The Daily Wow

Look who we found!

2011-11-05T10:25:00.001-07:00

Mobile vs Desktop profile view is the new a privacy issue for Google+

2011-07-20T08:59:00.001-07:00

Incredible. The Google+ desktop experience WRT profile view is different from the mobile view. The mobile view is pulling in outdated older Account Management information over that of the new profile in Google+. Unfortunately there is no way for G+ users to go back and edit this as your presented with the "new" account management portal. Frustrating and yet this earmarks another potential privacy issue by Google. Who else is experiencing this? Too see it in action, check out my Profile on the desktop and mobile versions.

What a little train jumper!

2011-05-09T09:05:00.001-07:00

See the full gallery on Posterous

@ChrisPirillo is a bigger shareholder

2011-05-06T21:50:00.001-07:00

Scoble is a shareholder on Empire Avenue

2011-05-06T21:36:00.001-07:00

Scoble is a shareholder on Empire Avenue

2011-05-06T21:35:00.001-07:00

Scoble's Shareholders Email

2011-05-06T14:12:00.001-07:00

iPhone 4G Scavenger Hunt - Island Pond, NH [Map]

2011-02-02T08:46:00.001-07:00

On January 28th a group of three 4-wheelers headed out on the ice for a loop around Island Pond. It was 12AM and there was about 10 inch's of snow above the ice. The iPhone fell out of my pocket and into the snow some where along the route shown in Google Maps (Below). The battery died and could not be geolocated. After several trips and even an excursion by foot the next day the phone was not found.

This is an open challenge for anyone interested in finding an iPhone 4. I am willing to pay a cash prize to the person who locates it or, you can keep the phone. Entirely up to you. Good luck and good hunting!

View iPhone 4 Scavenger Hunt in a larger map

Parrot AR.Drone gets mod/hacked for object-tracking [Video]

2011-01-14T10:35:00.001-07:00

Tinkerer Psykokwak has figured out Urbi integration – an open-source robotics software platform – to give the AR.Drone object-tracking abilities (in this case it can identify and follow a red ball) as well as broader control options, including a Wiimote, a joystick or pretty much anything else that can hook up to your computer, in a mere 25 lines of code.

Watch a Murderous Quadrotor Drone Take a Hacky Sack Break [Video]

2010-12-09T12:31:00.001-07:00

It's pretty clear by this point that a quadrotor drone's main mission is to fly through our windows and kill us in our sleep. But what do they do for fun? Just juggle a ball better than I ever could. More »It's pretty clear by this point that a quadrotor drone's main mission is to fly through our windows and kill us in our sleep. But what do they do for fun? Just juggle a ball better than I ever could. More »

Original Link: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/iYI1Q-i79KY/watch-a-murderous-quadrotor-drone-take-a-hacky-sack-break

via my6sense

How to Upgrade Your #Facebook #Profile Page Now

2010-12-06T12:25:00.001-07:00

It is planned that Facebook roll out their new profile page design today. If you cant wait for them to roll this out, anyone can follow these simple steps and upgrade their profile page now.

To unlock the new Facebook profile, complete the following steps:

1. Head to http://www.facebook.com/about/profile/.>

2. Click on the green button at the top right of the resulting page.

3. Voila! You now have the new profile design.

AR Drone Full Teardown - iFixit

2010-12-04T10:09:00.001-07:00

iFixit.com has a full teardown of the AR Drone and all its parts. In the image below, you can see the ROCm Atheros AR6102G-BM2D b/g Wi-Fi module (bordered in orange). I wonder if this is replaceable with an 'N' wi-fi module.

RC Controlled AR.Drone with #Arduino UNO and #WiShield

2010-12-03T08:05:00.001-07:00

One of the biggest limitations of the AR Drone is its WiFi 802.11b signal range. Mheeli over at RCgroups.com has worked up a solution that bypasses the whole WiFi need completely and instead uses an RC Controller. If your looking to mod your AR drone this will require some soldering knowledge as well as some light programming skills. Check out his video below and if interested, his tutorial. You can order all your parts from me here

Parrots AR.Pursuit #augmented reality shooter #app for AR.Drone now available on #iTunes

2010-12-02T09:35:00.001-07:00

Parrot has just released AR.Pursuit which is the Augmented Reality shooter of its previously released app Free Flight. They also have a video which is inline with the others they have produced unfortunately it does not show what happens when the Drone is shot or if there is feedback on the iPhone for the one piloting when the Drone is hit. Either way, I look forward to seeing how it behaves with my drone and lighting mods made to the hull.

AR.Pursuit pinpoints the outstanding technical and flight capabilities of the AR.Drone, allowing the players to put their piloting skills to the test. This game demonstrates the extreme maneuverability and stability of the AR.Drone. Players are immerged in a world where real and virtual mix inside a pursuit race…a truly unique experience! [iTunes]

Player one, the hunter, pursues player two, attempting to bring him down with virtual missiles. Once caught, the players change roles and a new pursuit begins! [iTunes]

Here's how it works: the game uses the Drone's front-facing cameras and renders in bullets and missiles when players choose to fire. To avoid game-death, players will need to maneuver their drones in various directions, hiding and assaulting their opponent as needed.

The game, which retails for $2.99, can be played indoors and outside, provided a stable Wi-Fi connection can be accessed. Parrot recommends that you use those indoor stickers if you plan to play indoors, and obviously you'll want to pick a place that's large enough to move a radio-controlled craft around in. [Mac|Life] > My recommendation is an empty underground parking garage or an abandoned nuclear silo.

How to find the best time to fly the Parrot AR Drone outdoors

2010-11-30T09:13:00.001-07:00

I love my AR Drone but flying it outdoors can be a significant challenge when flying it outdoors especially if you live in a area where the weather changes frequently. Wind and rain are naturally being the biggest threat to your drones electronics, battery life and your sanity. There are a several apps available in the iTunes store that help you forecast the weather in your favorite areas to fly.

Here are a few I use to determine the best time of day to fly all of which are available in the Apple iTunes App store.

Seasonality Go Seasonality Go turns your iPad into a complete weather station.

Seasonality Go provides you with a wealth of weather data and you decide how you want to view it. By choosing from a selection of screen arrangements featuring a choice of data inserts, you can flexibly create your very own view of the weather. Some key features of Seasonality Go include:
• Over 30,000 pre-defined locations in more than 200 countries.
• Can use the iPad's location services anywhere in the world.
• Current conditions, 7 day forecast, and astronomical data.
• Graphs for temperature, wind speed, precipitation, cloud cover and more…
• Animated map with radar imagery in the US and infrared satellite imagery worldwide.
• Fully customizable. Move and resize inserts to fit your needs.

WeatherProHD WeatherPro, Europe's number one paid weather app is now available for the iPad! Powered by the weather specialists at MeteoGroup, it features high-quality weather reports and 7-day forecasts for over 2 million locations worldwide.

Additionally, WeatherPro for iPad offers high-res weather radar for the UK, USA, The Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France, Scandinavia, Spain and Switzerland as well as satellite pictures for Europe, America, Africa and Asia. Up to fifteen images can be downloaded and animated with full zoom and pan functionality.

Meteogram Are you interested in weather trends? Then this is the right application for you.

Meteogram gives you graphical depictions of trends with variables such as temperature, atmospheric pressure, humidity, wind speed, percentage of cloud cover.
The main screen contains two graphs. The upper screen shows a detailed summary for the next 48 hours, and the lower screen shows a change in temperature for 6 days in advance.
There is a special pop-up menu for easy usability. There is no need to follow the values on the vertical and horizontal axes, rather you "tap" anywhere on the chart and more detailed informations are displayed. With the Meteogram app you can access data for your current location or select a location from the database which contains over 110 000 cities worldwide.
The Meteogram application supports Imperial and Metric units.
Weather forecast from yr.no, delivered by the Norwegian Meteorological Institute and the NRK.

Damn you CakeDoodle! - How to have your iPad or iPhone confiscated by your kids/wife/neighbors

2010-11-30T08:54:00.001-07:00

If you have kids and you value your own time on your iPhone or iPad do not share the CakeDoodle app with them. I made this mistake over the Thanksgiving weekend when I downloaded and installed the app thinking it would be a fun, short-attention-holding app for my daughter. Turns out it was too much fun and it virally spread throughout the gathering of kids. I realized this was going to be a problem when the second iPad came out to handle the que and quench line jumpers.

