Microsoft teaches robots how to deal with groups and draw from memory
Us humans are good at predicting how people will behave, particularly in groups, but artificial intelligence routines still have trouble dealing with much more than controlled, one-on-one discussions. They’ll be far more flexible if Microsoft’s Situated Interaction project pays off, though. The research initiative has produced sensor-equipped robots that can not only recognize multiple people, but infer their objectives and roles. Office assistants can tell who’s speaking and respond in kind, while a lobby robot can call the elevator if it sees a crowd headed in that direction.
Some of the robots also have a human-like ability to draw from memory, expanding on what we’ve seen from virtual assistants like Cortana or Siri. In addition to knowing your schedule, they can detect your presence and make predictions of availability based on your habits; they’ll know if you haven’t been around in a while, or when you’re likely to wrap up a conversation. One robot will even know that you’re coming because you asked one of its fellow machines for directions. It’s doubtful that you’ll see production versions of these context-aware robots any time soon, but they could lead to a generation of smart devices that are better at coordinating with (and relating to) their human counterparts.
Filed under: Robots, Software, Microsoft
Source: Microsoft Research
Logitech’s auto-dimming keyboard wants to help you dominate movie night
In the dark, finding the volume rocker on your TV’s clicker can be hard enough, but F7 on a QWERTY keyboard? That’s damn near impossible. To that end, Logitech thinks it has a solution for managing your home-theater PC or connected-TV once you’ve killed the lights. Not only does the outfit’s new wireless, backlit keyboard (the K830, if you want to get technical) auto-dim based on ambient light, but to save power it also disables the lighting completely after about five seconds of non-use. What’s more, the accessory is rechargeable, packs a built-in track-pad and has a 33-foot range thanks to its 2.4GHz connectivity.
The K830 doesn’t offer control for all of your devices like its Harmony counterpart does, but its dark-room capabilities help take the sting out of that a bit, especially when it’s $50 cheaper. If any of the above sounds intriguing, Logitech expects the unit to go on in the US and Europe this month for 100 bucks/euros — just in time for Philomena on Blu-ray.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD
Source: Logitech
New Moto X Name Leaked?! Robert Downey Jr. Returns! – ManDroid Quickie
Ready for Android news quick status? Well sadly, this video is a little longer than I would hope, but at least you get your Android news. The Moto X successor might be upon us soon, which I am actually looking forward to seeing. Robert Downey Jr. returns promoting HTC products, which was a pleasant sight to see. Enjoy the show!
News Topics
Possible successor name leaked out
Android TV UI screenshots
Robert Downey returns
Google I/O registration pushed back
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Momondo helps you prioritize your relationships by proximity and climate
Sure, it’s easy to plan out trips to visit your friends, but Momondo believes it can add a bit of fun to that process. The travel search engine’s app now features something called “friend compass” that shows your friends’ locations all over the world while you spin around. Since Momondo’s service shows the cheapest flights and hotels you can book, each friend that appears on the compass comes with info on the most affordable flight available — and yes, you can book one from within the app. If that travel itch has gotten so bad, you can also use the compass to find out which friend lives in the coldest or the hottest locations, the nearest or the farthest places and the ones who’ll cost you most and and least money to visit. The friend compass works using Facebook’s API and a smartphone’s GPS, so suffice it to say, it’ll only only show people in your Facebook list. Bummer.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile
Source: McCann London
Dyson plans big R&D expansion, starting with a new 3,000-person tech campus
One in every three Dyson employees is an engineer. That’s roughly 1,700 of them and the UK-based company is looking to increase that number. It’s announced plans to build a new technology campus in Wiltshire, UK, focused on science and technology research and development. The plan includes four different facilities within a single one leafy compound in Wiltshire, UK. It’ll cost £2.5 million to build it, and could create around 3,000 new tech and science jobs. Dyson will scale up its R&D efforts from here, with collaborative topics like its recently-announced robot research lab expanded and “strengthened” with help from over 10 UK universities — the company has already cooperated with Cambridge, Imperial and Newcastle while cooked up its existing products. Finely-engineered robots, new motors (and probably a few high-end vacuums) are likely just a few years away. Better watch yourself, Roomba.
Image Credit: Getty
Filed under: Household
Apple Testing Maps Notifications to Inform Users of Fixed Problems
Apple seems to be testing a new notification feature in its Maps application, based on a report and screenshots captured by a MacRumors reader.
The user reported an error to Apple in the Maps app on April 6 and was given an option to receive a notification when the issue was resolved, with Apple sending a push notification on April 8 indicating the problem had been fixed.
It appears that the feature is still in testing at this point and it is unclear when it might be made available to all users. The initial user who first spotted the feature says that the option has only appeared intermittently, but a MacRumors forum user was able to confirm that he had seen it as well. MacRumors has been unable to reproduce it.
While Apple has allowed users to report errors since Maps first debuted in September of 2012, the company has not previously provided notifications that let users know when a problem has been fixed. Notably, Google currently includes support for a similar feature in its mapping service, notifying users via email about the progress of a reported problem or suggested edit.
