Can an app stop you from drinking on a work night?

A new app, likened to a “nagging cyberparent,” has been designed to help drinkers moderate their boozing. The snappily-named Mobile Intervention for Drinking in Young People (MIDY) pushes notifications to your phone during your nights out. So, as you eye the delights nestled behind the bar, you’ll be asked questions like “Do you have work tomorrow?” and “What time are you going home?”

Of course, party animals can choose to simply ignore their phones. But the app’s creators, from Australia’s Victoria University, say MIDY has been well-received. A pilot program saw an 89 percent response rate to the app’s hourly-communication, and now the researchers are about to embark on a two-year project involving 300 students.

Lead researcher Dr Tim Corney said: “We’ve seen promising results with a growing number of health promotion programs that use a targeted approach to shift the expectations, beliefs, and social norms around alcohol culture. The research will focus on the effectiveness of targeted interventions for a group whose members have been widely associated with high-risk drinking and alcohol-related harm in recent years.”

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen smartphone apps take a stand against alcohol abuse — the likes of AlcoChange and Drinkaware’s online tracking tool have also been designed with moderation in mind. But this is the first offering to automatically deliver messages of reason. Pay attention to them and that quick beer after work might not turn into a 2AM bender you regret the next day.

Via: Munchies

Source: Victoria University

India’s first solar-powered train makes its debut

India’s diesel-powered train network has a new kid on the block. The gas-guzzling Indian Railway system has just debuted its first solar-powered train, called the Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU). It will operate in the city of New Delhi.

Placement of the solar panels on the train car was challenging. Sandeep Gupta, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Jakson Engineers Limited (the company that produced and installed the solar panels) told Business Standard, “It is not an easy task to fit solar panels on the roof of train coaches that run at a speed of 80 km per hour.” The panels feed into an onboard battery that can store surplus power.

The train will still be pulled by a diesel locomotive; the solar panels will only power passenger comfort systems, such as lights, information displays and fans. Even so, Indian Railways estimates that just one train with six solar-panel equipped cars will save 21,000 liters (5,547 gallons) of diesel fuel per year, at a cost savings around Rs12 lakh (almost $20,000).

Indian Railways is the largest rail network in Asia, running around 11,000 trains daily. The service moves roughly 13 million passengers every day. That translates to incredibly large fuel bills; in 2015, the service spent Rs16,395 crore ($2.5 billion) on diesel. They’ve been trying to reduce their fuel consumption, in part by more reliance on solar energy; the hope is that it will save them Rs41,000 crore ($6.31 billion) over the next 10 years.

Via: Quartz

Source: Business Standard

Propaganda bots dominate social networks in some countries

It won’t shock you to hear that governments and shady political groups will use social network bots in a bit to control the flow of information. But just how prevalent are they? Depending on where you live, they might just dictate the social media landscape. Oxford University researchers have published a study showing that “computational propaganda” (bots and other coordinated campaigns) is practically par for the course in some countries. In Russia, for instance, 45 percent of Twitter activity stems from “highly automated” accounts. And Ukraine is a “frontline” for just about everyone — Russia, Ukrainian nationalists and civil society groups are all using digital propaganda systems in a bid to sway public opinion.

They’re influential elsewhere, too, and not just in authoritarian countries or from the authoritarians themselves. China is fond of using a mix of bots and human-guided social attacks on Taiwan’s President, but it also faces “several” large anti-government Twitter bot networks. Meanwhile, bots and other propaganda systems have attacked political figures and rallied protests in Brazil ever since the 2014 presidential election and the ensuing scandals. In Poland, a handful of right-wing accounts represent 20 percent of all political discussion in the country. All told, the researchers found 29 countries using social networks to skew opinions at home and abroad.

And the US certainly isn’t immune. Twitter bots achieved “highly influential network positions” during the 2016 presidential election, particularly among the pro-Trump camp (where a key botnet was three times larger than that for Clinton).

This isn’t to say that bots are always bad, or that democracies are defenseless against influence campaigns. Canada’s political parties use bots, for instance, but they’re also used to improve public knowledge. And Germany is a “leader” in fighting online disinformation campaigns between regulation and an abundance of watchdog groups. The tricky part is keeping a lid on digital propaganda without pushing the social networks too far. Companies like Twitter will tackle bots, but they tend to push back when asked to decide what’s true or false. It may be some time before we see numerous democracies finding a way to curb propaganda mechanisms without undermining their own free speech values.