CakeDoodle is a clever app that provides the user the ability to make a cake from mixing up ingredients to finalizing the design with full-on decorations. I thought it might be a little complex for my 5 year old but she quickly picked it up and had a complete cake making assembly in minutes in true Cake Boss fashion. This is a perfect app for any parent who looks to enrich their child's creativity when faced with significant dwell time such as travel.

The app is available now at the Apple iTunes app store. Caution - you may loose contact with your child or wife for hours.

Switch is a Smart Multi-User Browser for iPads [Downloads]

2010-11-29T13:06:00.001-07:00

iPad only: The iPad is a device destined to be handed over to friends and passed among family members, but there are no user accounts or variable browser settings. Enter Switch, a clever browser that allows user accounts and anonymous guest browsing.

At its core, Switch sets up password-protected user accounts for a browser that show up whenever Switch is started up, or when returning from a screen lock. That alone makes it worth the current 99-cent price for many, but Switch has a few other tricks up its sleeve. Most helpful to iPad owners, who have a seeming obligation to show the device to their tablet-less friends, is a guest mode that doesn't mess with settings and wipes away history, cookies, and passwords whenever the guest is done.

Switch also offers multiple logins and passwords for individual sites, so those with multiple Twitter accounts, commenter logins, or other site credentials can switch between them at will.

Switch is 99 cents for a limited time in the iTunes Market, and is for iPads only. If you're far from the only one who touches their own iPad every week, it seems like a must-buy.
Switch [iTunes via @nathos]iPad only: The iPad is a device destined to be handed over to friends and passed among family members, but there are no user accounts or variable browser settings. Enter Switch, a clever browser that allows user accounts and anonymous guest browsing.

Switch also offers multiple logins and passwords for individual sites, so those with multiple Twitter accounts, commenter logins, or other site credentials can switch between them at will.

Original Link: http://lifehacker.com/5701088/switch-is-a-smart-multi+user-browser-for-ipads

via my6sense

BendDesk: the curved multitouch workspace of the future (video)

2010-11-29T12:54:00.001-07:00

The Media Computing Group -- otherwise known as the dudes and dudettes responsible for making multitouch hip again -- is back, and some might say better than ever. The BendDesk is an outlandish new concept workspace for the future, relying heavily on a curved multitouch display to bring the wow. The desk is the Group's vision of merging multitouch with a common physical area, and it's probably the best implementation we've seen yet. A full ten touch points are supported, but the lower portion is also designed to be used as a standard desk, holding your laptop, paperwork and ink pen collection if you so choose. Shockingly enough, the whole thing looks exceptionally ergonomic, too. Head on past the break for a glimpse of it being used, but don't hold your breath waiting for a ship date and price -- something tells us it'll be awhile before either of those are published.

Continue reading BendDesk: the curved multitouch workspace of the future (video)

BendDesk: the curved multitouch workspace of the future (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 27 Nov 2010 14:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | The Media Computing Group | Email this | Comments

Original Link: http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/27/benddesk-the-curved-multitouch-workspace-of-the-future-video/

via my6sense

X-37B Secret Space Plane To Land Soon

2010-11-29T12:52:00.001-07:00

Phoghat writes "The highly classified X-37B Space Plane is scheduled to land soon. It was launched from Cape Canaveral in Florida on April 22 atop an Atlas 5 rocket, and the Air Force is still being very secretive on all aspects of the flight. We do know that it's set to touch down at Vandenberg Air Force Base's 15,000-foot runway, originally built for the Space Shuttle program. In many ways, the craft resembles a Shuttle with stubby wings, landing gear and a powerful engine that allows the craft to alter its orbit (much to the dismay of many observers on the ground). Its success has apparently given new life to its predecessor, the X-34, which had been mothballed."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.Phoghat writes "The highly classified X-37B Space Plane is scheduled to land soon. It was launched from Cape Canaveral in Florida on April 22 atop an Atlas 5 rocket, and the Air Force is still being very secretive on all aspects of the flight. We do know that it's set to touch down at Vandenberg Air Force Base's 15,000-foot runway, originally built for the Space Shuttle program. In many ways, the craft resembles a Shuttle with stubby wings, landing gear and a powerful engine that allows the craft to alter its orbit (much to the dismay of many observers on the ground). Its success has apparently given new life to its predecessor, the X-34, which had been mothballed."

Weather Apps for IOS #ipad #iphone Meteogram, RadarScope, Boltmeter

2010-11-27T14:51:00.001-07:00

#mce_temp_url#First review as it pertains to my other blog ar done mods but those looking to chase or follow storms in their area may find this useful.

First up, Meteogram. Meteogram gives you a graph based view of what the future weather for a specific area might look like. It has a very intuitive layout that includes both imperial and metric temperature units as well as a set of customized views (wind speed, pressure, humidity, cloudiness) on the Y-axis with time on the X-axis. Also on the temperature line simple iconography indicates day/night/overcast/rain/etc... I use this app to better understand how the weather is going to look hour by hour to plan outside activities, one of which is flying the Parrot AR Drone (I blog about mods here). The drone is very susceptible to winds over 5 mph. Getting a glimpse as to when the winds might subside help me plan on when I can pilot. This would be helpful for those looking to run, fly a kite, or even know when the humidity will be low for astronomical viewing.

RadarScope is exactly as the name describes, a view of over 140 NEXRAD doppler radars. The level 3 data feed from NOAA gives you near realtime view of weather all over the lower 48 states with countless reflections. It now also includes Warning polygons for Tornado Warnings (RED), Severe Thunderstorm Warnings (YELLOW), and Flash Flood all of which being issued by the National Weather Service. You have complete pinch and zoom and can track large storms all across the nation as well as Storm Spotters on the ground. I use this app to keep close tabs on inclement weather while enjoying outdoor events, sitting in the airport wondering when we'll leave the tarmac, and scanning local storms reflectivity for a mesocyclone's tell-tale hook echo.

BoltMeter provides you with up to the minute lighting strike locations within a 30 mile radius. If your like me and love huge weather systems this app will help you know what the storm might be packing interms of static charge. This app helps me better position myself in or out of the line of fire and identify where the storm has the most potential.

Anyhow, just a couple I use frequently enough to recommend. I dont know why more in-car GPS systems have not included applications like these by default, they should. What weather apps do you like? Let me know.

Clouds and Storms

2010-11-25T20:02:00.001-07:00

My second life will involve weather engineering and storm chasing

Trips

2010-11-25T20:00:00.001-07:00

Places I go

Exciting Kinect Stuff Already Coming Out

2010-11-21T15:37:00.001-07:00

Just last week we learned that the Kinect had been hacked wide open and already we're seeing a flood of innovative stuff coming out. Jamie found a page with a lot of pictures and screenshots, and engadget has more.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.Just last week we learned that the Kinect had been hacked wide open and already we're seeing a flood of innovative stuff coming out. Jamie found a page with a lot of pictures and screenshots, and engadget has more.

After stuxnet, nuclear watchdog could gain computer security role

2010-11-21T15:32:00.001-07:00

An analysis of the computer worm has found it was tailored to sabotage uranium enrichment. In response, the IAEA is considering steps to help protect against future cyberattacks.

Original Link: http://bit.ly/buKN4d

via my6sense

Stick These Stickers On Your iPhone To Get Some "Real" Control [IPhone]

2010-11-14T12:27:00.001-07:00

#iphone Gaming on the iPhone is great! That is, until you try to hadouken. Then you realize its limitations. So if you're sick of using those stupid touchscreen controls, here's a desperately bright idea: attach plastic stickers to moonlight as physical buttons. More »#iphone Gaming on the iPhone is great! That is, until you try to hadouken. Then you realize its limitations. So if you're sick of using those stupid touchscreen controls, here's a desperately bright idea: attach plastic stickers to moonlight as physical buttons. More »

Original Link: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/IMZBIGS7biw/stick-these-stickers-on-your-iphone-to-get-some-real-control

via my6sense

5 Steps To Becoming An Expert Problem Solver

2010-11-14T12:26:00.001-07:00

Your ability to make money is directly proportionate to how well you solve problems for your customers.

Problem solving is one of the most highly valued characteristics you can have as an entrepreneur. Hone this skill and you reap the benefits of saving time, making money and finding the next big idea for your business.

Check out the five steps to becoming a great problem solver >>

Join the conversation about this story »

Lemmings-like Spirits for iPad out now

2010-11-14T12:24:00.001-07:00

Spirits for iPad, which I saw and played back at Indiecade this year, is out now on the App Store. The game is US$4.99, but as a premium iPad experience, it's worth it. The whole thing is extremely relaxing, and the art style is quite well done. If you enjoy Lemmings-style puzzle gameplay where your goal is to get a set of autonomous creatures to a level exit using their various abilities, you'll really enjoy finding your way through the 40 handmade levels in Spirits.

