I BELIEVE I CAN FLY

After years of demoing and refinement, Swiss tech group Somniacs have commercially released a full-body, first person VR flight simulator, the aptly named Birdly. Featuring an Oculus headset and full-size earphones as immersion aids, this initial iteration of Birdly simulates flight over a downtown cityscape setting. Unlike traditional VR flight simulators which use controllers and buttons to guide the experience, Birdly is an intuitive system that allows users to control flight direction and speed using only their arms and hands. Utilizing a horizontal body platform and frontal fan, Birdly also provides physical responses based upon user movement, including a variety of body shifts and a speed-accurate headwind from its frontal fan.

Birdly Test Flight and Review

#IBelieveICanFly #BirdIsTheWord #NextGenVR

 

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A NEW WAY OF BIKING

Billed by its Swiss developer as nothing short of a “mobility revolution”, PodRide is an enclosed, all-season, four wheeled electric bike that looks to change how humans exercise and travel. PodRide is equipped with an electric motor to help users cover longer distances and surmount hills, but it can also be adjusted to increase the intensity of the pedaled workout. The vehicle’s relatively spacious interior and chair-style seat makes for a comfortable ride, while still saving room for a child passenger, groceries or small cargo. PodRide’s zero-emission transport system is a money-saving and enviro-friendly prototype for what could become an entirely new means of healthy travel.

PodRide IndieGoGo Site and Demo Video

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/podride-a-practical-and-fun-bicycle-car-bike-bicycle--2#/

 #NiceBike #StylinRide #CleanTransport

 

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DO NO HARM: EDIBLE SIX PACK RINGS

Of the 6.3 billion gallons of beer consumed by Americans during 2015, 50 percent came from cans, a great deal of which left the factory packed in plastic six-pack rings. Despite waste control efforts, the majority of these six-pack rings end up in the world’s oceans, where they entrap, and sometimes choke, countless sea birds, mammals and turtles. In response, Florida-based beer company Saltwater Brewery has developed a packaging solution to not only prevent threats to these creatures, but nourish them as well. Saltwater’s new rings, made of wheat and barley leftovers from the brewing process, are edible, biodegradable products that have proven to be as strong as their traditional plastic counterparts. The company hopes their efforts will spur large-scale breweries to adopt similar packaging methods.

LA Times Saltwater Brewery Feature

http://www.latimes.com/food/la-dd-edible-six-pack-rings-20160524-snap-story.html

#PerfectRingers #OceanHealth #SaltwaterBrewery

 

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INDOOR HYDROPONICS BY IKEA 

Interior décor titans Ikea have introduced an indoor, hydroponic gardening system as an extension of their Krydda/Växer collection. Hydroponic gardens are completely soil-free, providing gardeners with a cleaner and more efficient way to grow herbs, vegetables and fruits. These systems also provide more precise means to adjust nutrient, light and water levels. Typical outdoor gardening obstacles like root rot, pest problems, and fertilizer deficiencies can all be avoided using hydroponic techniques. Ikea’s hydro-kits come with seed kits to grow nearly 20 varieties of salad greens and herbs, including favorites like arugula, chard and lettuce, as well as specialty greens like amaranth and mizuna. 

Official Ikea Hydroponics Trailer

#IkeaLife #HydroWin #IndoorGardening

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LAS VEGAS WINS BIG WITH RENEWABLE ENERGY 

Traditionally pictured as one of the most luminous places in the US, Las Vegas has long been a power drainer, but after a decade-long renewable energy conversion project, all of the city’s facilities, properties and utilities are now running on enviro-friendly power. With the help of public utility company NV Energy, the city of Las Vegas recently launched Boulder Solar 1, a huge span of solar panels in lower Nevada. Combined with energy from a few pre-existing geothermal energy sources, Boulder Solar 1 is now providing the entirety of Las Vegas’ municipal property with green power.

Las Vegas Reaches Huge Energy Milestone

#GreenTeam #VegasVision #GoldenGoals