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Live from Expand: Robots, Lasers and Replicators: Making Science Fiction a Reality (video)
Science fiction? Or science fact? We explore the connection between fantastical technologies of the past and their real world analogs, along with Tekzilla's Veronica Belmont, Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America's John Scalzi and Robopocalypse author Daniel H. Wilson. March 16, 2013 7:30 PM EDT For a full list of Expand sessions, be sure to check out our event hub.
Kinect for Windows SDK gets significant update on March 18, includes Kinect Fusion and Interactions
Kinect for Windows is getting a big SDK update on March 18th to version 1.7 -- Redmond's calling it "our most significant update to the SDK since we released the first version" -- which includes the long awaited 3D object scanning application Kinect Fusion. Microsoft took to Engadget's Expand stage today to unveil the features of the SDK update, which included live demos of both Kinect Fusion and Interactions; Fusion creates live 3D models of both people and objects, while Interactions adds a whole variety of recognizable gestures to the Kinect for Windows SDK ("push-to-press buttons, grip-to-pan capabilities, and support for smart ways to accommodate multiple users and two-person interactions," says Microsoft). Microsoft' also adding code samples to its Kinect for Windows development site (CodePlex), making this the first such code from Microsoft available in an open-source channel. We'll have demo videos of the new Kinect for Windows SDK features for you as soon as we can. Follow all of Engadget's Expand coverage live from San Francisco right here!
Plair hands-on redux: a clever wireless video streaming HDMI dongle (video)
We didn't really get to see the Plair in action when we last saw it at CES, but luckily, it's here with us at Expand 2013! This time round we have a better understanding of what makes this $99, micro-USB-powered HDMI dongle so special: not only can you beam native video clips from your mobile device (through an iOS or Android app) or your desktop Chrome browser's extension to it, but the Plair can also grab the video source from your current page in Chrome and then stream the clip independently -- as in once the video's started, you can shut your computer down and still keep the stream going on your TV! You can actually see this demonstrated in our video after the break, where we streamed an episode from NBC's Saturday Night Live website through a WiFi network (but the Plair can also create its own hotspot for direct WiFi connection, which is handy for avoiding slow hotel networks). In our opinion, the Plair is a neat little gadget for its price, but you'll have to wait until early April for the next batch coming off the production line. Interested buyers will be able to order a Plair on its website around then. Follow all of Engadget's Expand coverage live from San Francisco right here! %Gallery-183027%
Microsoft Kinect for Windows Director Bob Heddle: In Conversation liveblog
Kinect has branched out from its gaming roots to PC interaction, and we're chatting with Bob Heddle, director, Kinect for Windows at Microsoft to see how the hardware is changing natural user-interfaces. We're also set to get a sneak peak at what's coming up in the next release of the Kinect for Windows Software Development Kit. The chat gets started at 7PM ET, sharp.
Live from Expand: Microsoft's Bob Heddle (video)
From gaming peripheral to PC input device, Microsoft's Kinect is changing the way we interact with our machines. We'll be speaking to Bob Heddle, director, Kinect for Windows at Microsoft about the device's broadening functionality. We'll also be taking a look at the state of the Kinect for Windows Software Development Kit. March 16, 2013 7:00 PM EDT For a full list of Expand sessions, be sure to check out our event hub.