News of the notification feature comes as Apple continues to work hard on improving its mapping app after facing significant criticism over data inaccuracies when the app first launched alongside iOS 6. Apple CEO Tim Cook publicly apologized for Maps after the problematic launch, stating that the company was “extremely sorry” for the frustration it had caused, promising to work “non stop” until Maps was improved.
Maps notifications would allow users to know that Apple is actively listening to reports and working diligently on fixing errors. Apple’s mapping application has been notable for providing potentially dangerous information at times, as it has directed drivers in Alaska onto an airport taxiway used by the Fairbanks International Airport and directed motorists in Victoria, Australia to the middle of the wilderness.
Screenshots showing the correction notification:
Push notification and notice that Maps data has been corrected
Apple has hired dozens of “ground truth” experts around the world to improve the quality of its mapping service and acquired a number of mapping apps throughout the past year, including HopStop, Locationary, BroadMap, and Embark. It is also likely that Apple features major improvements to the Maps app in iOS 8, such as adding transit directions for the first time and enhancing points of interest.
Apple Expected to Unveil iWatch in September as Suppliers Deliver Circuit Board Samples
Three Apple suppliers have delivered samples of flexible circuit boards for the iWatch as the device is now expected to be unveiled in September, reports DigiTimes.
Screen-centric iWatch concept by DesignerEI
Flexible PCB suppliers Flexium Interconnect, Zhen Ding Technology Holding and Career Technology reportedly have delivered FPCB samples for use in iWatch devices to Apple for validation, according to industry sources.
The news follows a report yesterday from Taiwan’s Economic Daily News which indicated that the iWatch will launch in the third quarter of this year, with Apple targeting production of 65 million units by the end of 2014. A reveal in September would mean that the device would be released shortly thereafter, most likely alongside the iPhone 6 and iOS 8.
While details about the iWatch have been slim, most reports have pointed to the device featuring biometric sensors to track a number of health-related statistics, including UV light exposure, heart rate, and skin temperature. Apple is also said to be releasing a “Healthbook” app with iOS 8 that will work with the iPhone and iWatch to track other health statistics like weight, heart, rate, and calories.
Scientists discover the secret behind zombie plants
If the fungal spore outbreak in The Last of Us scared the hell out of you, you’ll be doubly terrified to know that there are actual parasites in nature that can turn animals and plants into zombies. In fact, a group of scientists from the John Innes Centre in the UK just figured out how certain parasitic bacteria called phytoplasma turn their plant host into the living dead. You see, when these nefarious bacteria take over, they transform a plant’s flowers into leafy shoots, turning petals green and preventing the flowers from producing offspring. Apparently, that’s because the parasite has a protein called SAP54, which interacts with the plant so that flowers self-destruct from the inside.
John Innes plant pathologist Saskia Hogenhout says:
The plant appears alive, but it’s only there for the good of the pathogen. In an evolutionary sense, the plant is dead and will not produce offspring.
That’s not all the bacteria can do, though. In addition to changing a flower’s structure and rendering it sterile, the bacteria can also attract sap-sucking insects. Instead of dispersing pollen, these insects carry the parasite to more victims, turning more plants into green, leafy puppets.
Via: Slashdot
Source: Nature, PLOS Biology
Bing Travel’s airfare price predictor is gone, but not forgotten
Despite Microsoft’s years of effort, most of us haven’t switched from Google to Bing for our various searches. Still, one of our favorite Bing features has always been the airfare price prediction. Added in 2009 after Microsoft acquired the startup Farecast for $115 million one year earlier, it could give you an idea of the best time to buy an airplane ticket at its lowest price. That feature is gone now, as a Microsoft spokesperson told GeekWire “It was a business decision to focus resources on areas where we feel there are the greatest opportunities to serve travel needs.” It faded out earlier this year, and Tnooz mentions that key members of the Farecast / Bing Travel team left Microsoft back in 2009.
Last year, Farecast’s founder Oren Etzioni lamented the state of of the service, telling GeekWire at the time “I would have expected more [from Bing] during the past few years.” Apparently what was left didn’t survive Microsoft’s current reorganization, however travelers looking for the best time to buy can still find a similar service from Bing frienemy Kayak.com. Kayak launched a curiously similar price prediction feature last year, and now Google is beefing up its search results for travel queries with direct information on hotels, room photos and reviews. Ah well, at least Bing is still our go to for easy Bitcoin conversions.
Filed under: Transportation, Internet, Microsoft
Via: Neowin
Turkish ISPs make getting to YouTube a little easier, but haven’t unblocked it yet
Even after the unbanning of Twitter and a court ruling in Google’s favor, YouTube is still blocked in Turkey. Accessing the video streaming site did get a little easier today however, as the Wall Street Journal has confirmed residents can once again use DNS servers from Google, Level3 and OpenDNS that will route them around the block. More easily implemented than using a VPN, it finally reopens access via those servers after they were blocked ten days ago. There’s no public statement available from the ISPs or the Turkish government, but hopefully unrestricted access to the best YouTube has to offer is coming soon.
Source: Wall Street Journal
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