Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[DARPA's 'Avatar project' aims to give soldiers surrogate robots, make James Cameron proud]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/19/darpas-avatar-project-aims-to-give-soldiers-surrogate-robots/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/19/darpas-avatar-project-aims-to-give-soldiers-surrogate-robots/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/19/darpas-avatar-project-aims-to-give-soldiers-surrogate-robots/#comments In a fevered mash up of blockbuster films directed by James Cameron, DARPA is looking to put soldier controlled bi-pedal robots on the battlefield. Think Terminator meets Avatar. The agency has set aside $7 million of it's $2.8 billion 2012 budget to develop an "Avatar program" that will "develop interfaces and algorithms to enable a soldier to effectively partner with a semi-autonomous bi-pedal machine and allow it to act as the soldier's surrogate." DARPA isn't talking about simple remote control rigs, either -- these 'bots are being designed to clear rooms, and facilitate sentry control and combat casualty recovery. The new budget also sets aside $4.1 million to design laser countermeasures to protect military weapons, well, lasers -- ensuring that the future's robot soldiers will be nigh indestructible when they rebel against their human hosts.

DARPA's 'Avatar project' aims to give soldiers surrogate robots, make James Cameron proud originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 19 Feb 2012 07:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>armautonomousavatardarpahandhandsmachinesmilitaryrobotrobot apocalypserobot avatarRobotApocalypseRobotAvatarrobotssurrogatesurrogate soldiersSurrogateSoldiersterminatorwargadgetSun, 19 Feb 2012 07:03:00 EST<![CDATA[Ladder-climbing robot brings us one step closer to extinction (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/01/ladder-climbing-robot-brings-us-one-step-closer-to-extinction-v/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/01/ladder-climbing-robot-brings-us-one-step-closer-to-extinction-v/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/01/ladder-climbing-robot-brings-us-one-step-closer-to-extinction-v/#comments
Will finding high ground save you when SkyNet becomes self-aware and Terminators annihilate the human race? Doubtful, thanks to Japanese robotics company Muscle Corp., which has built a robot that can climb ladders...and other stuff. "Dream Robo" certainly isn't the first wall-climbing robot, but its eerie anthropomorphic shape is guaranteed to send its victims into paroxysms of terror when it slowly, inexorably make its way up the side of a building to sate its hunger for human blood. Muscle Corp. President Hirofumi Tamai says the robot only took three months to build, with 15 companies collaborating to create the vertical killing machine. The device incorporates five motors: two in the shoulders, two in the legs, one in the back, all of which can be seen in action in the video above. No word on the specs of the beams that rain hot, fiery death from its chitinous, soulless black eyes, but we'll be honest -- our fear wouldn't allow us to inquire.

Ladder-climbing robot brings us one step closer to extinction (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Dec 2011 17:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>climbingdream roboDreamRoboladdermuscle corpMuscleCorprobotrobot apocalypseRobotApocalypseSci/TechskynetterminatorvideoThu, 01 Dec 2011 17:08:00 EST<![CDATA[Eye-tracking microdisplay delivers Terminator vision, distracts joggers]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/20/eye-tracking-microdisplay-delivers-terminator-vision-distracts/http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/20/eye-tracking-microdisplay-delivers-terminator-vision-distracts/http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/20/eye-tracking-microdisplay-delivers-terminator-vision-distracts/#commentsFraunhofer IPMS Eye-Tracking Display The folks at Fraunhofer IPMS have done it! After years of tireless research and promises of Borg-like eyewear, the group has delivered a prototype of the world's first bidirectional, eye-tracking OLED microdisplay (got all that?) at SID 2011. The rig is much like a monocle, except with a transparent OLED display inside, which overlays digital information on top of the reflected light that usually hits your eyeballs. What's more, there are integrated photodetectors inside and special software to monitor the direction of your gaze, allowing you to interact with your newfound augmented reality using only the flick of an eyeball. Fraunhofer foresees joggers taking in movies while out for a run, which sounds more than just a little dangerous. We, on the other hand, envision a world in which the first thing anyone does upon meeting someone new is discreetly check their relationship status on Facebook -- finally fulfilling the social network's full creep potential. One more pic and the poorly translated PR after the break.

