MPOWERD has developed a low-cost, waterproof, solar-powered lantern that could replace kerosene lamps in the developing world.
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MPOWERD has developed a low-cost, waterproof, solar-powered lantern that could replace kerosene lamps in the developing world.
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Come along with The Verge for a special, Consumer Electronics Show 2015 edition of Detours. We've combed through CES presenters to discover companies and products addressing and solving big, critical issues in new and unconventional ways.In the developed world, access to electric light is a given. But for 1.2 billion people around the world, electricity - and the light that comes with it - is a tenuous and treasured resource. Without it, store owners close shop early, students can't do their homework, and productivity drops.
In West Africa, where three-quarters of the population lives without electrici …
Detours travels to Rochester, New York to meet BlackBox Biometrics Inc., a company that's developed a head-mounted sensor to detect and measure sports-related concussions.
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Come along with The Verge for a special, Consumer Electronics Show 2015 edition of Detours. We've combed through CES presenters to discover companies and products addressing and solving big, critical issues in new and unconventional ways.
German midfielder Christoph Kramer never saw it coming. In the 19th minute of the 2014 World Cup Final, Argentina's Ezequiel Garay dashed behind Kramer, clipping Kramer's head with his shoulder. Kramer spun like a top and went down hard, hands cradling his face. Glassy-eyed and disoriented, Kramer got up and played another 12 minutes before being pulled off the pitch. At one point, he asked the referee whe …
The Freshwater Trust is felling trees to repair the damaged Sandy River ecosystem and revive endangered native species.
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Located 60 minutes east of Portland, Sandy River has supported thousands of residents and local businesses for generations. Tributaries of the river, Still Creek and Salmon River, were once popular fly-fishing destinations. But in the second half of the 20th century, all that changed: once abundant salmon and steelhead trout populations collapsed. By the late '90s, both species of fish were listed under the Endangered Species Act.
The decline can be traced back to a 1964 flood, the most destructive weather event recorded in the region. Authorities, eager to protect local infrastructure from future floods, channeled the waterways and strippe …
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Fifty years ago, officials cleared the banks of the Sandy River to mitigate flood risks. But as a result, key fish species disappeared.
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Come along with The Verge for the second season of Detours. We've traveled across the country to find the people, groups, and companies that are solving America's problems in new and unconventional ways. Check in for new dispatches every Wednesday.
After a catastrophic flood in 1964, Oregon authorities cleared the Sandy River of detritus in an effort to mitigate the damage of future floods. But the barren waterway led to a severe drop in salmon and steelhead trout populations. Now, a group of scientists is creating a more rugged landscape to bring them back.
Tune in Wednesday for the full episode.
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Portland is improving city biking with the help of Strava, a fitness app. But are the app's users biasing city planning?
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Margi Bradway noticed something peculiar when she went on a biking trip last year. Before her friends got on their bikes, they all pulled out smartphones. "Everyone was clicking on their Strava," she recalls. Bradway, the active transportation policy lead at the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) at the time, had an idea. Could data collected by Strava, a popular GPS-powered app that lets cyclists and runners log workouts and commutes, make her home city of Portland a safer place for bike-riders?
Portland is already a better city than most for cyclists: Hawthorne Bridge, one of the city's five bike-friendly bridges, averages 1.7 mil …
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