Lunar lava tubes may provide access to vast polar ice reservoirs on the moon

We may be able to easily access substantial quantities of water on the moon, thanks to ancient lava tubes near the lunar north pole. That’s the conclusion of the SETI Institute, after analyzing new data from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO). Small openings on the surface could be “skylights” leading to huge subterranean caves formed hundreds of millions of years ago.

Pascal Lee of SETI presented the findings at the Ames Research Center in California. “The highest resolution images available for Philolaus Crater do not allow the pits to be identified as lava tube skylights with 100 percent certainty, but we are looking at good candidates considering simultaneously their size, shape, lighting conditions and geologic setting,” he said.

The openings to the pits are as large as 100 feet across, leading to permanently shadowed caverns that consist of long winding channels formed by rivers of flowing lava.

SETI

Extracting ice from the lunar soil on the surface would be an arduous task, and so having access to underground glaciers would make the process of obtaining water much easier. Although it’s not yet known that ice is present in the lava tubes, it could be in massive quantities, similar to findings in cold lava tubes on Earth. In addition, solar power could be used for such an endeavor, as the skylights provide relatively easy access to the lunar surface.

This area might even be a good location for a long-term lunar base, according to Science Alert. Not only would exploration of the subterranean caves provide invaluable insight into how the moon was formed, it could pave the way for further lunar missions and even expeditions to Mars.

“Exploring lava tubes on the Moon will also prepare us for the exploration of lava tubes on Mars,” Lee explained. “There, we will face the prospect of expanding our search for life into the deeper underground of Mars where we might find environments that are warmer, wetter, and more sheltered than at the surface.”

These are not the first caves of this nature found on the moon — more than 200 have been discovered by scientists, with many leading to underground lava tubes. The polar location is what has researchers intrigued, however, as water is known to be present in the permanently shadowed areas at the lunar poles.

The ice miners working on the lunar surface would also have a phenomenal view. “The Apollo landing sites were all near the Moon’s equator, such that the Earth was almost directly overhead for the astronauts,” Lee said. “But from the Philolaus skylights, Earth would loom just over the crater’s mountainous rim, near the horizon to the southeast.”

Editors’ Recommendations

• NASA is sending its strange ‘Martian igloo’ into orbit for a trial run
• Newly discovered moon cave could house mankind’s first lunar colony
• This ‘inflatable space yacht’ could be in orbit by 2022
• Martians may call these massive domed greenhouses “home”
• Water is not only available on Mars, it’s easily accessible, NASA finds

With the Google Arts and Culture app, selfies are now an educational tool

App Attack is a weekly series where we search the App Store and Google Play Store for the best apps of the week. Check out App Attack every Sunday for the latest.

Thanks to front-facing cameras on smartphones, we take the opportunity to snap selfies whenever possible. This week, we have an app with a new feature that builds on this tendency — to indulge in narcissicm — by throwing in a bit of educational value to go along with it.

If you’ve been on any of your social media apps lately, you might have seen people uploading strange side by side comparisons, with their selfie on one side and a portrait on the other. With the Google Arts and Culture app — available for iOS and Android — you can now take a selfie and match with artwork that looks like you.

This is reminiscent of the days when doppelgänger generators were all the rage and everyone was dying to know which celebrity they looked like. While I wasn’t as excited with my results as I was back in 2010, when I found out my doppelgänger was Hayden Panettiere, it was still entertaining.

After downloading the app, you’ll have to scroll down to the section that reads “Is your portrait in a museum?” Once you tap “Get Started,” you’ll be taken to a page where Google explains it won’t use data from your photos for any other purposes, and you can either cancel or accept.

Once you accept the terms and conditions, a small square appears for you to align your face with and take the photo. After you snap your photo, the app will analyze your features using computer vision technology to match your selfie with historical artwork.

When swiping through each portrait you’ve matched up with, you’ll notice that it lists each one by percentage of how close the resemblance is. It’s also in descending order, so the ones you resemble the most will appear first. You can then choose to share them to your social media channels, as well as email and text messages.

