Watch a robot create amazing string art portraits with thousands of feet of yarn

String art is one of those deceptively simple things: Crisscross string back and forth between tiny nails hammered into a board until they form a recognizable image. At the simplest levels, it’s possible to create attractive geometric patterns. If you’re more expert, you can create full-on detailed portraits. It’s a challenging process that takes a whole lot of time, and a massive amount of human skill — until now, that is.

That’s thanks to researchers from TU Wein, one of the major universities in Vienna, Austria. They have created an algorithm that allows an industrial robot to create these images for itself. Just show it any arbitrary image, and the robot will then figure out the optimal thread path to accurately re-create it in thread art form.

“Our framework takes an image as input and delivers a fabricated piece of string art as output,” Michael Birsak, one of the researchers on the project, told Digital Trends. “The main goal is to reassemble the given image as accurately as possible using one continuous piece of textile thread. In our setup, we use an aluminum bicycle rim for the frame, together with 256 pins. While it is quite easy to create a simple geometric pattern by spanning the thread between the pins, reassembling the portrait of a person is particularly difficult because it is not possible to address the single pixels of the input image by moving the thread around. Therefore, the goal is to find a good approximation. One could naively try out all possible combinations, but this would take forever, since with 256 pins, there are more combinations than atoms in the universe.”

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The algorithm takes several hours to work out its solution and then another few hours to create it — since each portrait can consist of up to 19.6 thousand feet of thread. Completed portraits include a picture of a cat, a portrait of Albert Einstein, and an image of pioneering programmer Ada Lovelace.

While there have been some tremendous examples of computation creativity we’ve covered in the past, Birsak said the aspect of the project the team was most excited about was crafting an optimal routing algorithm. This is the kind of thing more commonly associated with problems like finding the most efficient order to deliver packages or dispatch taxis. “Our main goal was not to produce art, but to focus on the mathematical challenges of the problem and how it can be solved in a scientific way,” he said.

A paper describing the work was recently published in the journal Computer Graphics Forum.

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Watch a robot create amazing string art portraits with thousands of feet of yarn

String art is one of those deceptively simple things: Crisscross string back and forth between tiny nails hammered into a board until they form a recognizable image. At the simplest levels, it’s possible to create attractive geometric patterns. If you’re more expert, you can create full-on detailed portraits. It’s a challenging process that takes a whole lot of time, and a massive amount of human skill — until now, that is.

That’s thanks to researchers from TU Wein, one of the major universities in Vienna, Austria. They have created an algorithm that allows an industrial robot to create these images for itself. Just show it any arbitrary image, and the robot will then figure out the optimal thread path to accurately re-create it in thread art form.

“Our framework takes an image as input and delivers a fabricated piece of string art as output,” Michael Birsak, one of the researchers on the project, told Digital Trends. “The main goal is to reassemble the given image as accurately as possible using one continuous piece of textile thread. In our setup, we use an aluminum bicycle rim for the frame, together with 256 pins. While it is quite easy to create a simple geometric pattern by spanning the thread between the pins, reassembling the portrait of a person is particularly difficult because it is not possible to address the single pixels of the input image by moving the thread around. Therefore, the goal is to find a good approximation. One could naively try out all possible combinations, but this would take forever, since with 256 pins, there are more combinations than atoms in the universe.”

Previous

Next

1 of 4

The algorithm takes several hours to work out its solution and then another few hours to create it — since each portrait can consist of up to 19.6 thousand feet of thread. Completed portraits include a picture of a cat, a portrait of Albert Einstein, and an image of pioneering programmer Ada Lovelace.

While there have been some tremendous examples of computation creativity we’ve covered in the past, Birsak said the aspect of the project the team was most excited about was crafting an optimal routing algorithm. This is the kind of thing more commonly associated with problems like finding the most efficient order to deliver packages or dispatch taxis. “Our main goal was not to produce art, but to focus on the mathematical challenges of the problem and how it can be solved in a scientific way,” he said.

