NASA has a crazy plan to prevent the Yellowstone supervolcano from exploding

Why it matters to you

NASA has a plan to prevent humans from dying a slow, brutal supervolcanic death just in case.

Life on this little space rock of ours is delicate to say the least. Be it an asteroid impact, pandemic, or casual nuclear launch, there are dozens of unique ways in which we could easily too go the way of the Dodo. While we’ve spent boatloads of money preparing for a cataclysmic extinction-level asteroid impact event, there’s a much more imminent threat lurking just beneath our feet. The Yellowstone supervolcano is due for an eruption and could send us back to the Stone Ages in just a few fiery moments — but don’t worry, NASA has a plan.

A study by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory concluded that the Yellowstone supervolcano, a massive pool of magma beneath the national park, is a much graver existential threat to life on this planet than any potential large-scale asteroid impact event. There are 20 known supervolcanoes on Earth with a major eruption occurring every 100,000 years or so. Here’s the bad news: An eruption of the Yellowstone supervolcano could bury the bulk of the United States under tons of ash and lava, change the climate of the Earth for centuries, and potentially kill millions in the process.

It is believed that the Yellowstone supervolcano erupts every 700,000 years, and the last eruption occurred 640,000 years ago. This means Yellowstone and its estimated 500 billion cubic miles of molten rock is nearly due. Fortunately, supervolcanoes only erupt once the molten rock is heated enough to become “highly fluid.” So how does one go about preventing this from happening? The answer, according to NASA, might be to cool down the molten rock before it gets too hot.

NASA estimates that a Yellowstone supervolcano would need to be cooled by roughly 35 percent to prevent an eruption. To achieve this, the agency proposes boring a series of holes to cool the subsurface magma chamber. The team posits drilling a 10 kilometer deep hole to tap into the hydrothermal water beneath and adjacent to the magma chamber. This heated water could then be cooled by pumping in cooler water, thereby reducing the overall temperature.

However, there are inherent risks to this approach. If the hole is drilled too deep, for example, the whole process could cause a depressurization that may inadvertently trigger an eruption — making a supervolcanic event an ironic side-effect of our preventative approach to said supevolcano.

It is estimated that such a massive undertaking would cost more than $3.5 billion. Although NASA does envision a return on investment other than annihilation prevention aspect. The team of researchers believe this heated pool of water and could be harnessed as a viable source of clean geothermal energy. This theoretical geothermal generator would utilize steam from the superheater power to turn a series of power turbines.

So in a nutshell, if this crazy plan doesn’t work, we’re dead — but if it does work, not only would it prevent the U.S. from descending into a post-apocalyptic nightmare that probably looks a lot like The Road; people in Wyoming might also end up with cheaper monthly electric bills. I know which one it’d prefer.

Hate numbers? The Wooden Word Watch spells the time out for you

Why it matters to you

Looking for a watch that stands out from the crowd? The Wooden Word Watch is a wearable that tells the time by spelling it out for you.

If there’s one bad thing about the popularity of smartwatches in 2017, it’s that they’re so darn mainstream. That’s great news if you’re a shareholder in Apple or Fitbit, but less good if you’re a tech-loving hipster in search of the next great wearable that’ll set you apart from the crowd. Well, weep into your Atari-themed cashmere scarf no longer because we’ve found what you’re looking for — and it’s available to pre-order on Kickstarter. Created by Harvard computer scientist Harnek Gulati, the Wooden Word Watch is a wooden watch that tells the time by spelling it out to you.

“It started off as presents for my closest friends,” Gulati told Digital Trends. “Back in college, I was really tired of not learning practical skills in school. There was a lot of theory, but I wasn’t implementing any of it. So I started building my close friends birthday presents, both as a method of learning engineering, and a way of making their birthdays a little more special. I couldn’t figure out a present for Andrew, my best friend, until 8 months after his birthday, when a girl sitting down next to me in class started researching wooden watches. I had built wooden clocks before, but never really designed something myself — so I took on the challenge.”