When I had my friends try it, we were mostly laughing at some of the matches. But each time we tried it, there was always at least one portrait that did strike a strange resemblance.

The funny part about this app is not only seeing who you’ve matched up with, but how closely the camera zooms in on your face. It’s similar to the way your parents would take photos of you in high school, when they fully zoom in on only your head so it’s a “nice” up-close shot that you never want anyone to see.

Since it has to analyze your features closely, it makes sense that it zooms in so closely. But for an app that’s getting so much recognition, you’d think they would try to make these selfies a bit more flattering. Let’s just say, you won’t be sharing these on your actual Instagram account — instead they’ve been finding their way to Instagram Stories where it only lasts 24 hours.

But of course, you can’t forget the educational aspect of Google Arts and Culture. By tapping on the portrait you’ve matched with, it will provide you with the title of the artwork, its artist, and the collection it’s from. You’re able to learn more about it by tapping on “View Artwork,” which brings you to the full version of the portrait and additional details such as the date it was created, the type of painting, its origin title, and more.

While taking selfies of yourself is fun, it also seems to be Google’s way of hooking you in. There’s tons more to do on the app when it comes to art and culture. You can explore thousands of collections from museums around the world, read articles about artwork or features on artists, and you can also favorite tons of collections to save within the app.

For those who want to experience seeing and exploring artwork in person, the app will also ask your permission to track your location in order to make recommendations of museums nearby. It’ll provide you with all the information you need, such as the exhibits that are currently running, the distance to each museum, operating times, and pricing.

Editors’ Recommendations

• The best selfie apps for iOS and Android
• Best Halloween apps for the ultimate spooky October 31
• How to take the perfect Portrait Mode selfie with the iPhone X
• Selfie-style answers let celebs respond to frequently asked questions on Google
• Feiyu Tech’s Vimble 2 is both a smartphone gimbal and a selfie stick

Best mobile workstations

While gamers consider themselves at the pinnacle of PC performance, the budgetary constraints of even that consumer group means it will always fall behind the true power-users of the world: the workstation users. Whether you’re running CAD software, complex simulations, or video editing, you need a workstation that’ll give you all the power and operational longevity that you need.

That’s what this guide will teach you all about. We’ve scoured the product listings and testimonials all across the web and combined it with our not-inconsiderable experience to bring you a list of the best mobile workstations available today.

HP ZBook 17 G4

HP has provided some fantastic consumer laptops in recent years and that pedigree extends to the workstation space too. As much as it has a number of solid workstation options though, the ZBook 17 G4 is our favorite of the bunch, with a combination of powerful hardware options, a large display, USB Type-C ports, and manageable weight.

Starting at $1,350 and peaking at $3,570, the HP ZBook 17 G4 can come with anything from a seventh-generation Core i7 7300HQ CPU, right up to an Intel Xeon E3-1535M. Depending on the model you opt for you can have up to 64GB of memory, Intel HD or Nvidia Quadro graphics with up to 16GB of dedicated GDDR5 video memory, and a couple of terabytes of storage space in solid state and hard-drive varieties.

You can also opt for displays from a 1,600 x 900 LED screen, all the way up to a full-4K Dreamcolor anti-glare panel.

All models come with a 96-watt-hour battery, which should be good for a long stretch of time in the right circumstances, and each model weighs in at 6.9 pounds before extras.

The combination of a large battery, powerful internal hardware, and reams of options, make the HP ZBook 17 G4 a fantastic choice for whatever tasks you’re taking on. It’s not as specific as some of the other entries on this list, but it’s a mobile workstation that will do anyone proud.

Buy one now from:

HP

Lenovo Thinkpad P71

Although its standard builds are a little more restricted than HP’s, Lenovo’s Thinkpad P71 has plenty of options for those looking for a mid-range to top-tier workstation solution. With a choice of Intel Core i7 and Xeon E3-1535M CPU, up to 64GB of RAM, and more than a terabyte of solid-state storage space, there is plenty of general performance to be had. Combine that with up to a Quadro P5000 with 16GB of GDDR5 for graphics, and you have a powerful system capable of taking on anything you throw at it.