I was told a while back that an iPhone version is coming, but the iPad version was ready to go first, so here it is. Unfortunately, there's still no Game Center achievements or any other extra modes or gameplay, but that's ok. The point of the game is just to sit back and explore the world with these weird spirit creatures, so if you're looking to spend some quality gaming time with the iPad this weekend, Spirits won't let you down

Lemmings-like Spirits for iPad out now originally appeared on TUAW on Sat, 13 Nov 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Original Link: http://www.tuaw.com/2010/11/13/lemmings-like-spirits-for-ipad-out-now/

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Researchers Take Down Koobface Servers

2010-11-14T12:22:00.001-07:00

splitenz notes the first actions in the war against the Koobface botnet, taken on the heels of a comprehensive report (PDF) on the operations of the botnet and the criminal gang behind it. The researchers who analyzed Koobface are the same ones who brought Ghostnet to light. "Security researchers, working with law enforcement and Internet service providers, have disrupted the brains of the Koobface botnet.The computer identified as the command-and-control server used to send instructions to infected Koobface machines was offline late Friday (US Pacific time). Criminals behind the botnet made more than $US2 million in one year. Facebook accounts are used to lure victims to Google Blogspot pages, which in turn redirect them to Web servers that contain the malicious Koobface code. This action is only a stage in the war against Koobface."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.splitenz notes the first actions in the war against the Koobface botnet, taken on the heels of a comprehensive report (PDF) on the operations of the botnet and the criminal gang behind it. The researchers who analyzed Koobface are the same ones who brought Ghostnet to light. "Security researchers, working with law enforcement and Internet service providers, have disrupted the brains of the Koobface botnet.The computer identified as the command-and-control server used to send instructions to infected Koobface machines was offline late Friday (US Pacific time). Criminals behind the botnet made more than $US2 million in one year. Facebook accounts are used to lure victims to Google Blogspot pages, which in turn redirect them to Web servers that contain the malicious Koobface code. This action is only a stage in the war against Koobface."

AR Drone Mods: Ball-bearing Replacement for Stock Rotor Bushings

2010-11-14T12:01:00.001-07:00

AR Drone enthusiast are replacing the stock brass bushings for friction free ball bearings. Many have ordered from RCBearings.co.uk. which explains the lack of supply. For those living in the states, you can look at vxb.com where I placed an order for 10 ball bearings which was received in 4 days (fast).

For those looking for a how-to or step-by-step guide, check out Zenocha’s guide

I did not notice any increase in performance but the motors did seem to run cooler. This of course has not been confirmed with any actual readings and my ability to determine temp diffs with my fingers. I plan on replacing the bushings on the front two rotors opposed the back and determine a difference in temp between them. Test results to follow.

credit goes to jalexartis of http://cyclingexperiences.com/ for the initial post

Aymara people's "reversed" concept of time

2006-06-13T19:09:00.000-07:00

"David Pescovitz: The Aymara, an indigenous group in the Andes highlands, have a concept of time that's opposite our own spatial metaphor. A new study by cognitive scientists explains how the Aymara consider the past to be ahead and the future behind them. According to the study, this is the first documented culture that seems not to have mapped time with the properties of space 'as if (the future) were in front of ego and the past in back.' From UCSD:

The linguistic evidence seems, on the surface, clear: The Aymara language recruits “nayra,” the basic word for “eye,” “front” or “sight,” to mean “past” and recruits “qhipa,” the basic word for “back” or “behind,” to mean “future.” So, for example, the expression “nayra mara” – which translates in meaning to “last year” – can be literally glossed as “front year...'

[link]

Door looks like you walk through it

2006-06-13T18:52:00.000-07:00

"Mark Frauenfelder: Fukuda’s Automatic Door opens around your body as you pass through it. The idea is to save energy and keep the room clean. [link]:

New Super-Efficient Plug-in Hybrid Unveiled

2006-05-22T21:32:00.001-07:00

New Super-Efficient Plug-in Hybrid Unveiled: "'Trinity,' a highly fuel-efficient plug-in hybrid vehicle, was unveiled today by engineering students at the University of California, Davis. The vehicle is the team's entry in the national Challenge X competition, sponsored by General Motors Corp. and the U.S. Department of Energy. Field trials for the competition will take place in Phoenix next month."

PC case modded to look like a movie bad-guy bomb

2006-05-22T21:32:00.000-07:00

PC case modded to look like a movie bad-guy bomb: "Cory Doctorow: The WMD is a custom-built PC whose case resembles a shiny, hollywoodized terrorist bomb, straight out of a Bond flick. Bit-Tech has the incredibly detailed, lavish write-up of the build. The attention to detail is really remarkable. Link (via Digg)

"

Inflatable buildings - from an office to a pavilion

2006-05-22T21:30:00.000-07:00

Inflatable buildings - from an office to a pavilion: "Cory Doctorow: Britain's Inflate sells and rents gigantic inflatable structures, ranging from a small 'office in a box' to gigantic pavilions. Link (via Cribcandy)

"

DISH ViP 622 HDTV DVR Reviewed (Verdict: Convergently Great)

2006-05-22T21:27:00.000-07:00

DISH ViP 622 HDTV DVR Reviewed (Verdict: Convergently Great): "The TV junkies over at i4u reviewed the DISH Network HDTV DVR and found it a worthwhile purchase. The 250GB hard drive allows for 25 hours of HD programming or 180 hours of SD programming.

The unique feature of this box allows two rooms to watch TV through the device without having a separate receiver in the second room. How it works: connect the tuner in the first room, set the TV to a specific channel in the second room, and the tuner sends signals through your home's coax cable wire. The second room even gets its own remote so the two rooms don't need to be watching the same program. With this, you can watch one HD channel and record two separate standard definition channels.

The only downside is the cost. TiVo is much cheaper if you don't need the two-room functionality. An MCE machine with a separate MCE Extender may also be around the same price and offer extended functionality without the HD tuner capabilities. All in all, the feature set makes this DISH DVR worth the pr"

Microsoft Announces FlexGo Pay-As-You-Go Tech for Emerging Markets

2006-05-22T21:26:00.000-07:00

Microsoft Announces FlexGo Pay-As-You-Go Tech for Emerging Markets: "Pay 50% of the cost upfront, then pay-as-you-go for the remaining balance..."

Shoes Straight from the World of Tron

2006-05-22T21:24:00.000-07:00

Shoes Straight from the World of Tron: "Why hide your nerdiness from the world when you can walk around town in shoes inspired by that movie of movies, Tron? From Addidas and available in the UK for £65 (about $122), these shoes—officially called The Stan Smith Comfort—won't give you special superpowers or anything, but then again, neither will that 'Pwned!' shirt that you constantly wear. Apparently, the tongue shows a picture of Tron and the evil Master Control Programmer on the footbed, but you wouldn't know it from the pictures that Adidas supplied.

Are they worth importing all the way from the UK? We guess that depends on how much money you have to waste, as well as your level of self-confidence.

Product Page [Adidas UK via Kotaku]
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Related: Fostex Japan eA Any-Surface Speakers
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"

Research Highlights How Bacteria Produce Energy

2006-05-22T21:22:00.000-07:00

Research Highlights How Bacteria Produce Energy: "The world's smallest life forms could be the answer to one of today's biggest problems: providing sustainable, renewable energy for the future. Using a variety of natural food sources, bacteria can be used to create electricity, produce alternative fuels like ethanol and even boost the output of existing oil wells, according to research being presented this week at the 106th General Meeting of the (ASM) American Society for Microbiology in Orlando, Florida."

Fostex Japan eA Any-Surface Speakers

2006-05-22T21:21:00.000-07:00

Fostex Japan eA Any-Surface Speakers: "Similar to the Nimzy Vibro Blaster, Fostex Japan's eA speakers can be placed on any flat surface and turn it into a speaker. With a blue glow on the bottom reminiscent of the Griffin Powermate, the eA looks a lot classier.

The 3.5mm mini jack can be used with anything that has that sized port: iPod, laptop, PC, phone, you name it.

Available in June for $148.

