A hiss over tires

A hiss over tires

Tire-pressure gauges may soon be relics of the past. Amid the controversy surrounding the recall of Firestone tires comes a call for improved air-pressure sensors.

Several companies, including Ford and DaimlerChrysler, are developing systems that would keep tires inflated and alert drivers to low pressure levels.

"It's an added safety margin if manufacturers put these sensors into cars," says David Champion, director of automotive testing for Consumers Union. "This acknowledges that tires are an item that can fail."

Edible cameras

James Bond never had any use for a videographic pill, but if he had, the M2A camera would have suited his tastes.

Researchers at Given Imaging Inc. have developed a pill-size camera that when swallowed transmits six hours of diagnostic information from the entire digestive and gastrointestinal track.

The inch-long capsule is equipped with a solid-state camera, lights, batteries, antennae, and aerial that together transmit video of the digestive system to doctors.

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