Formula E’s next-generation cars get their first concept shots

The all-electric Formula E race series is set to make some high-profile moves this season. With a big race in Brooklyn and at least one major entrant ditching the fossil-fueled Le Mans races, electric racing is gaining more and more credibility as the sport progresses. To keep the vehicles at the center of it all progressing as well, Spark Racing Technologies has unveiled its plans for next season’s official Formula E cars.

The SRT05e is designed to get twice the range of its predecessor, the first-generation Spark Renault SRT01, which has been in use for the series’ first four seasons. As the Verge notes, drivers currently have to switch vehicles mid-race in order to have enough charge to make it over the finish line, but bigger batteries currently in development are expected to make that headache a thing of the past. According to Spark, the SRT05e compensates for a heavier battery by dropping some weight from the chassis and getting more efficient with the aerodynamics and the drivetrain.

Motorsport also reports that individual teams were shown “even more radical” versions of the concept, so the final look may get a few more tweaks before hitting the track. Still, we can expect to see the vehicles sporting logos from BMW, Faraday Future, Mercedes-Benz and others when they roll out in the 2018-2019 season.

Source: Spark Racing Technology

Lenovo is refreshing its Flex 4 2-in-1s with more storage, 7th-gen Intel CPUs

Why it matters to you

The leak shows that Lenovo is getting ready to refresh its Flex 4 2-in-1 device with a thinner frame and more storage configurations.

After launching the Lenovo Flex 4 here in the United States last year, the company is gearing up to refresh the convertible notebook in the near future. Lenovo briefly displayed the unannounced product on its website over the weekend, listing it as the Lenovo Yoga 520 given that the older model is sold as the Yoga 510 outside the United States.

The upcoming convertible will be based on seventh-generation “Kaby Lake” Intel processors up to a Core i7 model. It will also sport an optional fingerprint reader, a flexible 360-degree hinge, a battery promising up to 10 hours of use on a single charge, and support for the Lenovo Active Pen. The 2-in-1 device will be sold in 14-inch and 15.6-inch form factors.

Here are the specs for the leaked 14-inch model:

Operating system:
Windows 10 Home
Screen size:
14 inches
Screen resolution:
1,920 x 1,080
Screen type:
IPS
Processor:
Up to seventh-generation Intel Core i7
Graphics:
Integrated
Memory:
Up to 16GB DDR4
Storage:
Up to 512GB PCI Express SSD
Up to 1TB SATA HDD
Up to 128GB PCI Express SSD / 1TB SATA HDD combo
Connectivity:
Wireless AC
Bluetooth
Camera:
720p with dual-array microphones
Audio:
Dolby Home Theater
Harman Audio
Battery:
Up to 10 hours
Ports:
2x USB 3.0 (one charges)
1x USB Type-C
1x SD card reader
1x HDMI
1x Gigabit Ethernet
1x headphone/microphone combo jack
Size:
12.9 x 9.0 x 0.8 inches
Weight:
3.9 pounds
Colors:
Onyx Black
Mineral Grey
Metallic Gold

According to Lenovo, the refreshed 2-in-1 device sports smaller bezels on each side of the screen, reduced from 12.3mm to 7.6mm for a better viewing experience. The refresh is slightly smaller, too, despite keeping the same screen size, down from the older model’s dimensions of 13.24 x 9.13 x 0.82 inches.

On the processor front, Lenovo doesn’t list specific chips, but does indicate on the product page that it will likely ship with configurations based on the Core i3, Core i5, and Core i7 processors. The older model supported processors up to a seventh-generation Core i5 chip, and up to an Intel Pentium 4405U chip. Lenovo may have done away with the AMD Radeon R5 M430 graphics option, too.

More: Lenovo Yoga 720 with GTX 1050 graphics rumored to arrive at MWC 2017

One noticeable change is the storage configurations. The older model provides storage options of up to 1TB on a hard drive or up to 256GB on an SSD. The new 14-inch model, as the specs show above, doubles the SSD capacity limit while throwing in a storage configuration pairing a 1TB hard drive with an SSD of up to 128GB in storage capacity.

Right now, pricing and availability is unknown, but Lenovo will likely reveal the new 2-in-1 during the Mobile World Congress show in Barcelona, Spain, starting February 27. However, as a comparison, Lenovo sells seven different set configurations of the current 14-inch Lenovo Flex 4 ranging from $370 to $950 (web prices). We presume the new units may be sold as the Lenovo Flex 5 here in the U.S.

