Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Scientists Develop Eye-shaped Camera, Paves Way For Bionic Eye
There are lot of developments happening in the world of digital camera. So, what's so unique about this electric-eye camera?The answer lies in its curved nature. Currently when photos are taken, the picture is clear in the middle but at the edges it is blurred. The curved technology ensures that the entire picture is clean and clear.
"This is the first time we've demonstrated a camera on a curved surface to really make it look like a human eye," said Yonggang Huang of Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill.
Wow! So why didn't they think about this earlier?
They did. And also tried to implement it. But to their dismay when microelectronic components were transferred onto a curved surface it broke under pressure.
Transferring microelectronic components onto a curved surface without breaking them was the task before Huang and Rogers. Guess what? They've found a simple solution to prevent breakage.
"Huang and Rogers developed a mesh-like material made up of tiny squares that hold the photodetectors and electronic components. The squares are connected by tiny wires that give each component the ability to mold to a curved surface."
This fantastic development goes beyond vacation photos.The device could be used to make better imaging equipment, such as curved sensors to monitor brain activity that follow the contours of the brain. It could even be used in the development of an artificial retina or a bionic eye.
Source - PC Pro
Image source - Newscom.com
Labels: Design-Engineering, Robotics
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Chewable Jewelry - Safe For Babies, Stylish For Moms
Dentist Helen Bloom Smith decided to take the road less travelled when she spotted the teething problems of her twin nephews. Her decision has led to the creation of Dr. Bloom Inc., a company that manufactures original teething and nursing jewelry known today as Dr. Bloom’s Chewable Jewels ™. "This teething jewelry is made of food-safe silicone, the same material used to make baby bottles and teething toys. It is designed to look like sleek resin or stone, but gently give way on baby's gums and are dishwasher-safe.
All of the parts, even the cording that holds the pendants, are made of products approved by the Food and Drug Administration and are free of latex and phthalates, controversial chemicals used in plastics that some say are linked to hormone disruptions and other health problems."
Individual necklaces cost $16, sets of three bracelets cost $18, a bracelet-necklace combo costs $19 and a bracelet-keychain pairing costs $20. Check out her site to get info about the various product options, colors and packages.Smith runs the company Dr.Bloom Inc., along with sister Joy Bloom Wright and friend Mary Wheeler Settlemier. Having tasted success in her first venture, she hopes to expand this feature into other safe baby products.
Smith's venture proves yet again that 'the road not taken has made all the difference'.
Source - Nola.com
Labels: Design-Engineering, Manufacturing-Production-Engineering
Monday, June 30, 2008
Ford Says Goodbye to Fuel Tank Screw Cap; Easy Fuel, Easy Go
That's not it. It dirties your hand too.
Engineers at Ford have developed a product known as Easy Fuel to keep your hands clean. Easy Fuel is a capless fuel-filler system - it eliminates the need for a fuel tank screw cap.
The novel design uses an integrated spring-loaded flapper door that is held closed by two latches that can only be released by a standard-size unleaded fuel nozzle. When the nozzle is inserted into the filler neck, the latches release to open up the flapper door. When the nozzle is removed, the doors close automatically.This innovative system prevents the loss of fuel and also saves time. Positive response from customers has prompted them to to offer the Easy Fuel system as standard equipment across the Ford.
Easy Fuel was introduced on the 2008 Ford Explorer and Mercury Mountaineer, and will be offered as standard equipment on the all-new 2009 Ford F-150, Ford Flex and Lincoln MKS.
Source - Ford
Labels: Design-Engineering, Logistics-Transportation-Engineering
Saturday, June 28, 2008
World's First Power Assisted Suitcase
This is possible because of the way the handle and the wheels have been designed. The handle centers 85 per cent of the weight centered around the wheels and doesn't transfer it into the user's arms. The battery holds on for a mile and a half. Then it can be easily recharged with a plug in charger.
