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- Ford, GE and University of Michigan team on sensor to track EV battery life, keep us on the road
- Google updates PageSpeed Service so you don't waste precious seconds waiting for pages to load
- Robopsy is a low-cost, disposable patient-mounted medical robot
- Inhabitat's Week in Green: 30-foot 'Buckyball', Olympic stadium Lego replica and the 'Mantabot'
- Visualized: LG's Optimus L7, 4X HD, Vu and 3D Max pose for family album
- Scientists create first quantum router, but don't throw your 802.11ac out yet
- DARPA calls on Cubic Corporation to develop frighteningly accurate One Shot XG sniper rifle
- Furby pre-orders start at Walmart, threaten your wallet with nostalgia
- New EU legislation requires cars to include autonymous braking system
- Researchers create record-breaking solar cell, set bar marginally higher
- Visualized: Sandia National Laboratories' Z machine erupts in a web of lightning
- How would you change the Motorola Droid 4?
- Leaked Rogers memo details its BlackBerry Playbook 4G LTE pricing options
- Ask Engadget: best external Blu-Ray drive?
- LaCie reveals new Mac-friendly USB 3.0 external drives
- Mobile Miscellany: week of July 30th, 2012
- TakkTile turns digital barometers into open-source robot touch sensors
- Cranial Drilling Device puts a hole in skulls, not brains
- Robotically Steerable Probe aims at minimally invasive surgery, moves through gelatin like a champ
- Splashtop Remote Desktop now available on Windows 8, gives you all the access you need
| Ford, GE and University of Michigan team on sensor to track EV battery life, keep us on the road Posted: 05 Aug 2012 09:50 AM PDT Believe it or not, EV battery life is still something of a Pandora's Box, even for automakers: they can tell you the battery pack's current and voltage, but not how it's really performing under pressure. Ford, GE and the University of Michigan are uniting to unlock that mystery through a new ARPA-E project. In its role, GE is developing a minuscule sensor array that will track the nuances of battery cells that existing technology misses; it will promptly hand the baton to researchers at the University of Michigan, who plan to both prove that GE's data is on the mark as well as develop tricks for predicting behavior. Ford handles the last mile, almost literally: it's planning to fit the GE sensor technology to one of its cars and test in a more realistic environment. Before you fantasize about knowing the lifespan of your Focus Electric's battery down to the minute, however, the new alliance is stressing that it's only just getting started -- there's another three years and $3.1 million to go before the project wraps up. If all goes according to plan, though, we'll have electric cars and plug-in hybrids that can not only tell when they've seen better days but can eke out extra miles through smarter battery designs. GE, Ford, University of Michigan Working to Extend Battery Life for EVs Focus of ARPA-E project to develop a smart, miniaturized sensing system that predicts battery behavior and enables a smarter battery management system to extend its life Using sensing data and analytics to extend car battery life illustrates future benefits of product development in the "Industrial Internet" NISKAYUNA, N.Y., August 3, 2012 – In what could propel electric vehicles (EVs) miles down the road toward commercial viability, GE researchers, in partnership with Ford Motor Company and the University of Michigan, will develop a smart, miniaturized sensing system that has the potential to significantly extend the life of car batteries over conventional battery systems used in electric vehicles today. "The car battery remains the greatest barrier and most promising opportunity to bringing EVs mainstream." said Aaron Knobloch, principal investigator and mechanical engineer at GE Global Research. "Improvements in the range, cost and life of the battery will all be needed for EVs to be competitive. With better sensors and new battery analytics, we think we can make substantial progress at increasing battery life. This, in turn, could help bring down its overall cost and the cost entitlement of buying an electric car." To improve the life and reduce the lifecycle cost of EV batteries, GE will combine a novel ultrathin battery sensor system with sophisticated modeling of cell behavior to control and optimize battery management systems. Today's sensors on EVs and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) measure the health of the battery by looking at factors such as its temperature, voltage, and current. However, these measurements provide a limited understanding of a battery's operation and health. The goal of the ARPA-E project will be to develop small, cost effective sensors with new measurement capabilities. Due to their small