Here are the most (and least) attractive ways to dance, according to science

Why it matters to you

Psychologists in the U.K. have published their second paper on which dance moves are alluring to potential partners. Start taking notes!

It’s the thing anyone who has ever stood awkwardly to the side of a wedding dance floor, pretending to be fascinated by the cheese platter, has feared: scientists are on their way to coming up with objective measures for the attractiveness of our dance moves.

In a new paper, published in the journal Scientific Reports, psychologists at Northumbria University in the U.K. reveal the most alluring dance moves for females. The work builds on a previous study, in which they did the same thing for males.

For the latest paper, 39 female college students danced to a pop song, while kitted out with motion capture sensors. Their moves were then scanned into a computer, mapped onto a featureless avatar (so as to remove details which could affect the study’s outcome) and ranked by participants — with the findings then turned over to a biomechanists and statisticians to analyze.

In the previous male-centric study, high quality male dance was found to be signified by larger and more variable movements of the upper body, which the researchers concluded was an indicator of male strength. “One of the things we drew from that paper was that when males dance they’re not necessarily signalling to females, so much as they are signalling their dominance, strength and masculinity to other males,” study co-author Dr. Nick Neave told Digital Trends. “That’s something that makes sense if you look at behavior in the animal kingdom.”

In the new female-centric study, on the other hand, good quality dancing was principally associated with hip swing, as well as asymmetric thigh movement and moderately asymmetrical arm movement.

“If you’re dancing and your arms are both doing exactly the same thing, that looks quite strange and robotic,” Neave continued. “The same is true if they’re completely divergent and you’re swinging them around wildly. There’s an optimal level in the difference of movement between the two arms and two legs. That seems to indicate high quality female dance.”

Here, for your interest, is a highly-rated female dance performance:

And here’s a less appreciated one:

But while Neave and his colleagues continue to speculate about what all of this means from a genetic point of view, he noted that the work does have some practical applications. One possible use-case (as unlikely as it may sound) is using this typed of research, in conjunction with other data sets, to help predict certain physical traits.

Neave said that the team has been working on cross-referencing footage of males walking with information about their aggression, frustration tolerance and testosterone levels to see if a neural network could potentially pick out troublemakers based on the way — to quote Saturday Night Fever — they use their walk. “We think there could be a 70 percent chance of being able to do this,” he noted, saying that security CCTV cameras could be given this information.

So does this mean future revellers could one day be pulled off the dance floor because their moves are correlated with those of previously rowdy individuals?

“I think there’s a more serious side to it,” Neave said. “The dancing research is fun and lighthearted. What it’s done is to give us the methodology that we can now take forward to apply to more serious research.”

Personally, we’d just be happy with a wearable device which alerts us when we’re embarrassing ourselves on the dance floor! There’s got to be a Kickstarter project in there somewhere…

Apple’s latest partnership supports the iPhone 8 wireless charging rumor

Why it matters to you

Your next iPhone is increasingly looking like it will support wireless charging.

Wireless charging has long been billed as one of the hot new features coming to the iPhone 8 and those rumors gained a little more credibility on Monday as Apple was spotted on the Wireless Power Consortium’s list of members. A representative from the Cupertino, California, company told Business Insider it joined last week.

A number of hardware providers have been linked to Apple’s implementation of the long-awaited feature in the iPhone 8, but in recent weeks the conversation has shifted from whether the company will introduce wireless charging to how. The vast majority of devices on the market that support it — including Apple’s own smartwatch — utilize direct, inductive charging, based on the Qi open standard. The Wireless Power Consortium supports and manages Qi technology, so Monday’s news would support the claim that similar functionality will debut in new iPhones this fall.

More: Apple iPhone 8 rumors and news

However, a link between Apple, its supplier Dialog Semiconductor, and Dialog’s investment in Energous, a company that specializes in an experimental form of long-range wireless charging via radio waves, indicates a more innovative approach. Energous’ WattUp radio frequency technology can reportedly charge devices as far as 15 feet away from a transmitter, even when the device being charged is in motion. But it is possible Apple has fallen back on the more reliable and tested Qi-based system because the long-range tech is not ready for primetime yet.