Gulati’s first version of the watch was bulky and thick, but he honed the design in subsequent iterations. The version he’s now bringing to market looks comparatively slick and polished, but retains just the right amount of its rustic DIY charm. This isn’t a smartwatch in the sense of having a bunch of smart sensors to track everything from your steps to your glucose levels, but it’s definitely smart in terms of its workings and overall effect. Pressing the button on it once turns on the word layout to find the nearest 5-minute mark. Pressing it again turns on the digital layout, while pressing it one final time turns off the display.

The Wooden Word Watch costs $219 to pre-order, with a shipping date of November 2017. Sadly, there’s no price tier available for becoming Gulati’s newest best friend, which means you won’t be on his recipients list the next time he creates a DIY birthday masterpiece. Still, ordering a watch will probably endear you to him a little bit.

Abode starter kit pairs with a voice assistant to protect your home

Why it matters to you

With its easy setup and monitoring capabilities, the Abode security system hopes to keep you and your loved ones safe.

You’re a strong, independent woman or man, so why depend upon a security company to take care of your home? Instead, just depend on your favorite voice assistant and a new security solution from Abode. Heralded as a “beautiful, easy to install, professional-grade security solution, the Abode starter kit includes a Z-Wave and ZigBee hub with a built-in sire, one gateway and two door/window sensors, one remote key fob, and one motion sensing camera. Connect all of that to Alexa, and start taking care of business — or at least, your property.

Capable of connecting to lights, locks, thermostats, garage door openers, and other smart appliances in your household, Abode allows you to automate and control just about every aspect of your home. Setting up the starter kit begins, of course, with the download of its companion app. Available on both Android or iOS, the app must be paired with each accessory.

As for actually installing these accessories themselves, feel free to leave your power drill in the garage. All wall, door, or window-mounted hardware comes complete with an adhesive backing so there are no screws or nails necessary.

Once everything has been set up and installed, you are ready to begin monitoring. The Abode Hub connects to your Wi-Fi router by way of an included Ethernet cable and power adapter and features a 93-decibel siren that will hopefully scare away intruders. Your door and window sensors are meant to track any motion and while the security camera and motion detector do not provide live-streaming options, it will take three photos whenever motion is detected.

As for the key fob, you can use this handy accessory to arm or disarm your system from afar.

Like other home security systems, aside from the initial cost of the hardware, you also have to pay for continual monitoring. The company gives you three days of free storage when it comes to keeping tabs of recorded events and other activity. If you are interested in temporary professional monitoring (for when you’re out of town, say), Abode charges $8 for three days or $15 for seven days of 24/7 monitoring.

You can also purchase cellular backup for your recorded content for $10 a month or $96 a year (which features a 14-day storage timeline), or pay $30 a month or $240 a year for 24/7 professional monitoring as well as cellular backup and a 90-day storage timeline.

The fact that Abode works well with Alexa, Nest, and If This Then That makes the actual monitoring of this security system a breeze, so if you are looking for a way to keep yourself safe, this may just be the way to go.

DJI offers hackers up to $30,000 to help find bugs in its drones

Why it matters to you

DJI’s new program might make drones more secure and could make hackers some money.

DJI, the popular Chinese drone manufacturer, is asking hackers to help make its devices more secure. The company announced the DJI Threat Identification Reward in a blog post on Monday and outlined the rewards, which range from $100 to $30,000 for uncovering vulnerabilities, depending on how big of a threat the hacker helps avert.

“Security researchers, academic scholars and independent experts often provide a valuable service by analyzing the code in DJI’s apps and other software products and bringing concerns to public attention,” Walter Stockwell, DJI’s director of technical standards, said in a statement. “DJI wants to learn from their experiences as we constantly strive to improve our products, and we are willing to pay rewards for the discoveries they make.”