It has an inbuilt live locator ID system that helps you to locate the suitcase in the event of loss. Nothing can put you off from getting your hands on this innovative case except the price.Yes, you've got to shell out £700 to get one. But researchers are already working on creating affordable cases for all.
Therefore from now on, travel with ease not with a burden behind your back.
Labels: Design-Engineering
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Stunning Solar Powered Plant Pot Glows In the Dark
Until now, the fragrance of fresh flowers or the splash of nature's colors would have enticed a passer by to stop by and take a look at your well maintained garden. This time your flowers are going to take the backseat. Your pot is going to bask in the spotlight. The humble clay pot has had a makeover. It has turned into a stunning solar powered plant pot that glows in the dark.
"As its name suggests, this stylish designer pot soaks up the sun's rays in order to charge an internal battery that powers several built-in LEDs.

As night falls the entire pot begins to glow, adding an enchanting touch of magic to your garden/patio. You can even choose between a pot that glows constant white or one that gently phases through a kaleidoscope of gorgeous colours."
It comes with a ground spike and a solar cell which enables the pot to be placed in shade too. A 3m cable connects the pot and the solar cell that is stuck to the ground. It comes with an eco-friendly tag; cos it doesn't require any electricity to function. Prices range from $39 to $45.
This fashionable garden accessory is sure to make heads turn.
Source - Firebox
Labels: Design-Engineering, Energy-Environment-Engineering
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Your Bags Now Power Your Mobile - Solar Bags Have Arrived!
The Solar Bag is a bag with a miniature solar panel built into its front to accumulate energy. Inside there’s a battery and a range of plugs so you can hook up your I-Pod, mobile phone and every type of digital device.
The Solar Bag comes in two styles: a small trunk made from Bordeaux or black chamois, or classic arm-bag. With our entire society becoming eco & green conscious, eco-totes such as the Solar Bag will likely be frequently heard about from now on!
Designer Ennio Capasa is credited with developing the Solar Bag.
Of interest to you also could be the Power Purse, another cool eco-tote, developed by Solarjo. This again is covered with small solar panels that can power cell phones or any other gadgets through a USB port built inside.
Related stuff: Noon Solar - creates green totes and satchels chosen for their sustainability, Voltaic Backpacks - mobile solar power generators designed to charge virtually all handheld electronics.
We live in interesting times.
Sources: Boing Boing Gadgets, Crave, CNC Costume National, Racked
Labels: Design-Engineering, Energy-Environment-Engineering
A Bicycle that Goes 75 MPH - You Heard it Right
Image credit: Kneeslider
Pulsejets were the engines used by the German V1 buzzbombs in WWII. The buzzbomb got its name from the buzzing sound of the pulsejet engine.
Robert Maddox builds pulsejet engines. And he has attached some to - of all things - bicycles. The version you see in the video (below) puts out 50 to 60 pounds of thrust, enough for 75 mph or so on the bike. So, get set on the bike and vroooom!
As you can see in the video above, the buzzing bomb jet engine attached to a retro-style bicycle frame is capable of moving along furiously nicely.
If you are one of those freaks who loves to have your moving things big, the pulsejet bicycle is sure to please you. Now, whether it will please your neighbours is quite another question!
Sources: Kneeslider, AutoBlog Green
Labels: Design-Engineering, Logistics-Transportation-Engineering
Monday, May 5, 2008
Ugly Looking Japanese Car Costs Over US$ 90,000
The Japanese company Mitsuoka started selling the weird looking car Mitsuoka Orochi mid-engined sports for over US$90,000, starting January last year. Can you believe it? Of course it was in limited production (about 400 pieces), but who would be interested in plonking such large sums for such an ugly looking car?
Well, you never know!
Labels: Design-Engineering, Logistics-Transportation-Engineering
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Vital Jacket - A Jacket That Monitors Your Heart
Combining textiles and microelectronics, it was designed to be able to monitor health status in different life situations. It has all abilities to perform high quality vital signs monitoring, from a heart rate to a full electrocardiogram of a patient, and is very comfortable to wear.
