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ICYMI: Soon flying UAVs could pick stuff up; carry it away
try{document.getElementById("aol-cms-player-1").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: A large format hexacopter with mechanical gripper arms is all set to swoop in on your backyard and move some chairs around. Going by the Prodrone's YouTube video, it can carry 10 kilograms.
Watch Boston Dynamics' humanoid robot balance on one foot
Humanoid robots still have problems staying upright, especially in tricky situations, but it's evident that they're making some progress. IHMC has posted a video showing Boston Dynamics' Atlas robot balancing on one foot on the edge of a plywood board about 0.8 inches thick. The feat is a "lucky run," IHMC admits (it's rare that the robot stays poised for so long), but it's relatively effortless. The worst you see before the fall is shaking as IHMC's algorithm sometimes makes poor estimates of the robot's state.
Large Hadron Collider's new 'particle' was just a fluke
Sorry, folks: CERN didn't mean to get your hopes up. Researchers have determined that Large Hadron Collider data suggesting a possible new particle was really just a "statistical fluctuation." Additional data collected over the course of the past several months reduced the unusual diphoton "bump" to a significance of 2 sigma, or well below the 5 sigma needed for a discovery to be considered authentic. It's just unusual that scientists saw a blip like this at both the ATLAS and CMS experiments, ATLAS' Dave Charlton explains to Scientific American.
Toyota is the top bidder for robotics pioneer Boston Dynamics
Over the past couple of months, Google's parent company Alphabet has been looking to offload its robotics division, Boston Dynamics, as it seeks to divert its attention to self-driving cars. Toyota's Research Institute was thought to interested in picking up the company from the start, but Nikkei is now reporting that the car maker's R&D arm is close to signing a deal for not only Boston Dynamics, but also Google's Japanese robotics company, Schaft.
Can 'Warcraft' break the curse of the video game movie?
There's a special place in cinema hell for video game movies. From 1993's cringeworthy Super Mario Bros. -- a high-profile abomination that even Nintendo wants to forget -- to the basic-cable-worthy schlock that was Mortal Kombat and even the underwhelming Jake Gyllenhaal-vehicle Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, games have failed to make the big screen translation. But that's precisely why director -- and son of the late, great David Bowie -- Duncan Jones (Moon, Source Code) agreed to tackle the theatrical debut of developer Blizzard's real-time strategy game Warcraft. "There's been a rough track record of movies based on video games," says Jones. "I do like the challenge. I like the idea of maybe making a film which is way better than anyone expected it to be because I know the expectations are all over the place."
Make music with the Large Hadron Collider through a web app
Now that music has come to the Large Hadron Collider, it's time for the giant science ring to make some music of its own. Meet Quantizer, a project from students Juliana Cherston and Ewan Hill that turns the ATLAS experiment's many, many particle collisions into music. The web app grabs data (in real-time when possible), cleans it up and maps it to musical notes. After that, it's just a question of the style you want to hear. There are cosmic sounds if you prefer an ambient vibe, or house music if you'd like something a little more dance-worthy.
DARPA exhibit offers rare glimpse at a secretive agency
DARPA's has been responsible for countless advancements in cutting-edge technologies since its founding in 1958. During a conference call on Wednesday, DARPA's Deputy director Steve Walker announced that it is partnering with Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry to host a massive exhibit that documents the agency's six decades of accomplishments.
ICYMI: Laser-powered spacecraft, upgraded Atlas bot and more
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-139655{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-139655, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-139655{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-139655").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: A professor from California is working on a plan to use photonic propulsion to get a spacecraft to Mars within 72 hours. It would use get the craft off of earth with the power generated by photons leaving a laser.
Stripe wants to help you start a business in the US
Mobile payments platform Stripe has launched a new product that lets anyone in the world start their own business in the US. Stripe Atlas is designed to enable people or, more likely, startups from around the globe to get a foothold in America. Once you've paid a $500 one-off fee, Stripe will incorporate a domestic subsidiary of your business in Delaware. In addition, you'll be automatically enrolled with the IRS, as well as having an account opened for you at the Silicon Valley Bank.
Boston Dynamics presents the 'next generation' Atlas robot
Over the years we've watched in awe as Boston Dynamics has refined the design of its humanoid Atlas robot, and this new version is impressing us once again. Last year the Alphabet-owned group showed off a battery-powered version of the robot, and now the "next generation" model remains wireless, but is smaller. Matching my size at 5 feet 9 inches and about 180 pounds, it compares to a predecessor that was six feet tall and weighed 330 pounds a couple of years ago.