size, these sensors will be placed in areas of the battery where existing sensor technologies cannot be currently located. The combination of small size and ability to measure new quantities will enable a much better understanding of battery performance and life. A group of scientists from the University of Michigan, led by Anna Stefanopoulou, a professor of mechanical engineering, will use the data generated by GE sensors to verify advanced battery models. They will ultimately create schemes that use instantaneous sensor data to predict future battery-cell and battery-pack behavior. "Ensuring a battery's health over many cycles requires taking frequent snapshots of its condition as it ages. Control systems on cars have to be able to use this vast amount of data quickly and efficiently. Information provided by advanced sensors will allow us to create and verify finely resolved physical models to underpin battery management schemes," said Charles Monroe, a chemical engineering professor on the University of Michigan team. He added, "The big challenge is to make battery management programs adapt and work fast." The use of sensors in conjunction with real-time models will enable novel algorithms that optimize how the battery system is managed to extend its life. To demonstrate the capabilities of the sensor system and analytics, Ford will integrate them into one of their vehicles for validation. Tony Philips, Senior Technical Leader, Vehicle Controls, Research and Engineering, Ford Motor Company, said. "This collaboration brings together a diverse set of experts on sensor technology, controls and modeling, and automotive engineering to innovate on some of the most critical elements of battery technology. Ultimately, through this collaboration we anticipate being able to deliver more cost effective and durable battery system solutions to our customers." The goal of this 3-year / $3.1 million program is to demonstrate a working sensing system in an actual electric vehicle. The creation of this smart sensing platform illustrates the great potential of product development in the age of the Industrial Internet. Every piece of industrial equipment, including batteries, generates volumes of data about its condition and operation. With the power of analytics, this data can be used to create more intelligent devices and systems that lead to improved performance for the customer. In November 2011, GE announced an aggressive expansion of its software programs to harness big data and take industrial product development to the next level. The company has opened a global software headquarters in San Ramon, California, which will employ 400 new software professionals to support these efforts across GE's business portfolio. |
| Google updates PageSpeed Service so you don't waste precious seconds waiting for pages to load Posted: 05 Aug 2012 08:30 AM PDT Last year, Google launched its PageSpeed Service, aiming to improve our experience across the web while reportedly deferring its own financial interests. The concept was sound -- similar services like Akamai work to accelerate web browsing by caching pages in much the same way -- but there's always room for improvement. The latest PageSpeed beta uses some straightforward techniques to improve performance even further, using a new rewriter called "Cache and Prioritize Visible Content." Using this new tool, your browser will load content that appears "above the fold" before fetching text and photos that would be initially hidden on the page, while also prioritizing other content ahead of Javascript, which often isn't needed as quickly as more basic elements. Finally, for pages that contain HTML that isn't cacheable, such as when personalized info is returned, standard portions of the site are cached and displayed immediately, while other content loads normally. The new tool isn't a perfect fit for every webpage, but we'll take a boost wherever we can get it. |
| Robopsy is a low-cost, disposable patient-mounted medical robot Posted: 05 Aug 2012 08:03 AM PDT In a less gelatin-centric demo, the Harvard-based team behind the Robotically Steerable Probe showed off some Robopsy devices during our visit to the school, rings that can help medical imaging technology like CT, ultrasound and MR physically pinpoint precise locations on patients. The devices, which can hold up to ten needles, are lightweight, mounting directly on patients via adhesives or straps. The medical robots are made largely of inexpensive injection molded plastic parts, making them disposable after they've been used on a patient, popping the motors and other control electronics onto another device. In all, the team says Robopsy rings are "orders of magnitude" cheaper and lighter than other medical robotic devices. Check out a video of the one of the Robopsy devices running after the break.
