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Researchers built a robot squid that propels itself with a water jet
The robot can house a camera or other sensor in a sealed compartment.
Watch a 'transforming' drone blast out of a cannon
Researchers launched a drone from a pneumatic baseball pitching machine strapped to a truck traveling 50 miles per hour. They hope this ballistic launch method might lead to drones that are better suited for emergency response and space exploration missions.
Oceanographers invent device that tracks even the tiniest jellyfish
With barely two percent of the seafloor explored, we know a whole lot less than we'd like to about the Earth's oceans and its myriad of residents. Among the more numerous but less studied oceanic animals are soft-bodied like squid, octopi and jellyfish. However thanks to a new tracking tag technology developed at the Woods Hole Oceanic Institute, marine biologists will be able to observe these delicate denizens of the deep as they never have before.
ICYMI: Self-healing plastic, Star Wars gear and more
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-241742{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-241742, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-241742{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-241742").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: We are seriously in awe of the scientific discovery that came from studying squid. Researchers developed a plastic that can reform, no weaker, after getting cut in half-- just so long as water is applied to it. And if you have a couple hundred dollars to blow, you can use it to buy an alarm clock that syncs with Spotify to gently ease you in and out of sleep with a matching glowing light. Also check out the new smart stethoscope product for medical professionals, allowing them to record the heartbeats they hear, then analyze the sounds in an app.
Just add water and this squid-inspired plastic heals itself
While you've been busy scarfing down fried calamari rings, scientists at the University of Pennsylvania have been doing something else with squid. Namely? Studying the cephalopod's ring teeth for a way to create a material that heals when water's present, much in the way that those tentacle-bound choppers do. The way the report spotted by Popular Science tells it, the researchers were able to reproduce the type of proteins found in the self-healing squid teeth and trigger bacteria to make it in a lab environment.
Squid skin could help make color-changing gadgets
Not happy with the color of your clothes and devices? Eventually, you might get to change those hues on a whim. UC Santa Barbara researchers have discovered that the color-changing California market squid (aka opalescent inshore squid) manages its optical magic thanks to the presences of protein sequences that let it create specific light reflections. If scientists can recreate those proteins in artificial structures, it'd be easy to change colors at a moment's notice. This could be useful for camouflage and near-invisibility, but scientists note that the squid's colors are as vivid as "paintings by Monet" -- to us, that suggests wearables that can stand out when you want them to, or blend in when you'd rather go low-key.
Camouflage could soon change colors the same way squid do
Researchers at the University of Bristol have announced they've developed of artificial cephalopod chromatophores -- the specialized cells that allow squid and octopi to instantly change their skin color -- a breakthrough that could lead to real life active camouflage. The team employed a pliable smart material called electroactive dielectric elastomer to create artificial skin. And as you can see in the video below, they programmed the cells to sense what their neighbors were doing (either expanding or contracting) and then do the same. Right now, the cells can only open and close operate linearly. However, the researchers hope to further develop the technology so that future iterations are able to mimic the complex patterns that cephalopods actually produce.
Invisibility suits are coming thanks to squid-like displays
It's not as hard to make an invisibility cloak as you might think, but making one that's truly sophisticated is another matter; metamaterials (substances that change the behavior of light) are hard to build. Rice University appears to have solved part of the problem, however. It just developed a squid-like color display (shown below) that should eventually lead to smart camouflage. The new technology uses grids of nanoscopic aluminum rods to both create vivid, finely-tuned colors as well as polarize light. By its lonesome, the invention could lead to very sharp, long-lasting screens. The pixels are about 40 times smaller than those in LCDs, and they won't fade after sustained light exposure.
Get your Winter Squid and Snowy Owl while you still can
Pet collectors and fishermen take note -- the wintery months are almost behind us, and with them, the appearance of wintery pets and fish as well. The Snowy Owl, located in Winterspring, will be gone as of March 20 -- the onset of the Spring Equinox out here in the real world. Pet collectors should head to Winterspring now to capture these pets, as they won't be making another appearance until December of this year. This pet is part of the Kalimdor Safari achievement, so if you'd like that Zookeeper title, head to Winterspring and grab an owl of your very own today. In addition to the Snowy Owl, the sly Winter Squid is also prone to disappearing come spring. For most players, the apparent hibernation of squid won't really amount to anything. However, if you're working on The Oceanographer achievement, you'll want to catch a squid before they disappear until next winter. The pesky squid can be fished off the coasts of Swamp of Sorrows, Blasted Lands, Tanaris, Badlands, the Cape of Stranglethorn, and also around Sunken Temple. Both the fish and the pet have their own summery counterparts. However, while players may begin finding Summer Bass in fishing pools immediately after the Spring Equinox, the Qiraji Guardling for pet collectors will not be appearing until the onset of the Summer Solstice in June.
