Thursday 29 September 2016

A robot learns to cope with the loss of an eye in an experiment carried out on the ISS

stereo_camera_on_iss_drone Humans are pretty good at ballparking distances, even with one eye closed — but it turns out computer vision systems have a hard time with it. Researchers hope to fix that, or at least make robots a little more robust, by teaching them to navigate a space without the benefit of stereo vision — in zero gravity, to boot. Read More

Arduino unleashes a serious Internet of Things system for hardware hackers

a4ea4d26c51eb5897fb42fbb5a9108dc_original Back in the old days hardware manufacturers felt safe in the knowledge that no mere hardware hacker could attempt to recreate their inventions. From Sony to Philips to LG to Samsung, the consumer electronics industry was locked up and no one could crack the case. Until those meddling Arduino kids came along… Now anyone can make cool hardware and, thanks to Arduino, it is easier than ever… Read More

Wednesday 28 September 2016

Musk says under 5 percent of SpaceX is working on Mars mission, 2024 launch is ‘optimistic’

screen-shot-2016-09-27-at-5-03-02-pm Elon Musk has a plan to colonize Mars, but he’s not rushing it. In a conference call following the SpaceX CEO’s presentation today at the International Astronautical Conference, Musk noted that the project is still essentially a hobby at the company, drawing only a fraction of its efforts. Read More

Tuesday 27 September 2016

Movie pirate? Don’t trust Plex Cloud

warning-cloud1 Plex is a pirate’s best friend. It’s by far the best way to get movies downloaded illegally from the computer to TV. Sure, Plex has a handful of useful, legal features, but let’s be honest, its big claim to fame is hosting and serving downloaded movies. And now the company behind the software announced a service where users can stream movies, photos and music stored on… Read More

AirServer can now transmit your iPhone screen to your Xbox

AirServer, makers of software that essentially turns anything into an AirPlay sever, has announced the availability of AirServer for the Xbox One. That means you can transmit your AirPlay screens to your gaming console, thereby creating a black hole of Microsoft-on-Apple madness. Air Server also lets you transmit via Google Cast and Miracast. The software is available now for $9.99 and… Read More

Apple adds Sonos speakers to its stores as it focuses on wireless audio

Sonos Play5 Did you hear? Wireless audio is the future — at least to Apple. And to that end, Sonos, perhaps the best wireless speakers available, are now available in the Apple Store alongside speakers from B&O, Logitech, and Apple’s Beats. Apple already sells several wireless speakers but the Sonos speakers would be the first multi-room system available. The Sonos PLAY:1 and PLAY:5… Read More

Xiaomi’s newest phones include dual-lens camera and under-glass fingerprint reader

xiaomi mi 5s plus Hot on the heels of the launch of the iPhone 7 Plus, Apple’s first smartphone with dual reverse-facing cameras, China’s Xiaomi has joined the double camera club with Mi 5s Plus announced today. Read More

Pearl’s RearVision is a backup camera for those who want the best rear view

pear-rearvision6 At a glance Wireless, solar-powered design Dual HD cameras with 1/3″ CMOS sensors 175-degree field of view Pros Incredibly easy to set up Image quality, both day and night Cons Must be turned on manually Expensive Quick and painless The out-of-box experience for Pearl’s RearVision is really well designed. Even packaging is done right, with a folding two-sided box that… Read More

The SMOVE stabilizes and charges your phone for steady video shoots

rwxbr1i3kzyzpdeaju72 When unmanned aerial vehicle makers and gimbal engineers get together they like to have a few beers and make something like the SMOVE. Designed to connect to a regular smartphone the SMOVE is basically a steadicam for your iOS or Android device, allowing you to take steady shots in rough conditions, follow faces in front of the camera, and even take seamless panoramas. The SMOVE team… Read More

Waylens Horizon action camera for cars captures the thrill of driving

waylens At a glance 157 degree wide-angle f/2.4 aperture 1/1.8″ image sensor 1080p 30/60pfs, 720p 120/60fps Pros Camera design itself is top-notch Built-in OLED touchscreen Cons Included mounting hardware for cable not great Expensive at $499 Connecting the car The Waylens Horizon is essentially a conical, dense metal camera replete with optics, onboard processing power and battery.… Read More

The EFF calls on HP to remove DRM from its printers

HP logo The Electronic Frontier Foundation has called on HP to restore customer’s ability to use third-party ink cartridges in its Office Jet printers. It is also urging consumers to sign a petition, which as of this posts’s publication, has nearly 7,500 signatures. In an open letter to HP Inc. President and CEO, Dion Weisler, activist Cory Doctorow calls on the company to take five… Read More

Mattel’s ThingMaker, the 3D printer that let kids make their own toys, delayed until next year

thingmaker Remember ThingMaker? Mattel’s $300 3D printer that would let kids print out their own toys? Its ship date – which was supposed to be this month – just got pushed back another year, according to a report from Engadget. The toy maker says it needs the extra time to “enhance the digital functionality” in order to deliver the “most engaging” experience… Read More

Kano moves beyond Pi with code-your-own device kits for kids

Kano kits It’s been 16 months since Kano took to the stage at TC Disrupt New York 2015 to announce a $15M Series A, and to talk up its big ambition to build a creative computing brand. And 10 months since, flush with VC cash, it started work on its next big product reveal… Today it’s ready to show what it’s been working on. Read More