drag2share: This augmented reality motorcycle helmet could save your life

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/05/30/augmented-reality-motorcycle-helmet/

"I was in early morning traffic when an inattentive driver hit me from behind and I was thrown from my motorcycle." Ryan Shearman, founder and CEO of Fusar Technologies, tells me at Augmented World Expo 2014. It's the kind of thing that could happen to any motorcyclist -- and indeed, happens too often -- but it also served as a spark of inspiration. "It started the wheels turning in my head: how can I make motorcycle riding safer?" His answer was to build a better helmet.

Shearman calls his smart helmet the Gaurdian; it's a DOT approved brain bucket with an Android board, two wide-angle cameras and bits and pieces from an Epson Moverio. "What it is, is a fully integrated and connected device that motorcyclists can wear that allows them to have a full cognitive awareness of what's going on around them." The Epson optics provide the rider with a detailed heads-up display, filling their view with data from the rear view camera, their current speed and navigation information.

"It also has video recording capabilities," he told me. "Everything is recorded passively, but in the event that an accident is detected, that footage is locked into hard memory. It effectively has a black box feature built in." It sounds like a great feature, but Shearman obviously wants it to be used as infrequently as possible. The helmet's software package is being designed to monitor the cameras for potential hazards -- if all goes well, the final product will be able to alert the driver of a dangerous situation before it becomes an accident. He also plans to add voice control to future prototypes.

The models Shearman brought to AWE were pretty beat up, but with good reason: the entrepreneur has been riding up and down California's Pacific Coast Highway all week, shooting footage for his company's upcoming Kickstarter video. The company plans to launch its crowdfunding imitative by mid July, and wants to have the Guardian on the market in about a year. Hungry for a safer helmet? Check out the firm's website at the source link below.

Filed under: Transportation

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Source: Fusar

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drag2share: Velociraptor-inspired robot can run almost as fast as DARPA's Cheetah

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/05/30/velociraptor-robot-kaist/

There's a new robot that's almost matched Cheetah's speed record, but it wasn't designed after another speedy cat. Instead, it takes cues from something more terrifying: a velociraptor. The two-legged machine named Raptor was created by scientists from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, who've even outfitted it with a tail like the extinct reptile's for balance. In its current form, it can go as fast as 28.58 mph (46 km/h), just a bit slower than the famous mechanical cat's max speed of 29.2 mph (47 km/h). Compared to DARPA's robotic cat, though, Raptor's technology is a lot simpler, even using ordinary springs as tendons to be able to run fast more effectively. Right now, Raptor's confined to running on a treadmill like Cheetah's older iterations, but its creators hope to make it more stable so it can run on any surface without a tether. Once that happens, all it'll need is a velociraptor suit for the KAIST researchers to start their own (hopefully safer) Jurassic Park.

Filed under: Robots

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Via: CNET, SlashGear

Source: IEEE

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drag2share: Google's cutesy cars are a 'serious threat' to the auto industry, says GM

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/05/29/google-vs-gm/

There's no doubt about it: for a company that makes most of its money from web ads, Google knows how to make an adorable self-driving car. The search giant's automotive prowess isn't going unnoticed by the industry's more established players, either. Mark Reuss, GM's executive VP of global product development, told recently told Bloomberg that he could see Google becoming a "serious competitive threat" in the motoring realm.

Yes, that seems like a "well, duh" confession to us too, especially now that Google will roll out at least 100 of those cutesy, two-seater prototype cars for some real world testing later this year. It certainly doesn't hurt that California's Department of Motor Vehicles just gave a thumbs up to self-driving car tests on public roads, a decision that'll take effect in September. Of course, Google can only become a competitive threat if it wants to be, and it's still unclear just how it plans to bring these motors to market. A separate Google Motors division? A slew of partnerships with existing manufacturers? Our crystal ball is on the fritz, and car crafters aren't quaking in their boots just yet. Reuss noted that "anybody can do anything with enough time and money" - Google's definitely got plenty of the latter, but major auto makers haven't just been sitting on their laurels. GM and Nissan both have self-driving car projects underway in China and Japan, respectively, while Volvo has been testing its own on the open roads of Sweden.

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Source: Bloomberg

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drag2share: Netflix has a new original series for kids, courtesy of DreamWorks

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/05/29/netflix-dreamworks-dragons/

The relationship between Netflix and DreamWorks is one that just keeps on giving. Accordingly, the video-streaming giant has announced that it is partnering with the studio yet again, this time to bring DreamWorks Dragons to the platform as an original series for kids. Dragons, based on the popular How to Train Your Dragon franchise, will debut next year on Netflix and is said to "bridge the gap" between the first feature film and the sequel that's slated to premiere this summer. Previously, the TV series had made Cartoon Network its home, with a total of 40 episodes split between two seasons.

Netflix says that the idea to work with DreamWorks Animations on securing the exclusivity of Dragons was a no-brainer, as it believes that these are a "beloved set of characters" and kids "will be enjoying them for years to come." When it arrives in 2015, DreamWorks Dragons is going to be available worldwide, including places across the globe where Netflix is due to launch later this year.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, HD

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Source: Netflix

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drag2share: Simple.TV's streaming DVR now sends shows to your Chromecast

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/05/29/simple-tv-chromecast-support/

Simple.TV's streaming DVR is handy if you want to catch up on shows while on the road, but what if you want to watch on a friend's TV, or don't have an internet connection at all? Neither should be a big issue following an update to the company's Android, iOS and web apps. You can now send both live and recorded TV to a Chromecast, so that big-screen experience will follow you outside of the home. And if you travel to a place where internet access isn't guaranteed, you won't be deprived of viewing material -- it's now possible to download recordings to a computer (sadly, not mobile devices) in advance. They're not the biggest improvements, but they make all the difference if you're scrounging for something to watch while on vacation.

Filed under: Cellphones, Home Entertainment, HD

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Source: App Store, Google Play

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