You probably heard about driverless cars before, specially Google’s attempt of this. It has always been a goal to all auto-related inventors, and is nowadays closer to become a reality. Let’s meet CaRINA, a driverless car developed in Brazil which is hitting the roads these days for testing and further development.
Humans have long dreamt of walking among robots controlled by artificial intelligence. But is that dream finally becoming a reality?
While Apple definitely made it easier to access the calculator in iOS7, you still might find yourself without a way to do math on your smartphone. Maybe the battery ran out, or maybe you’ve found a way to make the Calculator app crash. Either way, you need a “Plan B” for your maths. I present the solution to this challenging equation – the Abacus iPhone case.
This 3D printed case designed by Joaquin Baldwin provides a fully-functional abacus on the back of your iPhone, letting you work math problems without even slightly draining your battery. And as an added bonus, you’ll get tiny Apple logos in place of traditional abacus beads.
The Abacus case is available in iPhone 5/5S and 4/4S variants over on Shapeways for $24(USD). While I’ll have to dust off my abacus-using skills, I guess it beats using Chisanbop.
The history of the toilet is inextricably tied to the history of
humanity itself. A basic function of survival, excreting is a body
function that simultaneously relaxes and repels the voider. Through
many years of employment, the toilet has evolved, but the purpose of it
has remained the same.
Noise cancelling headphones are nothing new, but wouldn’t it be neat if there was a device that could provide an entire room with silence? You could soundproof your room, but that would be time-consuming and expensive. Rudolf Stefanich’s Sono concept device would be a godsend. You’d simply attach it to a window and it would block outside noise.
Aside from cutting down on background noise, Stefanich dreamt up Sono to also be able to let certain sounds pass through, perhaps depending on their noise level. He also imagines that the device will get its power from nearby Wi-Fi signals.
You can find out more about Rudolf’s unique concept on his website. I don’t know if it’s possible to make the Sono a real thing, but dammit if folks are already printing pizza and controlling drones with their minds maybe a reverse cone of silence isn’t too much to ask for.
[via Gajitz]
These days, when someone says “wearable gadget” they’re most likely talking about something worn on the wrist or on the eyes. But if you don’t see a need for a tiny display, the Xowi voice badge might be the wearable gadget for you. Like most smartwatches, Xowi connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth, giving you a virtual assistant that’s all ears all the time.
Because it doesn’t have a screen, Xowi relies mainly on voice commands and replies to queries with synthesized speech. It has a few buttons, but mostly you’ll need to talk to the badge if you want to get anything done. In exchange you get a very portable device that you can wear not just on your person but pretty much anywhere, while leaving your hands, wrists and eyes free.
Xowi’s inventors claim that their mobile app works with iOS, Android, Blackberry and Windows Phone. The app will have dozens of connected services when it launches, but apparently it will be easy for developers to add more and even sell those add-ons.
Pledge at least $149 (USD) on Kickstarter to get a Xowi badge as a reward. I’m still not sold on voice commands, but I can see the appeal of Xowi. Then again, I think that when Google Glass arrives and hits a competitive price, all these devices that need to be tethered to smartphones are going to bite the dust.
I’ve a great deal of respect for first responders, but I’d never want their jobs. These men and women flirt with death on a daily basis, dealing with everything from chemical hazards to domestic disputes. It’s not an easy job…but thanks to iRobot, it might have just gotten a little easier.
Le Whaf is a crazy new food gadget which is capable of turning food into nothing but a calorie-free vapor with the same flavor as the solid form from which it originates. So is this concept just wishful thinking, or will the next few years see Le Whaf sweep the food vapor-loving world? Find out.
There’s a new video making the rounds this weekend, courtesy of the European Space Agency. Said video has a very simple purpose: to give us an idea of what the future of unmanned space exploration might look like. Let’s have a look, shall we?
A new wrist monitor by Israeli medical startup company Seraphim Sense could revolutionize the world of mobile healthcare.
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