A Black Box For Snowboarders 0

Save Anything Rollercoaster Gs, car speed—these gadgets can record any kind of motion, even though their software is designed for sports. Greg Neumaier

An airplane’s flight data recorder, or black box, saves stats from many different sensors so that pilots can reconstruct and analyze a trip after the fact, whether to find problems or certify that they completed a record-setting route. Now extreme-sports athletes can quantify a wicked ride the same way. Two new gadgets each pack a heap of sensors—GPS to measure direction and speed, accelerometers to measure tilt and pitch, gyroscopes to measure rotation—to record data throughout a snowboard, wakeboard or other sports session. Afterward, included computer software replays the moves on a computer, complete with animated gear; it can also export the files to Google Earth to show paths drawn into actual landscapes. Coaches can use the devices to study and improve technique, and athletes can do something even more satisfying: prove their gravity-defying stunts to pals.

Ripxx Simulation:  Courtesy Ripxx

Surf-Inspired

The waterproof ShadowBox was created for wakeboarders, who can use it to judge whether they truly nailed a 720 McTwist. But now users can mount it to almost any equipment, from skateboards to bikes, and it adjusts its measurements and onscreen animations to suit the selected sport. For instance, a barometric pressure sensor kicks in to gauge elevation in hang gliding, and a compass logs precise snowboard orientation. ShadowBox $500; shadowboxlive.com

Snow-inspired

The U.S. bobsledding team is using a version of the Ripxx to train for next month’s Olympics. The consumer model, worn on the body, focuses on more-traditional winter activities. It comes with detailed maps of popular ski and snowboard resorts, so when wearers download data from a run, it draws their avatar into an exact replica of a trail, letting them pinpoint with unprecedented accuracy why a jump failed or succeeded. Ripxx $330; ripxx.com

luxurious audi carbon ski by audi concept design by munich 0

When it comes to skiing, a good pair of skis, weighting fewer grams and made of high quality materials is very crucial. Of the number of skis available today, the novel Audi Carbon Ski takes skiers to the next level. Created by the Audi-Concept Design Munich, these skies are designed in such a way to weigh less and look badass. Layered with aluminum and titanium, the skin of Audi Carbon ski is roofed in a carbon case, bringing total weight to less than 960 grams when compared to other models. Combing the technology from motor sports and winter sports, these Audi Carbon Skis are worth a look. Skiers, looking to do better than their opponents can look forward to see these excellent skis hit the store shelves this winter 2011. Calculations during the design process of these skies are made to delineate precisely the number of carbon layers required so as to create the ideal carving ski. Skiers looking to buy a pair of skis can try these Audi carbon skis and have an enjoyable and safe skiing.

Designer : Audi via [LuxuryTicker] and [Dezeen]

In Japan, robot-led weddings, robot factory workers and even squeaky robot pets are all fine and good. But in-home helper bots, which are the main goal of many robotics research projects, are anything but widespread, even in that robo-friendly country. Apparently old people and sick people, even in Japan, still prefer that human touch. Rather than humanoid robots that do favors like pick up juice boxes, and even be-limbed ‘bots that wash people’s hair, some roboticists are increasing their focus on machines like self-adjusting beds that turn into wheelchairs, as this BBC story reports. RELATED ARTICLES Video: President Obama Meets the Robots of Japan Internet for Robots Lets Bots Share Instructions and Learn from One Another Rise of the Helpful Machines TAGS Technology, Rebecca Boyle, elderly, future of robots, health care, helper robots, hospitals, humanoid robots, japanese robots, robots, wheelchairsEspecially in Japan, efforts to build lifelike, useful humanoid robots often center on care for the elderly. Japan is an aging country, and it admits very few immigrants who could work as nursing home attendants or in-home care providers. But so far, the robots can’t do enough to be very useful, robot companies and analysts tell the BBC. Cute, pet-like robot companions have sold modestly well, the BBC notes — more than 1,000 Paro baby seal 'bots are in Japanese nursing homes and hospitals, as well as private homes. This is not a staggering figure, but that could be because of its $2,800 price tag. Joseph Engelberger, 85, who invented the first industrial robot in the 1950s, said robots ought to be more common. Every year, 200,000 elderly Americans fall and break a leg, and robots could help prevent that, he tells the BBC: “Robots should cost the same as a Mercedes and could be rented out. That would be a bargain compared to paying $600 a week for help.” After years of spending billions of yen on humanoid robot research, the Japanese government is increasingly focused on simpler, more practical robot platforms that can perform simple tasks. The five-year Home-use Robot Practical Application Project, started in 2009, seeks a bot that can be used as both a wheelchair and bed; a cleaning robot; a security robot; a wearable robot suit that assists daily activities; and a two-wheeled rideable robot, according to Tech-On. These single-minded ‘bots might be more palatable to elderly people and patients, the BBC says — already, some hospital robots have been abandoned because patients didn’t like them. A $100,000 hospital model “put patients off,” the BBC says: “We want humans caring for us, not machines,” one patient said. 0

