Sneezing is even more disgusting with high-speed cameras
New, super-gross research out of MIT is shedding new insights into what happens when we sneeze. Researchers from the university used high-speed photography to record 100 healthy volunteers right at the moment they sneezed. Turns out, the sticky fluid flies out of our mouths, not as a spray, but as a sheet. Ew. Then it pops, like a balloon, and the snotty filaments remaining then in turn break up into the fine mist we’re familiar with. Double ew.
This is actually really important research as it can help researchers better understand how airborne diseases spread. “It’s important to understand how the process of fluid breakup, or fluid fragmentation, happens,” Lydia Bourouiba, head of MIT’s Fluid Dynamics of Disease Transmission Laboratory said in a statement. “What is the physics of the breakup telling us in terms of droplet size distribution, and the resulting prediction of the downstream range of contamination?”
This isn’t Bourouiba’s first infectious rodeo, however. This research builds off of her earlier tests that show coughs and sneezes travel up to 200 times farther as these mucus balloons than if they were straight droplets. “What we saw was surprising in many ways,” Bourouiba continued. “We expected to see droplets coming out fully formed from the respiratory tract. It turns out that’s not the case at all. And this gives us a good baseline to expand our mechanistic understanding of violent expirations.” That’s all well and good, just be sure to cover your mouth first.
[Image: From the paper, “Visualization of sneeze ejecta: steps of fluid fragmentation leading to respiratory droplets,” by B. E. Scharfman, A. H. Techet, J. W. M. Bush, L. Bourouiba.]
Source: MIT News
Google allegedly working on stand-alone VR headset
Earlier this week, we heard a rumor that Google had a high-grade VR headset in the works to rival Samsung’s Gear VR. The idea seems to be to create a more solid, specced-out version of Google Cardboard made out of non-corrugated materials. While this is certainly an interesting development in its own right, word on the street now is that Google has a project slated to bring a complete VR headset to the market that won’t require a computer, smartphone, or game console. If this is true, this may just be the first time VR has been approached in this way. You know, if we don’t include the Virtual Boy.
This raises some immediate questions. Right now, every VR headset on the market is reliant in some way on an external form of processing power. Nevertheless, the WSJ is saying that Google’s stand-alone headset will feature high powered processors and outward facing cameras (presumably for AR use). Movidius is suspected of being Google’s source for chips and sensor on this endeavor, but the company is dodging any direct questions regarding their involvement.
See also: Oculus Rift is the most popular VR platform among game developers
How would such a device work? How powerful would it be, and how much would it weigh? The biggest question of all might be, how much will we be expected to pay for such a compact, high-tech device?
There’s no rumored timeline on this product’s announcement or release, but since Cardboard’s heir is expected to come to Google I/O in May, odds are good that any firm information to be had about this project will come to light at the same time. While we wait, let us know what you think of this rumored Google foray into the VR big leagues.
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories hits Android
The 2005 PSP classic Liberty City Stories has appeared in the Google Play Store with little fanfare. The Rockstar creation is a mobile-friendly addition to the ongoing and ever-controversial Grand Theft Auto franchise.
Although the game is open world, it’s naturally not as sprawling and detailed as its console companions. You are Toni Cipriani, outcast wise guy for the Leone family. In the time you’ve been away from Liberty City, the organized rule of the mob has become fractured as corrupt politicians, rival games, and striking unions vie for control of a city where crime is as commonplace as pizza is in NYC.
The game has gotten a few daubs of makeup applied to its face before arriving on Android devices. Its 2005 roots are still visible in some of the design elements, but extensive graphic enhancements have been implemented, and with the addition of Rockstar Social Club support, your achievements and save files will be available across platforms.
See also: 10 best 3D games for Android
If you’re even remotely interested, now is the time to act, because the game will be increasing in price once this promotion ends. This is a full game with no in-app purchases, and you can click the button below to download it to your device.
Are you a Liberty City Stories fan? If so, let us know what your experience with the game has been like in the comments! Would you recommend this game to Android gamers?