The announcement comes as DJI has been grappling with threats from hackers, who have managed to infiltrate the drone’s software. Such bugs and exploits have so far allowed hackers to root the drones to get around built-in restrictions on flying speed and altitude. Some have even managed to circumvent geofences, which keep them grounded around no-fly areas, such as near airports.

The company says its new program is part of an effort to address concerns about the security of its products.

“We want to engage with the research community and respond to their reasonable concerns with a common goal of cooperation and improvement,” Stockwell said. “We value input from researchers into our products who believe in our mission to enable customers to use DJI products that are stable, reliable and trustworthy.”

DJI is now developing a website with complete details about the program’s terms and a form through which hackers can report vulnerabilities. The program will be accompanied by an internal review process to evaluate and approve new app software.

It is unclear whether the hacker community will take the bait and join DJI in its quest to find bugs. Some are skeptical about DJIs intentions. In an online conversation with Motherboard, Andreas Makris — who goes by the hacker name bin4ry, said, “I think bug bounty programs are a good thing in general but I find it funny that DJI, who did not care for security concerns of the community, now comes up with a bug bounty program.”

A beginner’s guide to Virtual Reality

With so many virtual reality devices available it can be difficult to even know where to start. Our beginner’s guide breaks down some of the big questions you need to ask before getting your first VR device.

Big name players from a variety of industries are all racing towards a VR goal, all of them using slightly different approaches. From price, to specs, to space available in your home or office, to equipment you already own, there are a number of factors that help you decide which device is best for you.

That’s the boat that I’m in right now. I’m ready to jump VR-laden head first into the world of virtual reality but am starting from scratch. I don’t own any VR hardware, don’t own a phone or PC capable of powering a VR device, and have had to weigh my options to take on this task.

This isn’t an exhaustive list of virtual reality devices or a spec showdown between VR powerhouses. This is a guide to the big questions you’ll have to ask yourself before you get your first VR device.

Read more at VRHeads

Redesigned Jaunt VR app hits Windows Mixed Reality next month

Jaunt has been working on immersive VR for quite some time now. It got an infusion of Disney cash a couple of years back and has been steadily adding technology like Dolby audio to it’s library of VR content. You can even check out 150 cinematic titles from the company on Oculus, Vive, Daydream, Gear VR and PlayStation VR, along with iOS and Android. Jaunt has just announced a new partnership with Microsoft, which will put an updated Jaunt app on Windows Mixed Reality by mid-October.

The collaboration also comes with Jaunt’s first original interactive VR film, Free The Night, directed by Nicole McDonald (Marry the Moon, Hue). The interactive film has viewers choosing lights from a city skyline and placing them back into the night sky as stars.

“Partnering with Microsoft for the launch of Windows Mixed Reality allows Jaunt to bring one of the largest libraries of high quality immersive cinematic content to one of the most prolific technology brands in the world. Microsoft’s significant investment in mixed reality speaks volumes about the future of this medium,” Jaunt CEO, George Kliavkoff, said in a statement. “Working with Microsoft to bring the latest version of our app to audiences worldwide has allowed us to continue pushing the limits of what interactive content has to offer.”

Source: Jaunt

‘Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle’ tempers insanity with charm

When I first stumbled across the rumor that Nintendo and Ubisoft had teamed up to make a Super Mario Bros. and Raving Rabbids cross-over, I chose to live in denial. It just wasn’t something I wanted to be real. The very idea of allowing the banal, annoying humor that defined Ubisoft’s screaming mascots into the Mushroom Kingdom just felt wrong to me. I told myself it had to be a joke, because if it wasn’t, I was either going to have to play a Rabbids game — something I’d avoided for over a decade — or skip the first original Mario title to release on the Nintendo Switch. I was wrong. It’s real. And you know what’s weird? Not only is Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle actually pretty good, but the mascots I primed myself to reject, completely steal the show.

