Inhabitat’s Week in Green: bionic eyeglasses, renewable energy island, and a hybrid Popemobile

Technology wired the human body in incredible new ways this week as Inhabitat reported that a paralyzed Japanese man embarked upon an adventure through France with the aid of a robotic exoskeleton . We also watched NASA launch a pee recycling bag that turns urine into a sports drink, and we spotted a pair of bionic eyeglasses that could help the blind see. On the other hand, robots are getting more and more creative – check out these psychedelic LED light paintings made by Roomba vacuums. We also saw a new study show that kids are predicting the future of technology , and Toysmith gave ordinary cardboard packaging a fun robot reboot . Futuristic aviation made major headwinds this week as the European Union invested $6.2 million dollars to develop a new breed of “myCopter” flying cars . We also watched as the eGenius airplane shattered a world speed record and Thomson Airways launched the UK’s first airline powered by cooking oil . Green machines hit the streets as well as BMW unveiled its blazing Motorrad E-Bike and Pope Benedict XVI scored an M-Class Mercedes hybrid Popemobile . In other news, alternative energy gained major ground as a report revealed that America now receives more power from renewable sources than from nuclear plants . Meanwhile, we set sail for the world’s first renewable energy island , and we dug up a deserted tin mine that has been transformed into a 1.4 MW solar plant . We also explored the greener side of technology in our Ask a Tech Geek series as gadget expert (and Engadget founder) Peter Rojas explained ways to cut your laptop’s power consumption , the key to energy-efficient gadget charging , the intricacies of your laptop’s sleep mode , and the best way to recycle your old cables and chargers . Finally, as summer hit its peak we took a look at a few fresh new designs for fun in the sun – check out this incredible grass globe illusion that popped up in Paris and this beautiful wind chime bridge that sings with the forest winds. Inhabitat’s Week in Green: bionic eyeglasses, renewable energy island, and a hybrid Popemobile originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 10 Jul 2011 18:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

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