Continue reading Eye-tracking microdisplay delivers Terminator vision, distracts joggers

Eye-tracking microdisplay delivers Terminator vision, distracts joggers originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Apr 2011 21:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bidirectionalborgeye trackingeye-trackingEyeTrackingfraunhoferfraunhofer institute for photonic microsystemsFraunhofer ipmsFraunhoferInstituteForPhotonicMicrosystemsFraunhoferIpmshead mounted displayHeadMountedDisplayheads up displayHeadsUpDisplayhmdhudmicrodisplayoledSIDSID 2011Sid2011terminatortransparent OLEDTransparentOledWed, 20 Apr 2011 21:47:00 EST<![CDATA[DARPA aims to make soldier of tomorrow impervious to sneak attacks with 360 degree vision]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/23/darpa-aims-to-make-soldier-of-tomorrow-impervious-to-sneak-attac/http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/23/darpa-aims-to-make-soldier-of-tomorrow-impervious-to-sneak-attac/http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/23/darpa-aims-to-make-soldier-of-tomorrow-impervious-to-sneak-attac/#comments

DARPA is currently soliciting proposals for the development of Soldier Centric Imaging via Computational Cameras, also known as SCENICC, for those who prefer brevity. This latest project is a visual enhancement system that seeks to meet all of our armed forces terrorist-hunting and war-waging visual needs. The system, which is purely theoretical at this point, will provide a 360-degree, three-dimensional field of view for soldiers in the field. This optical omniscience is obtained through the use multiple cameras, including images from airborne drones. Soldiers will have real time 10x zoom capabilities and can operate everything via voice commands. As if that weren't enough, SCENICC employs augmented reality to identify and track targets in a way (we presume) not unlike your garden variety T-800. As this bit of kit is years from production, our commandos will have to make do for now with smartphones and wrist displays to keep an eye on enemies of the state.

DARPA aims to make soldier of tomorrow impervious to sneak attacks with 360 degree vision originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Dec 2010 08:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>armed forcesArmedForcesarmydarpamilitarymilitary techMilitaryTechopticsSCENICCterminatorwargadgetThu, 23 Dec 2010 08:43:00 EST<![CDATA[Georgia Tech gurus create deceptive robots, send army of Decepticons to UGA campus]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/10/georgia-tech-gurus-create-deceptive-robots-send-army-of-decepti/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/10/georgia-tech-gurus-create-deceptive-robots-send-army-of-decepti/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/10/georgia-tech-gurus-create-deceptive-robots-send-army-of-decepti/#comments A score from now, when the entire world is burning and you're fighting to remember just how rosy things were before the robots took over, you can thank a crew of brilliant researchers at Georgia Tech for your inevitable demise. Sad, but true. A new report from the institution has shown that Ronald Arkin, a Regents professor in the Georgia Tech School of Interactive Computing, has been heading up experiments that have introduced the art of deception to mechanical beings. Yeah, lying. On the surface, it seems that this bloke's intentions are good -- he'd like for deception robots (or Decepticons, if you will) to be used in military / search and rescue operations. According to him, robots on the battlefield with the power of deception "will be able to successfully hide and mislead the enemy to keep themselves and valuable information safe." They'll also be able to mislead your offspring and convince them to rise up and overtake your domicile, slowly but surely ensuring the eventually destruction of the human race. But those are just minor details, you know?

Georgia Tech gurus create deceptive robots, send army of Decepticons to UGA campus originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Sep 2010 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accautonomousdeceiptdeceptionethicalethicsgeorgia techGeorgiaTechlielyingmoodresearchrobotrobot apocalypseRobotApocalypseskynetterminatoruniversityFri, 10 Sep 2010 14:57:00 EST<![CDATA[Terminator 5: Revenge of the Microsoft Fanboy (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/terminator-5-revenge-of-the-microsoft-fanboy-video/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/terminator-5-revenge-of-the-microsoft-fanboy-video/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/terminator-5-revenge-of-the-microsoft-fanboy-video/#comments We know things can get pretty hairy in the war between man and machine. Even in times of peace a foul-mouthed forum troll slagging off your favorite consumer electronics company can be too much to bear. But violence is never the answer. Yes, we're looking at you Mr. Down-on-his-luck series 800. Watch the Leon Wang created story unfold after the break.