That’s not to say you have to spend a mint, though. Don’t need a 4K display? Go for the 1080P option instead. Prices start at $1,343 and can range all the way up to more than $5,000, so there is plenty of scope for fitting a Thinkpad P71 to your budget and hardware requirements.

Also of note is the default operating system options that this mobile workstation comes with. You can opt for a Windows 10 installation, but there are also options for Ubuntu and Red Hat Enterprise Linux installs too.

If you want to expand its capabilities in the future, Lenovo also has a number of accessories, ranging from external DVD drives to workstation docks, with support for additional display connectivity.

Buy one now from:

Lenovo, Amazon

Dell Precision 5520

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

If you need an extremely light mobile workstation, Dell’s Precision 5520 should definitely be on your radar. At under four pounds, this is the lightest laptop on this list, and it’s rather compact, too. The 1080P versions do come with just 56 watt-hour batteries, but the 4K version has a 97 watt-hour version, which in our tests was able to keep the system running for more than five hours.

Options beyond the display resolution include a range of Intel Core processors, with i7 and Xeon CPUs to choose from. You can go up to 32GB of RAM if you need, and there are options for up to a terabyte of PCI Express solid-state storage. The only limiting factor in this workstation’s customization is with the graphics, which are either Intel HD or Nvidia Quadro M1200 only.

Pricing for the Precision 5520 starts at $2,000, and can set you back upwards of $3,700 if you opt for a high-end edition. However, at the time of writing (and regularly otherwise) Dell offers enormous discounts, in some cases as much as 40 percent, so if you time it right you will be able to snag yourself one of these systems at a comparative bargain price.

Buy one now from:

Dell , Amazon

Microsoft Surface Book 2 15-inch

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Although not technically classed as a workstation, the Surface Book 2 is one of the most versatile workhorse laptops we have come across in a long time. Its hardware is no way near as impressive as some of the other entries on this list, but with its extremely long battery life and a powerful processor/memory combination, it will perform a variety of intensive tasks for much longer than most.

Starting at $1,500 for the 13.5-inch version and going all the way up to $3,300 for the top of the line 15-inch variant, the Surface Book 2 comes with up to a Core i7 processor, up to 16GB of memory, up to a terabyte of solid-state storage, and the option of an Nvidia GTX 1060 graphics chip.

The Surface book 2 is also incredibly versatile. Its “dynamic fulcrum” hinge means that you can completely detach the screen from the keyboard, giving you an extremely portable tablet as and when required — it weighs in at just 1.7 pounds in tablet mode. Better yet, with a battery life that lasted as long as 20-hours in some of our tests, you don’t need to keep yourself near a socket to get the most out of your device.

Buy one now from:

Microsoft, Amazon

Razer Blade Pro

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Who said that a mobile workstation can’t be fun and good looking, too? While the Razer Blade doesn’t quite have the internal hardware to match some of the other systems on this list, it’s far from a pushover, and it’s much prettier than most. It packs powerful consumer-grade hardware into an attractive shell with features like keyboard backlighting and a slimline build, which could make it a great device to bring from home, especially if you like to game in your off-hours.

Internally, the Razer Blade Pro has a couple of different options, which differ depending on whether you opt for the “Full HD” version or the 4K version. With the Full HD you get an Intel Core i7-7700HQ CPU, with 16GB of memory, 256GB of solid-state storage, and a two terabyte hard drive. All of that is paired up with an Nvidia GTX 1060, which powers the 17.3-inch 1080P IPS panel, with a 120HZ refresh rate. Although that lineup is a little weak compared to some of the other entries in this series, it’s perfectly viable for less-intensive enterprise applications and at-home gaming.