A paper describing the work was recently published in the journal Computer Graphics Forum.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 Art review
• Researchers put A.I. inside a camera lens to compute ‘at the speed of light’
• Sigma 105mm F1.4 Art review
• Man vs. machine: An A.I. algorithm attempts to break a world speed record
• Photo FOMO: Adobe’s slick Hollywood editing suite, IGTV’s test for teasers

A.I.-powered Grammarly comes to Google Docs to improve your writing

Grammarly

Earlier this summer, Google announced that it is leveraging the power of artificial intelligence to help you write better in Google Docs, and now the grammar check tool is getting some competition. Grammarly, a popular grammar check service, announced that it is bringing its grammar checking tool — available initially as a beta — to Google Docs via a browser extension.

“Grammarly wants to be a part of everything you write,” the company announced in a blog post. “While many of our users type their important documents in a word processor, we know that Google Docs is where some of the most collaborative work gets done. That’s why we’re starting to release a beta version of Grammarly for Chrome in Google Docs to all users!”

The extension, for now, will only be available to users on Chrome, so you won’t be able to access Grammarly’s service in Google Docs on other browsers. The company said that it may take some time for the service to become available for all users, and that it is rolling out the extension gradually over the next month.

While all Chrome users will be able to download the Grammarly for Chrome extension immediately as a free download through the Chrome web store, it may take some time to be accepted into Grammarly’s beta program for Google Docs. After the extension is installed, if you’ve been granted access into the beta, you’ll see a popup letting you know that Grammarly is working once you open Google Docs.

With Grammarly installed, you can take advantage of the service’s grammar suggestions as you type. When you begin typing out a letter, memorandum, or report, you’ll notice red underlines in your text in places where Grammarly thinks you may have used improper grammar rules or sentence structures. Similar to how Grammarly works on other products, these red underlines represents suggestions for corrections. You’ll be able to accept Grammarly’s suggestion by hovering over each red underline.

Like Google’s built-in A.I.-powered grammar checker for Google Docs, Grammarly’s extension and service relies on artificial intelligence to suggest corrections as you type. “Grammarly’s products are powered by an advanced system that combines rules, patterns, and artificial intelligence techniques like machine learning, deep learning, and natural language processing to improve your writing,” the company said. “Grammarly’s A.I. system combines machine learning with a variety of natural language processing approaches.”

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How to cancel your digital pre-order for a PlayStation 4 game

Canceling is easy, depending on your method of payment.

While we all love the ability to pre-order our favorite video games, sometimes the world gets in the way. With games like Spider-Man, Tomb Raider, and the new Assasins Creed just over the horizon, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement and spend your money before you actually have it.

I am going to take you through the options you have for canceling your pre-order through the PlayStation Store. It is fairly simple but the rules change depending on how and when you paid for your pre-order so there are a few different ways to tackle the problem.

A Note: Make sure you turn off your auto download settings if you are unsure about keeping your pre-orders. Things get a lot harder to cancel if you have already downloaded the main content to your console even if it hasn’t activated or you haven’t played it.

Pre-ordered but not paid.

Sony calls this Pay Later, and while it used to be fairly common in brick and mortar stores it happens far less with online purchases. Fortunately, if you do have one of these pre-orders canceling it is quick and easy. All you have to do is find the pre-order in your Transaction History and, providing the money hasn’t come out — they normally take the money two days before the game releases — you can refund the amount back to your wallet. Here is a step by step for you to make it easy.

Go to the Account Management section of the PlayStation Store website
Choose the Transaction History tab in the Accounts window
Find the title you want to cancel
Press the cancel button at least two days before the release date

Now if you used the Pay Later method but want to cancel it after the payment is made your only choice is to contact Sony and ask them to refund it, but they aren’t under any obligation to do so.

