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[Tricorder designs go open source: can detect magnetic fields, reveal Trekkies (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/29/tricorder-designs-go-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/29/tricorder-designs-go-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/29/tricorder-designs-go-open-source/#comments Open source tricorder design

We're still working on our own plans to grab that $10 million Tricorder X-Prize from Qualcomm and our progress has just been given a shot in the arm from Dr. Peter Jansen, who's released the designs for his tricorders. Making all the specifics open source, his Mark 2 model runs on Linux, while the hardware includes an ARM Atmel microcontroller squeezed into a clam-shell with two OLED touchscreens. Schematics, board layouts, and the firmware is all available at the source below and also includes the initial proof-of-concept device. The tricorders need six AAA to run and include sensors for temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, ambient light, distance and even magnetic fields. Dr. Jansen's hope is to make scientists out of everyone -- including your kids. That is, right after they ask you what Star Trek is.

Continue reading Tricorder designs go open source: can detect magnetic fields, reveal Trekkies (video)

Tricorder designs go open source: can detect magnetic fields, reveal Trekkies (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Mar 2012 17:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>designlinuxoledopen sourceopen+source+triquarterOpenSourceopensourcetriquarterPeter JansenPeterJansenstar trekStarTrektricorderTricorder X PrizeTricorderXPrizevideoThu, 29 Mar 2012 17:51:00 EST<![CDATA[Ultrawideband tech could connect your body to doctors, bring Tricorders to the mainstream]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/08/ultrawideband-tech-could-connect-your-body-to-doctors-bring-tri/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/08/ultrawideband-tech-could-connect-your-body-to-doctors-bring-tri/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/08/ultrawideband-tech-could-connect-your-body-to-doctors-bring-tri/#comments
The academic paper 'Experimental Characterization of a UWB Channel for Body Area Networks' won't reshape your mental state, but that's because academic papers are rarely titled 'OMG. Tricorders!'. A team of scientists at Oregon State University have examined ultrawideband tech to see if it's capable of transmitting the enormous load of data required to monitor a human body. Imagine it; your heart rate is monitored on your watch, smart bandages examine your blood insulin levels and feedback-pants measure your muscle responses, all viewed online by a doctor. Sadly you can't rush to your nearest hospital and demand to be wired with some X Prize - winning kit -- there's a couple of hurdles to overcome before you can more efficiently post your bodily functions to Twitter. Transmission had to be line-of-sight and the energy needs are too vast for a handheld device. Still, given how sophisticated the network technology will be when it's perfected, don't be surprised if civilization grinds to a halt when Quake is ported to your temporal lobe.

Ultrawideband tech could connect your body to doctors, bring Tricorders to the mainstream originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 08 Jul 2011 00:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Academichealthmedicalmedical devicesmedical researchMedicalDevicesMedicalResearchoregon stateoregon state universityOregonStateOregonStateUniversityScienceTricordertricorder-like-deviceultrawidebanduniversityUWBFri, 08 Jul 2011 00:12:00 EST<![CDATA[NASA turns iPhone into chemical sensor, can an App Store rejection be far away?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/13/nasa-turnes-iphone-into-chemical-sensor-can-an-app-store-reject/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/13/nasa-turnes-iphone-into-chemical-sensor-can-an-app-store-reject/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/13/nasa-turnes-iphone-into-chemical-sensor-can-an-app-store-reject/#commentsNASA turnes iPhone into chemical sensor, can an App Store rejection be far away? People have been trying to turn cellphones into medical and atmospheric scanners for some time now, but when it's NASA stepping up to the plate with a little device to monitor trace amounts of chemicals in the air, it's hard to not start thinking we might finally have a use for all those tricorder ringtones. Developed by a team of researchers at the Ames Research Center led by Jing Li, the device is a small chip that plugs into the bottom of an iPhone and uses 16 nanosensors to detect the concentration of gasses like ammonia, chlorine, and methane. To what purpose exactly this device will serve and why the relatively closed iPhone was chosen as a development platform are mysteries we're simply not capable of answering. Damn it, man, we're bloggers not scientists!

Update: George Yu, a developer who wrote this implementation for Jing Li, commented to let us know that the choice to go with the iPhone was made because it was "cool," but he soon realized that choice was a "horrible mistake." We're guessing that could have something to do with an apparent lack of wireless coverage at Ames if the above screenshot is anything to go by.