The 4K version, however, ups the ante and offers a lot more at a higher price. It comes with an overclocked Intel Core i7-7820HQ processor that reaches 4.3GHz, 32GB of memory, up to two terabytes of solid state (RAID 0) storage, and an Nvidia GTX 1080 graphics chip. Better yet, its battery is upgraded from 70 watt-hours to 99 watt-hours. In our testing we still found battery life lacking, but it’s good that the option is there.

The Razer Blade Pro is a workstation that’s the best of both worlds. If you’re a gamer at home and can bring your system to work with you, it’ll do a good job, but if you need more raw power at the office, there are better alternatives on this list. Prices start at $2,300, though you can spend just shy of $5,000 at the top end.

Buy one now from:

Razer

Editors’ Recommendations

• HP’s ZBook x2 brings the 2-in-1 form factor to workstations
• Battle of the high-end laptops: HP Spectre x360 vs. Microsoft Surface Book 2
• HP supercharges Spectre x360 15-inch with Intel 8th-Gen Core and AMD Vega graphics
• The most expensive iMac Pro costs over $13,000, and here’s what you could get on a PC
• Battle of the 15-inch 2-in-1s: HP Spectre x360 vs. Microsoft Surface Book 2

Stay organized with the best to-do list apps for Android and iOS

One of the largest lessons in life is that you can’t always remember everything you’re supposed to do. But learning that isn’t the trick — it’s choosing to do something about it to ensure you’re going to remember to do what you really need to. There are a hundred and one ways to remember to do things, from knotting your hankie, to tying string around your fingers. But why not put that phone of yours to use, and turn it into your invaluable and ever-patient personal assistant?

To-do list apps are some of the oldest available apps on both iOS and Android — but how do you know you’re getting the right app to match your lifestyle? Well we’ve done the heavy lifting for you and put together a list of the best to-do list apps currently available for both iOS and Android. Take a look below and install whichever takes your fancy.

Google Keep (Free)

Google’s suite of apps are a mixed bunch, but they’re usually pretty good — and Google Keep is among the very best. Keep’s strength is a relatively simple design; let users store whatever they like in the app, and make it accessible from as many places as they want. Google Keep isn’t just for to-do lists; it also allows for written notes, voice memos, and pictures to be stored and organized with a series of custom tags and categories. You can also invite collaborators to contribute to individual notes — perfect for planning, or in the case of to-do lists, perfect for shared shopping lists.

It’s a simple but powerful tool. Changes that you make on shared notes will reflect on collaborator’s devices almost instantly, and everything you’re involved in can be accessed from your desktop as well. It’s completely free, included with every Google account, and it’s available on both Android and iOS devices. It doesn’t have much in the way of deeper options, like repeating tasks, and the reminder system is somewhat shoddy (though it does have a Chrome extension for reminders at home) — but it’s still a great choice if you just need something simple and don’t want to fuss around.

Download now from:

Android iOS

Todoist (Free/premium options)

If you want a dedicated to-do list app, then Todoist is worth checking out. It’s one of the biggest to-do apps around, with a dedicated following, and years worth of proven effectiveness. You can sign-up with your Facebook profile or Google account, and getting started is as simple as typing your first task in and hitting submit. Setting up new tasks is just as simple — type your task and hit enter. You can also set a deadline for the work to be completed by, and assign a priority to the task, as well as assigning it to a group of similar tasks. Completing tasks involves ticking off the box to the side of the task, and there’s a certain satisfaction to be had just ticking off tasks — though you’re missing the point if you only make tasks to complete them.

It’s not perfect — if you want all the features you’re going to have to pay for them. Setting reminders on tasks, extra active projects, comments on tasks, and automatic backups are all premium features, and subscribing to Todoist Premium will put you back about $29 a year. Still, if you’ve tried it out and you think it’s worth the money, $29 isn’t unreasonable for a year’s worth of organization.

