The Cassini probe had a lucky break recently, taking advantage of an occultation of the Sun by Saturn to take some detailed pictures of the giant planet’s rings. Here’s one that shows the little icy moon of Enceladus inside the E ring that it gives rise to, and here’s another that shows what Cassini sees when it takes a look back home.

Computer scientists at the University of Arkansas are creating accurate 3D models of cities by combining data from satellites, aircraft, city records and street-level photography. With an accurate 3D model, they can visualize the impact of future growth.

Well-designed sailboats and well-designed alternative energy living spaces share a kind of minimalist but fussily technical aesthetic that I appreciate. The Transatlantic21 is a solar-powered catamaran under construction that combines the best of both worlds.

The Pileus system loads a humble umbrella with a lead sinker’s worth of gear to take photos, upload them to flickr, and browse them on the inside surface of the umbrella. On a rainy day I’m loading beach pictures.

Devices to assist the elderly or disabled are a definite growth industry, as we turn to technology to empower those less fortunate than ourselves. Japanese researchers are trying to overcome one of the consequences – the increased number of motorised wheelchairs has brought with it an increase of accidents and collisions. To this end, they have equipped a wheelchair with a camera system that has an uninterrupted 360 degree field of vision. This ‘all-seeing eye’ can not only avoid collisions, but keep watch on the chair user’s wellbeing too.