Mirror
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Smart mirror scale measures your volume as well as your weight
Guess what fitness startup Naked Labs wants you to do. The company today debuted its first product: a smart scale system that scans users with lasers, enabling them to track their fitness goals in three dimensions. The $500 system is designed for in-home use and is comprised of three parts: the scale itself, which doubles as a turntable; a full-length mirror outfitted with Intel RealSense depth sensors and the "Naked" mobile app. To initiate a scan, users first stand on the scale in their skivvies. It will begin to rotate as the mirror measures their body volume and sends that information to the associated app. The entire process takes about a minute.
Google staffer makes his own smart bathroom mirror
Smart mirrors are everywhere in tech companies' visions of future homes, but they never seem to show up in real homes -- at best, you might find them in fitting rooms. That just wasn't good enough for Google's Max Braun, though. He recently built his own smart bathroom mirror, and it even matches some of the lofty expectations set by concept videos and sci-fi movies. Thanks to the combination of a two-way mirror, an Amazon Fire TV Stick and a display board, Max gets the weather, news headlines and other key facts while he's busy brushing his teeth. All it's doing is calling on data that would normally go into a Google Now card -- Max can even use his voice to search for info, like a tech-savvy version of Snow White's Evil Queen.
NASA installs the first mirror on the Hubble's replacement
NASA announced on Wednesday that it had successfully installed the first of 18 mirrors on the new James Webb space telescope. The work took place at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland earlier this week.
LaCie's latest artist collaboration is a hard drive wrapped in Gorilla Glass
For the past two years, LaCie has revealed at least one new artist collaboration at CES, and this year is no different. Keeping with the reflective theme of last year's device, the 2015 edition is wrapped in Gorilla Glass and appropriately called Mirror. After teaming up with Philippe Starck and Christofle for previous releases, the company tasked French designer Pauline Deltour for a shiny 1TB hard drive that's covered in Corning's durable glass material and powered through a USB connection (no Thunderbolt here). To properly show the thing off on your desk, a stand of ebony wood provides a resting spot. If you're looking to keep the collection going, or just nab this particular entry, Mirror will arrive later this month for $280. What's that? You were hoping LaCie would have a new Rugged portable hard drive, too? Well, read on.
Cadillac's cars are getting smart rearview mirrors next year
Hey, Nissan: you won't be the only big automaker with a camera-equipped rearview mirror next year. Cadillac has revealed that its future cars are getting a smart mirror that shows a 1,280 x 240 view of what's behind you without passengers or roof pillars getting in the way. You can flip between the camera's perspective and a conventional mirror at the drop of a hat, and the system is designed to both give you a wide view and hold up in harsh weather. It sounds cool (if familiar), but you'll be patient if you want a Caddy with this extra safety measure in place. The mirror will first be available when the CT6 launches in late 2015, and it could be a while longer before it spreads to other models.
Nordstrom's smart fitting room helps you find fresh outfits
You've probably had that moment in a store fitting room where you realize you're trying the wrong clothes, but would rather not get dressed again just to check out those pants in a different color. If Nordstrom succeeds with its new eBay-designed fitting room, you won't have to. The experimental technology turns mirrors into interactive displays that give you many of the shopping options you'd have if you were browsing the web. You can not only see if the store has clothing in a different size or style, but have staff bring it to you -- handy if you're still half-naked.
Panasonic's smart mirror turned me into a 1970s space princess
It was going to be either me or my male colleague. That's a lie: It was absolutely going to be me. It was my last day at IFA, Europe's biggest technology show, and Brad Molen and I were sitting inside a sparsely decorated smart home that Panasonic had built in the middle of the demo area. Panasonic needed a volunteer to sit in front of its prototypical smart mirror, which applies digital "makeup" so you can sample new looks. I exchanged a look with Brad, imagining his bearded cheeks with blush on them. Then I sat down and agreed to let a machine tell me everything that was wrong with my face.
So what is it like to drive with Nissan's Smart rearview mirror?
Despite all the changes going on in automobiles lately, one thing that's remained pretty consistent in every car I've driven has been the rearview mirror. We can check that one off now though, now that I've taken a test drive in a Nissan Rogue equipped with the new Smart rearview mirror. Due to roll out on the company's cars in North America next year, it's a simple augmentation that combines a traditional mirror with a video screen. Flipping the dimmer switch usually meant for night driving drops you into video camera mode, with a feed streamed directly from a 1.3MP camera mounted in the trunk that drops out the usual blockages from the car's interior for a clear view of what's behind you. Back up cameras are already common -- and highly necessary if you have my (lack of) parallel parking skills -- but is it time to change out something that's worked pretty well for the last century or so?
