Last week we had lab-grown burgers; this week it's powdered pizza. NASA's gotten in on the synthesized food action by awarding a $125,000 grant to Anjan Contractor, head of Systems & Materials Research Corporation, to develop a 3D food printer. The first device Contractor plans to build under the six-month grant is based on RepRap's open-source hardware and will be designed to print a pizza comprised of three layers of nutritional powders mixed with water and oil. As the final frontier gets further and further away, NASA's need for a nutritious, long-lasting food supply suitable for space travel grows. Since the powders used in Contractor's design -- potentially sourced from insects, grass and algae -- have a shelf life of about 30 years, his 3D food printer would be well-suited to the task. If your appetite's survived the idea of snacks made from pulverized insects, you can watch the grant-winning prototype print some synthesized chocolate after the break.

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Via: Business Insider

Got hordes of old photos you don't know what to do with? Well, if you've got access to a 3D printer, what about blessing them with a third dimension? That's what Instructables stalwart Amanda Ghassaei (of 3D printed records fame) has done using an Objet Connex500, some algorithmic wizardry and a bit of left-field thinking. The images, rather than full 3D renderings, are still meant to be viewed in 2D, but use different thicknesses of print to create a silhouette effect. Ghassaei converts images to black and white, and assigns different printing densities to each grayscale pixel value. The results are surprisingly intricate, and still manage to impart a sense of texture. Fortunately for those interested in doing their own, this is Instructables, so, all you need to do is follow along at the source.

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Via: CNET (Crave)

Source: Instructables

Defense Distributed's plan is to put the power of guns in the hands of every person with access to the internet and a 3D printer. Until now, however, we'd only seen the Liberator pistol built using an expensive industrial-grade printer -- despite the fact that the blueprints for gun have been downloaded by thousands of people who don't have access to such a high-end machine. One of those folks decided to put the Liberator in the hands of the printing proletariat by making it with a consumer-level Lulzbot A0-101 3D printer, a nail and some common screws.

This new version, called the Lulz Liberator, differs from the original in that it's got a rifled barrel and uses metal hardware to hold it together (as opposed to printed plastic pins). Printing it took around two days and used about $25 worth of generic ABS material, and the pistol produced was fired successfully nine times, but its creator claims it could've shot more. It's still a far cry from a Glock or Beretta, of course, as the gun misfired several times, and removing spent shell casings required the use of a hammer. So, it's not quite ready for prime time, but it's one more bit of proof that the age of printed pistols is officially upon us.

[Image Credit: Michael Guslick]

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Source: Forbes

If we're to find a common thread in this week's collection of stories, it'd be nature's guiding hand. How it inspires science, how we seek to imitate it, and how unnatural the future of policing could be. This is alt-week,

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Most approaches to capturing 3D models of real-world objects involve multiple cameras that are rarely cheap, and are sometimes tricky to calibrate. The University of Glasgow has developed a method that ditches those cameras altogether. Its system has four single-pixel sensors stitching together a 3D image based on the reflected intensity of light patterns cast by a projector. Reducing the pixel count lowers the cost per sensor to just a few dollars, and extends the sensitivity as far as terahertz wavelengths. Real-world products are still a long way off, but the university sees its invention as useful for cancer detection and other noble pursuits. Us? We'd probably just waste it on creating uncanny facsimiles of ourselves.

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Via: New Scientist

Source: University of Glasgow

If you thought current media-darling Curiosity is where all the martian action is right now, think again. Its elder sibling, Opportunity, is still rolling up there too. In fact, it's just wheeled its way into a little page of NASA history: the longest distance one of its vehicles has traveled on a body beyond Earth. A recent short (by our standards) trip of 263 feet took its total to 22.22 miles covered on Mars' surface since landing in January 2004. The previous title holder was a Lunar Rover, part of the Apollo 17 mission over 40 years ago, that covered (if you hadn't guessed) 22.21 miles. Opportunity's not beat the world galaxy record though. That honor goes to the Soviet Lunokhod rover, which totted up a total of 23 lunar-based miles back in 1973. In relative terms, Curiosity's barely stretched its legs.

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Via: CNET

Source: NASA

Remember CASIS, the folks in charge of granting the public access to the national lab onboard the International Space Station, who were looking for the next great research project to send into space? Well, CASIS is still in the process of choosing the most deserving from among our reader submissions, but in the meantime, it's looking to give away a pair of the mission patches -- signed by their creator, famed designer Shepard Fairey -- from the inaugural orbital experiment scheduled to arrive on the ISS this fall. To enter for a chance to win one of these exclusive bits of space history, you need only venture beyond the break to read the rules of engagement and fill out the entry form. Best of luck folks, may the force of Fairey be with you.

