Optical vs. Laser: What kind of mouse will work for you?
Whether you’re using it for work or play, our hands are generally cradling a mouse each day –a mechanical mouse, that is. They scatter onto store shelves in all sorts of sizes, some of which are geared for the right-handed crowd, while a sprinkled few may sport an ergonomic design for the right-minded lefties. Of all the features and form factors, you’ll find two base designs — one using an optical sensor, and one based on a laser. Which is better? Let’s have a look.
Guess what? All mice are optical
Modern mice are basically cameras. They constantly take pictures, although instead of capturing your face, they grab images of the surface underneath. These images aren’t meant for posting on Facebook, but instead are converted into data for tracking the peripheral’s current location on a surface. Ultimately, you have a low-resolution camera in the palm of your hand, that is only meant to track the peripheral’s X and Y coordinates thousands of times per second.
All mice consist of a tiny, low-resolution camera (CMOS sensor), two lenses, and a source of illumination. All mice are optical, technically, because they take photos, which is optical data. However, the one marketed as optical models rely on an infrared or red LED that projects light onto a surface. This LED is typically mounted behind an angled lens, which focuses the illumination into a beam. That beam is bounced off the surface, through the “imaging” lens that magnifies the reflected light, and into the CMOS sensor.
To take the step a little further, the CMOS sensor collects the light, and converts the light particles into an electrical current. This analog data is then converted into 1’s and 0’s, resulting in more than 10,000 digital images captured each second. These images are compared to generate the precise location of the mouse, and then the final data is sent to the parent PC for cursor placement every one to eight milliseconds.
On older LED mice, you will find the LED pointing straight down, and shining a red beam onto the surface that’s seen by the sensor. Jump ahead years later, and the LED light is projected at an angle, and typically unseen (infrared). This helps the mouse track its movements on most surfaces.
Laser mice won’t burn out your eyes
Meanwhile, Logitech takes the credit for introducing the first mouse to use a laser in 2004. More specifically, it’s called a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser diode, or VCSEL, which is used in laser pointers, optical drives, barcode readers, and more.
This infrared laser simply replaces the infrared/red LED on “optical” models, but don’t worry: it won’t burn your eyes out. That’s because it emits light only in infrared, which the human eye can’t see. That’s a major advantage, because it allows the laser mouse to use a higher intensity beam, which enables better imaging and, ultimately, enhanced sensitivity.
At one time, laser models were believed to be far superior than “optical” versions. Over time, though, optical mice have improved, and they now work in a variety of situations with a high degree of accuracy. The laser model’s superiority stemmed from having a higher sensitivity than LED-based mice. However, unless you’re a PC gamer, that’s really not an important feature.
The boxing match begins
So what’s the big difference between using an optical mouse, and a laser mouse, if the only difference is illumination?
For starters, both methods use the irregularities of a surface to keep track of the peripheral’s position. But a laser can go deeper into the surface texture without burning the material. This provides more information for the CMOS sensor and processor inside the mouse to juggle, and hand over to the parent PC.
For example, although glass is clear, there are still extremely small irregularities that can be tracked by a laser, enabling the host mouse to move across a glass table, but not perfectly. Meanwhile, we could place the latest optical mouse on the same surface, and it can’t track any movement. Place the glass surface on a black desktop, and the mouse still can’t track movement. Remove the glass, and the optical mouse works just fine.
Of course, the chances of your need to use a mouse on a glass surface are extremely rare, but it illustrates how the two illumination processes differ in performance. An LED will track the anomalies found on the upper-most layer of a surface, while a laser can go deeper to dig up extra positional details. Optical mice work best on non-glossy surfaces and mouse pads, while a laser mouse can function on just about any glossy or non-glossy surface.
Accuracy vs. sensitivity
The problem with laser-based mice is that they can be too accurate, picking up useless information such as the unseen hills and valleys of a surface. This can be troublesome when moving at slower speeds, causing on-screen cursor “jitter,” or what’s better known as acceleration. It’s simply incorrect 1:1 tracking stemming from useless data thrown into the overall tracking mix used by the PC. The result is a cursor that wont’s appear in the exact location at the exact time your hand intended. Although the problem has improved over the years, laser mice still aren’t ideal if you’re sketching details in Adobe Illustrator.
