scientists at the University of California San Diego have gone ahead and made it a reality. They’ve created a contact lens, controlled by eye movements, that can zoom in if you blink twice.

How is this possible? In the simplest of terms, the scientists measured the electrooculographic signals generated when eyes make specific movements (up, down, left, right, blink, double blink) and created a soft biomimetic lens that responds directly to those electric impulses. The lens created was able to change its focal length depending on the signals generated.

Therefore the lens could literally zoom in the blink of an eye.

Incredibly, the lens works regardless of whether the user can see or not. It’s not about the sight, it’s about the electricity produced by specific movements.

Source: Scientists create contact lenses that zoom when you blink twice – CNET

Canon’s G7 X line has long been a favorite of photographers who wanted a travel-friendly camera that could still capture high-quality images. But with the rise of smartphones and the decline of point-and-shoots, Canon began pushing its compact cameras towards vloggers, who I’ve seen use cameras like the G7 X and Sony’s RX100 line as a backup or more portable alternative to a big mirrorless or DSLR cam. After all, when you’re attaching a camera to a gimbal or the end of a GorillaPod, every extra bit of lightness make a camera easier to handle.

So for the new G7 X III, it seems the influencers have influenced Canon because one of the camera’s new standout features is the ability to record vertical videos without rotating the footage in post natively. Using a new built-in gyro, the G7 X III can determine the camera’s orientation and then embed that info into a clip’s metadata, which means filming vertical videos for your Instagram stories on the G7 X III is as simple as turning the camera sideways.

And if that’s enough not to excite attendees of VidCon 2019—the vlogger convention where the $750 G7 X is making its official debut—Canon also gave the camera the ability to livestream video directly to YouTube over wifi via the company’s Image Gateway software. The G7 X III also comes with a built-in microphone jack for vloggers who aren’t satisfied with the camera’s on-board audio, and a 3-inch touchscreen that can flip up 180-degree so that vloggers can check their composition while they’re filming themselves.

Source: Canon Stabs Tradition in the Back With Camera That Supports Vertical Video

The tech world is probably sitting on the edge of a charger revolution, and most of us just haven’t realized it yet. No, I’m not talking about USB-C (sadly); I’m talking about GaN (gallium nitride) chargers, a material that’s started to replace silicon in chargers. I’ve had the chance to try out two of the first GaN chargers — RavPower’s 45W slimline design model and Anker’s PowerPort Atom PD 1 — and it’s not just marketing hype: the new chargers really do make a huge leap forward for shrinking down power bricks in a way that’s really exciting to see.

In both cases, simply holding the charger in your hand is enough to make you skeptical. The 30W Anker just flat out seems too small to drive anything bigger than a phone, and the 45W RavPower option, while a bit larger, also pales in comparison to a similarly specced silicon-based charger.

But both work as promised, outputting the charge they say on their respective labels without getting unnecessarily hot or exploding, which is basically all you can really ask of a charger. It’s not magic: as my colleague Angela Chen explains, GaN is much more efficient, meaning that chargers that use it can be much smaller and waste less energy than ones based on silicon. The biggest obstacle is simply that companies are used to working with silicon, whereas GaN is relatively new; in an ideal world, we’ll probably start to see more products taking advantage of the tech in the near future.

It’s not perfect yet: Anker’s 30W Atom PD 1 struggles to power something as large as a 13-inch MacBook Pro — you can charge it while the computer is sleeping, but while actively running, it’ll still struggle to really keep pace with the power drain (although it’ll work in a pinch). And for anything smaller, like a phone, iPad, Nintendo Switch, headphones, or anything else with USB-C, it’s practically a no-brainer for the $29.99 price.

RavPower’s 45W plug is even more impressive — it can actually drive basically any USB-C device, barring the most power-hungry laptops (like Apple’s 15-inch MacBook Pro). And while I’d wish for that kind of wattage in something a little smaller, we’re still in the extremely early days for GaN chargers, and odds are that we’ll start to see more varied designs soon.

Source: The next generation of wall chargers is getting smaller and better – The Verge

In order to create what it calls “the world’s lightest gaming mouse,” the engineers at peripheral maker Glorious PC Gaming Race took a mouse and put holes all in it. The result is the Model O, a very good gaming mouse that weighs only 67 grams and may trigger trypophobia.