Fostex Japan's eA Speakers [Akibalive]
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Related: How to Create a FireWire Network
Related: Iomega 60GB USB Drive
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"

EyeMove PC

2006-05-22T21:18:00.000-07:00

EyeMove PC: "Over the years those concepts which we use to see in sci-fi movies are being shaped for usage in normal lives. Just look at the EyeMove PC which in every sense is a mobile computing solution which makes even notebooks passé. The Eye Move PC not only looks ultra chic but also has an integrated projection lens controlled by a multi-function wireless controller. Thus all your tasks or multimedia content can be viewed on any wall or surface and you can access the PC via the wireless controller. That doesn’t mean that you go and throw out your mouse and keyboard in the dumpster since there’s no word on when it may actually be produced for the consumer markets.

Via YankoDesign "

Defense Tech: Gunners Train with Army Game

2006-05-16T13:37:00.000-07:00

The Army sure is getting their money's worth out of America's Army, a first-person shoot-em-up computer game developed as an innovative new military recruitment tool.

CROWS_XM312_0064-web_low.jpgNow the Pentagon is planning to use America's Army's gaming platform as a basic skills trainer on the new Common Remotely Operated Weapons Station (CROWS). And why not? Use a video game to train troops on...well, a video game. CROWS is a system that allows soldiers to manipulate a Humvee mounted variety of medium to heavy weaponary from the relative safety of inside the vehicle. It's just one of many Pentagon solutions aimed at combating the IED and sniper threat in Iraq. And it's already popular with the troops. 'The primary purpose of the CROWS is to get the gunner out of the turret where he is exposed to enemy fire and fragmentation and get him down inside the vehicle for protection,' Sergeant First Class Sam Cottrell said of the new weapon station, 'The CROWS system is an excellent tool. The advantages are obviously its optics, zoom and thermal capabilities.'

On display at this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo, members of the Army Games Project boasted that CROWS will also be available in the newest version of America's Army, titled Overmatch. Players will be allowed to operate the system precisely how it was intended to be used in real-life, with a team of up to 4 soldiers using the weapon station to engaged the enemy while stationary or on the move, using daytime or thermal imaging, and employing the M-2 machine gun or MK-19 grenade launcher. True to life, gamers will even have to deploy a team member to reload the weapon ouside the vehicle.

Bad puns aside, talk about getting more bang for your buck. Not only has America's Army become a hyper-effective recruiting device, the Army is now squeezing realistic training uses out of the game as well. I don't know if the Army is working on any more two-for-one specials, but somebody should send the Air Force the memo." [link]:

See the World Through the Eyes of a Baby - Gizmodo

2006-05-10T14:17:00.000-07:00

"A group of visual researchers have come up with a method that alters pictures so that they look like what babies see. (Just ignore that terrible phrasing and take a look a the picture to understand better.) Dubbed TinyEyes, it shows the clear progression of vision’s improvement through the first few weeks of life. By the looks of it, you’ve got eight weeks to get rid of that terrible Dave Matthews Band t-shirt you’ve been wearing, lest your child think you’re a total dweeb." [link]:

GM Hy-Wire automobile (video) - Automotoportal.com

2006-05-10T14:05:00.000-07:00

"GM Hy-Wire automobile (video)

General Motors has released video of Hy-wire, the first drivable vehicle that combines a hydrogen fuel cell with by-wire technology.

Not a car you will ever be able to buy, but definitely a sign of the future. Probably the most advanced power system in the world: a completely non polluting fuel cell that takes hydrogen and produces electricity with the only by-product being a little bit of water vapour. As if that wasn't enough, all the controls are 'by-wire' with no physical linkages from accelerator, brake or even steering wheel. That means the driver can press a button to change from right hand drive to left hand drive. How convenient would that be for European holidays?

GM Hy-Wire automobile (video) - Automotoportal.com:

DNA 11 Sucks Major Oat Tote [FrinkTank]

2006-03-16T10:54:00.000-07:00

DNA 11 Sucks Major Oat Tote [FrinkTank]: "

Anyone who has ever run a gel on some DNA will recognize the 'art' generated by DNA 11. And that's sort of the problem—all DNA 11 does, for a low special introductory offer of 390 big ones, is take some random snippet of your DNA—not even a deliberately meaningful one, mind you—and run a gel on it. You know, like any high school kid could do.

Then they blow it up real big so you can hang it o'er top of your italian leather sofa. (lyrics)

Far be it from me to poo-poo the convergence of science and art, but this is neither good science nor great art. Rather it trades, like so many of its ilk, on the fact that nobody else is simultaneously geeky, precious and greedy enough to even attempt it. Read the entire post | Read the comments on this post"

Digital sky-scope auto-locates and identifies stars

2006-03-16T10:53:00.000-07:00

Digital sky-scope auto-locates and identifies stars: "Cory Doctorow: The SkyScout is a sky-watching digital scope that automatically identifies stars, provides directions to other stars, and recites mythology about celestial bodies:

Simply point the SkyScout at any star in the sky and click the 'target' button. The SkyScout will instantly tell you what object you are looking at...

To locate a star or planet, select the object's name from the menu and follow the directional arrows through the viewfinder...

The SkyScout includes entertaining and educational audio and text information, including facts, trivia, history and mythology about our most popular celestial objects.
Link (via Red Ferret)

"

UK to US: we'll only buy open-source fighter jets

2006-03-16T10:51:00.000-07:00

UK to US: we'll only buy open-source fighter jets: "Cory Doctorow: The UK government has threatened to cancel an order for US-built Joint Strike Fighter jets unless America turns over the source-code for the jets' firmware.

Britain is worried that the jets could contain back-doors that let the US remotely disable them.

Lord Drayson, minister for defence procurement, told the The Daily Telegraph that the planes were useless without control of the software as they could effectively be 'switched off' by the Americans without warning.

'We do expect this technology transfer to take place. But if it does not take place we will not be able to purchase these aircraft,' said Lord Drayson. This is the big fight for the next twenty years: do your devices take orders from you or someone else? Whether it's the box on top of your TV, the phone in your pocket, or the fighter-jet in the hangar, no one wants to own a device that can be 0wned by its manufacturer or whomever that vendor sells you out to. Link (via /.)

"

Airline charges for aisle seats

2006-03-15T14:54:00.000-07:00

Airline charges for aisle seats: "David Pescovitz: I'm surprised it took this long, but the first airline is now charging extra for emergency-exit row and aisle seats. According to a Reuters article, Northwest's 'Coach Choice' will save some of those seats for sale to passengers as $15 upgrades at check-in. Meanwhile, American Eagle announced that they'll stop charging for soft drinks because nobody was buying. Link (Thanks, Jason Tester!)

"

Small Birthweight And Premature Births Associated With Higher Risk Of Child Abuse

2006-03-15T13:49:00.000-07:00

Small Birthweight And Premature Births Associated With Higher Risk Of Child Abuse: "Small birthweight and premature birth may be associated with a higher risk of child abuse and neglect, suggests research in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health."

Heart Science

2006-01-15T09:24:00.000-07:00

In heart news today

Thiamin Deficiency Common In Hospitalized Heart Failure Patients
"Among patients hospitalized with heart failure, about one in three has deficient levels of thiamin, although thiamin deficiency was less common among those patients who were taking vitamin supplements, according to a new study in the Jan. 17 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology."[link]:

People Who Restrict Calories Have 'Younger' Hearts
"The hearts of people who follow a low-calorie, yet nutritionally balanced, diet resemble those of younger people when examined by sophisticated ultrasound function tests, and they tend to have more desirable levels of some markers of inflammation and fibrosis, according to a new study in the Jan. 17 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology."
[link]:

Caffeine Limits Blood Flow To Heart Muscle During Exercise
"In healthy volunteers, the equivalent of two cups of coffee reduced the body's ability to boost blood flow to the heart muscle in response to exercise, and the effect was stronger when the participants were in a chamber simulating high altitude, according to a new study in the Jan. 17 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology." [link]:

Laser Weapons Still a Long Ways Off?

2006-01-15T09:06:00.000-07:00

Gizmodo writes:

"A Space.com article took at look at Doug Beason's book, The E-Bomb: How America's New Directed Energy Weapons Will Change the Way Wars Will Be Fought in the Future, shorten the title of that book for sakes. The Space.com article is reporting that the book says that the U.S. is close to deploying a new generation of weapons including lasers. Basically Mr. Beason is full of poo. The Tactical High Energy Laser was cancelled last year and the Airborne Laser is billions over budget and a couple years past its deadline. The main reason laser weapons are so difficult to produce is because the weapons use giant vats of toxic chemicals to produce the laser light, so this creates a big mobility issue. Solid state lasers (powered by crystals) could be used, but those are like kiddie toys compared to what chemical lasers can do. Sorry Star Wars and Star Trek cosplay junkies, no RL bew-bew guns to go with your outfit for a while."

