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Latest Gear Live Videos
Californians Can Watch Quake Within First Half Hour
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Design, Internet, Misc. Tech, Science,
Residents in California will soon be able to watch a 3-D, locally made, super computer-generated earthquake video in about 28 minutes of its initial strike. Scientists at Caltech and the SDSC (San Diego Supercomputer Center) use data from ground sensors and archived information of the region to create images with OnDemand that can be viewed on a PC or TV screen. The information will be made available beginning in October when a quake of 3.5 magnitude or greater occurs. We think we would prefer spending that time getting out if indeed it is the “Big One.”
Read More 
| Live Science
Gallery: Californians Can Watch Quake Within First Half Hour
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Halluc II Can Take On Any Terrain
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Misc. Tech, Science, Transportation, Videos,
The Chiba Institute of Technology has released a working prototype of Halluc II, which has eight legs and wheels designed to drive over the lumps and bumps of the great out or indoors. In one of three modes (Vehicle, Insect, or Animal,) the bot can move sideways, turn around, and deal with even the most unstable terrains with wireless LAN capability and a system of motor-control with cams and sensors. Set to become available to the public within the next five years, its team hopes it will serve the mobility-impaired. We figure it will pay for itself, since it costs a lot less to feed when compared to a seeing eye dog.
Read More | Pink Tentacle
Gallery: Halluc II Can Take On Any Terrain
Video: Unboxing a Blue Wicked Lasers Spyder II Series
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Design, Misc. Tech, Science, Videos,
This episode was sponsored by Geek Squad’s Idea Festival. Submit your ideas for using technology to save the planet at ideafest.geeksquad.com.
In this episode of Unboxing Live, we give you a first-hand look at the Wicked Lasers Spyder II Series blue laser. This is one powerful beast, so it should only be in the hands of those on the side of good. No evil-doers allowed. That said, this laser is one of the most magnificent we’ve ever seen. Pricey too. Check out all the details in the video.
This video is a part of the Unboxing Live series. If you would like to be automatically notified of new episodes, you can subscribe to us in iTunes, or manually using our RSS feed.
Read More | Unboxing
Gallery: Video: Unboxing a Blue Wicked Lasers Spyder II Series
Sharkrunners Game Tracks Great Whites
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Internet, Science, Video Games,
In honor of the Discovery Channel’s 20th Anniversary of Shark Week, area/code has designed Sharkrunners. Running into one of the creatures corresponds to a real one’s whereabouts and movements since the game is based on real world telemetry data from actual great whites. Gamers choose a team and control their ships, and are contacted by e-mail or SMS when one is spotted. GPS units attached to the sharks allows observation only. No tossing chum and/or destroying the fish is permitted. Sharkrunners was designed for purely educational and entertainment purposes only. We think this is a pleasant diversion, but wish they had embedded the theme from Jaws whenever one is spotted.
Read More | Discovery Channel
Gallery: Sharkrunners Game Tracks Great Whites
By now, most of you have probably heard about Oscar, the cat who resides in the Providence, Rhode Island Steer House and seems to know who will die next. In fact, we saw another report about it last night that showed an elderly gentleman who was relieved when the feline didn’t hang around in a room of a friend that he frequented. Oscar’s record now stands at more than an astounding 25.
What we find really interesting is that even the New England Journal of Medicine is paying attention. Dr. David M. Dosa’s article practically screams sensationalism. We are frankly wondering why has no one really noticed how intuitive animals can be, perhaps because they don’t speak English. We bet that you Gear Livers already know that your dogs and/or cats know your moods, sometimes better than you know yourself, and you don’t need any scientific data or techno-babble to tell you how this works.
(Thanks, Mike)
Read More | Yahoo
Gallery: Can Oscar Really Predict Death?
MIT Creates Comfortable and Functional Ankle-Foot
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Misc. Tech, Science,
MIT professor Hugh Herr and his team have developed the Ankle-foot. He is also a double amputee and tested his own creation. Said to be the first of its kind, it is light, flexible, and generates more energy for walking than current ones. Herr’s version features multiple springs and a small battery-powered motor.
“It’s wild,” Professor Herr said, “like you’re on one of those moving walkways in the airport.”
Created through CRRM (The Center for Restorative and Regenerative Medicine,) which includes the Providence VA Medical Center, its aim is to create biohybrid limbs composed of biological and man-made materials and improve those with limb trauma, especially war vets. We applaud CRRM for helping those who have done their time overseas and deserve all the extra assistance that can be can given to them.
Read More | MIT
Gallery: MIT Creates Comfortable and Functional Ankle-Foot
NEC has created a GLVQ-based NeoFace biometric recognition system that can identify humans as they drive past borders. Combined with their electronic passport technology, after a camera scans a vehicle’s license plate, a combination of eye-zone extraction and facial recognition matches parts of the face. The cameras are being installed on 40 checkpoints on a new road which connects Hong Kong and Shenzhen, and will be upgraded to include 8 passengers by August.
At this point the NEC system can only make an ID on the driver, so the obvious thing to do here is if you are one of those who probably shouldn’t be traveling so publicly, you might want to hang in the back seat while watching another viewing of “The Falcon and the Snowman” on your portable DVD player.
Read More | Pink Tentacle
Gallery: NeoFace Identifies The Bad Guys
Astronaut Takes Out The Trash
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Misc. Tech, Science, Transportation,
Clayton Anderson has become an official litterer in space by tossing a 200 lb. camera mounting and 1,400 pound ammonia tank off the Space Station yesterday. NASA officials believe that the container will circle Earth for almost a year before it goes back into the atmosphere and burns itself up. Anderson’s comment about the task was, “I’ll be sending my bill in the mail for trash disposal.”
There are at present over 9,000 pieces of debris out in space that are trackable, leaving us to believe that some of those UFOs or meteors that get reported might possibly be space rubbish that they have just tossed out for lack of room. What is junk to one might be treasure to another, so it seems to us that they could just put up an orbital shed to house the stuff, bring it down later, and have a heck of a garage sale.
Read More | USA Today
Gallery: Astronaut Takes Out The Trash
Skycar Not So Far Away
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Corporate News, Misc. Tech, Science, Transportation,
We were
in error. It seems there is a Jetsons-type car flying in an atmosphere near you. Moller International, founded by a UC Davis professor, has announced that it is producing the M200G Volantor, a small, two passenger, saucer-shaped vehicle that takes off and lands vertically. Designed to hold up to 250 pounds, the device hovers about 10 feet off the ground so it will escape the watchful eye of the FAA until the company can pass the certification-testing program. Moller claims that the car can go up to 45 mph for 45 to 90 minutes.
Bruce Calkins, General Manager, says that although a market has to be created before skycars catch on, he believes that a good first step would be for those who want to either run down to the beach or head out to the golf course. Check out the M200G in action as it takes a test spin. Only a limited amount of them will be available before a full-scale release by 2009 for marketing demonstrators, special sales, and military applications. We think that for $125,000.00, it makes it a heck of a toy.
(Thanks, Bruce)
Read More | Moller
Gallery: Skycar Not So Far Away
Tomy has announced what they claim to be the world’s smallest humanoid bot. Available in white in Japan and black in the U.S., i-Sobot stands only 165 mm (~6.5-inches) and weighs only 350g (~12.4 oz.) He has 17 micro actuators and a gyro-sensor for balance and doing jigs. All told, he makes 200 movements including somersaults, speaks 180 words, and responds to voice commands. The first product sold with Sanyo’s next generation rechargeable Eneloop battery, i-Sobot can be yours October 25 for 30,000 Yen (~$250.00.)
Read More | Fareastgizmos
