Rearranging jellyfish limbs may lead to self-healing robots
Normally when a jellyfish loses a limb, say to the jaws of a hungry sea turtle, it simply regenerates the lost appendage, no big deal. However, a Caltech research team has been studying a certain jellyfish species that doesn’t regrow its limbs but rather rearranges the remaining ones to maintain symmetry. They think that this body-modifying trick could one day help robots repair themselves after similar injuries.
In a paper published June 15th in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) the team described its work with the moon jellyfish. They amputated the various numbers of limbs from anesthetized jellies and then monitored their recovery. While the jellies healed in a couple of hours (as they normally do), the team noticed that rather than beginning to regrow their limbs the jellies instead shifted their remaining appendages around to restore their symmetry. What’s really wild is that mechanical forces created by the jelly’s own muscle contractions appear to be behind its reorganization.
“This is a different strategy of self-repair,” Caltech assistant professor of biology Lea Goentoro said in a statement. “Some animals just heal their wounds, other animals regenerate what is lost, but the moon jelly ephyrae [juveniles] don’t regenerate their lost limbs. They heal the wound, but then they reorganize to regain symmetry.”
This discovery could lead to new advances in robotics. “Symmetrization may provide a new avenue for thinking about biomaterials that could be designed to ‘heal’ by regaining functional geometry rather than regenerating precise shapes,” Goentoro continued. “Other self-repair mechanisms require cell proliferation and cell death-biological processes that aren’t easily translated to technology. But we can more easily apply mechanical forces to a material.” Soon, injured robots may not drag their broken limbs behind them like this little guy, but simply rearrange their other legs instead.
[Image Credit: Getty Images/Vetta (top); Caltech (inline)]
Filed under: Science
Source: Caltech
Here’s how Xbox One backward compatibility works
The Xbox 360 had a dedicated spot in millions of living rooms, bedrooms and offices for nearly 10 years, and during that time, players purchased massive libraries of games. However, when the Xbox One launched in 2013, it didn’t include the ability to play or transfer Xbox 360 games, a disappointment for many fans. That’s why Microsoft’s announcement at its E3 showcase was so exciting: The Xbox One is getting backward compatibility this holiday, with a lineup of more than 100 fan-requested Xbox 360 games to start and more to be added as demand warrants. Xbox One backward compatibility runs an Xbox 360 emulator right on the console, which is no easy feat, Microsoft General Manager of Games Publishing Shannon Loftis explains during a chat at E3.
Are you pleased with the response to the announcement of backward compatibility on Xbox One?
It’s something that I, as a gamer, have been wanting. Actually, the genesis of backwards compatibility is that gamers asked for it. It took some time for us to figure out how to do it, but we did and the response has been amazingly positive.
How does it work, technologically?
It wasn’t easy. It took some pretty dedicated engineering effort and very talented engineers. What they did was they created a software-based 360 emulation within the Xbox One architecture. So, when you put your disc in the drive, we’re actually loading up an emulator, and then we put up a little portion of the Xbox 360 dashboard and you use that dashboard to launch into your game. You still have access though to all the great Xbox One features: game streaming, game DVR, screenshots. It works for digital games as well and your saved games do transfer. Gamers have put so much into 360 games, so much passion, energy, time, money, and that value I think is important for us to bring into the Xbox One story.
Will every Xbox 360 game eventually be available via backward compatibility?
It’s up to gamers to tell us what they want. We do all the work, but there is a little bit of work and part of that involves talking with the publisher and making sure that this is consistent with their goals for the game as well. So, as gamers ask us, we will deliver.
Check here for everything happening at E3 2015!
Google’s ‘My Ramadan Companion’ offers tips during the holy month
The holy month of Ramadan began for Muslims this week, which includes fasting from all food and drink during the day. In order to keep you informed of the exact times for sunrise and sunset, Google launched My Ramadan Companion. In addition to the time info, the site also collects recipes, local restaurant listings, YouTube content and other useful items in a card-based format for easy browsing. What’s more, the site pushes its findings to Google Now so the info you need is just a few swipes away on your phone. The digital assistant will suggest apps that can help you make the most of Ramadan — like reminding you to wake up for Sahur. The site is live so you can peruse as needed through the 30-day period that ends the evening of July 17th.