“You’ll barely feel the holes,” reads the copy on the Model O’s product page, answering the question I imagine most people have when looking at the honeycombed plastic shell. I’ve used the ultra-light accessory for a couple weeks now, and the product page is correct. It feels slightly bumpy under the palm.

Only when I look directly at the Model O do I feel mildly disturbed by the pattern of holes covering the top and its underside. The effect is less jarring when the RGB lighting is cycling. While I’m actively using the mouse, my giant hands cover it completely. Glorious PC Gaming Race says the holes allow for better airflow, keeping hands cool, but my massive paws negate that benefit. I worry about dirt getting in the holes, but that’s nothing I can’t avoid by not being a total slob. Perhaps it’s time.

The Model O slides over my mouse pad effortlessly thanks to its ridiculously low weight and the rounded plastic feet, which Glorious PC Gaming Race calls “G-Skates.” I particularly enjoy the mouse’s cable, a proprietary braided affair that feels like a normal thin wire wrapped in a shoelace. It doesn’t tangle, which is an issue with many mice and one of the main reasons I prefer a stationary trackball.

Beneath the unique design and proprietary bits, the Model O is a very nice six-button gaming mouse. It’s got a Pixart sensor that can be adjusted as sensitive as 12,000 DPI (dots per inch), with more sensible presets of 400, 800, 1,600, and 3,200 cyclable via a button on the bottom of the unit (software is required to go higher). It’s fast and responsive.

Glorious PC Gaming Race Model O Specs

• Sensor: Pixart PMW-3360 Sensor
• Switch Type (Main): Omron Mechanical Rated For 20 Million Clicks
• Number of Buttons: 6
• Max Tracking Speed: 250+ IPS
• Weight: 67grams (Matte) and 68 grams (Glossy)
• Acceleration: 50G
• Max DPI: 12,000
• Polling Rate: 1000hz (1ms)
• Lift off Distance: ~0.7mm
• Price: $50 Matte, $60 Glossy.

Note that the Model O comes in four styles: black or white matte finish and black or white glossy. The glossy versions cost $10 more than the $50 matte versions and weigh 68 grams instead of 67. In other words, the glossy versions are not the “world’s lightest gaming mouse” and should be exiled.

The Glorious PC Gaming Race Model O is the lightest gaming mouse I’ve used. I’m not sure I’m the type of hardcore mouse user that would benefit from the reduced weight. In fact, many of the gaming mice I’ve evaluated over the past several years have come packaged with weights to make them heavier. If you prefer a more lightweight pointing device and don’t mind all the holes, the Model O could be for you. And if not, you can probably fill it with clay or something to weigh it down.

Source: The Secret To The World’s Lightest Gaming Mouse Is Lots Of Holes

Jeremy Horwitz@horwitz July 2, 2019 9:10 AM

Image Credit: Gizmochina

Apple’s Memoji may have become the more popular 3D avatar feature for smartphones, but Xiaomi wants people to know that its similarly named version — Mimoji — came first, despite increasingly confusing overlap between the apps’ names and features. Moreover, it’s apparently threatening legal action against writers who call it a copycat without providing proof.

In September 2017, Apple introduced Animoji as an iPhone X-exclusive component of Messages, enabling the high-end smartphone’s users to see their facial expressions rendered in augmented reality as one of 12 animated emoji glyphs, including pig, fox, rabbit, panda, and poop icons. On June 4, 2018, it added user-customizable Memoji faces to Animoji — notably without changing the Messages component’s name — which hit all iPhone X, XR, and XS models with a final public release in September 2018.

By contrast, Xiaomi notes that its own feature was originally called “Mi Meng” when it hit China in late May 2018, but had the English name Mimoji, as evidenced by the package name of its Android application. While the company’s Mimoji generally looked like second-rate Animoji — including a pig, fox, panda, and rabbit-ish mascot — there weren’t any human figures. Until now.

Above: Xiaomi’s initial Mimoji.

The new version of Mimoji is arriving with Xiaomi’s CC9 phones, adding user-customizable human faces complete with the same basic facial, hair, and clothing elements, albeit rendered with various small changes. Writers in China found the similarities similar enough to call Xiaomi’s version a clone, but after a day of “internal self-examination,” the company challenged that on the Weibo social network. As Gizmochina notes, PR head Xu Jieyun posted the app’s naming timeline, and said that the “functional logic difference between the two products is huge.” It also promised “the next phase of action” against people who said it was copying Apple’s Memoji without proof.

