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Tech communities are booming all over Africa, says Nairobi-based Juliana Rotich, co-founder of the open-source software Ushahidi. But it remains challenging to get and stay connected in a region with frequent blackouts and spotty Internet hookups. So Rotich and friends developed BRCK, offering resilient connectivity for the developing world.
Source: Ted
Pepper is a humanoid robot by Aldebaran Robotics and SoftBank Mobile designed with the ability to read emotions. It was introduced in a conference on June 5 and has been showcased to the public at Softbank Mobile stores in Japan since June 6. It will be available in February 2015 at a base price of JPY 198,000 ($1,931) at Softbank Mobile stores. Pepper’s emotion comes from the ability to analyze expressions and voice tones.
Source: Conscious AI
Thanks to BMW, each of us may be closer to living out our inner James Bond. BMW is currently developing technology that would allow consumers to park their car with nothing more than a smartwatch.
BMW’s i3 car, which will be on display at the 2015 International CES in Las Vegas in January, will integrate smartwatch technology with the vehicle and allow it to park itself without crashing—most of the time.
The “Remote Valet Parking Assistant” will operate through an app that will send the car on its way to park itself while the car’s owner goes on about their way.
The car is still just a prototype for now, but it already shows great promise for the future of hi-tech luxury vehicles.
Lasers on the car will scan the surrounding environment to help the vehicle avoid any nasty collisions but BMW warns that right now that feature isn’t full proof just yet.
The car had its fair share of minor bumps and scrapes during test runs and the company’s press release said that “entirely collision-free driving” is still only a “possibility.”
While possibilities of a collision will still be something consumers have to worry about, the press release promises that the car won’t be running into large columns or other cars.
“If the vehicle approaches a wall or a column too quickly, the system brakes automatically to prevent the threat of collision,” the press release said. “The vehicle is brought to a standstill very precisely with centimeters to spare.”
This isn’t the first time BMW has been showing off cars that can essentially drive themselves.
In both 2009 and 2011 they tested “highly automated” cars, and they are now getting closer to making that a reality – although it will certainly take quite a few years before consumers are running errands without even having to take a glance at the road.
The futuristic i3 is also sporting other impressive features such as a navigation system that will not rely on GPS signals, 360-degree collision avoidance, and an early version of an Emergency Stop Assistant that will detect if the driver has collapsed from a medical emergency and steer itself safely off to the side of the road and initiate an emergency call.
ZmartframeMax – Make your mega touchscreen ; Zmartframe – Turns old monitors into second PC
Source: Future Ideas & Technology
New eye-scanning technology seemed to be a beacon of hope for consumers who wanted to feel more secure in the digital age but it seems as if even these devices won’t be enough to keep dedicated hackers away.
On the surface, it seems like a great idea—trade in passwords for technology that can scan a feature that is truly unique to each user.
From phone apps to Eyelock’s Myris, many devices have hit the market to promise to keep hackers away with technology that will scan a user’s iris to identify them.
Because each person’s iris is unique, even from their other eye, it certainly seemed like a full proof plan, but the technology still has a ways to go before it will really be considered a serious security tool.
Eyelock’s Myris is the most popular of such devices and while its design is appealing and smart, there is a major loophole in the way the technology functions.
Users are still able to enter a password in order to bypass the Myris completely.
While an annoying pop up will appear until the user passes the iris scanning or updates their security information, there is still nothing stopping a hacker from sifting through files and personal documents because they managed to obtain your old password.
This, of course, does not discredit the technology completely.
It simply means that there is a ways to go before it can actually boast its ability to help fight off hackers—and even then some users just weren’t too impressed with the potential of what Myris and other similar technologies could do.
“So how will this help with the hacks of targets and walmarts,” one KKTV viewer asked in a comment online.
The technology is currently being developed to work for ATMs and security checkpoints, but so far it doesn’t seem as if this technology will come close to putting an end to shoppers’ fears of their credit card information getting stolen because of a successful cyber attack on their favorite retailer.
To be clear, those cyber attacks are extremely complicated and will never be solved with a roughly $300 consumer security device.
Other online readers were skeptical about how slight changes in appearance could impact the technology’s ability to function.
“Have a cold, look sick, got a rash? Well too bad, looks like you aren’t getting into your own equipment until you’re better,” another comment said.
That doesn’t seem to be the case here – well not with the Myris at least.
That technology is not saving the image of your eye, it is saving the unique pattern of your iris, which wouldn’t change if users become ill or have a rash.
Then there is also the fact that as long as someone can figure out your password, they can still technically gain access to whatever you were trying to keep protected. In that case, the Myris won’t be keeping anyone permanently locked out of their equipment under any circumstances.