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| Inhabitat's Week in Green: 30-foot 'Buckyball', Olympic stadium Lego replica and the 'Mantabot' Posted: 05 Aug 2012 07:00 AM PDT Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. Building a robot that can stand and walk on two legs like a human is challenging enough -- but what about a robot that swims like a human? A team from Tokyo University of Technology has created the Swumanoid, a swimming robot that's based on the physique of a human swimmer and can swim a variety of strokes. But why should a swimming robot have to look like a person? Most fish swim much faster, more gracefully and more efficiently than humans. That's why scientists from the University of Virginia are developing the Mantabot, a robot that looks and swims like a ray. On the topic of robot makers, this week also saw robot builder Simon Burfield put together the world's first working wheelchair made of Lego bricks. The remarkable chair can carry a 198-pound person and turn in a full circle. Burfield wasn't the only one flaunting some impressive Lego skills this week. Using 20,000 Lego pieces, Lego Technic expert Nicolas Lespour built an automated mechanical loom that weaves fabric from multiple bobbins of colored yarn. And Warren Elsmore built a perfect replica of the Olympic Stadium using 100,000 Lego pieces. The Olympics are in full swing, and we were pleased to learn that the organizers of the 2012 Summer Games installed seven vertical axis qr5 wind turbines at the Olympic Park in London. Although there's still another week of action left, we took a look at what the future will hold for London's Olympic Park, when High Line designer James Corner will transform it into a 55-acre park. And looking forward to 2016, we're excited about Rio de Janeiro's promise to build an enormous energy-producing artificial waterfall. Speaking of clean tech, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory just announced that the US has the technology and the solar capacity to power every home across the states with solar energy. (Political and financial obstacles still stand in the way, though.) The Middle Eastern nation of Oman moved one step closer to that goal as it plans to build a massive new 200 MW solar farm in the desert that could generate the entire country's electricity supply. And in another exciting solar development, the company Solar3D just unveiled a prototype for a three-dimensional photovoltaic cell that could be dramatically more efficient than existing technology. In the Netherlands, scientists have developed a self-healing nano coating that repairs itself when it's damaged and could keep cars permanently clean. Meanwhile, here in the US, a team from MIT has developed a portable 3D printer that's so small it fits inside a suitcase. And in one of the neatest art installations we've seen this week, Leo Villareal announced plans to install a 30-foot-tall "Buckyball" sculpture that's made up of 180 glowing LED tubes in New York City's Madison Square Park later this year. |
| Visualized: LG's Optimus L7, 4X HD, Vu and 3D Max pose for family album Posted: 05 Aug 2012 06:15 AM PDT A few weeks ago we had the chance to line up some of LG's current handsets -- the Optimus L7, Optimus 4X HD, Optimus Vu and Optimus 3D Max -- for a little photo shoot. While we only had access the the 3D Max for a short time, we ended up reviewing the other three. There's a bit of something for everyone here -- some Ice Cream Sandwich and some Gingerbread, some mid-range hardware and some hi-end style, some phablet and some 3D. Check out the |
| Scientists create first quantum router, but don't throw your 802.11ac out yet Posted: 05 Aug 2012 05:02 AM PDT A common vision of the future has us with our feet up, while robots do all the work. Another one sees the end of silicon, with quantum computers doing all the heavy lifting. That second prophecy inches just a smidgen closer with the news of the world's first quantum router. Developed at Tsinghau University in China, the router makes a quantum photon from two separate photons in different polarized states. At this point, things start to get a little, well, mind-bending, as they are wont to do in the quantum world. The net result, however, is one qubit of data being "routed" at a time. While this won't be powering any serious networks anytime soon, the all important proof of concept is there, and we imagine, in a parallel universe simultaneously. |
| DARPA calls on Cubic Corporation to develop frighteningly accurate One Shot XG sniper rifle Posted: 05 Aug 2012 03:56 AM PDT Sighting in a target through the scope of a high-caliber rifle can be a bit more complicated then it sounds -- snipers have to account for cross-winds, range and a whole host of external factors that could put their projectile off course. It isn't easy, and the required calculations can seriously slow down a shooter's time to trigger. The solution? High tech laser-equipped sniper scopes, of course. DARPA has actually been working on this problem for quite some time, and calls its' project One Shot. Previous iterations of the targeting system helped shooters increase their chance of hitting their mark by a factor of four, but suffered from short battery life, range finder accuracy errors and overheating problems. DARPA is putting its faith into Cubic Corporation to overcome these faults, awarding the firm with a $6 million contract to develop a "compact observation, measurement and ballistic calculation system" that it calls the One Shot XG. Like its predecessors, the XG is designed to give the shooter a offset aim point to counteract the environmental conditions that would impact bullet trajectory. DARPA is hoping to see ten weapon or scope-mountable field devices within 15 months. Consider this fair warning, Segway bots. |
