New, versatile 3D camera could bring Face ID to smaller devices

Depth sensing cameras used for applications like the Face ID in the iPhone X are getting even smaller. During the Consumer Electronics Show on January 8, PMD Technologies AG and Infineon Technologies AG announced the smallest 3D Time of Flight camera module yet, called the IRSZ238XC, that’s also expected to deliver more consistent results in bright light. The camera is expected to see mass production by the end of the year.

The entire 3D camera module, which also includes the sensor, lens IR emitter and their circuitry, is the smallest 3D camera module available worldwide, according to PMD, measuring 12mm by 8mm. But along with the tiny profile, the camera also boasts a higher resolution than earlier chips, with 38,000 pixels.

Along with the higher resolution and smaller profile, PMD says that the camera sensor gains more reliability for outdoor use. Now working at the 940nm wavelength as well, the update is designed for more reliability when using the system outdoors. Another design change, called Suppression of Background Illumination, allows the system to use that 3D sensing in full sunlight. As a time-of-flight camera, the camera measures distance based on the speed that a pulse of infrared light reaches objects. Since these cameras rely on being able to measure that pulse of light, performance can vary in bright conditions.

The company says the camera will also be easier to integrate into products, thanks to an enhanced interface.

PMD’s 3D sensing is already being used inside robots, smart home products, smartphones and augmented reality headsets and the company expects the new chip to be integrated into those categories as well. The latest chip, the company says, is about taking the technology where the industry is expected to expand.

“Having gained experience from shipping ToF chip products already since 2005 and from 2016 also in the consumer space for high numbers, we are happy to leverage the technology on the next level having a functional, highly integrated new imager available at exactly the right point of time, as the market demand is increasing significantly,” said PMD CEO Dr. Bernd Buxbaum.

The camera module is on display at CES. The companies expect production in the fourth quarter of 2018, which means devices equipped with the smaller depth sensor probably won’t make it out this year, but shortly after.

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Watch Samsung’s CES 2018 press conference live at 2 p.m. PT today

CES 2018 is here, and it feels like companies, including Korean tech giant Samsung, are announcing big news every minute. The company will take the stage at 2 p.m. PT/5 p.m. ET Monday, January 8, to unveil its major plans for TVs, appliances, laptops, and more in the coming year and beyond. You can watch the live-streamed conference on Samsung Newsroom’s official YouTube and Facebook pages, or at the Samsung Newsroom website. We will also embed a live-stream in this article once its available.

Samsung has already shown off a number of new products being featured at the show ahead of CES, such as the Notebook 9 Pen and Notebook 7 Spin laptops, and the 146-inch MicroLED and 85-inch Q9S QLED TVs, but we expect some big announcements at the press conference as well. Speculation has focused on Samsung making a stronger push toward integrating its products into a more cohesive ecosystem through its Bixby A.I. assitant, much like Apple does with Siri and Amazon with Alexa. Bixby isn’t as well-known or available as either Siri or Alexa — it showed up just last year, and only on the Galaxy S8 — but Samsung looks to be slowly increasing the A.I.’s presence across its products, such as its Family Hub Smart Fridge.

Similarly, we wouldn’t be surprised if we got more info on Samsung’s SmartThings Cloud device, which rolls all of its Internet of Things devices into one.

Another potential talking point is Samsung’s newest mobile chip, the Exynos 9810. We suspect this will be the chip powering the rumored Galaxy S9, but it could always make its way into other devices beyond just smartphones. It’s possible Samsung’s future virtual reality and Gear VR plans could also be discussed.

Speaking of smartphones, with the Mobile World Congress taking place just over a month from now in Barcelona, Spain, chances a less likely for major announcements on that front. But we’re always up for a surprise.

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Watch Samsung’s CES 2018 press conference live at 2 p.m. PT today

CES 2018 is here, and it feels like companies, including Korean tech giant Samsung, are announcing big news every minute. The company will take the stage at 2 p.m. PT/5 p.m. ET Monday, January 8, to unveil its major plans for TVs, appliances, laptops, and more in the coming year and beyond. You can watch the live-streamed conference on Samsung Newsroom’s official YouTube and Facebook pages, or at the Samsung Newsroom website. We will also embed a live-stream in this article once its available.

Samsung has already shown off a number of new products being featured at the show ahead of CES, such as the Notebook 9 Pen and Notebook 7 Spin laptops, and the 146-inch MicroLED and 85-inch Q9S QLED TVs, but we expect some big announcements at the press conference as well. Speculation has focused on Samsung making a stronger push toward integrating its products into a more cohesive ecosystem through its Bixby A.I. assitant, much like Apple does with Siri and Amazon with Alexa. Bixby isn’t as well-known or available as either Siri or Alexa — it showed up just last year, and only on the Galaxy S8 — but Samsung looks to be slowly increasing the A.I.’s presence across its products, such as its Family Hub Smart Fridge.

