The Sydney-based startup Elanation has developed an Internet of Things IoT platform for children 8-12 that integrates with the virtual world to encourage outdoor play. The first product Elanation marketed was the Eturbo Sports Wristband, a smart wearable that measures steps, distance, heart rate, and has a touchscreen. The "cool factor" is that it connects to a virtual world. Every step in the real world translates into a virtual game advancement-10,000 steps a day unlocks video content from sporting athletes across Australia, teaching the child new sporting tips and tricks. www.elanation.com
PurpleBricks started in the U.K. and is now expanding its low cost service in Australia with plans to disrupt the real estate industry. www.purplebricks.com.au
What's an imaginative way to combat homelessness? Offer to build granny flats on citizens' properties for free. A local government in the state of Oregon plans to fund construction of up to 300 miniature (200 square foot) homes on residential properties in the next year. The only catch is that property owners must agree to lease the flats to homeless families for five years. Then, property owners can keep the structures at no cost for any personal use. http://www.wweek.com/news/city/2017/03/14/multnomah-county-hopes-to-build-granny-flats-to-house-hundreds-of-homeless-families-in-portland-backyards
A step forward in ways to replace damaged or diseased human organs is by 3-D printing new organs. Successful trials are promising. Yet, a huge challenge is to create a vascular system to provide blood supply to those organ tissues. In the case of heart replacement, spinach might be the answer. The structure of spinach leaves may offer the answer as a viable blood vessel "plumbing" system. Check out the research at http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/03/human-heart-spinach-leaf-medicine-science.