You can now mirror your Android screen on Chromecast, if you have a Nexus 5
Cyanogen's Koushik Dutta has been teasing the prospect of mirroring your Android screen on Chromecast for a few weeks, and today you can finally try the feature -- if you have the right smartphone, that is. An updated version of the Mirror for Android beta includes early support for mirroring to either a Chrome browser or Chromecast, but only if you have a Nexus 5. Google's phone is the sole device with the hardware video decoder needed for this mirroring technique, Dutta says. You also have to get root-level access to the operating system with the current release, although that won't be necessary in the future. Provided you meet the app's exacting requirements, you can give mirroring a spin at the source link.
Nissan's camera-equipped rearview mirror provides a clear view in low light
Rearview mirrors aren't always as useful as you might like -- bright headlights, weather or a basketball team in the back seats can make it tough to see what's behind you. None of those should be a problem once Nissan's new Smart rearview mirror reaches cars, though. The peripheral blends a traditional mirror with both an LCD and a rear camera that compensates for bad lighting. Flick a switch and the camera system takes over, giving you a clear view of traffic no matter the road conditions. The smart mirror will first show up in the ZEOD RC Le Mans racer, and Nissan plans to make it an option for everyday cars starting with Japan this spring. Drivers worldwide will get it in 2015. That's just the start of the automaker's plans, however. Since the smart mirror is as effective as a large rear window, Nissan expects the technology to influence car design; you may see more aerodynamic vehicles now that there's less need for glass.
Mirror app for Android can record your screen or stream it to Apple TV (video)
CyanogenMod developer Koushik Dutta has followed up his CM 11 Screencast display recording app with one for a wider range of Android users with an extra feature. Mirror for Android can not only record whatever's happening on your tablet or phone's screen, but it can also display it wirelessly, AirPlay- or Miracast-style, on an Apple TV. Currently it requires Android 4.4.2 and root access, but Dutta says there is a non-root solution on the way. If you'd like to try it out and have the appropriate hardware, just click here to join the Google+ community, click here to join the beta and then download the app from Google Play. That may not be possible for individuals without a Nexus device and / or CyanogenMod 11 nightly build, so if you just want to see what it's like, check out a quick video demo embedded after the break.
Mozilla working on Chromecast-like mirroring for Firefox Android browser
Maybe this is Mozilla's retort to Google's Chromecast, maybe it isn't. Either way, the end result certainly looks similar. Details are scarce, but an enigmatic Google+ photo shared by insider Mark Finkle clearly reveals some sort of wireless tab mirroring between a Nexus 4 and a Roku box. We're going to hazard a guess that it's being orchestrated through the web, rather than merely being based on WiFi Direct or a similar device-to-device protocol. In the same manner as Chromecast or Apple's AirPlay, this could allow the Firefox-running smartphone to be used independently from what's shown in the display -- so, for example, it could work as a keyboard or a remote control at the same time as feeding content. Anyway, there's a limit to how much we can glean from a single pic (could that be a DVD-VHS combo player on the shelf?), so we've asked Mozilla for a bit more detail and will update this post if we hear back. Update: Mozilla has confirmed that it is indeed at working on a second-screen solution for Firefox on a range of devices: "We are conducting some experiments around second-screen support with a number of devices. But this is at investigation stage and we have nothing to announce at this time."
Google's Open Project mirrors Android apps on any connected touchscreen
Sure, Google already has Chromecast for throwing websites and media to big screens. The company's engineers believe they can go one better, however, with something called the Open Project framework. It's an effort to find a standardized way of mirroring not only content, but also touch inputs on a suitably equipped touchscreen or connected TV. Setting it up is simple: open the Open Project server webpage running on the machine connected to your chosen display, scan a QR code with your smartphone camera, and boom, you're ready to interact with your content and apps. It opens a world where people can collaborate on content or play multiplayer games without additional hardware or sensors. Open Project remains a proof-of-concept for now, or perhaps a plaything for UI-obsessed billionaires, but check out the video to see where the technology might take us in the future.
University of Tokyo's fast-tracking camera system could revolutionize sports coverage (video)
Researchers at the University of Tokyo's Ishikawa Oku Lab have been hard at work on a camera system that can track fast moving objects incredibly well, and the technology may change the way sports like baseball and soccer are televised. Recently, the team building the system has entered the next phase of testing: taking it outside, to see if will perform as well as it has in a lab setting. If all goes according to plan, they expect it'll be ready for broadcast use in roughly two years. Demos of the tech are pretty impressive, as you can see in the video below showing the (warning: not recommended watching for those easily prone to motion sickness). To get the ping-pong ball-centric shots, the system uses a group of lenses and two small mirrors that pan, tilt and move so the camera itself doesn't have to. The mirrors rely on a speedy image tracking system that follows movement, rather than predicting it. Swapping the camera out for a projector also has some interesting applications -- it can paint digital pictures on whatever its tracking. Sounds like the perfect gadget for folks who wish their table tennis balls looked like emoji.
