Weekend Edition: A building in a box, an inflatable house, and electric "treadmill shoes"

[New Atlas logo]( Welcome to our weekly wrap of the best stories to grace the pages of New Atlas over the last seven days. Sit back, relax and enjoy the Weekend Edition. Outdoors [$8,000 lockable building-in-a-box assembles in 11 minutes, sleeps 8]( [CMAX Systems' building-in-a-box before it becomes a building (image widened using AI)]( You could view it as a solid-floored uber-tent or an easily relocatable temporary building – but you could also call it a super-minimal tiny home for US$8,000. This remarkable building-in-a-box was designed for housing refugees, but it's now on sale. [Read more]( Outdoors [Inflatable house delivers quick comfort to your camping adventures]( [The Exod POD-01 is quick to set up but fairly hefty in terms of weight, so it's best for car camping]( Inspired by the technology behind super-strong kite-surfing wings, French company Exod has developed the Air Station POD-01, a portable, inflatable housing solution. The capsule inflates in five minutes and has enough room for up to four people. [Read more]( Virtual Reality [Electric "treadmill shoes" set to boost the world of VR gaming]( [The Freeaim VR Shoes in their current prototype form – each shoe has two motorized four-wheeled modules that can pivot relative to the rest of the shoe]( Shoes with motorized wheels could revolutionize the manner in which gamers walk through VR worlds. Currently being developed by UK/US startup Freeaim, the clever kicks are essentially little wearable treadmills. [Read more]( Military [First look: DARPA's latest stealth X-Plane will fly this year]( [The XRQ-73 hybrid electric prototype recon drone]( Northrop Grumman has released a photo of the Series Hybrid Electric Propulsion AiRcraft Demonstration (SHEPARD) XRQ-73 stealth drone X-plane that it has built for DARPA and is expected to fly by the end of the year. [Read more]( Aircraft [Fire-spitting pulsejet engine delivers bulk thrust at low cost]( [Wave's J-1 engine gets flight testing atop its Scitor demonstrator UAV]( After launching a modern pulsejet engine for UAVs back in March, Wave Engine Corporation announced this week that it's delivered the first units. The loud, pulse-combustion fire-breather is officially finding its way to air-bound vehicles. [Read more]( Outdoors [Sub-$10K Toyota pickup camper blows out cabin space with serious flare]( [Toppo Toppers blows out the sides for a bigger, roomier camping topper]( Topo Toppers' latest pickup camping topper debuts as its roomiest yet, pairing flared-out vertical sidewalls with a full-length pop-top to offer serious living space and super-queen-sized sleeping atop the Toyota Tacoma and other trucks. [Read more]( Marine [Scrap metal sets sail as 55-ft solar-electric catamaran]( ["We have designed and engineered a dozen multihulls in recent years, but the Hu'chu 55 represents a significant leap forward in terms of sustainability and circularity," said iYacht CEO, Udo A. Hafner]( iYacht has been commissioned to help German TV and movie actor Daniel Roesner realize his vision for a "sustainable catamaran designed with circularity in mind." The 55-ft multihull will be built using scrap metal, reclaimed wood and recycled cork. [Read more]( Outdoors [World's first instant-tint glasses change shade at the touch of a button]( [Tiny controls on the side let you instantly lighten or darken your shades at will]( Eyewear company Chamelo has delivered a world first, with sunglasses that can change colour and transparency with a single finger tap. While this may feel like style over substance, this tech has the potential to stretch far beyond fashion. [Read more]( Robotics [Xiaomi's self-optimizing autonomous factory will make 10M+ phones a year]( [The new "dark factory" in Beijing: all key manufacturing processes are now fully automated]( There are no humans working the new Xiaomi production lines – this new Smart Factory is 100% automated. Indeed, the company says the system is smart enough to diagnose and fix problems, as well as optimizing its own processes to "evolve by itself." [Read more]( Technology [Fats from thin air: Startup makes butter using CO2 and water]( [Savor uses chemistry to make 'butter' that tastes just like the real thing]( Bill Gates has thrown his weight – and his money – behind a startup making a rich, fatty spread akin to butter, using just carbon dioxide and hydrogen. And this is just the start, with