Ekso Bionics' robotic suit eyes-on (video)
Since last we saw the Ekso Bionics robotic suit, which helps folks with lower-extremity paralysis or weakness to stand up and walk, the $110,000 exoskeleton has been on the market for about a year. About 30 have sold so far, and the company's director of marketing and communications, Allison Sojka, reckons that medical centers have already helped rehabilitate somewhere between 500 and 1,000 patients. By allowing them to stand up and walk, the bionic suit not only helps users overcome issues like bone density loss and neuropathic pain related to their condition, but also to gain reams of confidence -- an oft-overlooked factor in the recovery process. The production model is a polished-looking assemblage of aluminum and judiciously placed titanium and carbon fiber, along with sensors, motors, joints, off-the-shelf DSPs and custom circuitry and software. Two lithium-ion batteries power the device (four are included), each of which will go for three to six hours after charging for an hour or so, allowing continuous use of the suit by facilities. Three walk modes are available, namely FirstStep, which is actuated by a therapist with a button push; a user-controlled mode called ActiveStep; and ProStep, which senses user body cues for movement control. The suit also provides audio feedback to help users achieve ideal positioning and transmits stats and data for further review and reporting. Sojka said that the company will release new variable-assist software option in June that'll let patients contribute from zero to 100 percent of the walking power, with the exoskeleton providing the rest -- though there's no pricing yet for that update. To hear her describe how the suit works and see it in action with patient Sarah Anderson, check the video and gallery after the break. %Gallery-183025%
Insert Coin on-stage demos at Expand liveblog
Remember our Insert Coin Competition? Voting remains open through tomorrow at 5:40PM PT, and our five finalists are demoing their projects on stage today. We posted hands-ons with each of the projects earlier today, so you don't need to tune in to snag a closer look. If you're looking for a quick recap, however, this is the place to be. Click on through for today's Insert Coin Demos, live from the Engadget Expand stage at Fort Mason in San Francisco!
Google's Tamar Yehoshua backstage at Expand (video)
Tamar Yehoshua has led Google's efforts to optimize Search across platforms, devices and languages and earlier this afternoon she took to the Expand stage to discuss how the discovery process has changed. Following her talk, Brian Heater caught up with Tamar to chat about the evolution of search and the company's focus on voice. Check out our video after break for the interview in its entirety. Follow all of Engadget's Expand coverage live from San Francisco right here!
Live from Expand: Insert Coin New Challengers Demos (video)
You've seen plenty about our Insert Coin competitors on this very site -- and now it's time to see them in action. We've got some stage time with the finalists, who will be arguing for why they think they deserve that $20,000 grand prize. March 16, 2013 6:00 PM EDT For a full list of Expand sessions, be sure to check out our event hub.
Samsung's Dennis Miloseski backstage at Expand (video)
We had a chance to grill the head of Samsung's North American design studio, Dennis Miloseski, during our panel discussion about the growing sophistication of mobile devices here at Expand. As it turns out, he had even more to talk about, so we wired him up and threw him in the hot seat backstage. He gave us a look into the story behind the Galaxy S 4, the changing face of TouchWiz UI and building Samsung's design studio stateside. For the full interview, check out the video after the break. Follow all of Engadget's Expand coverage live from San Francisco right here!
Live from Expand: Reprogramming: How Technology is Changing the Way We Watch TV (video)
March 16, 2013 5:15 PM EDT What's next for television? We've got reps from Boxee, TiVo and Sling on hand to discuss the ways in which technology is evolving in the early 21st century.
OUYA CEO Julie Uhrman: In Conversation liveblog
The Android-powered OUYA game console is set to ship to its many, many Kickstarter backers later this month, and we've got the company's CEO Julie Uhrman live on-stage from our Expand event this weekend talking about just that. Will we finally find out that the console and its Kickstarter campaign were all just a sneaky ploy by Cobra Commander to destroy the world's children? Doubtful, but you never know! The only way to find out is to tune in -- our livestream's right here -- but we'll also be liveblogging Uhrman's conversation with Engadget EIC Tim Stevens, which you've found. The talk kicks off at 4:45PM ET / 1:45PM PT. March 16, 2013 1:45 PM PDT
Live from Expand: A Conversation With Julie Uhrman (video)
OUYA managed to capture the imagination of the Kickstarter community and tech world at large with its dream of a low-cost Android-based gaming console. We'll be speaking with Julie Uhrman, the company's CEO to discuss its plans to disrupt an industry controlled by three giants. March 16, 2013 4:45 PM EDT For a full list of Expand sessions, be sure to check out our event hub.
