Acoustic tractor beams could lead to levitating humans

LG wants levitating speakers in every home, but what about gravity-defying humans? Well, science could well be on its way to making us float too, thanks to a breakthrough in sonic levitation. Engineers from the University of Bristol have demonstrated that it’s possible to trap (essentially levitate) objects larger than the wavelength of sound in an acoustic tractor beam — a tricky feat due to rotating sound field transfers causing objects to spin uncontrollably.

The discovery could open the doors to real-life applications, including the contactless control of drug capsules or micro-surgical implements within the body, and touchless assembly on production lines. Most exciting of all, it could lead to the levitation of larger objects like (you guessed it) humans.

The Bristol team managed to control the rate of rotation using rapidly fluctuating acoustic vortices, which the researchers describe as “tornadoes of sound, made of a twister-like structure with loud sound surrounding a silent core.” By rapidly changing the direction of the vortices, the researchers were able to stabilize the tractor beam and increase the size of the silent core to hold larger objects.

The breakthrough allowed them to hold the largest object yet in the tractor beam, a two-centimetre polystyrene sphere, working with ultrasonic waves at 40kHz (a similar pitch to that which only bats can hear).

The researchers claim that all that’s required for levitating larger objects is more acoustic power. So, we may not need jet-powered hoverboards after all.

Source: University of Bristol

Uber acquires David Chang’s delivery-only ‘restaurant’

Today, Ando, the popular delivery-only New York restaurant from famed Momofuku chef David Chang, shut down operations, as it’s been acquired by UberEATS. The restaurant had been working with UberEATS since it launched in 2016, and now it will be fully integrating with the food delivery service.

It’s unclear what the timeline here might be, or what the end product might look like. Ando may be absorbed into UberEATS, but it’s more likely that the company is looking to have more control over the food it delivers, from beginning to end. This may be a sign that Uber wants to get more serious about the quality of the food it’s delivering.

As UberEATS been expanding features, it’s made a name for itself in the crowded food delivery market. This latest move signals that the company is entrenched in the sector for the long term.

Via: TechCrunch

Source: Ando

KGI: Apple to Discontinue iPhone X Rather Than Sell at Lower Price When Second-Generation Model Launches

Apple will discontinue the first-generation iPhone X when the second-generation model launches later this year, rather than bump the device down its smartphone lineup for lower than $999, according to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who clarified his earlier prediction with a follow-up research note today.

Kuo said that Apple keeping the current iPhone X in its smartphone lineup for a reduced price, such as $899, would likely cannibalize sales of the mid-range 6.1-inch iPhone with Face ID and a LCD display that he expects to launch in the second half of 2018 for between $650 and $750 in the United States.

An excerpt from Kuo’s research note obtained by MacRumors on Monday:

iPhone X would hurt product brand value & lineup of 2H18 new models if it continues to sell at a lower price after 2H18 new models launch: Lowering iPhone Xs price after the 2H18 new models launch would be a negative to product brand value given 3D sensing and OLED display are features of the new high-price model. Additionally, to sell iPhone X at a lower price may have a negative impact on shipments of the new 6.1″ LCD iPhone in 2H18. Thus, we estimate iPhone X will reach end-of-life (EOL) around the middle of 2018.

If accurate, Apple’s smartphone lineup later in 2018 would consist of the second-generation 5.8-inch iPhone X, which will likely remain $999, a larger 6.5-inch version dubbed iPhone X Plus, and the mid-range 6.1-inch iPhone. Below that would likely be iPhone 8, iPhone 7, and iPhone SE models.

Kuo has said the 6.1-inch iPhone will have the same notched design for the TrueDepth sensor housing, but it seems more likely the device will be roughly the size of an iPhone X, with only partially reduced bezels compared to the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. The device may also have an aluminum back.

Here’s how Apple’s new iPhone lineup could look:

• iPhone SE: $349
• iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus: $449 and $569
• iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus: $549 and $669
• 6.1-inch iPhone with Face ID: $649 or $749
• 5.8-inch second-generation iPhone X: $999
• 6.5-inch second-generation iPhone X Plus: $1,099

Related Roundup: iPhone XTags: KGI Securities, Ming-Chi KuoBuyer’s Guide: iPhone X (Buy Now)
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Amazon Opens Checkout-Free ‘Amazon Go’ Grocery Store to the Public in Seattle

Amazon today opened up its checkout-free grocery store “Amazon Go” to the Seattle public, continuing a plan that the company says has the potential to “dramatically alter brick-and-mortar retail” (via Reuters).

