Bosch
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Bosch is building its own Internet of Things cloud network
Like it or not, it looks like the Internet of Things is going to be more than an annoying buzzword or passing fad. The latest proof is that Bosch is offering an end-to-end environment to get your house communicating with the various devices and appliances inside. First up? Building its own cloud service based in Germany, as Reuters tells it. The Bosch IoT Cloud (very creative, I know) has a pretty lofty goal, too: For all of the company's electronics to be IoT-enabled by 2020.
ICYMI: Smartest lights yet, robots on the farm and more
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-433187{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-433187, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-433187{width:570px;display:block;}try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-433187").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: BeOn Home has made smart lightbulbs that recognize noises like a doorbell or fire alarm and turn on accordingly. A robot designed to check fertilizer levels and smash weeds should help the average family farmer one day. And the US Army is checking its soldier's brain waves to understand what part of an image captures their attention.
Dyson loses fight to change EU power efficiency label laws
The world of vacuum cleaners isn't exactly known for its gripping legal drama... except maybe for the one Dyson has found itself in recently. After launching legal action against the European Commission last year over new (and potentially discriminatory) energy efficiency rules for vacuum cleaners, Dyson now faces the ugly end of an EU General Court verdict. According to the BBC, the Court dismissed the whole of Dyson's argument earlier today because it couldn't come up with more reliable power tests that should be used instead.
Bosch counter-sues Dyson over claims it's cheating efficiency tests
Dyson might have landed the first punch, but today Bosch is back with a counterblow. BSH Group, which owns both Bosch and Siemens, has announced today that it's taking "legal steps" against its rival in the UK. Why? "Unfounded accusations of cheating," CEO Karsten Ottenberg explains, related to some of its vacuum cleaners and how they've achieved top energy efficiency ratings. Two models in particular -- the Siemens Q8.0 and Bosch GL80/In'Genius ProPerform -- boast AAAA grades at the moment, based on low power consumption measurements of 750W. Last week, Dyson said these figures were inaccurate because they rise to more than 1600W in real-world conditions. As a result, it's launching legal proceedings against Bosch in the Netherlands and Siemens in Germany.
Dyson says vacuum makers are cheating efficiency tests, VW style
As far as Dyson is concerned, Volkswagen isn't the only company that should be taken to task over shady efficiency testing. The company's just launched legal proceedings against Bosch in the Netherlands and Siemens in Germany, claiming its competitors are slapping misleadingly high energy efficiency ratings on their vacuum cleaners. Siemen's Q8.0 and Bosch's GL80/In'Genius ProPerform models both sport AAAA ratings, based on power consumption measurements of 750W. But according to Dyson's internal tests, this figure can jump to more than 1600W -- the maximum EU regulations allow for vacuum cleaners -- in real-world conditions. Chugging that much electricity would supposedly land those products in E/F rating territory, far from the AAAA label advertised.
Volkswagen knew about shady emissions practices years ago
Volkswagen's recently departed CEO may have been caught off-guard by his company's attempt to hide true diesel car emissions from regulators, but there are now signs that some VW higher-ups knew the truth. German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagzeitung claims that technicians had warned about dodgy emissions practices in 2011, while Bild maintains that key supplier Bosch told "top circles" at VW about its emissions concerns back in 2007. It's not clear just who knew about the issues and where the buck stops -- VW is declining to comment, which isn't surprising when it's still in the midst of an investigation into what happened.
BMW's fast electric car charger rolls out to the US
Many direct current fast chargers aren't exactly practical, even for stores that expect a lot of traffic; they're frequently massive, power-hungry and expensive. BMW knows that's a problem, which is why it just brought its i DC Fast Charger to North America. The device is small and light enough to be wall-mountable, but it can give an i3 an 80 percent charge within 30 minutes; that's very handy if you only need to make a quick stop at a restaurant or the mall. The charger is compatible with EVs from most major automakers (Teslas need not apply), and businesses can put it on ChargePoint's network to either make some cash or simply let drivers know when it's unoccupied.