| Furby pre-orders start at Walmart, threaten your wallet with nostalgia Posted: 05 Aug 2012 02:45 AM PDT Overwhelmed with nostalgia for a childish pseudo-creature with a glaringly absent off switch? Sounds like you're looking for a Furby. No, not the old, mangy monster whose batteries died in your toy cabinet all those years ago, we're talking about a new animatronic animal -- one kitted out with capacitive touch sensors, glowing LCD eyeballs and even a companion iOS app. Six colorful variations of the chatty creature are now available for pre-order at Walmart, each commanding a $54 price tag. Not sure if this is the simulated pet you're looking for? Check out our hands-on and see just how much Furbish you can take. |
| New EU legislation requires cars to include autonymous braking system Posted: 05 Aug 2012 01:34 AM PDT While we're still a long way from living the fully autonomous car dream, baby steps are being taken. The EU evidently shares this dream, and has passed regulations that will require new cars to have emergency self-braking systems (known as autonomous emergency braking, or AEB) if they want to achieve a five-star safety rating. The systems can use radar, laser or video to detect when obstructions or pedestrians are present, and a recent study suggests that the technology reduces accidents by up to 27 percent. Commercial vehicles will have to sport the systems from November next year, and everything else from 2014. Safety aside, we're thinking that anything that can help prevent rear-ending our new ride, is definitely a welcome addition. |
| Researchers create record-breaking solar cell, set bar marginally higher Posted: 05 Aug 2012 12:23 AM PDT Solar cell development is typically a small numbers game, and a group of researchers at the University of Toronto have managed to eke out a few more percentage points in efficiency with a new record-breaking cell. Setting a high mark for this type of cell, the team's Colloidal Quantum Dot (CQD) film harvests both visible and non-visible light at seven percent efficiency, a 37 percent increase over the previous record. The breakthrough was achieved by leveraging organic and inorganic chemistry to make sure it had fewer nooks and crannies that don't absorb light. With the advantages of relatively speedy and cheap manufacturing, the technology could help lead the way for mass production of solar cells on flexible substrates. In the meantime, check out the source for the scientific lowdown. |
| Visualized: Sandia National Laboratories' Z machine erupts in a web of lightning Posted: 04 Aug 2012 11:18 PM PDT Sandia National Laboratories' Z machine sounds like it belongs in a James Bond movie more than it does an Alberquerque research facility. Based on what it can do, that's not as far-fetched as it seems. What you see isn't the handiwork of some electric spider -- it's what you witness in the immediate fraction of a second after the Z's electromagnetic pulse kicks in and forks of lightning burst across the 108-foot distance inside. The pulse in question is key to Sandia's studies of fusion and the effect of very intense magnetic pressures on materials that normally refuse to change states. Even in 2006, the Z was putting out pressure more than 10 million times that of the atmosphere, and it successfully melted diamond at roughly half that strength. It goes without saying that we don't want to be anywhere near this kind of energy when scientists flick the switch, but we're glad to see that something so pretty and deadly can help us understand physics. [Image credit: Randy Montoya, Sandia National Laboratories] |
| How would you change the Motorola Droid 4? Posted: 04 Aug 2012 10:15 PM PDT Verizon's first Android flagship reveled in its brutal design and geeky touches, but times have changed. The Motorola Droid 4 has shed the neckbeard, put on a suit and is now aimed at the niche enterprise set. When we reviewed it, we wondered if times hadn't changed, with the Nexus phones usurped the Droids at the pinnacle of the Android ecosystem. The phone itself isn't bad, apart from that weak PenTile display, but does it really need to exist nowadays? Share your thoughts and feelings about how you could improve it in the comments below. |
| Leaked Rogers memo details its BlackBerry Playbook 4G LTE pricing options Posted: 04 Aug 2012 09:04 PM PDT For a few days now, folks in the Great White North tied to Telus and Bell have known how much coin they'll have to layout for a BlackBerry PlayBook 4G LTE when it launches on the 9th. Thanks to leaked memo from Rogers, obtained by MobileSyrup, we now know what the carrier will be charging as well. $550 nets Canadians the slate free of any commitments, while one- and two-year contracts drop that price by $50 and $100 respectively. If you're brave enough to partner up with the OS 2.0.1-loaded, 1.5Ghz slate for three years, it can be yours for a more wallet-friendly $350. Hey, it's not like BB10 is exactly right around the corner. |
| Ask Engadget: best external Blu-Ray drive? Posted: 04 Aug 2012 08:05 PM PDT We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is from Dominic, who's moving into the world of drive-less laptops but can't let go of his Blu-Ray discs. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.