Tamar Yehoshua, Google: In Conversation liveblog
Voice search has pervaded nearly every aspect of our gadget lives, from our smartphones to our TVs to our navigation programs. Today we're talking with Tamar Yehoshua, director of product management at Google, about how speech-activated search is changing -- and improving -- the way we interact with technology. Meet us here at 4:15PM EDT to catch the action. March 16, 2013 4:15 PM EDT
Live from Expand: A Conversation With Google's Tamar Yehoshua (video)
We'll be joined by Google's director, product management Tamar Yehoshua, to discuss the ways in search is adapting to an ever more mobile-centric world -- and the role voice is playing in that transition. March 16, 2013 4:15 PM EDT Follow all of Engadget's Expand coverage live from San Francisco right here!
Nest's Matt Rogers backstage at Expand (video)
Hot off his interview on the Expand main stage, Matt Rogers, Founder and VP of Engineering at Nest, saddled up to the rather more temperate seat in our backstage interview room with Joseph Volpe. Among other things, Matt opened up about design in the 21st century household and Nest's ultimate plan to take over the whole home. Check out the video after break for the full interview. Follow all of Engadget's Expand coverage live from San Francisco right here!
Tim Stevens backstage at Expand (video)
Our own Tim Stevens (literally) rolled into Fort Mason this morning to kick off Expand and shortly after walked his way backstage to chat with Myriam Joire about -- you guessed it -- Expand. To find out more about where the event came from, where it is and where it's going, check out the full interview after the break. Follow all of Engadget's Expand coverage live from San Francisco right here!
Insert Coin semifinalist: Smart Knob puts a keypad lock on your door, we go hands-on
The Smart Knob promises a smarter, more secure deadbolt lock that lets us issue time-limited unlock codes or give trusted visitors a way in. Thanks to some hands-on time here at Engadget Expand, we've learned that it's even more clever than we thought. The PIN-verified, phone-based code generation system cycles through a seemingly "infinite" range before it hands out a number; someone overstaying their welcome isn't likely to stumble across the new code by accident. And while some might be disappointed that there's no built-in Bluetooth or WiFi to get codes, that actually works to its advantage, according to the project's Clark Li and Merrick Lackner. As Smart Knob doesn't need an internet connection, it could be useful even out in the woods. As for the lock itself? Having had a look first-hand, we're more inclined to believe claims that it's easy to install. At least from what we've seen in the prototype, it really is just a keypad resting on top of the existing deadbolt. There isn't anything special that goes behind or through the door. To us, that makes it easier to justify the $99 price the Smart Knob team is targeting for the base hardware -- it's something you could put on your front door at home, not just at the office. The only added costs would be for ongoing notifications and similar services that would require a more extensive effort. We should know how well the Smart Knob works when it launches closer to the end of the year. Zach Lutz contributed to this report. Follow all of Engadget's Expand coverage live from San Francisco right here! %Gallery-183023%
Kickstarter's Yancey Strickler backstage at Expand (video)
He's just taken the title of inaugural speaker here at Expand, now Kickstarter co-founder Yancey Strickler is giving us even more face time in our first ever backstage interview. Since its launch in 2009, the crowdfunding powerhouse has become a household name, bringing us success stories like the Pebble smartwatch. Myriam Joire sat down with Yancey to talk about Pebble, OUYA and the future of Kickstarter. Check out the video after the break to watch our backstage interview in its entirety. Follow all of Engadget's Expand coverage live from San Francisco right here!
Redesigning Mobile liveblog
What happens when you sit down with the design leads of two feuding smartphone makers and insert the product director of one of America's largest wireless carriers? That's easy. You get a live, unrehearsed segment that we call Redesigning Mobile. So please join us as our very own Myriam Joire mediates a casual conversation about mobile between Scott Croyle (HTC), Dennis Miloseski (Samsung Design America) and Ryan Sullivan (Sprint).