Via: Bloomberg

Source: Oxford University (PDF)

Engadget giveaway: Win a Nightingale home sleep system!

While some city dwellers have developed the ability to tune out loud noises, not everyone can ignore disruptive sounds come bedtime. Using optimized frequencies and decibel levels, Nightingale can do what white noise machines and fans fail to accomplish, by interfering with the brain’s ability to comprehend noise when you’re ready for bed. These unobtrusive units plug directly into wall outlets, while providing a pass-through for plugging in other electronics. You can control Nightingale with its free app (iOS and Android), and also choose if you want to add LED lighting effects in a variety of colors to help set the mood for a peaceful night’s rest. The company has provided use with two home sleep systems for a pair of lucky winners this week. All you need to do is head to the Rafflecopter widget for up to three chances at winning one of these Nightingale home sleep systems. Good luck!

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• Contest is open to all residents of the 50 states, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec), 18 or older! Sorry, we don’t make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so direct your anger at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
• Winners will be chosen randomly. Two (2) winners will each receive one (1) Nightingale home sleep system ($300 each).
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• Entries can be submitted until July 19th at 11:59PM ET. Good luck!

Bluetooth mesh networking could connect smart devices city-wide

Bluetooth is one step closer to connecting smart devices on a large scale. The wireless standard’s Special Interest Group (SIG) has announced support for mesh networking. With the new technology, manufacturers can build devices that can all talk to one another, from smart street lighting to transportation.

Anyone who’s used mesh WiFi networks knows they work by bouncing data between routers to deliver signal to every corner of your home. Now, imagine that on the scale of a smart city, where thousands of connected devices are linked up to communicate with each other. According to the Bluetooth SIG, mesh networking offers the most reliable connection for these types of large-scale projects. This is mainly down to its low-bandwith message routing system, which can handle large amounts of data.

In light of the recent attacks on smart appliances, the wireless standard’s governing body is also assuring manufacturers of the network’s security capabilities. It claims all messages sent across Bluetooth mesh will be encrypted and authenticated using three types of keys, making it ideal for industries that handle sensitive info, such as healthcare and financial services.

The Internet of Things (IoT) experiments of today are laying the groundwork for the smart infrastructure projects of the future. And, chances are, the smart cities that emerge from those developments will be quietly connected by Bluetooth mesh.

‘AirBar’ Accessory That Gives 13-Inch MacBook Air a Touchscreen is Now Available

Neonode today announced that AirBar for the 13-inch MacBook Air is now available to purchase for $99 at select retailers in the United States, including Fry’s Electronics and Evine.com. It’ll also be available online through Amazon, Best Buy, and Staples, but it doesn’t appear to be in stock on those websites yet.

AirBar, a CES 2017 Innovation Awards Honoree, is a thin aluminum bar that magnetically attaches below the 13-inch MacBook Air’s display, connects to a USB port, and transforms the notebook into a touchscreen device.

AirBar projects an invisible light field on the surface of the MacBook Air’s display. When a finger, stylus, brush, or other object breaks the light, users are able to interact with the screen without actually touching it, including gestures such as tap-to-select, swiping, scrolling, and pinch-to-zoom.

Neonode said AirBar requires 17mm of free space below the display, so it won’t fit any MacBook Pro, 12-inch MacBook, or 11-inch MacBook Air.

AirBar is a plug-and-play sensor that “instantly activates” upon being plugged into any USB port on the right side of the 13-inch MacBook Air. Neonode also offers multi-touch software as a one-time installation to enable additional gestures.

AirBar is also available for select Windows laptops with displays sized 13.3 inches, 14 inches, and 15.6 inches.

Related Roundup: MacBook Air
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‘Mira Prism’ Headset Uses an iPhone to Power Augmented Reality Experiences

A new iPhone-compatible augmented reality headset has been announced today, called the Mira Prism, and it allows users to plug their iPhone 6, 6s, or 7 into a headset and interact with holographic images overlaid onto real-world objects.

The iPhone 7 sits facing away from the user when placed within the Mira Prism, and then a pair of mirrors reflects what’s on the iPhone’s screen and positions it on the front glass lenses, providing the augmented reality effect. The headset’s app includes a collection of solo and collaborative AR experiences that are displayed above the included Mira launchpad, and any user without a headset can see what others are seeing in AR through the iPhone app’s “Spectator Mode.”

