GM challenges eight schools to build self-driving Chevy Bolts

Just about every major car company is trying to figure out the best way to build a self-driving car, and GM is tapping a handful of schools to help get the job done. Teams from Virginia Tech, the University of Waterloo, Kettering University, the University of Michigan, Michigan Tech, the University of Toronto, Texas A&M and North Carolina A&T have been selected to apply their know-how to a very specific challenge. Long story short, they each have three years to load up a bog-standard Chevy Bolt EV with all the equipment it needs to self-drive on an urban testing course.

GM and SAE first announced the project in late 2016, saying that selected school teams would focus on “real-world applications of sensing technologies, computing platforms, software design implementation and advanced computation methods.” In other words, GM is counting on these young ones to nail all the really hard stuff. The first major milestone comes in the Spring of 2018 — by then, the schools involved should be able to get their Bolts down a straight road without any obstacles.

Tapping into this kind of institutional power is a smart move on GM’s part — savvy young researchers and engineers could dream up solutions that stodgy corporate brain trusts might miss. Including Kettering, Michigan Tech and the University of Michigan was a no-brainer — thanks to their proximity, these schools have enjoyed long-standing relationships with the auto industry. Every other university on the list, though, has tested their own self-driving technologies as well. A related blog post from the University of Toronto sheds a little light on how big these efforts will be: UT’s team will lean on something like 100 students, with roles ranging from sensor calibration to algorithm design.

This is far from the first time big companies have turned to schools to bolster their self-driving ambitions. Just look at Uber. Two years ago, the insanely valued ride-sharing outfit entered into a partnership with Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Mellon University before poaching four faculty members and over thirty researchers to continue work internally. It wasn’t that long before the relationship between Uber and CMU soured — a year later, Reuters reported that the company and the school hadn’t worked on a single project together. Here’s hoping GM’s plan is more fruitful and less contentious.

Via: CNET Road/Show

This interactive map shows how futuristic Earth might look in 2050

Ever wonder what new buildings and cars will look like in the future? Well, a well-known cybersecurity firm has figured it out.

No, Kaspersky Labs didn’t invent a time machine, but it did create a map that imagines our world three decades from now, according to Wired. Called Earth 2050, and based on predictions from “futurists” and “professionals”, it provides a look at the future. It actually shows how different cities around the world might look in 2030, 2040, and 2050 – in a Google Street View-style way.

Earth 2050

From what we can tell, Kaspersky thinks humans will one day live in space-age, minimalist dream flats, where our toilets can scan our feces and TVs are seamless wall panels. And students will be able to leave home for school whenever they want, thanks to hologram-like teachers being available. You can explore all these concepts and more from various angles in 360-degree views.

Earth 2050

Throughout time and in different parts of the world, you’ll see the emergence of electric cars, sleek architecture, and what looks like an alien spaceship in Barcelona. And, because of global warming, cities like Dhaka will be completely submerged by 2050, according to Kaspersky’s experts. This map is clearly designed to illustrate the future in all its possible forms and at various times.

Kaspersky described Earth 2050 as a long-term project and is inviting anyone to submit a 360-degree illustration of a city to be included, but it will of course need to be approved by Kaspersky.

Dr. Peggy Whitson set to shatter another NASA record

As the first woman in command of the International Space Station, NASA’s Dr. Peggy Whitson is already a proven pioneer. Last month, Whitson set the record for most spacewalks by a female astronaut and later this month she will set yet another record for most cumulative time spent space by any US astronaut. Now, thanks to an agreement with the Russian space agency Roscosmos, Whitson will extend her lead even further and stay in orbit for another three months.

Whitson was scheduled to return to Earth when Expedition 51 ends in June, but Roscosmos is reducing their crew to only two cosmonauts for Expedition 52 so Whitson will stay on board to ensure the space station has a full crew of six through the September.

“This is great news,” Whitson said. “I love being up here. Living and working aboard the space station is where I feel like I make the greatest contribution, so I am constantly trying to squeeze every drop out of my time here. Having three more months to squeeze is just what I would wish for.”