That said, jittering has nothing to do with the number of dots per inch a mouse can track per second. Instead, jittering is tied to everything that’s scanned by the laser, collected by the sensor, and handed over to the parent PC’s processor for on-screen cursor mapping. To alleviate some of the jitter, you could ditch cloth-based surfaces, and place a hard, dark surface underneath, so the laser isn’t picking up unnecessary junk data.
Another option would be to turn down the sensitivity. The CMOS sensor resolution in a mouse is different than a camera because it’s based on movement. The sensor consists of a set number of physical pixels aligned in a square grid. The resolution stems from the number of individual images captured by each pixel during a movement of one physical inch across a surface.
Because the physical pixels can’t be resized, the sensor can use image processing to divide each pixel into smaller pieces. That said, all mice have a set physical resolution, and the increased sensitivity stems from an algorithm within the sensor to increase the cursor movement on-screen even though your physical mouse movements remain unchanged. Thus, the closer you get to the base resolution, the less junk positional data the sensor in a laser-based mouse collects.
To put it more simply, lower sensitivities also result in more accurate movement.
Which is better?
That depends on the application and surrounding. If you look at the Logitech G brand, you’ll notice that Logitech mostly focuses on LED-based mice when it comes to PC gaming. That’s because the customer base is typically sitting at a desk, and possibly even using a mouse mat designed for the best tracking and friction. PC gamers simply don’t want any errors in precision, present company included.
Yet laser-based mice aren’t exactly out of the picture. Logitech offers a handful that aren’t exactly gamer oriented, while its biggest competitor, Razer, currently lists five gamer-specific laser-based mice on its online store. Razer prefers laser technology because it offers higher sensitivity for lightning-quick movement in games. Overall, we don’t think that optical or laser technology is, by itself, enough to recommend any particular mouse for gaming.
Our recommendation is more definitive in mainstream and office use. A laser mouse might be ideal when you’re in a hotel room, in the living room lounging on the couch, trolling Facebook in Starbucks, stuck in a board meeting, and so on. The performance might be sporadic given the surface underneath, but with a laser mouse, you definitely have more surface options. Laser-based mice come in handy if you need to use your leg as a tracking surface, or when the office has nothing but shiny furniture that your LED-based mouse absolutely hates. Most high-end mice use a laser as a result.
However, it is generally more expensive. While laser is the more versatile technology, a decent optical mouse can do the job for less, so long as you plan to use it on dark, level, non-gloss surface.
Looking into picking up a new mouse? Lucky for you, we’ve rounded up the best wireless mice available.
Channel your inner James Bond with these real-world spy gadgets
So you’ve decided to give up your ordinary life — the family, the 401(k), the evening searches for meaning in a consumerist world– for a chance to work as a spy. Working in the shadows offers neither glory nor the promise of a comfortable death in a warm bed, but with the right tools, you just might survive to see your next assignment. Here are some of the essential spy gadgets you’ll need for a life of covert escapades. Do bring each of them back in one piece!
Camera pen
Using a simple but persuasive cover story, you manage to get inside your target’s corporate headquarters/research facility/secret underground lair. It’s your chance to find the truth behind the insidious and far-reaching conspiracy you have been investigating, but how are you to get it on video? Information-gathering is one of the pillars of espionage, but it’s hard to sneak a camera past security. Thankfully, you can hide a camera in any everyday object if you try hard enough, even a small, simple object like a pen. Nobody will take notice of the pen sticking out of your shirt pocket, and no matter your cover story — intrepid reporter, reclusive investor, etc. — chances are it will seem reasonable to have a pen with you. This specific model stores up to 32GB of footage, and you can connect it to a computer via USB.
Amazon
Camera Drone
The best part of the growing popularity of drones is that nobody will find it suspicious that you, a secret agent, are carrying one. For all they know, you’re just a hobbyist looking to take your new toy for a spin. If, in reality, you’re actually hoping to scout out the country estate of some corrupt politician, looking for points of egress before you infiltrate it to steal some documents, a drone will get the job done. We recommend the DJI Mavic Pro — our favorite drone. The Mavic Pro is equipped with a 4K camera and a three-axis gimbal that allows it to remain stable in flight, so any photos or video it captures will be immaculate. The Mavic Pro’s defining feature is that it folds up into a compact package. If you’re hauling around all the other gadgets on this list for your current mission, a drone that takes up little space is key.
