In this week’s episode of the Engineering Update starring Digital Editor Jason Lomberg (@JasonECNMag) and WDD’s Editor-in-Chief, Janine E. Mooney (@JMooneyWDD):
China’s drone delivery service
While we struggle with domestic drone regulations, China’s e-commerce giant, Alibaba, is moving forward with a similar service as Amazon’s vaunted drone delivery system. Ya know, the difference being that Alibaba isn’t mired in seemingly endless red tape and regulatory hurdles, not to mention a skeptical public. For now, Alibaba is delivering ginger tea packets as part of a trial run involving 450 Chinese customers.
An Internet-connected smart mattress cover
Luna has created an internet-connected mattress cover that automatically sets the bed’s temperature, tracks the quality of your rest, and can even kick your coffee machine into action when you wake up. Luna is made of polyester and slips right over your mattress, like a fitted sheet. It integrates Wi-Fi, a microphone, and an array of sensors to monitor temperature, breathing, and heart rate, as well as ambient light and humidity.
3D-printed, virtual reality food
It’s not quite virtual reality. And it’s not quite the replicator from Star Trek. No, what Project Nourished aims to accomplish is what they term a “gastronomical virtual reality experience,” or simulating fine dining without the calories or other health-related issues. The project confidently urges you to “eat anything you want without regret,” and they’ve gone to great lengths to achieve this.
Filed Under: M2M (machine to machine), Virtual reality
