MIT Media Labs’ next hackathon wants to make breast pumps suck less
MIT’s Media Lab plans to fix the breastpump. In fact, its fall 2014 hackthon is dedicated to this very aim. Breast pumps are time-consuming, noisy and often painful — and as the organizers put it (rather TechCrunch-ly): “this is a space that is ripe for further innovation.” There’s already several problems set to be tackled: the hardened cones that cup over the breasts, the litany of parts, tubes and bottles, as well as a lack of metrics: existing pumps don’t offer any information on how much milk is collected, or when. Over at Quartz, they’ve added their own ideas for the to-do list, including ensuring a closed-system that won’t be ruined by water, milk and the inevitable mold, as well as a pumping system that’s generally more discrete. It’s in fact the second breast pump hackathon, but this sequel will encompass 60-80 engineers, designers and breastfeeding experts — registration is open.
Via: Quartz
Source: MIT Media Labs
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Sega’s created the projection-mapped kids’ sandbox of the future
If grown-ups can have flashier, fancier toys as the years go by, so can kids. Sega’s latest games machine is set to appear in arcades as well as in the waiting rooms of car dealerships and real estate offices. It’s not any kind of video game, though — it’s an interactive sandbox that projects images based on what players are building with its non-sticky sand. Sega calls it “Eederu Sunaba” or Picture Appears! Sandbox (a loose translation, but hey), and it’s equipped with sensors that can determine the height differences on the surface of the sand, along with a projector to make the magic happen. If a kid (or an adult — no judgment here) piles up sand to make a hill, the projector beams an image that makes it look like it’s covered in grass, or even in snow if the hill’s tall enough to be a mountain.
Trenches, on the other hand, are filled with digital water, complete with swimming schools of fish, though the system can also project insects like ladybugs and butterflies instead. These virtual organisms can even detect if you’re trying to touch (or squish) them. Definitely beats trying to craft a sandcastle in the playground and coming up with something that looks like a mound of dirt, doesn’t it? If you don’t live in Japan, you can ask those University of West Bohemia students how they created their Kinect sandbox (that’s very similar to this one) back in 2011. Or, you can just watch the video below and live vicariously through those happy Japanese kids.
[Image credit: Nikkei Technology/Sega]
Filed under: Misc
Via: Nikkei Technology, Japan Trends
Source: Sega
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iPhone 6 and 6 Plus preorders are live in the UK
Even if you have been living under a rock for the past few days, chances are that rock will’ve told you about the new iPhones in town. We imagine there are more than a fair few of you chomping at the bit for them, too, so it’s our duty to remind you that preorder day has arrived. And, assuming the new handsets will be relatively popular, you’ll want to consider your options if you’re determined to get in on the first batch. Whether it’s the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 or the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus you’re after, basically every store and carrier under Sol is ready to supply you with one right now — or give you an IOU for September 19th, at least. If you want to keep it simple and buy a phone outright, you might want to head straight to Apple’s online store and stake your claim (you can also reserve one for in-store pick-up here). If you prefer your carrier alliances, however, then of course you’ve got your pick of the big four.
EE, for starters, will sell you a 16GB iPhone 6 or 6 Plus on contracts of £51 and £64 per month, respectively, when you lay down £30 up-front. Need more storage? Well, everything then hops on the £64 per month tariff, with only the 64GB 6 Plus demanding a higher down-payment of £50. That’s also how much you’ll need in-wallet to reserve a 128GB iPhone 6, with the Plus requiring a one-off £150 at that storage capacity.
Vodafone’s got the 16GB iPhone 6 on 4G contracts from £43.50 per month with a £99 upfront payment, which goes up to £48.50 per month and £129, respectively, if you need 64GB. The 128GB model is the same contract price, but £209 upfront. For the iPhone 6 Plus, the cheapest 4G contract available is £48.50 per month, will the one-off payment increasing with storage size: £99 for 16GB, £179 for 64GB, and £259 for 128GB. There are also a bunch of options available on Voda’s 3G-only plans, if you’re not that bothered about high-speed mobile internet.
O2’s site is down currently.
Three’s skipping out on the morning madness, and will instead be putting its pre-order page live this afternoon.