Similarly, we wouldn’t be surprised if we got more info on Samsung’s SmartThings Cloud device, which rolls all of its Internet of Things devices into one.

Another potential talking point is Samsung’s newest mobile chip, the Exynos 9810. We suspect this will be the chip powering the rumored Galaxy S9, but it could always make its way into other devices beyond just smartphones. It’s possible Samsung’s future virtual reality and Gear VR plans could also be discussed.

Speaking of smartphones, with the Mobile World Congress taking place just over a month from now in Barcelona, Spain, chances a less likely for major announcements on that front. But we’re always up for a surprise.

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Google Pay allows mobile users to make payments online or in-store

Making payments is about to get a whole lot easier for Android users. Google announced that all of its payments solutions, including Android Pay and Google Wallet, will be integrated into a single payment solution called Google Pay.

Google Pay allows users to make payments online and in-store. Users will be able to make purchases from their Android enabled devices as well as Google Chrome with the touch of a button. Any card information you save in Google Pay will be available across all of your devices, so you won’t need to constantly enter or scan cards for different apps.

While a handful of companies have signed on with Google Pay at its launch, expect to see more in the coming weeks and months. Airbnb, Dice, Fandango, HungryHouse, and Instacart are just a few of the companies that have already transitioned to the platform. There are currently several limited time discounts available for people using Google Pay, but expect to see the number increase as more companies adopt the platform. You should expect to see Google Pay accepted at many stores, online retailers and across the Google services within the month.

With the explosive growth of digital payments over the last several years, Google Pay is a welcome addition. Fandango, one of Google Pay’s launch partners, reports that 81 percent of its users use a digital payment service to purchase tickets. Fandango’s integration with Google Pay will allow many of these users the option to purchase their tickets with a single click.

Google appears to be following Apple’s lead by bundling all of its payment solutions into a single platform. Much like Google Pay, Apple Pay allows users to make payments across all Apple devices and works with a number of third-party apps as well. In 2017, Apple introduced Apple Pay Cash for peer-to-peer payments.

With Google adopting an all-in-one payment solution, it appears that Google Pay and Apple Pay will reign supreme in the digital payment wars. Both platforms provide a simple and comprehensive payment option for its users as opposed to platforms like Samsung Pay and LG Pay, which are limited to contactless payments.

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Using simple code, kids can teach the $99 Tello drone their own tricks

Sure, drones can be tools — but they’re also very much toys, and startup Ryze Tech is taking a new approach to toy drones. Unveiled during the Consumer Electronics Show on January 8, Tello allows kids (and adults) to learn code by programming their own tricks.

Tello uses Scratch, the MIT program designed to teach kids code, to expand the drone’s flight options. Using block-based coding, kids can move around blocks of code to create different drone tricks or flight patterns, like flips in eight different directions. Ryze Tech says that besides the benefits of actually knowing code, learning how can build problem-solving and communication skills.

But as a drone designed with kids in mind, the Tello also has several safety features built in, including DJI’s tech for flight stabilization. The HD camera, paired with a vision-processing unit from Intel and five different sensors, enables a collision-detection system. The drone also uses flexible propellers with guards. Low-battery protection is included alongside auto takeoff and auto land features.

Tello also incorporates several smart features designed to make the flight simple — the drone can launch with a toss and lands in an outstretched hand. The app also includes a handful of flight patterns for automatic flights, or can be flown with a third-party joystick controller.

The onboard camera will send Tello’s pilot’s eye view to a smartphone or tablet, as well as some third-party headsets. The feature allows kids to see the view from the drone in real time.

Tello’s small body weighs less than 3 ounces, while the main body is about the size of a smartwatch, the company says. Kids can also customize the drone with removable top shells for swapping out different colors.

With a design for kids, the Tello isn’t designed for top-notch specs — the camera is 720p and the flight time is only about 13 minutes. But, if the company’s statements hold up, the safety features and code options could make the Tello a fun buy. The drone is expected to launch in China this month and in the United States in March, retailing for $99.

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The ForwardX CX-1 is the first smart suitcase custom-built to follow you

CES 2018 is officially upon us, and with that comes a deluge of smart appliances, larger-than-life screens, and a bevy of notable tech that will begin rolling out throughout the course of the year and into next year. (Suit)case in point? The recently-unveiled ForwardX CX-1, an autonomous piece of luggage that’s designed to follow you around as you make your way from point A to B, and everywhere in between.