Because it is worn on our bodies, it can operate even when the patient is on the go, running or working out. The data can be stored on the SD card and analyzed later or it can be instantly shown on the screen of PDA or smartphone - the method depends on the model you choose, the HWM100 or HWM200.
More than the technology, the design aspect is what needs to be appreciated. What better form for a heart monitor than a dress!
Labels: Design-Engineering
Computerized Combat Glove That Lets Soldiers Use Wearable Computers
The sensor-laden military glove will be used as an input device for soldiers’ wearable computer systems. The glove has push-button sensors sewn into it that can act like a computer mouse, and embedded in the backhand area are three accelerometers. The sensors are used to activate radio communications, view and navigate electronic maps, and send commands. The glove is connected to the computer by a USB cord.
How does this work and where could this be used?
Sensors on the tips of the middle and fourth fingers activate radio communications, a different channel for each finger. Another sensor on the lower portion of the index finger changes modes, from "map mode" to "mouse mode." Also sewn into the pad of the middle fingertip of the glove is an "anywhere mouse" that uses force sensors and acts as a track pad.
U.S. soldiers, especially in dangerous places like Iraq are already equipped with wearable computer systems. But they are able to use these wearable computers only in their safe environments, such as within their protected humvees. What about using them in the more dangerous open, while also holding their weapons? It was not possible until now. With RallyPoint's sensor-embedded glove, a soldier can easily view and navigate digital maps, activate radio communications, and send commands without having to take his hand off his weapon. This device thus has all the necessary components in a combat-ready way.
A sensor-laden glove for wearable computing is not an entirely new concept. Researchers at MIT, the University of Toronto, and the Georgia Institute of Technology have been working on systems that focus on detecting hand and arm movements by using accelerometers, gyroscopes, and other high-tech sensors. But none of these researches have produced fully working products so far.
Labels: Design-Engineering
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Nature and Marine Animals Teach Engineers and Scientists
Consider, for example, the possibilities of designing a lightweight armor that would protect U.S. soldiers in Iraq from Improvised Explosive Devices. Or, what flexible ceramics might offer industry. Or, how everyone could benefit from new ways of producing and storing energy.
Nature holds these secrets and the answers to the questions that Prof. David Kisailus’s research group is learning how to ask. “My hope,” Kisailus said, “is that we can truly learn from these organisms how to design, optimize, and synthesize engineering materials that display properties that we as engineers can only dream of.”
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Labels: Design-Engineering
Monday, April 14, 2008
MediaCore Sofaside PC from Pearing Systems: Adrian Robins
Adrian Robins, owner of PearingSystems and inventor of the MEdiaCOre computer system has a background in engineering and a degree in architecture. His love of design and electronics prompted him to design and build the MEdiaCOre™. He says, “This is innovation and invention - as many people know the problem with computers in the living room is, they’re ugly, noisy and need cooling – and what’s the obsession with making them look like audio components?
This European, hand built unit features versatile design with media functionality.
The wooden enclosure offers superior noise reduction over other cases and uses a forced air flow system and unique custom chassis to keep components cool and quiet. It features built-in cable boxes and wireless router to keep your living room clutter-free.
The hand crafted cabinet is available in many finishes and colors to suit many styles of décor.
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Keywords: Sofaside PC, computer room, MediaCore, Pearing Systems , MEdiaCOre, media boxes , forced air flow system AV, cable TV boxes, keyboard, décor.