Before she launched on her current mission last November, Whitson had already racked up 377 days in space. On April 9, she will resume command of the space station, making her the first female to hold that position twice. On April 24, she will break NASA astronaut Jeff Williams’ 534-day record, but she’ll have another another five months, give or take a few days, to add to her record by the time she hitches a ride home on a Soyuz vehicle in September.

Source: NASA

Showtime’s streaming apps can download video for offline viewing

A day after trumpeting that it’s coming to cord-cutting Sling TV, Showtime is helping out another neglected group: Offline viewers. The premium network announced that its Showtime and Showtime Anytime apps now let users download content to watch later in both standard and 720p high definition format (or up to 1080p on tablets).

The update arrives today for both iOS and Android versions, so get it if you want to avoid mobile data costs or suffer the indignity of signal-less underground public transportation. Seasons of Homeland, Billions and Dexter are just a download away — and the Twin Peaks revival in May, of course.

Via: The Verge

Source: Showtime

Apple patent describes a woven fabric display for your laptop or your wrist

Why it matters to you

Apple’s patents don’t always lead to products on store shelves, but this one illustrates that Apple has been working on this for a while now and we may see it in action sooner rather than later.

Apple has a habit of filing bizarre patents, but sometimes they end up paving the way for products like the Touch Bar on the 2016 MacBooks Pro. One such patent published on Thursday could end up making its way into a future MacBook Pro, or even your clothes.

The patent in question describes a “woven display” made out of individual light transmissive fibers woven together to create a display on a fabric-like surface. This is not just any flexible display though.

More: Apple bails out family after 11-year-old goes on a $7,500 in-app spending spree

These light transmissive fibers create “light pipes” which differ from embedded LEDs in that they are not actually generating the light themselves. The fibers receive light from the electronic devices and just “pipe” it to the woven display area. So, when it is off, presumably it would behave just like a tightly woven fabric — there are not any electronics in the woven fabric itself.

“Light tubes or light pipes are optical waveguides used for transporting or distributing natural or artificial light for the purpose of illumination,” the patent application reads. “The light pipes receive light from LEDs in the electronic device at the point of connection. … The light pipes can function as an electronic display.”

More: Apple may breathe new life into its much-missed MagSafe connector

The images accompanying the patent show some potential uses including bands for the Apple Watch, with embedded fabric displays, and even a laptop with a secondary display made of woven fibers.

That all sounds great, but will Apple actually do anything with this patent? That remains to be seen but there are some indications we could see this light fabric be put to use. For instance, this is not the first light-fabric patent Apple has filed. This application is a follow-up to an earlier patent filed in May 2014 — building on a technology Apple has apparently been working on and incorporating newer methods for using the fabric.

Additional hardware rumors emerge about Apple’s upcoming iMac refresh

Why it matters to you

If you’ve been hoping that Apple’s iMac refresh will bring some real performance improvements, then these rumors should make you excited.

Apple created quite a stir this week with a set of announcements regarding its line of MacOS hardware, which has remained mired in the past with a dearth of updates and innovation and a core group of users that has become increasingly jaded. The company announced that a new modular Mac Pro would arrive at some point and that new “Pro” iMac machines will arrive sometime later in 2017.

That was clearly welcome news for Mac fans, in spite of the lack of details. Now, some additional and unconfirmed information leaked out that might go a fair distance toward making anyone who has been waiting for better Mac hardware a little happier, MacRumors reports.

More: Apple announces big plans to revamp the iMac in the not-so-near future

First up is the iMac, Apple’s all-in-one (AIO) desktop line that has been popular among creative professionals. Pike’s Universum offers up some rumors that, if they turn out to be true, would indicate that Apple is serious about making the iMac a more powerful and professionally oriented machine.

According to blog, the new iMacs will arrive in October and will sport some significantly improved components. Intel Xeon E3 processors will be on tap, along with 16GB to 64GB of ECC RAM that would represent a significant boost of the current models’ 8GB to 32GB of non-ECC memory. Thunderbolt 3 ports will also be on tap, which would make sense given Apple’s commitment to the new spec in its MacBook Pro.