No plugs, computers, or wires needed. No matter where you are, simply open the Mira app on your smartphone, slide it into the Prism headset, and begin exploring the wonders of interactive holographic content.

The Mira Prism comes with a motion-based remote control for interacting with the various AR experiences provided by the headset, and the company said that more games and apps will becoming thanks to the Mira SDK. Engadget had a chance to check out the Mira Prism, and described a few of the games available on the AR headset:

Even though I only had a few minutes with the Prism, I was impressed with what I saw. I’m used to trying on headsets that are too expensive for most people to buy, so it was a bit of a shock that it worked at all. Beyond the initial setup experience, I played a holographic game that involved maneuvering a character through a maze, which relied on the controller’s motion controls. Another game had me spinning around in my chair to destroy asteroids hovering all around me. I was particularly surprised how well Prism tracked virtual objects in AR, even though it doesn’t have any spatial mapping technology like HoloLens and Meta.

One Mira Prism device comes with the headset, remote, launchpad, carrying case, lens cover, and a pair of AAA batteries for the remote, as well as software including Mira’s core apps and a premium game bundle. In terms of hardware specs, the headset has a 60-degree field of view and a total resolution of 1334 x 750.

Users interested can pre-order the Mira Prism for $99 beginning today, with an estimated shipping date of holiday 2017, afterwards the headset will cost $150 at retail. A developer edition is also available, and will ship sometime in the fall of 2017, slightly ahead of the consumer version.

Augmented reality has been an increasingly popular area for many companies over the past few years, gaining larger recognition with games like Pokémon Go, and this year preparing to expand to every iOS 11 device thanks to Apple’s ARKit. Developers have already begun showing off how the camera on an iPhone can fuel impressive AR experiences, including basic everyday functions like overlaying a measuring tape onto an object, or displaying Minecraft in the real world.

Tags: augmented reality, Mira Prism
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Philips Sonicare Debuts New iPhone-Connected Smart Toothbrush With Inductive Charging Cup

One year after launching its first Bluetooth-enabled smart toothbrush with the Sonicare Flexcare Platinum device, Philips this week announced the all-new Sonicare DiamondClean Smart Sonic toothbrush. The toothbrush packs in the usual array of features found in other smart toothbrushes, including brush coaching and smartphone connectivity, as well as including a revamped brush head system and inductive charging through an included glass cup.

Like its previous toothbrush, Philips’ DiamondClean device includes a variety of sensors that guide users through customized brushing routines, provides real-time feedback through the connected iPhone and Android app, and keeps track of data collected overtime within the app. The app provides a 3D mouth map, highlighting problematic areas that users might miss while brushing, as well as potential issues like bleeding areas and cavities.

The new brush head system also intends to make choosing a brushing mode easier than the Flexcare Platinum toothbrush. With included microchips in each head, when users snap on one of the four new heads — plaque control, gum care, whitening, and fresh breath — the DiamondClean will automatically set the routine for the related activity in the brush head that’s been connected. The toothbrush tracks how long and how hard each brush head has been used, and warns the user when it’s nearing time to replace them.

“Philips is committed to developing products that have a positive impact on people’s lives. Through our research we know that consumers want to achieve their healthiest smile, but don’t often know how they are doing in between visits to their dental professional,” said Alexander Harris, Senior Marketing Director, Philips Oral Healthcare.

“We developed Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart while working closely with dental professionals to eliminate the guesswork from tooth brushing. Backed by our most recent research and insights, we are able to provide users with data and knowledge that will help them achieve a complete clean, every time.”

To charge the toothbrush, Philips has included its inductive charging glass cup — which doubles as a rinsing glass — with a base that users connect to a wall outlet, and when the DiamondCare toothbrush is placed inside it instantly begins charging. Included in the box is a deluxe travel case as well, so if users are on the go they can recharge the toothbrush using a connected USB cable. One full charge via either charging option will provide up to two weeks of battery for the toothbrush.

The Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart Toothbrush comes in white, black, pink, and sliver and starts at $229.99 with two brush heads, rising to $269.99 with three brush heads, and $329.99 with a full set of the new brush heads. Those interested can also find the toothbrush on Amazon. The DiamondClean toothbrush uses the same connected iPhone app, Philips Sonicare [Direct Link], that the company debuted with the Flexcare toothbrush last year.

