CityConnect is creating a ‘Pokemon Go’-style augmented reality app for cyclists

Why it matters to you

Encouraging people to ride a bike or obey bicycle traffic laws can be difficult. An augmented reality app could make it fun.

Riding a bicycle isn’t for everyone. Yet, there is no denying that it is a greener way to commute and a great way to get some exercise. Still, many people don’t find it enjoyable enough to keep riding. CityConnect and the University of Bradford’s Digital Media Working Academy are developing a way to fix that.

By creating an augmented reality app for cyclists, the aim is to enhance the cycling experience with elements of game playing. Safety is a key aspect of the prototype. Players are rewarded for following traffic laws and acting responsibly. If a cyclist rides recklessly, points are deducted. Additionally, the app features explorable points of interest.

More: This GPS-powered cycling vest can trigger turn signals automatically as you follow a route

For this first phase, testing will focus on the Cycle Superhighway that links the cities of Bradford and Leeds. This pathway provides cyclists with a segregated, traffic-free environment. Throughout development, the Working Academy is involved with the local Yorkshire community, including schools and cycling groups, to test the app and its features.

There has been some concern over cyclists engaging with a screen during their commute. However, safety is the app’s biggest focus.

“We are working with a simple but secure strap that attaches the phone to the handlebars,” said Simon Couth, Head of the Working Academy. “Safety is an integral aspect of the app with warnings and safe cycle guidance a part of the gameplay. It’s much like people using a screen sat-nav as they drive.”

A finished prototype of the app is scheduled to showcase during the Cycle City Active City conference on May 11 and 12. The conference is hosted by Bradford Council and supported by CityConnect.

“Creating an augmented reality app for cyclists that puts safety and fun at the heart, is the sort of innovative challenge that the University is really keen to take on,” said Couth.

Uber pauses its self-driving efforts following Arizona crash

Uber isn’t taking any chances in the wake of its self-driving car accident in Tempe, Arizona. The company has suspended both its Arizona testing and its Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania operations while it investigates what happened. The company has confirmed to Engadget that its vehicle was in self-driving mode at the time, but adds that there were no serious injuries on either side of the collision, and “no backseat passengers” in Uber’s autonomous Volvo.

An Uber spokesperson tells us the company is “continuing to look into this incident,” and it’s not too hard to see why. While it’s already established that Uber isn’t at fault (another driver failed to yield when Uber’s SUV had the right of way), there are a number of unanswered questions. Is there any way the Uber ride’s human driver could have avoided a collision by taking over in time, for example? And is there a software tweak that could have had the vehicle react on its own? Although it’s tempting to pin the accident solely on the imperfect nature of people, Uber likely wants to rule out any factors that could be resolved through code or driver training.

Source: Bloomberg

3D-printed cartilage cell implants thrive in baby mice

Somewhere in Sweden, a few lab mice have human cartilage cells living and growing within their bodies. A team of researchers from Chalmers University of Technology and Sahlgrenska Academy used a CELLINK 3D bioprinter to make hydrogel out of human-derived cartilage cells. They then implanted the gels into six-week-old mice and found “something that begins to resemble cartilage” after 60 days. The researchers are working towards being able to use 3D bioprinting to create body parts for patients who need them. While they’re far from achieving that goal, this particular experiment proves that it’s a possibility in the future.

By adding stem cells to stimulate the cartilage cells’ growth, the hydrogel successfully led to human cartilage tissue and even formed blood vessels. Team leader Professor Paul Gatenholm said:

“We now have proof that the 3D printed hydrogel with cells can be implanted. It grows in mice and, in addition, blood vessels have formed in it.

With what we have done, the research has taken a step forward towards someday, we hope, being able to bioprint cells that become body parts for patients. This is how you have to work when it comes to this kind of pioneering activity: one small step at a time. Our results are not a revolution — but they are a gratifying part of an evolution!”

