Top Story: 2015 World’s Fair

For centuries, World’s Fairs have brought together countries to showcase international innovation and ingenuity in various industries – from art to sustainability.

The last World’s Fair was held in 2012 in Yeosu, South Korea with the theme, “The Living Ocean and Coast.”

This year, the World’s Fair revives in Milan, Italy with the theme, “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life.” Showcasing 164 years of food and art, the 2015 World’s Fair features top chefs, sustainable and fair food, and cooking demonstrations.

Other attractions include amazing architecture, an interactive supermarket of the future, and touches of the arts and Italian history.

In the introduction for the event’s catalogue, Italian art critic Germano Celant writes:

The project aims to present an investigation of art and food, treated as a territory for analysis of the social and cultural factors that have conditioned the arts in relation to food produced all over the world.

It’s not to late to book your flight! The fair runs for six months from May through October.

Tool of the Week: Autonomous Desk

If you have a desk job, no doubt you’ve heard the study claiming that prolonged sitting increases the risk of death. Standing desks are now all the rage – even a few people have adopted them in our office!

A new Kickstarter campaign, however, is taking the standing desk to another level. Autonomous Desk is a smart device that learns about your habits and adjusts its actions accordingly.

It senses when you walk into your office, moves into standing position, and senses when you need to sit. If you sit for too long, the desk will remind you to stand.

Beginner users are eased into the concept of a standing desk with 30 minute standing sessions, and longer sitting breaks. As time goes on, the longer the desk will stay standing.

The desk offers a wireless charging pad, hooks for bags, and a controller for lightbulbs and door locks. Also, it takes voice commands like Siri to play music, set reminders, and answer questions. Currently, the basic desk frame is $399 on Kickstarter.

Would you get one?

Under the Radar: Google’s Brillo

Joining in the Internet of Things trend, Google is developing software to power any electronic device with an internet connection – with or without a digital screen.

Codenamed “Brillo,” the new Android build can run on a mere 32 megabytes of RAM. The goal of Brillo is the exact same as the goal of Android: to get all hardware onto the same software platform.

This software would make it easier for companies to build anything from smart appliances to security monitors.

What do you think?

Around the Hub: Pizzeria Regina Goes Bankrupt

North End staple Pizzeria Regina has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. But don’t fret just yet! The flagship Boston location will likely remain open, along with most of its 18 other locations around the city.

According to The Boston Globe, a spokesman for the Woburn-based parent company of Pizzeria Regina, Boston Restaurant Associates claims the company entered bankruptcy proceedings “in order to get out of several long and expensive leases for restaurants at outlying malls with diminishing foot traffic in their food courts.”

These include the Emerald Square Mall in North Attleboro, the Pheasant Lane Mall in Nashua, N.H., the Mall of New Hampshire in Manchester, N.H., and the Arsenal Mall in Watertown. These four closings entail the elimination of 30 jobs.

What’s your go-to pizza place?