ICYMI: DARPA Bots doing chores, VR fight action and more
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-293926{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-293926, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-293926{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-293926").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: A team that placed in the most recent DARPA challenge is still testing its robot, only now the tasks are more house-related. The IHMC has found that they can best tell whether their bot is responding well to new software by seeing how it handles common chores around the garage.
Humanoid bot goes for a walk in the woods, terrifies nature on the way
Boston Dynamics' six-foot humanoid bot Atlas is breaking out of the lab... and going for walkies in nearby forests. After demonstrating that its four-legged dog robot can now open doors courtesy of a new limb, the Google-owned robot company showed how it's testing the limits of its humanoid robot. Yep, the walker is still tethered -- for now -- but it still managed to stroll all around in Mother Nature while closely approximating the gait of a drunken uncle. Watch (and perhaps worry) right after the break.
Photography and the subatomic world collide in a new documentary
First it was Andy Warhol's obsolete digital archives and then the Lunar Orbiter Image Recovery Project. Now, the Hillman Photography Initiative's documentary team has set its sights on the CERN physics laboratory in its newest film, Subatomic. Famously known for housing the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), this facility is also home to the AEgIS experiment and the ATLAS Detector, one of the world's largest digital cameras. The scientists there use a variety of photographic technologies, from a cutting-edge 100-megapixel sensor that captures 600 million pictures per second, to antimatter experiments that use traditional photo emulsion to track particles. CERN even has an artist in residence program, showcasing outsider perspectives on the scientific world. These are all captured in this fifth and final installment of The Invisible Photograph film series from the Carnegie Museum of Art (CMOA) and Hillman Photography Initiative, which seek to reveal the hidden aspects of images whether obscured, lost or forgotten. Subatomic: The European Organizaton for Nuclear Research debuts online today, and you can watch the latest film below or stream the entire series on CMOA's website.
DARPA gives its Atlas robot a makeover, cuts the wires
The Atlas robot is shedding its safety cables to be able to adhere to the more stringent rules of the DARPA Robotics Challenge finale scheduled for June this year. DARPA almost completely redesigned its humanoid machine, bringing over only the lower legs and feet of the old robot to the new version called Atlas Unplugged. By using lighter materials for its body, the team was able to add a 3.7kWh lithium-ion battery pack that has the potential to power the new Atlas for an hour of walking and other activities. Its designers also added a wireless router for communication, tweaked its wrists to be able to rotate further and gave it three perception computers for task planning, among other improvements.
Facebook's Atlas ad platform will track you around the internet
Facebook's sufficiently chummy with advertisers that some people have gone and built their own social networks to escape Mark Zuckerberg's clutches. For those who remain, however, it's now going to be even harder to avoid people using your personal profile information to sell you things. The company has re-built and re-launched (former Microsoft ad platform) Atlas as a way of monitoring people's online activity across every device that they own. In a blog post, Atlas chief Erik Johnson talks about "people-based marketing" that leaves behind cookies and instead knows what you're doing on desktops, smartphones and tablets. That data, coupled with Facebook's knowledge of your age, gender and preferences, will then be used to sell specific products -- with the firm that handles Intel and Pepsi's promotional work the first to sign on.
Watch MIT's Atlas humanoid robot drag a metal pillar like it's nothing
We're interrupting your regularly scheduled programming full of cute, service robots to bring you the latest update on Boston Dynamics' terrifying humanoid machine: Atlas. A group of MIT researchers have been working to refine their Atlas unit's capabilities since 2013 for DARPA's Robotics Challenge. The result? They've managed to program the machine to carry objects of different weights in each hand, making it more effective for real-life applications, like construction or clearing debris during times of disaster. You'll see what we're talking about when you watch the video below, showing Atlas lugging an aluminum pillar with one hand.
