Thursday, August 13, 2009

ROS: a common OS to streamline robotic engineering

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/13/ros-a-common-os-to-streamline-robotic-engineering/

The biannual International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence has this year shed light on a new effort to standardize robot instructions around a common platform, so that designers won't have to "reinvent the wheel over and over" with every project. Presently, robot design is undertaken in an ad hoc fashion, with both hardware and software being built from scratch, but teams at Stanford, MIT and the Technical University of Munich are hoping to change that with the Robot Operating System, or ROS. This new OS would have to compete with Microsoft's robotics offering, but the general enthusiasm for it at the conference suggests a bright future, with some brave souls even envisioning a robot app store somewhere down the line. Video after the break.

Continue reading ROS: a common OS to streamline robotic engineering

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ROS: a common OS to streamline robotic engineering originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 01:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted by Augustine at 11:01 PM

Infrared sensors hit 16 megapixels, can now spy on an entire hemisphere

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/13/infrared-sensors-hit-16-megapixels-can-now-spy-on-an-entire-hem/

Aerospace and defense manufacturer Raytheon wants everyone to know it has developed the world's first 16 megapixel infrared sensor, which is set for a life of orbiting the Earth and generally being a lot more useful than lesser models. With its higher resolution, the unit is able to cover an entire half of the planet without "blinking" to relocate its focus, and should be warmly received by meteorologists, astronomists and military types, all craving for a bit more real-time reconnaissance. We advise wide-brimmed tin foil hats to shield your body heat from these Sauron-like satellites while working on those plans for a global uprising of the proletariat.

[Via TG Daily]

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Infrared sensors hit 16 megapixels, can now spy on an entire hemisphere originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 05:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted by Augustine at 11:01 PM

BenQ grabs green card with LED-backlit V2200 / V2400 Eco monitors

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/13/benq-grabs-green-card-with-led-backlit-v2200-v2400-eco-monito/


We firmly believe that the all-too-popular 'green card' is flailed about far too haphazardly these days, but whatever the case, BenQ's sure doing its darnedest to explain just how much Ma Earth adores its latest duo of V Series monitors. The 24-inch V2400 Eco and 21.5-inch V2200 Eco are both outfitted with LED-backlit 1080p panels, comically inflated dynamic contrast ratios (5,000,000:1, if you can even believe that) and a shell constructed from 28 percent recycled plastic. Meanwhile, we're told these panels can suck down around 30 percent less power while in Eco mode, and overall, they consume approximately 36 percent less power than CCFL displays. If you're onboard with everything, look for these to land in your neck of the woods soon, with China getting 'em first in a week or so.

[Via Far East Gizmos]

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BenQ grabs green card with LED-backlit V2200 / V2400 Eco monitors originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 08:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted by Augustine at 11:01 PM

Samsung crams WiFi, GPS and Bluetooth 2.0 into well-specced CL65 point-and-shoot

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/13/samsung-crams-wifi-gps-and-bluetooth-2-0-into-well-specced-cl65/


If you're anything like us (and let's face it, you're exactly like us), you've been counting down the nanoseconds until Samsung finally revealed what its 'Tap and Take' campaign was all about. This, folks, is it. As many of you sharp folks surmised, Samsung is delving deep into the intelligent camera arena, equipping its luscious CL65 (no, not that CL65) with a 12.2 megapixel sensor, 5x optical zoom, 720p (30fps) movie mode, an HDMI output, and a 3.5-inch touchscreen that utilizes a Smart Gesture user interface. Furthermore, the camera can access certain features when simply tilted, and the built-in Bluetooth 2.0 module enables users to easily share images with other BT-equipped devices.

Considering that you're probably still not impressed, how's about a little more on the cutting-edge front? The point-and-shoot also includes WiFi (much like Sony's disappointing DSC-G3 and Panny's Lumix DMC-TZ50), giving users the ability to upload directly to Facebook, Picasa and YouTube. Unfortunately, all photos uploaded via WiFi will be reduced to a resolution of two megapixels, and while we understand the reasoning, we figure an option for full / reduced res would've been a much better compromise. At any rate, the device also includes DLNA support for streaming to HDTVs and the like, while the integrated GPS chip handles the geotagging. The cam, which is admittedly bursting at the seams with features, will land next month in the US for $399.99. ! Full rel ease is after the break.

Continue reading Samsung crams WiFi, GPS and Bluetooth 2.0 into well-specced CL65 point-and-shoot

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Samsung crams WiFi, GPS and Bluetooth 2.0 into well-specced CL65 point-and-shoot originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted by Augustine at 11:00 PM

Mysterious Android touchscreen MID pics surface, Charles Fort notified

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/13/mysterious-android-touchscreen-mid-pics-surface-charles-fort-no/

It sure seems like the world is ready for an Android MID or, until it gets one, rumors and leaks to that effect. Tell us, what do you make of a slate-style device featuring the word "android" in the appropriate font, pics of the thing browsing the web (which, truth be told, look just as real as they could be 'shopped in), a couple perfunctory specs (Rockchip CPU, somewhere between a 4.3 to 5-inch display, 3G, MSN Messenger and GTalk, WiFi) and a source for the images that fails to cough up names / links to the "handful" of Chinese tech sites that are allegedly all a-buzz about this thing? Well, we don't know either -- but if you do get your hands on one of these guys, send it our way, will you? Thanks -- and in the meantime, hit that read link for the whole sordid tale (and a couple choice pics).

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Mysterious Android touchscreen MID pics surface, Charles Fort notified originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 10:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted by Augustine at 11:00 PM

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