Lawrence Siulagi

Bones, computers and art: Neri Oxman, MIT researcher, artist and medical scholar, has created yet another prolific project of genius in the form of… a chaise lounge?

Yep.

Looking a little bit like a bio-mechanoid piece from H.R. Giger – the artist behind the Alien movies – the chair’s design, she says, “drew inspiration from the internal structure of bones and other biological forms,” according to MIT’s Tech Talk.

Her work aims to use computational tools to produce “performance-based design,” she says, in which, as occurs in nature, “the organization of the structure is directly linked to the forces that are applied to that structure.” To achieve that, she studies natural materials like the cellular structure of a bone, or microscopic images of a butterfly wing, and translates those principles into construction that takes advantage of the flexibility of modern materials and processes. “It’s about process, not product,” she says.

For more of Oxman’s work, you can follow her blog: Materialecology.

This could be a label in the future of battery-powered gadgets. Okay, maybe not. Even so, the geniuses at M.I.T. have developed a genetically-engineered virus which infests a harmless bacteria to create a smaller, longer-lasting battery which

…could hold the promise of relatively inexpensive, nonpolluting, lightweight powerful batteries—a holy grail for an energy revolution.

But, how does it work? Glad you asked. According to Scientific American, all bacteria consist of

…a single cell, although they’re rarely found in isolation. They have a habit of exhibiting unique behaviors when there are enough of them together in once place, such as the formation of protective biofilms.

Still with me? A battery has two essential parts: anode and cathode (picture the “+” and “-” on your typical battery). A few years back, the scientists simulated the anode part by infecting a bacteria with a virus which produced a coating of cobalt oxide and gold.

This month, researchers announced they reproduced the cathode part (by making iron phosphates grab onto carbon nanotubes).

While this new technology may induce visions of viruses and bacteria spreading to humans, did I mention the bacteria is harmless to humans? If it’s any comfort, the batteries you put in your remote control now are purely chemical reactions.

Welcome to the future of energy.

Are you ready for the new line of eco-friendly cars from… IKEA? Quoi?

Apparently, this has the backing of the WWF no, not the World Wrestling Federation but the World Wildlife Fund.

But a NYT article is placing its bets on “Practical Joke” as the release date is, you guessed it: April Fools Day.

Le’go of my LEG-oh.

Ever wanted to open up screens and look at information like Tom Cruise in the Minority Report? We’re not quite there yet but check out the progress with Pranav’s Mistry’s wearable device. Using familiar hand positions, you can take a picture or make your hand a calculator.