The cheapest 4G option Carphone Warehouse has to offer is the 16GB iPhone 6 for £38.50 per month and a £50 upfront. Increasing the storage capacity only bumps up the amount you need to pay outright, with 64- and 128-gig models needing £130 and £210 upfront, respectively. The iPhone 6 Plus is also available for £38.50 per month, and a down-payment of £130 for the 16GB model and £210 for 64GB. The contract price goes up slightly to £43.50 if you want 128GB, in addition to a £200 upfront. (All these are Vodafone contracts, FYI).
We’ll be updating this report as more info comes in.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Apple
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DARPA is funding the development of a soft, fabric-based exoskeleton
When someone says “exoskeleton,” it’s easy to imagine a clunky contraption made of metal, like the one we typically see in the news courtesy of various research groups, or in movies like Edge of Tomorrow. The exoskeleton that Harvard’s Wyss Institute is developing, though, doesn’t look like it was torn off a robot: it’s called the Soft Exosuit, and as its name implies, it’s lightweight and made of fabric. Wyss has actually been working on the Soft Exosuit for years, but now DARPA has granted it a $2.9 million funding under its Warrior Web program to further its development. Its current iteration is really more like smart clothing that can be worn like pants, designed to mimic how leg muscles and tendons move and to support the users’ joints as they walk. That’s made possible thanks to the strategically placed straps around the legs that contain flexible sensors — all controlled by a low-power microprocessor.
DARPA’s Warrior Web program seeks new technologies to prevent injuries in soldiers, so it’s safe to say that the Soft Exosuit will be used by the military when it’s ready. Its creators believe that it could also be used by healthy, ordinary people, though, to lengthen the distance they can travel by foot without being consumed by fatigue. Of course, the team also plans to collaborate with clinical partners in order to develop a medical version for patients with limited mobility. Now we’re just waiting for the Wyss researchers to team up with the TitanArm inventors at UPenn for the ultimate full-body suit.
Filed under: Robots, Wearables, Science
Via: The Verge
Source: Wyss Institute, Harvard Biodesign Lab
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iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus Now Available for Pre-Order
Apple has begun accepting online pre-orders for the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus in several different countries around the world, including the United States, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore, and the UK.
Several U.S. carriers, including AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint are also accepting pre-orders for the devices. Multiple retail stores like Best Buy, Target, and Walmart will be accepting iPhone 6 and 6 Plus pre-orders when the stores open in the morning, at varying times.
Thus far, there have been few reports on available supply, but it’s typically best to make an order right away if possible because in past years, pre-orders have sold out within mere minutes. iPhone 6 Plus supplies appear constrained, as AT&T and Verizon have shipping estimates of 14 to 21 days on several models.
In the United States, Apple is offering the iPhone 6 in 16, 64, and 128 GB capacities for $199, $299, and $399, respectively, with a two-year contract. Contract-free pricing begins at $649. Apple’s higher-priced iPhone 6 Plus is available in 16, 64, and 128 GB capacities for $299, $399, and $499, respectively, with a two-year contract. Contract-free pricing on that device begins at $749.
The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus will be available in stores beginning on Friday, September 19, and the first crop of orders should arrive on that day. Apple is also allowing in-store pickup for iPhone 6 and 6 Plus pre-orders this year.
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Someone’s trying to 3D print (most of) a car in six days
You can probably get quite a bit done by yourself in six days time, but could you build an entire car from scratch and take it for a test drive? Probably not. The folks at Local Motors are pretty confident that their 3D-printed car can roll out of Chicago’s McCormick Place and go for a spin this Sunday, though. Printing started a few days ago at the International Manufacturing Technology Show in The Windy City, using carbon-reinforced plastic and a Big Area Additive Manufacturing printer, according to 3DPrint. Not everything on the car can be 3D printed mind you, that’d just be crazy. The Strati still needs a battery, engine, wiring and suspension, which, as IGN notes, will be sourced from a handful of suppliers rather than being manufactured onsite. If all goes according to plan, Local Motors hopes to offer “production-level” 3D printed vehicles in the coming months. It isn’t an Aston Martin, to be sure, but aside from a DB4, what is?