milk, ice-cream, cheese, meat and plant oils also in development. [Read more]( Tiny Houses [Cork-clad tiny house takes inspired approach to maximizing space]( [The Terra m2_Tiny House on Wheels is based on a double-axle trailer and has a length of 5 m (16.4 ft)]( MadeiGuincho has recently completed another striking tiny house. Partly finished in cork, it features an unusual interior layout spread over three levels that maximizes available space, and is topped by a small rooftop terrace area. [Read more]( Energy [Fusion energy companies unite to accelerate commercial power]( [Interior of a fusion reactor under construction]( A recent ITER workshop bringing together almost 50 CEOs and senior scientists from private fusion startups suggests that combining the technologies from magnetic and laser fusion experiments could accelerate the development of practical fusion power. [Read more]( Tiny Houses [Solar-powered micro house doesn't skimp on home comforts]( [The Cosmic One version shown is the Studio model and measures just 380 sq ft (35.3 sq m)]( The Cosmic One is a prefabricated micro house that can serve as an accessory dwelling unit, a tiny house, or even a family home. It receives power from solar panels and features a compact interior that doesn't skimp on the home comforts. [Read more]( Medical [Talc "probably" causes cancer, WHO agency finds]( [Mineral powder talc has been widely used in cosmetics and as 'baby powder']( The World Health Organization's cancer research agency has delivered a damning report on the soft mineral talc, calling it "probably" carcinogenic to humans, in particular powders that have been contaminated with asbestos during the mining process. [Read more]( Automotive [Dual-lounge VW camper opens up most relaxing van camping of the summer]( [The Hobby Maxia 680 DT made its debut at CMT in January 2024 (exclusions do apply: massive rooftop display not included with purchase)]( Hobby took Volkswagen camper van life to new levels of comfort and style when it debuted the Maxia Van in 2022. This year, it's introduced a new floor plan with front and rear lounges that offer loads of space for onboard relaxation. [Read more]( Technology [Watch: The morbid, mesmerizing beauty of AI gymnastics]( [We tried to get a 'good' image, but then realized what we were working with]( With AI advancements landing at lightning speed, it can feel like we're all stuck on a dizzying ride that we can't pause to take a breather. So, on days like this, it's worth remembering that, much like humans, there are some hilarious underachievers. [Read more]( Bicycles [Affordable dual-motor 2WD ebike easily conquers 40-degree slopes]( [The X3000 Max folding eMTB has been described as a beast, and backs that up with a 1,000-watt hub motor at each wheel, chunky fat tires, full suspension, and an 80-mile battery]( Fat-tire ebikes pretty much always make for smile-packed off-road fun, but is one motor enough to power the ride? Oddly named maker Lankeleisi clearly doesn't think so, as evidenced in the X3000 Max adventure folder with dual 1-kW motors. [Read more]( Around The Home [Wild new Wi-Fi routers turn your home network into a security radar]( [WiFi signals can be used like radars, mapping out everything and everyone in your home in 3D – image created using generative tools]( Wi-Fi security usually means keeping virtual intruders out, but a new system claims to use Wi-Fi networks to detect physical intruders. Gamgee’s Wi-Fi Home Alarm System can learn to recognize people who belong there and alert you to strangers. [Read more]( Aircraft [Watch: Nevada's new flying car handles like a go-kart, hovers like a heli]( [A road-going helicopter that handles like a go-kart and drives at highway speeds]( It drives at highway speeds, handles like a go-kart, transforms from drive to fly mode in three seconds, takes off vertically, and can fly for up to three hours on a hybrid powertrain. This remarkable road-going rotorcraft company is moving to Vegas. [Read more]( Technology [Harvester pulls 1.5 gallons of drinking water from arid air per day]( [MIT has developed a new device that can harvest drinkable quantities of water from dry air]( It’s ironic that while many regions struggle with water shortages, there’s heaps of the stuff floating around in the air everywhere. A new MIT water harvester design can pull enough fresh water out of the air to meet the daily needs of several people. 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