Branded as the “world’s first self-driving carry-on,” the CX-1 features an array of advanced tech, including a 170-degree wide angle lens and built-in facial recognition software, which allow the device to follow you at up to 7 miles per hour throughout the terminal. Other nifty features — namely those tailored toward obstacle avoidance — work in tandem with the suitcase’s tracking algorithm, while a smart wristband works to keep would-be thieves at bay. If the suitcase happens wanders out of range, the aforementioned bracelet will let you know.

The rest of the CX-1’s features are the usual — albeit, welcome — fare. The device, like some of our favorite pieces of smart luggage, comes equipped with a built-in mobile charger, which should allow you to quickly juice your device while on the go. The latter component is even removable, should the Transportation Security Administration have any quibbles, as it often does when it comes to lithium-ion batteries. American Airlines, Delta, and several other airlines have even gone so far as to ban unremoveable batteries in recent weeks, which makes the battery installed in the CX-1 even more desirable for frequent travelers and those who prefer a hassle-free experience.

Pricing and availability remain hazy, however, the Chinese company has plans to launch the CX-1 stateside later this year, likely via a crowdfunding campaign (read: Kickstarter) in March. The retail price will likely fall between $300 and $400, though ForwardX has yet to solidify these numbers. Even the name, “CX-1,” is currently open for debate, and could change before the gadget hits virtual shelves come the spring. Until then, all we can do is gawk at the prototype carry-on as it continues to roam the halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

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HTC’s Vive Pro gets sharp enough to read text, goes wireless

The HTC Vive is big, expensive, the resolution isn’t great, and with the recent price cut its competitor the Oculus Rift has seen, it’s not as appealing as it once was. Luckily for HTC adherents out there, there’s going to be a new HTC headset with a number of improvements over the original — according to the official CES 2018 announcement.

The HTC Vive Pro Headset

The new HTC Vive Pro headset, as it will be called, features an improved resolution of 2,880 x 1,600 — the original headset only had a max resolution of 2,180 x 1,200. That’s a 78 percent increase in overall resolution, with 615 pixels-per-inch. HTC claims the resolution is now high enough to comfortably read text on the new headset. It features built-in headphones, like its competitor the Oculus Rift. It will also feature built-in dual microphones.

One improvement that will be music to the ears — and nose — of anyone who wears glasses. The new Vive Pro features a lighter overall weight, and it’s been redesigned to be more comfortable while wearing corrective eyewear.

The new headset is backwards compatible with the original base stations, and features a 10m x 10m tracking space.

The new Vive Pro headset will not supplant the original Vive headset, but they’ll be sold as contrasting options — like the iPhone 8 and iPhone X, the basic model and the premium model. What that means is the Vive Pro will likely be very expensive, and the original HTC Vive might see a price cut similar to what we saw out of the Oculus Rift earlier in 2017.

The Vive Wireless Adapter

On top of that, Vive Pro will support a new “Vive wireless adapter” that will finally let you experience VR without being tethered to a computer. The wireless adapter mounts to the top of the headset, like a set of high-tech antlers, and it will use Intel’s WiGig to minimize interference from other wireless devices and deliver a seamless experience. A battery pack is included, too.

The new Vive Pro headset could go a long way toward addressing two of the key complaints about the HTC Vive’s current headset — that it’s starting to show its age with such a low resolution, heavy screen-door effect, and that being wired to a computer isn’t exactly the most comfortable way to immerse oneself in the virtual realms.

The brand-new Viveport

There’s another big change coming to the Vive platform, but this one is software-based. The Viveport platform, HTC’s store for VR content and experiences, is getting a major overhaul. According to the announcement today, Viveport will now feature a fully VR interface, like a virtual storefront you can explore, instead of the simple layover it featured before.

This is a move HTC describes as a VR-first storefront model. It sounds a lot like how the Oculus’ Store has worked since launch.

“Viveport is moving to a VR first experience model, and with the all-new Viveport VR, we are changing the way consumers discover, experience and acquire VR content,” said Rikard Steiber, president, Viveport.  “Until now, there has not been a shopping and browsing experience that takes advantage of the full functionality of VR. Available in early access today, Viveport VR increases interaction with content and offers developers a preview that showcases the quality of their titles and experiences.”

Though the announcement was leaked earlier, the official press release features a bit more information about what we can expect from the changes to the platform going forward. The HTC Vive Pro is scheduled to hit store shelves sometime in the summer of 2018.