Qi wireless charging is already available in the iPhone’s biggest competitor, the Samsung Galaxy S7 series, and the Apple Watch utilizes a tweaked version of the standard that is not interoperable with other Qi-compatible devices. Apple responded to Business Insider’s report on the Wireless Power Consortium news with a statement, saying that the company’s membership falls in line with its leadership and contributions to other standards development organizations.

“Apple is joining the Wireless Power Consortium to be able to participate and contribute ideas to the open, collaborative development of future wireless charging standards,” the statement reads. “We look forward to working together with the WPC and its members.”

7 Best Amazon Tech Deals of the Week

Get the best tech deals from Amazon without hours of searching. We’ve rounded up the best tech deals available on Amazon this week, including wearables, audio and gaming devices, and more, with discounts of up to 57 percent off and nearly $500 in total savings. All deals are currently active but act fast before these steals of deals sell out or products go back to their regular retail prices. Read on to see what’s on our list for the best Amazon tech deals this week.

1. Fitbit Blaze Smart Fitness Watch

If an active lifestyle is still on your list of New Year’s resolutions, there’s no better time to invest in an activity tracker such as this Amazon number 1 bestseller, the Fitbit Blaze Smart Fitness Watch, currently discounted 25 percent and available for only $149 for a limited time. The smartwatch has all the best Fitbit features and is stylish enough to wear for nearly every occasion, helping to maximize your workouts as well as your regular everyday activities. Packing advanced technology into a versatile design, this smart wearable tracks your workouts, monitors your performance stats, and gauges your progress

More: If You’ve Thought About Buying a Fitbit, Now Is a Good Time

The Blaze boasts a connected GPS, heart rate monitor, and various fitness tracking features to accommodate a handful of activities. The connected GPS syncs with your phone allowing your to visualize your routes, and view movement stats such as pace and duration. The PulsePure heart rate monitor helps you make the most out of workouts without wearing a bulky heart-rate strap providing continuous heart-rate data and simplified zones.

Other fitness features include multiple sport tracking modes, from cycling to running, SmarTrack, which automatically recognizes workouts without requiring you to input what you are doing, and comprehensive workout goals and summaries to see the results of your work directly on the device.

Other perks include multifaced watch faces, an up to five-day battery life, the ability to connect wirelessly to 200+ leading iOS, Android and Windows devices using a 20-foot range of Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology, call, text, and calendar alerts, music controls, and sleep features such as sleep mode and a silent alarm. The Fitbit Blaze normally retails for $200 but is currently available on Amazon for only $149, saving you $51 or 25 percent.

$149 on Amazon

2. Etekcity Wireless Bluetooth 4.0 Receiver Audio Adapter

Enable Bluetooth capabilities in traditional speakers with Etekcity Wireless Bluetooth 4.0 Receiver Audio Adapter, currently discounted 48 percent on Amazon. Another Amazon number one bestseller, the device allows you to stream music wirelessly as it adds 4.0 Bluetooth capabilities to traditional speakers for wireless audio streaming from a range of up to 33 feet. It works with home theaters, stereo systems, and car stereos, and easily adapts using A/V, RCA, and 3.5mm jack input.

Once connected, any Bluetooth device, including tablets, smartphones, and computers, can play and control music on a sound system. Seamlessly easy to pair and re-pair, or use an NFC instant connection. With a simple one-press connect, speakers are ready, and automatically re-pair in the future. Alternatively, for phones with NFC, simply hold down the multi-functional button to make an instant connection.

With built-in Bluetooth V4.0 much less energy is consumed and the device lasts much longer, running up to 10 hours straight on a single two-hour charge. Additionally, the EDR or “Enhanced Data Rate,” ensures a faster data transmission rate and stable, reliable connection between your Bluetooth device and the audio receiver.

The mini design of the device makes it compact and lightweight, easy to pack up and take with you as needed. Finally, the adapter comes with 1-year warranty included by Etekcity. The Enable Bluetooth capabilities in traditional speakers with normally retails for $35, but is currently marked down to only $19 on Amazon, saving you $17 or 48 percent.

$19 on Amazon

 3. Photive M90 Portable Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker with Built-In Subwoofer

Bluetooth speakers are a dime a dozen, but most deliver only a satisfactory audio playback. The Photive M90 Portable Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker with Built-In Subwoofer is a step up from ordinary Bluetooth speakers as it packs a powerful base that amplifies both higher and lower bass frequencies using a unique combo of powerful stereo 20 watt sound and a passive subwoofer.

