Prosthetic hand restores a man’s sense of touch
DARPA promised prosthetic limbs that produce realistic sensations, and it’s making good on its word. The agency’s researchers have successfully tested an artificial hand that gave a man a “near-natural” level of touch. The patient could tell when scientists were pressing against specific fingers, even when they tried to ‘trick’ the man by touching two digits at once. The key was to augment the thought-controlled hand with a set of pressure-sensitive torque motors wired directly to the brain — any time the hand touched something, it sent electrical signals that felt much like flesh-and-bone contact.
There’s still a lot of work left to go before this hardware is truly realistic, of course. The sensors don’t cover the entire hand, and they don’t account for temperature or other factors you’ll likely worry about when grabbing objects. Still, this should represent a big step forward. Provided the technology takes off, both amputees and paralysis victims could regain some of the tactility they once had.
Filed under:
Wearables, Science
Source:
DARPA
Tags: artificialhand, darpa, hand, health, medicine, prosthetic, prosthetichand, RevolutionizingProstheticsProgram, science, thoughtcontrol
Solar system simulation makes sweet planetary music
Designer Luke Twyman’s solar system simulation doesn’t have intricate graphics or a load of features to explore, but it can do what many others can’t: sing. Called SolarBeat, it plays a music box-like tune while the planets — represented by dots — revolve around the sun. It’s been around since 2010, but Twyman redesigned it after the Dawn spacecraft reached Ceres’ orbit. The new version has more controls you can use to adjust the speed of the music (which will also speed up or slow down the revolution of the planets), bass, echo, flutter and scale. There’s also a counter keeping tabs on how many Earth years have passed since you started playing the simulation. Our only complaint is that it stops playing when you switch tabs, so you can’t use it as a background music while going about your day.
[Image credit: ChrisGorgio/Getty]
Filed under:
Science
Via:
io9
Source:
Solarbeat
Tags: music, space, website
Motorola Connect app updated with improved UI, 2015 Moto 360 support and additional watch faces
Those who use Motorola accessories or smart devices definitely need some help keeping all their gadgets in check. This is why the Motorola Connect app exists; to help users manage their multiple Motorola articles. If you are one of the many who take advantage of this software tool, you may notice there is a new update awaiting in the Google Play Store. You should go get it soon, as it brings forth some meaningful improvements.
The main enhancement is likely the addition of the Moto 360 (2015) to the list of supported devices. The new Android Wear watch joins a list of plenty other supported devices, including the older Moto 360, the Moto Pulse, Moto Surround, Motorola Power Pack Micro, Motorola Keylink and the Motorola Connect PC Extension.
Supporting the new Moto 360 will only benefit a few of you, though. What most users will actually notice is the improved UI, which makes the experience “more intuitive and easier to navigate”. It looks very similar to the new Moto app, which we saw on the newest Moto G and Moto X smartphones.
The new design is sleek and clean. There is a floating action button that allows users to add their devices, and you can simply navigate through your current Moto products and access their settings. By the way, this apps also makes it possible to change the Moto 360 watch faces, and if you jump into the wearable’s options you may find that Motorola also added the new ones from the 2015 Moto 360.
Of course, there’s also the usual batch of bug fixes, but we have no idea what those are all about. Go get your update from the Google Play Store and join the conversation in the comments below. Are you liking the new UI?
NVIDIA recalling small number of SHIELD Pro units
NVIDIA is trying to manage their way through a recall involving a small number of their NVIDIA SHIELD Pro set-top box units running Android TV. The SHIELD Pro units are the 500GB version of the SHIELD units and according to NVIDIA, the problem involves that massive hard drive. According to NVIDIA, less than 1% of those units are prone to hard drive failures. To resolve the problem, NVIDIA is replacing units for customers who are experiencing problems.
NVIDIA says the problem with the hard drive manifests itself in a couple ways. First, when users try to apply Upgrade 1.4, the Fastboot menu appears. NVIDIA says users should seek a replacement unit even if they manage to eventually get the system to recover after a system reboot. The problem also shows up as severe and persistent pixelation in all tiles on the top row of the Android TV homescreen.
NVIDIA’s customer support notice about the matter says they will ship a new unit to customers as soon as an RMA is approved. Customers will not wait for the old unit to be shipped back, although presumably they will need to do that eventually.
source: NVIDIA
Come comment on this article: NVIDIA recalling small number of SHIELD Pro units
Motorola’s Moto Body app released to the Play Store
One of the benefits of a Moto 360 is the ability for it to pull double-duty as an activity tracker. To help users make use of the activity data being generated and recorded by their Moto 360 device, Motorola has now released their Moto Body app.