I may be here to eat my words, but I stand by my initial apprehension. The Raving Rabbids are the virtual embodiment of all of my least favorite comedic tropes: inane slapstick, body, toilet and underwear humor, juvenile antics and — more than anything — the screaming. The Rabbids’ iconic screaming “bwah” feels like the most overused joke in video games, and I didn’t see how a repetitive annoying noise could improve Mario’s world in any way. When I resigned myself to my fate and actually played the game, however, almost everything I’d grown to dislike about the Rabbids simply wasn’t there — or rather, what was there had been tempered by the Mushroom Kingdom in a way that brought Ubisoft’s sense of humor in balance with the world of Nintendo.

The game’s opening cutscene starts out with pure Rabbid chaos — complete with toilet humor, physical slapstick, and even a brief iconic scream — but it doesn’t linger on this havoc, instead it uses it as a vehicle for the game’s barebones story. Traveling in a combination washing machine/time machine, the Rabbids stumble upon the workshop of a young inventor who has created a device that can combine any two objects into a single hybrid object. They then accidentally use it to merge themselves with all the Super Mario Bros. memorabilia in her room.

It’s an opening that embraces everything about the Rabbids that drives me crazy, but as soon as Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle settles into its narrative, everything kind of balances out — largely because the Rabbids we follow in the game aren’t part of a chorus of generic and insane mascots, but four wholly unique characters dressed up as slightly twisted versions of Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach and Yoshi.

Despite donning the Nintendo character’s iconic threads, each Rabbid has its own personality distinct from the character they’re dressed as. Unlike the Princess, Rabbid Peach is sassy and hilariously vain. Similarly, Rabbid Mario isn’t a joyful beaming hero, but instead a reckless, gruff macho man. These new personas help Ubisoft’s characters get away from the tired body humor gags and aggravating screams — and instead allows them to far more interesting character driven humor.

The flipside to this, however, is it makes Nintendo’s classic characters seem almost dull in comparison. The Nintendo-ified Rabbids burst with personality and life — they’re constantly stealing the show with gags and over-the-top reactions. Mario and friends, on the other hand, play their traditional roles with strict rigidity. There’s nothing wrong with that, but in the shadow of a burly over-confident Rabbid in a red hat, the squeaky clean corporate image of Super Mario seems just a little less colorful.

The exception to this contrast, fortunately, is Princess Peach. She spends the first few sections of the game dutifully filling out her stereotypical role as a helpless monarch before crashing the narrative at a key moment to save Mario’s bacon. Peach enters the story as a complete badass that somehow retains all the poise and grace of her traditional damsel persona, and it’s glorious. It’s been too long since we’ve seen the leader of the Mushroom Kingdom play the heroine.

How she plays that role may be the most unconventional thing about it. Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle is a game unlike either of the series that inspired it. It’s not a minigame collection, a platformer or even “comedy adventure.” Like Rabbids Go Home — it’s a turn-based tactical RPG. At E3, the game drew comparisons to titles like XCOM and Fire Emblem. That comparison isn’t wrong, but it feels a bit inaccurate. Like both of those games, Mario + Rabbids puts your team on grid with enemy troops and destructible cover, but the battle system is a lot less hardcore. Distance doesn’t play a role in the player’s chance to hit an enemy. For instance — if an enemy is in unobstructed view, they have a 100 percent success rate. Shooting at an opponent who is hiding behind cover? Drop that down to 50 percent — and only take it to zero if they’re fully behind a wall.

Mario + Rabbid’s statistics game is simplified, but that doesn’t mean the battle system doesn’t have its own complexities. The game encourages players to create chain and combo moves from the character’s array of skills. One could activate Peach’s “Royal Gaze” move, for instance, to automatically attack an enemy who moves within his line of sight… and then use Rabbid Mario’s Magnet Dance attack to force enemies to activate the attack. It’s still very much a basic tactical battle game, but it’s still robust and challenging enough to keep the attention of seasoned players.

