Gallery: Adorable Concept Sensors Track the True Onset of Summer

  • Image may contain Nature Outdoors Ocean Water Sea Shoreline Scenery Candle Coast Beach Clothing Apparel and Land
    Johanna Pichlbauer and Mia Meusburger
    01

    pool-2

    In the future, sensors will tell us a lot about how our cities work. But what about how our cities *feel*?
  • Summer Scouts a project from two design students in Vienna aims to answer that question. The suite of seven sensorfilled...
    Johanna Pichlbauer and Mia Meusburger
    02

    group-2

    Summer Scouts, a project from two design students in Vienna, aims to answer that question. The suite of seven sensor-filled gadgets would collect data on visceral changes in the city. Specifically, when summer has arrived.
  • Image may contain Home Decor
    Johanna Pichlbauer and Mia Meusburger
    03

    air

    This fan-shaped sensor gets affixed to the interior of a city bus, and measures the airflow that results in hot passengers squeezing in together and rolling down windows.
  • This sensor which looks like a mini water tower tracks smoke in the air from barbecues.
    Johanna Pichlbauer and Mia Meusburger
    04

    smoke

    This sensor, which looks like a mini water tower, tracks smoke in the air from barbecues.
  • Image may contain Drink Milk and Beverage
    Johanna Pichlbauer and Mia Meusburger
    05

    icecream

    An activity sensor could sit inside an ice cream store, tracking the rush of customers coming in looking for a cold treat on a hot day.
  • Image may contain Plant and Fern
    Johanna Pichlbauer and Mia Meusburger
    06

    mosquito

    Near a pond, another sensor would measure active mosquitos.
  • Image may contain Bird Feeder
    Johanna Pichlbauer and Mia Meusburger
    07

    pollen

    This suspended sensor would track pollen particles in the air—a scientific clue that points to a larger shift in the city.
  • Image may contain Human Person and Wood
    Johanna Pichlbauer and Mia Meusburger
    08

    sound

    This one looks like a speaker, and is meant to measure audio levels in biergartens. More noise signals the start of the outdoor drinking season.
Read More
Newly Deciphered Sabotage Malware May Have Targeted Iran’s Nuclear Program—and Predates Stuxnet
Researchers have finally cracked Fast16, mysterious code capable of silently tampering with calculation and simulation software. It was created in 2005—and likely deployed by the US or an ally.
Andy Greenberg
Rednote Draws a Line Between China and the World
As the platform expands abroad, it’s taking steps to separate Chinese users from the international audiences it once brought together.
Zeyi Yang
Apple’s Next Chapter, SpaceX and Cursor Strike a Deal, and Palantir’s Controversial Manifesto
In this week’s episode of Uncanny Valley, we talk about Tim Cook’s legacy as CEO at Apple and what his long-rumored departure means for the future of one of the world's biggest companies.
Brian Barrett
At 'AI Coachella,' Stanford Students Line Up to Learn From Silicon Valley Royalty
CS 153 has gone viral on the Palo Alto campus—and on X. Not everyone is happy about it.
Maxwell Zeff
Palantir Employees Are Starting to Wonder if They're the Bad Guys
Interviews with current and former Palantir employees, along with internal Slack messages obtained by WIRED, suggest a workforce in turmoil.
Makena Kelly
This Is the Only Office Lamp That Does Double Duty on My Nightstand
Portable lamps are rarely, if ever, as powerful, precise, and multipurpose as the Lume Cube Edge Light Go.
Matthew Korfhage
These New Smart Glasses From Ex-OnePlus Engineers Have a Hidden Cost
The Kickstarter-funded glasses from L'Atitude 52°N have AI features bundled for one year, but the company doesn't know yet how much it will charge for access after that.
Boone Ashworth
The Best Pool-Cleaning Robots for a Truly Automated Summer
Send the pool guy packing. One of these robotic buddies can maintain your water quality instead.
Christopher Null
The Best Fitbit Models for Every Lifestyle
The fitness trackers I'd recommend to beginners, athletes, and kids.
Boutayna Chokrane
Robot Vacuums That Don't Suck (Unless It's Dirt)
Tired of vacuuming? Hand the reins to a robot vacuum.
Nena Farrell
They Made D4vd a Star. Now They Want Him Convicted of Murder
A legion of young fans propelled the singer D4vd to viral fame. Now that he’s been charged with the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, they say the clues were in their Discord all along.
Jennifer Swann
Your Shower Water Might Be Messing With Your Hair and Skin—These Filters Help
I tested leading filtered showerheads to see how well they remove total chlorine from your water.
Matthew Korfhage