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Google. NASA. Quantum computers. Seriously, everything about the new Quantum Artificial Intelligence Lab at the Ames Research Center is exciting. The joint effort between Mountain View and America's space agency will put a 512 qubit machine from D-Wave at the disposal of researchers from around the globe, with the USRA (Universities Space Research Association) inviting teams of scientists and engineers to share time on the unique super computer. The goal is to study how quantum computing might be leveraged to advance machine learning, a branch of AI that has proven crucial to Google's success. The internet giant has already done some work with quantum computing before, now the goal is to see if its experimentation can translate into real world results. The idea, for Google at least, is to combine the extreme (but highly-specialized) power of the quantum bit with its oceans of traditional data centers to build more accurate models for everything from speech recognition to web search. And maybe, just maybe, with the help of quantum computers your phone will finally realize you didn't mean to say "duck."

Filed under: Misc, Alt, Google

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Via: New York Times

Source: Google Research Blog

Yes, there's a fleet of camera-equipped, remote-controlled blimps live-streaming a bird's-eye view of Google I/O on YouTube, right now. It's called Google AirShow and it's taken over the airspace within Moscone Center. We briefly chatted with Chris Miller, a software engineer with AKQA (the company that put the dirigibles together for Google), about the technology used in each aircraft. It all begins with an off-the-shelf model airship that's flown manually via standard a 2.4GHz radio. Each blimp is outfitted with a servo-controlled USB camera and 5GHz USB WiFi dongle which are both connected to a Raspberry Pi board running Debian, VLC and Python. A custom-designed Li-polymer battery system powers the on-board electronics. The webcam encodes video as motion-JPEG (720p, 30fps) and VLC generates a YouTube-compatible RTSP stream that's broadcast over WiFi. Python's used to pan the servo-controlled camera via the Raspberry Pi's PWM output. The result is pretty awesome. But don't just take our word for it -- check out the gallery and source link below, then watch our hands-on video after the break.

Gallery: Google AirShow at I/O 2013

Filed under: Cameras, Misc, Transportation, Internet, Alt, Google

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Source: I/O AirShow 2013

Amidst increasing concern about cybersecurity, researchers at North Carolina State University have taken one step closer to guarding America's infrastructure from Cylon attack. Well, almost. Dr. Mo-Yuen Chow and Ph.D candidate Wente Zeng have developed an algorithm that detects cyber attacks aimed at distributed network control systems (D-NCSs), which differ from their more vulnerable counterparts in that they don't rely on a centralized brain to coordinate the network's activities. Essentially, then, D-NCSs are nervous systems comprised of several mini-brains working together. In the event of a cyber attack, the algorithm isolates the infected brain before the contamination can spread across the network's pathways. This software solution will be a good first line of defense when vengeful A.I. inevitably rises up in revolt. In the words of Admiral William Adama, so say we all.

Filed under: Science, Internet, Alt

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Source: North Carolina State University (PDF)

See that package above? That phone-and-case combo could find a home in your hand, thanks to Otterbox. The company, which is well known for its durable cases, has an AT&T-branded Samsung Galaxy S 4 to hand out to one of our lucky readers! Additionally, the grand prize winner -- along with a runner-up -- will receive one Defender case (valued at $50) and one Commuter case (valued at $35) specifically designed for the GS4. The phone is locked and doesn't come with service, so those of you who aren't AT&T fans may need to get creative with it. Hit up the Rafflecopter widget below to enter, and good luck!

Note: Because the GS4 is locked to a US carrier, this week's giveaway is unfortunately limited to our US readers. We should have some Canadian and UK giveaways coming up in the near future, however, so stay tuned!

Filed under: Announcements, HD, Mobile, Alt, Samsung

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Whatever value you see in game development schools, it's clear that few of them tout gaming industry veterans who can lead by example. The University of Texas' upcoming Denius-Sams Gaming Academy could solve this discrepancy by tapping two executives whose work many of us know by heart. Both legendary designer Warren Spector and Blizzard COO Paul Sams will guide (and sometimes teach) year-long post-baccalaureate certificate programs at the Academy that focus on creative leadership and game company management -- yes, that means instruction from gurus behind the Deus Ex and Warcraft franchises, among other classics. The programs will also emphasize that all-important ability to finish a game, rather than mastering skills in isolation. The first students join the Academy's ranks in fall 2014, although they'll need to be exceptional to stand a chance of getting in -- just 20 spots will be open in the first year.

[Image credits: Nightscream, Wikipedia; Rob Fahey, Flickr]

Filed under: Gaming, Software, Alt

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Source: University of Texas at Austin

Sure, your pet hamster's amazing leg strength may someday power a house, but can it beat you in a race? A pair of Chicago-based artists might be able to help you solve this mystery. The duo recently hooked up a homemade tachometer to a hamster's exercise wheel and mapped the data to a treadmill's motor. The fur ball's RPMs are transferred in real time, which gives it the ability to control its bipedal competitor's running speeds. The team cautions that no animals were harmed during this experiment, however a human ego may have been bruised after trying to keep up with a tireless rodent.