Well, if you're looking for a truly stylish piece of hardware, then we suggest taking a look at ASUS' art-deco inspired offerings, but beyond that? Let's turn it over to you, the friendly Engadget community -- come share your knowledge. |
| LaCie reveals new Mac-friendly USB 3.0 external drives Posted: 04 Aug 2012 07:01 PM PDT Lacie's just announced its next generation USB 3.0 drives meant to take advantage of the new Ivy Bridge internals of the latest MacBooks. The fresh Rugged Triple, Porsche Design P'9223 and P'9233, and RuggedKey models all use USB Attached SCSI Protocol (UAS) for maximum data transfer speeds to and from machines running Lion or Mountain Lion. If you're looking to pick one of these slick storage devices, they'll be available in Apple stores and on LaCie's website this summer. LONDON, UK – LaCie announced today that it has updated its entire USB 3.0 portfolio to include 2nd generation USB 3.0 products. The next generation USB 3.0 products will be available in Apple retail locations this summer. For the last three years, LaCie has delivered premium USB 3.0 solutions to millions of Mac and PC customers. Building on this industry experience and momentum, LaCie has re-engineered its USB 3.0 range to take full advantage of computers that include Intel's Ivy Bridge processor with native USB 3.0 interfaces. LaCie's new USB 3.0 storage solutions will also benefit from performance enhancements within OS X Lion and Mountain Lion. Thanks to UAS (USB Attached SCSI Protocol), people with the latest Macbook Air, Macbook Pro and Macbook Pro with Retina Display will experience maximum USB 3.0 performance. "At LaCie we're dedicated to USB 3.0. As a result, we've been able to deliver the widest range of USB 3.0 storage peripherals on the market," said Erwan Girard, Professional Business Unit Manager, LaCie. "We've leveraged the exhaustive expertise of demanding content creators to develop best in class products for Mac users. LaCie's 2nd generation USB 3.0 products will exceed expectation and deliver the fastest, most seamless user experience available." Everything from cables and USB keys, to professional RAID storage solutions have been re-engineered for advanced performances. LaCie's recently announced RuggedKey achieves top speeds up to 150MB/s in 32GB of flash memory – making it one of the fastest USB keys on the market. LaCie's popular Rugged Triple, and Porsche Design P'9223 and P'9233 have also been optimized for Mac and will be coming to the Apple retail locations this summer. LaCie's 2nd generation USB 3.0 solutions will be available worldwide through Apple resellers, LaCie resellers and the LaCie Online Store. |
| Mobile Miscellany: week of July 30th, 2012 Posted: 04 Aug 2012 06:00 PM PDT Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week, the Galaxy Nexus for Sprint and Verizon Wireless each became available for free, while in the MVNO world, Simple Mobile dropped the price of its high-speed unlimited smartphone plan to $50. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of July 30th, 2012. Sony Xperia T tipped as official name of 'Mint' handset Just last week, the LT30 from Sony -- codenamed Mint -- managed to leak with a number of specs in tow. Wouldn't you know it, but the Snapdragon S4-powered smartphone reappeared this week when it gained its DLNA credentials. While the story of the specs remains unchanged, it seems that the handset will be marketed and sold as the Xperia T. [Android Central] CyanogenMod drops support for Snapdragon S1 devices At some point, you simply have to cut legacy devices loose, and that day has come for CyanogenMod's support of first generation Snapdragon handsets. Project leaders announced the decision to not support the QSD8x50, MSM7x25, MSM7x27 and MSM7x27T SoCs beyond the Gingerbread branch of Android, which was due in large part due to technical limitations and the lack of compatible media libraries. Further, it was feared that the necessary changes would cause the software to fail the Android Test Compatibility Suite -- a sacrifice the team was unwilling to make. [Android Police] Sony Xperia Tipo prepares for British invasion Sony's entry-level Tipo smartphone has been announced for availability this month in the UK through O2 and Orange. For those who'd like a set date, however, the handset will make an early arrival at Carphone Warehouse on August 8th for £120 SIM-free. The little one combines an 800MHz CPU with a 3.2-inch HVGA display, a 