NVIDIA throws Valentine’s Day game discount party for Shield
To celebrate Valentine’s Day, NVIDIA is having a sale on six different titles from the GeForce Now game streaming service and Google Play. The list includes such romantic titles as The Park, a first-person psychological horror game set in a lonely and sinister amusement park, and This War of Mine, a brutal survival simulation game in which you must make no-win decisions that have life and death consequences on your companions while the soulless grind of the war around you whittles away your humanity and reinforces a crushing sense of one’s own meaninglessness and isolation.
Say, NVIDIA, did you recently go through a hard break-up? If you need a shoulder to cry on, just let us know. Try to remember that there are other fish in the sea.
See also: 10 best Valentine’s Day apps for Android!
Other games in the lineup include Submerged, Juju, Dustoff Heli Rescue, and Windward. NVIDIA says that the sale will run through the end of Valentine’s Day, February 14th, 2016. The GeForce Now games (The Park and Submerged) are 33% off, but rest of the games, which are available in the Google Play Store, range from 50-67% off.
So if you and your loved one are looking to cozy up together and play a fun Android game or two this Sunday, consider getting Windward, the only cooperative multiplayer game on this list. If you, like NVIDIA, will be celebrating More Wine For Me Day instead of Valentine’s Day, then grab any of the other games and settle in with the comfort food of your choice instead.
Do any of the games on this list jump out at you as a good deal? Let us know which you would pick and why in the comments below! To read more, head on over to NVIDIA’s official promo landing page for this offer.
Play Submerged
Play The Park
Get Windward
Get This War of Mine
Get Dustoff Heli Rescue
Get Juju
Next: 13 best Android horror games
Haptic Feedback Company Immersion Files Patent Infringement Lawsuit Against Apple
Immersion, a company that develops and licenses haptic touch feedback technology, today filed a lawsuit against Apple and AT&T accusing the two companies of patent infringement. Citing technologies like 3D Touch, Force Touch, the Apple Watch Taptic Engine, and vibration patterns for ringtones and notifications, Immersion says multiple Apple devices use its intellectual property.
According to Immersion, the iPhone 6, 6s, 6 Plus, 6s Plus, Apple Watch, Apple Watch Sport, and Apple Watch Edition infringe on several Immersion patents that cover haptic feedback systems. Immersion says all of the above listed devices infringe on two patents related to tactile sensations:
– U.S. Patent No. 8,619,051: “Haptic Feedback System with Stored Effects”
– U.S. Patent No. 8,773,356: “Method and Apparatus for Providing Tactile Sensations”
The iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus are further accused of infringing on an additional patent, U.S. Patent No. 8,659,571, titled “Interactivity Model for Shared Feedback on Mobile Devices.”
“Immersion and its employees have worked diligently for over 20 years to invent solutions and build an ecosystem of content and playback devices that enable realistic and rich digital experiences. Touch matters, as it informs, excites and humanizes the digital world we interact with every day. Many of our licensed customers are market leaders that benefit from our innovation in touch technology,” said Immersion’s CEO Victor Viegas.
“While we are pleased to see others in the industry recognize the value of haptics and adopt it in their products, it is important for us to protect our business against infringement of our intellectual property in order to preserve the ecosystem we have built and the investments that we have made in continuing to advance haptic experiences,” added Viegas. “We will vigorously defend the intellectual property we have developed when it is infringed.”
While Apple is named in the lawsuit because it produces the devices that allegedly infringe on Immersion patents, it is less clear while AT&T is named. In the filing, Immersion claims AT&T sells Apple products and offers guides, directions, and other materials that “encourage and facilitate infringing use by others,” but other mobile carriers are not mentioned or included in the lawsuit.
Along with the patent infringement suit, Immersion has also filed a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission, seeking an exclusion order that prevents the sale of the accused Apple devices in the United States.
Discuss this article in our forums
Apple’s TestFlight App Gains Support for iOS 9.3 and watchOS 2.2
Apple today updated its TestFlight iOS app to include support for watchOS 2.2 and iOS 9.3, two upcoming software updates that are currently being beta tested by developers and public beta testers.
Today’s update also includes stability and performance improvements for the TestFlight app.
What’s New
Includes support for watchOS 2.2 and iOS 9.3, as well as minor stability and performance improvements.