However from the source article a Defense Tech Reader states:

An effective version of laser weaponry is ready for use today. The Chinese have installed it on the turret of the Type 98 MBT

"The procedure of the laser weapon would first use a low-powered beam to locate the optics of the enemy weapon. Once the enemy weapon was located, the power level of the laser would be immediately and dramatically increased. Such an attack would disable the guidance optics of the enemy weapon and/or damage the eyesight of the enemy gunner."

Using lasers as blinding weapons would be a most efficient way of rendering your enemy "combat ineffective" and is available today. Apparently the Chinese have no qualms about using them in this manner.

Gizmodo:[link]
Defense Tech:[link]

Sift through interstellar dust in your free time!

2006-01-15T08:50:00.000-07:00

Alright! Another attempt by NASA to bring a space craft to earth, hopefully with little impact. This is scheduled to land on the 15th early Sunday morning (3:12 am) and being in Southern Idaho we have an excellent chance of viewing its decent. So, if your up and you have your camera in hand grab some shots. I will do my best in capturing the event and share it all with you that morning. Location and Maximum Elevation map

Science Daily says: Comet Dust Brought Back To Earth: Paving The Way For Rosetta

"Mark Frauenfelder: Gareth Branwyn reports in Street Tech: 'You likely already know about Seti@Home and Folding@Home, but did you know that you'll soon have the opportunity to rummage through intersellar dirt at home, thanks to UC Berkeley's Stardust@Home project?

'When the Stardust spacecraft returns to Earth later this week (Sunday), its dust-bag will be filled with what it vaccumed out of the tail of comet Wild 2. While bringing this material back home is exciting enough, the spacecraft will also have a few grains of interstellar dust in its hoppers. And that's where Stardust@Home comes in. Scientists only expect to find 45 or so grains of such dust in the craft's collectors, creating a needle in a haystack scenario. So they decided to use the distributed eyeballs of the Internet to help speed the search. They've created a Virtual Microscope which will allow volunteer researchers to digitally scan the aerogel tiles where the submicroscopic grains have been trapped. Scientists hope that by finding and studying this interstellar dust, they can learn more about the internal processes of the supernova, flaring red giants, and neutron stars that would likely produce such dust.'

link
[link, BoingBoing]:

UPDATED
"Xeni Jardin: NASA Stardust mission on final approach for landing

John Parres says,

Stardust is completing a 2.88 billion mile round-trip odyssey to capture and return cometary and interstellar dust particles to Earth in two days (2:12AM PST).

Sunday) The spacecraft performs its last maneuver on Friday, Jan. 13, at 8:53 p.m. Pacific time (9:53 p.m. Mountain time) to put it on the correct path to enter Earth's atmosphere. The speed of the sample return capsule as it enters Earth's atmosphere at 46,440 kilometers per hour (28,860 miles per hour) will be the greatest of any human-made object on record. The previous record was set in May 1969 by the returning Apollo 10 command module. Cool stuff. I will definately be tuning into NASA TV! Link to mission, Link to animations.

[link]:

How Elasticity Affects The Market For Illegal Goods

2006-01-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

An interesting article about how enforement and market respond to illegal goods.

In an important new study, world-renowned economists -- including a Nobel Prize winner and a MacArthur 'genius' -- argue that when demand for a good is inelastic, the cost of making consumption illegal exceeds the gain. Their forthcoming paper in the Journal of Political Economy is a definitive explanation of the economics of illegal goods and a thoughtful explication of the costs of enforcement.

The authors demonstrate how the elasticity of demand is crucial to understanding the effects of punishment on suppliers. Enforcement raises costs for suppliers, who must respond to the risk of imprisonment and other punishments. This cost is passed on to the consumer, which induces lower consumption when demand is relatively elastic. However, in the case of illegal goods like drugs -- where demand seems inelastic -- higher prices lead not to less use, but to an increase in total spending.

In the case of drugs, then, the authors argue that excise taxes and persuasive techniques -- such as advertising -- are far more effective uses of enforcement expenditures.

'This analysis ... helps us understand why the War on Drugs has been so difficult to win ... why efforts to reduce the supply of drugs leads to violence and greater power to street gangs and drug cartels,' conclude the authors. 'The answer lies in the basic theory of enforcement developed in this paper.'

[link]Source: ScienceDaily

NYT on indigo children

2006-01-13T08:41:00.000-07:00

My aunt believes her son (my cousin) can see auras. They both have commented on the seeing indigo more so they they have before. This is not to say I believe in what they see, to me it coincides with the first occurence (1970) and where we are in the world today Vietnam/Iraq, Nixon/Bush. I have no doubt that this "research" is US based and that sociopolitical views are hoping that our children see what we are doing and fight to change this for them in the future.

"David Pescovitz: Today's New York Times has a long article about 'indigo children' and, well, the new age parents who love them. According to believers, indigo children are psychologically and spiritually more advanced than other kids. Some apparently even have telepathic powers. From the article:

Indigo children were first described in the 1970's by a San Diego parapsychologist, Nancy Ann Tappe, who noticed the emergence of children with an indigo aura, a vibrational color she had never seen before. This color, she reasoned, coincided with a new consciousness.

In 'The Indigo Children,' (authors Lee) Carroll and (Jan) Tober define the phenomenon. Indigos, they write, share traits like high I.Q., acute intuition, self-confidence, resistance to authority and disruptive tendencies, which are often diagnosed as attention-deficit disorder, known as A.D.D., or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, or A.D.H.D.

'To me these children are the answers to the prayers we all have for peace,' said Doreen Virtue, a former psychotherapist for adolescents who now writes books and lectures on indigo children. She calls the indigos a leap in human evolution. 'They're vigilant about cleaning the earth of social ills and corruption, and increasing integrity,' Ms. Virtue said. 'Other generations tried, but then they became apathetic. This generation won"

[link](thanks, boing boing):

Need a gift now? DIY Vase!

2006-01-11T15:20:00.000-07:00

"The DIY Wonder Vase. Fill with warm water, hand form to your preferred shape, empty and re-fill with cold water to set. Rinse and repeat as needed. Best of all you can smooth them flat for storage. Neato thermal sensitive polymer see? Set of two – $12.95 each." [link]:

Chuck Norris responds to chucknorrisfacts.com

2006-01-11T10:34:00.000-07:00

"Xeni Jardin:

The action star known for high-style facial hair and high-caliber weaponry responded today to spoof site chucknorrisfacts.com,which lists such 'facts' as

# Crop circles are Chuck Norris' way of telling the world that sometimes corn needs to lie the fuck down.

On his vanity site, Norris plugs his autobiography and shrugs off the prank domain. 'I do know that boys will be boys,' he says of the internet. And those of us without facial hair know the internet is not comprised entirely of boys." Link (Thanks, Naimul)

Source: [link] (thanks Xeni Jardin @ Boing Boing)

Can transplanted organs also transplant the donor�s personality?

2006-01-11T10:25:00.000-07:00

"Professor Schwartz has detailed over 70 cases which demonstrate this phenomenon.

In one such case, a young dancer received a heart-and-lung transplant. Before the operation, she had been very health-conscious; yet, the very first thing she did on leaving the hospital was to head for a Kentucky Fried Chicken outlet, and wolf down an order of chicken nuggets‹something she would never have done before. Her personality changed, too: she became aggressive and impetuous whereas, before, she had been calm and conservative.

She decided to investigate and, after much battling against the medical bureaucracy, she discovered that her heart�lung donor was an 18-year-old man who had died in a motorcycle accident. He had been an aggressive and impetuous lad who had a passion for Kentucky Fried Chicken‹in fact, uneaten KFC nuggets had been found in his motorcycle jacket on the very day of his death.