Enjoy crisp, clear audio with impressive volume powered by dual ten-watt drivers for a combined 20-watt output that is the highest available in its class. What you get is energetic base tones filling the air for more a robust, rich listening experience.

More: The Best Bluetooth Speaker You Can Buy

The speaker has a rugged industrial design with convenient on-board controls. It features a tough yet attractive aluminum grill, built-in screw mount, and a sturdy, rubberized handle, making it easy to pick up and take with you on the go. The shockproof speaker is also waterproof, complete with waterproof housing, allowing you to play music by pools and beaches without worry of water damage. In addition to being portable and durable, the speaker uses a powerful 5000mAh Li-ion battery, to give you an impressive eight to 10 hours of battery life.

The Photive M90 Portable Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker with Built-In Subwoofer normally retails for $150 but is currently discounted to only $60 on Amazon, giving you a $90 or 60% discount.

$60 on Amazon

4. TP-Link Smart Plug Mini

Control your electronics from anywhere using your tablet or smartphone with the TP-Link Smart Plug Mini, currently discounted 30 percent and available for only $35 on Amazon. An Amazon number one bestseller in electronics plugs, the device enables you to turn devices on and off, create schedules, and set timers using the companion Kasa app.

By setting connected devices to turn on and off as needed, you both conserve energy get more peace of mind knowing you can turn on lights while away to make it look like someone is home. Using away mode, you get added security as you can make it look like you’re home when you’re not there. Easily create schedules for your connected electronics based on your daily and weekly routines.

Scheduling additionally saves you money on your electricity bill by allowing you to have lamps, fans, and other devices turn on and off automatically at the same time (or different times you set) everyday, day and night. With remote access, you can check to see if connected devices are on or off, and with the countdown feature, you can set a timer that switches devices off automatically so you can set and forget any connected device. With a thickness of just 1.5 inches and compact housing, the plug is much smaller than most smart plugs, so much so it blends into any outlet and room decor without blocking adjacent power sockets.

The TP-Link Smart Plug Mini normally retails for $50 but is currently available on Amazon for $35, giving you a 30-percent, or $15 discount.

$35 on Amazon

5. Samsung Simple LED 24-Inch Monitor

Get over 50 percent off a gaming monitor with this Samsung Simple LED 24-Inch Monitor deal on Amazon, that gives you a full $171 discount. The gaming monitor features a special game mode, which automatically optimizes picture quality and provides an overall better gaming experience. With a simple touch of a button, game mode accurately detects changes in scenes, enhances colors, and adjusts the contrast so you see everything that much more clearly.

More: Immerse Yourself In the Action With the Best Gaming Monitors

Features such as mega dynamic contrast ratio and magic upscale provide an enhanced viewing environment. Mega dynamic contrast ratio manages contrast ratio in real time to deliver brighter colors, ultra-dark blacks, and pristine whites, for a crisp, clear picture and brilliant, true-to-life color.

Magic upscale prevents image degradation when images and videos are displayed on a laptop or another device providing brilliant colors, more crisp images, and a sharp picture when you connect a laptop, tablet, or smartphone to view content on a larger screen. Additionally, the built-in HDMI and VGA ports give you a range of connectivity options and allow you to watch 1080P video.

With a black bezel, ultra-thin design, and high glossy black finish the monitor has a sleek look that blends in with your existing entertainment center or workspace. The eco-saving feature allows you to control power consumption and earns the monitor an Energy Star 6.0 rating. The Samsung Simple LED 24-Inch Monitor normally retails for $300 but is currently available on Amazon for only $129, giving you a full 57-percent or $171 discount. 

$129 on Amazon

6. Bose SoundTouch 10, Two Wireless Starter Pack

Stream music in more than one room the easy way with this Bose SoundTouch 10 x 2 Wireless Starter Pack currently discounted by $69 on Amazon. Each SoundTouch 10 speaker gives you wireless access to popular music services like Amazon Music and Spotify, Internet radio stations, and your stored music library allowing you to play music how you want, either through your Wi-Fi network or a Bluetooth device.