Amazon
Night vision goggles
Having scoped out the target’s lair, it’s time to infiltrate. Given the already stringent security, approaching under cover of darkness may be your best bet. You’ll need some way to see in the dark. If you’re working for an agency with a high budget — or if you’re a wealthy, independent operator a la Bruce Wayne (who, while not technically a spy, dabbles in espionage) — you can probably snag yourself a quality set of night vision goggles, which usually cost a couple thousand dollars or more. If you’re spying on a shoestring budget, this night vision monocular should suffice. It’s lightweight, can be adjusted for viewing with either the left or right eye, and has a built-in infrared illuminator for situations where the darkness is particularly stygian.
Armasight
Unshredder — document recovery software
Rifling through a dumpster outside an evil corporation’s headquarters, you find the files you are looking for. The only problem is that someone — presumably an evil intern — has shredded them. Sweating at the thought of spending days reassembling the strands of paper by hand, you realize there is a better way. Unshredder is software that allows users to reconstruct shredded documents on a computer.
Unshredder
Tracking device
You’ve managed to follow your target on foot, but now they’re stepping into a vehicle. How can you avoid losing them in the tangled streets of the exotic city you’re in? A small, easily concealed tracking device should do the trick. This particular GPS tracker attaches to a car or other object via magnets, and has an IP66 dustproof/waterproofing rating, meaning it should be dust tight and capable of functioning in inclement weather.
Amazon
Directional microphone
You’ve tracked your target to an upscale Italian restaurant. The host guides them to a table. Already sitting there, you’re shocked to see, is a rising star in the U.S. Senate. How curious. You don’t have a reservation, so you can’t get a table next to them. What to do? With a parabolic microphone, which collects sound waves and then focuses them onto a receiver, you can pick up their conversation from a safe distance. This Sound Shark kit, which plugs into a camera or recording device, should suffice for the amateur eavesdropper. Your only challenge will be appearing inconspicuous while aiming it at your target’s conversation.
Sound Shark
Nikon D500 — DSLR camera with a zoom lens
You’ve caught your targets, both high-profile subjects, in an incriminating situation. Evidence of the meeting will prove useful. A photograph will suffice, but not just any will do. A powerful DSLR camera will take the high-quality photos you need, and the Nikon D500, which takes immaculately detailed shots, is one of the best around. It’s a bulky camera, and while a tiny model may seem more fitting for a covert operative, if anyone notices you taking photos with a camera like this, they’ll just assume you’re an enthusiast — half of effective spying is blending in, after all. Make sure to outfit your camera with a zoom lens, as you’ll likely need to maintain a safe distance from your target.
Amazon
If spy gadgets seem a bit too tame for you, maybe robotic lawnmowers or luxurious helicopters are more your speed.
Bose QC35 II headphones will have Google Assistant built-in
Bose is synonymous with quality and expense, and with those come great features.
Bose’s QuietComfort 35 headphones are some of the most highly-recommended active noise-canceling headphones on the market. Modern Dad calls them the best headphones a traveler could ask for, and its successor, the Bose QuietComfort 35 II, are apparently packing a new feature that’ll be quite handy to Android users: Google Assistant.
Look what I found early …. Bose QC 35 II pic.twitter.com/vq2zXDDb2A
— Jeremy Judkins (@jeremyjudkins) September 16, 2017
Jeremy Judkins has apparently stumbled across a retail box for the new model, and right there on the back of the box sits a nifty new Google Assistant built-in logo. Having Google Assistant on-board could be a great help, even if its media commands turn out to not be quite as robust as ones on the Google Home, and hopefully with Bose’s nose eliminating magic for its mic array you’ll be able to get commands heard clearly while going about our noisy, busy lives. Battery life also hopefully will be improved on this model, but the only big question I have left here is will the Bose QC35 II finally make the jump to USB-C for charging?