Sadly, the same can’t be said for the game’s overworld. When the player isn’t in battle, they’ll be exploring the Mushroom Kingdom on foot. This mostly amounts to walking from battlefield to battlefield, but the game breaks things up from time to time with an overworld puzzle. For the most part, these are simple, dull box-pushing puzzles. It might be a suitable challenge for younger gamers, but for adults, these puzzles get old fast. At least the overworld is filled with humor and fun to explore — there’s usually at least one set of Rabbids performing a gag in-between each battlefield. They’re often legitimately funny, too.

I still can’t believe Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle exists. Despite both fitting into the family friendly category, Nintendo and Ubisoft’s brands just aren’t two I ever saw working together — but I’m happy to be wrong. Kingdom Battle isn’t just a legitimately fun tactical game, it’s one that bleeds with a passion for Nintendo’s mascot. It’s a game that feels like it’s fun to play because someone had fun making it. It has some glitches, rough edges and a few woefully boring puzzles, but if you can’t wait for Super Mario Odyssey and want a completely different kind of Mario game, consider checking it out. It’s surprising, fun and a bit of an odyssey in its own right.

Samsung hints that another 360-degree camera is in the works

The Gear 360 camera only reached shelves a few months ago, but that might not stop Samsung from readying a quick follow-up. The tech giant has quietly applied for a trademark on “360 Round,” hinting at the possibility of another VR camera in the works. There aren’t any obvious clues about the hardware’s features, but its familiar-sounding RM-R260 model number (the 360 is the RM-R210) suggests that it’s very much a sibling to the Gear 360. The “Round” badging also hints it might be a more compact, strictly spherical device versus the Gear 360’s eyestalk shape, but it’s hard to say for sure.

The bigger question: assuming the 360 Round is a tangible product, when does it arrive? This week’s IFA trade show would make sense for a debut, since it’s where Samsung is expected to unveil mobile-friendly accessories like a new Gear smartwatch and the Gear Fit 2 Pro. However, that’s assuming that Samsung is filing for a trademark with the camera basically ready to ship. Companies sometimes file for trademarks months in advance, so it’s possible that you might not see the 360 Round until 2018 — if it shows up in the first place.

Via: LetsGoDigital, Forbes

Source: TMDN.org

The hits and misses of Gamescom 2017

We’ve just wrapped up another games show, and found plenty to keep us busy in Cologne, Germany. Gamescom might not have the flagship reveals of E3, but all the major games makers are here — and they usually have plenty to show off. Whether it was VR tasters, indie hits of the future or adding drama to the beautiful game, there’s likely something for everyone. Here’s what wowed — and what underwhelmed — the Engadget team.

And don’t forget: You can check out the rest of our coverage right here.

Nick Summers
Associate Editor, Engadget UK

The best:

Where the Water Tastes Like Wine has been on my radar for a while now. Back in 2015, Engadget’s own Jess Conditt wrote a wonderful feature about its intriguing and melancholic music. Finally, at Gamescom 2017, I was able to play a slice of the game for myself. It’s a hard title to describe, but here goes; part visual novel, part open-world RPG, your goal is travel across America and collect “stories” from its inhabitants. These extraordinary tales can then be told to other people, who might share more of their own life story in return. The idea is to collect so many that you can weave your own, epic yarn about the American dream.

Notably, all of the individual stories have been written by different people, including Cara Ellison (Dishonored 2), Austin Walker (Waypoint), Leigh Alexander (The Guardian) and Anne Toole (The Witcher). It comes together as a kind of anthology piece, exploring different nooks and crannies of American culture. The overworld is like a JRPG, the camera positioned up high as you push a skeletal figure towards stamp-sized towns and houses. It’s painted in beautiful, pastel colors, with sharp line work that gives it an almost cel-shaded feel. Couple that with some stunning, picture book-esque story sequences, and you have a game oozing with style.

Where the Water tastes like Wine

There’s a supernatural element to the story (you’re a walking skeleton, after all) which blends well with the folklore theme. The stories you find and share with other people take on a life of their own, developer Johnnemann Nordhagen tells me, morphing and evolving like a game of “Pass It On.” As you walk across America, you’ll encounter a world with a “psychedelic, surreal and creepy tinge” too, no doubt commentating on humanity, society and the different shades of morality through the ages. There’s no release date just yet, but I’m keen to see how Where the Water Tastes Like Wine turns out.