Updated 1/8/2018 to fully reflect information in the HTC Vive Pro press release. 

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Could this $10,000 scooter from Ujet be the mobility solution of the future?

Between highway traffic and underground subway delays, it seems that all of our innovation in the transportation industry has only served to slow us down. But now, there may finally be a way to get out of gridlock. It’s not a car, a plane, or a form of public transportation, but rather something that you may have once deemed suitable only for the very young or very old. Here to prove that scooters are back in vogue (maybe for good) is Ujet, which unveiled its first product, the Ujet electric scooter, at CES 2018.

Combining connectivity with high-performance materials found most often in the aerospace sector, this energy-efficient scooter is not only good for you but good for the planet, too.

“With more of us than ever living in cities, it’s never been more important to make urban environments a place in which people enjoy to live,” said Hugues Despres, CEO, Ujet International. “As a result, Ujet is focused on providing urbanites with great products that help them get around their city with style and ease.”

The smart battery of the Ujet electric scooter comes in two sizes, with ranges of up to 43 miles and 93 miles. All you need to charge either one of these power packs is a standard power socket, and despite their considerable power, they are both about the size of a carry-on suitcase — they’re removable, portable, and rollable, which means you can take them wherever you go. Plus, you won’t have to worry about looking around for a charging station.

The Ujet scooter can be controlled remotely via an iOS or Android app. Whether you need to unlock the scooter, receive directions to where you parked it, or disable it in case of theft, the companion Ujet app can take care of things. Moreover, the app gives users the opportunity to monitor scooter performance including battery level, mileage, saved carbon dioxide emissions, as well as access customer support at a nearby service shop or communicate with a support team member.

To remain as lightweight as possible, the Ujet comes fitted with “the world’s first nano-augmented tire,” constructed with applied TUBALL that contains single-wall carbon nanotubes. This material claims to increase wet and dry grip by a factor of two, helping to increase traction. And thanks to the alloy and carbon composite materials that comprise the Ujet frame, the entire scooter weighs less than 100 pounds.

Be warned, though, this scooter is no plaything — either in function or in price. The Ujet will set you back either $8,900 or $9,900, depending on the selected battery. Ujet will launch first in Europe before coming to the U.S. and Asia in the second half of 2018.

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Tiny new Bluetooth chip is a big revolution for high-tech headphones

Everyone knows about Bluetooth technology; it’s been around for quite some time, and we call upon it to do a great deal of things, from connecting our phone to masses of devices, to streaming music. In 2018, as earbuds and headphones get more technically capable, Bluetooth is going to have to work even harder to keep up. Qualcomm knows this, and the company is making things easier with a brand-new chip. The name — QCC5100 Series Bluetooth System-on-a-chip (SoC) — isn’t catchy, but you’re going to want to see it listed as a specification on any connected product you buy this year and onwards.

We sat down with Qualcomm to discover why the new Bluetooth chip is so exciting, and got a comprehensive overview of something that has been worked on for at least two years; You’ll never actually see this chip, so let’s first dive into the products Qualcomm has designed the new chip for, and its varied uses. Although we’re not fans of the word “hearables,” it does describe products that will really be enabled by the QCC5100. For example, true wireless in-ear earbuds with fitness tracking and always-on voice control, fast switching between audio and calls, active noise cancellation, hi-res streaming audio, and more. All possible with a battery life that’s not measured in minutes.

“In hearables, people want these features,” a spokesperson for Qualcomm told Digital Trends. “The QCC5100 moves the game forward.”

3 times the performance

The new chip has been designed entirely from the ground up, with no compromise in performance. Improvements come from a quad-core CPU, two 120Mhz digital sound processors (DSP), and two dedicated 80Mhz app processors. To understand what that means, Qualcomm revealed that the chips it effectively replaces had a single-core CPU and a single DSP. It has three times the performance of any other product available today, and twice the processing capacity.

“In hearables, people want these features. The QCC5100 moves the game forward.”

Built around Bluetooth 5, the chip is backwards compatible with older Bluetooth versions, and with all mobile chipsets out there, not just Qualcomm’s Snapdragon series. Does all this functionality mean the new Bluetooth chip is a power-muncher? No, the power consumption of the new chip has been slashed by a massive 65 percent. It’s really tiny too, with DACs, audio codecs, and even battery charging all integrated into the chip itself. That means it fits into tiny, discrete in-ear headphones and incorporates all desirable new features.