Neither Apple nor Xiaomi can reasonably claim to be first with either the 3D animal or 3D human avatar concept; the ideas have been found in third-party apps for years, and Samsung’s AR Emoji beat both companies to market with OS-integrated human avatars in February 2018. Even the Memoji name dates back to at least early 2017, and not from Apple.

But there’s no question that Apple’s specific implementation of Memoji, complete with TrueDepth face tracking, was something special, and now Mimoji offers something similar. Apple has already announced a host of new customizations for Memoji in iOS 13, and each company will likely iterate on its system — under whatever name — for years to come.

Source: Xiaomi threatens writers over Mimoji app’s overlap with Apple’s Memoji

I had no idea that quick charging mouse mats were a thing, but it seems like a great idea. Considering QI has won the wireless charging race, I have selected a few which have LED colours, because I love them. Note, if you buy on Amazon US you often get cheaper prices for the hardware than elsewhere for some reason.

ASUS ROG Balteus Vertical Gaming Mouse Pad with Hard Micro-Textured Gaming Surface, USB Pass-Through, Aura Sync RGB Lighting and Non-Slip Base (12.6” X 14.6”)

• 12.6” x 14.6” vertical gaming mousepad
• Hard micro-textured, low-friction gaming surface for smooth gliding and precise control
• Usb 2.0 pass-through for connecting gaming mice or headsets
• Lighting mode button can adjust brightness or effects on the fly
• ASUS Aura Sync RGB lighting features a nearly endless spectrum of colors with the ability to synchronize effects across an ever-expanding ecosystem of AURA Sync enabled products

https://www.amazon.com/ROG-Balteus-Vertical-Micro-Textured-Pass-Through/dp/B07M65DNKH/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=ROG+Balteus&qid=1552722324&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnull

CORSAIR MM1000 Qi Wireless Charging Mouse Pad – Adapters Included for Most Smartphones Including iPhone and Android (CH-9440022-NA)

• Qi wireless charging allows you to effortlessly charge any QI Certified Device
• Included USB Micro-B, Type-C and Lightning QI charging adapters enable you to charge almost any other wireless/mobile Device Performance micro-textured Hard surface tuned for Optical or laser mouse precision
• Convenient USB 3.0 pass-through port for maximum Device compatibility
• Built-in LED indicator displays charging status at a glance

https://www.amazon.com/CORSAIR-MM1000-Wireless-Charging-Mouse/dp/B077ZGS1GN

Qi Wireless Fast Charging Mouse Pad Mat for iPhone X iPhone 8 Galaxy S8 S9 Plus Samsung Note 8 9

Input: 9V/1.6A; 5V/2A
Output: 10W (Max).

Material:
Non skid soft lining base protects desktop and keeps the pad in place.
Copper Coil:Built-in circuit protection keeps you and your device safe.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Qi-Wireless-Fast-Charging-Mouse-Pad-Mat-for-iPhone-X-iPhone-8-Galaxy-S8-S9-Plus/32952379032.html?spm=2114.search0104.3.275.36ab16adfrHeh2&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_9_10065_10068_319_317_10696_10084_453_10083_454_10618_10304_10307_10820_10821_10301_537_536_10902_10843_10059_10884_10887_321_322_10103,searchweb201603_55,ppcSwitch_0&algo_expid=4fdc03c4-a6a4-4c01-a138-03fdb40bdb5e-39&algo_pvid=4fdc03c4-a6a4-4c01-a138-03fdb40bdb5e

Gaming Mouse Pad RGB Oversized Glowing LED Extended Illuminated Keyboard Thicken Colorful

1、Colorful RGB lights, 9 colors, 10 modes available: red, green, blue, purple, cyan, yellow, white, color, breathing lights.
2、About 4mm/0.16in ultra-thick fine textured fabric with precise positioning and low resistance.
3、Separable USB cable for easy use, convenient storage/portability, foldable.
4、PU non-slip rubber bottom surface, not easy to move.
5、Large size, large mouse activity space, enhance the gaming experience.
Product parameters:
Product Description: Turn on the key to control lighting mode, the default is red light, each press to switch to the next lighting mode:
1.Red 2.Green 3.Blue 4.Purple 5.Cyan 6.Yellow 7.White 8.Automatically switch according to the above color order 9.Fantasy slow flashing 10. Symphony slow flashing 11. Turn off the backlight

Product size: about small 30*25*0.4 cm/11.81*9.84*0.16in   large 78*30*0.4 cm/30.71*11.81*0.16in

