GTRI develops prototype chicken-deboning robot

Gary McMurray, chief of GTRI's Food Processing Technology Division, with the Intelligent Cutting and Deboning System

Chickens have another reason to lose sleep thanks to roboticists at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI). Using 3D imaging technology, the Intelligent Cutting and Deboning System developed at GTRI can debone an entire chicken with the skill of a human butcher and has the potential of saving the poultry industry millions of dollars by reducing costs and waste.

Two more UK internet service providers block The Pirate Bay

The Pirate Bay is already inaccessible via most UK internet service providers, though workarounds are relatively easy to find

Another milestone in the ongoing effort by UK lawmakers to restrict access to The Pirate Bay was reached on Friday, as British internet service providers Be Broadband and parent company O2 joined counterparts Sky Broadband, Virgin Media and Everything Everywhere in blocking access to the controversial file sharing website.
Responding to customer’s concerns regarding the matter in a blog post published recently, Be Broadband commented:
"We wouldn't choose to do this voluntarily but we need to comply with UK laws just like any UK business. We're aware of the concerns voiced by members about the broader issue. Our policy of zero traffic management means that we treat all protocols equally (e.g. web, downloads, VPNs) and we will do as much as we can to give you the internet as you want it, whilst complying with UK laws."
The move follows a High Court order issued in April of this year which ordered ISP’s to remove access to the beleaguered website and effectively place it out of reach for the majority of UK internet users. The only UK broadband providers who still offer a safe port in the storm for those wishing to access The Pirate Bay (or TPB) are currently TalkTalk and BT, the former company having still not implemented the ordered change, while BT has been granted extra time by the High Court to make the necessary arrangements.

Launched in 2003, TPB is a Sweden-based torrent website which provides Magnet Links (a peer-to-peer download standard) to material which is often copyrighted, such as popular movies and TV shows, which can be downloaded by making use of a BitTorrent client like uTorrent for Windows, or Transmission for Mac and Linux.
TPB’s often belligerent anti-copyright stance and notoriety has led to the website being a prime target for authorities worldwide, yet despite multiple lawsuits it still thrives, with web traffic analysts Alexa currently citing TPB as the web's 77th most visited website, globally.
Source: Be Broadband

Disco ball-like side mirror for cars eliminates blind spots, without the fish-eye effect

Dr. Hicks' mirror (top) as compared to a regular flat driver's side mirror

While there are already various anti-blind-spot automobile mirrors on the market, these all tend to incorporate a very curved surface that drastically distorts the appearance of objects seen in them – given that drivers use their mirrors to avoid getting in accidents, it’s kind of important that those mirrors show the surrounding traffic as it really is. That’s why Dr. Andrew Hicks, a mathematics professor at Philadelphia’s Drexel University, has created a side mirror that eliminates the blind spot, while causing almost no distortion.
Although Hicks’ mirror is made up of one continuous piece of glass, it has a subtle non-uniform curve that is the result of tens of thousands of calculations. “Imagine that the mirror’s surface is made of many smaller mirrors turned to different angles, like a disco ball,” he said. “The algorithm is a set of calculations to manipulate the direction of each face of the metaphorical disco ball so that each ray of light bouncing off the mirror shows the driver a wide, but not-too-distorted, picture of the scene behind him.”
As a result, the mirror offers drivers a field of view of approximately 45 degrees, while any distortion of shapes or flat lines is “barely detectable.” A regular flat driver’s side mirror, by contrast, can only manage about 15 to 17 degrees.

Unfortunately, cars made in the U.S. are required to come from the factory with flat driver’s side mirrors only – curved mirrors are only permissible on the passenger side, and then only if they’re marked with the phrase “Objects in mirror are closer than they appear.” Nonetheless, Andrew hopes that his mirror may become commercially available as an aftermarket safety accessory. He has reportedly already gotten some interest from investors and manufacturers.
Although Hicks first developed the mirror several years ago, it received a U.S. patent just last month.
Source: Drexel University

Neutrinos do not exceed speed of light

New results from CERN today would appear to confirm that last year’s findings by the OPERA experiment which appeared to suggest that neutrinos could travel faster than light were incorrect (Photo: Simone Cortesi)