The headphones are expected to be a part of Google’s October 4 event, during which the company will announce the Pixel 2 series. Like last year, where Google also unveiled the Home and Wifi, we’re expecting to hear about a new initiative where Google will partner with audio accessory manufacturers like Bose to include Assistant in these products.
The headphones were initially unveiled by 9to5Google last week.
Google Pixel 2 + Pixel XL 2: Everything you need to know!
Instagram automatically plays all video sound once it’s turned on
Instagram’s silence when automatically playing videos is meant to avoid any rude surprises (especially for those around you), but that courtesy might extend too far for some. What if you’re watching a friend’s concert videos and would rather not tap on each one to hear the music? That shouldn’t be a problem from now on. Instagram has confirmed to TechCrunch that it now autoplays the sound in all videos once you’ve enabled it on a clip. It’ll reset when you leave the app, so you shouldn’t come back to a noisy clip.
For the most part, this appears to strike a healthy balance between convenience and respect: you’ll have an easier time watching back-to-back video when you want it, but won’t risk blasting others with unwanted audio. With that said, you might not like it so much if this autoplays sound on the next video ad you see. That last part may be another key reason why Instagram is making autoplaying sound a tap-once option. Advertisers frequently want you to listen to their promos, not just look at them, and this increases the chances that you’ll hear a catchy jingle or otherwise focus on an ad you’d otherwise skip.
Source: TechCrunch
AI can detect Alzheimer’s 10 years before symptoms show up
Various researchers around the globe are developing ways to detect Alzheimer’s as early as possible. After all, early detection gives people the power seek treatment that can slow down the condition’s effects, as well as enough time to get their legal and financial affairs in order. Some decided to focus on blood and cerebrospinal fluid tests, while others are developing gadgets that can look for early signs. A team of researchers from the University of Bari in Italy, however, believe the answer lies in artificial intelligence. They developed an algorithm that can spot tiny structural changes in the brain caused by the disease a decade before symptoms even appear.
They trained their AI by feeding it 67 MRI scans — 38 from Alzheimer’s patients and 29 from healthy controls. The researchers divided the scans into small regions and had their AI analyze the neuronal connectivity between. After training was done, they tested the algorithm by having it process brain scans from 148 subjects. Out of the total number, 48 were scans of people with the disease, while 48 were scans of people who suffered from mild cognitive impairment and eventually developed full-blown Alzheimer’s.
The AI was able to diagnose Alzheimer’s 86 percent of the time. More importantly, it was able to detect mild cognitive impairment 84 percent of the time, making it a potentially effective tool for early diagnosis. Unfortunately, the researchers were limited to the scans in USC LA’s Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative database. With more samples and further development, though, the AI could become more accurate until it’s reliable enough to be used as a non-invasive early detection system.
Via: New Scientist
Source: Cornell University Library
Watch this amazing bot band rock out before destroying their instruments
Why it matters to you
Here’s further evidence that in the near future humans will have absolutely nothing to do.
Robots aren’t only coming for our jobs, they’re going to spend a great deal of time entertaining us, too, if the latest work from musician Nigel Stanford is anything to go by.
The New Zealander has just released an incredible video showing a band of industrial robots knocking out a tune on an array of instruments. And in true rock ’n’ roll style, they even smash them up at the end.
The track, Automatica, is from Stanford’s forthcoming album, Automatica — Robots vs. Music. Record label Sony Music says the work “raises the question, just how close are we to fully AI robots performing instruments and blending in with normal, everyday human activity?” Pretty close, according to Stanford’s efforts.
Stanford, whose music has been picked up in the past by both NASA and the European Space agency, came up with the idea for his bot band in 2015 following the success of his groundbreaking Cymatics – Science vs. Music video featuring an exhilarating blend of music, art, and physics.
Using several machines from industrial robotics systems company Kuka, Stanford set about programming them to play the drums, piano, and guitar — as well as perform a few turntable tricks. The musician shut himself away in his garage for a month, and through trial and error gradually learned how to get the robots to produce the kind of sounds he wanted.
Stanford made a note of seeing the project through by himself, without any outside help.“”I do all of the programming,” Stanford said, adding, “I think it’s important to come at the scientific aspects from the perspective of a musician.”