Labels: Computer-Science, Design-Engineering
Biomimetics in Engineering, Materials Science, Solar Panels
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Keywords: Natural History Museum, University of Sydney, Parker, National Geographic on Biomimetics, antireflective coatings, Iridescence, water-repellent properties, amber, Polandmicroscopic corrugations, light reflection, solar panels, mosquito's proboscis, hypodermic needles
Labels: Bio-engineering, Design-Engineering
Intelligent Homes Lead to the Future of Home Automation
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Keywords: Intelligent homes, future of home automation, housing market, Michael Milde, systems integrator, Hunter Home, Automation, Chicago, Ian Trible, Intellihome, Houston, Texas, cell phones, home automation services
Labels: Automation, Civil-Engineering, Design-Engineering
Flat Screen TV Bed or Robotic TV Bed: from EliteChoice
The functionality of this bed targets elite class who respects space and doesn’t want to compromise on their routine activities done in lavish style. The flat screen TV comes integrated with a bed and its USP is that its hardly visible. It is hidden at the bottom of the bed but in a robot style gets erected on its own, when need be with a simple push of a button and goes back when asked for. Robot TV can be an alternative name for it. No price information is available but for sure this one-of-its-kind TV cum bed furniture is an elite model.
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Labels: Design-Engineering
Microsoft's LucidTouch Handheld Computer - No More Fat Finger Problem?
The current setup includes a touch sensor layer on the back of the device. That senses when a user's fingers are touching it. The camera attached behind it sends an image of the fingers to the device, where the image is overlaid lightly, like a shadow, on the screen. Moving your fingers on the back of the device, you can choose an item on the map. With LucidTouch, a user could touch an area on the wristband of the watch instead to make choices on the watch face.
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Labels: Computer-Science, Design-Engineering
EcoGlove Reusable Gloves, Uses Cold Plasma Sterilization
EcoGlove chairman Patrick Hampe claimed that the gloves would be cheaper for end users, reduce the risk of latex and chemical allergies, and friendlier to Mother Nature.
After use, the new gloves would be reprocessed by its manufacturers – sanitised and checked for defects – before being repackaged and sent back to the users.
A machine using cold plasma technology sterilises the gloves, and as a quality control measure, Hampe said any one set of gloves are only allowed to be reused seven times.
With EcoGlove, Hampe said the carbon footprint would be reduced by 60%, as there would be almost zero wastage.
Hampe said Loprol is a formula that is almost free from proteins, which trigger latex allergies, while most chemical allergies are linked to nitrile gloves.
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Labels: Design-Engineering, Energy-Environment-Engineering, Textile-Engineering
Apple Working on 3D Holographic Projection Displays
Modern three-dimensional (”3D”) display technologies are increasingly popular and practical not only in computer graphics, but in other diverse environments and technologies as well. Growing examples include medical diagnostics, flight simulation, air traffic control, battlefield simulation, weather diagnostics, entertainment, advertising, education, animation, virtual reality, robotics, biomechanical studies, scientific visualization, and so forth.
Apple’s patent illustrates the nuts and bolts of their proposed 3D display system according to one embodiment of the invention. You’ll note that the system includes a host CPU, an operating system (”OS”), a 3D/stereoscopic rendering engine, a graphics card, and other components (not shown) as will be conventionally understood. The 3D/stereoscopic rendering engine renders 3D images (e.g., stereoscopic or pseudo-holographic) as further described herein below, and may be implemented in firmware, software, or hardware, according to the particular implementation at hand.
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Labels: Computer-Science, Design-Engineering
Yasuo Kuniyoshi Smart Goggle Glasses Can Find Anything
We've all asked ourselves that irritating question: "Where on earth did I leave my car keys?"
A team of Japanese scientists claims to have come up with the answer, and the secretive artificial intelligence project code-named Smart Goggle does not stop at elusive keys!
With Yasuo Kuniyoshi's invention balanced on your nose, you will lose nothing. Simply tell the glasses what you are looking for and it will play into your eye a video of the last few seconds you saw that item.
Well, it's not magic, right? So how does it work?