Other changes include faster MVMe SSD storage and improved AMD graphics. iMacs use both of those today, but apparently, Apple will crank up the performance with the new machines. A new keyboard will be on hand, and it’s possible that Apple will offer up a keyboard option utilizing its Touch Bar and Touch ID technologies.

Pike’s Universum didn’t stop there, however. According to the website, MacOS 10.13 will move away from the current mountain- and park-themed naming convention and the company will also beef up the Mac mini both in terms of performance and sheer size. Finally, Apple might be planning a new 8K monitor to go along with the Mac Pro redesign that Apple also announced.

As always, this information should be taken as a rumor. However, none of this information would be particularly surprising given Apple’s stated recommitment to Mac hardware. If it’s accurate, then Mac users will definitely have some enhanced performance to salivate over.

Chinese man finds his perfect match in the robot girlfriend he created, married

Why it matters to you

Having trouble treading water in the dating pool? A Chinese man found one possible solution by creating, then marrying a robot girlfriend.

At Digital Trends, we certainly love technology, but do we love technology? Maybe not in quite the same way that Zheng Jiajia, from the Chinese city of Hangzhou, does.

Previously an employee of Chinese multinational telecommunications firm Huawei, and now a builder of robots and an artificial intelligence practitioner, the 31-year-old Zheng recently “married” a robot that he had created for himself. The robot’s name is Yingying, and among her abilities are image-recognition tools for Chinese characters and pictures, as well as a vocabulary of a few basic words — presumably including “I do.” Now that they are man and robo-wife, Zheng plans to add some all-important upgrades, such as granting his newfound beloved the skill of walking and helping out with household chores.

More: Realdoll is building a fleet of AI-powered sex robots with customizable personalities

The pair allegedly got married in a simple ceremony late last week, with Yingying dressed in black with a red scarf to cover her head.

The wedding was witnessed by Zheng’s mother and some of his friends. According to one of his friends, Zheng built the robot at the end of last year because he has been unable to find a human spouse.

As unlikely as the story sounds in some ways, this isn’t the only report of a robot wedding that we’ve come across. In 2015, when the U.S. Supreme Court was busy legalizing same-sex marriage, 100 people gathered in Tokyo for the world’s robotic nuptials.

Admittedly, things were a little different in this case as both parties were of the robot persuasion — with the event organized by electronics accessories company Maywa Denki. Still, with more serious reports emerging about AI-equipped robot sex dolls, and some experts suggesting that robot-human romantic relationships will soon be a regular occurrence, maybe stories like Zheng and Yingying’s fairy tale romance won’t seem unusual for much longer.

Keep devices charged while on the go with the affordable RavPower power bank

Let’s be honest: Few things put a damper on your day like having your devices die on you unexpectedly when you’re out and about. If you find yourself constantly worrying about your phone’s battery life or hunting for the nearest power outlet, it might be time to invest in a reliable portable charger like the top-rated RavPower power bank.

This compact external power pack is an affordable solution for keeping your tech juiced up, and currently is available for only $16 on Amazon. At just over five inches long, two inches wide, and less than an inch thick, the RavPower charger is smaller than a smartphone and easily fits into a pocket or bag when you’re ready to head out.

More: Here are the best deals on accessories for the iPad, iPhone, and Apple Watch

The RavPower’s internal 12,000mAh power supply comes from the same manufacturer of iPhone batteries, so you know you’re in good hands. When fully charged, this lithium polymer battery has enough energy to charge the Samsung Galaxy S7 three times and the iPhone 7 more than four times. Integrated smart safety features protect against overcharging, short circuits, power surges, and overheating by monitoring the current and adjusting voltage as necessary. The charger’s plastic housing is flame-retardant as well.