Filed under: Software, Mobile, Google
Via: Android Police
Source: My Ramadan Companion, Google
How Microsoft keeps ‘Halo 5’ multiplayer games glitch-free
Glitches and bugs can ruin even the greatest of multiplayer games (looking at you MW3 Javelin Suicide Bomb). But thanks to a pair of cutting-edge analytics tools, Halo‘s dev team can find and fix these coding hiccups before they become memes. Senior researcher Rob DeLine recently explained how they work. Trill is a temporal processing and in-memory analytics engine. “It’s pretty much the world’s fastest,” DeLine said in the video below. “It’s two to four magnitudes faster than the competition in terms of processing temporal data.” When combined with the Tempe exploratory data-analysis web service, which allows devs to watch replays of real-time play, devs can quickly spot and solve issues based only on what (and how) the community is actively gaming.
These tools allowed the Halo dev team to spot and fix one such glitch almost immediately after it appeared in the multiplayer beta release of Halo 5: Guardians. Halo devs used Tempe “to see what customers were doing while playing in real time. What they were looking at was how often players were winning these really rare medals.” Specifically, the team looked at how the Combat Evolved medal — wherein players have throw a grenade at a discarded weapon, blast it into the air and then catch it — could be getting awarded every few minutes. The team used Tempe and Trill to go back and analyze the gameplay footage, figure out that a coding bug made the medal ludicrously easy to get and apply a patch.
Filed under: Gaming, Microsoft
Source: Microsoft Blog
OnePlus: everyone calm down, the OnePlus 2 will run cool (and be priced higher than $322)
Following the announcement of the upcoming OnePlus 2’s processor, people began to speculate on a few things. The company will utilize a new version of the Snapdragon 810, a component that has plagued by overheating issues in the past. People immediately claimed that the OnePlus 2 would face the same overheating issues despite OnePlus explaining its decision to go with the newer version. Apparently, people are also talking about the OnePlus 2’s pricing. OnePlus will have none of that and urges people to wait and see their next handset before making any assumptions.
In a company forum post, OnePlus’ Cat H. commented:
“The 810 is much more powerful than its younger counterpart, the 801, and is a much more expensive component. We’re paying more for the 810 than we ever have for the 801. In fact, the cost is almost 60% higher, and we’re not getting any discount.”
The failure to get the processor at a discount, which seems totally normal, means that a premium will be placed on the OnePlus 2:
“We can tell you now that the price of the 2 will certainly be higher than $322. But, the 810 is a top-of-the-line processor, and it’s what the OnePlus 2 deserves. Our Snapdragon 810 chipset runs the same eight cores for stability, but at 1.8 GHz for cooler temperatures. We’ve taken precautions to make sure none of our users have to settle.”
OnePlus may be right in saying that we should wait for the OnePlus 2 to make any assumptions, but do realize that this company has had a very tough time since launching its first handset. Consistently, OnePlus has run into problems: botching production, missing deadlines, implementing awkward availability methods, and even offending people. Every few months, it seems that an apology is issued by OnePlus. We can only hope that everything goes smoothly with the launch of the OnePlus 2.
Source: OnePlus
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Samsung’s Emerald Green Galaxy S6 Edge and Blue Topaz Galaxy S6 launching in the UK on July 1st
The Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge launched a few months ago with a variety of color options, but users still haven’t been able to get their hands on arguably the two most beautiful variants: the Emerald Green Galaxy S6 Edge and the Blue Topaz Galaxy S6. But today, Samsung has announced that these two new color options will be available in the U.K. beginning Wednesday, July 1st.
The company says that the Emerald Green S6 Edge will be available for purchase from all major retailers and network operators including Carphone Warehouse, Three, EE, Vodafone and O2, and the Topaz Blue Galaxy S6 will be available to purchase exclusively from Samsung Experience Stores and Carphone Warehouse from July 1st through August 12th. Customers will also be able to pre-order the device from today.