PRS Global Open published the team’s paper if you want to read all the details. But you can see the cartilage growing in the mice in the images below.

Via: TechCrunch

Source: Chalmers University of Technology

5 songs you need to stream this week: Kendrick Lamar, Angel Olsen, and more

Every week, there are thousands of new songs hitting the airwaves — and it’s just too much for your two ears to handle. With all those options, you can’t be wasting your time on tracks that deserve a thumbs-down click.

But don’t worry, we’re going to save you the hassle. We listen to some of the most-hyped and interesting songs each week, and tell you which are worthy of your precious listening time.

More: Spotify vs. Apple Music: Which service is the streaming king?

Here are our top five songs to stream this week. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to our Spotify page for a playlist of our weekly picks, which can also be found at the bottom of this post.

Kendrick Lamar — The Heart Part 4

Kendrick Lamar’s latest single features multiple slow-paced grooves and a massive amount of wordplay, with the rapper using each shift in accompaniment to change his vocal tone and subject matter. As usual, the Compton, California-born musician places each word perfectly over every beat, curating a single that you’ll be listening to on repeat until his next album hits store shelves some time this year.

Angel Olsen — Never Be Mine

Singer/songwriter Angel Olsen and her live band recently appeared on Seattle’s KEXP radio, performing songs from her latest record, My Woman. The live version of Never Be Mine is the gem of her half-hour set — a beautifully layered pop number that showcases the serious musical abilities of both Olsen and her band.

Gorillaz — We Got The Power

Famed electronic band Gorillaz released four new songs this week, but the most interesting is We Got The Power, which sees frontman Damon Albarn (formerly of Blur) collaborating with one time British pop rival Noel Gallagher of Oasis. A short and sweet single with a four-on-the-floor beat, We Got The Power is clean, simple, and just plain fun to listen to.

Foxygen — Be Yourself

Underground psych-pop kings Foxygen showcase a clean-cut soundtrack jam with their latest song Be Yourself, which was written for an upcoming American Girl special on Amazon Prime Video. Horn backgrounds, punchy bass, and a gentle use of percussion work together on the track, which feels like it could have been plucked straight from a vintage AM radio station.

Hoops — On Top

This week’s best workout song comes in the form of On Top, a new single from washed-out indie rockers Hoops. A clean-grooving jam driven by an extremely melodic guitar line, On Top will help you lace up those sneakers and go on that run you’ve been thinking about all week.

That’s it for now, but tune in next week for more tunes — and check out the playlist loaded with our recent selections below:

Save an additional 25% on these Digital Offers thanks to our friends at Thrifter!

We’ve had a variety of Digital Offers over the past year, and some of them are more popular than others. From VPN offers to courses that teach you how to code, these offers are great ways for you to learn new skills without spending a ton of money. Our friends over at Thrifter have secured an exclusive deal to help you all save 25% more on these already discounted offers, and you won’t want to miss out on them.

VPN Unlimited: Lifetime Subscription

• Normal Price: $39
• Discounted Price: $34
• Coupon Code: THRIFTVPN

Using the internet is becoming increasingly risky, and many people aren’t taking the precautions necessary to protect their data and ultimately themselves. Using a VPN to protect yourself is never a bad idea, but free services are often unreliable, slow, and unsafe. VPN Unlimited has servers in more than 35 countries to ensure fast and reliable connections, and it works on Android, iOS, Mac, Windows and Windows Mobile.

Save an additional 25% now! Learn More

The Complete Learn to Code Bundle

• Normal Price: $65
• Discounted Price: $48.75
• Coupon Code: THRIFTLTC

So you’ve decided on a new career in web development, but you’re unsure where’s the best place to start. You could enroll yourself in a computer sciences course at a local college, but that means putting your life on hold to go back to school, and who has the time or money for that? You can get lifetime access to The Complete 2016 Learn to Code Bundle which includes 12 distinct courses on all the most valuable languages and web development frameworks used by programmers today — including HTML, HTML5, CSS, JavaScript, Python, and much more.

