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UK government opens trial for wirelessly charged taxis
Britain's push toward sustainable transport options has included wireless charging for electric buses and the introduction of electric taxis, which help improve air quality and use less petrol. Some of those electric taxis are now getting an easier way to charge, with the introduction of wireless charging technology in the city of Nottingham.
Nottingham's National Videogame Arcade could be the best museum ever
Nottingham's probably best known for its infamous sheriff, but next year it'll have another claim to fame when a museum dedicated to gaming opens in the city. The National Videogame Arcade, said to be "the world's first cultural centre for gaming," will become the new permanent home to over 12,000 pieces from the National Videogame Archive -- a collection of hardware, software and all manner of other gaming paraphernalia established by the Science Museum and Nottingham Trent University in 2007. Spread over five floors, the museum is being set up to "promote the cultural, economic, educational and social benefits of gaming" by GameCity, an organisation that runs an annual festival and other events that celebrate video games.
Hyrule's Market Village getting brought to life in the UK
The Legend of Zelda's iconic Market Village is being brought to life for an upcoming Nottingham, UK game festival, GameCity6. But don't worry about ReDeads, as the real-life recreation won't represent the village from Ocarina of Time's adult Link world, but rather a pastiche of several games. Attendees can get their fetch questing on with a Triforce piece collection game, they can create swords and shields (we're guessing of the wooden or cardboard variety), and they can even go lips-on with an ocarina. If that weren't enough, you could always hang with the Hyrulian droogs in the LonLon Milk Bar. The entire day is actually dedicated to Zelda-themed activities, so perhaps this is finally a chance to bake those Navi-shaped sugar cookies. After waiting for what seemed like forever, too!
What would happen if you put your hand in the Large Hadron Collider? Er, well, um... (video)
Scientists, they've made our lives infinitely easier, healthier, and longer, but sometimes even their giant intellects can be stumped. Here we have a perfect example of such a scenario, where the seemingly innocuous question of what might happen if one were to dip a hand inside the Large Hadron Collider has generated a wide range of hypotheses, none of which sound particularly assured of being correct. The trouble is that, aside from the known unknowns -- such as whether the accelerated protons would crash and explode upon contact with your hand or just pass through -- there are surely unknown unknowns that will likely become apparent only once you try to do the act itself. So, any volunteers?
Crysis LIVE! aims to bring the game into the real world
Ever since Crysis released, we've found our life lacking in two distinct ways: We totally want a Nanosuit of our own and would do close to anything for one We wish Jason Statham was our squadmate in real life and often daydream about being stranded on a tropical island with him While the second option is likely never going to happen without some jail time attached to it, the first item is actually a possibility for those willing to travel to Nottingham, UK next month. On October 29 - 30, Crytek UK will section off an area and create "a real-life tropical jungle, complete with exotic flora and fauna" for folks to take part in a real life version of the PC game. In fact, those attending will even be able to try on an actual Nanosuit and, somehow, become invisible while playing this real-life version of the PC title. Crytek UK's Narrative Designer, Rob Yescombe, describes the game as "Hide and Seek for the 21st Century – good old fashioned fun but with a Crytek UK twist." Who's going?[Via Big Download]
Katamari creator to keynote UK's GameCity
Katamari Damacy creator Keita Takahashi will give a keynote address at this year's GameCity festival in Nottingham, England. According to GI.biz, Takahashi will also be showing off his upcoming title Nobi Nobi Boy. Takahashi's keynote will take place Saturday, October 27. Festival participants include Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, Freestyle Games, Travellers Tales, Free Radical Design, Mode 7 and Frontier; more details are expected shortly. The second annual GameCity festival will be held October 24 through 28 at Nottingham Trent University.
GameCity returns to Nottingham in October
In 2006, Nottingham Trent University held a gaming festival, apparently it was enough of a success to warrant a sequel this fall. The GameCity 2007 festival will be held at the university October 24-28. Yes, that's awfully far away, but it gives those Brit cos-players enough of a head start on putting together their outfits.There is very little information about the festival, but we're guessing it'll be like last year's -- except bigger. According to the website, "among the excellent treats coming very soon is a fantastic competition from PlayStation." We're guessing they mean Sony, which has a strong presence on the island. Most of the festival is free and some of the events are reasonably priced. It's nice to see regional gaming conventions doing well, we're sure to learn more as the fall approaches.[Thanks Jules]
Thermoacoustics behind all-in-one cooker, fridge, and generator
Sure, building up a campfire in order to roast some eats in the wilderness could be fun for awhile, but for the reported "two billion people that use open fires as their primary cooking method," we're sure it loses its luster somewhere along the line. The University of Nottingham is hoping to change all that, however, by attempting to develop an all-in-one gizmo that acts as a "cooker, a fridge, and a generator," and relies on biomass fuels for energy. The £2 million ($3.96 million) SCORE (Stove for Cooking, Refrigeration and Electricity) project seeks to create a "wood-powered generator capable of both cooking and cooling food," and it will purportedly rely on thermoacoustics to cut down on pollutants, increase efficiency, and be more reliable to future consumers in Africa and Asia. No word just yet on when this newfangled kitchen appliance will be ready to ship, but a portable version would probably do quite well in the camping market.[Via CNET]
Monica's AN24 monitors unborn child's heart remotely
While Monica Healthcare's AN24 fetal / maternal electrophysiological monitor won't go down as the first device to take a pulse on one's heartbeat outside of the hospital, it is being dubbed the "world's first" device to allow "mother's-to-be to keep a regular check on their baby's heartbeat without having to go into the hospital and be attached to a machine." The pocket-sized device operates on battery power, weighs under 100-grams, and specializes in "non-intrusive passive monitoring." Moreover, it can detect and differentiate between the mother and the baby's signals, and can transmit real-time FHR / MHR analysis data to via Bluetooth or USB to any applicable handheld / PC. Notably, the AN24 has gone from "a research device into a medically approved product in only two years," and if the EU testing continues to go well, the company expects the device to hit the market in the October timeframe.[Via MedGadget]
GameCity - not your typical games conference
In late October, Nottingham will play host to a unique interactive entertainment festival, as the English city is transformed into "GameCity" for five days. Based on three themes - "play", "talk", and "touch" - GameCity will unite game enthusiasts and industry professionals through a series of workshops and cultural events that showcase the power of gaming. According to event director Iain Simons, "GameCity will entertain, inform and educate individuals, industry and the public sector on the value and the potential of interactive entertainment for everyone." Visit the official site for more details.It would be really cool if they used the famous caves beneath the city for some RPG-style activities. I hear there's some good leather armor and ale down there.
