So this is what a Harley-Davidson Bagger would look like if BMW Motorrad made it. Not too shabby! BMW recently took to the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este on Lake Como to unveil the Vision K18 concept motorcycle, and it’s got the motorcycle industry on notice.
Category: Motorcycles, Transport
Tags: BMW, BMW Motorrad, Harley Davidson, Aluminum, Concept Motorcycles
Is life really out there? The Fermi Paradox famously presents a compelling statistical argument as to why life should be abundant throughout the cosmos.
Tags: Life, Astronomy, biochemistry, Organic
The day is coming when you may walk past a robot and have no idea it was a robot. Over years of engineering, we've given robots skeletons, brains, senses, and even a nervous system. Muscles have proven particularly complex (not that the other things were easy).
Category: Robotics, Engineering
Tags: Harvard, 3D Printing, Artificial Muscles
Could glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) nix the inflammation that drives asthma? Maybe, according to a large national study in Denmark.
Category: Obesity, Illnesses and conditions, Body and Mind
Tags: GLP-1 receptor agonists, Weight Loss, Inflammation, Asthma, Asthma inhaler, Respiratory health, Lung, Chronic illness
With the new Osmo Mobile 8P, DJI's borrowing a handy feature from its high-end Ronin gimbals for mirrorless cameras for its latest smartphone stabilizer – and then taking things up a notch.
Category: Consumer Tech, Technology
Tags: DJI Innovations, Gimbals, Photography, Cameras
Adobe has released its build of Camera Raw that supports the newly-announced Sony a7R VI, which allows us to process the Raw test images of our studio scene and produce Raw conversions from the samples we shot.
Our test scene is designed to simulate a variety of textures, colors, and detail types you'll encounter in the real world. It also has two illumination modes, full even light and low directional light, to see the effect of different lighting conditions.
Image ComparisonThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Click here to open it in a new browser window / tab.The Raw for our base ISO shot tells a very similar story to the JPEG: the a7R VI captures a bit more detail than its predecessor could, furthering its lead over the 45MP competition. Viewed at comparative sizes, there isn't a noticeable difference in the noise levels at ISO 100.
Thankfully, this remains the case at mid and high ISOs as well, meaning you're not paying a penalty for the increased speed and resolution compared to the a7R V. Given that the line has always been focused on image quality above speed, it's nice to see that the increased flexibility brought by the a7R VI's stacked sensor doesn't make it worse for its core audience.
Now that we can compare the two, we can also see that Sony's JPEG engine is doing a good job of including the details captured by the Raws at base ISO. At higher ISOs, it's deft enough at applying noise reduction to include most of the Raws' detail.
The ability to process Raws also lets us turn our Raws into HDR JPEGs. You can view the original on a device with an HDR-capable display to see the full effect.
Sony a7R VI | Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II | 24mm | F11 | 1/20 sec | ISO 100 | Processed in ACR
Photo: Richard Butler
Be sure to also check out our sample gallery, as we've added a few new shots and reprocessed a few of the original images from it. Many of these edits involved pulling up the shadows after we shot the images to preserve highlights, exploiting this sensor's excellent dynamic range. We also have a pair of images shot at the same exposure in mechanical and e-shutter mode, to demonstrate the difference in dynamic range when the camera is reading from both of its gain steps and when it's not. We'll go into more depth on that topic in a future article.
Sample galleryThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Click here to open it in a new browser window / tab.Buy now:
Buy at AdoramaBuy at B&H PhotoLike the spin of a cosmic coin, a unique set of particle oscillations could ultimately decide the fate of the Universe’s biggest suns.
Tags: Black hole, Neutrino, Supernova, Stars
Nissan keeps the factory camper vans coming. Its newest is built atop its smallest van, the Clipper kei van, which measures in under 3.4 meters (11.2 feet) long. To make it a micro-camper, Nissan relies on a basic household staple with which everyday DIY handymen have been familiar for ages: pegboard. The van's integrated peg panels serve as a simple, affordable means of holding up the bed and providing highly versatile storage organization for related (and unrelated) outdoor adventures.