Mapping the Magnitude of Brain Injuries from Explosions An image from the computer models created by the MIT team. Michelle Nyein

Just as the AK-47 rifle shifted the balance of power on battlefields the world over during the second half of the last century, the improvised explosive device (IED) has defined 21st-century insurgent warfare, allowing relatively low-tech warriors to inflict major damage on better-equipped conventional troops. IEDs have also left some 130,000 U.S. soldiers and marines suffering from traumatic brain injuries (TBI) that continue to affect them long after they leave the combat zone. But a new study by MIT scientists suggests that adding a simple face shield to standard issue combat helmets could significantly reduce brain injury in soldiers.

The face, it turns out, works like a conduit for blast waves moving through the skull and into the brain, where they can wreak havoc ranging from concussion to long-term brain damage and post-traumatic stress disorder. The researchers – a collaboration between MIT’s Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics and a neurologist at the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center at Walter Reed Army Medical Center – used MRI to model features of the head (including the skull, the brain, sinuses, and various bodily fluids) and then subjected those models to data on mechanical events like shockwaves.

RELATED ARTICLES

	DARPA Wants Cryogenic Technology on the Battlefield to Freeze Traumatic Brain Injury in its Tracks
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TAGS

Technology, Clay Dillow, defense, improvised explosive devices, military, ptsd, traumatic brain injury

By observing the way a chemical explosion impacts the head both with a combat helmet and without, the team deduced that while the Advanced Combat Helmet (the standard issue bucket for most ground troops) delayed the arrival of blast waves somewhat, it didn’t reduce the overall impact because waves could travel unimpeded through the face. But after adding a conceptual face shield to the simulation, the models showed a significant reduction in the amount of stress placed on the brain during blasts.

A face shield obscuring the most recognizable identifying human characteristic exhibited by otherwise identically uniformed soldiers might not do much to win over hearts and minds, and the image of Private First Class Dough Boy showing up to win one for the good guys could yield to imagery of sterilized, ubiquitous storm troopers. But none of that is really relevant if face shields do what the MIT team says they can do: keep soldiers safer and reduce the impact of IEDs.

Not to mention, it’s an aesthetic step toward the Spartan armor suite of future battlefields. Suit up, Master Chief.

Some Japanese Patients Shun Robot Helpers, Throwing High-Tech Future of Elder Care Into Doubt 0

In Japan, robot-led weddings, robot factory workers and even squeaky robot pets are all fine and good. But in-home helper bots, which are the main goal of many robotics research projects, are anything but widespread, even in that robo-friendly country. Apparently old people and sick people, even in Japan, still prefer that human touch.

Rather than humanoid robots that do favors like pick up juice boxes, and even be-limbed ‘bots that wash people’s hair, some roboticists are increasing their focus on machines like self-adjusting beds that turn into wheelchairs, as this BBC story reports.