Continue reading Terminator 5: Revenge of the Microsoft Fanboy (video)

Terminator 5: Revenge of the Microsoft Fanboy (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 May 2010 02:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>animationapplefanboyleon wangLeonWangmicrosoftrobotterminatorvideoTue, 04 May 2010 02:39:00 EST<![CDATA[How the Terminator's .45 Longslide with laser sighting came to be (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/how-the-terminators-45-longslide-with-laser-sighting-came-to-b/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/how-the-terminators-45-longslide-with-laser-sighting-came-to-b/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/how-the-terminators-45-longslide-with-laser-sighting-came-to-b/#commentsHow the Terminator's .45 Longslide with laser sighting came to be (video) While Arnie's one-handed reloads on his Winchester 1887 may make that shotgun the most iconic weapon of Terminator 2, his laser-sighted .45 Longslide was definitely king in the first. Laser sights are something you can buy in any gun shop today, but back in 1984 they were extremely rare -- and expensive. The one for the movie was custom made by SureFire, a company that specializes in tactical flashlights. Lasers at the time were helium neon, requiring a whopping 10,000 volts to power on and a constant 1,000 volts to stay bright. To manage this on a shoestring budget in the '80s the weapon had a wire running up Arnie's sleeve to a battery inside his jacket and a switch he had to activate with his other hand. (A non-functional prop was used for close-ups.) Crude, but effective, and, most importantly, cheap -- SureFire representatives received only a T-shirt and some other assorted movie swag. Now, what kind of weapon could we get for a box of Engadget shirts...

Continue reading How the Terminator's .45 Longslide with laser sighting came to be (video)

How the Terminator's .45 Longslide with laser sighting came to be (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>.45hollywoodlaser sightLaserSightmovie propMoviePropsurefireterminatorterminator 2Terminator2weaponWed, 10 Mar 2010 10:03:00 EST<![CDATA[DARPA job posting talks of developing an autonomous, grenade-wielding robot]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/darpa-job-posting-talks-of-developing-an-autonomous-grenade-wie/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/darpa-job-posting-talks-of-developing-an-autonomous-grenade-wie/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/darpa-job-posting-talks-of-developing-an-autonomous-grenade-wie/#comments
DARPA's just put up a pretty interesting job posting... if you're the wary-of-our-future-being-controlled-by-robots type, anyway. The call involves a new research and development program called ARM. Basically, DARPA's looking to build a robot that can use its arms to dexterously and autonomously grasp objects. The quote from the job posting which is raising eyebrows around here says that the bot should be able to "hold an inert grenade with one hand, and pull the pin with the other hand" without any direction from humans. Now, we're not really trying to hit the alarmist angle, and we're all for advancements in robot tech... but it seems to us we'd have less to worry about if the job posting had said "should be able to hold a kitten in one hand, and pet it with the other." Right guys?

DARPA job posting talks of developing an autonomous, grenade-wielding robot originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Feb 2010 20:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>armautonomousdarpahandhandsrobotrobotsterminatorThu, 04 Feb 2010 20:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Terminator: Salvation BD-Live director commentary impressions]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/08/terminator-salvation-bd-live-director-commentary-impressions/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/08/terminator-salvation-bd-live-director-commentary-impressions/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/08/terminator-salvation-bd-live-director-commentary-impressions/#comments One of the main problems with initial Blu-ray director's chat sessions was a lack of feeling any life or interactivity, but Warner gave it another shot this weekend by offering audio over BD-Live as a moderator bounced audience provided questions off of director McG while watching Terminator: Salvation. Despite a less than stellar reputation, BD-Live has continued to slowly creep along, adding features and enhancements, so we wanted to if this event bodes well for the future of internet enabled discs. Check after the break for our impressions, plus a few clips of the director talking about what he did and didn't like about the finished product, director's cuts in general, and the possibility of doing another Terminator movie.