New results from CERN today would appear to confirm that last year’s findings by the OPERA experiment which appeared to suggest that neutrinos could travel faster than light were incorrect. A faulty element of the experiment’s fiber optic timing system has been cited by CERN as a likely cause for the error.
As we previously reported, the OPERA collaborative experiment which joins CERN scientists with their counterparts located 730 km (or 454 miles) away at Italy's Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS), found that neutrons sent from the former to the latter location appeared to reach their destination 60 nanoseconds sooner than photon light particles. If true, this would seem to contradict Einstein's restricted theory of relativity, which famously states that nothing can travel faster than light in a vacuum and is the basis for much of modern physics.
Despite repeating the process 15,000 times with consistent findings, the OPERA team cautioned skepticism until the results could be independently verified and invited scientists to investigate the study’s findings.
In order to arrive at these new results, the flight of neutrinos passing once again from CERN to the Gran Sasso Laboratory was measured, this time with four separate experiments, Borexino, ICARUS, LVD and OPERA. On this occasion, each of the experiments provided results which were consistent with the speed of light having not been exceeded. The episode apparently brings to a close one of the more exciting potential findings deriving from the CERN laboratory which hosts over two thousand full-time employees.
Appearing at the 25th International Conference on Neutrino Physics and Astrophysics in Kyoto, CERN Research Director Sergio Bertolucci spoke of his anticipation of receiving such findings:
“Although this result isn’t as exciting as some would have liked,” said Bertolucci, “it is what we all expected deep down.
Source: CERN

iPhone 5

The next iPhone may follow in the iPad's footsteps and become known as simply 'the new iPhone'

As the fifth anniversary of the original iPhone's launch approaches later this month, the Apple rumor mill has been particularly active and everything from a larger screen, radical case design and all-new dock connector have been cited as forthcoming alterations to Apple’s flagship mobile device. While nobody outside Apple’s inner circle can be sure exactly what the famously tight-lipped company has planned for the iPhone, a skeptical reading of rumors makes it possible to build up a picture of what we know, or rather what we think we know, so far.

Hardware specifications

The reports coming out of Apple rumor website 9to5Mac appears to cement the notion of a modest CPU upgrade, with the website reporting that they have access to a prototype iPhone 5 running an early beta of iOS 6. It reports that the iPhone 5 will come with a Samsung 5L8950X ARM processor, representing, it asserts, an iterative improvement over the S5L8940X of the 4S and the S5L8945X of the new iPad.
The same report asserts that the next iPhone will ship with 1 GB RAM, in line with the the new iPad: feasible given Apple's propensity for sharing hardware between iOS devices.

Screen size

Ever since the original iPhone was released back in 2007, there have been whispers of a larger screen due sometime soon. It has long been thought that Apple has experimented with screen sizes and found the iPhone's 3.5-inch screen to be the optimal size for one-handed use.
As we reported last month, the rumors have increased significantly in authority and volume, with many sources confidently stating that the next iteration of iPhone will ship with a new screen size. Among them The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) which reports that iPhone 5 will have a screen at least 4 inches in size.
WSJ is not alone in its opinion that the iPhone shall soon receive a larger screen and sources as varied as Reuters and 9to5Mac also concur.

Body design

Several images of possible iPhone body designs have been reported on various websites including 9to5Mac which received a supposed prototype part from a Chinese iPhone parts supplier named iFixyouri. It suggests a taller iPhone (in both black and white models) with metal sides and back much like the iPhone 4 and 4S. Its images also indicate the smaller dock connector, redesigned speaker grills and a second aperture next to the rear camera lens which 9to5Mac guesses is a relocated secondary microphone for video capture.
Crucially this sketchy sounding intelligence is also backed up by fellow Apple rumor website MacRumors which received an iPhone design from another parts supplier named uBreakiFix. Both sources seem to have a matching body design. The fact that there are apparently independent sources coming up with the same iPhone 5 design is, at the very least, suggestive.

Release date

Historically, Apple used to announce the latest iPhone at the annual Worldwide Developers Conference with a release following within weeks. This year the event will kick off in San Francisco on June 11. However, the iPhone 4S broke with this tradition last year and wasn't released until October 14. The general consensus seems to be that Apple will stick to the new schedule, and the WSJ reports a release around October, give or take a month.
As always, such rumors should be taken with a healthy dose of salt. And as always, we're interested to hear your thoughts on what form the iPhone 5 might eventually take.
Sources: 9to5Mac: May 22, 29 and 31; Wall Street Journal; Reuters; and MacRumors