RELATED ARTICLES

	Video: President Obama Meets the Robots of Japan
	Internet for Robots Lets Bots Share Instructions and Learn from One Another

Especially in Japan, efforts to build lifelike, useful humanoid robots often center on care for the elderly. Japan is an aging country, and it admits very few immigrants who could work as nursing home attendants or in-home care providers. But so far, the robots can’t do enough to be very useful, robot companies and analysts tell the BBC.

Cute, pet-like robot companions have sold modestly well, the BBC notes — more than 1,000 Paro baby seal 'bots are in Japanese nursing homes and hospitals, as well as private homes. This is not a staggering figure, but that could be because of its $2,800 price tag.

Joseph Engelberger, 85, who invented the first industrial robot in the 1950s, said robots ought to be more common. Every year, 200,000 elderly Americans fall and break a leg, and robots could help prevent that, he tells the BBC: “Robots should cost the same as a Mercedes and could be rented out. That would be a bargain compared to paying $600 a week for help.”

After years of spending billions of yen on humanoid robot research, the Japanese government is increasingly focused on simpler, more practical robot platforms that can perform simple tasks. The five-year Home-use Robot Practical Application Project, started in 2009, seeks a bot that can be used as both a wheelchair and bed; a cleaning robot; a security robot; a wearable robot suit that assists daily activities; and a two-wheeled rideable robot, according to Tech-On.

These single-minded ‘bots might be more palatable to elderly people and patients, the BBC says — already, some hospital robots have been abandoned because patients didn’t like them. A $100,000 hospital model “put patients off,” the BBC says: “We want humans caring for us, not machines,” one patient said

We have featured Haptica Braille watch and this concept attracted a lot of attention. It is an ideal watch for blind people, it allows them to check the time accurately without an audible disruption. This product meant for people with disabilities is of a niche market. It is quite difficult to raise funds or find a huge organization in order to back these products. David needs the minimum fund of $150K to start producing this watch. High emphasis is placed on the amount of money need to fund the product because the money raised will help finalizing the technology study for the watch’s mechanical as well as electronic engineering. This will help manufacturing the funds and the packaging as well, thus putting Haptica on track. You can back this project in this page :http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1294391907/haptica-braille-watch

ecpod for steam washer and dryer for small living space 0

Living in a small space apartment, we need to be smart enough to pick our furniture/appliances. When it comes to clothes, we usually prefer a laundry service or utilize a communal laundry. EcoPod steam washer and dryer can be the perfect solution for us. It is an appliance that simplifies the way we wash our clothes while being water efficient. Ecopod utilizes saturated “wet” steam for washing and superheated “dry” steam to heat the air inside the barrel (much like a regular dryer) for drying. It’s been designed with 3 washing baskets or you can call them pods. Each of these pods is allocated for different clothing type: light, darks, and delicates. Once a pod is full, the lid is attached and the entire pod is placed into the machine that turns it into the washing barrel. Once the cycle is finished, you can remove the pod and return it to its stand and get your clean clothes.

upcoming laptops 0

 Mobile aficionados are always anticipating newer technology, especially when it comes to buying phones. With interesting technological changes, concept phones are hitting the mobile market with novel designs. I’m sure the arrival of this new concept phone, Flex Display Phone will make mobile fans quite happy. The main aspect of this model that makes it unique among others is its 3″ touch screen that can be expanded to a 5″ screen by just sliding it. It employs flexible display technology that allows this phone to be expanded into a netbook. A keyboard on the touch screen will make it easier for mobile enthusiasts to type lengthy emails as well as messages. Together with offering all basic functionalities of a cell phone, it also offers access to GPS, net, and videos. Innovatively tailor-made, the new Flex Display Phone allows professionals to create presentations, stay connected anywhere, anytime.

Mobile aficionados are always anticipating newer technology, especially when it comes to buying phones. With interesting technological changes, concept phones are hitting the mobile market with novel designs. I’m sure the arrival of this new concept phone, Flex Display Phone will make mobile fans quite happy. The main aspect of this model that makes it unique among others is its 3″ touch screen that can be expanded to a 5″ screen by just sliding it. It employs flexible display technology that allows this phone to be expanded into a netbook. A keyboard on the touch screen will make it easier for mobile enthusiasts to type lengthy emails as well as messages. Together with offering all basic functionalities of a cell phone, it also offers access to GPS, net, and videos. Innovatively tailor-made, the new Flex Display Phone allows professionals to create presentations, stay connected anywhere, anytime.

