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Digital Trends

Tech for Change

From 3D-printed prostheses to burgers grown in science labs to smarter mobility for the elderly or infirm, tech improves our lives every day in a million ways beyond simply making things more convenient. Tech can have a meaningful impact — that’s why we call it Tech for Change. Here are the companies and people fighting to make a difference.

Robert Downey Jr. embraces his inner Tony Stark to save the world for real

By Chris Gates - Wed June 5, 2019

Ikea creates lineup of 3D-printed accessibility accessories for gamers

By Charles Singletary Jr. - Tue June 4, 2019

Ford says it puts 250 bottles' worth of recycled plastic in the average new car

By Stephen Edelstein - Tue June 4, 2019
Recent Stories
zuck ai downey jr robert iron man avengers poster
Movies & TV

Robert Downey Jr. embraces his inner Tony Stark to save the world for real

At Amazon’s Re:Mars conference, Avengers star Robert Downey Jr. unveiled the Footprint Coalition, a new organization devoted to solving climate change using robotics and artificial intelligence. Iron Man would be proud.
Posted — By Chris Gates
Ikea UNYQ 3D printed gamer accessibility products partnership
Gaming

Ikea creates lineup of 3D-printed accessibility accessories for gamers

Ikea and Unyq are teaming up for a collection of accessibility-centered accessories for gamers. The lineup includes a mouse bungee, textured keycaps, and a biometric wristband that be customized via a scan of a person's hand.
Posted — By Charles Singletary Jr.
2020 Ford Escape
Cars

Ford says it puts 250 bottles’ worth of recycled plastic in the average new car

Ford claims to use 1.2 billion recycled plastic bottles every year, an average of 250 bottles per car. The plastic is used to make underbody shields and wheel liners for Ford cars and trucks.
Posted — By Stephen Edelstein
Zvox Soundbars
Home Theater

These speakers sound clear to the hard of hearing. Here's how that's possible

ZVOX audio has been credited as the maker of the first commercially successful soundbar, but the innovation didn’t stop there. CEO Tom Hannaher and his team are working to help bring high-quality TV audio to the hearing impaired.
Posted — By Parker Hall
Fluid Inside's Fox Racing Helmet
Health & Fitness

Forget foam. This fluid-filled helmet mimics your brain to protect your head

Fluid Inside is a protective system for designed to prevent injuries not only to the skull of an athlete but brain trauma as well using an innovative approach that is adaptable to cycling, skiing, hockey, and other sports.
Posted — By Kraig Becker
Nissan Leaf
Cars

Leaf electric-car batteries can outlast vehicles by up to 12 years, Nissan claims

Nissan Leaf batteries have roughly twice the lifes pan of the cars they're installed in, according to an executive from the automaker. Nissan is investigating alternative uses for those batteries.
Posted — By Stephen Edelstein
Alex Stamos, former CSO of Facebook, is interviewed by Recode's Kara Swisher
News

At Collision 2019, technology finds its purpose: Doing good

Collision is ostensibly a startup show, with nearly 1,100 startups, 26,000 attendees, and conference tracks for pitching venture capitalists called Growth Summit and MoneyConf. But in 2019, another theme was clear: Fixing the world.
Posted — By Jeremy Kaplan
cannondales treadwell makes owning a bike easier than ever cannondale 3
Outdoors

Cannondale’s Treadwell app features bring a new joy to casual biking

The Cannondale Treadwell is a bike designed with beginners in mind, using an app-connected technology to help them not only navigate their rides more fully, but also send helpful reminders of maintenance and other needs.
Posted — By Kraig Becker
ev williams kara swisher social media collision 2019 20190521 115023
Social Media

Twitter co-founder Ev Williams still wants to save the world

Social media is evil, leading to a mental health crisis in Gen Z and a rise in hate speech. But there’s light at the end of the tunnel, says Ev Williams, the co-founder of Twitter. But weaning ourselves off today's social media won't be…
Posted — By Jeremy Kaplan
ubisoft accessibility in video games initiative the division 2 settings 1
Gaming

Ubisoft is making strides towards more accessible games

Ubisoft's accessibility project manager David Tisserand shared details on a new accessibility initiative during Global Accessibility Awareness Day. Here's what's to come in the future from the company.
Posted — By Diego Arguello
uv activated superglue heart surgery
Emerging Tech

UV-activated superglue could literally help to heal broken hearts

Scientists at China's Zhejiang University have developed a UV-activated adhesive glue that is capable of efficiently healing damage to organs, including the heart. Here's how it works.
Posted — By Luke Dormehl
cleanyst kickstarter cleaning products
Smart Home

Cleanyst imagines a new mix-at-home paradigm for cleaning products

Cleanyst is a home-mixing system that combines pre-manufactured pouches with your at-home water to create all kinds of cleaning products via an eco-friendly home device that eventually pays for itself.
Posted — By Clayton Moore
2020 Hyundai Sonata
Cars

Hyundai wants to make sure you’re seeing the outside world, not inhaling it

Hyundai is developing an intelligent air purification system for its cars that continuously monitors the quality of the air inside the cabin, and cleans it when it detects the presence of harmful particulates.
Posted — By Ronan Glon
Google Street View Vehicle equipped with pollution tracking tech
Emerging Tech

Google wants to map the world's air quality. Here's how.

For the past several years, a growing number of Google’s Street View cars have been doing more than just taking photos. They’ve also been measuring air quality. Here's why that's so important.
Posted — By Luke Dormehl
biro 02 concept car ev 80 percent plastic o2 recycled design dezeen 2364 col 2
Cars

All-electric Birò 02 concept car made from 80% recycled plastics

Design studio Mandalaki introduced the Birò O2, an 80% recycled plastics version of Estrima's Birò 4-wheel, all-electric city car. The Birò two-seater parks in scooter spaces. Estrima and Mandalaki plan sell the Birò O2 starting in…
Posted — By Bruce Brown
harness crowds to solve world challenges urban rivers trash robot feat
Emerging Tech

Chicago’s trash-eating river robot is a glimpse into the future of crowdsourcing

From controlling a trash-picking robot on the Chicago River to discovering new planets, our hyper-connected world is giving the public a host of new tools to help solve some giant problems.
Posted — By Luke Dormehl
google defends fair use on youtube against dmca
Emerging Tech

Changing some code on YouTube could help lower its carbon footprint

The idea of saving the planet by changing a bit of code on YouTube sounds crazy. But it could actually make a surprising amount of difference to the levels of CO2 in the atmosphere. Here's how.
Posted — By Luke Dormehl
siemens electric trucks freight 4
Cars

An electric highway is now powering delivery trucks in Germany

Heavy-duty trucks powered by electricity from overhead lines are now motoring along a highway in Germany. The system has already been tested in several countries, but the latest setup covers the longest stretch of road to date.
Posted — By Trevor Mogg