Product interface: USB

Product wire: 1.2 m/47.24in black braided data cable

Voltage and current: 5V≤150mA
 

Power: 0.75w

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Gaming-Mouse-Pad-RGB-Oversized-Glowing-LED-Extended-Illuminated-Keyboard-Thicken-Colorful/32961968489.html?spm=2114.10010108.1000013.2.16166cbe4Od0YC&gps-id=pcDetailBottomMoreThisSeller&scm=1007.13339.99734.0&scm_id=1007.13339.99734.0&scm-url=1007.13339.99734.0&pvid=c183cb4e-d565-4694-bc8f-1c687b5a6fa7

University of Maryland researchers have created a fabric that can automatically regulate the amount of heat that passes through it. When conditions are warm and moist, such as those near a sweating body, the fabric allows infrared radiation (heat) to pass through. When conditions become cooler and drier, the fabric reduces the heat that escapes. The development was reported in the February 8, 2019 issue of the journal Science.

The researchers created the fabric from specially engineered yarn coated with a conductive metal. Under hot, humid conditions, the strands of yarn compact and activate the coating, which changes the way the fabric interacts with infrared radiation. They refer to the action as “gating” of infrared radiation, which acts as a tunable blind to transmit or block heat.

“This is the first technology that allows us to dynamically gate infrared radiation,” said YuHuang Wang, a professor of chemistry and biochemistry at UMD and one of the paper’s corresponding authors who directed the studies.

The base yarn for this new textile is created with fibers made of two different synthetic materials—one absorbs water and the other repels it. The strands are coated with carbon nanotubes, a special class of lightweight, carbon-based, conductive metal. Because materials in the fibers both resist and absorb water, the fibers warp when exposed to humidity such as that surrounding a sweating body. That distortion brings the strands of yarn closer together, which does two things. First, it opens the pores in the fabric. This has a small cooling effect because it allows heat to escape. Second, and most importantly, it modifies the electromagnetic coupling between the carbon nanotubes in the coating.

“You can think of this coupling effect like the bending of a radio antenna to change the wavelength or frequency it resonates with,” Wang said. “It’s a very simplified way to think of it, but imagine bringing two antennae close together to regulate the kind of electromagnetic wave they pick up. When the fibers are brought closer together, the radiation they interact with changes. In clothing, that means the fabric interacts with the heat radiating from the human body.”

Depending on the tuning, the fabric either blocks infrared radiation or allows it to pass through. The reaction is almost instant, so before people realize they’re getting hot, the garment could already be cooling them down. On the flip side, as a body cools down, the dynamic gating mechanism works in reverse to trap in heat.

“The human body is a perfect radiator. It gives off heat quickly,” said Min Ouyang, a professor of physics at UMD and the paper’s other corresponding author. “For all of history, the only way to regulate the radiator has been to take clothes off or put clothes on. But this fabric is a true bidirectional regulator.”

According to the Science paper, this is first textile shown to be able to regulate heat exchange with the environment.

Read more at: https://phys.org/news/2019-02-scientists-fabric-automatically-cool-insulate.html#jCp

Source: Scientists develop first fabric to automatically cool or insulate depending on conditions

In a demonstration of “computational periscopy” a US team at Boston University showed they could see details of objects hidden from view by analysing shadows they cast on a nearby wall.

Vivek Goyal, an electrical engineer at the university, said that while the work had clear implications for surveillance he hoped it would lead to robots that could navigate better and boost the safety of driverless cars.

He said: “I’m not especially excited by surveillance, I don’t want to be doing creepy things, but being able to see that there’s a child on the other side of a parked car, or see a little bit around the corner of an intersection could have a significant impact on safety.”

The problem of how to see round corners has occupied modern researchers for at least a decade. And while scientists have made good progress in the field, the equipment used so far has been highly specialised and expensive.

In the latest feat, Goyal and his team used a standard digital camera and a mid-range laptop. “We didn’t use any sophisticated hardware. This is just an ordinary camera and we are all carrying these around in our pockets,” he said.

The researchers, writing in the journal Nature, describe how they pieced together hidden scenes by pointing the digital camera at the vague shadows they cast on a nearby wall. If the wall had been a mirror the task would have been easy, but a matt wall scatters light in all directions, so the reflected image is nothing but a blur. Goyal said: “In essence, computation can turn a matt wall into a mirror.”