Another notable case is that of an eight-year-old girl who had received the heart of a 10-year-old girl who had been brutally murdered. After the transplant, the recipient began to experience horrifying nightmares. Her dreams were consistently about being murdered, and they were so traumatic that a psychiatrist was called in to help. What he heard convinced him that the girl was describing the actual circumstances of her donor�s murder. When the details were given to the police, these proved to be so accurate that the killer was easily identified and apprehended.1" [link] Share The Wealth

Washington Post on milliondollarhomepage.com

2006-01-11T10:19:00.000-07:00

"The Washington Post has a feature on Alex Tew, the twenty-one-year-old creator of the Million Dollar Homepage. Tew sold 10-by-10 pixel advertising tiles on the page for $100 each. When the eBay auction for the last of the page's real estate ends tomorrow at 1:42 pm EST, Tew will have earned much more than $1 million. Of course, there are now a slew of copycats and spoof sites too. From the article:

Not sure initially that a single pixel would sell, Tew felt the idea had potential, so he aimed high. 'I asked myself the question, 'How could I become a millionaire?' Twenty minutes later I had the answer,' he says. In the beginning, he reasoned, even 1 or 2 percent of a million dollars wouldn't be bad.

The phenomenon he created has been hailed by some as a genre-changing concept in online marketing -- otherwise an advertising badlands of spam, banner ads and pop-ups. Others say it's a brilliant, one-time marketing aberration that will never be replicated.

Whatever it is, the Million Dollar Homepage isn't a pretty site -- even as it nears completion and begins a guaranteed minimum five-year lifespan. Tew calls this head-cocking creation 'a big collage of different colored ads.' It looks like a bulletin board on designer steroids, an advertising train wreck you can't not look at. Think 'Where's Waldo?,' only more cluttered and without a Waldo. It's like getting every pop-up ad you ever got in your life, at once. It's the Internet equivalent of suddenly feeling like you want to take a shower.

Link (Thanks, Paul Saffo!)

UPDATE: Thanks to the zillion readers who point out that Waldo is on the page, at least currently."

Source: [link]( thanks, Boing Boing)

Galactic porn: NASA Spitzer mosaic of Milky Way center

2006-01-11T09:43:00.000-07:00

"Image: released today, this infrared mosaic from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope with a breathtaking view of our galaxy's core. Man, sometimes I wish my monitor was IMAX. Boing Boing [link]:
Link (Via Bruce Sterling). Source: NASA/JPL-Caltech/S. Stolovy (Spitzer Science Center/ Caltech)"

HOWTO convert an Oral B flosser into a vibrating lockpick

2006-01-11T09:29:00.000-07:00

"Here's a simple recipe for converting a low-cost Oral B 'Hummingbird' vibrating flosser into a vibrating lock-pick that can 'pop most popular padlocks open in seconds with very little effort.'" [link] (Thanks, Boing Boing)

Counter-script to use on telemarketers

2006-01-11T09:21:00.000-07:00

"The next time a telemarketer rings you, try this 'counter-script' in which you quiz the caller on her/his favorite toothpaste, working conditions, residence, etc, and finally rate the telemarketer and fax the completed counterscript to a project compiling information on telemarketers' habits and responses. [link]: (Thanks, Cory!) BoingBoing
Original item:"

Levi's Gets Into iPod Picture - Gizmodo

2006-01-11T09:16:00.000-07:00

"Yup, even a staid brand like Levi’s has decided to partner up with Apple. Announced at MacWorld, the two companies are bringing us Levi’s Redwire DLX Jeans, which they claim will integrate iPod plug and play technology. Basically, this means that there will be an iPod docking cradle built into the side pocket—which the company promises will be virtually invisible. Dunno how they plan on pulling that off, but ok (especially if anyone wears their jeans as tight as this guy). Also expect a special 4-way, joystick remote control in the watch pocket and a retractable headphone unit to manage earphone wires (not sure where that will be just yet). No photos of these stunningly high-tech jeans and no price, but they will be available for both men and women sometime this fall." [link] Gizmodo:

Toyota Using NXT Speakers for Speacial Sound System - Gizmodo

2006-01-10T15:44:00.000-07:00

"Toyota is going over-the-top with its 2007 FJ Cruiser SUV, that will be using NXT SurfaceSound flat panel speaker technology in the roof liner speaker system. Announced by NXT at CES, the SUV is powered by a 4.0L V6 24-valve engine and comes with a choice of six-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission. The NXT system is built into the roofliner, but also complements the vehicles conventional speakers, hopefully giving you a broad, omni-directional dispersion of sound. The system comes with an AM/FM/CD system with six speakers fitted as standard (including NXT-based roof liner)or other options that include an eight speaker system with six-disc CD changer and a nine speaker system, complete with subwoofer." [link]:

NASA To Return First Comet Samples To Earth

2006-01-10T13:31:00.000-07:00

"LOS ANGELES -- Comets have long lit up the sky and the imaginations of scientists. Now these icy bodies from the beginnings of the solar system are finally ready for their close-up.

Six months after NASA scientists first peeked inside one comet from afar, they're bringing pieces of another to Earth for study under the microscope.

This weekend, the Stardust spacecraft will jettison a 100-pound capsule holding comet dust. It will nosedive through the Earth's atmosphere and -- if all goes well -- make a soft landing in the Utah desert." [link] NBC11.com:

'Quiet' Mach 6 wind tunnel at Purdue helps shape future aircraft

2006-01-10T12:52:00.000-07:00

"No other wind tunnel runs quietly while conducting experiments in airstreams traveling at Mach 6 – six times the speed of sound, said Steven Schneider, an aerospace engineer and professor in Purdue's School of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Researchers will use the $1 million wind tunnel to help design advanced aircraft that travel at hypersonic speeds, or faster than Mach 5, which is about 4,000 miles per hour at sea level." [link]:

Optimus keyboard

2006-01-09T08:47:00.000-07:00

I want this! Optimus keyboard

Deaf hacker rewrites implant-firmware so he can enjoy music again

2006-01-05T12:04:00.000-07:00

"Cory Doctorow: A deaf hacker diligently tinkered with the firmware on his cochlear implant, trying to get it to faithfully render out Ravel's symphony, Boléro, eventually meeting with success. Michael Chorost was born with partial hearing, and at 15, he discovered that Boléro was audible to him, and it became a touchstone for him, a piece of music that he developed a deep emotional attachment to. In 2001, Chorost experienced the sudden, total loss of the remains of his hearing, and Boléro was lost to him, seemingly forever.

In this Wired feature, Chorost chronicles the amazing journey he embarked upon, learning the science of acoustics, of music, and of signal processing, reprogramming the firmware in his implanted prosthetic with the help of experts around the world with various theories about the psychoacoustic basis for music.

The story is gripping, fascinating and informative -- a template for a tale that I believe will become more and more prevalent in times to come: a person who relies on computerized prosthetics not being satisfied with the features that were included with it out of the box, taking it upon herself to improve it, to extend it, using her own body and perceptions as a labratory for experiments on human perception and performance. [lin k]:

Nursing home residents prefer dogs to other residents?

2006-01-05T12:00:00.000-07:00

"David Pescovitz: In a new study, a professor of geriatrics reports that nursing home residents would rather hang out with just a dog than a dog and other residents. The study, led by William A. Banks of the Saint Louis University School of Medicine, included 37 residents who scored high on a loneliness scale and desired half-hour dog visits once a week. Half of the group spent the time alone with the dog. The others participated in group visits with one to three other residents and the pooch. Those who had the one-on-one time with the dog 'experienced a much more significant decrease in loneliness after five to six weeks of visits.' From a press release:

“It was a strange finding,” said Banks, who also is a staff physician at Veterans Affairs Medical Center in St. Louis. “We had thought that the dog acts as a social lubricant and increases the interaction between the residents. We expected the group dog visits were going to work better, but they didn’t.

“The residents found a little quiet time with the pooch is a lot nicer than spending time with a dog and other people,” he said." [link]:

Drawing interface for Flickr

2006-01-05T11:52:00.000-07:00

"David Pescovitz: Retrievr is a neat Flickr hack from System One that searches a database of images based on simple drawings rather than tags. I drew the branch on the left and the image on the right was one of the search results. From the project description:

Does it actually work?

Yes! That is, it depends. (Mainly on your expectations!)

In my experience, the results are usually fairly good, sometimes even stunning - considering the artistic sophistication most of us are able to come up with (gallery forthcoming); and in the cases they're not so stellar, they are at least entertaining ;-) But clearly, the approach has its limits.