The Incipio Atlas ID is super protective, but it hates your thumb and it's not crazy about you, either
I should start out by saying that I've always really liked Incipio's iPhone cases. Of all the cases I've used since the iPhone 3G -- and there have been dozens -- Incipio's accessories are one of the few brands that have never fallen apart on me. Incipio also holds the honor of making the only case I've ever used for an entire iPhone generation (the Incipio NGP case for the iPhone 4). So, when I got the chance to take the Incipio Atlas ID, the bar was already set pretty high. Unfortunately, a variety of design choices have left me feeling just OK about the case, rather than impressed. Specifications Dimensions: 5.4" x 2.66" X .0.52" (137.16 x 67.56 x 15.75mm) Weight: 2.06 oz Case Material: Polycarbonate w/ rubber wrap-around Design The Atlas line are called "ultra-rugged" cases and are advertised as being waterproof, dustproof and shockproof. To its credit, the case is indeed all of these things, and after securing it to my iPhone 5s, it did give the phone a feeling of indestructibility. I wasn't too punishing on the case, and tested about a 4-foot fall onto a thin carpeted surface, which it took with zero issue. I also drenched the phone in the sink (this had me sweating a bit), but it survived just fine. From a protection standpoint, it's definitely tops. Functionality However, protection isn't everything when it comes to a smartphone, and the device still needs to be 100 percent usable for a case to really be worth it. The first thing that left me a bit miffed was the ultra-spotty Touch ID accuracy when the case was in place. There is a thin membrane that covers the Touch ID sensor to help the case keep its waterproof promise, but this greatly hampered its ability to read my fingerprint. Without the case, my 5s gets my print correct about 95 percent of the time. With the case in place, that dropped by at least half. It often took two or three readings to unlock my phone, which made quick access quite difficult. There's also a second problem with the Touch ID membrane: It blocks part of the screen. In the marketing materials, you can't see it (because it's been edited out, I guess?) but as you can see in the photo above, the black shroud around the screen has a bump by the home button that obscures a bit of the screen. This doesn't necessarily hamper your use of the phone, but it's surprisingly distracting when playing games on the device. My last issue is with the touchscreen protector itself: It's just not responsive enough to use on a daily basis. With the case in place, the touchscreen doesn't read all of your touch commands. In fact, I found it downright frustrating to browse the web with the case on because it negated my swiping and most of my taps. A hard, firm press is often needed to register the desired response. Bummer. Conclusion Incipio's ultra-protective new case is indeed a savior for your phone in harsh environments. If I was headed for a day on the beach or a hike in the snow, I'd use it without question, but once I was within the comfort of my living room, it would need to be immediately removed. If you're looking for a case to occasionally equip like a suit of armor when needed, the Atlas ID is a great pick, but it's nowhere near ideal for daily use. Rating: 2.5 stars out of a possible 4 stars Giveaway If you're planning a trip to Mordor, you might find the Atlas ID case quite useful, so follow the giveaway rules: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button. The entry must be made before January 16, 2014 11:59PM Eastern Standard Time. You may enter only once. One winner will be selected and will receive an Incipio Atlas ID case valued at US$89. Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Meet Atlas, Titanfall's mechanized workhorse
When Titanfall touches down on the Xbox One, it will be the Atlas leading the charge thanks to its balanced blend of armor and firepower - a design feature adding much-needed versatility to a machine that would otherwise spend its days stomping puny humans into goo.
Google-powered machines lead DARPA's Robotics Challenge (video)
And you thought the Big Dog was scary? Okay, Boston Dynamics' quadrupedal, un-tip-overable 'bot still takes the cake, but SCHAFT (pictured above) deserves its own condo in the uncanny valley. And to think, they'll both be eating together at a cafeteria in Mountain View soon. That 'bot won DARPA's rescue-oriented competition this weekend by successfully navigating tricky terrain and clearing debris. Two other teams, IHMC Robotics and MIT, earned respective second and fourth places with variants on Boston Dynamics' Atlas machine. Other top-ranking entries included third-place Tartan Rescue as well as RoboSimian, Traclabs, WRECS and Trooper. The high scores are useful for more than just bragging rights. These top eight teams will receive DARPA funding as they move on to the Robotics Challenge finals in late 2014; they'll have a big (metal) leg up versus rivals that will have to pay to play. Congratulations to all, but if you don't mind, we'll be keeping our distance from Google headquarters until we know exactly what Andy Rubin plans to do with his new army of metal men and beasts.
Boston Dynamics puts AlphaDog through more field training, teaches Atlas robot to hike over rocks
Boston Dynamics' sprinting WildCat robot isn't the only autonomous machine it's letting roam the great outdoors: AlphaDog is still trudging through the wilderness too. A flurry of updates to the firm's YouTube channel reveal that the four-legged robot (officially known as the LS3) has been undergoing field testing in Twentynine Palms CA, which included overcoming rough-terrain, GPS guided maneuvers and endurance tests. It's impressive, as always, as is the outfit's progress with Atlas, a bipedal robot that evolved from Boston Dynamics' Petman. The humanoid machine can now negotiate a rocky walkway with relative ease, adding another party trick to its already impressive repertoire. The video updates didn't say if the machines were ready for the DARPA Robotics Challenge later this winter, but you can get an eyeful of the company's progress after the break.
