Philips Introduces New Hue Motion Sensor, Updated Bulbs

Philips today announced the newest addition to its Hue line of lights and accessories, debuting the new Philips Hue Motion Sensor. The Hue Motion Sensor is designed to allow Philips Hue users to control their lights automatically as they move through their homes.

The Motion Sensor connects to a Hue Bridge and because it’s wireless and powered via battery, it can be placed anywhere in the home – a bookshelf, a side table, a wall, a ceiling, etc. Once in position, the motion detection feature can be adjusted to the ideal position and it will perform set actions like turning the lights on or off whenever activated.

“The Philips Hue motion sensor not only provides hands-free control but also helps deliver peace of mind. You can be guided safely throughout your home at night with lighting,” said Sridhar Kumaraswamy, Business Leader, Home Systems, Philips Lighting. “Plus, you no longer have to remind the kids to turn off the lights when leaving a room. The reliable detection the motion sensor provides when you exit supports this and also helps you be more energy efficient.”

The Hue Motion sensor is highly customizable and supports personalized settings ranging from a soft, subdued light at night to set scenes during the day. It also has a built-in daylight sensor so it can turn lights on and off based on the time of day, and it has an instantaneous reaction time, adjusting lights within .5 seconds of being activated. Up to 12 Motion Sensors can be connected to a single bridge for a fully automated home lighting experience.

Along with the Motion Sensor, Philips is introducing updated Hue White and Color Ambiance A19 bulbs that feature richer greens and blues, a feature Hue owners have long desired. The new bulbs offer bolder, brighter colors than existing bulbs. Two new Philips Hue White Ambiance bulb extensions are also available, including BR-30 and GU-10 variants.

Philips’ new Motion Sensor is priced at $39.95 and will be available from the Philips Hue website, Amazon.com, and Best Buy starting in October of 2016. The new Hue White and Color Ambiance A19 bulbs and the new BR-30 and GU-10 bulb variants will also be available in October.

Tag: Philips Hue
Discuss this article in our forums

Amtrak’s next-generation high-speed trains arrive in 2021

While Amtrak is a perfectly fine way to travel, especially on the Eastern seaboard, the country’s publicly owned rail company doesn’t exactly have a high-tech reputation. That will change in the next few years, thanks to a massive $2.45 billion loan from the federal government, which the company plans to invest in 28 next-generation train sets and significant upgrades to the Northeast Corridor.

About $2 billion of that federal loan, which Vice President “Amtrak” Joe Biden announced Friday at his home station in Wilmington, Delaware, will be put towards those new train cars, which will boost the Acela fleet by 40 percent when they enter service in 2021. According to Amtrak, the new trains will offer one-third more passenger seating, more outlets and USB ports, improved WiFi quality (finally), and top speeds of 186 mph. (For comparison, Japan’s high-speed rail lines top out at 200 mph.) Thanks to a lighter, more aerodynamic design, the new trains should also cut energy consumption by about 20 percent. The trains will be 95 percent “Made in America” and built in New York state by Alstom.

As for the other $450 million of that federal loan, the company will be putting the money towards revitalizing four stations — including Union Station in Washington DC and Penn Station in New York City — as well as some much-needed infrastructure improvements between DC and Boston.

Source: Amtrak, Delaware Online

US mulls speed-limiting devices for buses and big rigs

Large vehicles like buses and big rig trucks are just as much of a safety concern as everyday cars, and US regulators think technology might be the key to saving lives. The NHTSA and FMCS have proposed installing speed-limiting devices on big commercial vehicles (those with a weight rating over 26,000lbs) to both reduce the chances of a crash and minimize damage when an accident happens. It could help with fuel efficiency and durability, too, by discouraging lead-footed drivers.

Just what that maximum speed would be is up in the air. Current proposals hover between 60MPH and 68MPH. The agencies are accepting public input for the 60 days following the proposal, however, so you can make a case for your preferred limit.

Reactions to the proposal are mixed, Reuters notes. The industry’s American Trucking Association has liked the idea of a speed limiter for 10 years thanks to its safety and potential for lowering costs, but the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association is worried that limiters take away too much control and aren’t realistic. What if you need to speed up to avoid an accident? And as many people will tell you, the speed limit on a highway frequently amounts to a polite suggestion — a slower-moving semi-trailer may pose more of a threat as speeding commuters dodge around it. Officials may have to be pragmatic if they want regulations that hold up in real conditions.

Via: Reuters

Source: Transportation.gov

Simulated Mars mission ends its year-long experiment

A NASA-backed, year-long simulation of living on Mars has finally come to a close. The six people in the HI-SEAS (Hawaii Space Exploration Analog and Simulation) experiment have left their dome on Mauna Loa to rejoin the rest of society. The test shows that a team can maintain performance, resource gathering and social graces while spending long periods in the relative isolation necessary for a Mars mission, whether it’s a temporary stay or a full-fledged colony. For example, the crew demonstrated that you can extract water from ground that appears to be dry — important when astronauts would likely have to ration water carefully.

The conditions weren’t nearly as harsh as they would be on Mars, of course, but there were strict limitations. Participants could only leave the dome if they had a spacesuit on, for instance, and they had to survive on simple food (usually canned or powdered). Entering the dome was, psychologically, much like leaving Earth — they were cut off from the luxuries of home for much longer than your average camping trip.

This isn’t the last HI-SEAS mission. NASA has offered grants that will keep the experiment going through 2019, and recruiting is already underway for the next two stays. Even so, this extra-long test (there were previous 4- and 8-month stays) is already a big confidence booster. Its data will help NASA tweak its strategies for supporting long-endurance space missions, whether it’s the mix of supplies they need to bring or a choice of personalities that mesh well together.

Via: Gizmodo

Source: University of Hawaii

NBC Sports ‘Goal Rush’ helps you follow Premier League scoring

Premier League soccer started a couple of weeks ago, but this weekend NBC Sports debuted a new feature for fans in the US: Goal Rush. Each week when there are multiple matches going on at the same time, the network will select one for Goal Rush on the NBC Sports app. While the stream will primarily focus on that game (presumably the one with the potential for the most goals), the action will cut away to another in-progress matchup when a goal is scored. For example, this weekend was Arsenal and Watford’s 4-goal affair with highlights from the other games spliced in as they happened.

NBC Sports compares Goal Rush to NFL RedZone, but that’s not really how it works. RedZone cuts to a game before the scoring happens so you can watch it live. For that reason, it doesn’t stick with one game for too long over the others that are also in progress. Scoring in soccer is much less predictable. It’s nearly impossible to know when the goals are coming before they’re scored, so Goal Zone is really more like an in-game highlights show. NBC Sports promises “live look-ins on action at all the grounds,” but that wasn’t the case this weekend. Perhaps the coverage will expand as the season progresses.

For die-hard fans of one club or another, Goal Zone won’t be of much use. Because it sticks with one game the majority of the time, most supporters aren’t going to forgo the chance to watch their team to try it out. Halftime consisted of a collection of clips rather than the in-studio commentary match viewers are used to seeing on NBC Sports Network and its affiliates. For the casual fan who isn’t invested in a team just yet, this could be a great way to keep up with all of the action when there are multiple games on the schedule. Goal Zone is available through the NBC Sports app on Android, iOS, Windows, Roku, Amazon TV, Apple TV and Chromecast. And yes, you’ll need a cable subscription to give it a shot next weekend.

Ready for a RedZone-esque experience? STREAM: @PremierLeague “Goal Rush” live at 10am ET with action from 6 games https://t.co/T23RWSEQ5n

— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) August 27, 2016

Source: NBC Sports Soccer (Twitter), NBC Sports