The new grocery store experience begins when customers walk through a turnstile and scan the Amazon Go app on their iOS [Direct Link] or Android device, which notifies the system that the customer is now in the store and shopping. Then, when they pick up an item and add it to their basket, cameras in the store and weight sensors on shelves associate each product to the customer who picked it up, and adds it to a virtual shopping list.

This tallies all of the items picked up by any one customer (and items returned to shelves are deducted from the total), so when they’re done shopping all that needs to be done is to walk back out of the store through the turnstile. Amazon Go then charges the credit card users previously synced to the app and sends a receipt to the app’s inbox, replacing the need to stand in a traditional checkout line.

Gianna Puerini, vice president of Amazon Go, said in an interview that the store worked very well throughout the test phase, thanks to four years of prior legwork.

“This technology didn’t exist,” Puerini said, walking through the Seattle store. “It was really advancing the state of the art of computer vision and machine learning.”

“If you look at these products, you can see they’re super similar,” she said of two near-identical Starbucks drinks next to each other on a shelf. One had light cream and the other had regular, and Amazon’s technology learned to tell them apart.

The official public opening comes over one year after Amazon began testing the store with employees in December 2016, a time in which the company learned how to fine tune the experience, according to people familiar with the tests. The camera system became better at identifying people with similar body types, and learned from the “havoc” caused by kids in the store who moved items to incorrect places on the weight-sensing shelves.

Image of the camera system within Amazon Go via TechCrunch
The Seattle location is located within Amazon’s office building in the city, and right now the company isn’t confirming when it will expand Amazon Go to more cities. However, it did state that there are “no plans” to introduce the technology into Whole Foods, which it acquired in 2017.

For anyone in the city, you can visit Amazon Go Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m., with food items ranging from dairy to ready-made Amazon Meal Kits and locally made chocolates.

Tags: Amazon, Amazon Go
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MilliDelta robot surgeon is the size of a one cent coin

Another tiny robot is gearing up to join the ranks of microsurgeons, but this one is small enough to fit in your coin purse. Inspired by pop-up books and origami, the milliDelta bot measures mere millimetres when unfolded (roughly the size of a one cent coin). But, even at that scale, the miniature helper packs flexible joints and bending, piezoelectric actuators that allow it to work with force, precision, and high speed.

Its creators (from Harvard’s Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering and the John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences) claim it can perform a range of microsurgery and manufacturing tasks in compact spaces.

Unlike existing Delta robots, which scientists have been shrinking down for workspace use for years, the new bot is a swift operator. “Currently available Delta robots are only able to operate at a few hertz,” said Hayley McClintock, a Harvard researcher who helped design the device. “So for our robot to be able to draw circles at frequencies up to 75 Hz is quite impressive.”

Scientists developed the new bot using a technique known as pop-up microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), allowing them to create a complex structure from flat pieces of materials. The same approach was used to create the flying RoboBee. Next up for the milliDelta bot, the researchers plan to refine its specs in order to pin down its final design and add power and control electronics.

Source: ScienceRobotics

Nokia will disable the key feature of its priciest scale

Nokia has announced that it will be disabling the headline of feature of its Body Cardio scale in a software update. The scale was sold with the ability to track Pulse Wave Velocity (PWV), essentially measuring the speed at which your blood flows through your veins. The slower and more constant the speed, the healthier you are, and vice versa. In a statement, the company said that the feature “may require a different level of regulatory approval,” possibly risking the wrath of regulators.

Like most smart scales, the FDA initially considered the scale as a “wellness device,” requiring little in the way of scrutiny. In the last two years, however, something must have changed for the company to suddenly row back on both selling the device, and deactivating existing units. Users are told that they are unable to opt out of the software update, which is coming on January 24th. In addition, the device itself has been withdrawn from sale until such time as the hardware can be altered.

This isn’t the first time that Nokia has driven a truck through its Withings’-made products to the consternation of users. Last summer, the company updated the Health Mate app, redesigning the look and removing several features, prompting something of an apology from Nokia. It’s likely that those folks who wanted to use this device to measure their hypertension (or other cardiac issues) will be similarly miffed now.