Behind the goggles is an advanced object-recognition software and a computer that can learn the identity of new objects within seconds. So this is what you do, as a user: to start with, you wander around your house for about an hour "telling" the goggles the name of everything you see around you, as you fix your eyes on that object. So you essentially pronounce "coat hanger" when you are in front of the coat hanger and the word "kitchen sink" when you are in front of the kitchen sink - you get the idea. Once this process is over, the software using object recognition tech, stores the image of the object against the word you pronounced. Every time after that you move around your house, as and when that product is sighted by the goggles (though perhaps not perceived by you), its location is stored. And when you are at a loss one fine day as to where you left that product, all you need to do is to say the product name, and voila, the goggles tell you where you (rather, the goggles!) last saw it.
Sounds like a very sophisticated solution to a simple problem, but admit it, this simple problem can be at times most vexing, so who knows, the Smart Goggles could be a big hit!
You can read a bit more on this from here
Labels: Computer-Science, Design-Engineering, Textile-Engineering
Thursday, April 10, 2008
`Drink Aid` Helping Mitch Hintz and Other Cerebral Palsy Patients
For Mitch Hintz getting a drink of water has never been easy. He can`t hold a cup in his hands because of his spastic muscles. And he says he can`t place a glass on his wheelchair tray either.
"Cause then it would spill," Hintz says.
So for the past 16 years, wanting a drink meant calling on someone for help.
So Hintz mentioned to a teacher how much he would love to be able to drink water on his own. Word spread to an NDSU electrical engineering professor, and soon three engineering students took on the task of creating a device designed specifically to help him.
The Drink Aid delivers about an ounce of water at a time and kicks in once Hintz puts it into his mouth.
The NDSU students say the project took nearly a year to complete but in the end it was all worth it.
Hintz says now that he can drink on his own he does so at least several times a day.
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Labels: Automation, Design-Engineering
Electrophoretic Display Device from Composite Particles Invented
According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "An electrophoretic display device includes a display layer comprised of a binder having a multiplicity of individual cavities therein that contain a display medium, and conductive substrates, at least one of the conductive substrates being transparent, wherein the display layer is located in between the conductive substrates, and wherein the display medium comprises one or more set of colored particles in a dielectric fluid and has an electrical conductivity of about 10 sup-11 to about 10 sup -15 square per meter."
An abstract of the invention, released by the Patent Office, said: "The display device may be made by forming composite particles comprised of a sacrificial binder and the one or more set of particles of the display medium; mixing the composite particles with the binder to form a mixture; forming a layer from the mixture; removing the sacrificial binder from the composite particles in the layer to form cavities in the layer that contain the one or more set of colored particles; and filling the cavities with the dielectric fluid."
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Labels: Design-Engineering
Tangle-free Electrical Extension Lead - by Oliver Blackwell
The former Plymouth University student said he got fed with extension leads which got wrapped around trees when he was mowing the lawn at his Exmoor home.
"Basically PowerBall is like taking a well behaved dog for a walk as it always follows you," he said.
"I realised a ball shape would be a lot more practical. It's a very simple idea really."
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Labels: Design-Engineering
Lightfilm (Luccon + Glass) Opens Up Possibilities for Designers, Architects
“This invention throws up exciting possibilities for both designers and architects. You can use the material for vanity tops and have the light filter through from beneath. Or clad pillars with it or use it as a door for a changing room and watch the interesting interplay of diffused light and shadow as people move behind it,” continues Andreas. While its tensile strength, resistance and conductivity are similar to concrete, its unique structure is embedded with a specially-developed webbing of light fibres. Luccon is sold in panels cut to size. However, all common methods for processing concrete, such as sawing, grinding, drilling and polishing are also possible with Luccon. Custom-made products (different sizes, thicknesses and colours) can also be made available on request.
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Labels: Civil-Engineering, Design-Engineering
Magnetic Levitation Gives Haptic Computer Users New Sense of Touch
The system eliminates the bulky links, cables and general mechanical complexity of other haptic devices on the market today in favor of a single lightweight moving part that floats on magnetic fields.