Nite Ize WrapLit LED bends and contorts to your lighting needs

The Nite Ize WrapLit bends, wraps and flexes for all kinds of uses

The Nite Ize WrapLit LED Utility Light combines LED lighting and a big, rubberized twist tie to give you a light with an infinite number of personalities. Tie it over your work area, sculpt it into a lamp, wrap it around your arm and otherwise bend it to your needs.
Sometimes you need a flashlight. Sometimes you need an overhead reading lamp. Other times, you need a single-function utility light. The WrapLit aims to give you all of that and more. The device plants Nite Ize's INOVA Microlight atop its 18-inch (45.7 cm) Gear Tie Reusable Rubber Twist Tie. The result is a light that bends and twists to your specifications. You can snake the light into tight spaces, hang it from the roof of a camping tent or off a piece of furniture, wrap it around your neck, or build it into a stationary lamp - it gives you versatility that few other lights can.

We've seen plenty of lamps and utility lights with bendable necks, but this one looks to be particularly compact thanks to the key-chain sized LED it uses. Also, the fact that the twist tie serves as its entire base makes it a little more versatile than those that have stands or handles.
The pictures in the gallery show a few different functions, but you can probably think of a bunch of others off the top of your head. The light isn't exactly powerful (six lumens on high), but it should get the job done when working in close quarters.
The WrapLit has four different lighting modes: high, low, strobe and signal. It casts light up to 50 feet (15 m) and is visible from up to a mile (1.6 km) away. Up to 22 hours of power come from two replaceable lithium CR2016 batteries.
Nite Ize introduced the WrapLit earlier this year, and it's available now for US$12.99.
Source: Nite Ize

MH-2 is the tiny wearable telepresence humanoid robot you've always wanted

The MH-2 telepresence robot mimics the movements of its remote operator (Photo: Yamagata University)

The MH-2 is a telepresence robot like no other we have seen, and believe us, we’ve seen our share of weird robots. This tiny humanoid figure is always there for you, perching on your shoulder, ready to be remotely inhabited by your friends. Conceived by the researchers at Yamagata University in Japan, MH-2 is designed to imitate human behavior accurately enough for you to feel like your friend is actually there with you.
The truth, however, is that this friend of yours is back at home, in the living room, making wild gestures in front of some sort of a motion capture set-up and watching the video captured in real time by the MH-2. Meanwhile, the robot is busy copying all these movements, flailing its limbs around and acting as a physical beacon of your friend’s engagement in the situation. The robot's expressive capabilities are impressive, with the arms having seven degrees of freedom (DoF), while the head has three DoF, and the body has two, plus one more dedicated to imitating breathing movements.

Although both the friend and the robot are guaranteed quite a workout, it’s you who needs to do most of the heavy lifting. To make sure your Miniature Humanoid’s movements are smooth, as many as 22 bulky actuators are required. You need to carry the servomotors in your backpack so that they can pull the strings attached to the robot's joints, causing it to move.

The researchers are already at work trying to make the whole package a little smaller and more convenient, but obviously the MH-2 has never been about convenience in the first place. It’s not a production prototype. It's a bold experiment in human-robot relations.
Source: Yamagata University

Eco-click and scroll with Bondidea's solar optical mouse

The N91 solar optical mouse from Bondidea features a built-in lithium battery charged by a PV panel on top of the peripheral, and an AAA-sized alkaline battery as backup

Although we featured the world's first exclusively solar-powered computer mouse as long ago as 2007, we think it's fair to say that such solutions haven't exactly taken off. One reason could be a fear of being left unable to click and scroll if there's not enough light to juice up the I/O peripheral. Bondidea's N91 wireless optical mouse gets round any potential power fail anxiety by running from either battery or the built-in PV panel.
On the face of it, putting a photovoltaic panel on top of a computer mouse might seem like a bit of a strange idea, given that your hand will probably block out all light when in use. For much of the time, though, a mouse will likely just be sitting idly next to a keyboard or laptop, waiting for someone to handle it. So, it might as well soak up some power-giving light while it's there.

The N91 from Bondidea sports just such a top-mounted panel, which juices up a built-in rechargeable battery. There's also a battery compartment for an AAA-sized alkaline battery underneath and, although the mouse can run on solar power only, it is recommended that users install the second battery to ensure continuous operation. The battery compartment can also house a gold-plated USB nano receiver while on the move, with the peripheral using 2.4GHz anti-interference wireless technology.
In addition to left and right click buttons and scroll wheel, the N91 also has a DPI button on top. This alternates the AVAGO high speed laser optics between 1000 DPI for standard use and 1600 DPI for precision positioning.