When it comes down to it, in the battle between consumers and small-time hackers the Myris and other consumer iris scanning technology is an interesting line of defense but it certainly isn’t the most effective one for now—though they certainly could be as these technologies continue to develop over the years.
Google X wants to improve modern medicine with nanoparticles and a wearable device. It’s all an attempt to tackle disease detection and prevention.
Source: NewsyTech
After numerous complaints about skin irritation issues from Fitbit Charge users, the company has released a statement that claims the problem is not with their materials and likely due to problems with consumer hygiene.
The company is in no way suggesting that consumers are simply filthy and unkempt but instead suggests that they are making common mistakes that many people tend to make when it comes to wristbands and jewelry that stays on for a long time.
“The reactions we are seeing with Charge are not uncommon with jewelry or wearable devices that stay in contact with the skin for extended periods,” said Fitbit CEO and co-founder James Park, according to Engadget. “According to our consulting dermatologist, they are likely from sweat, water, or soap being held against the skin under the device, or from pressure or friction against the skin and should resolve quickly when users take a break from the device, usually within hours or days.”
While the materials used for the FitBit Force were responsible for skin irritation issues in the past, Park insists that isn’t the case this time around.
“While Force’s housing and band were held together with adhesive, which was determined to be the cause of nearly all allergic reactions, Charge’s housing and band are held together with screws, completely eliminating the potential for any adhesive to contact the skin,” the statement continued.
He also said that the company took the product through “extensive testing” to ensure all users could “safely wear and enjoy Charge.”
As with any watch, ring, armband or other accessory that is in direct contact with skin for long periods of time, Park says users will need to take the device off from time and time and make sure it has a loose fit when they are wearing it.
Also, keeping the skin underneath the band clean is an essential part of the general upkeep.
“We are encouraging anyone wearing an activity tracking wristband, regardless of the brand, to follow four key elements for maximum enjoyment: keep it clean, keep it dry, keep it loose, and give your wrist a break,” Park said. “We recommend wearing the band loosely enough that it can move back and forth on your wrist. We have developed guidelines for our products with our team of dermatologists to educate the public on how they should wear and care for their device and keep their skin happy.”
The company also pointed out that they had a very limited amount of complains about the skin irritation issues with the Charge compared to the Force.
This is yet another reason why the company believes the products used to make the activity monitoring wristband are not at fault, because of the scarcity of complaints that have made their way to their office.
The company promises to “continue to monitor this issue.”
Star producer Bryan-Michael Cox shows how he creates hits – from initial idea on iMASCHINE to polished production in MASCHINE STUDIO.
Source: Native Instruments
Advancements in 3D printing technology have given consumers access to what is being hailed as the world’s number one 3D printer, but it appears as if even the world’s best is falling short when it comes to capturing small details.
Many people have never even seen a 3D printer before, but the new device has been steadily growing in popularity over the past few years.
One man has even used 3D printing to create superhero-inspired prosthetic arms for children and proven the great potential that 3D printers have.
When it comes to real life consumers, however, having great potential just isn’t enough.
The latest front-runner in the world of proprietary 3D printers is XYZ Printing’s da Vinci 1.0 AiO.
The 3-in-1 desktop printer is compatible with Windows XP, Windows 7 and higher and Mac OSX 10.7, 10.8 and 10.9.
It is complete with a full ABS 3D printing system and a laser 3D scanner.
After placing your object of choice inside the printer, a turntable will rotate the item and allow it to be scanned by a laser.
That laser will be quickly gathering information about the object and use the data regarding contours, size and shape to create a nearly identical copy.
The key word here is “nearly.”
Even with today’s technology it is still difficult to get an exact copy of the object you’re scanning.
Many of the smaller details are lost in the replicas and even this printer hasn’t found a way around the tricky task of scanning shiny objects with a laser.
For now, it is recommended that consumers avoid shiny objects as a whole when they’re playing around with their new printer.
Tech Crunch ran a few tests on the printer and, while the results were impressive, they also served as a reminder that the 3D printing world still has a ways to go.
The copy of a small lion statue resembled what the original statue might look like if it were left out in the hot sun too long.
While the main composition and shape of the copy passed the test, details of the lion’s face and around his head seemed to be lost and meshed together.
The results of copying a small gargoyle head was still more impressive than what most home 3D printers will offer but still failed to hold its own when placed next to the original figure.
It’s also been made clear that the printer won’t pick up engraved writing very well.
Smaller details aside, the printer is certainly at the forefront when compared to other devices in the same category, but it also comes with a catch.
While many 3D printers allow users to refill the filament on their own, the AiO won’t allow for such a thing.
The printer uses a special cartridge, Tech Crunch revealed, but refilling the cartridge will still only cost around $30.
Further generations of 3D printers certainly will continue to enhance and improve the detail of the copies that are created, but anyone who is eager to get their hands on one now can purchase an AiO for about $800.