Bosch wants to run the power for all of your connected kitchen appliances
Until today, we thought that Bosch's HomeConnect system would only let you turn your washing machine on if you had Bosch (or Siemens)-branded hardware. Turns out, however, that the company wants to be the middleman for all of your internet-connected appliances. At an event in Turkey, a spokesperson revealed that HomeConnect will become a platform that'll let you control all of your kitchen gadgets, no matter which company makes them. That way, instead of having a smartphone chock-full of apps, each one dedicated to a separate appliance, it could all be run from HomeConnect.
'X-Files' creator's Amazon pilot gets the green light, the truth is out there and streaming in early 2014
How's this for a pitch? "[T]his is a show that explores human frailty, possibility, terror and the triumph of the human spirit." Chris Carter likes to keep the things he's working on mysterious. The X-Files creator is a superstitious guy, apparently. Amazon's description of the forthcoming one-hour pilot is a bit more more helpful than Carter's -- but only a bit. "The After follows eight strangers who are thrown together by mysterious forces and must help each other survive in a violent world that defies explanation." Sure it defies explanation, but it couldn't hurt to try, right? The pilot features Sharon Lawrence and Jamie Kennedy and will hit Amazon Prime Instant Video and Lovefilm early next year, along with Bosch, a police drama written by The Wire's Eric Overmyer. Like Amazon's other pilot offerings, the site will let users vote on whether they'll be turned into full series.
Bosch offers $3,000 wireless chargers to Leaf and Volt owners
Bosch recently released an $450 charging solution for EVs, but if you want to go wireless, it's going to cost you a lot more. The company has formed an exclusive partnership with Evatran for the distribution and installation of its wireless chargers for the Nissan Leaf and Chevy Volt. Each Plugless Level 2 Electric Vehicle Charging System (now that's a tongue-twister) costs $2,998 for the Volt and $3,098 for the Leaf, not including taxes and installation fees. It's comprised of a wall-mounted control panel that provides electricity to the parking pad, which transmits power to your vehicle. You've got to admit it's convenient when all you have to do to juice up is park on top of the pad, but would you actually shell out that much cash in the name of convenience when plugging a (cheaper) charger in is no Herculean task?
Bosch introduces affordable Power Max home EV charger range, starts at $450
Electric vehicles still have a few obstacles that prevent them from going fully mainstream. These typically center on the price of the vehicle itself (though this is changing), and its range. One other barrier has also been the price of home-based chargers. Now, Bosch is offering a level 2 (quicker than the usually cheaper, and slower level 1) home charging system for just $450. For that price you get 16 amp charging and a 12 foot cord. There are two other options that increase the amperage to 30, with a choice of 18 or 25 foot cables -- costing $593 and $749 respectively. These don't include any additional networking features and so on, but for this price, and reduced reliance on external charging networks, it'd be worth clearing out the garage for.
Researchers create algorithms that could help lithium-ion batteries charge two times faster
Researchers at the University of California San Diego have devised new algorithms that could cut lithium-ion battery charge times in half, help cells run more efficiently and potentially cut production costs by 25 percent. Rather than tracking battery behavior and health with the traditional technique of monitoring current and voltage, the team's mathematical models estimate where lithium ions are within cells for more precise data. With the added insight, the team can more accurately gauge battery longevity and control charging efficiency. The group was awarded $415,000 from the Department of Energy's ARPA-E research arm to further develop the algorithm and accompanying tech with automotive firm Bosch and battery manufacturer Cobasys, which both received the remainder of a $4 million grant. Wondering if the solution will ever find its way out of the lab? According to co-lead researcher Scott Moura, it'll see practical use: "This technology is going into products that people will actually use." Update: UC San Diego reached out to let us know that they were awarded $415,000 (not $460,000 as previously noted) out of a grant totaling $4 million (not $9.6 million), split between Bosch and Cobasys. We've updated the post and the press release below to reflect the correct figures.