Save an additional 25% now! Learn More

Virtual Training Company: Lifetime Subscription

• Normal Price: $89
• Discounted Price: $66.75
• Coupon Code: THRIFTVTC

Whether you are interested in animation and 3D, networking and security, game designing or other topics, wouldn’t it be nice to be able to switch your focus between them all as you see fit? Well, you can. That’s right, with a lifetime single user subscription to the Virtual Training Company you’ll have instant access to more than 1,000 online courses on a variety of popular topics and skills. This allows you to move between them as you see fit, and use your time to accomplish the courses.

Save an additional 25% now! Learn More

StockUnlimited Design Library: 3-Yr Subscription

• Normal Price: $39.99
• Discounted Price: $29.99
• Coupon Code: THRIFTSU

Ever have a design assignment that you spent hours hunting down the perfect royalty-free image to use for? Those hours add up over time, and all that time spent is costing you money whether you realize it or not. StockUnlimited Design Library gives you access to over 600,000 high quality vectors and an unlimited allotment of downloads so you don’t spend so much time getting those projects complete. Grab three years of access right now, and watch how quickly it pays for itself.

Save an additional 25% now! Learn More

These offers will all end on March 28, so if you are looking to take advantage of the additional discounts be sure to make your purchase before then. For more great deals, be sure to check out Thrifter now!

Recommended Reading: Radiohead’s ‘OK Computer’ predicted the future

The Radiohead Prophesies:
How ‘OK Computer’
Predicted the Future
Stuart Berman,
Pitchfork

Pitchfork is celebrating the 20th anniversary of Radiohead’s OK Computer this week, including a pretty interesting look at how Thom Yorke imagined the future in 1997. Released at a time when the internet was still a new thing, the album’s content ties in directly to 2017. As Berman notes, “OK Computer is really more like the first draft for a never-filmed pilot episode of Black Mirror.”

AMC’s streaming service would still need a cable subscription

Just because a TV channel wants to offer an online video service doesn’t mean it’s forward thinking. Case in point: AMC. Reuters sources claim that the network is prepping a paid streaming option (tentatively $5-7 per month) that would require a conventional TV subscription — it’d be an add-on to your cable package, and nothing more. What this service would offer isn’t clear (AMC isn’t commenting), but there’s talk of an online-only The Walking Dead spinoff in the mix. However, the bigger question is why AMC would chain the service to an existing TV bundle in the first place.

The tipsters say that it’s a way of supporting the traditional TV industry at a time when younger viewers are increasingly going internet-only. Surely millennials (a large part of AMC’s audience) will stick around if there’s more to watch online, won’t they?

The problem, as you might guess, is that AMC wouldn’t be launching this service into a vacuum. You can already get AMC through stand-alone streaming offerings like PlayStation Vue… are potential cord-cutters really going to keep a pricey cable package in the off chance they can pay more for some bonus Walking Dead material? And while they’re not directly comparable, it’s hard to ignore stand-alone services like HBO Now and Starz, both of which arguably offer better value to online viewers. Simply put, AMC’s reported plan would be more about placating change-resistant executives than pleasing customers.

Source: Reuters

(PRODUCT)RED iPhone 7 Plus Gets Black Front in New Part Swap Video

Apple’s new (PRODUCT)RED iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, released yesterday, feature a bright red aluminum casing that many are a fan of. Unfortunately, it comes equipped with a white front plate, much like the Gold, Silver, and Rose Gold iPhones, something that’s been a point of criticism for people who think it would have looked better with a black front plate.

YouTuber Danny Winget recently tore apart a red iPhone 7 Plus and replaced its logic board and front plate with parts taken from a Jet Black iPhone 7 Plus, giving us a glimpse at what an actual (PRODUCT)RED iPhone 7 Plus with a black front would have looked like.