Gallery: NASA iPhone sensor


[Via Gizmodo]

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NASA turns iPhone into chemical sensor, can an App Store rejection be far away? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 07:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accessoriesames research centerAmesResearchCenterappleiphonejing liJingLimobilenasanasa amesnasa ames research centerNasaAmesNasaAmesResearchCenterstar trekStarTrektricorderFri, 13 Nov 2009 07:36:00 EST<![CDATA[NASA turns iPhone into chemical sensor, can an App Store rejection be far away?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/13/nasa-turnes-iphone-into-chemical-sensor-can-an-app-store-reject/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/13/nasa-turnes-iphone-into-chemical-sensor-can-an-app-store-reject/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/13/nasa-turnes-iphone-into-chemical-sensor-can-an-app-store-reject/#commentsNASA turnes iPhone into chemical sensor, can an App Store rejection be far away? People have been trying to turn cellphones into medical and atmospheric scanners for some time now, but when it's NASA stepping up to the plate with a little device to monitor trace amounts of chemicals in the air, it's hard to not start thinking we might finally have a use for all those tricorder ringtones. Developed by a team of researchers at the Ames Research Center led by Jing Li, the device is a small chip that plugs into the bottom of an iPhone and uses 16 nanosensors to detect the concentration of gasses like ammonia, chlorine, and methane. To what purpose exactly this device will serve and why the relatively closed iPhone was chosen as a development platform are mysteries we're simply not capable of answering. Damn it, man, we're bloggers not scientists!

Update: George Yu, a developer who wrote this implementation for Jing Li, commented to let us know that the choice to go with the iPhone was made because it was "cool," but he soon realized that choice was a "horrible mistake." We're guessing that could have something to do with an apparent lack of wireless coverage at Ames if the above screenshot is anything to go by.

Gallery: NASA iPhone sensor

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NASA turns iPhone into chemical sensor, can an App Store rejection be far away? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 07:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ames research centerAmesResearchCenteriphonejing liJingLinasanasa amesnasa ames research centerNasaAmesNasaAmesResearchCenterstar trekStarTrektricorderFri, 13 Nov 2009 07:36:00 EST<![CDATA[GE VScan portable ultrasound earns the Leonard McCoy seal of approval]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/22/ge-vscan-portable-ultrasound-earns-the-leonard-mccoy-seal-of-app/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/22/ge-vscan-portable-ultrasound-earns-the-leonard-mccoy-seal-of-app/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/22/ge-vscan-portable-ultrasound-earns-the-leonard-mccoy-seal-of-app/#comments Well, would you look at this little beaut from from the Web 2.0 summit. General Electric CEO Jeff Immelt swung by the event last night pocketing the not-quite-flip phone tricorder Vscan, which all kidding aside is one of the smallest functional ultrasound machines we've seen. The goal is for doctors to have better access to specialist tools, reducing the number of referrals and improving diagnoses, etc. -- and we're sure selling an absolute ton of these is probably on the to-do list as well. See a glimpse of it in action after the break.

[Via Pocket-Lint]

Continue reading GE VScan portable ultrasound earns the Leonard McCoy seal of approval

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GE VScan portable ultrasound earns the Leonard McCoy seal of approval originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 02:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gegeneral electrictricorderultra soundUltraSoundv scanVScanThu, 22 Oct 2009 02:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Tricorder PMP-09 won't analyze data or call Starfleet, will lift your spirits with music]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/17/tricorder-pmp-09-wont-analyze-data-or-call-starfleet-will-lift/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/17/tricorder-pmp-09-wont-analyze-data-or-call-starfleet-will-lift/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/17/tricorder-pmp-09-wont-analyze-data-or-call-starfleet-will-lift/#comments Let us tell you, this isn't any ordinary Star Trek tricorder prop, if such a thing exists. The Tricorder PMP-09 looks an awful lot like the Mark X model from the series, has a 2.8-inch TFT screen, plays up to 12 hours music / 4 hours of video and supports AVI, MP4, JPG, BMP, and WAV files. It boasts 12 different LCARS / themed interface, and from what we can see on the site, at least six different skins, including Starfleet, Borg, Workbee, and Marine. Starting price is $362.50 for US orders / $384.50 for international. It probably won't help you in the event of a Sith or Dalek encounter, or if you find yourself in need of medical assistance, but the next time you run into a Deep Space 9 crew member on the street, you better believe this'll make for a great ice breaker. Videos of the packaging and working display model, flashing LEDs and all, after the break.

