ICYMI: Mercedes makes a self-driving bus for the masses
Today on In Case You Missed It: Mercedes made a new class of vehicle to take on mass transit systems by autonomously navigating city streets with GPS, radar, dozens of cameras and data links to local networks. It was tested outside Amsterdam; no word yet on when they will roll out for real.
Some Michigan engineering students are creating a huge and playable Rubik’s Cube, that video is here. As always, please share any interesting tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.
The birth of a spaceport
The government may have ceded the development of rockets to companies, but Cape Canaveral Air Force Station remains a key site for space exploration. Together with the neighboring Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral played an integral part in the space race, and continues to host launches to this day.
The site, situated on the east coast of Florida, saw its first rocket launch 66 years ago this week, and over the past six decades, it’s hosted many, many more, from the launch of Explorer 1, the first US satellite, right up to SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launches over the past six years. One thing it didn’t host was the Apollo program itself — those launches were at Kennedy Space Center. Nonetheless, events like the moon landing, whose anniversary falls today, would’ve been impossible without the tests carried out at Cape Canavarel. It was the launch of Saturn I from the Air Force Station that paved the way for the Saturn V rocket which sent Apollo 11 to the moon.
Various launch complexes are still in use, some leased to BlueOrigin, SpaceX and other companies. But it all began on July 24th, 1950, with the launch of the Bumper 8. NASA didn’t yet exist — the General Electric Company had responsibility for the project. After six failed tests at White Sands, New Mexico, the decision was taken (for unrelated reasons) to move the program’s launches to Cape Canaveral, then named the “Long Range Proving Ground Base.” The first test was a success, and it paved the way for countless others.
The Big Picture is a recurring feature highlighting beautiful images that tell big stories. We explore topics as large as our planet, or as small as a single life, as affected by or seen through the lens of technology.
Google used DeepMind AI to cut its power bill
Google’s grand experiment in using artificial intelligence to save power is paying off. The search firm’s Demis Hassabis tells Bloomberg that the DeepMind AI has cut electricity use at Google data centers by “several percentage points” thanks to its extra-efficient use of equipment, such as cooling systems and windows. It’s not certain just how much energy the smart code is saving, but Google used slightly over 4.4 gigawatt-hours in 2014 alone — even a small dent in that consumption could easily save hundreds of millions of dollars. That pricey DeepMind acquisition is likely paying for itself.
The company sees more savings ahead, too. The AI now knows where there are gaps in its coverage, and it may tell Google to install more sensors to improve its effectiveness. Software can only do so much to lower the tech giant’s power consumption. However, it’s a relatively small investment that can pay big dividends, and not just for Google’s bottom line — combined with investments in renewable energy, it could do a lot to help the environment.
Source: Bloomberg
Brush up on hundreds of topics with the Tinycards app
Plenty of people have turned to the popular language-learning app Duolingo to become well-versed in a different tongue. The company knows how to hammer knowledge into your brain. That’s why it’s bringing us Tinycards, a special app meant for learning a lot more than language.
Using a similar system to Duolingo, Tinycards aids you in learning things like inventions, countries or even facts about the Solar System. If the topics included with the app aren’t intriguing to you, you can even create your own and eventually share them with other users. Using Tinycards is simple: You’ll look at a card, memorize pieces of information, and recall them later.
Each lesson only takes a few minutes of your time, so it’s perfect for quick learning on the go. For new Pokemon trainers out there with the wake of Pokemon Go, there’s even a Pokemon name lesson for you to get up to speed with so you can stop asking what that “bat thing” is called or if a Raichu is a Pikachu.
Tinycards is available for free for iOS users now, and there are more topics coming down the line.
Via: Lifehacker
Brikk Launches Pre-Orders for Diamond-Studded iPhone 7 Models Costing Up to $1.3 Million
Less than two months before Apple is expected to unveil its iPhone 7 lineup, Los Angeles-based luxury accessory maker Brikk has announced that it is now accepting pre-orders for diamond-studded and other customized versions of the smartphones, with prices ranging between $4,295 and $1.3 million.
Brikk’s mockups for its Lux iPhone 7 appear to be based on leaked photos and schematics of the purported 5.5-inch iPhone 7 with a dual-lens camera system, and it also advertises other rumored iPhone 7 Plus features such as a faster A10 processor, 3GB of RAM, and up to 256GB of flash storage.