One thing to keep in mind is that retrievr doesn't do object/face/text recognition of any kind, so if you're drawing an outline sketch of a chair, it almost certainly won't get you one back (except your index only contains images of chairs). The same holds for corporate logos, icons &c.
It helps to think of it as matching the most pronounced shapes and slabs of colors. Link to Retrievr, Link to info about other 'Search By Drawing' projects (via Drawn!)"[link]:

Ovale Vanity Cabinet from Porcher

2006-01-05T11:49:00.000-07:00

The simple lines and natural materials of the Ovale cabinet emphasize the most current, popular ideas in bathroom design. The Ovale cabinet would compliment that simple spa environment that so many people are trying to create. The pushbutton doors and hidden hinges enhance the unobstructed look. Another great quality of this cabinet is that the height can be customized. The vanity cabinet is 26” wide and includes 2 sets of legs to provide for the most appropriate height for you. The multiple options for natural stone tops make it ease to compliment the other elements of your space. The high-quality maple and hardwood construction is coated with a vinyl based protective coat to ensure a long life. Go to Porcher to get your catalog or find a dealer near you." [link]: "

Navy Wants Insurgent-Predicting Program

2006-01-05T11:33:00.000-07:00

"It was senior year, and I had just taken a semester off to work for the Clinton campaign in Philadelphia. So I figured it'd be the easiest A ever if I signed up for an urban politics class.

The professor, a pearl-wearing blond fresh out of grad school, confessed she had never actually lived in a city before. But that didn't stop her from having all kinds of theories about how urban politics really worked. And that included a formula --- a mathematical formula -- that she said described how mayors and aldermen made their decisions. I think I laughed out loud when she first wrote it on the blackboard.

This Navy proposal (scroll down) is way more serious, of course. And they claim that it's already worked before. But I couldn't help thinking of that professor back at Georgetown, when I read about the Navy's idea to use a computer program to predict insurgent attacks in places like Iraq.

In current U.S. operations, terrorist and insurgent forces enjoy a significant advantage by being able to launch surprise attacks, whether by small arms, mortar, or improvised explosive devices (IEDs), against weakly defended or undefended targets and disappearing before U.S. forces can concentrate for a counterstrike. Better prediction of where and when such attacks are most likely to occur would therefore be of great benefit, allowing smart allocatio" [link]:

The real meening to numa

2006-01-04T09:54:00.000-07:00

For you to decide. No wonder it was so wildly popular Putfile - the real meening to numa

New Intel Logos On the Way?

2005-12-29T08:47:00.000-07:00

"Intel?s been in the news a lot as of late, much of it relating to the possible launch of Intel-based Macs at next month?s MacWorld. So it only seems fitting that the rumor mills are a-turning, here relating to the company?s logo. Allegedly, gone will be the now-familiar ?Intel Inside? sticker, replaced with a new sticker detailing the type of processor that lies within. That is, each processor family is getting its own tags. Will we be seeing one of these on Steve Jobs?s computers in a few weeks? time?

[link]:
"

New Study Shows Animal Family Tree Looking Bushy In Places

2005-12-26T11:27:00.000-07:00

"Two decades ago, with the advent of methods to look at the family relationships of different organisms by analyzing DNA, scientists envisioned it would only be a matter of time before the various family trees for plants, animals, fungi and their kin would be resolved with genetic precision." [link]:

Motorized Bicycle That Works Off Fuel Cells

2005-12-26T11:26:00.000-07:00

"Cidetec Technology Centre?s Energy Department has designed a prototype for a motorized bicycle that works off fuel cells. The project, financed by the Gipuzkoa Provincial Government, involved using a bicycle kindly provided by the ORBEA bicycle manufacturing company and the pedalling action of which is assisted by a motor. The novelty lies in that the battery power source for the motor is substituted by a fuel cell which, for its operation, only needs oxygen from the air and hydrogen contained under pressure in a small tank." [link]

Bigger Brain Size Matters For Intellectual Ability

2005-12-26T11:25:00.000-07:00

"The study, led by neuroscientist Sandra Witelson, a professor in the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, and published in the December issue of the journal Brain, has provided some of the clearest evidence on the underlying basis of differences in intelligence.

The study involved testing of intelligence in 100 neurologically normal, terminally ill volunteers, who agreed that their brains be measured after death." [link]:

The RFID address book desk

2005-12-26T11:19:00.000-07:00

"Timo Arnall's excellent experiment with RFID and physical spaces, like his desk...'For the last couple of weeks I have been experimenting with tagging personal space with the NFC. This started by embedding RFID tags in my desk, to use it as an information surface for contacts, SMSes and links. Underneath the desk I have stuck a grid of RFID tags, and on the top surface, the same grid of post-it notes. With the standard Nokia Service Discovery application it is possible to call people, send pre-defined SMSes or load URLs by touching the phone to each post-it on the desk.' [LINK]

New Synthetic Compounds Appear To Prevent Brain Cell Death

2005-12-23T08:59:00.000-07:00

"Spanish chemists have developed a promising set of synthetic compounds that one day could help slow or perhaps halt the progression of Alzheimer's disease and other neurological disorders. The preliminary finding, based on test tube studies by researchers at the Universidad de Granada and others, appears in the Dec. 29 issue of the American Chemical Society's Journal of Medicinal Chemistry."

[link]: thanks science daily

Research Clarifies How Brain Replenishes Memory-making Molecules

2005-12-22T18:08:00.000-07:00

"New research on living neurons has clarified how the brain refreshes the supply of molecules it needs to make new memories. Focusing on live neurons cultured from rats, researchers have discovered clear evidence to dispel the prevailing view that receptors at the synapse are constantly being replaced by stores inside the cell. Rather, the scientists found that the synaptic receptors are relatively stable, lasting about 16 hours before they are replaced." Research Clarifies How Brain Replenishes Memory-making Molecules:

Scientists Narrow The Time Limits For The Human And Chimpanzee Split

2005-12-22T16:14:00.000-07:00

"A research team proposes that the time when the most recent common ancestor of humans and their closest ape relatives -- the chimpanzees -- lived was between 5 and 7 million years ago -- a sharper focus than previous estimates of anywhere from 3 to 13 million years ago. Gene studies are needed because the interpretation of the earliest fossils of humans at the ape/human boundary are controversial and almost no fossils of chimpanzees have been discovered." Linky: Thanks Science Daily

Scientists Narrow The Time Limits For The Human And Chimpanzee Split

2005-12-22T16:13:00.000-07:00

Bruce Schneier's op-ed on unchecked presidential power

2005-12-21T10:42:00.000-07:00

"Xeni Jardin: Snip from an opinion piece by digital security expert Bruce Schneier, following up on last week's New York Times story on domestic spying by the NSA:

[T]he president's wartime powers, with its armies, battles, victories, and congressional declarations, now extend to the rhetorical 'War on Terror': a war with no fronts, no boundaries, no opposing army, and -- most ominously -- no knowable 'victory.' Investigations, arrests and trials are not tools of war. But according to the Yoo memo, the president can define war however he chooses, and remain 'at war' for as long as he chooses.

This is indefinite dictatorial power. And I don't use that term lightly; the very definition of a dictatorship is a system that puts a ruler above the law. In the weeks after 9/11, while America and the world were grieving, Bush built a legal rationale for a dictatorship. Then he immediately started using it to avoid the law.

This is, fundamentally, why this issue crossed political lines in Congress. If the president can ignore laws regulating surveillance and wiretapping, why is Congress bothering to debate reauthorizing certain provisions of the Patriot Act? Any debate over laws is predicated on the belief that the executive branch will follow the law. Minneapolis Star-Tribune link/a>: link - Boing Boing/a>:

Popular Antidepressants Boost Brain Growth, Hopkins Scientists Report

2005-12-21T10:34:00.000-07:00

"Antidepressants, such as Prozac, Zoloft and Paxil, have long been thought to exert their clinical effects by increasing synaptic concentrations of serotonin and norepinephrine, enhancing or stimulating their transference.

?But our findings -- that serotonin reuptake modulators increase the density of nerve synapses, especially in the front part of the brain - may offer a better explanation of why antidepressants are effective and why they take time to work,? according to Koliatsos."link - ScienceDaily:

Stalin's army of man-apes

2005-12-21T10:23:00.000-07:00

"David Pescovitz: Recently-uncovered documents in Moscow apparently reveal that Josef Stalin hoped to crossbreed humans and apes to create superwarriors. In 1926, animal breeding scientist Illya Ivanov was sent to Africa with $200,000 to begin the project while a laboratory was established in Georgia. After the project didn't pan out, Ivanov was exiled to Kazakhstan. From The Scotsman:

According to Moscow newspapers, Stalin told the scientist: 'I want a new invincible human being, insensitive to pain, resistant and indifferent about the quality of food they eat...'

Mr Ivanov's experiments, unsurprisingly from what we now know, were a total failure. He returned to the Soviet Union, only to see experiments in Georgia to use monkey sperm in human volunteers similarly fail.