Similar to apps provided by other activity tracker companies, Moto Body gives users the ability to view progress against certain measures, including heart activity, number of steps and calories burned. The app will also track this data over time so users can look at how they are doing on a weekly, monthly or yearly basis.
Moto Body will offer personalized insights, tips and other information like health related articles. The app will also provide notifications to help users stay focused on their efforts.
If you have a Moto 360 and want to give Moto Body a try, use the link below to get the app from the Google Play Store.
Come comment on this article: Motorola’s Moto Body app released to the Play Store
Animated code art uses all of its colors once in every frame
You probably know that the display on your computer or phone can display millions of colors, if not more. However, have you wondered what it would look like if you tried to represent all of those colors in a single piece of art? Well, you’re looking at it. Qubit researcher and math guru Mike Swarbrick Jones has posted a code-driven animation that shows all the colors in a 24-bit RGB palette exactly once in every frame. The technique (which relies on mapping colors to voxels, or 3D pixels) produces a kind of “rainbow smoke” that, as you can see in the clip below, is rather hypnotic — it’s tempting to watch it on a loop and meditate. While this won’t produce a masterpiece, it’s proof that a good idea and the right calculations can lead to some truly eye-catching (not to mention mind-bending) visuals.
https://player.vimeo.com/video/138957563?portrait=0
Filed under:
Software
Source:
Mike Swarbrick Jones
Tags: 24-bit, algorithm, animation, art, code, color, math, programming, rgb, software, video
White House helps you find the right college through open data
It’s more than a little late to choose which college to attend this fall, but the White House might have the tools you need to make an informed decision next year. It just launched a redesigned College Scorecard website that relies on open data (a big deal in government these days) to help you evaluate schools, whether you’re a future student or a researcher. You can not only find out which colleges produce the most successful graduates, but also the typical debt loads, average SAT scores for newcomers and other factors that aren’t always easy to track down. You can even drill down to very specific criteria, such as students who received Pell grants.
The data is wending its way to private services, too, such as College Abacus’ financial aid calculator, PayScale’s salary databases and ProPublica’s non-profit newsroom. Whichever site you use, the hope is that this open data helps you cut the middleman out of your education choices. Instead of trusting an outside firm that might skew its ratings, you decide what’s important. No, you probably don’t want to rely solely on the College Scorecard (this is a life-changing decision, after all), but it’s hard to knock a big additional source of information.
[Image credit: Shutterstock]
Filed under:
Internet
Source:
College Scorecard, The White House
Tags: college, collegescorecard, data, education, government, internet, open, opendata, whitehouse
Moneypenny and the Xperia Z5 star in Sony’s “Made for Bond” ad
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();
In case you hadn’t noticed the not-so-subtle advertising in the previous 3 movies, Sony has a big hand in making the James Bond movies and has put plenty of its latest products in each. Sony’s latest ad, with the “Made for Bond” tag, stars Moneypenny as she flees from some henchmen with the help of Sony’s latest smartphone, the Sony Xperia Z5, and the RX100 IV camera – despite taking on the role of M’s assistant at the end of the movie Skyfall, it looks like Moneypenny likes a run in the field. Take a look at the ad below:
Unsurprisingly, since the Xperia Z5 benefits from the new Exmor RS 23MP camera sensor, Sony is keen to show off the Xperia Z5’s apparent low light abilities, though we’ll have to see if it actually performs like that when it reaches the hands of consumers. The latest movie, Spectre, is set to hit movie screens at the end of October so expect to see more “Made for Bond” ads in the coming weeks – perhaps we’ll even see Mr Bond next time.
What do you think about this “Made for Bond” ad? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: The Telegraph via XperiaBlog
The post Moneypenny and the Xperia Z5 star in Sony’s “Made for Bond” ad appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Several BlackBerry Venice handsets get spotted at Toronto Film Festival
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();
Most device leaks come from the manufacturer’s country of origin, so it stands to reason that leaks of a new BlackBerry device have come from Canada. The Android-powered BlackBerry Venice has been the subject of plenty of leaks over the last few weeks, however this time it wasn’t a particularly covert sighting – the device was seen being used by several people at the Toronto Film Festival and the slightly curved display can be seen even in the blurry photo.
If you look closely, it also looks like the device could be using Google’s Messenger app, signified by the blue header, though it could really be any app with the same header. With the device now being spotted regularly in the wild, we wouldn’t be surprised to see a device release on the horizon – before the Holiday season is practically a sure bet.
