MiddlesexUniversity
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ADzero Bamboo cellphone's aiming for the giant Panda market (video)
This is the ADzero, a smartphone with a four-year old, organically grown bamboo unibody shell. It was designed by British student Kieron-Scott Woodhouse, a final-year product design student at Middlesex University. After his concept designs were spotted online, the 23 year old was approached to help design a real device. The Android-powered phone is built with an eye on sustainability, but isn't scrimping on the technical: its packing a camera with a reportedly unique ring-flash that encircles the lens. It'll be released in China and the UK shortly, with a focus on getting it into the hands of design-focused consumers. After the break we've got a clip of Mr. Woodhouse as he looks to carry on the tradition of world-class British designers.
Computer 'glitch' causes university to send out false acceptance letters
Middlesex University in the United Kingdom has confirmed that a problem with its "internal mailing system" cause acceptance letters to be sent out to 2,500 applicants who have, in fact, not yet been accepted. Anyone who's ever waited for such letters can probably imagine the insanity of being accepted to a school, only to be told a day or so later that a "glitch" caused the letter to be sent "in error." The University says it's not yet completed its review process of the applicants, so it's safe to assume that some of them will eventually be formally accepted, while everybody else? Well... they'll always have that letter The Onion sent them, won't they?
Heineken Bot does what it says on the keg, soon to be man's new best friend (update: new video)
If you ask us, our theory is that the Daleks are rather huggable by nature, but they probably partied a tad too hard with these beer-toting fellas before trashing the world. One such "Heineken Bot" -- crafted by the geniuses at Middlesex University -- turned up at Kinetica Art Fair in London. Daring humans can stop this drifting bot by hovering their hands above its sonar-sensing head, and then place a cup in its holder for some bevvy spat out of its keg. When you're served, the lonewolf continues to wander along its pre-programmed path, probably waiting for the assassination signal from Skynet. See for yourself after the break while you're still alive. Update: Chris Barlow from the project team has just hit us with a video of the upgraded Heinken Bot. Check it out after the break.%Gallery-84842%
Grand Challenge seeks to boost robotic prowess of British military
From what we've seen, the British military is pretty savvy on its robotics. Apparently mechanical beings aren't integrated enough, however, as the British Ministry of Defense has launched its first ever Grand Challenge, which "encourages participants to turn their ideas into prototypes for machines the army can use in urban environments." The six finalists that were chosen each received around $600,000 in order to construct their contraptions, and this August, we'll see an unmanned buggy that can analyze a gunman's movements, a self-propelled, remote-controlled camera and minuscule helicopters used for reconnaissance missions. Best of all, these creations won't just be propped up on some shiny display -- oh no, they'll be taking part in a mock battle in Copehill Down, with even more loot and an enviable trophy on the line.