NASA SPACE TELEROBOTICS PROGRAMS 0

Cool Robot Of The Week

The honor of being listed as "Cool Robot Of The Week" is bestowed upon those robotics-related web sites which portray highly innovative solutions to robotics problems, describe unique approaches to implementing robotics system, or present exciting interfaces for the dissemination of robotics-related information or promoting robotics technology. This award carries absolutely no monetary value, official recognition, assumed support, or tangible benefit, other than swamping your web site with a few dozen extra hits for a week. But everyone else was putting up their "Cool Site Of The Millenia" lists, so we figured it was our turn too...
This week's selection:

Nov 10

RCS - Real-time Control Systems architecture, developed by NIST, complete with a library of free C++ and Java code, scripts, tools, makefiles, and documentation for use in real-time control systems.

Previous Cool

	Nov 03		Player Stage - open source software devleopment tools for robot and sensor applications.
	Oct 27		Person Tracker - the design and construction of a multi-person tracking system using a network of stereo cameras, part of the MIT AI Lab Vision Interfaces Project.
	Oct 20		Millibots - a distributed team of robots for coordinated activities such as extended reconnaissance and surveillance.
	Oct 13		Macaco - the development of an biologically inspired animal (first a dog, and later a monkey) from the MIT Humanoid Robotics Group.
	Oct 06		Scanning Radar - developing a solid state, narrow beam, radar imaging sensor for robotic applications - developed by the National Robotics Engineering Consortium.
	Sep 29		Yogi Cub - design and implement a LEGO mechanical subsystem like those found on a NASA Sojourner rover.
	Sep 22		Mission Mars - introducing the 2003 FIRST Lego League challenge - middle -school students build Lego mars rovers! .
	Sep 15		Carmen - the Carnegie-Mellon Robot Navigation Toolkit, an open-source collection of software for mobile robot control.
	Sep 08		Tumbleweed - a unique design for a robotic vehicle, using wind power for locomotion, is tested at Summit Camp, Greenland.
	Sep 01		Scorpion - biomimetic multi-pod invertebrate robot being developed to complete 25-mile autonomous traverses across the desert.
	Aug 25		Smile Project - Neil the Robotic Sculpture attempts to simulate feelings in and between robots.
	Aug 18		Groundhog - robotic platform for mine exploration, part of the robotic mine mapping project.
	Aug 11		Souryu-I - a "connected crawler vehicle for inspection" segmented robot, another product of Hirose's and Yoneda's's lab at Tokyo Institute of Technology
	Aug 04		Monte Carlo Localization - investigations of particle filters for state estimation in the context of mobile robotics - work from the University of Washington Mobile Robotics Lab.
	Jul 28		Elastic Strip Framework - an approach to real-time replanning and motion execution in dynamic environments for robots with many degrees of freedom.
	Jul 21		People Tracking - visual tracking of moving people by mobile robots, part of the U. Washington and CMU NurseBot project.
	Jul 14		Opportunity - launched last week, the second of the two Mars Exploration Rovers will explore the surface of Mars for signs of the water history of the planet. See the Opportunity launch webcast.
	Jul 07		RoboCup 2003 - Robot World Cup Soccer Games and Conferences, taking place this week in Padua, Italy.
	Jun 30		KiRo - table soccer-playing robot, just in time for the upcoming RoboCup robotic soccer games!.
	Jun 23		BotBall Championships - BotBall national tournament, being held this week in Norman, Oklahoma.
	Hey! We've been Slashdotted!
	Jun 16		Spirit - launched last week, the first of the two Mars Exploration Rovers will explore the surface of Mars for signs of the water history of the planet. Spirit will be joined in flight by her sister rover, Opportunity, around June 26.
	Jun 09		Beagle II - launched last week, Mars lander that includes a robotic "PAW" for analyzing surface samples to search for
	We've been picked by Scientific American for a 2003 Sci-tech Web Award as one of the 10 top engineering and technology sites!
	Jun 02		EL BO - an autonomous phototaxic robot arm, and a great example of a home scratch-built robot.