Northeastern University Squid Shirt torso-on
It seems like everyone's got a solution for workout tracking, these days, and the undergrad students at Northeastern University are no different. We traveled to the bowels of the Boston school's Egan Research Center, to try the Squid Shirt that we saw back in February on for size. Our own Terrence O'Brien donned the garb, and while the current prototype has dropped much of the unwieldy wires and suction cups that gave the wearable its name, it's still a bit of a production, taking several minutes to put on with the aid of assistant academic specialist, Mark Sivak (who assured us that the student this specific model was designed for had gotten the whole thing down to a two or three minute streamlined process). The shirt has a total of 13 EMG sensors, monitoring data from three muscle groups: the pecs, lats and delts. Every signal requires two sensors (with one attached to the hip for ground), which are ultra cheap and disposable, meaning you can just toss them away at the end of each workout session. In addition to monitoring muscle activity, a standard Polar heart rate monitor slips into a sleeve inside the shirt to keep track of your pulse. The shirt itself is machine washable, which again is good news, if you plan on working out in the thing. This is due in part to the fact that the box -- the brains of the operation -- is removable. This also means that you can use a single box to plug into different garments, which could include things like workout pants in the future.%Gallery-158046%
Winter Squid unavailable on March 19 when Summer Bass season begins
WoW fishermen out there should take notice that Winter Squid, the seasonal winter catch that is part of The Oceanographer achievement, will likely be disappearing from Azerothian waters on March 19. If you still need to catch this fish for your achievement, you had best get it completed as soon as possible. El's Extreme Anglin', long held as the source for all WoW fishing-related information out there, has a wonderful guide for helping you catch the Winter Squid. If you're not a fisherman, you can easily get your skill up to Winter Squid level by fishing in the same place and using some of El's guides to power through that skill. Nonetheless, don't miss out on this fish or you'll be waiting until September. [Thanks to Xabidar for the tip!]
Squid is a shirt that keeps an exercise journal so you don't have to
Wearable fitness trackers are everywhere these days. Everyone has a GPS watch, companies like Jawbone have turned to slightly stranger form factors, while AT&T and Under Armour are putting sensors inside clothing. Students at Northeastern University think the latter have the right idea, and have put an array of electrodes inside a compression shirt. The apparel is part of system being called Squid, which also includes a smartphone app and an exercise tracking site. Unlike other tech that ends with monitoring hear rate and tracking GPS coordinates Squid can actually gauge muscle activity and count reps so you don't have to. The shirt probably can't tell the difference between a bench press and push up, but at least its one less task to worry about while whipping yourself into fighting shape. No word on if or when the system might become available to the general public, so you'll have to make do with the video after the break to see it in action.
Videos document player battle with ArcheAge's Kraken
If you haven't gotten enough of ArcheAge's ridiculously gorgeous graphics and sailing mechanics, then prepare to wet your whistle on not one, not two, but three new videos showing off ocean exploration and monster encounters. Sailing and ship combat is one of the lesser-utilized mechanics in the MMO field, so if ArcheAge can pull it off, then it might make waves. Figuratively speaking. These three videos document an encounter with the fearsome Kraken -- giant squid with an anger management problem -- and what happens to a fragile wooden boat that sails into its waiting tentacles. According to the video, the Kraken has nearly a million hit points and can smash entire armadas with impunity. The videos show a fleet trying to take on the fearsome underwater world boss, but the players are only able to make a dent for all their efforts. Conquer your fears of the unknown by hitting the jump and checking out this impressive beta footage!
Squid extract bridges human / machine divide, cyborgs to become very real
If we ever manage to capture a live giant squid, researchers at the University of Washington are going to have a field day. Enterprising minds at the institution's materials science and engineering department have discovered a use for chitosan -- an extract made from squid pen or crab shells that could lead us down a cybernetic road to human / machine interfaces. The team incorporated the organic compound into their field-effect transistor prototype, and effectively created the first protonic circuitry "that's completely analogous to [the way] an electronic current" can be manipulated. Naturally, the silicon-based tech isn't ready (or safe) for implantation into humans just yet, but could one day be used to control biological functions, sending on / off commands to our bodies. So, maybe we won't have to fear that robot apocalypse, after all. You never know, give scientists ample time to fully flesh this advancement out and Spielberg's next great cinematic, sci-fi opus could wind up becoming a cyborg rom-com. Stranger things have happened folks.
Xbox Live Indie Gems: Squid
Crowded as it is with farting massage simulators, it can be hard to find worthwhile titles on Xbox Live Indie Games. That's why we sift through all that rough to unearth a few gems. That way, you get the skinny on quality games and we get to indulge our secret passion for fart machines. This week, we take a look at Salmon Steve Productions' passive shooter, Squid. There are plenty of shooters available on the Xbox Live Indie Games channel. More than a few of them pack in neon graphics, pulse-pounding music and lots of eye-catching explosions. In this respect, Salmon Steve Productions Squid is no different. What does make it different from most shooters out there is pretty simple: You can't shoot.
