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NASA needs help naming its 'moonikin' Artemis I test flight dummy
NASA is asking for help naming its first (non-human) passenger, or "moonikin" that will fly aboard the Orion capsule.
Researchers flaunt flying bike, no mention of alien-caching basket (video)
Researchers from several Czech companies have managed to make a bicycle soar with the aid of six electric motor-driven propellers. Looking like an over-sized quadrocopter drone, the bike was actually guided in a similar RC manner by scientists on the ground while a dummy rode in the pilot's seat. The range of the contraption was severely limited by the small batteries needed to keep the already-chunky 220 pound weight down, and the device would obviously be difficult to operate on a bike path due to its ungainly size. Still, the developers said the project was more about the fulfillment of childhood dreams than any commercial aim -- though we're not sure even our wildest ET fantasies would compel us to make the leap. [Image credit: Michal Cizek/AFP/Getty Images]
iPhone 5 cases and realistic unibody dummy show off incredible slimness
While we're only five days away from finding out the true appearance of the next-generation iPhone, our good friends over at BENM.AT went ahead and crafted their very own unibody dummy using CAD drawings, CNC tools and a block of aluminum -- seriously, that's how they roll! Granted, this work's only based on various data and rumor gathered across the web, but it's still a pretty convincing presentation -- the ultra slim teardrop design and elongated home button from previous reports are taken into account, and the mute switch has been relocated from the top left to the top right. BENM.AT told us that this dummy fits nicely into the supposed iPhone 5 cases that they obtained. Speaking of which, we also found some of these cases too -- read on to find out what they're like. %Gallery-135221%
Quanta's 7-inch Android tablet dummy spotted at CES
In case you're not already sick of tablets, here's another one that we spotted at a small Taiwanese booth at CES. Sure, this Anadem Q07 -- a rebadged Quanta device -- was just a dummy, but even this could easily beat the lot of cheap Android slates in a beauty contest. Encased within the chrome bezel and silver body will be a 7-inch 800 x 480 display (which is slightly underwhelming), along with a Samsung S5PV210 processor -- essentially the Hummingbird chip but in a different package -- underclocked to 800MHz, but still capable of handling 1080p video playback. There's not much else on the spec sheet, but we did see a micro-USB port, HDMI mini connector, microSD slot, SIM card slot, and stereo speakers on the Q07. Naturally, you'll hear from us when we stumble upon this Froyo tablet again. %Gallery-113477%
Droid 2 R2-D2 edition launch kit makes emergency landing
It's getting awful close now, eh? Merely hours after hearing that Droid 2 R2-D2 edition launch kits were splashing down in select Verizon Wireless locations, in flies a foursome of images proving as much. Of course, we still can't promise you that these fellows will be available for the taking a moment before the 30th of September, but if you know someone at Big Red, at least there's a chance he / she may be able to get you a sneak peek starting now. Or, you know, you could just peek the gallery below. [Thanks, Anonymous] %Gallery-103247%
Droid 2 R2-D2 edition dummy units force-arriving at Verizon retail?
The little astromech smartphone that could (pilfer your wallet) is now touching down in at least one Verizon Wireless store, according to spy shots via Boy Genius Report. The Motorola Droid 2 R2-D2 edition launch kit contains just a dummy unit, not an extremely well-put together little Droid, so you won't find any lightspeed animation contained within. Still, if it's the faceplate you want see up close and personal, looks like you might get a chance at just that a tinge earlier than September 30th.
Palm Pre Plus, Pantech Breeze 2 dummies showing up in AT&T stores
It's pretty wild that neither Palm nor AT&T have fessed up to a release date for the GSM-ified versions of the Pre Plus or Pixi Plus yet -- especially considering that there are already unboxings going on -- but we've now got confirmation that dummy units (of the Pre Plus, anyhow) are filtering into retail stores, so it definitely shouldn't be much longer now. Dummies of an updated version of the ultra-simple Pantech Breeze (uncreatively named Breeze 2) is also coming in, so between these two, you should pretty much be able to outfit every member of the family from grandpa to the newborn. Seriously though, AT&T -- wait much longer on this release, and this sucker's going to be obsolete. [Thanks, Kal]%Gallery-92113%
Dummy Apple SKUs materialize in Best Buy's inventory system?
Listen, we know what you're thinking: "Hey Engadget, what's with all the excessive Microsoft coverage today? Where's our Apple rumors?" Here you go! Though the last Best Buy database screencap ended up being even more dubious than we had suspected, today's MacRumors-borne pic has the added bonus of a trio of new entries, aptly titled Dummy SKU A, B, and C, respectively. There's not a lot to go on here, and assuming the shot is legit (we cannot independently confirm at this point), it doesn't really say much. Oft-coveted refreshed MacBook Pros? Those pesky WiFi iPads due out next month? Bobble heads for Steve Jobs, Phil Schiller and Scott Forstall? We may never know for sure. [Thanks, Ryan]
BlackBerry Storm 2 dummies coming to Best Buy around October 25?