Both iOS 9.3 and watchOS 2.2 are expected to see a public release in the spring, perhaps at a rumored March 15 event that Apple is said to be planning.
For those unfamiliar with TestFlight, it’s Apple’s iOS beta testing platform, designed to let developers recruit beta testers for their apps to work out bugs ahead of releasing apps to the public. Apple acquired TestFlight from Burstly in February of 2014 and relaunched the service alongside iOS 8 as an iOS-integrated testing platform.
TestFlight can be downloaded for free from the App Store. [Direct Link]
Discuss this article in our forums
CBS exec: no recent talks with Apple about a TV service
Since Apple itself doesn’t have much to say about its long-rumored TV service, we’re forced to look for signals elsewhere. In comments revealed just before CBS announced its earnings today, exec Les Moonves once again filled in the gap. Following previous comments that he believes the service is on hold, Moonves told CNN Money that “we haven’t had recent conversations with them.” That could mean any potential debut is even further off than we thought, although it doesn’t seem to be hurting CBS any. CBS reported (PDF) its highest ever revenue for the fourth quarter, while claiming revenue from retransmission agreements is over $1 billion now, and will be at $2 billion by 2020. According to the exec, “something like 40 percent” of revenue his company is getting, didn’t exist five years ago.
Its recent broadcast of the Super Bowl was the third highest rated program ever, and notched 3.96 million viewers online. The report didn’t reveal any numbers for its streaming Showtime, CBSN or CBS All Access services, but said it’s attracting younger viewers, and that the company may release more original content like its already-announced new Star Trek series. The earning call is currently in progress, if any other details are mentioned then we’ll update this post.
Moonves: “We are now looking at the possibility of utilizing @CBSTVStudios to create additional exclusive programming for All Access” $CBS
— Dana McClintock (@Dana_McClintock) February 11, 2016
Source: CNN Money
Google brings 40 US national parks to Street View
Google just made it easier to visit some of the US’ biggest landmarks without hopping on an airplane. It’s teaming up with the National Park Service to offer 360-degree Street View imagery for 40 national parks and historic sites, ranging from Alcatraz’s legendary prison to the ancient cliff dwellings of Montezuma Castle. The collection also touts photos of artifacts from those locations. Want to see furniture from Abraham Lincoln’s house? You can. No, this won’t recreate the grandeur you’d get from being there yourself, but it beats having to rely on tourists’ photos to get a feel for what you’re missing.
Source: Department of the Interior, Google
‘Destiny’ sequel set for next year
Destiny‘s Valentine’s Day event is well under way, but developer Bungie is taking an extra step toward proving its devotion to fans. The long-rumored (and apparently delayed) sequel to the sci-fi online shooter is slated for release next year, corroborating earlier reports from Kotaku.
And sooner than that, the game is getting a larger update this spring with a “significant” Light level increase and a bunch of new loot and challenges for folks who’d rather not duke it out adversarially in the Crucible. The Bungie blog post also mentions another big expansion is coming this year. So, after a stretch of silence and a new CEO, perhaps Destiny players can grind easy knowing their guardian will be getting some new adornments perhaps rather soon.
Source: Bungie
NYPD used Stingrays over 1,000 times since 2008
Until now, New York City’s police department hadn’t disclosed any information about whether or not it used so-called Stingrays to monitor cell phone activity. In response to an NYCLU (NYCLU) request, the NYPD admitted that it used the devices over 1,000 times between 2008 and May 2015. What’s more, NYPD doesn’t have a written policy in place that guides how the tech should be used. As a refresher, Stingrays create a fake 2G cellular network that can be used to track the locations and monitor call or text activity in a certain area. Even when a specific mobile device is targeted, information from other phones in the area is still accessible.
The use of Stingrays has been a hot topic for a while now, especially when it comes to using them without a proper warrant. In this case, the NYPD says that, unless there’s an emergency, it obtains a “pen register order” from a court to use the tech. Those are different from a search warrant, though, as law enforcement only has to prove relevance to an investigation rather than probable cause. In other words, the order doesn’t protect privacy the way a regular search warrant does. Last year, the Department of Justice changed its policy to require a warrant before employing the cellphone-tracking unit.
Via: The Verge
Source: NYCLU
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