What do you think about the BlackBerry Venice? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: BlackBerry OS via XDA
The post Several BlackBerry Venice handsets get spotted at Toronto Film Festival appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Abcotech Wireless Bike Speaker Multi-function Bag review
The Abcotech wireless speaker has a few tricks up its sleeve and at the same time doesn’t compromise sound quality. The speaker makes the perfect gadget for people who enjoy the outdoors. It packs great sound quality, long enough battery life, a built-in microphone for hands free speakerphone capabilities, a loud and powerful bass and built-in FM radio all in one durable water-resistant package.
The Abcotech wireless speaker supports both wired and wireless connections (via Bluetooth) to stream your favorite songs all day long. The speaker is built into a portable case that’s good for bringing on trips, to the pool and even on a bike ride. Connected clips and velcro straps will allow users to easily attach the speaker to their bicycle and not have to worry about it falling off. In addition, a zipper allows you to fully enclose your device in the bag keeping it dry and safe from whatever may come its way. It comes in three color options, red, blue and black (used in this review).
Design
The Abcotech wireless speaker’s super portable and lightweight design is perfect for whatever life brings. Its included water resistance can handle anything from a splash to a rain shower. The design features a soft touch casing that is extremely durable and prone to the outdoors. If users decide to use a wired connection, the connected device can be strapped inside the bag and closed with a zipper to ensure it’s safe from the outside environment.
On the outside, the speaker has tactile buttons on the front side that light up and give users control over their music. Whether using a connected Android device, iOS device or another device, users will be able to skip tracks, pause/play, connect to Bluetooth, access the built-in FM radio, skip channels or raise the volume all from the exterior controls. In addition, users can use their Bluetooth connected smartphone for controls such as changing the volume or skipping to the next track.
The bag is made out of a hard material that can’t be bent or re-shaped in any way, thus ensuring what’s inside is safe.
One of the main features of this speaker is to be able to use it during a bike ride. The speaker includes adjustable straps, a built-in clip and velcro to ensure it fits on your bicycle.
Other than the speaker itself, users will find that a male-to-male 3.5mm cable for connecting your device(s) is included in the box. It also includes a USB 2.o to micro-USB cable for charging along with a owners manual.
Functionality
The functionality of the Abcotech wireless speaker is what makes others rave about it. This isn’t just your typical Bluetooth speaker. It includes a built-in FM radio, a microphone for picking up phone calls and a wired connection just in case your device can’t be connected wireless. Most would expect the device’s sound quality to disappoint since all these bells and whistles are included. However, the sound quality is actually good for the price. It’s nothing to go crazy for, and if you’re expecting top-notch sound quality you’re not getting it here. However, during testing I found that Abcotech did a decent job here. The speaker also gets fairly loud, but if you’re planning on being over 30+ meters away, it becomes slightly difficult to hear even when placed on full volume. Sound quality also becomes a bit unclear when putting on max volume but it’s not a deal breaker.
During testing I found the controls to be very handy. It’s very convenient having the buttons light up and makes it much easier to interact during night hours. As for battery life, I found the speaker lasting weeks to even months on a single charge with minimal usage. Battery life shouldn’t really be an issue here so long as you charge it before going on a weekly trip. For charging, users will have two options. One can either use the USB 2.0 to Micro USB cable included with the device or insert a BL-5C 3.7V 800mAh rechargeable Li-ion battery. That’s if you can find an additional one to have as a backup. Charging from 0% to full will take approx. 2-3 hours depending on your source.
If there is any downside with the product it’s the FM Radio. Sometimes the device had a hard time getting hold of reception. Even when it does there aren’t many channels to listen too. This is common in these devices so you’re not really missing out. It should be noted that when it does work, it works well.
An On/Off button is included on the inside of the bag which lights up a blue LED indicator when turned on. Users will also have the option to plug in an auxiliary cable or a pair of headphones directly into the speaker. The speaker also has some extra space just in case someone wants to place their keys or small object(s) inside the bag when going on a trip or bike ride. Straps are also included on the inside to keep your phone from moving around. The only con is that it will only fit devices up to a certain size. Unfortunately, if you have a smartphone whose display is 5.5-inches or larger it probably won’t fit inside.
Closing
Overall the Abcotech wireless speaker makes a great companion for those in need of a portable and durable speaker. It works with the majority of today’s devices and hasn’t caused any problems with my usage so far. Battery life will last you the week on a single charge with moderate usage and sound quality makes the speaker a sweet deal. Its included straps and clips make it easy to bring along with you on a bike ride and its water resistance can withstand most that comes its way. The price tag starts at $69 depending on the color you so desire. Ultimately, it makes a great device for listening to your favorite tracks and all of its additional built-in sensors separate it from competitors and make it worth while. Whether you’re lounging out near the pool or riding your bike in the mountains, you can rely on the Abcotech wireless speaker to get the job done.
Come comment on this article: Abcotech Wireless Bike Speaker Multi-function Bag review
AIVAnet 