Tags: Philips, Sonicare
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Google Glass is officially back with a clearer vision

If you thought that Google Glass was killed by a lack of practicality and privacy concerns, think again. Alphabet X, Google’s “moonshot” branch, has unveiled a reboot of the original eyeglass-like wearable called Glass Enterprise Edition. As the name suggests, it’s not aimed at the public at all. Despite its many foibles, Glass turned out to be very useful for workers, so the new version targets businesses to help workers do their jobs better.

In early 2015, Google shuttered the Google Glass site, thanking users for “exploring with us,” while promising that “the journey doesn’t end here.” However, while the original $1,500 Glass Explorer’s Edition was no longer available to the public, Alphabet continued to supply it to US companies like GE, Boeing DHL and AGCO.

With Glass, AGCO managed to reduced production times by 25 percent, while DHL increased supply chain efficiency 15 percent. It’s also been a boon for healthcare professionals, reducing paperwork loads by over 20 percent and allowing doctors to spend 50 percent more time with patients.

We’ve … made improvements to the design and hardware so that it’s lightweight and comfortable for long term wear. We’ve increased the power and battery life too.

With that success, Alphabet X has quietly been working on Glass Enterprise Edition with a design that’s more comfortable and can withstand the rigors of work environments. It’s also got a bigger display prism, foldable design and speedier Atom processor. “We’ve … made improvements to the design and hardware so that it’s lightweight and comfortable for long term wear. We’ve increased the power and battery life too,” Alphabet X’s Jay Kothari writes.

Glass has thus morphed from a trendy accessory worn by Diane von Furstenberg and Sergey Brin at a fashion show, to a more practical factory, medical and warehouse device sported by managers, doctors and blue collar workers.

Google also brought a raft of developers onboard to build apps that take advantage of Glass’s main advantages: the fact that it’s hands-free, lightweight and unobtrusive. DHL, for instance, uses a solution called Ubimax with Glass to “receive real-time instructions about where items have to be placed on the carts with the help of visual aids,” says Kothari.

Meanwhile, GE uses an app from developer Upskill “which shows [workers] instructions with videos, animations and images right in their line of sight so they don’t have to stop work to check their binders or computer to know what to do next,” Kothari adds. As shown above, that helps them work much quicker than the old-fashioned way.

Meanwhile, healthcare professionals can speak to patients without distraction while note-taking is done in the background via an Augmetix’s “remote scribe” app. Another Augmetix app has cut record keeping chores by two hours a day, bringing “the joys of medicine back to my doctors,” writes Sutter Health’s Dr. Albert Chan.

As for whether Glass will ever go on sale to the public again, don’t count on it anytime soon. Still, the consumer Glass team — which is separate from the Enterprise group — is still alive and kicking, so never say never. Meanwhile, Glass Enterprise Edition is “now available to more businesses through our network of expert partners,” Alphabet says. There’s no word on price.

Source: Alphabet (Medium)

Fender’s Bluetooth speakers look just as you’d imagine

Fender’s first set of Bluetooth speakers is unmistakably on brand. For better and for worse, the compact Newport and its bigger brother the Monterey resemble guitar amps. Both come complete with adjustable volume knobs (so you feel like you’re tuning the sound) and imposing metal grilles. But with the company also promising “high-quality digital audio,” their appeal may stretch beyond the classic rock crowd.

The pricier, and larger, Monterey model packs two 5.12-inch woofers and two 1-inch tweeters. The speaker’s 120 watts of audio come at the expense of portability, as it requires an AC connection. Like its smaller sibling, the Monterey includes an amp-style power switch and a blue LED jewel light. At $349.99, it faces stiff competition from the stylish Bose SoundLink Revolve Plus, which boasts 360-degree sound at a cheaper $300.

The Newport, on the other hand, runs on batteries, with enough juice to last 12 hours. It’s hard to picture the rigid speaker at pool parties and on the beach, but it’s compact enough to be carried around. In terms of sound, its two full-range drivers and tweeter churn out 30 watts of audio. Additionally, its built-in microphone means you can also use it to take calls. Again, at $199.99, there are plenty of cheaper alternatives out there. And you’ll probably want to scope out its closest match in terms of design; the costlier Marshall Stockholm. But that’s something Fender is probably aware of, seeing as it’s entering an already crowded marketplace. Both speakers are now available online at Fender’s website and in-store.