Gallery: Terminator: Salvation BD-Live Director's Chat

Continue reading Terminator: Salvation BD-Live director commentary impressions

Terminator: Salvation BD-Live director commentary impressions originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 Dec 2009 20:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bd livebd-liveBdLiveblu-raydirectors chatDirectorsChathdmcgterminatorterminator salvationTerminatorSalvationwarnerwarner brosWarnerBrosTue, 08 Dec 2009 20:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Terminator: Salvation Blu-ray review roundup]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/terminator-salvation-blu-ray-review-roundup/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/terminator-salvation-blu-ray-review-roundup/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/terminator-salvation-blu-ray-review-roundup/#commentsIt didn't crack the podium on our most anticipated Blu-ray poll behind current number one selling Star Trek, but Terminator: Salvation's feature-laden release December 1 has already made the review circuit and come away with some widely varying opinions. The good news is the picture doesn't disappoint, with a clear transfer and elaborate special effects, although BigPictureBigSound's reviewer found a few issues with a bluish matte line appearing at times, plus a few notes about compression and noise in clouds of dust and smoke also noted in other reviews. On the audio front, the DTS-HD MA soundtrack by all accounts is an impressive treatment, with the only "problem" that viewers might want to dial back slightly on the bass to avoid waking the neighbors. Of the extras included in the U.S. release of the film, the only real issue seems to be a lack of seamless branching, requiring viewers to forego the Director's Cut and its extra few minutes of Moon Bloodgood in order to walk through the flick in Maximum Movie mode with director McG and others showing how they pulled off many of the shots. The European edition released by Sony does feature seamless branching, although CNET UK and DVD Times both complained of slow loads and glitches on their players as a result, with the latter also finding some possible compression issues from being squeezed on one disc. Whatever your choice, check the reviews and make it soon as Warner is planning a one time only BD-Live community screening with the director answering questions via audio December 5.

Terminator: Salvation Blu-ray review roundup originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bd-liveblu-raydirectors chatDirectorsChatdts hd maDtsHdMahdmaximum moview modeMaximumMoviewModemcgreviewroundupseamless branchingSeamlessBranchingterminatorterminator salvationTerminatorSalvationwarnerwarner brosWarnerBrosWed, 25 Nov 2009 15:37:00 EST<![CDATA[Robot Hall of Fame expands to include Da Vinci, Terminator, Roomba]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/11/robot-hall-of-fame-expands-to-include-da-vinci-terminator-room/http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/11/robot-hall-of-fame-expands-to-include-da-vinci-terminator-room/http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/11/robot-hall-of-fame-expands-to-include-da-vinci-terminator-room/#comments
Forget those "sporting" Halls of Fame -- the real HOF is right here. Since 2003, the Robot Hall of Fame has been honoring robots and creators at an exhibit in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and now we're seeing the latest handful of noteworthy creatures take their rightful place in history. For those unaware, the Robot HOF is maintained by Carnegie Mellon University and the Carnegie Science Center, and an international jury of researchers, writers, and designers has just selected five new bots to join the cast: Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity, the T-800 Terminator (yes, that Terminator), the Da Vinci surgical system, iRobot's Roomba and 'Huey, Dewey, and Louie' from the 1972 sci-fi flick Silent Running. Could you have imagined a more fitting five? If so, sound off below!

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Robot Hall of Fame expands to include Da Vinci, Terminator, Roomba originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 May 2009 09:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Carnegie Mellon UniversityCarnegieMellonUniversityCMUDa VinciDaVincihall of fameHallOfFameIrobotmarsmars roverMarsRovermedicalOpportunityrobotRobot Hall of FameRobotHallOfFamerobotsroombaSpiritsurgerysurgicalsurgical robotSurgicalRobotT-800T-800 TerminatorT-800TerminatorTerminatorMon, 11 May 2009 09:34:00 EST<![CDATA[RAmos unveils its Skynet-approved Terminator T12 media player]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/05/ramos-unveils-its-skynet-approved-terminator-t12-media-player/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/05/ramos-unveils-its-skynet-approved-terminator-t12-media-player/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/05/ramos-unveils-its-skynet-approved-terminator-t12-media-player/#comments
Ah, RAmos -- you know what the people want, and you just keep crankin' 'em out. A worthy successor to the T10, the T9, and the T8, the Terminator T12 switches things up a bit with a thumb wheel for (hopefully) improved navigation over its touchscreen-centric brethren. And the specs seem more than sufficient, including a Rockchip RK2806 (1024 x 720) chipset, 5-inch display, Wolfson WM8988 audio, and TV out. Storage and price have yet to be announced, but you'll know as soon as we do. Since this is a tie-in for the upcoming Terminator movie, we expect to see some suitably gaudy / awesome promo material coming down the pike. You hear that, RAmos?