Gates, Bosch, and NuVinci combine to make pedal-assist e-bike concept, not Voltron
There's those who want electric bikes that'll hurtle you down the road at 40mph at the twist of the throttle, and there's those who believe pedaling to be enjoyable enough, but would like a less strenuous bicycling experience. If you find yourself a member of column B, listen up, because Gates, NuVinci, and Bosch have created an e-bike concept that'll satisfy your two-wheeled transportation needs. Gates supplied its Carbon electric belt drive, NuVinci brought its N360 infinitely variable planetary hub, and Bosch threw in a battery and control system to make a bicycle beauty. The power train is set up to give riders pedal-assist with four settings that go from Lance to lazy, depending on your mood. At an estimated cost of €2,600 - €3,200 ($3,680 - $4,530), you'll need a bank account comparable to the seven-time champion of Le Tour should an OEM pick up the design.
Nissan introducing low-cost navigation systems this January
Now here's a good idea: a built-in GPS navigation system that's actually priced to move. Co-developed with Bosch, Nissan has put together a $400 option with a 5-inch touhcscreen, Bluetooth support for phones, USB connectivity for media players, iPod integration, XM Satellite and NavTraffic. The Detroit News was certainly impressed, testing it on a new Sentra and calling it a moment where the benefits of the built-in nav systems outweigh the costs -- although the display was maybe a bit too small for its liking. Look for it to these to hit in some of its lower-priced models starting this January. Hit up the source link for the full impressions.
Nikon D300s, pro photographers meet up to make magic together
What better way to show off your company's latest DSLR than by giving it to a couple of professional photographers to work their magic? Nikon's done just that, handing off its just-announced D300s to noted photojournalist Ami Vitale and sports photographer Robert Bösch. The pair submitted stills and videos from their trial run, and the results are unsurprisingly impressive -- there's only one noticeable instance of rolling shutter, in the beginning of Bösch's video with the helicopter blades. Of course, there's no telling how much post-production work went into these pieces, and let's not forget these are pros in their element -- average Joe isn't gonna be able to pick up this camera and produce the same results. Footage after the break, or hit up the read link to see all the impressions and sample works. [Via PDNPulse and ProLost Blog]
Bosch unveils parking space measurement system
While Toyota already has its self-parking Prius on the streets, and Volkswagen (not to mention BMW and Honda) isn't too far behind, Citroën is joining the fold thanks to a newly-unveiled system developed by Bosch. Citing the C4 Picasso as the "world's first car to feature integrated parking space measurement," Bosch apparently hopes to get its own snazzy parking assistant on more rides in the future. The system utilizes six total sensors on the front / rear of the vehicle to gauge parking space dimesntions (and alert you of obstacles) while cruising by at up to 12.5-miles per hour, and can inform the driver if the space he / she is eying is too small, "a tight squeeze," or just right. The system initiates the measuring process when the motorist tags a button on their steering wheel, and looks to the right or left depending on which turn signal is in use. While not quite as advanced as Toyota's gig, Bosch hopes to upgrade its system to allow the vehicle itself to control the maneuvering sometime in 2008, but those not able to hold out can pick up the current rendition real soon.[Via Gizmag]
Bosch unloads LEGO Edition dishwasher to clean toys / dinnerware
A childhood isn't complete without a healthy stash of colored blocks to play with, but let's face it, the miniaturized (and LEGO-branded) version of Luke Skywalker and R2-D2 will eventually end up in the depths of a youngster's mouth one way or another. Taking a stand for germ-free toys (and the right to chew on nearly anything) is Bosch's LEGO Edition dishwasher, which sports a special "Toy cycle" to rid Tonka trucks and NERF blasters of microbial buildup without harming their "shape and integrity" (read: melting them into a pile of goo). While it sports the same grime-busting action as most high-end dishwashers out there, the additional cycle runs at 40 degrees Celsius in order to eliminate germs without destroying the plastic. The device comes in "freestanding, under the counter, and fully integrated" flavors, and can be found (only in Europe, curiously) now for €649 ($816), €749 ($942) and €899 ($1,130), respectively. [Via Slashgear]