	May 26		Uni-Rover - modular robotic rover system for planetary exploration, from Hirose's and Yoneda's's lab at Tokyo Institute of Technology
	May 19		nBot - David Anderson's two-wheel balancing robot goes the Segway one better by getting rid of the pesky human!
	May 12		Personal Satellite Assistant - a robotic assistant for astronauts working aboard the International Space Station.
	May 05		Limits Of Life In The Atacama - a three year project to develop technologies and techniques to enable robotic astrobiology while also conducting scientific investigation of life in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile.
	Apr 28		Hybrots - the first robotic device whose movements are controlled by a network of cultured neuron cells, developed at the Georgia TechLaboratory for Neuroengineering.
	Apr 21		Microassembly Cell - workcell consisting of a micromanipulator operated under multiple stereo-microscopic vision with the support of intelligent user interface provides a tool that can be used to visualize and manipulate micro-sized 3D objects in a controlled manner
	Apr 14		Cybersonics - Chairman's Award winners at the 2003 FIRST Robotics Competition Championships held last weekend in Houston. They are joined by the winners of the field competition, Las Guerillas, Wildstang, and GM Powertrain & Pontiac Northern High School.
	Apr 07		ERA - Extra-Vehicular Activity Robotic Assistant (ERA) is a wheeled robot used as a test bed for research into collaboration between suited astronauts and autonomous robots for planetary exploration. They are currently conducting field experiments with the Mars Desert Research Station - read the daily logs here!
	Mar 31		SpikeForce - real-time spiking networks for robot neural-network controllers.
	Mar 24		MICRoN - miniaturized robotic platform reserach, sponsored by the Future and Emergeing Technologies branch of the European Commission.
	Mar 17		ANSER - UAV platform for SLAM navigation validation and testing, from the Australian Centre for Field Robotics.
	Mar 10		DART - a baseline teleoperation testbed developed by NASA Johnson Space Center for telepresence research.
	Mar 03		RobotSwarms - Jim Mclurkin has won the 2003 Lemelson MIT Prize for his work in developing autonomous micro-robotic swarms, based on his early work with the MIT Ants project and the iRobot Swarm Project.
	Feb 24		Robot Skin - polymer tactile sensor skin with embedded contact sensors for robotic applications, developed by Jonathan Engel at the University of Illinois, published in the Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering.
	Feb 17		GraspIt! - robotic grasping simulator for arbitrary hand and robot designs, with automatic grasp planning, from Andrew Miller at the Columbia University Robotics Group.
	Feb 10		Automated Spraying Vehicles - automating vehicles so that one worker can remotely oversee four spraying vehicles running at night, part of aNational Robotics Engineering Consortium project.
	Feb 03		CanadaArm2 - the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) is a new generation Canadarm, the first component of the Mobile Servicing System (MSS) for the International Space Station.
	Jan 27		Grand Challenge - Announcing the DARPA Grand Challenge contest, witha $1,000,000 prize to the tam that develops the first autnomous rover to complete the Los Angeles to Las Vegas course. The rules are out!
	Jan 20		Slocum Glider - robotic "gliders" that move through water instead of air, powered by changes in their own buoyancy and temperature differentials. From the Applied Physics Lab at the University of Washington, and the project partner sites at Webb Research Corporation.
	Jan 13		Robotic mitral valve repair - abstract of clinical evaluations on the use of robotic systems in coronary mitral valve repair, as reported in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery (subscription required for full article) and Heart Center Online.
	Jan 06		Intelligent Machining - overview of composite materials machining research being conducted at Berkeley.

Note:  indicates the organization is developing technologies for space applications of robotics

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