What kinds of features? Everything we mentioned earlier, and due to the quad-core architecture, more features can run at the same time. Active and effective noise cancellation using multiple microphones, AptX and AptX HD audio streaming, as well as sensors for tracking movement and fitness levels. Plus, and perhaps most importantly, always-on voice control and artificial intelligence that operates even when streaming audio. The microphones and voice user interface-specific hardware allows something called “barge-in,” where the device will recognize the wake word even when music is playing. The new chip’s connection system has been upgraded to strengthen the link between both earbuds in true wireless devices, and to the phone itself.

That’s an earbud that responds instantly to your voice, tracks your fitness when out running, streams hi-res audio, and cancels out noise when you want it to. At the same time, with a stronger connection to your phone. The QCC5100 will push development of brand new devices with features that were previously impossible to integrate and use together. But we know what you’re thinking: Battery life is done for, right?

Improved battery life

Qualcomm was prepared for this and has run many tests to establish just how much the QCC5100 improves battery life. Yes, we said improved. Qualcomm created two scenarios — the music listener and the mobile caller. In the first instance, a QCC5100-equipped device should return four hours of music playback, an hour of calls, and 1.5 hours of standby. That’s 25 percent more than average now, and an entire week of moderate use is possible using a charging case. Using the same device for three hours of calls will also mean 1.5 hours of music and 1.5 hours of standby. A massive 60 percent increase over current averages.

The team couldn’t believe the excellent battery tests.

Qualcomm’s engineers took us through a quick demonstration of the new chip, which was attached to meters showing current draw down around 5mA, a considerable reduction on the 15mA average it usually sees. One of the engineers told us the team couldn’t believe the excellent battery tests, and were genuinely surprised at the results, to the point where they repeatedly changed meters in case they were faulty. The results never changed.

We also had a demonstration of the QCC5100’s noise cancellation. In a room equipped with speakers simulating aircraft engine sound, the earbuds we used cut out the majority of the drone, way more effectively than we’re used to with noise canceling in-ears. We have high expectations for the finished product.

None of this will make a difference if the device the chipset lives in is poorly designed, so Qualcomm is lending its expertise to manufacturers that request it, and has also built three reference devices to show what’s possible. These are a pair of biometric sports wireless earbuds, wireless occluded earbuds, and Bluetooth sports earbuds connected by a short wire. Beyond that, Qualcomm advises on everything from where to place components for optimum antenna performance inside the device, to external microphone position for the active noise cancellation, and overall layout.

While hearables and other headphone designs are where the QCC1500 will work at its best, and the devices we’ll see it in first, it’s also adaptable to many other connected devices including speakers and soundbars. As voice control becomes more widely used and accepted, these Bluetooth devices will benefit from such a handy integrated chipset.

When will we start to see the first products using the new chip? Qualcomm says it has already got customers lined up, and expects the first products to be on sale by mid-2018.

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This bionic hand has an extra trick up its sleeve — a sense of touch

Bionic hands are all kinds of awesome, particularly when they can help a person with a physical impairment, such as the loss of a hand to amputation, carry out everyday activities again. But while bionic hands may be getting more adept as time goes by, they do have one glaring weakness: no sense of touch. While that might not sound too important for a non-disabled person, it is actually pretty crucial, since the sensory component of touch dictates a lot about how we relate to the world around us.

That’s why a recent project carried out in Rome is so exciting. A partial amputee named Almerina Mascarello, who lost her left hand in an accident nearly a quarter century ago, was given the world’s first bionic hand with a sense of touch that can be worn outside the laboratory. The hand is a collaboration between engineers, neuroscientists, surgeons, and electronics and robotics specialists from Italy, Switzerland, and Germany. Not only is the hand able to detect whether an object is soft or hard when it grasps it, but it can actually convey this information to the user. This is achieved through a computer carried in a rucksack by the wearer that takes information from the hand and then relays it the brain via miniatures electrodes implanted in Mascarello’s upper arm. Using the hand, she was able to recognize the firmness of objects she touched.

“We ‘translate’ the information recorded by the artificial sensors in the hand into stimuli delivered to the nerves,” Silvestro Micera, a professor of Translational Neuroengineering at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne School of Engineering, told Digital Trends. “The information is then understood by the brain, which makes the patient feeling pressure at different fingers.”

Mascarello was selected for the study after expressing her interest and undergoing a medical assessment to gauge her suitability. She was able to keep the hand for a period of six months. “It worked very well with her, she learned to master the technology soon,” Micera continued.

The team has now reclaimed the bionic hand and is working to further develop it, particularly in terms of miniaturizing the components so that it can be commercialized. According to the team involved, Mascarello has already said she hopes to continue using it once the project is completed.

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