Innovation
What we're reading: silent speech tech
Solar costs slashed; rice yield tech; Herzog & de Meuron; underwater skyscraper; lip-reading cell phones.
![nusca-techonomy2013-640x465.jpg](https://www.zdnet.com/a/img/resize/52a64e267d32d4f162587ff80ba156c09d021b17/2013/01/22/87a6db64-1175-11e4-9732-00505685119a/nusca-techonomy2013-640x465.jpg?auto=webp&fit=crop&frame=1&height=192&width=192)
1.) A new technology that converts raw silicon ingots directly into solar cells could reduce manufacturing costs by 60 percent.
2.) A new agricultural technology that cuts nitrogen fertilizer waste in half and increases rice yields is a hit in developing nations.
3.) German furniture maker Vitra has unveiled its new museum, VitraHaus, designed by Herzog & de Meuron.
4.) The "Water-Scraper": an underwater, self-sufficient skyscraper.
5.) German researchers are working on mobile tech that allows phones to convert silent mouth movement into speech.
This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com