Resources
Technology in the News
New teacher support pack
Media section
t-news - technology education newsletter
In collaboration with the World of WearableArt™, Techlink presents Stories of Creativity – glimpses into the imagination, motivation and resourcefulness of wearable artists and the process they work though to design and construct their garment.
Technology in the news – Current Articles
Viewing 121 to 135 of 152 articles
This portable shelter employs tension forces to provide a suspended habitat that is protected from wildlife, including insects and snakes, while at the same time providing a secure shelter from the elements. The tent is easy to assemble and can be suspended up high in the tree tops or slightly hovering over ground level.
Discussion starters:
As a small trade-dependent country, New Zealand will be increasingly pulled towards greener growth as other larger economies move in this direction. That's the conclusion of the Government's Green Growth advisory group chaired by Phil O'Reilly of BusinessNZ in its report Greening New Zealand's Growth, which lists 26 recommendations.
Discussion starters:
In 2009 a prototype for a folding electric plug, designed by a student at the Royal College of Art went on to win a number of awards. Three years later, a redesigned version is about to go on sale in the UK. What has emerged, after a lot of tinkering with the original design, is a folding USB adapter to power a smartphone or similar device.
Discussion starter:
Sydney scientists have built the world's tiniest transistor by precisely positioning a single phosphorus atom in a silicon crystal. The nano device is an important step in the development of quantum computers - super-powerful devices that will use the weird quantum properties of atoms to perform calculations billions of times faster than today's computers.
Discussion starters:
New Zealand prides itself on being a nation of "number eight wire" innovation, but there's concern our children might not be learning the necessary skills to think creatively. Massey University senior lecturer Dr Andrew Cardow has recently published a report into entrepreneurship in schools. He found many teachers aren't encouraging innovation.
Discussion starter:
Lyttelton isn't just a township, it's a port - a vital link in Canterbury's economy. Damage from the quake was severe, but the repair work is underway, with major land reclamation which will see the port move to the east and open the waterfront up for public use. Within five years, the port company plans a new retail and marina development to help stimulate the town's economy.
Discussion starter:
In September 2010, energy giant ExxonMobil was forced to pay the biggest fine for an environmental offence in British history for failing to report greenhouse gas emissions from its chemicals plant in Scotland. The unpublicised fine was buried in a report issued last week by the UK government's anti-pollution agency. The money was passed to the Scottish Government, which has spent it on community environmental projects.
Discussion starters:
American businessman Mike May was a keynote speaker at the Massey University-hosted International Mobility Conference, where he demonstrated a device that enables blind people to navigate independently using GPS technology. The device, which resembles a small keyboard that sits on a strap across the shoulder, scans the user's area every 12 seconds and speaks out loud the street names, landmarks and business as they walk near them.
Discussion starter:
So-called 'patent wars' are raging between large technology firms like Apple, Motorola Mobility and Samsung, as they vie for market share in the burgeoning smartphone and tablet market.These battles are being fought in courtrooms by intellectual property (IP) lawyers across the globe, as big firms seek to protect the elements of their product that make them stand out from the crowd. Geoff McCormick, director of UK design firm The Alloy, which devises technology products, takes apart an iPhone to explain the thousands of pieces of intellectual property that are contained in a modern smartphone.
Discussion starters:
A small USA company has developed a nanoparticle mix that can be sprayed on any vertical object, such as a tree, and make it act as a high-powered antenna. Used on an existing antenna it can extend its range by a factor of 100, according to one of the principals of the company.
Discussion starters:
What will become of New Zealand's most recognisable church and symbol of Canterbury, the Christchurch Cathedral? Campbell Live takes an extensive look at the damage to the Cathedral.
Discussion starter:
There are concerns New Zealand's DIY culture may be under threat when new building rules come into effect next month. The regulations mean anyone doing work that will affect a building's structural integrity will have to be licensed.
Discussion starter:
The traditional way to get oil and gas is to drill in and extract it. Increasingly it also involves a technique called hydraulic fracturing, more commonly known as fracking. Industry players say that fracking has revolutionised the once-dwindling US gas industry, opening up previously inaccessible or uneconomic areas, and they say it has the potential to be just as revolutionary, and lucrative, here in New Zealand.
Discussion starters:
A group of Rotorua homeowners are left wondering who to turn to after their houses began sinking. The land their homes are on has been declared unsafe, and they are being taken to court. But the residents say when they bought into their subdivision they were not aware of any problems.
Discussion starter:
The New Zealand video game development industry grew by 46% last year, boosted by the huge growth of smartphone and online gaming, according to a survey of developers. Ninja Kiwi Games, one of the country's most successful game companies, began by developing online puzzle games but then they came up with Bloons, a game which pits a monkey with a dart against a bunch of balloons. The company's turnover is now in the high seven-figure bracket.
Discussion starters:
RSS Feed