Category: Campervans, Adventure Vehicles, Outdoors
Tags: Kei Cars, mini-campervan, Nissan, Campervan, RV, Cargo, Japanese, Camping, Outdoors and Camping
It isn't easy harnessing the power of waves in the sea to generate electricity, but a Spanish engineering firm is giving it the ol' college try with a giant floating buoy.
Category: Energy, Engineering
Tags: Wave, Ocean, Clean Energy, Renewable Energy
We've had Panasonic's latest enthusiast compact, the L10, for a few days now, and have had some opportunities to get out and shoot with it. While we'll be shooting many more photos as we continue to review it, we figured it'd be worth sharing some of the shots we've taken so far, as there's been a lot of interest in this camera.
Included in the gallery are samples taken using the camera's various aspect ratio modes – it's designed to give you the same diagonal field of view throughout its 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 and 1:1 crop modes – and using a variety of the camera's built-in color modes, including some of the new L.Classic varieties. If you want a more in-depth look at the L10, you can check out our launch coverage, and our hands-on tour of it.
Sample galleryThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Click here to open it in a new browser window / tab.Though many of us take grid power for granted, if it goes down for any reason many of us are left in the dark. The Sierro is a new compact home backup system designed to keep your most important devices, like your fridge, router, or CPAP machine, running through an outage.
Category: Around The Home, Consumer Tech, Technology
Tags: Kickstarter, Battery, Backup, Power, Compact
Insta360 has announced a new wireless microphone system, the Mic Pro. The company's flagship mic features a few promising tricks that set it apart from a crowded field of mics: the transmitters feature a three-mic array and an e-ink display.
Although simple, one of the more exciting features of the Mic Pro is the color e-ink display on the transmitter, which Insta360 says is an industry first. Most wireless mics feature a giant brand logo on the front, but the display makes it possible to customize the transmitter in a way that looks better than a piece of tape. The e-ink technology uses less power than other display types, so it won't chew through battery life, and it's also easier to see in bright sunlight, making it useful for outdoor productions.
Although it's hard to see, these mics have emojis on them instead of the Insta360 logo.Users can upload any graphic they want via the Insta360 app, including their channel art, personal brand logo, talent names or other key identifiers that would be helpful during production. The e-ink display stays on even when the transmitter is off, so identifying information will stick around during breaks. It allows you to put your own brand on display instead of the mic company's, or to display useful information that will help during or after production.
Insta360 also says that the three-mic array in the Mic Pro is an industry first, since most transmitters use a single built-in omnidirectional capsule, picking up sound from all around it. The Mic Pro, meanwhile, can combine the signals from its three mics and process them to focus on sound coming from specific directions, which you can set using the receiver or the Insta360 app.
For example, with the cardioid configuration selected, it can be mounted on a camera to function as a shotgun mic, while figure-8 mode is ideal for two-person interviews with only a single mic. Insta360 also says that an onboard neural processing chip powers the AI noise cancellation feature, aiming to reduce background noise without distorting the speaker's voice.
Image: Insta360In terms of other general mic features, the Mic Pro supports timecode sync. It also offers 32-bit float to prevent clipping and stereo internal recording. It also provides 32GB of on-board storage. Insta360 promises 10 hours of battery life from the transmitters and up to 30 hours with the included charging case.
The mic system supports multi-channel recording in two configurations. In two-to-four mode, two transmitters can send audio to up to four receivers simultaneously, making it easier to feed the same mics to multiple cameras or recording devices. In four-to-one mode, up to four transmitters can feed a single receiver, though four-channel recording requires a compatible Sony camera and a separate adapter.
The Mic Pro can be paired with Insta360 products via Bluetooth without needing the receiver. Insta360 also says that future products will support dual-transmitter direct connection. For other devices, the receiver can connect via 3.5mm audio cable or USB-C.
Image: Insta360The Insta360 Mic Pro is available now at a starting price of $330, which includes two transmitters, one receiver and the charging case.
Press release:
Insta360 Launches Mic Pro: A Wireless Microphone Solving Professional Audio's Biggest Pain PointsInsta360 today announced the Mic Pro, a flagship wireless microphone system that transforms sound into something you can see and own. Designed for creators, filmmakers, podcasters, and event professionals who demand professional-grade results without professional-grade complexity, Mic Pro introduces two industry-first technologies: a customizable E-Ink display and a 3-microphone array.