In the document, Nokia asks what the difference is now between the Body Cardio and its Body+Scale, which is $80 cheaper. The company points to the rechargeable battery and its sleeker profile as justifications, but if you’re looking for a half-decent scale, it’s likely that the Body+ will probably do just fine.

Source: Nokia

Microsoft unveils cheap laptops and more tools for education

When it comes to the lucrative education market, Microsoft doesn’t want to be left behind — especially when that Google’s Chromebooks are increasingly popular with schools. Microsoft’s big selling point this year? More cheap Windows 10 notebooks starting at $189, and a Minecraft: Education Edition update focused on chemistry. As you’d expect, the company also has plenty of updates in tow for its Office 365 education tools, which should make lives easier for teachers and students alike.

Lenovo’s 100E is the cheapest laptop Microsoft is revealing today, and it looks about as straightforward as an education notebook can be, starting at $189 with an Intel Apollo Lake Celeron processor. Its simple, plastic case looks like it could take some classroom tumbles and while there’s no fancy convertible functionality, you can lay the 100E’s screen completely flat. Lenovo also has a new 2-in-1, the 300E, which starts at $299 and supports the company’s $30 Windows Ink stylus.

Microsoft added that JP, a manufacturing partner in emerging markets, has two new models for education customers. The Classmate Leap T303 will start at $199 and come with Windows Hello support, while the $299 Trigono V401 convertible will include pen and touch functionality. Unfortunately, we don’t have detailed specifications for any of these machines, but Microsoft claims they’re all spill resistant and “ruggedized,” with speedy 2×2 Wi-Fi and sporting “long” battery life. Schools will also be able to order them with the Windows 10 S, which can only run apps from the Microsoft Store, or the standard version of the OS, which runs all the usual software.

Microsoft

“We really think these new devices are not giving some of the compromises you see with Chromebooks in education,” Mike Tholfsen, Principal Product Manager for Microsoft Education, told Engadget. “They really give the full power of Windows, for things like Inking, 3D, and Minecraft.”

Speaking of Minecraft, Microsoft is doubling down on its usefulness as a STEM learning tool with its upcoming chemistry update. Students will be able to do things like get experimentation experience (without potentially blowing up a classroom), as well as learn about a wide variety of topics, like building compounds and understanding stable isotopes. There aren’t many details about the chemistry update yet, but Microsoft says we can expect to see it in the spring.

It makes sense for the company to make Minecraft even more meaningful for educators. It’s a major title that Chromebooks can’t run (or at least, not unless you know a bit of Linux), and it’s something that plenty of kids are already interested in. Unlike most software geared towards education, it feels more like fun rather than work. Of course, Microsoft also have to make teachers care as much about Minecraft as students — subject-focused updates like this could be just the ticket.

The company is also continuing to expand its software for Office 365 Education. The Immersive Reader from its Learning Tools, which can read text out aloud while highlighting individual words, is now coming to Word for Mac, Outlook for desktops, OneNote for iPad and Mac, and the iPhone. Additionally, Microsoft is making dictation a key feature of Office 365 — previously, it was something you had to activate deep within Windows.

Microsoft

Teachers will likely appreciate the changes to OneNote’s Class Notebook too: They’ll finally be able to lock pages to prevent students from changing any content. That app is also getting grade and assignment integration with popular School Information Systems like PowerSchool and SIMS Capita. Additionally, both teachers and students will be able to use Microsoft Teams on iOS and Android, which should make it easier to keep track of their work on the go. Teams will also be getting universal translation for conversations and chats — something that could help bridge the gap between teachers and students speaking different languages.

Of course, Microsoft still has a few big selling points over Chromebooks: Windows laptops aren’t just restricted to web apps, and they’re far more functional than Google’s machines without an internet connection. There’s also plenty of value in having students use industry standard software like Office and Photoshop while they’re in school. Still, Chromebooks are far easier for IT departments to deploy and manage, and plenty of subjects can make do with Google’s productivity suite and web apps. Over time, the ability to run Windows apps might not be a huge selling point for Microsoft.

It’s clear the education technology world is in the midst of the a major transition — but at least that spurs on competition between Microsoft and Google. That should hopefully lead to better education tech for everyone.

SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy can’t launch during a government shutdown

We’ve been eagerly anticipating the static fire test of SpaceX’s largest rocket yet, the Falcon Heavy, for a few weeks. Now, it appears that we’ll have to wait a little longer. SpaceX has confirmed that the test will be affected by the US government shutdown, and it will not take place until operations have resumed. We’ve reached out to SpaceX for comment.

While SpaceX is a private company, it relies on government support for tests and launches. Loren Grush at The Verge reports that while SpaceX originally thought its operations would continue during the shutdown, the lack of support from the Air Force’s 45th Space Wing means that the company cannot proceed with the static fire. What’s more, SpaceX and the Air Force told The Verge that all launch operations, not just the static fire, will be affected until the civilian employees of the 45th Space Wing can get back to work.

SpaceX had hoped to launch the Falcon Heavy by the end of January, but now that’s looking increasingly unlikely. The test, which consists of the rocket being held down on the pad, and all 27 engines being fired at once, is a necessary step before a launch date can be scheduled. A vote that could possibly end the shutdown is coming up at 12 PM ET today, so let’s hope that this won’t be an issue for much longer.

Source: The Verge

Target Discounts Apple Watch Series 1 to $180 While Staples Marks Down 9.7-Inch iPad to $260

Target has kicked off the week with a discount on the Apple Watch Series 1 from 2016, offering the 38mm model for $179.99 and the 42mm model for $209.99. Each device is available in aluminum with a Sport Band in either White or Black.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

The Apple Watch Series 1 typically sells for $250 in 38mm and $280 in 42mm, so today’s sale represents savings of $70 in both case sizes. Target’s sale is a match for the same low prices seen during a pre-Black Friday sale at Macy’s last year, as well during Target’s own Black Friday sale. At the time of writing, all models are available to ship for free, and store pickup is also available depending on stock at your local Target.

Another notable Apple device sale that went live today is at Staples and centers on the 9.7-inch iPad from 2017. In the sale, customers can get $30 off instantly and then an additional $40 off using coupon code “84761”.

This marks the 32GB 9.7-inch iPad down to $259.00, from $329.00, and the 128GB model down to $359.00, from $429.00. As a comparison, retailers like B&H Photo are selling the same models for $299.00 and $399.00, respectively. Color options for the 32GB include Space Gray, Gold, and Silver, while the 128GB is only available in Gold and Silver.

Staples’ sale ends on January 27 and is available on the retailer’s website or by phone order. Additionally, only one coupon code can be used per customer. To apply the coupon code to an order, add one of the iPads to your cart, then click “Add/Edit Coupons” under the Order Summary section of your cart.

Visit our full Deals Roundup for more sales going on this week, including discounts on the stainless steel versions of the Apple Watch Series 2 at Best Buy.

Related Roundup: Apple Deals
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iPhone X Accounted for 1 in 5 Smartphones Sold by Apple in United States Last Quarter According to Survey

Every one in five smartphones sold by Apple in the United States in the fourth quarter of 2017 was an iPhone X, according to data shared with MacRumors by research firm Consumer Intelligence Research Partners.

Below is the exact model-by-model breakdown of Apple’s total iPhone sales between October and December, based on the firm’s survey of 500 consumers who purchased an iPhone in the United States during that period.

• iPhone 8: 24 percent
• iPhone 8 Plus: 17 percent
• iPhone X: 20 percent
• All other iPhone models: 39 percent

Consumer Intelligence Research Partners co-founder Josh Lowitz says the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X’s combined 61 percent share of Apple’s total smartphone sales is 11 percent lower than the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus accounted for in the year-ago quarter, but there are several caveats to consider:

At 61%, the three newest iPhone models together represented a somewhat smaller share of total US iPhone sales in the quarter, compared to 72% for the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus a year ago. Yet, comparisons to earlier launches are tricky at best. First, iPhone X wasn’t available for the full quarter. The Apple model pie is further divided, as they now offer eight models, the most ever. And, Apple launched the new phones on a different schedule, announcing three new models at once, but delaying the lauch of the most advanced and expensive one, iPhone X, for five weeks following the launch of iPhone 8 and 8 Plus.

Apple doesn’t disclose iPhone sales on a model-by-model basis, so this survey only serves as a rough estimate. However, analysts and investors will be listening for any clues about the sales mix during Apple’s next quarterly earnings call on February 1.

Related Roundup: iPhone XTag: CIRPBuyer’s Guide: iPhone X (Buy Now)
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