Segway inventor Dean Kamen is looking to re-invent the prosthetic arm. IEEE Spectrum caught up with Kamen and one of his "test pilots," to see the robotic arm (named after Luke Skywalker's articficial limb) in action.
It's everyone's favorite droid! IEEE Spectrum talked with R2-D2 builder Steve Simmons at Maker Faire to find out how the Star Wars droids work. (For more, check out http://www.artoo-det oo.net/)
IEEE Spectrum caught up with Andrew Turley, who had turned an archival tool into a musical instrument. Using a simple photodiode, the keyboard plays notes based on how light the center of the screen is.
Anyone can hook up a speaker to make a robot talk, but Mike Brady wants his Voxhead to use it's own vocal cavity. What's more, he really made Voxhead to explore learning, so the bot has to listen to itself to correct its speech (which, at this point, is more like singing).
For more info, visit http://www.fluidbase .com/mike/projects/V oxHead
It's hard enough to get the mouse trap to work right in the board game, but the San Francisco crew at Maker Faire managed to pull it off on a human scale several times over the weekend. The rig apparently took 10 years to build.
At Digital Experience! (the CES pre-show), IEEE Spectrum stopped by the Altec Lansing booth to check out the first dock/speaker system designed specifically for the iPhone. Not only does it shield GSM radiation, it pauses the music when you get a call.
IEEE Spectrum looked around Maker Faire for some of the coolest projects. These mouse robots follow a beam of light and have bump-sensing whiskers and tails.
At CES, Ford announced a new navigation system that will be in the Ford Flex, the Ford F-150, and the Lincoln MKS. The nav system uses Sirius to stream information like gas prices, movie times, and weather updates directly to the car. IEEE Spectrum caught up with Ford to talk about Travel Link, which, like Sync, can be voice activated.
Jeremy Toeman, head of marketing for Bug Labs, explains how open source software and hardware interact on Bug Labs' customizable gadget. For a more general introduction to the device, check out part one of IEEE Spectrum's interview with Bug Labs' Mehrshad Mansouri
At Showstoppers @ CES, Ford showed off their Sync system that lets drivers operate their phone and music systems hands-free. Sync works with any bluetooth phone, and any USB based music player: Zune, iPod, or memory stick. IEEE Spectrum hopped in the Ford Focus for a live demo of the system, which can also call 9-1-1 if your airbag goes off.
IEEE Spectrum checks out the sights and sounds of the 2008 Maker Faire. It was impossible to be bored, with the Zelda theme song played on Tesla coils, a flame spewing fire hydrant, and a car made of bricks.
IEEE Spectrum held a Maker Faire contest for digital clock makers. Keith Bayern won with his clock made only of transistors and other discrete components, with no integrated circuits. To find out more about Keith's clock go to www.transistor-clock .com.
The Computer History Museum was on hand with a working model of Charles Babbage's Difference Engine No. 2. The real device, essentially a mechanical, Victorian-era calculator, will go on display next week.
Tepper School of Business Announces Leadership Positions for Teaching ... ... Profs. Dammon and Green Named To Three-Year Appointments as Associate Deans PITTSBURGH , July 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University announced the creation of two leadership positions that will ...
The Demi Moore Model of Retirement Planning - US News and World Report Sometimes, saving for retirement seems an awful lot like going to the dentist. You worry about it a lot before you go. Then, you busy yourself with some extra brushing and flossing immediately preceding your visit. But after you finally succumb to a ...
Money Matters: Financial education for women - Cedar Creek Pilot What financial education resources can you recommend to help an unsavvy woman prepare for retirement? I am divorced, living on a tight budget, approaching retirement age and need some help. While most Americans could stand to brush up on their ...
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