Beyond professional production, Mic Pro is designed for a new generation of creators, enabling everyday storytelling with audio that is not only heard, but seen and personal. Your microphone is no longer just a tool. It carries your name, your logo, your identity, all the way through to the shot.
Together, these technologies address limitations that have plagued the wireless audio category for years.
Customizable E-Ink Display: An Industry First
Mic Pro is the first wireless microphone to feature a customizable E-Ink display on each transmitter.
Via the Insta360 app, users upload any graphic: station logos, channel art, talent names, or production identifiers. The screen displays it persistently, even when the unit is powered off. On a busy set with multiple transmitters, instant visual identification replaces guesswork.
The choice of E-Ink over OLED is functional as well as distinctive. E-Ink consumes power only during screen refresh, not while displaying a static image, which contributes meaningfully to battery life during extended production days.
Under direct sunlight, where OLED screens wash out and become unreadable, E-Ink remains sharp and high-contrast without glare. For outdoor productions, field recording, and live events, this is a reliability advantage that OLED-equipped competitors simply cannot match.
What Makes Insta360's New Wireless Microphone Different?
Industry-First, High-Performance 3-Mic Array With Polar Patterns
Conventional wireless microphones rely on a single omnidirectional capsule. The pickup pattern is fixed, and users cannot adapt to different acoustic environments without switching hardware entirely.
Mic Pro integrates three microphones into each transmitter. Digital signal processing dynamically combines their input to emulate distinct polar patterns, selectable from the receiver or the Insta360 app. The result is a single device that adapts to the environment rather than the other way around, with the right pickup pattern ready for each shooting scenario. When mounted on a camera for video shoots, the cardioid configuration functions as a directional shotgun mic, giving run-and-gun filmmakers precise front-focused capture without additional hardware.
Omnidirectional mode opens up the pickup area for relaxed, ambient capture. Cardioid mode tightens the pickup to the front, ideal for vlogging, solo livestreams, ASMR, and voiceover. Figure-8 mode captures from both front and rear, built for interviews and two-person conversations.
AI noise cancellation is powered by an onboard NPU chip, designed to reduce background interference without compromising vocal quality. Unlike standard noise reduction that can flatten or dull a voice, the NPU processes sound with greater precision to preserve natural tone and clarity. Wind, crowd noise, and ambient interference are reduced while voices remain clear and lifelike.
32-Bit Float Recording: The End of Clipped Audio
At the core of Mic Pro's audio is 32-bit float internal recording.
Unlike conventional 24-bit recording systems that clip when audio exceeds a set threshold, 32-bit float captures a dynamic range so wide that clipping is effectively eliminated. A whisper and a sudden shout can coexist in the same recording without either being lost.
In post-production, normalization replaces the stress of real-time gain management, saving takes that would otherwise be ruined by unexpected loud sounds during interviews, ceremonies, and live events.
32GB Built-In Storage: An Onboard Safety Net
Each transmitter records independently to 32GB of onboard memory, providing a continuous safety net against wireless interference or camera failure. Recordings auto-split every 30 minutes to prevent file size limitations from interrupting long takes.
Stereo internal recording, a feature unique to Mic Pro in this class, captures immersive ambient soundscapes and ASMR-quality audio directly to the transmitter at up to 32-bit float quality.
For additional control, Auto Gain Control offers two modes. Prevent Clipping (Auto) handles unpredictable high-dynamic environments, while Dynamic Mode suits controlled indoor recording where consistent output levels matter most.
Scalability Beyond Two Channels
Most compact wireless systems hard-cap at two transmitters per receiver. Mic Pro breaks that ceiling with two configurations designed for the most demanding multi-source audio scenarios.
4-to-1 mode connects four transmitters to a single receiver, feeding four isolated tracks without external mixers. Podcasters, panel moderators, and interviewers can scale to four guests while retaining individual track control in post.
2-to-4 mode distributes two transmitters across four receivers simultaneously, solving the audio distribution challenge in multi-camera productions. Weddings, corporate events, and broadcast setups that run several cameras can now share clean audio without complex routing or cable infrastructure.