A user moves the handle much like a computer mouse, but in three dimensions with six degrees of freedom — up/down, side to side, back/forth, yaw, pitch and roll. Optical sensors measure the position and orientation of the flotor, and this information is used to control the position and orientation of a virtual object on the computer display
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Labels: Bio-engineering, Computer-Science, Design-Engineering
Theo Jansen's Kinetic Sculptures Could be of Help to Engineers
Theo Jansen originally studied physics at the University of Delft, but soon turned to art, while retaining his interest in science and engineering. He has given his machines names, as if they were living animals – saying “I got the plans to make new forms of life” – and which he sees as evolving into a new type of machine
* The machines are mostly made of plastic cable conduit tubing and are purely mechanical, although some use pneumatic
* They use a walking mechanism for traversing soft grounds that is much more energy efficient than any other
* They also include a number of mechanical and pneumatic innovations worthy of study and of potential usefulness in mainstream engineering
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Labels: Design-Engineering, Mechanical-Engineering
Zero Waste Machines - Tapping into Nature's Genius
If building zero-waste machines is one aspect of achieving interstellar travel, we may one day look back at the turn of the 21st century as the time when humans began to look at industrial design in such a way as to make this possible. How? By consulting the ultimate teacher - Mother Nature.
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Labels: Design-Engineering, Sciences
iShoe - Motorized Shoes, Lightweight Transportation Device
The newest model weighs only 10 pounds with batteries built into the shoes, is able to go 20 mph and can be used outdoors and up hills.
Others are more skeptical of the practicality of the motorized shoes.
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Labels: Design-Engineering, Textile-Engineering
Leggett & Plat Semi-Fold Box Spring - Collapsible, Flexible Box Springs
The company’s mattress designers had Goldfire Innovator at their sides as they pored over the mechanical, ergonomic, and materials-science problems associated with building a collapsible box spring. The result: the Leggett & Plat Semi-Fold Box Spring, a mechanical marvel that hit the market in 2007 and folds up into a rectangular shape with one-quarter the volume of a traditional mattress foundation.
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Labels: Design-Engineering
Gordon Thiessen's Swing-arm Invention Helps Construction Workers
The heavy-tool support arm that Thiessen came up with won some recognition as one of 75 technologies to be highlighted at a major U.S. innovation showcase at the end of last month.
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Keywords: Swing-arm invention, Gordon Thiessen, jackhammers, drills, power tools, BCIT, Workers Compensation Board, Canadian federal government, Arlington, Las Vegas, Robert Duncan, James Wells
Labels: Civil-Engineering, Design-Engineering, Industrial-Engineering
Flyak from Einar Rasmussen - A Superfast Kayak
There’s nothing supernatural about the Flyak’s acceleration, as the name implies, the Flyak “flies.” Its wings are underneath the water, in the form of front and rear hydrofoils. The more the surface area of a hull touches the water, the greater the vehicle’s resistance.
Once the rider works the speed up to roughly 10 KMH (6 MPH), the Flyak is ready for take-off. The energy on the oblique foils propels the hull up above the water’s surface. Once airborne, the velocity gained from paddle strokes increases dramatically. Theoretically, the Flyak can achieve speeds nearly twice as fast as conventional championship-level racing kayaks
The foils are removable and interchangeable through a hand-screw apparatus behind the seat. By removing the foils, the craft can be maneuvered like a conventional kayak
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Labels: Design-Engineering, Fluid-Dynamics, Logistics-Transportation-Engineering, Naval-Architecture
The Non-stick Chewing Gum Dream - by Terrence Cosgrove
The inspiration for Cosgrove's non-stick chewing gum came on a trip to academic conferences in the United States - not in a conference hall, but on American sidewalks, where he noticed wads of hardened chewing gum. Eventually, his team came up with a formulation of polymers that would not stick. To determine whether it came off sidewalks and other surfaces, they pitted it against standard chewing gums on main streets across western England. While the other gums stuck, Cosgrove's rinsed off with rainwater - "though some surfaces are better than others," he said, calling leather a "terrible" magnet.