Really starting to look like a #car… #3DPrintedCar #epic #IMTS2014 #strati pic.twitter.com/1aiA9vqMI9
– Local Motors (@localmotors) September 11, 2014
Filed under: Transportation
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Nikon’s full frame D750 packs a tilting LCD and WiFi for pros on the go
Rumors of the full frame Nikon D750 have been floating around for a little over a month now, and where there’s smoke there’s usually a fire. To wit: Nikon just officially pulled back the curtain on its latest SLR, and it packs quite a bit of oomph into a body that’s only $2299. The D750’s foundation is awfully solid with its 24-megapixel FX format CMOS sensor, an Expeed 4 image processor (the same one seen in bodies like the much pricier D810), a more light-sensitive 51-point autofocus system, and an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 12,800. Oh, and did I mention it packs better battery life and some carbon fiber trim to keep the weight down? What might really put the D750 over the top for some of you, though, are some of the firsts that it boasts.
It’s the company’s first FX format camera to have a tilting LCD screen (we’re looking at 3.2-inches diagonal) and the first to have built-in WiFi — all of that has been crammed into a body that’s thinner than usual thanks to some savvy internal component shuffling. Nikon’s given the thing enough horsepower to make it worthy of slipping into a pro’s bag, but it also pegs the D750 as a worthy upgrade for photogs with a more modest amount of experience under their belts and a selection of DX lenses they don’t want to give up. As a concession to some of those greener camera buffs, Nikon has also included a slew of scene modes and effects too, just in case they’re more concerned with grabbing fun shots than stunningly composed ones. Interest piqued? You’ll be able to pick up the body by itself or with a 24-120mm f/4 VR kit lens by the middle of October… though if you’re feeling the latter, you’ll still need to wait for Nikon to disclose its price tag.
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Viber’s latest shot at Skype: video calling on Android and iOS
Viber really, really wants you to abandon Skype and all those other messaging apps, so its latest update adds an important feature for something in its category: video calls. The Rakuten-owned app now gives you the power to video chat with friends on Android and iOS, almost a year after it introduced the capability to call any number you want. And, in case you want to switch devices in the middle of a conversation, you can transfer video calls from mobile to desktop (where the feature’s been available for a while) and vice versa. Other than that, Viber 5.0 now lets you add friends quickly by scanning QR codes, but that sounds like a lackluster afterthought compared to video calls, doesn’t it?
[Image credit: Sam Azgor/Flickr]
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile
Via: The Next Web
Source: iOS, Google Play
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Apple Store Down Ahead of iPhone 6 and 6 Plus Pre-Orders
Apple has taken its online store down in order to prepare for the launch of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus pre-orders. Pre-orders for the two devices are expected to begin at 12:01 AM Pacific Time or 3:01 AM Eastern Time on September 19, on Apple’s site and on several carrier sites.
Ahead of pre-orders, prospective iPhone 6 buyers should make sure to check both their upgrade eligibility and their trade-in options for old devices.
Apple’s iPhone 6 is available in 16, 64, and 128 GB capacities in the United States for $199, $299, and $399, respectively, with a two-year contract. Contract-free pricing begins at $649. Apple’s higher-priced iPhone 6 Plus is available in 16, 64, and 128 GB capacities for $299, $399, and $499, respectively, with a two-year contract. Contract-free pricing on that device begins at $749.
Apple will be accepting pre-orders in the United States, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore, and the UK, with the phones available in retail stores beginning on September 19.
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US government threatened to fine Yahoo $250,000 a day to force access to user data
Back in 2008, in the days of the BlackBerry Storm, netbooks and well, yes, Yahoo, the internet company was threatened with a hefty $250,000 per day fine from the US government. This was because it didn’t want to comply with requests to hand over user communications. Yahoo believed that the request was unconstitutional, and while the company fought a legal battle to avoid handing over the data, it was an unsuccessful one. The court loss was apparently a key moment in the creation of the NSA’s PRISM program, and meant that Yahoo was also one of the first to provide information, followed soon by the likes of Google, Apple and AOL. Yahoo faced a hostile public after the Snowden leaks revealed the NSA’s monitoring of online activity and the collusion of several tech companies. “The released documents underscore how we had to fight every step of the way to challenge the U.S. Government’s surveillance efforts,” added Ron Bell, the company’s general counsel — in a Tumblr post, naturally.
Source: Washington Post, Yahoo (Tumblr)
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