japan

I missed a chance to visit Spain last week, but this isn't a lament about that blown opportunity. Instead, it's about what I've learned since the devastating Japan earthquake on March 11, 2012. Let me explain.

I had been asked to make a presentation at Japan: One Year Later, a conference in Barcelona organized by Casa Asia and the Japan Foundation. I couldn't attend in person, so the organizer, Marta Ballada (@mballada) asked if I would consider participating in some digital fashion. Skype was the obvious answer, but the time difference would have meant my speaking … Read more

Modern nuclear power designs are safer, but that isn't enough to rekindle the long-sought nuclear renaissance.

One year after the Fukushima nuclear disaster, nuclear power is either slogging ahead or at the end of the road, depending on which country you live in. How nuclear grows in the years ahead largely depends on whether new designs can demonstrate better safety and, more importantly, compete on price.

Rather than freeze nuclear's progress, Fukushima simply made it harder to make the case for building new plants, experts say. Indeed, one of the primary barriers to a nuclear renaissance is cheap … Read more

One year after the worst nuclear disaster in decades reinvigorated fears of nuclear energy in the United States, we're still waiting for the implementation of safety standards intended to address the problem.

In response to the devastating earthquake and tsunami that crippled the Fukushima Daiichi power plant in Japan one year ago, a task force created safety recommendations for existing plants to protect against natural disasters, such as earthquakes and floods, and extended loss of power. Final orders are expected soon, but the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) said this week it doesn't expect to be able implement the … Read more

In Japan's hobby robot circles, Naoki Maru is a respected name. He has won the Robo-One fighting tournament more times than I can count, and now he has a new version of his legendary pugilist King Kizer.

Maru and his son recently showed off a kid-sized edition of the robot with a new master-slave control system. Inspired by the film "Real Steel," Maru's Real King Kizer wowed fans at an Osaka robot festival that wrapped up earlier this week.

Using a Kinect-style Xtion Pro Live sensor, the 3-foot, 2-inch Kizer reproduces the movements of Maru's son, who controlled the machine while Maru explained how it works. … Read more

Time just keeps ticking for the aging PlayStation Portable, as Sony released a new color variant for the gaming handheld in Japan earlier this week.

A value pack containing the new two-tone sky and marine blue PSP doesn't offer anything different from the 3-year-old PSP-3000. We admire the stylish contrast between the two different shades of blue, and minor details like the yellow text on the front looks swell. … Read more

Hungry for more PlayStation Vita news?

A Friday Webcast hosted by Sony and titled "PlayStation Vita Game Heaven" will reveal "unannounced Vita titles, upcoming releases, Vita services, as well as new information about in-release titles," notes Andriasang.com.

A teaser video clearly hints at developer interviews and behind-the-scenes footage, but English-only speakers may have a hard time following.… Read more

Omron's Sleepmeter HSL-101 and HSL-001 SleepDesign Lite are the Kyoto-based electronics manufacturer's first sleep-monitoring products.

The HSL-101 has a radio frequency sensor that sends out waves over a roughly 5-foot range. It stands by the bedside and starts scanning once you press the "good night" button.

The device detects body movements such as tossing and turning, as well as breathing. Blankets won't affect the sensor.

The HSL-101, which hits the Japanese market in May, analyses the data and gives you the total time you're awake and asleep with corresponding smiley faces (or sad faces) in the results display. … Read more

A panel set up to review the events of last year's nuclear disaster in Japan has released a withering criticism of the country's nuclear industry and the government's response to the crisis.

The investigation details mistakes made in the aftermath of the massive earthquake and tsunami one year ago which killed tens of thousands of people in Japan and caused the worst nuclear accident in decades. It was prepared by the Rebuild Japan Initiative Foundation (RJIF), a think tank created last year and funded by individuals and businesses.

The latest version of the report, published today on … Read more

News of the mind-controlled skateboard spurred a rather heated discussion on Crave this week about how we could apply brain-wave-powered tech to other aspects of our lives.

Of all the things we came up with, music was not one of them. However, Japanese artist Masaki Batoh's had the wherewithal to make that connection.

Wanting to remember and help those affected by last year's Great East Japan earthquake, Batoh produced a new album, called "Brain Pulse Music," that took survivors' brain waves and turned them into music. … Read more