Brikk describes the Lux iPhone 7 as “the most opulent iPhone the world has ever seen,” and offers three different collections:
– Standard: 10 different color options with multiple diamond logo choices. Scratch resistant matte or glossy finishes. Prices start at $4,295.
– Deluxe: 24 carat yellow gold, 18 carat pink gold, and 950 platinum options with Heptagon-shaped engravings and French enamel accents.
– Bespoke: Fully customized designs between the customer and head Brikk designer Cyrus Blacksmith. Up to 60 carats of diamonds. Priced up to $1.3 million.
Brikk states that each iPhone is disassembled, hand polished, prepared, and then plated with five layers of various metals and two layers of either 24 carat yellow gold, 18 karat pink gold, or 950 platinum. The iPhone is then reassembled and the precious metals are certified using laser and x-ray testing equipment.
The customized iPhone is then packaged in a custom Zero Halliburton case with a carbon fiber and suede leather interior, with the user manual and all standard accessories included in the box. All models come with a diamond-embedded certificate of authenticity and Brikk’s sapphire glass screen protector.
Deluxe versions include Brikk’s customized gold studio headphones, and other Lux-branded accessories will also be available, such as a matching gold and diamond power bank, car charger, world charger, and desktop dock. Each Lux iPhone 7, assembled in Los Angeles, includes a 1-year warranty.
Prospective buyers can fill out a form on Brikk’s website to receive a Lux iPhone 7 catalog and price guide for pre-ordering. A deposit of an unspecific amount is required for pre-orders. Brikk expects to begin shipments 3-4 weeks after Apple officially releases the iPhone 7, which is expected to be introduced in September.
Brikk also offers the Lux iPhone 6s and Lux Watch, a diamond-studded Apple Watch that costs up to $75,000. See real-life photos on Instagram.
Tag: Brikk
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DARPA’s AI-powered radio challenge is officially on
DARPA’s done ironing out the details for its next Grand Challenge, which revolves around the development of AI-powered radios that work with each other to avoid wireless congestion. The contest will apparently be divided into three year-long phases, starting in 2017. Teams that make it through the preliminary phase will advance to the next stages, ending with a championship event in 2019. The team that comes out on top will take home a $2 million cash prize and could also get into a funded contract with the agency. Teams that finish second and third will get something out of the deal, as well, in the form of $1 million and $750,000 cash prizes, respectively.
As DARPA pointed out, an AI-powered radio that can optimize spectrum usage will be especially useful for the military, which needs its wireless devices to work anywhere soldiers are on the battlefield. It will also benefit the rest of us, though, seeing as manufacturers are adding wireless capabilities to just about anything out there, including cars, drones, fridges and other appliances.
Source: DARPA
Argos to stock network-hopping Anywhere SIM cards
Anywhere SIM, a company that wants to solve poor signal problems in the UK, has snapped up its first retail partner. Argos will be selling its SIM cards both in store and online, giving the upstart some much-needed visibility on the high street. The SIMs are unique because they automatically monitor and switch between three different UK networks — O2, Vodafone and EE — depending on which one has the strongest signal at the time.
It’s handled by a clever bit of business and partnership engineering: the company is working with Manx Telecom, an operator based on the Isle of Man, and has a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) agreement with O2 in the UK. That deal is what allows you to have a UK mobile number. The other two networks — as well as countless others scattered across Europe — are handled with international roaming agreements. So apart from O2, you’re always being treated like a holidaymaker abroad.
Anywhere offers three different pay-as-you go plans — Home, UK and EU. With Home, you can only make calls on O2 (described as its “home network), but you can receive calls through any carrier. Calls are 5 pence per minute, texts are 5 pence per pop and data is 5 pence per megabyte. The UK option lets you make and receive calls on any of the three networks, but the price of a call and a megabyte of data is 10 pence. The EU plan, lastly, gives you access to all of Anywhere’s roaming agreements in Europe. The price of a call is upped to 12 pence per minute, however.
If you’re interested, there are some major caveats to consider. For one, there’s no 4G. For another, there are no monthly plans, although the company promises to add both sometime this autumn. Also in the pipeline is access to Three’s UK network, which should go live in August. While these might sound like deal-breakers, Anywhere SIM isn’t too bothered. The company believes that the bulk of its business will come from older UK citizens that like to travel a lot or live in places with poor coverage.