Winget had to replace not only the front plate but also the logic board because if he swapped just the front portion of the device, the Touch ID fingerprint sensor would have been rendered unusable.

Apple ties the Touch ID fingerprint sensor to an iPhone’s logic board and disables it for security reasons if any of the parts are swapped out. Therefore, most of the internal structure of the (PRODUCT)RED iPhone had to be replaced with parts from the Jet Black iPhone.

Purchasing an entire Jet Black iPhone 7 or 7 Plus for the purpose of creating a hybrid red/black iPhone 7 is probably out of the question for most people, but it’s an interesting proof of concept.

This method essentially ruins the Jet Black iPhone 7 involved, making it a rather pricy project, and it destroys the waterproofing seal on the red iPhone.

It’s also worth noting that this is a highly complicated process that essentially requires tearing apart two iPhones, melding them together, and hoping nothing goes wrong, something that the average person won’t want to attempt.

For a closer look at the Special Edition (PRODUCT)RED iPhone, make sure to check out our hands-on video.

Related Roundup: iPhone 7
Discuss this article in our forums

Everything you need to know about the Dark Web

Have questions about the Dark Web and how it’s accessed? We’ve got answers! The term essentially refers to heavily-encrypted sites that cannot be accessed via the average browser. As such, these sites are often used as an international black market and as a source for hacked data. They can have a number of other purposes as well, but, without the right software, you may never know they exist. Check out the FAQ below to learn more about the gnarly, hidden parts of the internet, and how you can access it with the right set of tools.

More: Buying a handgun on the Dark Web is “just like buying a bar of chocolate”

What is the Dark Web, exactly?

The Dark Web is a term referring to websites and networks that are heavily encrypted and “hidden” from the average internet user. There are a lot of reasons people do this, but the Dark Web has earned a connotation as a sort of immense black market, one associated with drugs, guns, porn, hacking, and conspiracies. That said, it’s also a haven for those who really, really like their privacy and aren’t fans of any kind of interference, as well as for those under strict governments that control free speech and employ heavy regulations.

How is that different from the so-called Deep Web?

While the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, there’s an important difference: The Deep Web refers to all parts of the web that are hidden away from the average user, and not indexed by the average search engine. This includes an immense amount of data, internal copies of various webpages, and anything that you need an access code to reach. So pretty much every site online has some content that’s in the Deep Web, out of necessity. The Dark Web is only a small part of the Deep Web, with a more focused purpose.

So, is it separate from the normal internet?

More or less, yes. The data itself still uses the same channels, but the walls of encryption put a clear divide between “normal” internet content and the Dark Web. You cannot hop onto your favorite browser and visit a Dark site any time you want, for instance. Traditional search engines like Google also tend not to index or show any Dark Web content, for a variety of reasons.

Has it always existed?

manaemedia/123RF

Shady internet activities have existed since the public really started using the internet in the mid ’90s. But the Dark Web represents the start of a very large, more cohesive use of the internet for these kinds of activities. The term itself gained popularity in the late aughts, and became widely known in 2014/2015 thanks to government crackdowns on various Dark Web operations and the corresponding, complicated rise of Bitcoin.

How illegal is the Dark Web?

It’s generally not illegal to visit, but it does matter what you do while you’re there. After all, people peddle a smorgasbord of illegal and inappropriate content on the Dark Web — child pornography, beheading footage, etc. — and some people go there to seek that stuff out. Such being the case, you might want to avoid associating yourself with those kinds of people and places.

More: A vigilante hacker took down 20 percent of the Dark Web after finding child porn

The most famous example of illegal Dark activity was Silk Road, which used a combination of Bitcoins and the Dark Web to exchange recreational drugs internationally. Law enforcement agencies took down the online marketplace in 2013 — and again, in 2014 — but similar cartels still operate using the same methodology. Another example was the Ashley Madison hack, which saw a wave of names and information flood the Dark Web, blackmailing and exposing those who used the cheating service. It was illegal in a different way, and harder to pin down.