Download now from:

Android iOS

Evernote (Free/premium options)

Another to-do list that comes with a ton of other options, Evernote is perhaps the go-to app for note-taking. Like Google Keep, it supports multiple methods of taking notes and reminders, including voice memos, full lists, and photos. Evernote takes this a step further, though, with the ability to add video and attach Word documents or PDFs to your lists. Like Google Keep, any time you add something to Evernote, it will sync across all of your devices, but unlike Keep, there is an option for offline access to your files — but only if you pay for the Premium version.

Evernote’s paid options are a touch on the pricey side at $35 a year for Evernote Plus, or $70 a year for Evernote Premium. But those obviously come with a whole raft of extra options, like offline access, extra storage, and the ability to add password-support to lock down your notebooks. Still, only you can decide whether this is worth your money or not, and we always recommend using the free version for a while to gauge whether it’s worth springing for.

Download now from:

Android iOS

Wunderlist (Free/premium options)

If you’re not a fan of Todoist’s gamified style, or you simply want a more forgiving free option, then check out Wunderlist. It has many of the same options that make Todoist great, with an easy method of setting up new tasks, simple collaboration between users, and the ability to assign tasks to specific groups. But where Todoist restricts many of its features to premium users, Wunderlist is a lot more generous with providing access, so free users can access time-based reminders, assign colleagues to tasks, and leave comments. That said, you’re generally restricted to how many of those you can do at one time — only 25 assignees per shared list — so you could see it as an even more insidious way of tempting people into a premium subscription.

In terms of premium cost you’re looking at a charge of $5 per month — or $60 a year. That’s pretty steep compared to Todoist’s $29, but you have to weigh up the pros and cons of each. If you think you’re likely to need a premium account for medium-scale collaboration, Todoist may be your bag. If you’re only looking to organize yourself, then it’s hard to beat Wunderlist’s free option.

Download now from:

Android iOS

Microsoft To-Do (free)

Organizational tools rarely exist in a vacuum. If you’re wedded to Microsoft’s ecosystem with Outlook emails and Office work, then you might be excited to learn that Microsoft has its own to-do app. Created by the Wunderlist team after Microsoft bought the app back in 2015, Microsoft To-Do bears a striking resemblance to Wunderlist — and that’s certainly not a bad thing; setting up new tasks is easy, and it offers much the same in terms of tools and features.

Where Microsoft To-Do differs is with an emphasis on My Day — namely, the idea that you start each day with a clean slate and take a moment at the start of each day to write down what you really want to get achieved that day. It’s a neat and fuss-free philosophy on life, and aims to make users really focus on the here-and-now. It’s definitely not for everyone, and if you really like planning ahead, then Microsoft To-Do allows for that too. It even has a smart suggestion tool built in that will suggest tasks for you based on your previous record. It’s a neat little idea, and we dig it.

The future seems to have Microsoft To-Do pegged to replace Wunderlist, and you can import your Wunderlist tasks if you’re coming from that app. Integration to other Microsoft services is planned for the future, so watch this space if you’re heavily into that.

Download now from:

Android iOS

Clear Todos ($5)

Clear Todos is a simple app for people who don’t need a complicated and cluttered app to keep themselves organized. Available only for iOS devices, (Android users can check out Clear List for a similar experience) Clear Todos uses a clear and elegant style to make sure that you have a list of what you need to do, when you need to do it. Customizable color themes allow for quick and easy differentiation between projects, and iCloud sync ensures that all of your devices (iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch) are constantly up-to-date. A simple gesture based system means that you’re rarely stuck in menus wondering what to do, and its simple set up ensures that you can just grab it and go.

Unlike many of the apps on this list, this app does come with a paywall — but since many of the others come with the option of monthly subscriptions, it easily balances out. If you like just paying once and being done with it, and just want a simple app to help with your organization, then Clear Todos is probably for you.

Download now from:

iOS

Ike (Free)

Supposedly based on former President Dwight ‘Ike’ Eisenhower’s organizational method, Ike takes a more lighthearted approach to the to-do list. The core of the app is based around priority; mark the most urgent tasks as such and build your day around dealing with those most crucial of jobs, forming a “priority matrix.” It makes more sense as you delve further into the app.