Pre-Ordered but Paid

Ok, this is a little more tricky. Because Sony makes you top up a wallet instead of taking your money directly there are more hoops to jump through to get your money back. As with most purchases, you do get a 14 day grace period to get your money back but you will only get the money refunded to your wallet.

Anytime up to the release date and at a maximum of 14 days after the release date — and as long as you haven’t actually downloaded the game — you can ask for a refund from Sony and they will refund the money to you, but likely only to your wallet, not to the card you used to make the purchase. Unfortunately, there is no simple way to do this, you have to contact Sony and ask them to cancel it for you, there are no quick buttons.

Important You can only get a refund if you have not downloaded the main content. If you have downloaded extras like themes that’s ok, Sony will just stop them working on your machine after the refund, but if you download the main title even on a pre-load you cannot get a refund.

Final Thoughts

This system is pretty bad. If you do decide you no longer want your pre-order you have to jump through hoops to get your money back and that’s not ok, especially when you are pre-ordering a digital copy of a game. It isn’t like they have printed a copy of the game because you pre-ordered it but big companies don’t like to let go of money.

What are your thoughts on this? Have you had problems with pre-order cancellations or is it not a big deal for you?Let me know in the comments.

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TP-Link gear, true wireless earbuds, and more are discounted today

Whether you’re looking for new tech gear or household items, we’ve got you covered.

We found plenty of great deals today that include big discounts on TP-Link smart plugs and other TP-Link gear, a Razer wireless gaming mouse, the Jabra Elite true wireless earbuds, and more!

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The best PlayStation 4 games you can play online without PlayStation Plus

We’re a virtual company made up of tech experts from across the globe. Our interests also incude video games, and we have some of the best recommendations when it comes to what to play if you don’t have PlayStation Plus.

While PlayStation Plus is usually a requirement to play online multiplayer, there are notable exceptions to this rule. Most free-to-play games actually allow people to enjoy online multiplayer matches without needing to be an active PlayStation Plus subscriber.

We’ve created a list of some of the best online games you can play without PS Plus for you to check out. Should you want to see the full list of free-to-play games offered on PS4, Sony has an entire section of its store dedicated to just that.

King of the hill

Fortnite Battle Royale

While Fortnite may be one of the most popular games to ever release—and certainly one of the most popular this year—it doesn’t require a PS plus membership to play. You can jump into its newest season and get in on the craze for yourself completely free of charge.

See at PlayStation

Dungeons & Dragons

Neverwinter

Not a tabletop fan? Live out your dreams by picking up Neverwinter, an MMORPG based on Dungeons & Dragons. Delve into its fantastical world full of mythical creatures and threats.

See at PlayStation

Battle of the gods

Smite

Team up in 5v5 matches as you duel it out with powerful gods. This MOBA took the world by storm, and you can hop in and try it for yourself.

See at PlayStation

Mech assault mayhem

Hawken

Like Titanfall, you can pilot an imposing Mech to wreak destruction on the battlefield. Who doesn’t want to live out their childhood fantasies of helming Voltron or the Megazord. You won’t get those exact mechs (darn licensing!) but you get the next best thing.

See at PlayStation

Comic book legends

DC Universe Online

DC has trouble with its live action film division, but its video games are going strong. In DC Universe Online, you can play as some of the most iconic heroes and villains in history.

See at PlayStation

Sci-fi goodness

Warframe

If sci-fi is more your speed than fantasy, check out Warframe. Take up the role of an ancient warrior as you’re caught in the midst of a devastating war between hostile factions.

See at PlayStation

Last man standing

H1Z1 Battle Royale

Before there was Fortnite, there was H1Z1. If you’re looking for a more grounded, gritty battle royale experience as opposed to what Fortnite offers, H1Z1 has got you covered.

See at PlayStation

Not your father’s overwatch

Paladins

Not an Overwatch fan? Try out Paladins, another hero-shooter with vibrant graphics and characters. With millions of players you shouldn’t have any problem finding a match.