Disillusionment with MMOs
Because I never studied nor considered studying psychology, you may doubt my words, but I will still tell you that many people go through a phase in life in which things become less shiny for them. What, there really is no Santa Claus? Those awesome space battles on TV are just tiny plastic miniatures hanging from fishing-line? World of Warcraft didn't invent Naga? Sooner or later the curtain will be pulled back on something you found new or fascinating in your life. Losing that sense of excitement from something you thought was different or new can leave a gaping hole of disillusionment. The short history of MMOs is not immune to providing plenty of room for players to become disillusioned. Like television, movies, and books, MMOs don't use 100% new content that developers invented out of thin air. I've been on many MMO forums and have seen players at different stages of disillusionment seemingly frothing at the mouth about being sick of elves in fantasy MMOs, and accusing one MMO of stealing a name or even a similar-sounding name from an MMO they would defend as "more original." The fact is that most concepts and ideas have already been done, and it can just be hard to deal with. Who doesn't get a little disillusioned when he grows up and finds out his dad or mom really isn't the smartest or strongest person in the world? If I haven't disappointed you enough then follow along as I spoil even more of your favorite MMOs -- but hopefully I can also show you that disillusionment isn't the end.
Movie Gadget Friday: Strange Days
Ariel Waldman contributes Movie Gadget Friday, where she highlights the lovable and lame gadgets from the world of cinema. On our last episode of Movie Gadget Friday, we rode around the robotics-dependent world of Runaway. Traversing from robots-gone-wrong to "wire-tripping"-technology-junkies, this week jacks-in to the cyberpunk streets of LA in Strange Days. While lacking in computer gadgetry, there is no shortage of leather pants, grunge metal, huge cell phones and random rioting in this 1995 film. Keeping true to the times, we can't get over how even the murderer commits crimes while managing to sport a fanny pack. SQUID Receptor Rig Short for Super-conducting Quantum Interference Device, the SQUID receptor rig consists of a two-part system: a lightweight, flexible mesh of electrodes and a recorder. The technology had originally been developed for the feds to replace body wires, but has since leaked onto the black market. The SQUID acts as a magnetic field measurement tool on a micro level. By placing the electrodes over your head and activating the recorder, your first-person audio-visual-sensory experience is recorded wirelessly, direct from the cerebral cortex onto a TDK 60-minute MiniDisc. The rig can also be hacked using a signal splitter and simstim attachment - allowing someone else to experience your experience in real-time. Optional accessories for the rig include a fanny pack for closely storing the recorder and various wigs for concealing your otherwise obvious surveillance of others. Unfortunately, there appears to be no way to directly upload these recordings to the net, leaving room for inefficient, in-person, illegal "playback" dealings of MiniDiscs similar to buying and selling drugs. From sex to committing crimes, clients to the self-proclaimed "switchboard of souls" dealers are able to jack-in to a variety of illicit activities without leaving their home. More after the break.
Hulu still silent on PS3, Windows Mobile blocking - but there's a free solution
A few days after blocking PlayStation 3 users, Hulu has yet to respond to questions concerning the change which has only helped to fuel rumors it is related to the Microsoft ad campaign currently featured on the site, but that seems less likely now that we've confirmed it also began blocking the Flash-enabled Skyfire browser on Windows Mobile devices at the same time. Whatever the cause is, if you prefer a homegrown hack over something like PlayOn or TVersity, Eric over at ypass.net has put together a simple enough walkthrough for creating an "unblockable" workaround by setting up a locally connected PC running Linux or Windows with the freely available Squid proxy server software that will make your PS3 look like appear as a PC running a Firefox (or whatever you prefer) browser to any website that asks. Of course, just like the other solutions your computer will need to stay running to keep you connected, but we figure it's a small price to pay for enjoying relatively low res Flash video running on an HDTV.Read - Got a PS3? Want Hulu Back? Easy enough...Read - Squid-setup for Windows NT /2k /X
Underwater robot has sense of touch, class and style
At the Fraunhofer Institute in Bremen, Germany, a group of researchers, in conjunction with the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence DFKI, is developing an underwater robot with a sense of touch. The octopus-esque robot is equipped with a strain gauge which triggers electrical resistance changes when an obstacle is encountered. The strain gauges -- which are printed onto the robot -- which are ten micrometers wide (about half the width of a human hair), are made up of atomized nanoparticles, and are extremely sensitive. The researchers intend for the robot to be able to distinguish between actual obstacles and water currents. The robot's first stop will be a public trade show at the end of May in Nuremberg, after which it will presumably make it's way to the dark depths of the sea to meet up with Captain Nemo and the giant squid.
Ikatan: Guess the mystery squid
Japanese publisher Cyberfront (not to be confused with Cyber Connect) has posted a mystery page for an upcoming Nintendo DS game without revealing any information beyond the image you see above -- a possible title (Ika = squid?), a possible year of release, and a possible piece of surume, or dried squid. Oh, the possibilities!A bit of background on Cyberfront -- you might recognize the company's name for its localizations of PC titles, like The Orange Box and Civilization IV, in Japan. Cyberfront's DS catalog includes Ryoukiki Exercise, New Zealand Story DS, and Inugaisha (Dog Company).So, what could Ikatan be? A cooking game limited to squid recipes? An undersea SRPG dominated by armies of cephalopods? A Super Mario Bros. remake played from the perspective of a wandering Blooper? Give us your best guesses!