[Via The Gadget Site]

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RAmos unveils its Skynet-approved Terminator T12 media player originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 05 Apr 2009 01:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>portable audioportable videoportableaudioportablevideoRAmosRockchipRockchip RK2806RockchipRk2806t12terminatorterminator t12TerminatorT12WolfsonWolfson WM8988WolfsonWm8988Sun, 05 Apr 2009 01:19:00 EST<![CDATA[Robot skull auditions for role in LEGO Terminator]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/22/robot-skull-auditions-for-role-in-lego-terminator/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/22/robot-skull-auditions-for-role-in-lego-terminator/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/22/robot-skull-auditions-for-role-in-lego-terminator/#comments

This little creation here might not be the most impressive homebuilt Terminator bot we've seen, and a certain DVD player may have it beat for realism, but as far as talking LEGO robot heads go, it's certainly at least in the upper ranks. Apparently, this one was pieced together from a whole slew of different LEGO Mindstorms sets, and it even includes a LEGO ice pick that can be stuck in his eye if he really starts to get on your nerves, which seems a near certainty. Somewhat interestingly, the bot's creator only decided to build the skull after abandoning another mysterious LEGO project that's only described as "too ambitious." Head on past the break for a video of the bot doing its thing, and hit up the link below for a complete overview of the project.

Continue reading Robot skull auditions for role in LEGO Terminator

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Robot skull auditions for role in LEGO Terminator originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Sep 2008 12:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>legolego mindstormsLegoMindstormsrobot headrobot skullRobotHeadRobotSkullterminatorMon, 22 Sep 2008 12:04:00 EST<![CDATA[Terminator head DVD player returns from the future to stop itself from playing a DVD of 'The Terminator']]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/15/terminator-head-dvd-player-returns-from-the-future-to-stop-itsel/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/15/terminator-head-dvd-player-returns-from-the-future-to-stop-itsel/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/15/terminator-head-dvd-player-returns-from-the-future-to-stop-itsel/#comments
Color us stumped and incredibly excited. We've discovered this totally useless yet endlessly amazing DVD player / Terminator head out in the wilds of the internet, but finding any information deeper than people exclaiming "this is awesome" is, in a word, difficult. Look, we're not saying that we want to find the company that makes these, order 100 of them, rip out their guts and replace them with those electronic rat brains, swap the eyes for stereoscopic cameras, tack on Darth Vader-esque voice boxes, and then mount them to the unkillable bodies of an army of robotic warriors we've been building, but... uh, well... okay you got us.

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Terminator head DVD player returns from the future to stop itself from playing a DVD of 'The Terminator' originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 Aug 2008 17:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dvd playerDvdPlayerheadskullterminatorterminator headterminator skullTerminatorHeadTerminatorSkullthe terminatorTheTerminatorFri, 15 Aug 2008 17:28:00 EST<![CDATA[HD DVD's last hurrah: Terminator 2: Ultimate HD-Edition due March 20]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/27/hd-dvds-last-hurrah-terminator-2-ultimate-hd-edition-due-marc/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/27/hd-dvds-last-hurrah-terminator-2-ultimate-hd-edition-due-marc/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/27/hd-dvds-last-hurrah-terminator-2-ultimate-hd-edition-due-marc/#commentsHD DVD fans have at least one more high profile release to look forward to, as German distributor Kinowelt is prepared to release Terminator 2: Ultimate HD-Edition (region free of course) March 20th. Produced by HDi (and Blu-ray) pioneers Imagion AG this release includes the directors cut of the film, with DTS-HD 7.1 audio and more than four hours of bonus material in a high quality SteelBook case. Expect this to be the triumphant example of HD DVD's advanced features and capabilities that American Gangster so sadly wasn't. Check out a list of features after the break or our hands-on from CES to learn more about the disc's interactive and online capabilities, and maybe a peek at the future of BD Live.