[Thanks, Anthony]

Continue reading Tricorder PMP-09 won't analyze data or call Starfleet, will lift your spirits with music

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Tricorder PMP-09 won't analyze data or call Starfleet, will lift your spirits with music originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Aug 2009 21:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>media playerMediaPlayerpmpportable audioportable videoportableaudioportablevideostar trekStarTrektpmptr-pmptricorderMon, 17 Aug 2009 21:07:00 EST<![CDATA[Georgia Tech researchers developing tricorder-like medical scanner]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/22/georgia-tech-researchers-developing-tricorder-like-medical-scann/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/22/georgia-tech-researchers-developing-tricorder-like-medical-scann/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/22/georgia-tech-researchers-developing-tricorder-like-medical-scann/#commentsWe've already seen some attempts to create a tricorder-like device, but this latest crack it at by some researchers at Georgia Tech looks like it could well be the closest to the real thing to date -- if it ever turns into an actual device, that is. The big advance with this one, it seems, is the use of a new mosaic narrowband filter, which includes photosensitive pixel sensors that can observe different wavelengths and allow for multispectral imaging. According to the researchers, the filter could also be laminated with standard imaging sensors used in digital cameras, making an all-in-one handheld device possible. That would apparently let individuals use the device to detect everything from the severity of bruises to contamination in food, or even perform remote sensing in mining, to name but a few applications. The researchers still have quite a bit more work to do on it before any of that's possible, however, and they're now seeking collaborative or financial support to further develop the device.

[Via Daily Tech]

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Georgia Tech researchers developing tricorder-like medical scanner originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 May 2008 17:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>georgia techGeorgiaTechmedical scannerMedicalScannertricorderThu, 22 May 2008 17:36:00 EST<![CDATA[Portable medical scanners built to interface with cellphones]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/02/portable-medical-scanners-built-to-interface-with-cellphones/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/02/portable-medical-scanners-built-to-interface-with-cellphones/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/02/portable-medical-scanners-built-to-interface-with-cellphones/#comments
You know those elephant-sized medical scanners? Totally amazing machines, sure, but things like that aren't apt to be shipped into obscure jungles throughout Africa. Thankfully, a team of researchers have developed something that could bring medical scanning to an even larger chunk of the world: a real live Tricorder. Of course, it's not really going by that moniker, but the diminutive scanner is able to interface with a cellphone via USB and utilize its 3G / WiFi access to send raw scan data to servers and receive images back. Granted, you won't get any high-resolution viewing from your average mobile, but it's certainly a step in the right direction.

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Portable medical scanners built to interface with cellphones originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 May 2008 06:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>healthinventionmedicalmedical scannersMedicalScannersmonitoringsciencestar trekStarTrektricorderultrasoundx-rayFri, 02 May 2008 06:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Purdue researchers craft handheld chemical analyzer, likens Tricorder]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/28/purdue-researchers-craft-handheld-chemical-analyzer-likens-tric/http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/28/purdue-researchers-craft-handheld-chemical-analyzer-likens-tric/http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/28/purdue-researchers-craft-handheld-chemical-analyzer-likens-tric/#commentsHot on the heels of being crowned the most prolific pirating university in the land, Purdue is donning its halo once again by kicking out yet another invention that will surely make the world a better place to reside. The Mini 10 prototype is a handheld chemical analyzer that its creators have likened to Star Trek's "Tricorder," and while the internal abilities should genuinely impress, we're handing out a round of golf claps for the uber-glitzy motif it's got going on. The sophisticated sensing system measures just 13.5- x 8.5- x 7.5-inches and weighs in at 22-pounds, which is around 30 times less than conventional mass spectrometers, and aside from its ability to be completely portable via battery power, it still sports the same sniffing capabilities as its mammoth-sized siblings. In order to cram such potent chemical sensing abilities into such a small package, a miniature mass spectrometer is "combined with a technique called desorption electrospray ionization (DESI)," and can display the chemical composition of materials in a "matter of minutes without harming the samples." Interestingly enough, the prototype has already analyzed garb, food, and actual cocaine, and while we're not quite sure when you'll be able to snatch one of these up to "check in" on your mischievous teen, a couple of Indiana-based firms are apparently already looking into commercialization options.

Slashdot]

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Purdue researchers craft handheld chemical analyzer, likens Tricorder originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Feb 2007 14:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aston labAstonLabchemicalchemical analysisChemicalAnalysischemistDESImini 10Mini10purdueresearchsciencesensingspectrometerspectrometrystar trekStarTrektricorderuniversityWed, 28 Feb 2007 14:43:00 EST