The worst:

I love Little Witch Academia. The Japanese anime produced by Trigger is a light-hearted, comical series about Atsuko “Akko” Kagari and her studies at the Luna Nova Magical Academy. The franchise has had a rocky journey; it started as a 26-minute short in 2013, before a second, slightly longer feature was funded through Kickstarter. The property’s rising popularity then gave birth to a 12-episode season that just finished airing in Japan and on Netflix worldwide. Now, it’s getting a video game called Little Witch Academia: Chamber of Time.

For the most part, the visual style gels with the series, and Trigger has apparently contributed some original cutscenes. Your task is to solve a time paradox mystery which is causing everyone inside the castle to live the same moments over and over again. Every time you complete a story section, you’ll be warped into a side-scrolling dungeon-crawler with a bewildering number of magic bars and spell prompts on screen. It all looks messy and convoluted, and the stiff, beat-em-up action is a far cry from the show’s gorgeous animation. In short, it all looks rather cheap.

Of course, I hope I’m wrong. The game is supposed to come out in “early 2018,” but the fact it wasn’t playable at Gamescom — Bandai Namco only showed a brief, hands-off demo — is telling. Little Witch Academia deserves the same sort of treatment as Naruto, with its excellent Ultimate Ninja Storm series, and Dragon Ball, which is being celebrated with the gorgeous FighterZ. I want a game that captures the narrative charm and humour of the series, as well as the fascinating world Trigger has begun to explore. Anything but another rushed, probably underfunded, tie-in game.

Devindra Hardawar
Senior Editor

The best:

Of the many titles I played at Gamescom last week, Dishonored: Death of the Outsider stands as my favorite. That’s not entirely surprising, though. I’ve been a fan of the series since the first entry, which I appreciated much more than the overhyped Bioshock Infinite. The new game is a short standalone entry, not a full-fledged sequel or DLC for Dishonored 2, but that doesn’t mean Arkane Studios held back. There are plenty of new powers and mechanics that make Death of the Outsider feel completely refreshing, while at the same time filling the Dishonored-shaped hole in my heart.

Beyond that, I had a blast playing Duck Season on the HTC Vive, which we first saw back at E3. It does a fine job of evoking NES nostalgia, while also bringing in completely new VR gameplay mechanics. You’re still shooting down fowl like in the original Duck Hunt, but you also have to hold the Vive’s controllers like a hunting rifle, which takes a bit of practice. There’s no targeting reticule, so you actually have to look down your gun’s sights to aim properly. While it took some getting used to, it wasn’t long before I was taking down ducks (and shooting that annoying dog) with skill.

And while I technically saw it before Gamescom, I’m happy to report that Cuphead lived up to all my of expectations. Like many, I’ve been eager to experience its hand-drawn 2D world since I caught my first glimpse of it in 2014. It’s rare to see games relying on traditional animation these days, and we’ve certainly never seen a game like Cuphead, which evokes classic 1930’s-era cartoon. Somehow, it’s even more beautiful than I imagined in person. But since it’s meant to evoke thumb-numbing side-scrollers like Contra, expect to die a lot.

The worst:

As for the worst of Gamescom, I’d have to point to most of what I saw from Microsoft. The Xbox One X was a big deal at E3, and I’m sure it’ll appeal to many hardcore gamers. But it was disappointing to see that Microsoft still hasn’t given us many reasons to get excited for it. Sure, it’s powerful, and it’ll push your games beyond 1080p. But where are the amazing, must-have games? Why is it $500, when the PS4 Pro offered many of the same upgrades for $400 last year? And what the heck is up with its VR support?! As I said at E3, I’m sure the Xbox One X will mature into a great console next year. But I’m surprised Microsoft isn’t doing a better job of selling it right now.