Samsung has also provided some detailed descriptions of each exclusive color:
- Blue Topaz Galaxy S6 – Samsung’s Blue Topaz Galaxy S6 sets the scene with a striking but subtle blue hue that reflects one of the most fashionable colours of the year. According to leading colour-trend institute Pantone, four shades of blue (Aquamarine, ScubaBlue, Classic Blue and Dusk Blue) were amongst the top 10 tones leading the Spring 2015 palette for the fashion and design industries.
- Green Emerald Galaxy S6 Edge – Samsung’s newest Green Emerald exemplifies Samsung’s design philosophy where “beauty meets purpose.”
We went hands-on with all of these color options, and you can find those videos attached below.
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Anybody out there interested in ordering one of these? If not, which color would you choose?
Google improves Android TV engagement with enhanced search and recommendations
There is a massive amount of content to be found on television but actually finding it is the difficult. The entire reason for Android TV’s existence is to be able to offer relevant content to individual users. So, today, it was announced that television apps on Android TV are searchable. Simply perform a search for a television show or movie and relating apps will show what content they offer. Right now, services like YouTube, Sky News, and Hulu Plus are allowing their Android TV apps to be searchable. EPIX, which also supports in-app search, just arrived on Android TV this afternoon.
Developers also have the option to start creating recommendations for their content. EPIX can recommend its movies, NBA Game Time can offer highlights, and YouTube can work around a user’s subscriptions and viewing history.
Source: Android Developers Blog
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Samsung issues official fix for the missing quick toggles bug on the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge
Along with the update to Android 5.1 Lollipop, some Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge owners found themselves dealing with a pesky little bug plaguing their devices. After the software update, a handful of users noticed that a few toggles went missing from the Quick Settings menu. Not too long after we told you about a quick fix for the problem, but it was by no means a permanent solution. Thankfully Samsung has already released an official fix for the bug, which users can implement on their devices right now.
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There’s a new application that Samsung has just released to the Galaxy App Store, called QuickPanel Restore. Once the app is downloaded and launched, things are pretty straightforward from there. Simply press the big Restore button, and you should be good to go. Once you’re done, you can uninstall the app and go about your day.
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So far the app is only compatible with the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, but Samsung says more devices will be supported in the future. Have you experienced this bug on your device? If so, let us know if Samsung’s official solution fixes it!
Grab a 2nd Gen. Moto G for $140 on Amazon
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The Moto G has become one of the best budget phones you can buy out there, even if you have super high-powered device that takes you to the moon. Many of you out there might have a Moto G just as a phone to play around with, or you have recommended it to someone who not into all the fancy features of the big boy phones. But just in case you are not one of these people, you can now grab yourself a 2nd generation Moto G on Amazon for the cheap price of $140. That is a $40 discount you will get, so if you feel it is time to get yourself a Moto G, hit the link down below and grab one. Let us know if you did.
The post Grab a 2nd Gen. Moto G for $140 on Amazon appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
[Deal] Get a Moto G (2nd Gen) for $140 from Amazon
There are plenty of options available for off-contract smartphones, and Motorola offers one of the most impressive solutions, the Moto G (2nd Gen). Amazon has discounted the smartphone to a mere $140, which is 22% off the original sale price.
Keep in mind that the device comes in Global GSM and US GSM options, so you won’t get to experience the wonders of 4G LTE. However, for $140, it’s still one hell of a smartphone. You’ll need to act fast, though. The deal is running on Amazon’s Gold Box Deal, meaning it’ll only last until the end of the day or until the Moto G (2nd Gen) is sold out.
Motorola’s Moto G (2nd Gen) features a 1280 x 720 5-inch display, a Snapdragon 400 1.2GHz quad-core CPU, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of expandable storage, a 2070mAh battery, and it’s running Android 5.0 Lollipop. If you’re interested in picking up the device, hit the source link below.
source: Amazon
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