Weekend Edition: A cornucopia of camping options and projectors aplenty

[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. Automotive [New Ford Nugget camper vans make van life even tastier]( [The new Ford Nugget Active is available as a PHEV as well as a diesel AWD]( Ford fully updated its Nugget camper van series around the 2nd-gen Transit Custom a year ago. Now it's growing the family with some new additions, including a long wheelbase, sporty Active model, and introduction of PHEV and all-wheel drive options. [Read more]( Home Entertainment [Samsung puts the TV on notice with premium 4K UST projectors]( [The Premiere family of UST projectors has two new members]( If you love movies but don't want a massive TV dominating your living space, an ultra-short-throw projector could be a good option. Samsung has added two models to its Premiere line of premium screen fillers, offering 4K visuals and immersive sound. [Read more]( Home Entertainment ["Ultra-short-throw powerhouse" brings Google TV to your living space]( ["The Formovie Cinema Edge is designed to elevate home entertainment to new heights, catering to a wide range of users - from movie enthusiasts to avid gamers"]( Following the success of 2021's award-winning Theater ultra-short-throw laser projector, China's Formovie has added a cheaper model called the Cinema Edge. This brighter family member comes packing Google TV with Netflix cooked in. [Read more]( Automotive [Nissan shows its most versatile camper van yet]( [Nissan goes the easy way to camper van conversion, rolling a PlugVan module into its full-size Interstar]( Nissan has transformed its full-size Interstar commercial van into a weekend escape with a roll-in/roll-out camper van solution. Just as quickly as it becomes a camper on Friday afternoon, the van gets ready for the workweek on Sunday evening. [Read more]( Outdoors [Swing-away hitch tent base camps like a fabric moon lander]( [The Swing Away tent drops its disc feet down onto base camp]( The hitch tent has seen some interest from a few startups and even a name brand, but it hasn't quite taken off. The latest take on the genre looks to prove itself with a swing-out design that lets campers create a base camp with full tailgate access. [Read more]( Health & Wellbeing [Voice linked to blood sugar: the potential for voice-based diabetes monitoring]( [The link between voice pitch and blood sugar levels could mean a non-invasive way of detecting and monitoring diabetes]( When blood sugar levels go high, so does voice pitch, according to a new study. It paves the way for detecting type 2 diabetes or monitoring diabetics’ blood sugars simply by talking into a smartphone and having AI analyze their speech. [Read more]( Robotics [Engineers building a jet-powered flying humanoid for disaster response]( [Jets for hands plus two more on the jetpack: the iRonCub3 is being designed for fast disaster response]( Imagine that you're injured on a remote mountain path but have managed to contact emergency rescue. The first to arrive on the scene could be a small humanoid robot wearing a jetpack if Italian research bears fruit. [Read more]( Materials [No glue required: Wood and metal bonded with sound and 3D printing]( [In Ultrasonic Joining, two materials like wood and metal are joined by heat produced from the friction of sound waves]( Manufacturing could be dramatically changed thanks to two new techniques for joining materials created by scientists in Austria. The two methods create super strong bonds at the pore level, eliminating the need for caustic adhesives. [Read more]( Outdoors [Tiny titanium multitool takes the "everyday carry" thing seriously]( [The Multi-Kit multitool – with its unique carabiner gate mechanism – is presently on Kickstarter]( While most multitools are touted as being EDC (everyday carry), many are big enough that they're not likely to actually be carried every day. The Multi-Kit isn't like that, as it packs an impressive array of features into a relatively tiny package. [Read more]( Computers [Thought-to-text chip smaller than Neuralink achieves 91% accuracy]( [The new super-small MiBMI chip with a pair of tweezers and alligator clip for comparison]( The brain-machine interface race is on. While Elon Musk's Neuralink has garnered most of the headlines in this field, a new small and thin chip out of Switzerland makes it look downright clunky by comparison. It also works impressively well. [Read more]( Energy [Nuclear reactors a mile underground promise safe, cheap power]( [The Deep Fission reactor uses many of the same components as a conventional reactor, like this fuel assembly]( Deep Fission has come up with a new solution to the economic and safety problems of nuclear power that is, to say the least, novel. The idea is to build a reactor that's under 30 inches (76 cm) wide and stick it down a mile-deep (1.6-km) drill shaft. [Read more]( Science [Simple technique removes over 98% of nanoplastic particles from water]( [A new technique can remove nanoplastics from water – and under pretty lights, it sure looks cool]( Researchers from the University of Missouri have developed a relatively simple and safe method that allows over 98% of nanoplastic particles in water to easily be scraped off the top. [Read more]( Architecture [Wasp-inspired setup 3D-prints complete homes for $1,000]( [The Crane WASP extruder is capable of using all types of materials, such as clay, mud, sand and even agricultural waste]( The Crane WASP uses locally sourced clay, mud or cement with aggregate and natural or artificial fibers to 3D-print houses. That means all the dirt you just pushed around to level out your new yard can be used as printing material. [Read more]( Tiny Houses [Easy-to-tow tiny house doubles down on space-saving design]( [The Tiny house du Lac has a length of just 5.4 m (17.8 ft)]( French tiny houses tend to be a lot smaller than US models. However, few are as portable as the Tiny house du Lac, which despite its length of just 5.4 m sleeps two people – or even a family of three, at a squeeze. [Read more]( Wearables [EMC SR-71 watch with dash of SR-71 Blackbird spy-plane in crank handle]( [The EMC SR-71 watch]( If you've ever looked at your wrist and wished that you had a Cold War momento on it that costs as much as a hypercar, Urwerk has your back with its EMC SR-71 watch that includes material from an SR-71 Blackbird supersonic spy-plane. [Read more]( Technology [H2Starfire engine: A new and insanely efficient type of rotary]( [The H2Starfire engine promises insanely efficient combustion power with zero NOx emissions and clean water as the only byproduct]( Astron aerospace has shown a partial prototype of a new rotary combustion engine it claims runs at an extraordinary 60% thermal efficiency, burning totally clean with zero NOx emissions and nothing but fresh water out of the tailpipe. [Read more]( Biology ["Bananageddon" again approaches, but a new weapon could save our skins]( [Bananas could be wiped out by a virulent fungus, but a new study uncovers a potential way to fight back]( A “bananageddon” might be on the horizon, and not for the first time. But new research could help save our favorite fruit. [Read more]( Marine [Watch: Twin-hull hydrofoiling catamaran smashes big-wave storm tests]( [The 66-ft, 40,000-kg T-2000 catamaran crashes through rough sea testing in style]( Ireland's Safehaven Marine builds search and rescue craft, patrol boats and pilot boats designed to operate in "all weather" – up to and including Force 10 storms with waves up to 23 ft (7 m) high. The firm backs this up with some spectacular testing. [Read more]( Health & Wellbeing [How exercise affects diabetic blood sugar levels depends on gender]( [Diabetic men and women have different blood sugar responses to exercise]( The degree to which a diabetic’s blood sugar levels drop in response to physical activity depends on the exercise and gender, according to new research. [Read more]( Automotive [Volkswagen camper vans make hero's return to USA at reasonable price]( [The beach-loving, freedom-chasing VW camper bus makes its return to the US market, starting under $75,000]( It's been over two decades coming, but the VW camper van is finally riding again in the United States. With a walkaway price under $75,000, the very first American ID. Buzz camper van proves a nice departure from the common $100K camper van prices. [Read more]( You are receiving this email because you signed up for our daily newsletter at [newatlas.com]( (or [gizmag.com]( before August 2016). [Update profile]( | [Unsubscribe]( Copyright New Atlas © 2022