The Rest Radio Show

Imagine having a gun fired at you, the bullet whizzing toward you at a super-fast speed. But instead of the bullet piercing your skin and traveling deep inside your body, what if it instead repelled off your skin?

• Dr Steve Mann is a professor at the University of Toronto and a leader in the field of augmented reality
• Has worn a pair of computerized glasses for 35 years
• He is developing a device that can help the blind and the nearly-blind to see

Professor Sherry Turkle talks about why we expect more from technology and less from each other. Sherry Turkle is a professor, author, consultant, researcher, and licensed clinical psychologist who has spent the last 30 years researching the psychology of people’s relationships with technology. Her investigations show that technology doesn’t just catalyze changes in what we do — it affects how we think.

A Swedish company headquartered in Stockholm has figured out how to power smartphones using a system that includes some water, a tray, a little round container, and an eyeglass case styled cover. The company, myFC, is introducing its PowerTrekk system to Americans at the CES show in Vegas. PowerTrekk describes its charger as a pocket size, lightweight gizmo for users “who spend time away from the electricity grid.” Translation: If you are hiking over the weekend with no Starbucks or friend’s flat in sight, your phone can still get charged.

Inspired by Singapore’s famous chili crab dish, researchers have created a miniature robot with a pincer and a hook that can remove early-stage stomach cancers without leaving any scars.

Strange as it may seem, numerous studies have shown that we think and learn better when we literally shock the brain. One study specifically showed that gamers showed faster improvement and increased performance while their minds were being zapped at low voltage.