Robert Hickson • Aug 25, 2017 •
There is a great deal of interest, and investment, in developing “smart” cities (and here, here, and here). That is, creating sensor networks to monitor human activities, traffic, waste, water, and environmental conditions to optimise city services and make cities more pleasant places to be in. But there is … Read More
Robert Hickson • Mar 05, 2017 •
My first job after completing my Bachelor’s was tracking and trapping rats on Stewart Island. Decades later, the tools and approaches for mammalian pest control have progressed; better lures, traps and poisons. But not so much. Particularly if you compare how the field of genetics has changed over the same time; from laborious manual DNA sequencing to high-speed automation. The … Read More
Robert Hickson • Jun 30, 2013 •
Here’s a short collection of what, to me, are interesting developments. Will good design turn more people on to eating insects? A finalist for an international design competition has developed a bench top grasshopper rearing unit. This is to encourage more (Westerners) to take seriously a UN plea to eat more insects [Pdf]. Unlikely, I … Read More