Thankfully, the lighthearted approach we mentioned helps to take some of the edge off the central premise. You can attach images to tasks, which means that recurring tasks become far more enjoyable; attaching that goofy picture of your dog to your “walk the dog” task is a small crutch, but it makes getting out of bed at 6 a.m. every day slightly easier. You can attach voice notes to tasks as well, set location-based reminders, and customizable celebrations that play whenever you complete a task. It’s a capable to-do list app, made slightly sillier.

Upgrading to Ike Pro is a one-off payment of $2, and unlocks access to location reminders, audio recordings, and all of the customizable themes, along with a few extras. How can you go wrong for $2?

Download now from:

Android

Habitica: Gamify Your Tasks (Free)

You might have thought that a to-do list app couldn’t get much more different — well, think again! Habitica is a completely different take on the to-do list, and it’s apparent from the moment you boot up the app. Instead of being asked to fill in your first task, you’re asked to create a character. What? Well, Habitica uses a gaming RPG-style to motivate you to complete your daily tasks. Complete tasks and your character gains experience and gold that can be spent on making them more powerful. Don’t try and cheat the system either; based on a few questions asked during your character creation, Habitica will assign you a few tasks to get you started. Fail to complete your daily tasks, and your avatar will take damage! Won’t somebody think of the player characters?!

Habitica is a bit more daunting to set up, with a system of different types of tasks and rewards to sort out before you can really get going, but if you’re really into the idea then it’s worth the time needed. So what are you waiting for? Get leveling and grind that dish washing!

Download now from:

Android iOS

Organizing yourself is only the start; don’t forget to spend a little bit of time unwinding with our picks for the best meditation apps on both iOS and Android. And if you need something to make sure you keep those New Year’s resolutions, look no further than this selection of New Year’s resolution apps!

Editors’ Recommendations

• The 10 best note-taking apps compared: OneNote, Zoho, Quip, and more
• The 30 best Mac apps if you’re new to Apple
• The 20 best news apps that are fast and fluid on your iPhone or Android
• The world can be your oyster with a little help from the 21 best travel apps
• 15 essential Black Friday apps you need to navigate the maelstrom

After a month-long stay at the space station, Dragon capsule returns to Earth

A SpaceX Dragon capsule loaded with two tons of cargo splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on Saturday. It was the second trip to outer space for the capsule, and the second time SpaceX had reused a Dragon for a supply mission to the International Space Station (ISS).

The capsule showed a little wear and tear from the reentry, but all the cargo (including a bunch of mice) was retrieved successfully by SpaceX. The capsule was loaded with the results of various scientific experiments, including an attempt to 3D print optical fiber in space. The mice had been treated with various medications that may help alleviate muscle loss during extended stays in a weightless environment.

LIVE NOW: @SpaceX’s #Dragon cargo vehicle departs @Space_Station after almost a month on orbit. Watch: https://t.co/ZuxLDtzW9c pic.twitter.com/aI8T6Hwt9v

— NASA (@NASA) January 13, 2018

The Dragon capsule was launched from Cape Canaveral on December 15, and it marked the first time that both a Falcon 9 rocket and a Dragon capsule had been reused. The capsule had previously visited the ISS in 2015 for a resupply mission. This was the 13th mission for SpaceX under NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services contract.

“Good splashdown of Dragon confirmed, completing the second resupply mission to and from the @Space_Station with a flight-proven commercial spacecraft,” SpaceX announced on Twitter.

Cargo missions using reusable rockets and capsules are now becoming routine for SpaceX. Elon Musk, the company founder, has said he wants to make the entire rocket, including the Falcon 9 upper stage, completely reusable by the end of this year.

At a teleconference with reporters in March, Musk said there’s no reason not to make the attempt. “We didn’t originally intend for Falcon 9 to have a reusable upper stage, but it might be fun to try like a Hail Mary. What’s the worst that could happen — it blows up?” he asked rhetorically. “It blows up anyway.”