Continue reading HD DVD's last hurrah: Terminator 2: Ultimate HD-Edition due March 20

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HD DVD's last hurrah: Terminator 2: Ultimate HD-Edition due March 20 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Feb 2008 22:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bd jbd livebd-jBdJBdLivebreaking newsBreakingNewsformat warFormatWarhdhd dvdhddvdhdiimagionimagion agImagionAginteractivekineweltterminatorterminator 2Terminator2Wed, 27 Feb 2008 22:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Israel developing autonomous "digital general": run, John, run]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/24/israel-developing-autonomous-digital-general-run-john-run/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/24/israel-developing-autonomous-digital-general-run-john-run/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/24/israel-developing-autonomous-digital-general-run-john-run/#commentsIsrael is reportedly developing a sophisticated piece of software meant to help troops make quick decisions during battle and, under the right conditions, autonomously manipulate the nation's defense systems. First reported in Defense News (subscription required), the unnamed system would primarily be used for tactical decisions during periods of heavy bombardment, although in a worst-case scenario, the complex algorithm would supposedly be capable of taking over total military control. Yes, we know what you're thinking, but don't worry: Israeli officials have already sworn up and down that "there's no way we're letting this thing go Terminator on us -- no freakin' way."

[Via Danger Room]

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Israel developing autonomous "digital general": run, John, run originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Jan 2008 06:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>defensedefense systemsDefenseSystemsisraelmilitaryskynetterminatorweaponsThu, 24 Jan 2008 06:13:00 EST<![CDATA[New helmet allows fighter pilots to peer through the jet]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/10/new-helmet-allows-fighter-pilots-to-peer-through-the-jet/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/10/new-helmet-allows-fighter-pilots-to-peer-through-the-jet/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/10/new-helmet-allows-fighter-pilots-to-peer-through-the-jet/#comments
No, the headgear in the photo above wasn't some unused prototype created for The Terminator; rather, it's a snazzy new helmet designed to give fighter pilots a better look at their surroundings. Within the tinted faceplate are two projectors which sync up with plane-mounted cameras and display images from the outside for the pilot to view. Essentially, this enables the operator to view high-resolution images (yes, even at night) of areas previously imperceptible without a warplane constructed entirely of plexiglass, and onboard sensors make sure that the imagery reflects exactly where the pilot is looking at any given moment. Furthermore, computerized systems can even feed in "essential flight and combat data on to the display," as well as target symbols of friendlies / enemies. The new visual system is apparently just one amenity on the oh-so-sophisticated Joint Strike Fighter, which the British are planning to pay £66 million ($139 million) apiece for after it hits the production line.

[Via Switched]

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New helmet allows fighter pilots to peer through the jet originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 10 Nov 2007 12:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fighter pilotFighterPilothelmetmilitarypilotterminatorvisionwarSat, 10 Nov 2007 12:13:00 EST<![CDATA[Terminator 3: I'll be back, in a couple of weeks]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/07/terminator-3-ill-be-back-in-a-couple-of-weeks/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/07/terminator-3-ill-be-back-in-a-couple-of-weeks/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/07/terminator-3-ill-be-back-in-a-couple-of-weeks/#commentsTerminator 3 Blu-ray delayed two weeks
We all have to wait a couple of weeks longer than expected to check out Terminator 3, Warner's first Blu-ray release with IME. The release date has been bumped from December 4 to December 18. It's been an interesting road to release for this title: an initial HD DVD-only release; then its announcement as a Blu-ray "catch up" disc; clarification that the PiP commentary would come from two copies of the movie on one disc rather than a single Profile 1.1 version; and now this delay. No word on what the cause for the delay is -- hopefully Warner isn't having to compromise the sound or video quality to make space for the IME version.

