CGP Grey, who has some great YouTube clips explaining often complex subjects, has put together a new video discussing the pros and cons of automation for human society. At 15 minutes it’s longer than his usual work, but this allows him to go into more depth and it’s certainly thought-provoking. Be sure to check out […]
A robotic butler (dubbed a Botlr) has started work at the Aloft hotel in Cupertino, California. The manufacturers explain that: The robot is approximately 3 feet tall, weighs less than 100 lbs., has a carrying capacity of 2 cubic feet, and is designed to travel at a human walking pace. It can even travel independently […]
The USB 3.0 Promoter group says it’s finalized the details of type C USB connectors, which will work no matter which way up you plug them in. It follows the announcement of the concept last year. The main news today is confirmation that there’ll be a degree of backwards compatibility: The new USB Type-C plug […]
You’ll be able to explore the Tate Britain gallery in London after closing time this week thanks to the installation of four webcam-fitted robots that can be controlled by visitors to the gallery’s website. The BBC explains: Each machine will live-stream its footage to the Tate’s “After Dark” website, where viewers will be able to […]
Microsoft has demonstrated the results of an algorithm its developed to produce hyperlapse video: first-person time-lapse videos without the shakiness. The idea is to solve two related problems: first-person videos from activities such as extreme bike riding can be a bit dull viewed in full in real time; but speeding them up to a timelapse […]
Turkish inventor Mustafa Karasungur has come up with a genuinely lethal creation: a robot that delivers 25,000 volts to anything in its path. Thankfully it’s not intended for use on humans, but instead as an extreme form of scarecrow to stop bears attacking crops. That said, Australia’s Channel 9 News, which spotted the story from […]
cloud piano from david bowen on Vimeo. This installation plays the keys of a piano based on the movements and shapes of the clouds. A camera pointed at the sky captures video of the clouds. Custom software uses the video of the clouds in real-time to articulate a robotic device that presses the corresponding keys […]
Whether you’re on the dating scene or not, you may be aware of the dating app Tinder which has a remarkably simple system: you see photos of potential matches in your area, swipe left to reject and right to approve, and get put in contact with anyone where you’ve mutually swiped right. Amnesty International has now […]
A “flat-pack” robot can assemble itself before walking away. It works through a combination of origami and Shrinky Dinks. The robot is the work of Harvard graduate student Samuel Felton, who says he spent just $100 on the project. It follows previous work by his course advisor Robert Wood on a robotic inchworm and a […]
A new report suggests the average Brit spends more time using media devices than they do sleeping. But that claim comes with a catch. The report comes from Ofcom, the British equivalent to the Federal Communications Commission. It surveyed the media consumption of 2,800 adults and children over one week. Ofcom’s summary of the report […]