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Labels: Chemical-Engineering, Design-Engineering
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
iPod Operated by the Wink of Eye Created by Taniguchi
The system, comprising a single-chip computer and a couple of infrared sensors, monitors movements of the temple and is so tiny that it can be built into the side of a pair of eyeglasses. Closing both eyes for one second starts an iPod, while blinking again stops the machine. A wink with the right eye makes the machine skip to the next tune while with a wink of the left eye it goes back. As a person does not have to move either hand, the system can serve as "a third hand" for caregivers, rock-climbers, motorbike drivers and astronauts, as well as people with disabilities.The Kome Kami Switch is also capable of operating television sets, air conditioners, room lighting and other household electronics.
The inventor Taniguchi hopes the system can eventually be adapted to run cellphones, wheelchairs and robots as "an ultimate remote control" used in everyday life
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Labels: Design-Engineering, Energy-Environment-Engineering
Sole Orthotic Solutions - Custom Insoles, Orthotics in 30 Minutes
The entrepreneur, who has a master's in engineering from MIT, was inspired to develop a better way of developing "orthotics," as such custom insoles are known, after dealing with delays and problems in getting them for his son, who has cerebral palsy.
The "Sole Orthotic Solutions" team conceived, designed and built an integrated system the size of a desk that begins by acquiring a computerized image of a customer's foot from a pressure pad.
Millions of Americans wear orthotics some for extra arch support, some to compensate for injury or disability, and others for simply a better fit with their shoes.
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Keywords: Brigham Young University, Sole Orthotic Solutions, vacuum system, pin mold, podiatrists, UTAH, MIT
Labels: Bio-engineering, Design-Engineering
Computerized Facial Expression and Voice Recognition Changing the Way We Work
Technology for computerized facial recognition is ten times more accurate now than it was four years ago, and the best of the systems outperform humans, the National Institute of Standards said almost a year back.
Its facial-recognition test has compared vendor systems on in their ability to recognize high-resolution still images and three-dimensional facial images, under both controlled and uncontrolled illumination. According to the NIST report issued in late March 2007, the facial recognition systems it tested in the trials showed an “order of magnitude,” or tenfold, improvement over comparable tests conducted four years ago.
A new facial-recognition algorithm created by researchers at the University of California at Berkeley and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is able to recognize faces with 90-95 percent accuracy, even if the eyes, nose and mouth are obscured
Reaffirming these trends, a number of consumer products today are coming out with visual recognition capabilities. Some of the new Toshiba laptops such as Portege M800, Satellite M300 and A300 recognize your face. A bunch of researchers from Tel Aviv University have even managed to successfully 'teach' a computer how to spot an attractive woman. Wow!
Voice recognition is making rapid strides too
Yahoo has released a new application that allows users to search the web with voice commands. The feature is part of oneSearch version 2, due to be released during the summer. However, the company is offering BlackBerry users an early peek of the voice recognition technology at m.yahoo.com/voice.
Mac users now have the option to use voice recognition tech too, thanks to MacSpeech Dictate.
Products such as Nuance voicemail to text make the transformation of voice and text messages easy and at the same time lets one access, sort, forward and archive their messages. The voicemail transformed texts are compatible with all standard message media. So that's voice recognition transforming the way you read email!
It's early days yet for facial and voice recognition systems. Sure, there are still lots of promises that face recognition and voice recognition systems are yet to deliver on, but the current status is, some elements of these technologies are poised for greatness even when still in the prototype stage, and some are already available to consumers and work just fine.
You can look forward to a future that involves a lot less using your fingers to type and a lot more using your face to talk and communicate.
Here are some more interesting resources for computerized facial & voice recognition, for those whose curiosity is never satisfied easily!
The Mathematics of Face Recognition
The Year Consumer Voice Recognition Gains Momentum
Labels: Computer-Science, Design-Engineering, Industrial-Engineering
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Mapping out the Future of Sound and Music Computing
Drawing on inspiration from hard sciences like physics and engineering, social sciences like psychology and musicology, and the creative arts, digital musical instruments, CDs, MP3s and other innovative ICTs owe a great debt to SMC.
