Electronic Gadgets

With the advent of email and scanning, why would anyone want to bother with faxing? Actually, it's still going strong in medical, insurance and government circles. Here's why.

By Nathan Chandler

The Rolex name is synonymous with luxury and cool. But how did this watch company become one of the most famous brands in the world?

By Carrie Whitney, Ph.D.

MIT's AlterEgo allows you to control a computer and ask it questions without ever uttering one word. It could mean profound changes on how we communicate.

By John Perritano

Virtual reality makes it easier — and a little more fun — for sick kids to deal with painful medical procedures.

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

In an effort to capture a wider market, the makers of a police body cam have adapted their product and introduced the Venture wearable camera. Will it catch on?

By Patrick J. Kiger

Suppose a smart home device was programmed to call the police if it heard certain words or sounds? Good idea or bad?

By Dave Roos

It's a lot harder to develop a breath test for marijuana and opioids than it is for alcohol. But that hasn't stopped a lot of people from trying.

By Alia Hoyt

And it's strangely entertaining.

By Jonathan Strickland

What if you couldn't lift a spoon to your mouth without tipping out the contents? A robotic utensil may make this frustrating scenario a problem of the past.

By Laurie L. Dove

Amazon Echo might look like a cylindrical Bluetooth speaker, but could it actually be the voice-controlled computer that will finally walk us into the future?

By Bernadette Johnson

Panasonic showed off some invisible products at an electronics show. How do they work?

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

Chinese scientists have created the first fibers that can capture solar energy and survive the clothing manufacturing process.

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

Soon we might rely on flexible wearable monitors to replace breathalyzers and analyze sweat, notifying us if we've had one too many — or are near the limit.

By Laurie L. Dove

The utility industry and environmentalists see smart utility meters as modernizing the nation, but some claim privacy and health risks. Is that just paranoia?

By Patrick J. Kiger

Swiveling around in an Aeron chair can make a lowly assistant feel like an executive. But how did it get so big?

By Alia Hoyt

Someone should invent a jacket that automatically adjusts to keep you comfortable no matter the temperature inside or out. Someone just did.

By Karen Kirkpatrick

Three attacks on female runners prompted us to check out what apps and tech are out there to help keep runners safe and logging those miles.

By Kate Kershner

What happens after your bags go on the conveyor belt? And how can you be sure you'll see them again?

By Kathryn Whitbourne

Two college undergrads have invented a pair of gloves that can track sign language and turn it into either spoken word or text.

By Kate Kershner

Once the domain of robots, the seafloor's becoming more accessible thanks to 3-D, HD videos like this one created near Samoa by the research vessel Falkor.

By Christopher Hassiotis

Want to ditch those reading glasses for specs that won't make your head spin every time you look around? One company is working on glasses that do all the heavy lifting.

By Chris Opfer

Researchers in Japan have introduced an electric fork that causes the eater to taste salt. Welcome to the stimulating world of electro-gustation.

By Kate Kershner

One of the world's biggest athletic shoe makers is launching a new set of kicks that won't have to be double knotted. We assume Marty McFly's on that pre-order tip.

By Chris Opfer

You want to know how many uppercuts you're throwing, right? The wearable tech company Hykso has your back.

By Rachel Pendergrass

Changing your speech to be understood by another person is one thing. Have you altered your accent just so your phone's voice recognition software understands you?

By Patrick J. Kiger