However, with caution and common sense, you can navigate the Dark Web without landing in any legal trouble. But don’t expect the “I didn’t know I was buying illegal drugs” line to work.

What are the dangers of going onto the Dark Web?

All the common dangers of a traditional black market exist on the Dark Web. To reiterate, you can buy or sell a whole lot of illegal things and get in a lot of legal trouble if law enforcement agencies manage to track you down (which, as noted above, can indeed happen).

miluxian/123RF

However, there are also some unofficial dangers to be a wary of. Many of those who operate in the Dark Web have no problem exploiting you in any way they can — and since many of them are hackers or at least know how to use hacking tools, they can be dangerous.

As a result, there are many tales of blackmail peppering the Dark Web, from people who are somehow identified there, or tricked into giving their information. Downloads also tend to be even more suspect in the dark corners of the internet, so your computer may be in danger as well.

If I want to visit some parts of the Dark Web, where do I begin?

Read up on the Dark Web, and see what you’re in for. Visiting a subreddits like r/deepweb is a good idea, too, as it will allow you to see what people are looking for and what common topics arise in an environment that’s a bit more protected than the actual Dark Web.

You will need the Tor Browser and encryption software to access the Dark Web, which you can find here. Download the browser and follow the provided instructions to launch the software and start searching. This software encrypts your incoming connection, as well as any Dark websites you may come across. It also decrypts content as needed, essentially rendering it the universal tool of Dark Web operators. If you plan on using the Dark Web more than once, always ensure Tor is updated before you begin.

More: A beginner’s guide to Tor: How to navigate through the underground Internet

It’s worth pointing out that many who live on the Dark Web think of Tor as the starting place for what you need to stay anonymous. Most Dark Web aficionados also use a host of other security tools, including isolated operating systems and anonymous email accounts, to protect themselves (and not just from law enforcement).

This is how OneDrive works in Windows 10

The OneDrive cloud storage solution has become an important part of Microsoft’s platform, and in Windows 10, it’s baked directly into the operating system. You’re set up for it when you log in with your Microsoft Account, and you’ll find the storage available in File Explorer. There’s no app to open, download, or install — it’s just there from the start for you to use. Here’s what you need to know about OneDrive in Windows 10.

More: Have a file too big for email? Here’s how to share it for free

Windows 10 makes OneDrive more flexible and user-friendly

The old-style placeholders that represented actual files stored in OneDrive are replaced by a newer, “selective sync” system in Windows 10. Rather than OneDrive showing placeholders for every file that’s stored on OneDrive — and allowing users to access any file by clicking on the placeholder and downloading files as needed — the integrated OneDrive client now lets users select which files will be synced locally. This includes either all files and folders, or specific folders that you want to keep locally.

When you first set up your Windows 10 system, you will be given the choice of which folders will be downloaded and synced. To change OneDrive settings later, right-click the OneDrive icon in the notification area, select Settings, switch to the Choose folders tab, and click the Choose folders button. Then, you can either sync All files and folders on your OneDrive or Choose folders to sync, meaning they will be available locally.

OneDrive also supports remote access. Under the Settings tab, if you check Let me use OneDrive to fetch any of my files on this PC, you can access your files remotely. This means you can peruse your files using another computer via the OneDrive website.

When you enable this option, the connected PC will show up in the OneDrive web interface, which is accessible here. If the respective computer is turned on and connected to the internet, you can access any of its folders and files.

OneDrive integrates with Cortana and Universal Apps

Cortana, Microsoft’s virtual assistant, is now available in Windows 10. Not only can she answer questions, but when you select Search my stuff, she can search your files — including the ones stored on OneDrive and not synced with your device. You can then access those files from the search results. Thankfully, Cortana also responds to both voice control and keyboard inputs entered into the Windows search bar.