the UK have considered having plastic surgery. Ref: Grazia (UK) 43% of people in the UK have never visited an art gallery. Ref: The Guardian (UK) 83% of people that own pets in the US refer to themselves as 'mummy' or 'daddy' when talking to their pet. 65% also celebrate pet birthdays. Ref: Atlantic Monthly (US) 17% of Sony PlayStation owners in America are aged 50+ Ref: The Observer (UK) ------------------------------------------------------------ : QUOTE OF THE MONTH "In times of drastic change, it is the learners who inherit the future. The learned usually find themselves equipped to live in a world that no longer exists" Eric Hoffer. ------------------------------------------------------------ : A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR If you liked this, look at this http://www.nowandnext.com ------------------------------------------------------------ : SUBSCRIBE TO BRAINMAIL Subscribe: mailto:subscribe-brainmail@nowandnext.com Remove: mailto:unsubscribe-brainmail@nowandnext.com ------------------------------------------------------------ Copyright © 2005/06 What's Next. All rights reserved. Neither this newsletter nor any part of it may be reproduced or used for commercial purposes without the prior written permission of the publisher.