Mat Smith
Bureau Chief, UK

The best:

I had a great Gamescom. Not only did I get to needle the director of Final Fantasy XV about all his free camping gear, I got to try out some indie games that I’ll definitely be adding to my games collection. Ruiner and Swords of Ditto couldn’t be more different visually, but Devolver was brought both to the Gamescom crowds. Ruiner is a brutal game, both in its difficulty and its gory delivery. It’s also punchy, addictive and just so very grimey. Conversely, Swords of Ditto was adorable, bright but just as intriguing. Paying credit to Zelda games of the past, SoD will combine a bunch of ridiculous weapons with cooperative play. I was also intrigued by The Talos Principle VR, a virtual take on the original. The physical puzzler is having its second attempt at VR, and is still smart, relaxing, and not nearly as tiring as many early VR demos can. (I’ll come back to that…)

Bethesda

I also might have been bitten by the survival horror bug again. The Evil Within 2 is trying to combine the brutal set pieces and psychological horror of the original with a more substantial open world. More crafting, more exploration and more optional quests made the demo deliver an experience that wasn’t as heavy as the first game. Does The Last of Us count in the same genre? Because that may have been the last game I’ve played that made me jump. The Evil Within 2 might make for some future sleepless nights.

The worst:

Gamescom VR fatigue came in two types. First is the (already!) well-worn sinister psychological experiment VR trope. If it wasn’t PSVR’s Inpatient, then it was Ubisoft’s Transference. Inpatient came from the team that made Until Dawn, while Transference was wrapped in so much mystery (apparently under 100 people have played the demo so far) that I was pretty excited to play it.

Unfortunately, these games play to the same jump-scares in order to make the player respond. Transference also hadn’t quite finessed the view, and it made me a little motion sick — don’t show VR demos if they’re going to make early players feel queasy. At this still early stage of VR, these are the things that will put us all off.

Other disappointments? Efforts to shoehorn major gaming franchises into underwhelming VR experiences. Bethesda is taking three of its major games to VR, and Skyrim VR on the PS4 was just not all that good. A stripped-down demo (and ageing visuals), did nothing to persuade me that I was now missing out because I hadn’t bought into PlayStation VR yet. And while I’ll pretty much play anything with Final Fantasy slapped on it, I draw the line at VR fishing.

App detects pancreatic cancer from the whites of your eyes

Pancreatic cancer has a very low survival rate, with just nine percent of patients surviving past five years. A major contributor to this rate is the fact that once those with pancreatic cancer start to show symptoms, the disease is usually already quite advanced. But researchers at the University of Washington have come up with a simple and incredibly accurate way to test for the cancer that people can administer themselves.

The team developed an app called BiliScreen and with a smartphone’s camera, it uses computer vision algorithms to detect levels of the chemical bilirubin in the whites of a person’s eyes. With pancreatic cancer, bilirubin levels start to increase and eventually, it turns the whites of the eye yellow, which is also the case for hepatitis. However, when that yellowing becomes noticeable, the cancer is already very developed. BiliScreen is able to detect very low levels of bilirubin and provide users with an assessment of whether their levels are high enough to indicate possible disease. This is easier and cheaper than a blood test, which is the traditional test for the cancer, and can be done before any symptoms start to show.

“Pancreatic cancer is a terrible disease with no effective screening right now,” Jim Taylor, a researcher on the project, said in a statement. “Our goal is to have more people who are unfortunate enough to get pancreatic cancer to be fortunate enough to catch it in time to have surgery that gives them a better chance of survival.”

In order to take lighting into account, the app can be used with either a special box that blocks out ambient light or paper glasses with colored squares around the edges that the app is calibrated to. With the box, BiliScreen was around 90 percent as accurate as a blood test in identifying concerning levels of bilirubin in a small, 70-person clinical study.

The researchers are now working to make the app useful without accessories and are presenting their work at Ubicomp 2017 next month.

Images: Dennis Wise / University of Washington

Source: University of Washington