See at PlayStation

Now go forth and have some fun without worrying about breaking the bank!

What about The Elder Scrolls Online and Final Fantasy XIV?

You may Google “PlayStation 4 games that can be played online without PlayStation Plus” or something similar and see The Elder Scrolls Online pop up. It’s easy to get excited about this, but unfortunately this is no longer the case. When ESO was first announced it was using a monthly subscription-based model in order for people to play it, similar to other MMOs like World of Warcraft. During this time, it did not require a PS Plus membership to play online in addition to its monthly subscription fee. However, Bethesda eventually got rid of its subscription-based model and simply sold the game as a one-time purchase. Once this took effect, PS Plus was required for ESO going forward, and still is today.

While it’s true that Final Fantasy XIV does not require a PS Plus membership, there is a huge asterisk that follows which is why I have decided to leave it off of the main list. Final Fantasy XIV is also subscription-based. If you don’t have a PS Plus membership, odds are you won’t want to shell out the entry fee of $12.99 for 30 days. Though if you do find yourself itching to jump in, the standard subscription fee for 6-months is also $12.99, making it a much better deal than a $60 PS Plus membership for a whole year.

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These are the best gaming controllers for the NVIDIA Shield TV

The NVIDIA Shield TV is the best Android box for gamers, with so many great ways to play the best games from the Google Play Store as well as PC games streamed through NVIDIA’s GeForce NOW service. If you want a couple extra controllers for some couch multiplayer, you’ll be happy to know that alongside its own excellent controller, the NVIDIA Shield TV offers Bluetooth support for other great gaming controllers.

Specially designed by NVIDIA

NVIDIA Shield Controller

The NVIDIA Shield controller is designed to take full advantage of all that the NVIDIA Shield can do, with a built-in microphone for Google Assistant and a headphone jack along with dedicated volume and Android system controls. Unlike other controller options, it connects via Wi-Fi so there are no latency issues to contend with.

$60 at Amazon

Microsoft’s best

Xbox One Controller

The Xbox One controller can be connected to the Shield via Bluetooth. This iconic controller is available in a wide range of colors and styles and is a great option if you already own an Xbox One console. Uses AA batteries unless you also buy a Play and Charge kit for an extra $25.

$50 at Amazon

Best option for Sony fanboys

DualShock 4 Wireless Controller

Sony’s wireless controller for the PlayStation 4 can also be connected to the NVIDIA Shield. Put the controller into pairing mode and it should come up as an available Bluetooth accessory in the Shield settings. Powered by rechargeable internal battery and comes with charging cable.

$45 at Amazon

A great controller for Android

SteelSeries Stratus XL

The Stratus XL is our favorite Bluetooth controller for Android, so it absolutely deserves a mention as a great accessory for our favorite Android streaming box. It has dedicated controls for controlling Android devices and pairs up quickly and reliably. Requires AA batteries.

$43 at Amazon

The NVIDIA Shield offers support for third-party controllers, but the best option is still going to be the NVIDIA Shield Controller ($60). It’s the priciest option on the list but it’s designed to work seamlessly with full support for the headphones, Google Assistant, and convenient volume control. Of course, if you prefer the look and feel (and price) of an Xbox or PS4 controller, you can conveniently pair those, too.

Canada Daily Deals: Beats headphones, rugged storage and more

Whether you’re looking for new tech gear or household items, we’ve got you covered.

We found plenty of great deals today that include big discounts on a range of discounted Beats headphones, rugged storage from SanDisk, Espro’s portable French press and much more!

View the rest of the deals

Each day, the Thrifter Canada team scouts out and shares amazing deals on products you know and love, helping you find the best prices on the ‘net.

For more Canadian deals coverage, be sure to keep an eye on Thrifter CA and follow the team on Twitter.

