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The Future IRL: Our Jetsons future has arrived
Fictional housekeeping robots and the flying smart cars in The Fifth Element have inspired technologists to keep pushing the bounds of electronics for years, which is how we've gotten video chatting and Bluetooth in our cars. But pop culture has also served up many warnings. Who among you doesn't remember Hal, the calmly murderous computer from 2001: A Space Odyssey, without shuddering in horror? If you haven't realized it yet, the technology these fictional stories foretold is being constructed in the real world right now. The reality can be awe inspiring or frightening, but should be carefully watched either way. Engadget's new video series, The Future IRL, will take on the big stories in tech and explore how companies are turning sci-fi concepts into everyday reality. This first episode focuses on self-driving cars, with engineers from Ford and Delphi explaining what challenges still lie ahead. We'll bring you a new episode twice a month so please, enjoy the ride.
ICYMI: The best space, drone and car tech of the year
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-377507{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-377507, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-377507{width:570px;display:block;}try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-377507").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: We are rounding up our very favorite transportation stories since launching ICYMI in June and it wouldn't be us if we didn't talk about NASA taking applications for astronauts again. Couple that with NASA's Pluto fly-by this year and it's clear that the space agency is on the upswing.
ICYMI: Halloween Spooktacular and some tech news too
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-772085{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-772085, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-772085{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-772085").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: Chinese state-run media announced the country will begin building the world's largest super-collider, with an ETA of 2020. Realm Pictures just pulled off another live action shooter game, this time with an alien version and we are all tempted to get Chatroulette accounts. And Tokyo's auto show just wrapped this week and beside the totally Jetsons cars, we were struck by the cool factor of many of the cars' head and tail lights, which are made of lasers.
ICYMI: Grippy robot hands, smarten up your dumb car and more
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-611028{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-611028, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-611028{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-611028").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: MIT developed robotic hands of pliable silicon that are also studded with pressure sensors so it knows how tightly to hold something. A small dashboard camera and advanced computer vision software are being tested in the San Francisco Bay Area to record potential roadway hazards and track the drivers eyes. And a robotic solar-powered mirror light is here to give Seasonal Affective Disorder sufferers another option for Vitamin D.
Ca-Fi 621000 brings infotainment to cars with double DIN / without Connect or Sync
Shenzhen-based Innotrends has been pushing infotainment systems for a while now, and though standalone solutions like the Ca-Fi seem rather clunky when you can buy a Focus with Sync baked in, not everyone can count a flashy new "connected" model as their set of wheels. Today the company announced the latest version of its Android-powered infotainment system. The new Ca-Fi 621000 Universal runs Android Gingerbread and packs a 1GHz CPU with 512MB of RAM. It also sports a capacitive touchscreen rather than the resistive display of versions past, and there's an OBD2-USB cable, plus the pre-loaded Torque app for keeping tabs on your vehicle's health. If sprucing up your sedan is more in line with your budget than the 2013 BMW 7 Series with iDrive Touch and 3D maps, you can nab the Ca-Fi 621000 for $999 starting at the end of August -- just make sure your car has the requisite double-DIN slot first.
Wind River and Clarion pair up to bring Android to your imported street racer
Wind River, Intel's embedded systems arm has been the subject of some misty-eyed advances from car stereo makers Clarion. Ol' Windy (as we're trying to get it called) will be providing a custom version of its Android implementation to power the forthcoming "Clarion Malaysia IVI" in-vehicle-info-tainment kit. The device will be powered by a Freescale i.MX processor (a heavy duty ARM implementation that can utilize multiple cores) and pack Clarion's usual range of high-end multimedia, GPS and reversing camera functionality. We're excited to see this bad boy roll off the production line, but remember that, at least in Illinois, it's illegal to enjoy the "tainment" part whilst driving.
ATX In-Vehicle Text-by-Voice reduces the subtleties of your chatter to cold, hard SMS
ATX, a major but rarely heard-of telematics supplier, has become the first to offer full handsfree text messaging. While the Ford Sync already allows the sending of pre-canned missives by voice command, this new system transcribes your messages and is fully voice-operated, freeing both hands for driving. Given the forthcoming ban on regular old button mashing, you could probably do worse than grabbing one of these and continuing your bad habits. It won't be easy though, as ATX doesn't offer retrofits and market leader OnStar has said it won't be offering a competing product, leaving you to choose from among the upcoming models by Toyota, Lexus, BMW, Peugeot, Mercedes, Maybach and Rolls-Royce. Maybe we're just jaded, but we'd rather engage in the lost art of talking to people on our good old Gordon Gekko-styled carphone.[Via Dallas Observer]
