Ion Torrent Systems uses a brand-new strategy to DNA sequencing, making it a lot faster, less complex, and even more cost effective than ever before. In contrast to alternative sequencing systems, Ion Torrent devices sequence DNA with a semiconductor chip, just like the semiconductor in your electronic camera. Although the microchip your electronic camera has a sensing level blanketed with countless pixels that decode light into electronic data, an Ion chip has countless wells covering those pixels. Any time a nucleotide is actually combined into an one strand of DNA, a hydrogen ion is produced. This is exactly how the Ion Torrent system decodes DNA, by reading this synthetic modification straight into the well on the chip. Essentially, each well functions as the tiniest pH meter ever made.

A new gadget has been designed making angling a stroll in the park ... or is it the sea! The Fish Call, as it is called, operates by simulating the sounds of fish that are feeding and is claimed to attract fish species of all kinds. The device is the creation of father-son team Jeff and Jack Danos, who themselves are novice fishermen. When Jack was 15, he and his father discovered what they refer to as a new sort of transducer that could make just about anything resonate. Several months of troubleshooting later and with the aid of a 3D printer has led to a milkshake-sized device that is destined for the angling market. Users simply press a button and then lob the device into the fish habitat where it resonates, replicating the sounds of feeding fish. This is claimed to sharpen the appetite of sea dwellers that can hear the device, attracting them and inducing them to nip at fishing lines, in the process helping you catch more fish than you otherwise would. The team has tested it out in both seawater and freshwater, and have caught some difficult-to-catch species like red fish and speckled trout with the device. The throwable tool can be anchored to the sea bed or it can be left to float on its own operating off a regular 9-volt battery which should last up to eight hrs.

Simbe Robotics announced today a shop inventory robot that is able to drive around retail stores with the sole task of seeing to it that shelves are properly stocked with merchandise. This promises to reduce manual labor costs as well as missed income from customers who fail to find what they are looking for due to improperly stocked shelves. The robot, called Tally, features an assortment of sensors that allow it to navigate autonomously around a shop while at the same time scanning shelf inventory information. It primarily identifies out-of-stock and low-stock shelf items, but it can also respond to merchandise that has been incorrectly placed as well as any pricing anomalies. Unfortunately, it can’t yet deal with any of the issues that it does find, instead delivering information and suggestions back to store employees via the cloud. Tally also does not require any special physical shop layouts to carry out its task and can even work while consumers are going about their daily shopping, returning to its recharging station when it needs to. Monitoring stock levels can be a labor-intensive activity, and it is usually difficult to do reliably, so having a robot take over the responsibility is an ideal solution.

Qualcomm has recently released a few new specifics on its latest iteration of its chip for mobile devices, the Snapdragon 820. This new CPU, which is anticipated to start appearing in phones next year, will incorporate fast charging technology as well as the quickest LTE to date. Qualcomm has actually integrated an updated X12 LTE modem into its new CPU, providing LTE Advanced Category 12 in the downlink while the uplink features Category 13 . This will give download rates of as much as 600 Mbps while upload rates will be able to reach 150 Mbps. That's quick enough to stream a 4K video clip in both directions at the same time, and all that with a lot of bandwidth available for other operations. Qualcomm is also incorporating the 802.11ad starndard for WIFI, which although you're not able to use right now is likely to soon be taking over as the new common WIFI standard. The new CPU will also show radical changes in the amount of time it takes to charge mobile phones. Charging is one aspect where there is a great deal of development as of late and it has been a huge focus for rivals Samsung and Intel in recent times. It's no surprise then that Qualcomm has chosen this chip to incorporate its new Quick Charge 3.0, enabling users to charge a regular mobile phone battery to 80 percent capacity in 35 minutes. We should start seeing the Snapdragon 820 appear in phones 2016.