The N91 has recently been added to Brando's online catalog (link below). At US$36, it's not the cheapest mouse on the market but it's not going to break the bank either, and it will certainly complement your solar keyboard and, ahem, green computer system.
Source: Bondidea

SOS in a Box rolls out the solar power when you really need it

The SOS in a Box solar generator kit is designed with emergency and off-grid scenarios in mind

Sun Flare Systems is a Canadian company that has developed a solar-powered backup generator. Designed to provide power in cases of outage and disaster, the patent-pending SOS in a Box kit is basically a small, portable power plant that includes a backup generator, flexible high-efficiency solar panels, and a charge controller. Sun Flare says its solar generation package is the first FAA and Airline Approved generator of its kind.
The system can run low-wattage LED A/C or D/C powered lights, cell phone chargers, radios and emergency equipment that can be plugged into the 12 volt power outlet. It is waterproof, features an external 110/120 Volt 60Hz A/C power outlet and a 12-volt car adapter. Each PV panel can be expected to produce up to 75 watts of electricity. The company has designed four different models with varying specifications and accessories: Marine R/V Line, Economy Line, Commercial Grade and Military Grade. The product is already available from Amazon UK and GearOutHere.
In the age of climate change and increasing recurrence of natural disasters, a powerful plug-and-play backup generator may indeed come in handy in emergencies. Besides, as the number of energy-hungry gadgets in our lives increases, being able to produce a considerable amount of power on the go is a welcome advancement.
Matthew Siegler, Sun Flare’s CEO and President, mentions a variety of applications for his solution, from relief efforts in Africa to first responder communication. “We have been given an opportunity to work with companies that provide vital equipment like wireless systems, first responder equipment and remote satellite communications,” he said. The company recently announced a working partnership with Last Mile Networks, a provider of emergency communications solutions.
Besides SOS in a Box, Sun Flare has also developed a Solar Mini Billboard conceived for corporate entities to advertise their own green credentials, and to generate electricity that can be fed into the grid.
Source: Sun Flare Systems

Tactus Technology display brings physical buttons to the touchscreen

Startup Tactus Technology has developed a touchscreen display with buttons that can rise out of the flat surface of its screen (Photo: Tactus Technology)

California startup Tactus Technology recently caused plenty of "oohs" and "aahs" at SID Display Week 2012. The prototype touchscreen the company presented featured buttons that can rise out of the flat surface of the screen at the user's whim, disappearing completely once they are no longer needed.
Beneath the surface of the screen are a number of microscopic channels that can be prearranged by the manufacturer, and a small amount of a clear oily substance. When the physical buttons are "switched on" by the user, the clear substance is pumped through the channels and the solid buttons magically rise out of the display. When the keyboard is switched off, the buttons disappear completely, leaving the user with a full-sized touchscreen device.
The solution appears to be more effective than previous attempts at implementing such a device. Other companies have come up with their own concepts, but the one showcased here might well be the first to reach the consumer market - the company says it will be ready by mid-2013.
In this early concept, the microchannels need to be in a prearranged pattern, such as a standard QWERTY keyboard, and cannot change their configuration - they can only appear or disappear, but the shape and position of the buttons is fixed. However, the company says the display will eventually be able to morph into a variety of different patterns that could be optimized to specific software applications.
The system is also reported to have very low power consumption. Craig Ciesla, CEO of the startup, says his team expects "less than two percent battery drain for the whole day," although such figures will obviously vary based on battery capacity and the size of the display.
While smartphones and tablets are the obvious target market, the company said the technology could also find use in the control panels of production cars.
Source: Tactus Technology

Research at Stanford may lead to computers that understand humans

A simple mathematical model developed by psychologists at Stanford could lead to computers that better understand how humans communicate with one another

After decades of trial and error, artificial intelligence applications that aim to understand human language are slowly starting to lose some of their brittleness. Now, a simple mathematical model developed by two psychologists at Stanford University could lead to further improvements, helping transform computers that display the mere veneer of intelligence into machines that truly understand what we are saying.

Wahoo launches Blue SC Speed and Cadence Sensor for iPhone 4S

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Wahoo Fitness has launched the world's first Bluetooth 4.0 wireless speed/cadence sensor, allowing cyclists to monitor their performance on the iPhone 4S

Using a combination of apps on a smartphone and hardware attached to a bike is undoubtedly a more convenient and often less expensive way to wirelessly provide riders with performance data than plumping for dedicated setups of the kind manufactured by Garmin and Sigma. After all, most of us carry our phones around wherever we go. The first such combination to make use of Bluetooth Smart technology is the new Blue SC Speed and Cadence Sensor for the iPhone 4S and 3rd gen iPad from Wahoo Fitness.