More: How to Buy Speakers Like a Boss: A Beginner’s Guide to Home Audio

These small SoundTouch speakers deliver rich, powerful sound — enough to place almost anywhere in your home. Using the free SoundTouch app, your phone becomes your remote and allows you to access millions of songs from music services like Amazon Music and Spotify, Internet radio stations, and your own music library, all wirelessly. Because the speakers are Bluetooth enabled, you have even more music options, such as streaming from a friend’s iPhone, or sources not currently integrated into the SoundTouch app, like YouTube.

SoundTouch products allow you to play the same music in every room or different music in different rooms with wireless speakers and systems that work together seamlessly. Start with these two speakers, and then add more SoundTouch speakers at any time. The speakers are available in either black or white speakers allowing you to more easily match them with any decor. The Bose SoundTouch 10 x 2 Wireless Starter Pack normally retails for $398 but is currently on sale for only $329 on Amazon, saving you $69 or 17 percent.

$329 on Amazon

7. Fossil Q Wander Touchscreen Silicone Smartwatch

Stay connected and track your activity, all from a stylish smartwatch such as this Fossil Q Wander Touchscreen Silicone Smartwatch currently discounted 25 percent on Amazon. This Fossil Q Wander model comes in a soft white rose design with a white silicone band that together create a trendy wrist accessory. With this model, you can go a step further to personalize your look thanks to customizable watch faces and interchangeable straps, compatible with all Fossil brand 22mm straps.

The Fossil Q Wander lets you control everything you need from your wrist. Stay connected with texts, calls, emails, and app updates through display notifications. Control your music on your favorite music player such as Spotify, Pandora, Soundcloud, GooglePlay, iTunes, or Apple Music. The watch comes with a built-in activity track to measure your everyday accomplishments including steps, distance, and calories burned.

As a touchscreen device, you can scroll through menus and use the device simply by using your fingertips. As a bonus, voice controls are also built into this model allowing you to use the built-in microphone and speaker to do a variety of tasks hands-free using just your voice.

Other features include a built-in alarm clock, wireless, cable-free charging, built-in LED flashlight, alarm clock, and automatically updating of time and dates for when you switch time zones. The Fossil Q Wander Touchscreen Silicone Smartwatch normally retails for $295 but is currently discounted to only $211 on Amazon, saving you 25 percent or $74.

$211 on Amazon

Google Fiber, AT&T Fiber turn Kentucky city into gigabit battleground

Why it matters to you

With or without net neutrality you’ll need more speed, and the bandwidth wars are about to get real.

Google Fiber is back in the game. Last fall, the company paused to reconsider its push to bring fiber-optic gigabit internet to major cities in the U.S., while at the same time implementing management changes and staff layoffs. Now, Google Fiber is getting back into action, moving three cities from its “potential cities” list of places to get fiber-optic gigabit internet to the “upcoming cities” category. Of the three, Louisville, Kentucky, will be a beachhead, reports ZD Net.

Huntsville, Alabama, and San Antonio, Texas, are the other lucky winners in the let’s-go-gigabit game. The Derby city’s local government support and continued communication with Google Fiber likely factored in it being chosen. Google Fiber is competing with AT&T Fiber, its largest and most vocal competitor in Louisville.

More: Google Fiber expands to Raleigh, N.C.

Google Fiber’s original plan to string or bury fiber-optic cable throughout Louisville ran into difficulty over rights to hang cables on existing utility poles. Federal Communications Commission regulations require each company involved check the work, which was slowing progress. Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer lined up behind Google and helped pass a “One Touch Make Ready” ordinance in Louisville that allowed Google Fiber crews to attach their cable and perform any necessary checks and inspections. AT&T sued the city; that case has yet to be settled.

Fiber-optic cable infrastructure rollout costs were also a huge impediment. Last summer, Google Fiber acquired WebPass wireless, a gigabit technology that only needs point-to-point airspace, obviating the need to dig or hang cables. Webpass wireless isn’t cost effective in terms of connecting to single homes, but it’s fine for sending data traffic between larger buildings and distribution hubs. Louisville will be Google Fiber’s first hybrid wireless and fiber-optic cable gigabit internet service city.

AT&T had its own lull in installation activity in Louisville during the fall, but now AT&T crews are busy stringing up the entire city with AT&T fiber cables. The battle is just beginning.

Microsoft makes digging into data easier with open-sourced Graph Engine

Why it matters to you

Microsoft made it easier to use all of that connected data about your social and purchasing habits, for better or worse.