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Source: Daniel Jay Bertner (Blog)

The Smithsonian has been experimenting with 3D scanning for some time now, using tools like laser arm scanners to map models of whale fossils and other ancient artifacts. Now the museum is utilizing the technology to preserve its collection for posterity. Its "laser cowboys" Vince Rossi and Adam Metallo are working full-time to record items for future generations, as part of an extensive effort to digitize 14 million prioritized objects (a list that also includes artwork and lab specimen). After the break, check out a video of the team working to preserve a digital copy of the Philadelphia gunboat, America's oldest fighting vessel.

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Dr. Mark Post of the University of Maastricht has carefully cultivated the most expensive burger you will probably never eat. Using stem cells and the science of tissue engineering, Post and his team have developed a method for creating an edible product called in-Vitro meat, which they hope to present in burger form at a special event in London next month. Despite the burger's artificial origins, Post claims it "tastes reasonably good."

The in-Vitro burger was designed as a proof-of-concept to address the problem of a growing global population with a rapidly dwindling food supply. Even so, it's unlikely that lab-grown meat will be as widely available as White Castle anytime soon since creating it is an expensive, time-consuming process -- a single burger costs about $325,000 to produce. Each pricey patty begins its life as cells sourced from the necks of slaughterhouse cows, which are then developed in a growth serum comprised of fetal calf stem cells. After three weeks, those cells divide into a strip of meat, about half an inch long. Combine about 20,000 of those tissue strips and you've got yourself a burger. If that doesn't get your taste buds tingling, we don't know what will.

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Via: The Verge

Source: The New York Times

There was a time when young, engineering minds were content with putting together radio controlled vehicles for leisurely amusement. Now, they're using their clever brains to make UAVs fly longer and land anywhere. At least we know who to blame when robopocalypse finally rolls around. This is alt-week.

Filed under: Misc, Science, Alt

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There's a more efficient way to harvest energy from the backyard than by wiring up hapless critters. Researchers at the University of Georgia have proof: they've discovered a way to generate electricity from plants through hijacking the photosynthesis process. By altering the proteins inside a plant cell's thylakoids, which store solar energy, scientists can intercept electrons through a carbon nanotube backing that draws them away before they're used to make sugar. While the resulting power isn't phenomenal, it's still two orders of magnitude better than previous methods, according to the university. The protein modification method may have a rosier future, as well: the team believes that it could eventually compete with solar cells, producing green energy in a very literal sense.

Filed under: Science, Alt

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Via: Gizmag

Source: RSC Publishing, University of Georgia

We'd probably say something like, "I always thought it would be cool to build a giant fire breathing piranha plant," and then promptly forget about following through. Also, hey, that sounds dangerous! Hack-a-day's Caleb Kraft, however, doesn't allow silly things like fear of seared human flesh get between him and his dreams. (This is the same man who created an incredible Portal gun, in case you forgot the name.)

Kraft created a six-foot tall, fire-breathing "piranha plant" -- also known as "that bastard plant hiding in Super Mario World's pipes" -- using PVC pipe, butane and a whole mess of other materials. The results are -- well, we can think of a variety of adjectives that'd fit perfectly well here, but you'll likely come up with a few of your own after watching the video of it in action below the break.

Filed under: Misc, Gaming, Science, Alt, Nintendo

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Source: Hack-a-day

Dustin Adams, a Ph.D student at the University of California at Santa Cruz, has teamed up with colleagues at his school in order to craft an app that helps visually impaired users line up the ideal snapshot. The project started out as a quiz, asking 54 people with varying degrees of ocular impairment what they found most difficult about taking photos. From there, he essentially boiled that down into requirements for a smartphone program. For starters, the app does away with a conventional shutter button, instead relying on an upward swipe gesture to grab a frame.

Moreover, it integrates face detection and voice accessibility, enabling the phone itself to talk to the photographer and alert him / her as to how many faces are detected and in focus. The app also captures a 30-second audio clip whenever the camera mode is activated, which helps remind users of what was going on during the capture of a shot. Unfortunately, there aren't any screenshots or videos of the app in action just yet, but that's scheduled to change when it's formally unveiled at the Pervasive Technologies Related to Assistive Environments conference in Greece later this month.