Two high-speed iSmart USB 2.0 ports allow you to power two devices simultaneously. The RavPower power bank recharges quickly thanks to 2A input, which lets the unit receive a full charge in five or six hours, compared to 1A input, which typically requires 13 to 14 hours.

Normally the RavPower power bank retails for $70, but right now it’s just $16 from Amazon, an impressive $54 (77 percent) discount. If your devices are always with you on your adventures and your idea of a nightmare is being left with a dwindling battery, this best-selling power bank makes a great pocket companion.

$16 on Amazon

Kovea’s electric induction camping stove lightens the camping load by ditching propane

Why it matters to you

Kovea’s innovative portable electric induction cooker concept would allow campers to ditch propane and stay mindful of the environment

The best part of cooking in the woods with a camp stove is arguably whipping up some delicious bacon and Dutch pancakes. The worst part? Dragging along throngs of cumbersome propane canisters. the outdoor gear company Kovea has come up with a solution to the problem: a portable electric induction cooker. Loads better for the environment and void of any hazardous fumes or landfill fodder, this innovative stove unfortunately only exists as an idea.

The stove — which just won a gold award at the iF Design Awards ceremony in Munich, Germany — uses lightweight materials and rechargeable electronic induction technology to cook camp meals fuel-free. In a Jury Statement at the award ceremony, judges explained the benefits of the new innovation.

“The rechargeable battery marks the end of gas canister waste. An ecologically responsible product and a must-have for all outdoor enthusiasts who want to enjoy nature for years to come,” the statement read.

The idea is to eliminate any carbon monoxide fumes generated from traditional liquid or gas camp stoves. The first prototype of Kovea’s electric stove (KES) is able to heat water for up to one hour per charge. For now, that makes it best suited for car camping or short day hikes. However, the company said it hopes to make future versions run longer on a single charge. The units can be charged via a main electrical outlet, a car, or any portable charging device — and with wind-powered backcountry chargers, it makes them an option for base-camp cooking too.

More: BioLite’s CampStove 2 improves upon older version

The stoves have all the eco-benefits of alternative fuel stoves with fewer hassles. According to the company, the KES achieves the same degree of heat as a gas powered stove with half the energy. Additionally, it allows campers to cook in enclosed spaces like tents without the risk of hazardous fumes and, as a bonus, the battery can be used to power a smartphone or other electronic devices.

Google adds Bluetooth APIs and USB support to Android Things Developer Preview 3

Thus continues Google’s attempted foray into new parts of your home.

To get Android Things prepped and polished for launch, Google recently opened up the Android Things Developer Preview in an effort to encourage developers to make apps and devices that work with its rebranded Internet of Things (IoT) platform.

The third iteration of the developer preview is available now and it brings with it a few new features for developers to tinker with, as well as helpful bug fixes. Google detailed the update on its Android Developers Blog:

Android Bluetooth APIs

DP3 now includes support for all Android Bluetooth APIs in android.bluetooth and android.bluetooth.le, across all Android Things supported hardware. You can now write code that interacts with both Bluetooth classic and low energy (LE) devices just like a regular Android phone. Existing samples such as Bluetooth LE advertisements and scanning and Bluetooth LE GATT can be used unmodified on Android Things. We have also provided two new samples, Bluetooth LE GATT server and Bluetooth audio sink.

USB Host support

Android version 3.1 and later supports USB Host, which allows a regular user space application to communicate with USB devices without root privileges or support needed from the Linux kernel. This functionality is now supported in Android Things, to enable interfacing with custom USB devices. Any existing code supporting USB Host will work on Android Things, and an extra sample USB Enumerator is available that demonstrates how to iterate over and print the interfaces and endpoints for each USB device.

Google asks that any developers who are working on the Android Things Developer Preview provide feedback as they’re moving along. You can file bug reports or feature requests, or ask questions at Stack Overflow.

If you’re interested in the Android Things preview for developers, you can learn more here. But if you’re just waiting for it to arrive so you can use it in your own home, you’ll have to hold tight. Hopefully, we’ll hear more about the connected platform at Google I/O 2017.