The video is beautifully shot, though toward the end the robots pull a Frankenstein move and turn on Stanford, smashing up the instruments in spectacular style — though not before tossing the Kiwi a guitar so he can close out the track.
Keen to see more? Then check out this short behind-the-scenes video showing Stanford in the early stages of creating his robot band.
Similar efforts
Other bands consisting entirely of automatons include, for example, Z-Machines. Created by a University of Tokyo IT professor and a mechanical designer in 2013, the Japanese three-bot band featured a drummer with six arms and a guitarist with 78 fingers.
Another robot group, Compressorhead, was created in the same year by Berlin-based artist Frank Barnes together with Markus Kolb and Stock Plum. Also made up of three androids, Compressorhead is still going strong and has a new album out in November.
Awesome tech you can’t buy yet: Robo friends for Fido, a smart motorcycle helmet
At any given moment, there are approximately a zillion crowdfunding campaigns on the web. Take a visual stroll through the best new Kickstarter and Indiegogo projects, and you’ll find no shortage of weird, useless, and downright stupid projects out there — alongside some real gems. In this column, we cut through all the worthless wearables and Oculus Rift ripoffs to round up the week’s most unusual, ambitious, and exciting projects. But don’t grab your wallet just yet. Keep in mind that any crowdfunded project can fail — even the most well-intentioned. Do your homework before cutting a check for the gadget of your dreams.
Anthouse Pet Companion Robot
While the Baby Boomers may have been the result of just that, an entire generation of Americans are now opting out of this allegedly rewarding parenting process and choosing to rear pets instead. Many of these individuals spare no expense when it comes to their beloved four-legged friends. In fact, pet spending has increased every year since 1994 (yes, even during the Great Recession) and in 2016 alone, nearly $63 billion was spent on faithful companions.
That said, any gadget or gizmo that could amuse ol’ Rover — even fleetingly — is worth every penny, and the Anthouse Pet Companion Robot may be the next big thing. Once connected to a smartphone, you have full control over this Robo-petsitter, allowing you to do everything from managing the top speed of the unit to vicariously dispensing treats via the onboard cupboard.
You can also take full advantage of the video monitoring component and snap photos of your pet at will, making it easier than ever to inundate your friends, family, and complete strangers with photos they never asked for. A built-in speaker allows you to whisper sweet nothings to your pet no matter the vast distances separating the two of you. The Anthouse also incorporates a mini-tennis ball launcher, so your dog can play fetch while you’re on the go. And to think, not so long ago, these were once wolves.
Read more here
ShredMate
While there are plenty of wearables on the market to track your fitness metrics while running and even swimming, much of this valuable data goes unmeasured while mountain biking. Thanks to the ShredMate, though, these dark days of unverifiable biking metrics are no more.
The ShredMate sensor straps onto your bike and connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth to measure everything from speed and hang-time during epic jumps to peak G-forces experienced while cornering and landing. The paired smartphone app allows you to visualize the map of a trail and even color codes this route to illustrate how fast or slow you should travel during certain legs.
The ShredMate also incorporates a layer of gamification, so individuals can earn badges as they break previous bests on the trail. As the age old thought experiment goes: If one nails that perfect knee-buckling landing over a 15-foot gap and there’s no available app metric to prove it, did it happen?
If you’re in the market for a new bike, we recently curated a list of the best mountainbikes, as well as a few worthy budget options to chew up the trailhead.
Read more here
Travelmate: A Fully Autonomous Suitcase and Robot
With lengthy lines and extensive security protocols, modern air travel is more of a relatable meme than luxury at this point. That said, anything that can help lighten this burden is certainly welcome and the Travelmate Autonomous Suitcase does just that.
The autonomous Travelmate connects to your smartphone and functions either horizontally or vertically to more aptly maneuver even the busiest of airports. And with a top speed of nearly 7 miles per hour, the companion bot should be able to keep up even if you need a little pep in your step in the terminal to catch that connecting flight.
The Travelmate uses machine learning to fine-tune its movements and the onboard battery can be recharged via a standard electrical outlet just about anywhere. The battery life is listed at four hours, and LED lights along the compartment edge change color to reflect the remaining juice for added peace of mind. A built-in scale displays the total unit weight, allowing you to avoid surplus weight charges at the gate.