They found that when an object blocked part of the hidden scene, their algorithms could use the combination of light and shade at different points on the wall to reconstruct what lay round the corner. In tests, the program pieced together hidden images of video game characters – including details such as their eyes and mouths – along with coloured strips and the letters “BU”.

Given the relative simplicity of the program and equipment, Goyal believes it could be possible for humans to learn the same trick. In a draft blog written for Nature, he said: “It is even conceivable for humans to be able to learn to see around corners with their own eyes; it does not require anything superhuman.”

Source: Program allows ordinary digital camera to see round corners | Science | The Guardian

Why replace your things just because they’re not state-of-the-art? Smartians are cloud-connected motors that breathe new life into the things around you.

<iframe src=”https://player.vimeo.com/video/294150597″ width=”640″ height=”360″ frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen></iframe>

Very clever, I hope they get funded!

 

Source: Smartians | FROLIC studio |

Albatrosses and radar tracking

One of the successful projects will see albatrosses and petrels benefit from further research using ‘bird-borne’ radar devices. Developed by scientists at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), the attached radars will measure how often tracked wandering albatrosses interact with legal and illegal fishing vessels in the south Atlantic to map the areas and times when birds of different age and sex are most susceptible to bycatch – becoming caught up in fishing nets.

The project’s results will be shared with stakeholders to better target bycatch observer programmes, monitor compliance with bycatch mitigation and highlight the impact of bycatch on seabirds.

The UK is a signatory to the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP), part of the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS). This agreement has been extremely successful in substantially reducing levels of seabird bycatch in a number of important fisheries where rates have been reduced to virtually zero from levels that were historically concerning.

Professor Richard Phillips, leader of the Higher Predators and Conservation group at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) said:

The British Antarctic Survey is delighted to be awarded this funding from Darwin Plus, which is for a collaboration between BAS and BirdLife International. The project will use a range of technologies – GPS, loggers that record 3-D acceleration and novel radar-detecting tags – to quantify interactions of tracked wandering albatrosses with legal and illegal fishing vessels. The technology will provide much-needed information on the areas and periods of highest bycatch.

Source: Darwin Plus: ‘Bird-borne’ radar for albatrosses among 17 new projects to be funded – GOV.UK

Snips is the first Voice Platform where you can build an Voice Assistant that is Private by Design.

Source: Snips — Using Voice to Make Technology Disappear

Which means, unlike Alexa or Google Home, your voice data doesn’t get listened to by the cloud, doesn’t get saved by strangers targetting advertising at you and works when the Cloud ™ goes down.

The homepage

If you don’t want to put together all the bits and bobs (Raspberry Pi, mic, speaker, etc) you can get the Seeed Voice Interaction Development Kit for $115 and satellites (which relay commands to your base kit) for $85,-

The Snips makers page is the starting point to join and see projects

They have an app store with loads of intents pre programmed for you to install

This is a pretty good github page of awesome snips

An example including how to install from base on how to do a multiplication table game

Another example on how to integrate Sonos

The forum

And a telegram page

the Facebook page

It also integrates with home assistant

From Edgar BV Wiki

One user played Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” on an Android tablet piano app and later bought some groceries online. Another sent a few texts and then checked the weather forecast. A third browsed through some videos before firing up Stevie Nicks on Pandora.

They didn’t use their fingers to type commands or their voices to navigate the the interface.

They used their noggins, specifically the motor cortex region of their brains where a baby aspirin-size chip had been implanted as part of a new study

[…]

Each participant was asked to try out seven common apps on the tablet: email, chat, web browser, video sharing, music streaming, a weather program and a news aggregator. The researchers also asked the users if they wanted any additional apps, and subsequently added the keyboard app, grocery shopping on Amazon, and a calculator.

The participants made up to 22 point-and-click selections per minute and typed up to 30 characters per minute in email and text programs. What’s more, all three participants really enjoyed using the tablet, says Hochberg.

Source: Paralyzed Individuals Operate Tablet with Brain Implant – IEEE Spectrum

Out of thousands of smartphone vendors, TCL’s BlackBerry Mobile unit represents one of a tiny handful targeting enterprise users. But its two QWERTY models to date have been priced at a premium, north of £500. Unveiled at IFA this week, budget model the KEY2 LE cuts costs in a bid to attract the corporate bulk buyers.

