Walls
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Researchers simulate walls in VR by shocking your muscles
Virtual reality is still a pretty crappy facsimile of The Matrix, but scientists are trying their best to fix that. At the CHI'17 conference in Denver, a team of researchers from the Hasso-Plattner-Institut in Potsdam showed off a haptic system that can simulate walls or heavy objects via electrical muscle stimulation. "We were really interested in trying to explore one of the hardest things to recreate in terms of physical sensation, which is a wall," says co-author Pedro Lopes.
DARPA to develop biometric sensor capable of seeing through walls, pulling your heartstrings
The feds may soon know the way to your heart. Literally. Earlier this month, the forward-thinkers over at DARPA announced plans to develop new technologies capable of identifying human life through walls. The program, known as "Biometrics-at-a-distance," would essentially combine two pre-existing Pentagon projects: the Radar Scope, a device that can see through walls, and 2009's LifeReader, a system that uses Doppler radar to detect heartbeats. Though the military already employs a handful of devices to help soldiers see humans from behind walls, DARPA apparently thinks there's room for improvement. Most contemporary technologies, for example, only work from a maximum distance of eight meters, and aren't as accurate within more densely populated areas. DARPA wants its next project to extend this range beyond ten meters, while sharpening its ability to penetrate thicker obstructions. The agency also wants its sensor to identify individual humans using electrocardiography, which traces the heart's electrical activity. According to DARPA, this could allow users to pinpoint up to ten people at the same time, which could pay dividends during disaster rescue efforts, military operations, or your next Eyes Wide Shut party.
iOS-controlled iW500 RC car defies gravity, paint job may drive you up the wall (video)
Driving cars on the floor is so passe, which is exactly why you need iHelicoter's wall-scaling iW500. We've seen similar gravity-defying propositions in the past, but this is the first to be controlled by your iOS device. Belying its 90s toy looks, the car attaches itself to vertical surfaces with a sealed vacuum that even has enough suck to drive upside-down across your ceiling. As you'll see in the video after the break, controls are handled using the built-in accelerometer on your phone or tablet as well as the touchscreen interface on the dedicated app. It'll join a crowded starting grid of iPhone-friendly RC cars, helicopters and monster trucks, priced at $59.99.
DOFUS introduces Rogue and Masqueraider classes
Class-based fantasy games aren't unusual these days; in fact, they're the standard. It's rare that such a title has more than a handful of classes, though. Then there's DOFUS. The six-year-old free-to-play title recently added Masqueraiders and Rogues, bringing the game's class total to a whopping 14. Rogues function a bit differently than the rascally backstabbers you may be used to from other games. Rogues effectively dictate actions on the battlefield through the use of bombs and walls, which direct enemy movements and function as a form of crowd control. Masqueraiders take their power from a variety of wearable masks, which allow the player to adopt several fighting styles. Three masks types are available: the cowardly mask (ranged damage), the psychopath mask (close combat damage), and the classic mask (crowd control). Finally, Masqueraiders can also avail themselves of several buff-type spells including plastron, tororuga, and trance. Head to the official DOFUS website for all the details.
Walls are no longer a limitation for U-verse with new RF Point Anywhere remote
For those who have far too often felt confined by having to point remotes at the devices being controlled, news of AT&T's new Point Anywhere RF remote for its U-Verse customers should be a sweet siren song. The relatively simple remote is backlit for your convenience, letting home theater owners hide their set-tops away in a closet without having to go all aftermarket for a control solution. Changing channels from previously impossible areas like the bathroom, kitchen or outside comes at a cost of $49 for the remote and USB dongle, available from AT&T's online store beyond the read link. [Thanks, Anthony]
Duo-Gard's IllumaWALL adds LED action to translucent architecture
We've seen plenty of illuminated wall applications, LED-infused or otherwise, but the green-minded folks over at Duo-Gard are integrating that disco-inspired action we all know and love into its translucent paneling, which gives buildings a breath of fresh sunlight throughout the day while cutting down on energy costs and potentially boosting your morale. The company's new IllumaWALL melds the benefits of daylighting panels with the completely unnecessary, but entirely sensational night-brightening action of LEDs, as the polycarbonate structures feature built-in, fully programmable lights that can output a steady ambient glow or put on "a light show of pulsating colors" if you're throwing a party at your pad. As expected, pricing on these panels vary greatly based on your installation needs, but if you're already looking to craft a new domicile or office building, and need to garner a bit of instant notoriety, IllumaWALL could do the trick.[Via Inhabitat]