3.2-megapixel camera and Android 4.0. [Android Central, Unwired View] Galaxy Nexus for Sprint and Verizon Wireless now available free on contract While we genuinely prefer the unlocked Galaxy Nexus HSPA+ that's available directly from Google for $349, it's hard to argue with something that's free, and that's exactly what you can now expect from the phone's LTE variants at Sprint and Verizon Wireless. Unfortunately, there are a couple "gotchas" associated with the deals. In the case of Sprint, you'll need to be a new customer (or activate a new line) to quality for the $150 discount. Meanwhile, the Verizon model is only available from Best Buy, and it'll be free for a limited time only. [PhoneArena, Android Central] Vodafone UK intros BlackBerry Curve 9320 in blue and purple Vodafone brought two new colors of the BlackBerry Curve 9320 into its fold in the UK this week. Known as Vivid Violet and Classic Blue, they'll soon be joined by a pink handset that's yet to receive a cute name. So far, the Curve 9320 lineup at Vodafone has consisted of black and white models. Each is priced the same at £135 outright. [CrackBerry] US Cellular reports declining net income and customer base in Q2 financial report The numbers are in for US Cellular, and its year-over-year performance for Q2 is rather bleak. The company posted a net income of $52.7 million, which is down from the $74.9 million figure just one year ago. Revenues, meanwhile, showed a slight uptick, which now sit at $1,029.7 million versus $1,002 million for Q2 in the previous year -- this can be attributed in part to the increasing number of smartphone users, which now sits at 51.9 percent of devices sold. So far, the US Cellular has managed to provide LTE coverage to 30 percent of its customer base and hopes to extend the service to 58 percent of its subscribers by year's end. All things told, however, the carrier lost 48,000 postpaid customers during the quarter, which stings no matter how you look at it. [MobileBurn] RIM CEO discusses possible licensing model for BlackBerry 10 devices Thorsten Heins revealed to The Telegraph this week that the company had seriously evaluated Android as a platform, however in the very same interview, he also revealed that the company is actively considering a licensing model for the future of BlackBerry 10. Specifically, he discussed the concept of a BlackBerry 10 reference platform and design, which would then be licensed to others to carry out the actual hardware manufacture. Whether this is an early signal of RIM's departure from the hardware business remains to be seen, but it's rather apparent that radical ideas are being discussed in Waterloo. [The Telegraph] Simple Mobile reduces its high-speed unlimited smartphone plan to $50 per month Good news for owners of unlocked AWS smartphones, as Simple Mobile has reduced the price of its unlimited, high-speed smartphone plan from $60 per month to an even more tempting $50. As the MVNO uses T-Mobile's network, you'll need to use extra caution in finding a compatible smartphone, but the Galaxy Nexus that's available from Google will fit the bill just fine. It's also worth pointing out that if you're willing to forego the fast data connections, you can just as easily swing an unlimited 3G plan with Simple Mobile for just $40 per month -- although it's much less tempting in the wake of the latest price drop. [MobileBurn] Other random tidbits
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| TakkTile turns digital barometers into open-source robot touch sensors Posted: 04 Aug 2012 04:48 PM PDT Freescale Semiconductor's MPL115A2 is a tiny thing that will sit quite comfortably on the tip of your finger. It's hard not to marvel at the engineering that went into the creation of something so small, yet so sensitive. The little metal square is minute enough to be plunked into a cell phone, offering up location pinpointing technologies that supplement GPS, gauging positions based on changes in atmospheric pressure. Harvard's Biorobotics team was clearly impressed when it discovered the technology, devising a fascinating implementation that extends beyond the walls of the cell phone. The sensors would go on to form the core of the department's TakkTile open-source boards capable of bringing sensitive touch sensing to robot hands. The I2C bus / USB-compatible boards incorporate several of the sensors, with the whole thing covered in 6mm of rubber, to help protect them. The rubber lends