“Rapid and complete reusability of rockets is really the key to opening up space and becoming a spacefaring civilization, a multiplanet species, and having the future be something that’s incredibly exciting and inspiring that we’ll all look forward to,” he added.

The next hurdle for SpaceX is a big one — the Falcon Heavy rocket, to be exact. The 27-engine behemoth will go through a test-fire this month, before a planned launch later this year. And Musk’s very own Tesla Roadster will go along for the ride.

Editors’ Recommendations

• SpaceX launches both a reused rocket and capsule in successful ISS cargo mission
• Elon Musk posts pics of huge Falcon Heavy rocket ahead of debut launch
• Did SpaceX lose the classified Zuma payload during its latest launch?
• Setback for SpaceX as its next-gen rocket explodes during testing
• SpaceX could launch ‘world’s most powerful rocket’ by year’s end

FCC investigates Hawaii’s false missile alert

It’s not just state officials who are investigating Hawaii’s false alarm over a (thankfully non-existent) missile attack. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has confirmed that the regulator’s investigation into the error is “well underway.” While Pai shied away from making many definitive statements early on, he said that early findings suggested Hawaii didn’t have “reasonable safeguards or process controls” to prevent a mistaken alert.

Not surprisingly, Pai labeled the alarm as “absolutely unacceptable.” It wasn’t just that it triggered panic for the 38 minutes between the initial alert and the correction, according to the Chairman — it’s that this reduced confidence in the alert system and may have hurt its effectiveness in a real crisis.

At this point, there isn’t much debate as to what happened: an employee clicked the wrong box and sent a real alert by mistake, and there was no system in place to send an immediate correction. The FCC’s role at this point is mainly to push for and institute reforms in both Hawaii and across the US. It wants more protections to prevent accidental alerts and a means of correcting slip-ups as quickly as possible.

Source: FCC

Assistive hearing is the next big thing for wireless earbuds

The number of companies that sell true wireless earbuds has exploded in the last year. B&O, Bose, Sony and Samsung all joined the craze Bragi started back in 2014. Thanks to a bill signed into law last year, some hearing aids and assistive audio devices will be available over-the-counter without the need for a prescription. Headphone companies are also using their tech to help people with hearing problems, especially those suffering from tinnitus.

According to the CDC, around 50 million Americans suffer from some degree of tinnitus or ringing in their ears. The organization further explains that about 20 million of those people have a chronic issue, while around 2 million suffer from debilitating tinnitus — and that’s just in the US. The Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Act of 2017 that was signed into law last August aims not just to make hearing aids more accessible, but to give people with mild-to-moderate hearing loss more options besides having to get a doctor’s prescription. It allows millions to manage their own health care. As part of that law, the FDA will create a new category of hearing aid, mostly to make sure a manufacturer’s claims meet the standards expected for medical devices.

Accessibility is one big part of what will change under the new law, but it will also go a long way to reducing the stigma surrounding hearing loss. Doppler Labs’ KR Liu told Engadget in an interview this week that more and more companies are interested in accessible tech, most specifically adding features or products to help people hear better.

Over 50 million Americans have hearing loss, yet fewer than 15 percent will go get hearing aids mostly because of cost and stigma,” she explained. “[This legislation] will allow technology companies to sell devices over-the-counter devices to consumers with hearing loss.”

Liu also worked closely with Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) to pass the Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Act with almost unanimous bipartisan support. “Today, if you want to do that, it’s a highly regulated medical device,” she continued. “You still need guidance from the FDA, but it allows the technology industry to sell to this community, which will drive prices down and also bring the conversation around hearing to be more socially acceptable.”

The Bragi Dash

Being able to run down to the store and pick up one of these new hearing aids will be tremendously helpful to those with hearing loss, but true-wireless earbud maker Bragi is going one step further. At CES 2018, the company announced Project Ears: an initiative with Mimi Hearing Technologies that will add personalized hearing enhancement to its line of Dash earbuds. The idea started with an early Bragi customer who modified the Dash to help with tinnitus. Although Project Ears will certainly help those suffering from that chronic ringing, it will also assist those with hearing loss.