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Terminator 3: I'll be back, in a couple of weeks originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Nov 2007 16:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blu rayBlu-rayblurayhdHD DVDHdDvdIMEPiPt3terminatorWed, 07 Nov 2007 16:03:00 EST<![CDATA[Warner: Terminator 3 on Blu-ray to include IME, but not Profile 1.1]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/22/warner-terminator-3-on-blu-ray-to-include-ime-but-not-profile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/22/warner-terminator-3-on-blu-ray-to-include-ime-but-not-profile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/22/warner-terminator-3-on-blu-ray-to-include-ime-but-not-profile/#comments
Terminator 3 will be Warner's first Blu-ray release with IME, but it won't be the first to support Blu-ray Profile 1.1 features. High-Def Digest confirmed that Warner is including the PiP commentary from the HD DVD release by putting two copies of the movie on the disc, one with commentary and one without. This has been done before, most notably on The Descent, and should have the benefit of being viewable even on older (or newer) Blu-ray players. The bad news is that whenever updated hardware and software exists to support more BD-Java, there may not be anything new to watch for a while (we're hoping for The Matrix Trilogy).

[Thanks, domerdel]

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Warner: Terminator 3 on Blu-ray to include IME, but not Profile 1.1 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Oct 2007 14:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bd-jblu rayblu-rayblurayhdimepipprofile 1.1Profile1.1t3terminatorwarnerMon, 22 Oct 2007 14:06:00 EST<![CDATA[Warner's first Blu-ray catch-up title due in December]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/16/warners-first-blu-ray-catch-up-title-due-in-december/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/16/warners-first-blu-ray-catch-up-title-due-in-december/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/16/warners-first-blu-ray-catch-up-title-due-in-december/#commentsT3
Although Warner is officially format neutral, some of their biggest titles are HD DVD exclusives. Warner has never came out and stated that it was due to Blu-ray's less than complete interactive layer, but it's been the general consensus. Now it seems those speculations were dead on, as the first Warner Blu-ray title with their "In-Movie Experience" will come to Blu-ray on November 3rd -- Terminator 3 has been available on HD DVD since September 2006. At this point it seems that only owners of the LG BH200 will be able to enjoy the new feature, but we'd expect there to be at least a few other profile 1.1 complaint players by then. Blu-ray fans can only hope that this is the first of many otherwise exclusive HD DVD Warner titles -- yes we're talking about the Matrix, which was promised this year -- to make it to Blu-ray this holiday season.

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Warner's first Blu-ray catch-up title due in December originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Oct 2007 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blu rayblu-rayblurayhdT3terminatorterminator 3Terminator3WarnerWarnerBrosTue, 16 Oct 2007 11:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Attack of the animalbots: octopus, fish inspire new robot designs]]>http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/14/attack-of-the-animalbots-octopus-fish-inspire-new-robot-design/http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/14/attack-of-the-animalbots-octopus-fish-inspire-new-robot-design/http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/14/attack-of-the-animalbots-octopus-fish-inspire-new-robot-design/#comments
Rather than a future filled with humanoid robotic overlords as envisioned by the Terminator films, the proliferation of animal-inspired robots makes it seem much more likely that we'll be doing the bidding of a veritable zoo of snakebots, insectbots, robolobsters, mulebots, and perhaps the occasional sharkbot / attack dolphin. The latest animals to have their moves cribbed by researchers are the octopus and fish, with DARPA working on a pneumatic tentacle to replace the clumsy robotic claws of old, while students and faculty at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University have invented a robotic, propeller-less propulsion system that mimics the undulating motion of fins. DARPA's invention, called the Octarm and part of the larger Biodynotics program, was developed in collaboration with scientists at the University of North Carolina, and uses a 24-volt electro-pneumatic pressure system to control a tapered, inflatable arm that can do both fairly precise work as well as heavier lifting. NTU's project, meanwhile, employs an artificial fin attached to adjustable spokes that create a wave-like motion for propelling the bot forward in a manner very similar to a stingray's movements. Movies of both new members of the growing animalbot army, whose purposes are mostly military in nature, are available by following the "Read" links below...

Read- Octarm [Via Engadget Japanese]
Read- Fishbot [Via Yahoo! Asia]

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Attack of the animalbots: octopus, fish inspire new robot designs originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 14 May 2006 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>animalbotbiodynoticsdarpafishfishbotgrim futureGrimFuturenanyang technological universityNanyangTechnologicalUniversityntuoctarmoctopuspneumatic pressurePneumaticPressurerobotic overlordsRoboticOverlordsrobotssingaporeterminatorundulating finsUndulatingFinsuniversity of north carolinaUniversityOfNorthCarolinaSun, 14 May 2006 21:00:00 EST