Audi R8 e-tron won't see public sale, will be used for internal evaluation only
It's time to put your dreams of owning Audi's R8 e-tron to bed -- the German automaker won't be shipping the electric car to dealerships, according to a Wired source. The record setting vehicle's sales plans were apparently axed due to driving range concerns and a new focus on plug-in hybrid vehicles. We followed up with a contact of our own, who confirmed that the R8 would be produced only in small numbers, and only for internal use, at that. The R8 may be dead, but its core achievements should appear in future vehicles, we're told -- including its lightweight construction, AMOLED rear-view mirror and battery management system.
Fisker confirms Q&A outlining Karma woes and fixes, may establish council to talk issues in person
Fisker has had more than its fair share of teething troubles with the Karma, but it has to be given credit for going out of its way to listen to early adopters. The hybrid car builder has confirmed to Autoblog that a question and answer session making the rounds is the official result of town hall discussions that have both acknowledged problems and promised fixes where they're possible. The answers we've been given are a mix of sober realities and practical remedies. Drivers hoping for outright hardware upgrades to improve performance with existing Karmas will have to keep wishing; thankfully, a host of firmware fixes are on the way to improve at least the sedan's Command Center system and mirrors. PR lead Roger Ormisher even hints that there could be an in-person council that would tackle concerns more directly than the remote pep talks. We're mostly hoping for the day when Fisker stamps out the bugs and doesn't need the Q&A to put Karma owners' minds at ease.
Audi R8 e-tron to feature digital AMOLED rear-view mirror
Audi's R18 racing car's been sporting this digital rear-view mirror for some time, and was most recently spotted with it at the renowned LeMans racing competition -- but now the German outfit's bringing the tech to a more consumer-friendly vehicle, the R8 e-tron. The luxurious automobile company announced that gorgeous 7.7-inch reflector is making its way from its speedy R18 to the stunning R8 e-tron, marking the first time any ride outside of the former will come loaded with such feature. In case you weren't aware, the AMOLED rear-view mirror helps automatically reduce headlights glare "during the hours of darkness," while also allowing drivers to dim or turn it off altogether if, you know, they're just not feeling the vibe.
Seraku's Android mirror lets you reflect on your operating system
Phones, watches, TVs and in-car entertainment. Android has been put to work in many corners of our technological world. Now, it's reached another, less expected one -- mirrors. The Verge spotted itself the Smart Wash Basin prototype at Smartphone and Mobile Expo, and took a good look into it. The heavy lifting is done by a hidden Android tablet, and the reflective display is actually a separate monitor with a semitransparent piece of reflective glass. If you're thinking "smudges," hang fire, as RF proximity sensors are used, so you interact with it without smearing your paws across the shiny surface. The show prototype had water monitoring functions, and was coupled up to a set of scales in the floor. The manufacturer hopes one of the uses for the invention could be reading the news at the hairdresser. What we want to know is, when did salons suddenly go all futuristico?
iPhone and mirror turned into DIY monkeycam
YouTube user Mark Rober, last seen making a gruesome Halloween costume with a couple of iPad 2s, has posted another video on YouTube featuring another relatively unconventional use for Apple's mobile devices. Rober found that during a trip to the zoo, he could use the iPhone's front camera and screen to both get the apes' attention and film them at the same time. He also found they weren't looking right at the camera, however (since the iPhone's camera is offset from the main screen), so he decided to rig up a mirror frame for the iPhone to sit in, and head back to the zoo to make some amateur and DIY "wildlife" photography. As you can see below, the results are pretty amazing. Not only are the primates entranced by their own images, but the iPhone's camera (I presume he's using a 4S -- I'll be impressed if it's just an iPhone 4) captures some really amazing footage, even at the relatively short distance and through whatever glass is holding the animals in their pens. As Rober points out, you can even see the orangutan's pupils dilating, which I think is quite a feat for a smartphone camera. Plus, definitely stay to the end of the video, when he tries the trick (with surprisingly similar results) on some other hairy apes.
Android integration for car stereos and rear-view mirrors, hands-on (video)
CES may be over, but we've still got a few interesting gems to share from our week-long trip in Las Vegas. Far off the beaten path of glitzy booths and familiar brand names, we discovered a few companies that are looking to bring Android gadgetry into automobiles. One that exemplifies this nascent product realm is known as Rydeen. While many of its creations remain merely prototypes, the firm is close to completion of a double-DIN stereo head unit that runs Android 2.2. Then, imagine our surprise when we discovered a functional version of Froyo running from within a rear-view mirror. By the company's own admission, it has no interest to bring a stock Android experience to the reflective surface, but rather is treating this project as a learning experience. By 2013, it hopes to show a finalized mirror with a simplified interface more appropriate for drivers. We happened to grab a brief hands-on video with both models, along with the Android head unit. While we'd be hesitant to use any of the samples in their current state, each provides a fine glimpse into some of the consumer products that we may see in the desert next year.