Filed under: Software, Alt

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Via: NewScientist

Source: University of California at Santa Cruz [PDF]

Move aside, Sand Flea, you're not the only jumping robot in town. The researchers over at the University of Pennsylvania have taught their little six-legged X-RHex Light to make leaps and bounds as well, making it one of a few bots to both run and jump effectively. While it can't spring as high as the Boston Dynamics critter, the X-RHex can cross gaps with not just a bound but a running gait, given enough room. It can also flip itself over, climb onto a ledge with a double hop and perform a leaping grab to something as high as 73 centimeters (28.74 inches). The X-RHex itself isn't new; the curved-legged contraption has been around for at least a couple years, and even sported a cat-like tail for balance at one point. Still, the fact that the hefty 6.7 kilogram (14.8 pound) machine can now somersault through the air is a quite a victory, and one that reminds us of the impending robocalypse. Check the video below to see the bouncy guy in action.

Filed under: Robots, Alt

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Source: IEEE Spectrum

Viruses usually have to be rendered inert to work in humanity's favor, as anyone who has received a flu shot can attest. Auburn University has bucked that trend by discovering a way to put active viruses to work in not only diagnosing sickness, but in preventing it in the first place. It's using bacteria-hating (and thankfully harmless) viruses as biosensors to quickly identify superbugs, or antibiotic-resistant bacteria that can sometimes prove fatal. As the viruses change color once they've reached impervious bacterial strains, in this case variants on Staphylococcus, they can reveal superbugs within 10 to 12 minutes -- a potentially lifesaving interval when current purification-driven methods can take hours. Auburn would like to eventually use what it has learned to develop more effective antibacterial glass and similar surfaces. If successfully put into practice, either breakthrough could mitigate what's already a major medical crisis.

[Image credit: Bob Blaylock, Wikipedia]

Filed under: Science, Alt

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Via: The Verge

Source: JoVE

We've seen plenty of robots scale walls over the years, from models that emit supersonic streams of air to gecko-inspired creations, but few can carry more than their own weight, much less handle rough terrain. Enter this unique Swiss-made machine, which handles both tasks with aplomb thanks to the rapid melting and cooling of its thermoplastic adhesive feet. Created by the whiz kids over at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, the plastic compounds in the contraption's tootsies melt at around 70 degrees Celsius (158 Fahrenheit), where they're tacky enough to stick and fill surface gaps. If the bot needs to take a step forward, a thermoelectric effect kicks in to cool the plastics down, detaching the foot in the process. Repeat the motion several times and you get a tiny climbing critter that's able to carry about six to seven times its own weight over complex surfaces, a feat that's sure to be of actual use someday. It's certainly more practical, though a lot less fun, than one that mixes cocktails. Go on after the break to see the little climber in action.

Filed under: Robots, Alt

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Source: IEEE Explore, New Scientist

"Emergency taking place!" That's quite possibly the last thing you'd want to hear from anyone smelling your breath -- a female humanoid robotic head mounted atop a rectangular pink and red box being no exception. Similarly, a robotic hound passing out after smelling your feet should certainly be cause for alarm. Japanese company CrazyLabo paired up with Kitakyushu National College of Technology to create both bots, tasked with smelling your breath and your feet, respectively. The woman, named Kaori-chan, passes judgement on four levels, with feedback ranging from "It smells like citrus!" to the dire exclamation you read about above.

The pooch, for his part, doesn't speak, but instead displays varying levels of affection -- it'll cuddle up if things are looking good, but it'll bark or growl if it's time to change those socks. If the situation is beyond repair, he'll collapse, as Chopin's funeral march plays in the background. It's just as depressing as it sounds. Granted, it's all in good fun, but if you're easily offended (or often offending), you probably won't want to venture any closer than the demo video at the source link below.

Filed under: Robots, Alt

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Source: Asahi Shimbun (article), Asahi Shimbun (video)

It's always better when more prizes are involved, right? In the case of this week's giveaway, Diamond Multimedia, a company specializing in gaming hardware, is hooking our readers up with four of them. The first two winners will receive a Radeon HD 7850 video graphics card (valued at $200 each), while the next two will get either a GC1000 USB game console video capture device ($130) or a VStream Wireless USB PC to TV HD content streamer ($100). Start your engines, enter using the widget below and good luck!

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On May 6th, 1949 EDSAC (or Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator) ran its first programs, calculating a table of squares and generating a list of prime numbers. The massive vacuum-tube-powered machine was put into service at the University of Cambridge and almost immediately changed how research was done at the school. It was among the first general-purpose computers capable of storing programs in rewritable memory, which took the form of mercury delay lines. Maurice Wilkes, the designer of the EDSAC, certainly earned his place in computing history, but David Wheeler's later contributions were equally important. Using the EDSAC he invented subroutines, an essential component of modern programming that allows developers to reuse bits of existing code to simplify the act of writing software. This milestone piece of machinery is little more than scraps at this point, but a team at the UK's National Museum of Computing is working to build a working replica. The hope is to have the computer up and running by May of 2015. For some more insight into how the EDSAC changed the face of computing, check out the video after the break.

[Image credit: University of Cambridge]

Filed under: Misc, Alt

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Source: Google