The formula is straightforward. Take a midrange processor for endurance then beef this up with a hefty battery. While the KEY2 had a generous 6GB of RAM, the LE has a perfectly adequate 4GB. Savings have also been made by using a polycarbonate frame, a non-touch physical keyboard, a slower Snapdragon 636 (rather than 660) processor, and slightly cheaper camera sensors (13MP+5MP main).

The dimpled, grippy rubber-like material on the back feels fine, just not as plush as the KEY2. And somewhat disappointingly the power pack has been downgraded to 3,000mAh. That promises better-than-average endurance, into a second day for most, but not the extraordinary durability of the KEY2’s 3,500mAh, which makes it a must for long days of travel or shows like IFA.

To the naked eye it’s the same, very sharp 4.5-inch display. Oldies will find using a larger-than-default font is a must. I had a little go on the “Atomic”, red-tinted LE, which is clearly trying to strive after the shock and awe of the red and white BlackBerry Passport as one of the most striking phones ever made. I’m not sure it altogether works, as the rear material has a blueish tint.

Clearly TCL isn’t competing on specs. A full-touch device similarly kitted out would be around, or even under, £200 in 2018. The LE starts at £379 for the 4GB/32GB version. But you’re really buying it for the convenience keys and thoughtful suite of office tools and utilities. I can think of nothing as convenient as the “Productivity Bar” for checking incoming messages and appointments. And the paranoid will welcome a locked area for photos, files, apps and documents.

Source: BlackBerry KEY2 LE: Cheaper QWERTY, but not for what’s inside • The Register

It would be great if this had the specs to match – all for this one!

 

• Broad range of lighting configurations to complement the style of your system
• CORSAIR LINK enables fully programmable lighting effects, memory monitoring, and additional integration with other CORSAIR products
• Allows for a clean, seamless integration
• Improves thermal conductivity and appearance
• Superior overclocking potential

 

While the tech specs of the speakers haven’t been released yet, we know how they’ll connect to and work with Roku TVs. The speaker set pairs wirelessly with Roku TVs via Roku Connect, and, thanks to built-in software that works with Roku OS, the speakers will sync up with whatever you’re watching on the smart TV. Roku told Ars in a briefing that the speakers will play optimized audio from anything connected to the paired Roku TV, including cable boxes, antennas, and even Bluetooth devices like your smartphone.

“Optimized” in this sense refers to the software-improved audio quality: automatic volume leveling will boost lower audio in quiet scenes and lower audio in loud scenes (and in booming commercials), and dialogue enhancement will improve speech intelligibility.

Source: Roku wants to grab audiophiles with its new wireless speakers for Roku TVs | Ars Technica

What a brilliant idea, and why can’t we all get it?!

Google’s entire Home infrastructure has suffered a serious outage, with millions of customers on Wednesday morning complaining that their smart devices have stopped working.

At the time of writing, the cloud-connected gadgets are still hosed, the service is still down, and the system appears to have been knackered for at least the past 10 hours. The clobbbered gizmos can’t respond to voice commands, can’t control other stuff in your home, and so on.

Chromecasts can’t stream video, and Home speakers respond to commands with: “Sorry, something went wrong. Try again in a few seconds.”

Users in Google’s home state of California started complaining that their Google Home, Mini, and Chromecast devices were not working properly around midnight Pacific Time on Tuesday, and the issue cropped up in every country in which the Google Home devices are sold.

But it was only when the United States started waking up on Wednesday morning – the US has the vast majority of Google Home devices – that the reports started flooding in, pointing to an outage of the entire system.

Google has confirmed the devices are knackered, but has so far provided no other information, saying only that it is investigating the issue.

[…]

Updated to add

Google has issued the following statement:

We’re aware of an issue affecting some Google Home and Chromecast users. Some users are back online and we are working on a broader fix for all affected users. We will continue to keep our customers updated.

The web giant then followed up with more details – try rebooting to pick up a software fix, or wait up to six hours to get the update:

We’ve identified a fix for the issue impacting Google Home and Chromecast users and it will be automatically rolled out over the next 6 hours. If you would like an immediate fix please follow the directions to reboot your device. If you’re still experiencing an issue after rebooting, contact us at Google Home Support. We are really sorry for the inconvenience and are taking steps to prevent this issue from happening in the future.