Apple Watch Series 4 vs. Apple Watch Series 3

The all-new Apple Watch Series 4 is just hours from being available for pre-order, with orders opening on Apple.com at 12:01 a.m. PDT on September 14. If you’re still on the fence about jumping to the new generation, this post should help you discern all of the pros and cons between sticking with your Apple Watch Series 3 or going with the upgraded Apple Watch Series 4.

Display

Perhaps the first thing you’ll notice about the Series 4 is its bigger display, which is up to 35 percent larger than the Series 3. Specifically comparing the larger 42mm Series 3 and 44mm Series 4 models, the Series 3 has a 740 sq mm display area while the Series 4 has a 977 sq mm display area. This means that the 44mm Series 4’s display is 32 percent larger than the 42mm Series 3.

Likewise for the smaller models, the 38mm Series 3 has a 563 sq mm display area, compared to the 40mm Series 4 with a 759 sq mm display area. This results in a 35 percent display size increase between generations. In essence, this means that the Series 4 packs more screen into what is nearly the same package as the Series 3, with slimmer bezels that are somewhat visually similar to the rounded corners of the iPhone X and iPhone XS.

The increased display area also results in increased resolution, with the 44mm Series 4 including 368×448 pixels, compared to 312×390 on the 42mm Series 3. The 40mm Series 4 has 324×394 pixels, while the 38mm Series 3 has 272×340 pixels. Thanks to all of these changes, app icons and fonts are now bigger and easier to read as well.

Case Size

Although the display sizes have been increased, there are minimal changes to the actual size of the cases for Apple Watch Series 4, despite the new measurements. 38mm in Series 3 and prior has become 40mm, and 42mm in Series 3 and prior has become 44mm, with both of these numbers representing the height of the Apple Watch Series 4 case.

This is a change that shouldn’t be too noticeable, unless you’re comparing the Series 4 with a previous generation model side-by-side. And don’t worry about this update affecting your current band collection, as Apple made it clear during yesterday’s keynote that all previous Apple Watch bands will fit with the Series 4 case.

Looking at the thinness, Apple Watch Series 4 is just under 1mm slimmer compared to Series 3. Series 4 measures in at 10.7mm thin, compared to 11.4mm thin for Series 3.

Processor

As expected with an Apple update, the Series 4 has received a beefed up processor in the form of the 64-bit dual-core S4 processor.

Apple says that this is up to two times faster than the S3 processor found on the Series 3, enabling the Series 4 to be speedier when opening apps and performing other functions.

Watch Faces

Exclusive to Apple Watch Series 4 are a collection of watch faces that take advantage of the enlarged displays to showcase as many as eight complications.

These complications have been enhanced to be more precise and provide more information, thanks to the increased display area.

There are also a few watch faces that will uniquely react to the edges of the Series 4’s display, like Vapor, Liquid Metal, and Fire and Water.

Health

For the first time in a wearable device, you’ll be able to take a full ECG reading on Apple Watch Series 4. Using electrodes built into the Digital Crown and a new electrical heart rate sensor in the back crystal, an included ECG app will perform a reading when you touch the Digital Crown and hold it for 30 seconds.

The app can classify if your heart is beating in a normal pattern or if there are signs of Atrial Fibrillation, which could hint at potential health complications. You’ll be able to save your ECG recordings in the iOS Health app and create a PDF to share with your doctor. While Apple Watch has always been able to track your heart rate, the ECG app is a major update to Apple’s wearable line.

The ECG app will be added to Apple Watch Series 4 later this year, and will only be available to customers in the United States at launch.

Tidbits

Below you’ll find a quick list of features that are new and exclusive to Apple Watch Series 4, which are unavailable on Series 3 and prior devices. We’ve also listed everything that hasn’t changed further down, one notable constant being 18-hour battery life.