Read more here
CrossHelmet Smart Motorcycle Helmet
Like virtually all other motorcycle helmets, the CrossHelmet’s corner visor slits sit well behind your temples to give you a natural front and peripheral field of view. But what sets this model apart from the rest of the pack is the rear-facing camera. This added set of optics is combined with a wide-view front-mounted screen to give riders a 360-driving experience.
This flip-down screen also displays other pertinent information like current weather conditions, a compass, and even step-by-step directions to help you reach your final destination safely and efficiently. This helmet also implements CrossSound Control to minimize or intensify environmental noise (such as road, engine, and wind noise) based on the rider’s preferences.
You can easily connect the CrossHelmet with your smartphone and play music, podcasts, and field phone calls via the internal speakers and microphone. For added visibility on night rides, integrated LEDs add a little illumination to keep riders out of harm’s way.
We’ve reviewed plenty of smart helmets for your daily commute and, unlike the CrossHelmet, you can buy all of these right now.
Read more here
Awesome tech you can’t buy yet: Robo friends for Fido, a smart motorcycle helmet
At any given moment, there are approximately a zillion crowdfunding campaigns on the web. Take a visual stroll through the best new Kickstarter and Indiegogo projects, and you’ll find no shortage of weird, useless, and downright stupid projects out there — alongside some real gems. In this column, we cut through all the worthless wearables and Oculus Rift ripoffs to round up the week’s most unusual, ambitious, and exciting projects. But don’t grab your wallet just yet. Keep in mind that any crowdfunded project can fail — even the most well-intentioned. Do your homework before cutting a check for the gadget of your dreams.
Anthouse Pet Companion Robot
While the Baby Boomers may have been the result of just that, an entire generation of Americans are now opting out of this allegedly rewarding parenting process and choosing to rear pets instead. Many of these individuals spare no expense when it comes to their beloved four-legged friends. In fact, pet spending has increased every year since 1994 (yes, even during the Great Recession) and in 2016 alone, nearly $63 billion was spent on faithful companions.
That said, any gadget or gizmo that could amuse ol’ Rover — even fleetingly — is worth every penny, and the Anthouse Pet Companion Robot may be the next big thing. Once connected to a smartphone, you have full control over this Robo-petsitter, allowing you to do everything from managing the top speed of the unit to vicariously dispensing treats via the onboard cupboard.
You can also take full advantage of the video monitoring component and snap photos of your pet at will, making it easier than ever to inundate your friends, family, and complete strangers with photos they never asked for. A built-in speaker allows you to whisper sweet nothings to your pet no matter the vast distances separating the two of you. The Anthouse also incorporates a mini-tennis ball launcher, so your dog can play fetch while you’re on the go. And to think, not so long ago, these were once wolves.
Read more here
ShredMate
While there are plenty of wearables on the market to track your fitness metrics while running and even swimming, much of this valuable data goes unmeasured while mountain biking. Thanks to the ShredMate, though, these dark days of unverifiable biking metrics are no more.
The ShredMate sensor straps onto your bike and connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth to measure everything from speed and hang-time during epic jumps to peak G-forces experienced while cornering and landing. The paired smartphone app allows you to visualize the map of a trail and even color codes this route to illustrate how fast or slow you should travel during certain legs.
The ShredMate also incorporates a layer of gamification, so individuals can earn badges as they break previous bests on the trail. As the age old thought experiment goes: If one nails that perfect knee-buckling landing over a 15-foot gap and there’s no available app metric to prove it, did it happen?
If you’re in the market for a new bike, we recently curated a list of the best mountainbikes, as well as a few worthy budget options to chew up the trailhead.
Read more here
Travelmate: A Fully Autonomous Suitcase and Robot
With lengthy lines and extensive security protocols, modern air travel is more of a relatable meme than luxury at this point. That said, anything that can help lighten this burden is certainly welcome and the Travelmate Autonomous Suitcase does just that.
The autonomous Travelmate connects to your smartphone and functions either horizontally or vertically to more aptly maneuver even the busiest of airports. And with a top speed of nearly 7 miles per hour, the companion bot should be able to keep up even if you need a little pep in your step in the terminal to catch that connecting flight.