some durability to the TakkTile -- in fact, if you click on after the break, you can see footage of the team placing a 25 pound dumbbell on the board and banging it with a hammer (which seems to be a fairly popular activity over there). Even with that extra layer, the TakkTile is still quite sensitive -- as evidenced by the five gram weight in the video. In fact, it's even possible to get it to detect a pulse by placing it against your wrist, though the team was unable to recreate that during our visit. Also compelling is the price -- bought in bulk, the tiny barometers will run you $1 a piece, making the tactile array relatively inexpensive to assemble. Once you buy one, you can also get the most bang for your buck by snapping off the rows for individual use, a possibility given the symmetry of the design. Or you can just make one yourself, as the department has opted to open-source the technology, to help make it even more readily accessible to interested parties.
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| Cranial Drilling Device puts a hole in skulls, not brains Posted: 04 Aug 2012 03:29 PM PDT If you told us on Monday that we'd be capping our week off by checking out an innovative cranial drill, we likely would have just stared at you funny. But here were are and here it is, a device referred to, quite straightforwardly, as the Cranial Drilling Device with Retracting Drill Bit After Skull Penetration. The drill was designed by a team of researchers at Harvard in order to address a major shortcoming with manual drills. Such devices require neurosurgical training in order to know precisely when to stop so as to not damage underlying brain tissue. In certain instances, such as emergency rooms and the backs of ambulances, medical practitioners may require a cranial drill in order to perform procedures such as the insertion of pressure monitors, with nary a neurosurgeon to be found. The Harvard team has concocted a drill that automatically retracts back into its protective casing, as soon as it's finished drilling through the skull, using a bi-stable mechanism that is active as the drill spins. After the break, team member Conor Walsh explains the technology is a manner that, thankfully, is not quite brain surgery.
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| Robotically Steerable Probe aims at minimally invasive surgery, moves through gelatin like a champ Posted: 04 Aug 2012 01:58 PM PDT Who doesn't prefer to have the word "surgery" preceded by the phrase "minimally invasive?" During our trip to the Harvard research labs today, we were given a demo of the Robotically Steerable Thermal Ablation Probe, a device designed to help minimize the number of injections required when treating something like a tumor. The machine is guided by a x-ray image onto which a doctor can choose a number of destinations. Rather than being forced to re-inject the patient, the outer cannula moves up and down to locate the position, with a thinner curved stylet extends from within it, reaching the designated area. In order to hit subsequent spots, the stylet retracts back into the cannula, which adjusts its up and down position, extending once again to reach the area. Applications for the technology extend beyond just injection, including the possibility of extracting tissue samples from a patient. You can check out a demo of the device doing its work after the break. But don't worry, it's just gelatine.
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| Splashtop Remote Desktop now available on Windows 8, gives you all the access you need Posted: 04 Aug 2012 12:30 PM PDT With Splashtop currently holding spots in a slew of Android slabs, Cupertino's notorious iDevices and even HP's cadaverous TouchPad, the next obvious step was to set up its Remote Desktop shop inside Redmond's upcoming Windows 8. And smartly enough, that's exactly what Splashtop's done. In preparation for the eventual release of Microsoft's tile-friendly OS in a couple of months, the service has let it be know that its new (and very handy) tablet application's now ready to take advantage of the system's native gestures while doing what it does best -- which is giving remote access to both Mac and Windows PCs. Given its "consumer preview" status, the Splashtop app isn't fully cooked just yet, but it should give anyone a good idea of what to expect once the real deal becomes available. |
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