A final attempt to persuade a Cuban heiress to lend some of her monkeys for further experiments reached American ears, with the New York Times reporting on the story, and she dropped the idea amid the uproar. Link "Stalin's army of man-apes on BoingBoing:

Media Photoshop Retouching

2005-12-19T15:04:00.000-07:00

Client: Ministry of Health and Social Affairs
Title: Retouch

The media world is becoming increasingly fixated on appearances. And the number of tricks used to achieve the increasingly exaggerated ideals is growing. Many models have plastic surgery and even more are retouched so they appear to have bigger breasts, smaller stomachs or fuller lips.

We wanted to show how easy it is to change someone?s appearance in this campaign.Media Photoshop Retouching

Biobased Plastic Flexes Its Muscle

2005-12-19T12:20:00.000-07:00

Electroactive polymers?plastics that expand or contract when stimulated by electricity?can now be made from plants rather than petrochemicals, according to Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists in Peoria, Ill.

Biobased Plastic Flexes Its Muscle: "Biobased Plastic Flexes Its Muscle"

Bendy Microprocessor on Plastic - Gizmodo

2005-12-16T10:50:00.000-07:00

Not much other then a report right now, but it looks like TDK has teamed up with Japanese Semiconductor Energy Laboratory to make a bendable microprocessor. The transistors will be made on glass first, then transferred to plastic. The processor will also have wireless capabilities and built-in signal encryption.

Firm makes bent CPU [The Inquirer]

[link] thanks Gizmodo!

QRIO: Sees the Future with Third Eye - Gizmodo

2005-12-16T10:48:00.000-07:00

Ah yes, the third eye. We?ve all dreamed of having one, though where we?d put it is still up in the air. So it?s nice to know Sony?s toddler-sized QRIO humanoid robot now has this distinct advantage?smack in the middle of its forehead. The main point of this advancement? To be able to see several people at once, but focus in on only one. So yeah, it still dances, talks, makes general merriment, but now the QRIO can connect, man. This new, improved QRIO was introduced at an intelligent machines exhibit in the Japanese shopping district of Ginza, where the diminutive mechanical humanoid also put on quite a show flirting with the girls (and singling out one particular girl to freak out) and stacking blocks according to color and size. That?s quite an extra eye, Sony. Will it come standard on the PS3?

Sony?s robot attains enlightenment with third eye [Reuters]

QRIO Product Page [Sony]

[link] Thanks Gizmodo

NSA spies on US: calls, emails intercepted without warrants

2005-12-16T10:35:00.000-07:00

NSA spies on US: calls, emails intercepted without warrants: "Xeni Jardin: Snip from NYT story today:

Months after the Sept. 11 attacks, President Bush secretly authorized the National Security Agency to eavesdrop on Americans and others inside the United States to search for evidence of terrorist activity without the court-approved warrants ordinarily required for domestic spying, according to government officials.

Under a presidential order signed in 2002, the intelligence agency has monitored the international telephone calls and international e-mail messages of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people inside the United States without warrants over the past three years in an effort to track possible 'dirty numbers' linked to Al Qaeda, the officials said. The agency, they said, still seeks warrants to monitor entirely domestic communications.

The previously undisclosed decision to permit some eavesdropping inside the country without court approval was a major shift in American intelligence-gathering practices, particularly for the National Security Agency, whose mission is to spy on communications abroad. As a result, some officials familiar with the continuing operation have questioned whether the surveillance has stretched, if not crossed, constitutional limits on legal searches. Link

"

Boys More Likely When Pregnancy Takes Longer

2005-12-16T10:32:00.000-07:00

"The longer it takes to get pregnant, the more chance there is of having a boy, finds a study in this week's British Medical Journal. Dutch researchers analysed data for 5,283 women who gave birth to single babies between July 2001 and July 2003."[Link] Science Daily: "

Stretchable silicon

2005-12-15T19:45:00.000-07:00

"David Pescovitz: Researchers have developed a form of single-crystal silicon that can be stretched so that electronic circuits could be fabricated on rubber. To prove the concept, professor John Rogers, a materials scientist at at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Chamapign, and his colleagues made diodes and transistors that matched the performance or rigid devices, but 'could be repeatedly stretched and compressed without damage.' From a press release:

Functional, stretchable and bendable electronics could be used in applications such as sensors and drive electronics for integration into artificial muscles or biological tissues, structural monitors wrapped around aircraft wings, and conformable skins for integrated robotic sensors, said Rogers...

To create their stretchable silicon, the researchers begin by fabricating devices in the geometry of ultrathin ribbons on a silicon wafer using procedures similar to those used in conventional electronics. Then they use specialized etching techniques to undercut the devices. The resulting ribbons of silicon are about 100 nanometers thick – 1,000 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair.

In the next step, a flat rubber substrate is stretched and placed on top of the ribbons. Peeling the rubber away lifts the ribbons off the wafer and leaves them adhered to the rubber surface. Releasing the stress in the"

thanks boingboing:

Electronic Walls And Ceilings Make It Easy To Change Lighting And Room Design

2005-12-15T15:14:00.000-07:00

"The Alliance for Solid-State Illumination Systems and Technologies (ASSIST), an LED industry group organized by the Lighting Research Center (LRC) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, unveiled a novel concept for lighting homes and offices. The design integrates light-emitting diode (LED) technology with building materials and systems to create electronic walls and ceilings. The design includes interchangeable, modular panels with integrated LED lighting fixtures that 'snap' in and out of an electrical grid."[link] thanks sciencedaily!:

Google Adds Music Search and Purchase Features

2005-12-15T14:41:00.000-07:00

"Google is at it again. They have now launched a new music searching feature that combs through artist and album information: The music search feature is prominently placed above the main search results in what Google calls its 'one box' area - where information such as weather, movies or books may also be highlighted. When a user..."

[link] thanks anandtech:

Google - Home Page layout

2005-12-15T11:48:00.000-07:00

[Like the new home page attributes of Google however, I depend on thier reader more then the home page.  If they could add reader to the layout I am sold]

Sex for an Xbox 360?

2005-12-15T08:52:00.000-07:00

From digg.com.

Craigslist ad purported to be from two female gamers who would do anything to get the next-gen console.

Link to article.

King Kong gets extra-special effects as quake rattles screening - Yahoo! News

2005-12-14T15:31:00.000-07:00

"The quake measuring 4.5 on the Richter scale hit Wellington about an hour into the film and at first it was difficult to tell what was happening." [link] thanks Yahoo!:

Fuel cell motorcycle

2005-12-14T11:55:00.000-07:00

From popgadget." I think it would be pretty cool to own the world's first fuel cell motorcycle. It doesn't drive very fast and it's slightly homely but it emits water only and runs very quietly for $6,000. Still waiting for Vespa to get it together... (Sheigh)"

Incredibly tiny RC controller helicopters...

2005-12-13T17:25:00.000-07:00

"Scott writes 'Alexander Van de Rostyne has been designing and fabricating ever-smaller micro-helicopters out of advanced materials, batteries and remote control systems for the last six years or so. The latest has 4 channel control and weighs in at 6.9 grams ( 1/4 ounce ) with battery.' Link. The site has tons of photos, details on the miniaturization efforts and hamster comparisons."Incredibly tiny RC controller helicopters...:

HP creates Halo effect for videoconferencing | CNET News.com

2005-12-13T09:58:00.000-07:00

"NEW YORK--Hewlett-Packard has launched a new videoconferencing product, underscoring its ambition to become a leading player in the enterprise collaboration market.

Dubbed the HP Halo Collaboration Studio, the e-conferencing package encompasses digital visual products and collaboration software tools. It can create realistic collaborative interaction through a color-calibrated visual experience, a key differentiator compared with traditional products, the company said." [link] Thanks | CNET News.com:

Key Brain Regulatory Gene Shows Evolution In Humans

2005-12-13T09:17:00.000-07:00

"Researchers have discovered the first brain regulatory gene that shows clear evidence of evolution from lower primates to humans. They said the evolution of humans might well have depended in part on hyperactivation of the gene, called prodynorphin (PDYN), that plays critical roles in regulating perception, behavior and memory." [link] ScienceDaily:

Recycled scrap-lumber bedframe

2005-12-13T08:44:00.000-07:00

"Cory Doctorow: At €7,450 this bed-frame made from recycled and cleverly fitted lumps of scrap lumber is more the kind of thing you admire than the kind of thing you run out and buy. That said, the idea is cool enough to try out in a home workshop. Link (via Cribcandy)

[link] :