OpenROV could open up the world of underwater exploration

OpenROV is an underwater remote-operated vehicle that will be available in a kit or fully-assembled, for use by anyone with an interest in exploring the deep

Underwater remote-operated vehicles, or ROVs, are almost impossibly fascinating. They’re controlled by a surface-based operator, who watches their real-time video feed and pilots them via a long umbilical cable. Although the big-league multi-million-dollar ROVs are used for things such as exploring the wreck of the Titanic or studying

Neuroscientists could help people see with their "mind's eye"

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Researchers at the University of Texas are exploring the possibility of electrically stimulating the visual cortex of the brain to create simple images and shapes

A team of researchers at the University of Texas is exploring the possibility of electrically stimulating the visual cortex of the brain to create simple images and shapes. This development could lead to a visual prosthetic device that would effectively "trick" the brain of visually impaired or blind people into seeing ... and such a device, the authors say, is only about five years away.

NASA gets two Hubble-class telescopes from the military

NASA has been given two ex-spy satellites with optics superior to those of the Hubble Space Telescope seen here (Photo: NASA)

NASA’s collection of space telescopes just got a bit bigger thanks to an extraordinary gift from America's National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) intelligence agency. The space agency announced on Monday that the NRO has given it two surplus spy satellites that are more advanced than the Hubble Space Telescope. If the money can be found for a mission for the spy “birds” then NASA will not only have two possible

ASUS Transformer AiO boots Windows 8 and Android 4.0, doubles as massive tablet

The Transformer All in One brings together Windows 8, and Android 4.0

ASUS has unveiled a prototype of its latest all-in-one PC at Computex 2012. The Transformer AiO is the first desktop targeted device designed to run both Android 4.0 and the upcoming Windows 8 OS, and while an all-in-one case design isn't new, the difference here is that the 18.4-inch multi-touch display can be completely detached to function as a (very large) tablet.

Rafael Nadal demonstrates Babolat Play & Connect interactive tennis racquet

The Babolat Play & Connect interactive tennis racquet is said to look and feel like any other from the French sporting manufacturer

Some people argue that technology makes us lazy couch-potatoes who spend all day sitting in front of various screens. But tech can also make us better athletes by providing us with information about our sporting performance - whether it's shoes which log a basketball player's jumps, or outfits which give dancers feedback about their moves. Tennis players could soon be getting in on the tech-helping-hand action with the introduction of an interactive racquet.

ioShutter lets you control your DSLR using your iPhone

ioShutter turns an iDevice into a remote shutter control (Photo: Photojojo)

It looks like Triggertrap is getting some competition. Like that product, ioShutter is a remote-control app/device that allows you to control how your DSLR takes photos, via your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. The app allows a camera (which is hard-wired to the phone) to be triggered in a number of ways.

       

In its single shot mode, ioShutter can be used to take photos simply by touching a control on the iDevice’s screen. However, it also incorporates a motor drive function, timer, time lapse, sound trigger, movement

Massive black holes stop the creation of new stars

Astronomers are suggesting that the radiation and winds from supermassive black holes at the center of galaxies halts star generation within the galaxy

Just months ago, NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory discovered record 20 million mph (32 million km/h) winds nearby a supermassive black hole. Now astronomers working on ESA's Herschel Space Observatory are suggesting that such incredibly strong winds - whose speed depends on the size of the black hole - are preventing the gas and dust in galaxies from forming new stars, explaining the link between the size of a black hole and the rate at which new stars are formed.

Limb.al USB charging cable doubles as smartphone mount

Limb.al is a stiff USB charging cable for iOS or Android mobile devices that also acts as a handy mount to help free your main screen free of virtual clutter by using the smartphone to display feeds and widgets

Smartphones are so monstrously powerful these days that it's like carrying around a powerful computer in your pocket. When you start work on your desktop PC, Mac or laptop, however, all that portable power is put to sleep, resigned to being no more than a glorified answering service waiting for a call. Product designer Bill May believes that your smartphone should be made to do more for the often huge cost of the monthly charges. He's created a simple USB charging cable called the Limb.al that's stiff enough to support the weight of an iPhone or Android smartphone, but can also be bent to mount your mobile device right next to your laptop display or computer monitor. You can then keep your main screen free of virtual clutter and display your feeds and widgets on your smartphone instead.