We've long suspected that the Storm 2 would be bowing in the next couple months, within earshot of the original Storm's one-year anniversary -- and new evidence suggests that even if we can't get an actual device in October, we'll at least be able to make clicking sounds with our mouths as we amble around a non-functional display unit (you laugh, but it's our idea of a good Saturday night). Boy Genius Report has been slipped a Best Buy inventory screen -- a familiar sight in the phone scooping world -- that reports an in-stock date for Storm 2 dummies of October 25. Those dummy units can end up arriving before or after the actual phones, and considering that we've seen other evidence pointing to an October launch, this could be the real deal. Tao envy might be a problem by the time this hits, but we're sure there'll be a few folks willing to give RIM a mulligan on its touchscreen dealings. [Via PhoneArena]
Blackberry Storm dummy hits Verizon store
Well, it's not quite as big as that gigantic promo Bold, but dummies of the Blackberry Storm have started appearing in Verizon stores, and it's looking a lot, uh, more robust than we remember from all those leaks. Specs include an appropriately multicultural photo of happy people, non-functioning buttons, and a list of Verizon talking points. Still no hard release date, but we're guessing something this big can't be contained for much longer.[Via Blackberry News]
Hey, dummy! Check out this new game
It's pretty hard to resist a game about beating up on a hapless crash dummy, which is why we've actually bothered playing the licensed Incredible Crash Dummies game on ... well, too many platforms. Developer Twelve Interactive is reviving the idea with their new game Cid the Dummy.The new action-platformer's story reads, bizarrely, like an alternate, pun-riddled take on Astro Boy or Mega Man: Professor B.M. Werken creates a robot version of his lost daughter, who is then kidnapped by his newly evil assistant D-Troit. A crash dummy, Cid, is chosen at random to rescue her and is given a bazooka with Freeze, Flame, and Rubber Bullet ammo.The game also contains crash tests! In these bonus games, Cid attempts to get his car up to speed to crash through up to five walls and pick up bonus items. Strap on your safety belt and drive directly into our gallery for a bunch of screens! %Gallery-15326%[Via GamesPress]
Can't get an iPhone? Fabricate your own
There are people with too much time on their hands, there are fanboys with too much time on their hands, and then there's this. It seems some enterprising fella over in iPhone-less Japan took it upon himself to build his own dummy iPhone. Yes, "build," as in "fabricate from scratch." As opposed to, say, flying to the States and picking one up -- at considerable expense, yes, but consider his chosen alternative. To his credit, the dummy looks absolutely superb right down to every minor detail -- if you forgive the old-school fake display with Cingular branding and a missing YouTube icon. Click on for the full pictorial from sketch to finished product.[Thanks, Dale]
Armed cops burst into home to neutralize... Lara Croft mannequin?
Considering just how chaotic a police scanner can become when the crime lords decide to hit the streets, we can't fault the boys in blue for showing up at the wrong address or completely missing a shoplifter with a projector in his shorts, but this one's just absurd. Apparently, a Manchester man had his home invaded by squads of armed police after a pistol-wielding Lara Croft mannequin served as cause for concern. The officials mistook the ominous silhouette for an actual gunman, and took it upon themselves to rush in and attempt to save the day. Interestingly, the homeowner was actually arrested for "suspected firearms offense," but he's currently speaking to lawyers about "a possible claim for wrongful arrest." Man, publicly humiliating yourself and begging for a lawsuit -- now that's a full day's work.[Thanks, Dan G.]
Robotic patient aurally, visually informs you of its ailments
As if treating a mannequin that can bleed and even flat line on you wasn't stressful enough, researchers at Gifu University's Graduate School of Medicine are hoping to make your residency even harder to manage. A newfangled robotic dummy packs a potent artificial brain, as it can reportedly "respond verbally to questions about how it feels and move its body in ways that exhibit the symptoms of its ailment." The current prototype is modeled after a female who honestly looks to have had one incredibly rough day week, and while it wasn't clear if instructors could program the android to act out only a certain number of understood illnesses, we're sure the library of problems will grow with time. Currently, the bot is being trailed to see if it will indeed prove to be a valuable learning tool to eager med students, and if all goes well, it should "become part of the curriculum next year."[Via PinkTentacle]
Medical students treat dummies that bleed, speak, and die
While there's always the off chance that your next surgery will be completed by a robotic doctor, we'd wager that most of us would opt for a well-trained, well-rested, and naturally conceived expert to handle the tools. The University of Portsmouth is upping the ante on its training facilities for those making the rounds in med school, and doctors-to-be now have access to £135,000 ($266,706) dummies that "bleed, speak, and potentially die" depending on the level of care received. Providing a more realistic practice environment, these lifelike mannequins can also "breathe oxygen, drool, secrete fluids, blink, and even react to drugs injected into their bodies." Aside from being used by students of medicine, social work, and dentistry, police and firefighters will also be able to get their hands dirty, but they'll be forced to treat the creature as a real human, taking notice of their names, biographies, and medical history before picking up that needle. Additionally, users will be able to access the built-in cameras and microphones to "critically appraise performances in real time." So if you're looking for a second opinion, tracking down a recent Portsmouth graduate that trained on these blokes might not be such a bad idea.[Via Smart Mobs]
