The design hitch of the machine, was its similarity to a dentist chair, giving a rather less positive feel. But trials on 164 patients with unipolar, non-psychotic major depressive disorders using the Neurostar machine have proved, that treatment with short magnetic field pulses to the left prefrontal cortex of the brain can be used as an alternative to medication.

After 30 40-minute daily sessions, half the patients in the trial experienced significant improvement, while a third reported complete resolution, an encouraging outcome. The only recorded side effect reported by the patients, was mild discomfort in treatment region of the body, which can be overcome through future research. Patients can for the moment receive NeuroStar treatments in a psychiatrist’s clinics while remaining staying awake.

NeuroStar is a good try for people suffering from serious bouts of depression, as it eliminates the umpteen side effects and perceived damages that could be caused by psychiatric drugs. Treatment through the machine starts at $ 6,000 for a four week session. Neurostar may hopefully become reason for less tears in future.

Via: popsci, neurostartms

Called Water Ahead, the capsule like water urn filters water to make it potable. Its most unique feature is that it can be carried over to flood waters, is transport friendly. And it helps locate flood victims with integrated thermal graphic cameras, while acoustic signals and flash lights indicates their presence to the affected as well as lifeguards. It has `intelligent’ skin that sucks up muddy flood water and turns it into fresh drinking water.

How do they function? Acoustic signals and flashing lights inform the habitants that a capsule arrives. The mudwater of the flood has been filtered by diffusion through the capsule’s skin into fresh drinking water. Using a camera, helpers on the boat take stock of the position and settle on who should have priority of quicker help. The gadget may well turn out to be a mass product in future, with potable drinking water becoming a rarity in the name of commodity.
Via: Folkwang Hochschule

This mode of television viewing and the technology involved in bringing it closer to reality, break the real vs digital world barrier in a definitive manner. Speech recognition seems an old wine in front of this new development in the arena of television viewing. And touchscreen technology looks ancient.

It remains to be seen whether gesture controlled televisions would completely alter the way TV is viewed in our homes. Automation and less dependence on the remote is the key to these products, but in the pursuit of more comfort, there could be chances of encouraging a less than healthy lifestyle too. Ever thought of the confusion arising when two or three children playfully gesture to the TV screen? Confusions persist.
Via: Singularity Hub

This stretch is too shallow for boats. And too deep for a high tide expedition. It also has an exposed seabed during low tide. The shelter is a habitat for a variety of birds and seals, and more so, can allow you to stay on at the sea during high tide. What’s more, you can even use it as a golden chance to learn more about wildlife on the seabed when it gets flooded.

More than that, it offers shelter for seabed living beings to take shelter during high tide too. In a lot of ways, the SeaShelter is an interface between humans and the sea environment.

Needless to say, its unique features have drawn attention and turned heads at the Design It: Shelter Competition. The design has won the contest, for making seafaring a unique experience. The people’s prize in the same contest went to David Mare’s CBS-Cork Block Shelter.
Via: Inhabitat, Gugenheim

The floating space schematic design is done to be anchored to the coastline, almost like a living organism would do, rising and falling with the tides.

That oceans and humans are interdependent is the core theme of this, while the architectural form draws on the curves and fluidity of living beings in the ocean. So much a far cry from the angled rigidity we see in architecture around us!
Once the pavilion is done with the expo, it could be continued to host a range of events, in other coastal cities too. The design has been conceived by Antoine Damery.

Via: Inhabitat, PTA, Adesigner

You need to hang ReNu panels in sunlight and then drop into a variety of different portals to charge rechargeable batteries, which then charge your gadgets. The device ReNu can also be used to charge phones and task lighting. The battery can charge an iPhone twice over, which means you get double its original benefit. It will be out in the market early 2010. It may cost $ 199 USD.

Regen Inc plans to merge more sleek designs with solar technology for cutting-edge gadgets.
Via: Treehugger, Regen

Here is how: The machine replaces all but one tenth of the usual water and about one third of the usual detergent with plastic beads that measure 0.1-inch. And what’s best is that they are reusable for hundreds of washes.

These beads are made of the same nylon as many carpets. If they are not stain proof, they are also good scrubbers. That’s the principle behind using them for washing.

Nylon has polarised molecules in it that attract dirt. In the humidity created by some water, their polymer chains move apart and absorb grime. And lock it into the cores of these beads. They clean up your clothes with hardly any water. The machines may be out in commercial laundries next year.

Via: popsci

Such stream-lined designs have been part of innovations in eco-technology among automobiles a lot lately. But this one is touted to have been more inspired by simulators and video games. The car is still a concept.

It has been designed in a way to change its shape from horizontal to vertical which is more like sleeping and standing up positions, in cases when it must adapt to urban traffic snarls.

The vehicle is controlled by a revolving electric motor located under the armrest. You can use your hands to apply breaks at the end of the left armrest and accelerator on the right.

In effect, it virtually allows you to enjoy the thrill of sledding on the road. Its touch controls however ensure a safe and comfortable ride. A pity that it is meant only for a single person ride.

The vehicle may come in handy for those who love some adventure on roads, but if you have a family, think twice about such a concept.

Via: Pagesperso Orange

The 21.5 inch LCD has great quality with an 83 percent color range and a 50,000:1 contrast ratio. You get a widescreen display with its full HD 1920 by 1080 dimensions. Its 1080 p-native screen has its own two-megapixel webcam and it also takes either DVI or VGA for video input. Besides, the LCD has a 2 mp webcam and dual microphones for your video chats.

The touch and the webcam signal are pushed to the attached computer through a built-in four-port USB.
The latest of innovations by Dell will cost American buyers $469.

Via: Electronista, Dell

In effect, it shows you direction without you having to see. Call it an external instinct that works for you! At the moment, its uncanny appearance and utility looks a little odd for lay people like us. But then the gadget has an immense potential to become the navigation device for those who cannot see – the sight impaired.

The ear navigator is called Pull-Navi. It has six helmet-mounted motors to pull the wearer’s ears forward, backward, left, right, up and down, in the respective directions that is. Designers of Pull Navi say users can follow its lead nearly at the instinct level. They can move forward, backward, speed up or even slow down, when they move. It is a finely tuned helmet. Connect the thing to a GPS, and the blind in sight would not have to be at the mercy of helping hands or their walking sticks.

Via: Engadget, Kaji-lab