Sometimes, it’s not the information that matters, it’s the relationships between information that is important in identifying trends, isolating causes, and making decisions. With so many different and often connected sources of information today, a way is needed to identify and work with those relationships to answer the most complicated questions.

Graph databases are exactly what is needed because they are built around the relationship between data, not just the data itself as with the more typical relational database. Microsoft made its own graph database engine, appropriately titled the Microsoft Graph Engine and part of Microsoft Cognitive Services, open source, InfoWorld reports.

More: Microsoft demonstrates its commitment to open source by joining Linux Foundation

While the details are something only a database analyst would love, the impact could be significant. Graph Engine competes against a number of alternatives, including the open-source project Neo4J. Microsoft’s decision to open-source the Graph Engine should significantly expand its use by organizations who need to pull together disparate sources of information and leverage their connections.

Graph Engine grew out of Microsoft’s Infinity project and is a more powerful solution than Neo4J in that it includes functionality that is only available in that system’s commercial edition that is aimed squarely at the enterprise. Now, developers can gain access to a more complete graph database simply by heading over to GitHub and downloading the source code.

So far, the Graph Engine is only for Windows but according to Software Development Times, an upcoming Linux version is rumored. What this means for the rest of us is that more people will be able to analyze today’s complex, interconnected information in more ways than ever before. That will likely result in things we all appreciate like better crime detection, but also things like a better analysis of our Facebook friends’ list, resulting in even more annoying targeted advertising.

U.S. Army wants to keep you alert at the wheel by reading your brain waves

Why it matters to you

Drowsiness is a major cause of car crashes, but new project funded by the U.S. Army has developed an algorithm for detecting sleepy drivers based on their EEG brain wave readings.

Next to inebriation, speeding, and inattention, people driving while drowsy is a major cause of car crashes. Well, forget about cranking loud music, drinking convenience store coffee, and keeping your windows rolled down, because the United States Army has an alternative solution: reading your brain waves.

In a new research paper, funded by the Army’s Human Research and Engineering Directorate (HRED) unit, computer scientists describe an algorithm for detecting driver drowsiness based on their electroencephalogram (EEG) signal.

“Since EEG signals directly measure the brain activities, theoretically EEG based approaches should be more reliable [than other solutions],” co-author Dr. Dongrui Wu told Digital Trends. “More importantly, it may be possible to predict the driver’s drowsiness from EEG signals before it actually happens, which gives us ample time for interventions.”

More: SmartCap monitors brain waves in machinery workers and truck drivers to keep them alert

As part of the study, 16 different participants had their brain waves monitored while carrying out a simulated drive down a highway, complete with occasional lane changes. The algorithms the team had developed were then used to analyze the EEG results and predict drowsiness.

“The main real-world application is driver drowsiness estimation to prevent accidents,” Wu continued. “In the paper we reported an application scenario of highway driving, but the technique can also be applied to other professionals including pilots, soldiers, and construction vehicle drivers. Another possible application is to monitor in real time the sleep status of a person from EEG, in the hospital or at home. Beyond EEG and brain-computer interfaces, the algorithm proposed in this paper can also be used in many other applications that involve people and hence individual differences, [such as] affective computing, which involves estimating the emotions from a person’s voices or other body signals.”

For now, Wu said the researchers are continuing to improve the algorithm they’ve developed for more accurate detection. They additionally want to experiment with different numbers of, and locations for, EEG sensors to get the most accurate predictions possible. By doing this, they hope to achieve the optimal compromise between performance and portability.

After that we guess it’s just about finding the best way of jolting drivers awake and keeping them that way. Until autonomous cars have been fully perfected, that is.

U.S. Army wants to keep you alert at the wheel by reading your brain waves

Why it matters to you

Drowsiness is a major cause of car crashes, but new project funded by the U.S. Army has developed an algorithm for detecting sleepy drivers based on their EEG brain wave readings.

Next to inebriation, speeding, and inattention, people driving while drowsy is a major cause of car crashes. Well, forget about cranking loud music, drinking convenience store coffee, and keeping your windows rolled down, because the United States Army has an alternative solution: reading your brain waves.

In a new research paper, funded by the Army’s Human Research and Engineering Directorate (HRED) unit, computer scientists describe an algorithm for detecting driver drowsiness based on their electroencephalogram (EEG) signal.

