Tech Universe: Tuesday 22 February

The Ktrak cycle works on snow and sand. Photo / Ktrak

TAKE YOUR BIKE TO THE BEACH: We don't need to worry too much about snow in New Zealand, but you might like this bike hack for extra fun at the beach. The Ktrak system provides traction on snow and sand. A ski replaces the front wheel, while the back wheel gains a track moderated by idler wheels. Beach biking could be a whole new sport. More at KtrakCycle and video on YouTube.

THE SMELL OF SUCCESS: The Otoko Kaoru shirt is a Japanese product. For those days when even deodorant or aftershave can't cover the odour of hard work the shirt's embedded rose-scented micro-capsules may be what you need. As the fabric rubs against the skin the capsules explode releasing a rose and menthol fragrance. And you come up smelling of roses. And mint. More at JapanTimes.

ELECTRIC GRASP: A Toronto study showed improved function in people with paralysed muscles after electrical stimulation. The underlying idea is that the nervous system learns the movements and starts to move muscles on its own. The Functional Electronic Stimulation device can fit in a pocket and emits tiny bursts of electricity. It sounds promising. More at TorontoRehab and video on YouTube.

HD 3D WOWEE: The Japanese National Institute of Information and Communications Technology has developed a whopping 5 metre HD 3D display - no special glasses required. More than one person can watch at the same time. They expect it to be used for industrial applications such as digital signs and showroom displays. Yes, it definitely wouldn't fit in my living room. More at NICT.

HARDWARE HASH: Cheap counterfeit hardware adds danger to workplaces if the goods fail to meet standards. The Fraunhofer Institute for Secure Information Technology takes advantage of minute variations that arise during manufacturing to create a unique key for each product. They integrate a special PUF module onto a chip to recognise Physical Unclonable Functions and authenticate the hardware. It's like a digital fingerprint. Or an MD5 hash. More at ScienceDaily.

- Miraz Jordan knowit.co.nz