Four-channel output is available when connecting to compatible Sony cameras via the Camera Adapter, enabling 48kHz 24-bit digital audio across all four tracks (adapter sold separately).
Direct Insta360 Camera Connection
Mic Pro pairs directly with Insta360 cameras, including X5, X4 Air, Ace Pro 2, and GO Ultra, via Bluetooth. This delivers 48kHz high-fidelity audio without a receiver, eliminating a piece of hardware from the kit entirely for creators already in the Insta360 ecosystem.
Dual-transmitter direct connection will be available with upcoming Insta360 camera releases.
All-Day Power With Fast Charging
Each transmitter delivers 10 hours of standalone battery life, extending to 30 hours with the included charging case.
A 5-minute fast charge provides up to one additional hour of recording time, enough to get back to action between setups. The receiver syncs its power state with the connected camera automatically, and both transmitter and receiver support auto power-off to conserve battery when not in use.
Timecode Sync and Broad Device Compatibility
Mic Pro supports timecode sync via a high-precision TCXO oscillator, maintaining less than one frame of drift across 24 hours and keeping audio locked to video across every device on a multi-camera production.
The system connects to DSLR and mirrorless cameras via 3.5mm audio cable, to smartphones via USB-C or Lightning adapters, and integrates natively with the Insta360 ecosystem via Bluetooth. It is compatible with virtually every camera, phone, and recorder in professional use today.
At a Glance
Availability
The wireless microphone market has long forced a compromise: portability or capability, but rarely both. Mic Pro eliminates these friction points with high performance and its unique E-Ink display.
Insta360 Mic Pro is available now, with a new buyer's guide from Insta360 that covers the differences across its audio range here. The 2 TX + 1 RX kit starts from US$329.99, with additional configurations available at the Insta360 Official Store and Amazon, as well as authorized distributors worldwide.
You can already work and game on a virtual screen using the current crop of augmented reality glasses – but what if you're a demanding gamer who lives for high-fidelity graphics and buttery smooth animation?
Category: Consumer Tech, Technology
Tags: Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Games, Asus, Glasses, 3D Glasses
This one’s a biggie. Honda has just posted its first annual loss since becoming a publicly traded company back in 1957. And it’s not a small number either – Honda reported a staggering net loss of US$2.7 billion for the fiscal year ending March 31.
Category: Automotive, Transport
Tags: Honda, Honda Motorcycles, Financial, Tesla Motors, BYD, Electric Vehicles
It’s fairly easy for people to learn from other people – we’ve been doing it for around 300,000 years – because we can observe, copy, and modify what they’re doing. It’s less easy for us to learn from other animals that way, because the less our cognition and bodies are alike, the harder it is to copy and modify what they do. Learning about plants, fungi, protozoa, and bacteria is easy enough, but learning from them? Forget it.
Category: Robotics, Engineering
Sally Christine Reynolds, Bournemouth University/ The Conversation
Tags: Human, Genetics, Neanderthal, Fossils, denisovan
Advances in understanding of neuron activity and adaptation during squirrel hibernation could help inform stroke treatment and recovery.
Tags: Stroke, Neurological, Animals, Nerves, Brain
Flossing regularly is great for your teeth, but the single-use plastic picks add to the ever-growing problem of household waste. A Swedish design team has a better solution, in the form of a sleek flosser that's made to last a lifetime.
Category: Around The Home, Consumer Tech, Technology
Tags: Product alternatives, sustainable design, Dental, Teeth, Kickstarter
Turkey-based upstart Shark Instruments is taking the fight to higher-end guitar makers with advanced manufacturing capabilities. Its latest industry-first feature: adjustable frets.
Category: Music, Consumer Tech, Technology
What better place to pull the covers off of your latest and greatest pocket camera than the Cannes Film Festival? "By unveiling the Osmo Pocket 4P at one of the most prestigious stages in global filmmaking, DJI signals a bold evolution of the Pocket series from a creator tool into a cinematic imaging device capable of professional-grade storytelling," says the company.
Category: Consumer Tech, Technology
Tags: DJI Innovations, Camera, Pocket, Actioncam, Gimbals