“Since EEG signals directly measure the brain activities, theoretically EEG based approaches should be more reliable [than other solutions],” co-author Dr. Dongrui Wu told Digital Trends. “More importantly, it may be possible to predict the driver’s drowsiness from EEG signals before it actually happens, which gives us ample time for interventions.”

More: SmartCap monitors brain waves in machinery workers and truck drivers to keep them alert

As part of the study, 16 different participants had their brain waves monitored while carrying out a simulated drive down a highway, complete with occasional lane changes. The algorithms the team had developed were then used to analyze the EEG results and predict drowsiness.

“The main real-world application is driver drowsiness estimation to prevent accidents,” Wu continued. “In the paper we reported an application scenario of highway driving, but the technique can also be applied to other professionals including pilots, soldiers, and construction vehicle drivers. Another possible application is to monitor in real time the sleep status of a person from EEG, in the hospital or at home. Beyond EEG and brain-computer interfaces, the algorithm proposed in this paper can also be used in many other applications that involve people and hence individual differences, [such as] affective computing, which involves estimating the emotions from a person’s voices or other body signals.”

For now, Wu said the researchers are continuing to improve the algorithm they’ve developed for more accurate detection. They additionally want to experiment with different numbers of, and locations for, EEG sensors to get the most accurate predictions possible. By doing this, they hope to achieve the optimal compromise between performance and portability.

After that we guess it’s just about finding the best way of jolting drivers awake and keeping them that way. Until autonomous cars have been fully perfected, that is.

Spectator View provides a looking glass for all to see HoloLens holograms

Why it matters to you

This will be important to developers for creating augmented reality experiences that can be shared with a general audience.

As we saw 30 minutes into Microsoft’s recent Windows 10 Creators Update press event, the company can display what a HoloLens user sees in real time to a general audience. For instance, Microsoft “experience designer” Taj Reid pulled a holographic chair out of a floating web browser and positioned it on the stage. While he experienced all of this in first-person, the audience could see the same objects in a third-person view though the event’s large displays or via the online broadcast. Now Microsoft wants to bring this “spectator view” to all HoloLens developers.

During October’s press event, Microsoft brought out a special camera that captured Taj Reid’s demo in real time while simultaneously rendering the holograms into the live feed. Microsoft wants developers to create a similar camera by offering documentation based on its camera design, aka the Spectator View Camera. The use cases for this setup include snapping images of HoloLens wearers as they interact with holograms, live demonstrations, and video capture.

More: Developer shows off ‘Final Fantasy XIV’ gameplay on Microsoft’s HoloLens

“Since a HoloLens can only be worn by one person, how do you open the view so everyone can see what that person sees? To solve this problem, we developed Mixed Reality Capture (MRC) to aid in the visualization of holograms that the wearer is seeing from a first-person perspective,” said Microsoft’s Brandon Bray in a blog on Monday.

For photo and video capture, Microsoft tested its Mixed Reality Capture technology on the Canon EOS 5D Mark III camera ($2,500) while it tested the Blackmagic Design Production Camera 4K for live demonstrations ($3,000). However, any camera with HDMI output should work, as should any add-on camera lens. Microsoft uses the Canon EF 14mm f/2.8L II USM Ultra-Wide Angle Fixed Lens ($2,100).

The camera setup consists of a tripod, a DSLR camera, a hot shoe fastener to mount a hot shoe adapter, a 3D printed adapter to connect the HoloLens mount to the camera’s hot shoe, and a machined aluminum bracket holding a HoloLens unit. The whole setup can connect to a capture card installed in a PC to preview the composite scene. Microsoft has already tested the setup using the Blackmagic Design Intensity Pro 4K capture card ($190).

On the software side, here is what developers will need:

• Spectator View software (GitHub)
• Blackmagic Capture Card SDK
• Blackmagic Desktop Video Runtime
• OpenCV 3.1 to capture without the Blackmagic card
• Optional Canon SDK for Canon cameras
• Unity for app development
• Visual Studio 2015

Instructions on how to build the camera can be found here. Microsoft also provides an online Holograms 240 class showing developers how to create a shared experience through HoloLens and Windows 10 apps via Microsoft’s Universal Windows Platform. Of course, shared experiences require at least two HoloLens headsets, which cost $3,000 each.

The ultimate purpose of Spectator View is to provide a stable, third-person composite view of the HoloLens user and the holograms. Spectators can follow along with the experience without suffering through a nausea-causing “shaky cam” viewpoint created by head-mounted cameras.