Changes between Series 3 and Series 4:

• Series 4 now includes haptic feedback on the Digital Crown
• The black ceramic and sapphire crystal back allows radio waves to easily pass through Series 4 for better cellular service
• The speaker on Series 4 is 50 percent louder
• Apple has relocated the microphone so that it reduces echo for better sound quality on the receiving end of phone calls
• With a new accelerometer and gyroscope, Series 4 can detect if you fall down and ask if emergency services should be alerted
• The improved accelerometer can measure up to 32 g-forces, increased from up to 16 g-forces on Series 3
• Series 4 has Apple’s new W3 wireless chip instead of the previous generation W2
• Connectivity improvements also include new Bluetooth 5.0, up from 4.2 on Series 3
• Now all models have 16GB storage capacities, instead of just GPS + Cellular on Series 3
• Second-generation optical heart sensor

No changes between Series 3 and Series 4:

• Built-in rechargeable lithium ion battery with an 18-hour battery life
• GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, and GZSS
• LTE and UMTS on GPS + Cellular models
• 802.11b/g/n 2.4GHz Wi-Fi
• Barometric altimeter
• Water resistance up to 50 meters
• Ambient light sensor
• Force Touch
• Display with 1,000 nits brightness
• Magnetic charging cable and USB power adapter included

If you’re interested, Apple Watch Series 4 pre-orders will kick off at 12:01 a.m. PDT on September 14. Our pre-order post can help you figure out when pre-orders go up for you if you’re in a different time zone. We also went hands-on with Apple Watch Series 4 after yesterday’s “Gather Round” event, which you can read here.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 4, watchOS 5Buyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Caution)
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Jony Ive on Apple Watch Series 4: ‘Every Bone in My Body Tells Me This is Very Significant’

Apple’s chief designer, Jony Ive, recently discussed this week’s reveal of the Apple Watch Series 4 with The Washington Post, stating that “Every bone in my body tells me this is very significant.”

Ive’s comment references new health-related features in the Apple Watch Series 4, including the ability to detect if you’ve fallen down and a new feature that lets you take an ECG measurement — the first time that’s been possible in a wrist-worn device. In the interview, the designer further states that the new watch “will be a more marked tipping point in understanding and adoption of the product.”

According to Ive, Apple plans to focus on further separating the Apple Watch from the iPhone in the future, in addition to increasing the reliability of internet and cellular connectivity.

Ive won’t give away how Apple wearables could spiral beyond the watch, though company watchers expect an augmented reality device could be in the works. He hints that the watch, on the other hand, could evolve in the years to come.

“The clues for the future are when you can have a high degree of confidence that you personally are connected to the Net — not your phone, you,” said Ive. Sporting a new watch with a white rubberized band, Ive said the gadget has helped him lessen his dependence on his phone.

Ive says that he became “zealous” about the Apple Watch following the thousands of user letters sent to the company, in which people describe how the wearable saved their life. These life-saving Apple Watch stories have grown frequent in the years since Apple debuted the Apple Watch in 2015, with many referencing the device’s ability to pick up on abnormal heart patterns and others using the Apple Watch’s emergency 911 feature.

“I’m so zealous about the watch because I see it as making a material difference to people’s quality of life and actually their ability to be alive,” Ive said.

Ive also mentions that the increased display area of Apple Watch Series 4 is beneficial to users who want to reduce the screen time on their iPhones. Ive says that while the Series 4 displays are bigger, they aren’t so expansive that you’ll become sucked into a social media spiral.

“The screen size isn’t so expansive that you somehow feel you’ll fill every minute browsing whatever you browse, whether it’s your social media, ” said Ive. He added: “It addresses that functional imperative of being able to be in touch. ”

We’ve got plenty of other Apple Watch Series 4 coverage for those looking for more information on the device, including an announcement post, hands-on, breakdown of every Series 4 collection, and comparison to the Series 3. Those interested will be able to pre-order Apple Watch Series 4 — as well as the iPhone XS and XS Max — beginning at 12:01 a.m. PDT on September 14.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 4, watchOS 5Tag: Jony IveBuyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Caution)
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