Source: Not OK Google: Massive outage turns smart home kit utterly dumb • The Register

Building on the technology that debuted with Kinect and became a core part of HoloLens, Project Kinect for Azure combines Microsoft’s next-generation depth camera with the power of Azure services to enable new scenarios for developers working with ambient intelligence. This technology will transform AI on the edge with spatial, human, and object understanding, increasing efficiency and unlocking new possibilities.

everage capabilities like spatial mapping, segmentation, and human and object recognition to enable:

• Azure end-points
• Robotics and drones
• Holoportation and telepresence
• Object capture and reconstruction

Hardware features:

• 1MP depth camera
• 4K RGB camera
• 360° microphone array

Source: Perception-powered intelligent edge dev kits

Some smartwatches come with powerful processors, lots of storage, and robust software, but have limited capabilities compared to smartphones thanks to their tiny touchscreens. Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University, however, have now created a smartwatch prototype with a built-in projector that turns the wearer’s arm into a smartphone-sized touchscreen.

Despite what you may have seen on crowdfunding sites, the LumiWatch is the first smartwatch to integrate a fully-functional laser projector and sensor array, allowing a screen projected on a user’s skin to be poked, tapped, and swiped just like a traditional touchscreen. It seems like a gadget straight out of science fiction, but don’t reach for your credit card just yet, because it’s going to be a very long time before the technology created for this research project ends up in a consumer-ready device.

Source: The World’s First Working Projector Smartwatch Turns Your Arm Into a Big Touchscreen

The second generation of a deciwatt gravity-powered lamp designed by the British industrial designers behind the Psion computer keyboard was launched today.

Few innovations we cover can claim to save lives, but this just might be one of them. The $5 Gravity Light, designed by London’s Therefore Inc, offers the world’s poorest a clean alternative to burning kerosene or biomass for lighting or radios.

The clever bit is a winch that unwinds incredibly slowly, but steadily enough to provide a low but usable voltage. The lamp was first featured here in 2012.

The second generation adds solar power and a rechargeable battery. The latter may be surprising – co-designer Jim Reeves said short-lived and costly rechargeable batteries were far from ideal. But things change, and the ability to store the energy is useful.

Source: Grab your lamp, you’ve pulled: Brits punt life-saving gravity-powered light

Today, we are pleased to announce that anyone can now build their own Things Gateway to control their connected device directly from the web.

We kicked off “Project Things”, with the goal of building a decentralized ‘Internet of Things’ that is focused on security, privacy, and interoperability. Since our announcement last year, we have continued to engage in open and collaborative development with a community of makers, testers, contributors, and end-users, to build the foundation for this future.

Today’s launch makes it easy for anyone with a Raspberry Pi to build their own Things Gateway. In addition to web-based commands and controls, a new experimental feature shows off the power and ease of using voice-based commands. We believe this is the most natural way for users to interact with their smart home. Getting started is easy, and we recommend checking out this tutorial to get connected.
[…]
Built for everyone

If you have been following our progress with Project Things, you’ll know that up to now, it was only really accessible to those with a good amount of technical knowledge. With today’s release, we have made it easy for anyone to get started on building their own Things Gateway to control their devices. We take care of the complicated stuff so that you can focus on the fun stuff such as automation, ‘if this, then that’ rules, adding a greater variety of devices, and more.

Source: Announcing “Project Things” – An open framework for connecting your devices to the web. – The Mozilla Blog

So when you fall over the cable, it just unplugs instead of making your laptop, lamp, whatever, fall over

Source: TUG – ILOVEHANDLES

In December, I converted my one-bedroom apartment in San Francisco into a “smart home.” I connected as many of my appliances and belongings as I could to the internet: an Amazon Echo, my lights, my coffee maker, my baby monitor, my kid’s toys, my vacuum, my TV, my toothbrush, a photo frame, a sex toy, and even my bed.

Source: The House That Spied on Me

It’s a good story on the privacy and especially the practicality of living in a smart home.

I recognise quite a lot in that much of it is quite a bit of hassle, especially trying to get it working the way you want it to!

Amazon.com: Dr.meter Wifi Endoscope, 2.0 Megapixels HD Digital Inspection Camera with 5 Meters(16.4ft) Cable and 8 LEDs in the Camera Handheld Borescope Supports Windows iOS and Android System: Camera & Photo

Source: Amazon.com: Dr.meter Wifi Endoscope, 2.0 Megapixels HD Digital Inspection Camera with 5 Meters(16.4ft) Cable and 8 LEDs in the Camera Handheld Borescope Supports Windows iOS and Android System: Camera & Photo