Given its target market, the new partnership with Argos makes sense. If the company is to build a subscriber base, it needs to make sure its SIM cards are visible in the right places. Few retailers have the footprint of Argos, so outside of launching its own brick-and-mortar stores, this is probably the fastest way for Anywhere to build a presence on the high street.
Source: Anywhere SIM
Fastest-ever production drone is also one of the smartest
As a rule, the fastest drones tend to be either prototypes or one-off homebrew models. Even the quickest off-the-shelf drones are pokey in comparison. Teal, however, doesn’t think you should have to compromise. It’s launching a namesake drone that it claims is the world’s fastest production drone. At 70MPH, it’s so fast that it could outrun cars on the highway… within its maximum 2-mile range and 20-minute flight time (using a high-endurance pack), anyway. And no, it’s not as dangerous as it sounds. The Teal drone is stable in high winds (up to 40MPH in testing), touts high-accuracy GPS and comes with multiple modes to accommodate rookie pilots.
Crucially, this isn’t meant as a one-trick pony. On top of a 13-megapixel, 4K-capable camera, Teal packs NVIDIA’s Tegra TX1 (a beefy processor for a drone) and a software platform that encourages third-party apps. If you can imagine a flight mode, you can probably implement it. There are built-in apps for command and control flying, racing and a follow mode like you see on some camera drones. Also, Teal promises support for future modules that add radar-guided avoidance, thermal imaging and vision-based positioning.
If you suspect that this no-compromise design won’t come cheap, you’re right. It’ll cost you $1,299 to pre-order now, although you will get the high-endurance battery if you make your move before August 15th. Should everything go according to plan, early orders will arrive by the holidays. That’s a lot to pay and a long time to wait. Look at it this way, though: a DJI Phantom 4 officially sets you back $1,399, and it flies at ‘just’ 45MPH. While it does last longer at 28 minutes of air time, Teal may be the better buy if you’re a thrill junkie, a budding programmer or both.
Source: Teal Drones
The first episode of ‘Life is Strange’ will soon be free
The first episode of the narrative adventure game Life is Strange will be free to download across platforms from tomorrow. Publisher Square Enix says the change is indefinite. It’s clearly a move to get more people interested in the episodic game, and if you get hooked on episode one, you’ll be able to pick up the other four parts for $16.99 (the full season pass previously cost $19.99).
Life is Strange won multiple awards including a BAFTA for Best Story, and featured among our favorite games of 2015. Its developer, Dontod Entertainment, says it’s “really glad” that Square Enix has made the decision, “so more players can begin their journey and see why people have fallen in love with the game for themselves.” You’ll be able to get episode one gratis from July 21st on Mac, PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Xbox 360.
Source: Life is Strange
DARPA wants modular chips for its killer robots
To add smarts to machines, you need to design circuits and chips, a time-consuming and costly business. The US military’s skunkworks arm, DARPA, wants to change all that with its new “CHIPS” program. The goal is to put entire circuit boards on modular chiplets, then tile them together to make a device. That would allow feats like “identifying objects and actions in real-time video feeds, real-time language translation, and coordinating motion on-the-fly among swarms of fast-moving unmanned aerial vehicles,” DARPA said in a blog post.
Each chiplet would perform a specific function like data storage, computing and signal processing. Those could then be assembled in a mosaic configuration on an “interposer,” or tiny circuit board, to perform specific functions. In addition to making it easier to design and add logic to robots, drones and other machines, the devices would potentially be faster and more efficient, since the overall circuit size is smaller.
A US Navy drone swarm takes flight.
Another problem DARPA’s trying to solve is the cost and complexity of intellectual property (IP). Using a standard circuit board often requires the manufacturer to buy multiple patent licenses for unneeded functions. The US Department of Defense thinks that if chiplets are separated by function, it would reduce costs by limiting the required IP. “This should be a win for both the commercial and defense sectors,” DARPA’s Dr. Daniel Green asserts.
Though DARPA wants the tech for military and security use, it says the chiplets would be useful in the commercial, non-killer-robot sector, and it need private companies to help make it happen. “Key to the success of CHIPS will be standards and interfaces, and this means we will be working with a community, not all by ourselves,” says Green. To facilitate that, it has posted a request for information (RFI) to get ideas from industry experts for chiplets that could be built at existing semiconductor foundries.
Source: DARPA