The Travelmate uses machine learning to fine-tune its movements and the onboard battery can be recharged via a standard electrical outlet just about anywhere. The battery life is listed at four hours, and LED lights along the compartment edge change color to reflect the remaining juice for added peace of mind. A built-in scale displays the total unit weight, allowing you to avoid surplus weight charges at the gate.
Read more here
CrossHelmet Smart Motorcycle Helmet
Like virtually all other motorcycle helmets, the CrossHelmet’s corner visor slits sit well behind your temples to give you a natural front and peripheral field of view. But what sets this model apart from the rest of the pack is the rear-facing camera. This added set of optics is combined with a wide-view front-mounted screen to give riders a 360-driving experience.
This flip-down screen also displays other pertinent information like current weather conditions, a compass, and even step-by-step directions to help you reach your final destination safely and efficiently. This helmet also implements CrossSound Control to minimize or intensify environmental noise (such as road, engine, and wind noise) based on the rider’s preferences.
You can easily connect the CrossHelmet with your smartphone and play music, podcasts, and field phone calls via the internal speakers and microphone. For added visibility on night rides, integrated LEDs add a little illumination to keep riders out of harm’s way.
We’ve reviewed plenty of smart helmets for your daily commute and, unlike the CrossHelmet, you can buy all of these right now.
Read more here
Awesome tech you can’t buy yet: Robo friends for Fido, a smart motorcycle helmet
At any given moment, there are approximately a zillion crowdfunding campaigns on the web. Take a visual stroll through the best new Kickstarter and Indiegogo projects, and you’ll find no shortage of weird, useless, and downright stupid projects out there — alongside some real gems. In this column, we cut through all the worthless wearables and Oculus Rift ripoffs to round up the week’s most unusual, ambitious, and exciting projects. But don’t grab your wallet just yet. Keep in mind that any crowdfunded project can fail — even the most well-intentioned. Do your homework before cutting a check for the gadget of your dreams.
Anthouse Pet Companion Robot
While the Baby Boomers may have been the result of just that, an entire generation of Americans are now opting out of this allegedly rewarding parenting process and choosing to rear pets instead. Many of these individuals spare no expense when it comes to their beloved four-legged friends. In fact, pet spending has increased every year since 1994 (yes, even during the Great Recession) and in 2016 alone, nearly $63 billion was spent on faithful companions.
That said, any gadget or gizmo that could amuse ol’ Rover — even fleetingly — is worth every penny, and the Anthouse Pet Companion Robot may be the next big thing. Once connected to a smartphone, you have full control over this Robo-petsitter, allowing you to do everything from managing the top speed of the unit to vicariously dispensing treats via the onboard cupboard.
You can also take full advantage of the video monitoring component and snap photos of your pet at will, making it easier than ever to inundate your friends, family, and complete strangers with photos they never asked for. A built-in speaker allows you to whisper sweet nothings to your pet no matter the vast distances separating the two of you. The Anthouse also incorporates a mini-tennis ball launcher, so your dog can play fetch while you’re on the go. And to think, not so long ago, these were once wolves.
Read more here
ShredMate
While there are plenty of wearables on the market to track your fitness metrics while running and even swimming, much of this valuable data goes unmeasured while mountain biking. Thanks to the ShredMate, though, these dark days of unverifiable biking metrics are no more.
The ShredMate sensor straps onto your bike and connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth to measure everything from speed and hang-time during epic jumps to peak G-forces experienced while cornering and landing. The paired smartphone app allows you to visualize the map of a trail and even color codes this route to illustrate how fast or slow you should travel during certain legs.
The ShredMate also incorporates a layer of gamification, so individuals can earn badges as they break previous bests on the trail. As the age old thought experiment goes: If one nails that perfect knee-buckling landing over a 15-foot gap and there’s no available app metric to prove it, did it happen?
If you’re in the market for a new bike, we recently curated a list of the best mountainbikes, as well as a few worthy budget options to chew up the trailhead.
Read more here
Travelmate: A Fully Autonomous Suitcase and Robot
With lengthy lines and extensive security protocols, modern air travel is more of a relatable meme than luxury at this point. That said, anything that can help lighten this burden is certainly welcome and the Travelmate Autonomous Suitcase does just that.