According to Nicola Bernardini, who coordinated the two-year IST-funded project, SMC research is behind the music industry as we know it today. With the appropriate guidance - the ambition of the S2S² roadmap - Europe could be in a position to secure leadership in this field.
Commercial music today is largely produced using computing and technology as a 'surrogate' for the real thing because using real instruments, learning to play them – or paying someone else to play them – can be expensive and time-consuming.
But this is a rather narrow view of the sector, said Bernardini. "With our roadmap, we wanted to show what SMC can be (and has already been) in research terms. [Music is] not only an economic lever but good for social cohesion."
Five key challenges have been identified:
1. Design better sound objects and environments (improving the sounds produced by objects present in our environment to enhance their emotional character).
2. Understand, model and improve human interaction with sound and music.
3. Train multidisciplinary researchers in a multicultural society.
4. Improve knowledge transfer.
5. Address social concerns.
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Labels: Computer-Science, Design-Engineering
Paper-Thin, Bendable Batteries from Thin Battery Technologies Inc.
A company by the name of Thin Battery Technologies Inc. (TBT) was founded in 2003. This Ohio-based company began producing paper-thin batteries back in 2005 after about five years of research and development. They currently produce these tiny, paper-like batteries for applications such as RFID tags, trans-dermal drug delivery patches, data loggers, sensors, and displays. They produce Carbon-Zinc electrolyte based batteries that are "green" compliant, and in turn are safe for the environment.
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Labels: Design-Engineering, Energy-Environment-Engineering
Touch Sensitive Screens & Displays in Futuristic Laptops
However, one thing that has stubbornly stayed the same is the conventional clamshell format with its hinged display lid that opens to reveal a mechanical keyboard. That's about to change.
It's likely that at least some of the new ideas, components, and features showcased below will be coming to a notebook near you. For example, several concept laptops rely on touch-sensitive screens that act as the system's keyboard and mouse and go beyond today's multi-touch technology.
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Labels: Design-Engineering
Future Computer Interfaces to Merge with Humans by 2020 - Microsoft Report
By 2020 the terms "interface" and "user" will be obsolete as computers merge ever closer with humans.
It is one prediction in a Microsoft-backed report drawn from the discussions of 45 academics from the fields of computing, science, sociology and psychology.
It predicts fundamental changes in the field of so-called Human-Computer Interaction (HCI).
By 2020 humans will increasingly interrogate machines, the report said.
In turn computers will be able to anticipate what we want from them, which will require new rules about our relationship with machines.
The report, entitled Being Human: Human-Computer Interaction in the year 2020, looks at how the development of technologies over the next decade can better reflect human values.
Communication devices for the home that Microsoft is working on include Epigraph, an interface that allows family members to "post" pictures and messages to each other via their mobile phones.
Also, the keyboard, mouse and monitor will increasingly be replaced by more intuitive forms of interaction and display, including tablet computers, speech recognition systems and fingertip-operated surfaces.
More from here
Labels: Computer-Science, Design-Engineering, Society
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Vivarium Design Using 3D Simulation and Industrial Engineering
When designing a new facility or making changes to an existing small animal vivarium, conventional wisdom would lead planners and operations personnel to pack a holding room with as many cages as possible to maximize room density, and thus provide the greatest return on capital investment and lowest costs per diem. While all this seems logical and quite necessary, in many cases, the return on investment is more than offset by ongoing manpower penalties associated with animal husbandry and colony management staff working in holding rooms that are not optimized .
So how do others do the ? Planners and operations managers in other industries such as automotive, consumer goods, and telecommunications utilize industrial engineers to work alongside architects in the planning and design of new or renovated facilities. This is done to ensure that both manpower and building arrangements are optimized for a given operation.
Perhaps vivarium design and renovation should utilize these techniques too, feels this report
Labels: Agricultural-Engineering, Design-Engineering