Bragi founder and CEO Nikolaj Hviid told me that the move is all about the next step in wearable computing. “It’s about extending what the Dash can do,” he explained. “Physically it’s the same — from a hardware perspective.” Through software tweaks, the company can make its products perform two functions and further extend what Bragi refers to as “wearable computing.”

Like much of what Bragi does already with this audio gear, Project Ears will be customized to each person. Thanks to Mimi’s customized hearing maps, the earbuds will offer a hearing solution to each individual based on the results of a hearing test. In fact, there’s already a so-called Earprint test from the collaboration — what’s better known as a pure tone threshold test, if you want to get technical.

“No two people hear the same, much like glasses,” Hviid said. “Project Ears is the concept of glasses for the ears, predominantly focusing on the people who have tinnitus. We thought we could modify our software so that these people could be helped.”

There are some sacrifices that have to be made. Not all of Bragi’s tracking features and embedded storage will be available on these new devices, though the hardware will be exactly the same. “Initially we made the choice to take a lot of the features out,” Hviid continued. “It’s a very sophisticated product, but it needs to be simple.”

Nuheara’s IQBuds Boost

Bragi isn’t the only firm trying to help people hear better. A number of companies at CES, including Nuheara, offer devices that can help with hearing issues or just help you understand someone in the chaos of a noisy office, construction site or other hectic environments. In Nuheara’s case, the company is on version 2.0 of its true wireless earbuds that offer assistive audio. The first, called IQBuds, was announced at CES last year and the follow-up IQBuds Boost made their debut earlier this week. Like Bragi plans with Project Ears, Nuheara offers a solution that’s catered to an individual’s hearing profile. The company’s software, known as Ear ID, can calibrate the wearable devices so they work best for you — again, much like Bragi plans to do with its assistive-audio solution.

Though a number of companies have followed Bragi’s lead with true wireless devices of their own, it will take some work for them to offer assisted audio or sound amplification. As Hviid explained in an interview with Engadget, Bragi believes the tech in the Dash and Dash Pro is much more powerful than just wireless earbuds. There are sensors and other tech that enable the gesture control and other features that make Bragi’s products unique. It’s not a matter of just adding sound amplification to an existing product line and calling it a day: Bragi also plans to earn FDA approval for its assistive hearing devices.

“We were part of creating a space that became very popular, but the space for us is not just true wireless headphones,” Hviid said. “What we’re making is computers for the body and the ears, and you’ll see us expand that by creating computers that enable and protect you.”

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.

Japan’s latest sensation is a cryptocurrency pop group

If you’re starting a pop group in Japan, where giant rosters and virtual superstars are par for the course, how do you stand out? By tying yourself to something trendy — and in 2018, that means cryptocurrency. Meet Kasotsuka Shojo (Virtual Currency Girls), a J-pop group where each of the eight girls represents one of the larger digital monetary formats. Yes, you’re supposed to cheer for bitcoin or swoon over ethereum (what, no litecoin?). The group played its first concert on January 12th, and naturally you had to pay in cryptocurrency to be one of the few members of the general public to get in.

The group’s first single, “The Moon and Virtual Currencies and Me,” warns listeners about the perils of fraud and extols the virtues of good online security.

And yes, there’s a reason for the exceptionally timely theme. Katsosuka Shojo is promoting the idea that cryptocurrency isn’t a “tool of speculation,” but rather a means of creating a “wonderful future.” It helps that Japan is one of bitcoin’s biggest markets, with legal recognition and one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges. There really is an audience for this, then.

The real question: how long will this last? If you think regular pop groups don’t last long, imagine a band whose fate is intertwined with something as volatile as cryptocurrency. It could find a following… or it fizzle out the moment virtual cash becomes passé.

Via: Quartz, The Verge

Source: Cinderella Academy (translated)