The autonomous Travelmate connects to your smartphone and functions either horizontally or vertically to more aptly maneuver even the busiest of airports. And with a top speed of nearly 7 miles per hour, the companion bot should be able to keep up even if you need a little pep in your step in the terminal to catch that connecting flight.
The Travelmate uses machine learning to fine-tune its movements and the onboard battery can be recharged via a standard electrical outlet just about anywhere. The battery life is listed at four hours, and LED lights along the compartment edge change color to reflect the remaining juice for added peace of mind. A built-in scale displays the total unit weight, allowing you to avoid surplus weight charges at the gate.
Read more here
CrossHelmet Smart Motorcycle Helmet
Like virtually all other motorcycle helmets, the CrossHelmet’s corner visor slits sit well behind your temples to give you a natural front and peripheral field of view. But what sets this model apart from the rest of the pack is the rear-facing camera. This added set of optics is combined with a wide-view front-mounted screen to give riders a 360-driving experience.
This flip-down screen also displays other pertinent information like current weather conditions, a compass, and even step-by-step directions to help you reach your final destination safely and efficiently. This helmet also implements CrossSound Control to minimize or intensify environmental noise (such as road, engine, and wind noise) based on the rider’s preferences.
You can easily connect the CrossHelmet with your smartphone and play music, podcasts, and field phone calls via the internal speakers and microphone. For added visibility on night rides, integrated LEDs add a little illumination to keep riders out of harm’s way.
We’ve reviewed plenty of smart helmets for your daily commute and, unlike the CrossHelmet, you can buy all of these right now.
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Best new songs to stream: Radiohead, Weezer, Son Little, 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 — you want the best new songs to stream right now.
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.
Here are our five best new songs to stream this week. And 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. Not sure which streaming service is best for you? Check out our post about the best music streaming services, or go in depth and learn the differences between Apple Music and Spotify to better weigh your options.
Radiohead — Lift
Radiohead this week released a visually stimulating music video for late-’90s single Lift, a tune that was recorded during the band’s lauded OK Computer era. The slow-rolling tune starts with a drum groove and eventually builds into a classic vocal-driven Radiohead number fueled by the haunting lyrics of frontman Thom Yorke, who appears as an elevator-riding main character in the band’s new visual accompaniment.
Weezer — Beach Boys
Syncopated bass and clean guitar stabs lay the foundation for Weezer‘s latest single, a Beach Boys-themed tune from the band’s upcoming album Pacific Daydream. Frontman Rivers Cuomo has fun with the music and lyrics on this one, crafting a pop tune that is musically rooted in 2017 but is still full of fun vocal layers that recall the Beach Boys’ (i.e., Brian Wilson’s) classic wall-of-sound approach.
Son Little — O Me O My
If you’re looking for a seriously vintage-style cut to jam out to this week, there is perhaps no more appropriate recent release than R&B songwriter Son Little‘s O Me O My, which feels like it could be blasting on the jukebox of a 1960s diner. “O Me O My/Frozen in time,” sings Little on the catchy new single, which the songwriter described to Consequence of Sound as “a meditation on the anxieties of the modern world.”
L.A. Salami — Day To Day (For 6 Days A Week) (and more, live from NPR’s Tiny Desk)
There’s a distinct Bob Dylan influence to the sound of songwriter L.A. Salami, whose rambling and poignant lyrics observe and report the state of the modern world, but are channeled through the musician’s U.K. upbringing. Salami is in good form during his recent appearance at NPR’s Tiny Desk, showcasing the vocal, harmonica, and guitar skills that have helped make him one of the top up-and-coming voices in modern folk music.
Phoebe Bridgers — Funeral
Los Angeles-based songwriter Phoebe Bridgers has spent her formative years working closely with some of the most intimate voices in modern songwriting, having recorded or toured with poignant lyricists like Ryan Adams, Conor Oberst, and Julien Baker. It’s that crowd of wordy and dark songwriters that has had a clear influence on tracks like Funeral, a soft and haunting piece that will sate the appetites of those in search of a sad song to contemplate the turning season.
That’s it for now, but tune in next week for more songs to stream, and check out the playlist loaded with our recent selections below:
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