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Live from Expand: Moonshots: the Independent Space Race
The next frontier in space travel? All signs point to private enterprise. In fact, this is arguably the most exciting time for the industry since the early days of the space race. We'll be speaking to some of the folks who are re-framing the way we think of outer space, from the president of asteroid-mining company Planetary Resources to an entrepreneur attempting to construct a space elevator. November 9, 2013 10:20:00 AM EST Follow all of Engadget's Expand coverage live from New York City right here!
Hands-on with BITalino, a microcontroller board for quirky and serious projects alike (video)
It's safe to say that BITalino isn't your average DIY electronics board. For starters, the sensors that spring from the main unit (which comprises the microcontroller, Bluetooth module and power unit) are more at home in a hospital than they are scattered over a tinkerer's workstation. Jutting off the main board are a light meter, accelerometer, heart-rate sensor (ECG), muscle activity sensor (EMG) and a sensor to measure sympathetic nervous system activity (EDG). There's also a standard LED, and while all the above forms a single structure, each module can be snapped off to mix and match for specific projects. BITalino is a semi-finalist in our Insert Coin competition being held at Expand NY this weekend, but before that kicks off, we caught up with its creator Hugo Silva to talk about the board's inception, applications and what lies in its future.
Simple.TV's second-gen DVR streams to mobile apps, ships December 12th for $249 (hands-on)
Simple.TV gave us a peek at its second-generation streaming DVR back in September, and today it's committing to a US launch. The dual-tuner set-top should arrive stateside on December 12th, when it will sell for $250 in a basic kit with both recording and live streaming to local devices. Matching new software, also available for the first-gen device, delivers TV to native Android and iOS apps alongside previous support for browsers and Roku players. Avid viewers can spring for a premium service that offers remote viewing, automatic recording and downloading either as an after-the-fact subscription ($60 per year, $160 lifetime) or bundled with the hardware ($300 per year, $400 lifetime). We gave the media hub a spin at Expand here in New York -- read on for our impressions of the pre-release gear.
The NutriSurface is an intelligent food scale with Obamacare beginnings
Obamacare is probably the last (loaded) term you'd expect to read about on a tech site -- no less in conjunction with a nutrition-focused gadget. But Andy Tsai, creator of the NutriSurface, actually credits the controversial healthcare program for redirecting his company ReFlex Wireless away from a focus on nanotech and towards a technological solution for the food and beverage industry. Pulling inspiration from a CNN segment documenting the new challenges and nutrition label requirements for major food chains, Tsai devised an intelligent scale/chopping board that would be able to streamline the information-gathering process for restaurants and grocery chains. The resulting NutriSurface, now its third iteration, has broken away from its modest incarnation as a one-way communication device into two separate models: a coaster and waterproof chopping block that not only transmit nutritional info, but can also be programmed remotely. Neither device is yet on the market and both are still undergoing testing, but Tsai plans to launch an Indiegogo campaign for the product and, if its current market success is any indication, crowdsourcing could help to expand its uses even further. As Tsai put it, the NutriSurface was "built to be a hardware platform where developers can [create] their own applications," thus leaving the modest device open to myriad uses.
BlinkScan is a flexible, fast and high-fidelity scanning solution
Your scanner is stupid. You might not know that, but it is. Thankfully, Expand NY Insert Coin semi-finalist BlinkScan is here to give you what you never knew you needed. It's a device that scans images, documents or even objects like many other scanners out there, but unlike those dumb machines, BlinkScan tailors its output. Instead of producing a single image with everything lumped together, it crops out the individual items scanned (so that the background is completely eliminated), straightens the resulting images and exports them as separate files to your photo editing software of choice -- all in about three seconds. BlinkScan also delivers super-high-quality pictures thanks to its unique image-capture method, which the company calls "perfect color capture." To get such fidelity, the device takes three separate 10-megapixel monochromatic images (red, blue and green) and combines them into a 36-bit, 30-megapixel image.
LittleBits and Korg team up on Synth Kit modular DIY instrument, we go hands-on
Here's a pro tip: if you want to make this editor smile, hand me something that makes a bunch of noise. There are few things more satisfying than pressing some buttons and turning a few knobs to generate an avalanche of digital sound. And if what makes that noise is something you built yourself, all the better. LittleBits has been encouraging kids (and childish adults) to build their own electronic doodads and projects for some time now. And some of those creations even had the capability to make noise. But, the new Synth Kit released in collaboration with Korg is dedicated to DIY audio cacophony. Inside the gold and black packaging is a pile of snap-together components that will let you build the analog synthesizer of your dreams... so long as your dreams is a simplified MS-20. The box holds a pair of oscillators, envelope and filter units, a keyboard, a four-step sequencer, a random noise generator, a two-channel mixer (and a splitter so you can create two independent audio sources), a delay effect and, of course, a power source and a speaker. It's more or less a deconstructed version of Korg's clasic MS-20. Just like previous Little Bits kits, all the pieces are color coded: blue for power, pink for input, green for output and orange for wires. Each component has magnets on either side that snap together only in one direction, preventing you from assembling a circuit in the wrong way and potentially damaging the components. While the number of parts is fairly limited, they're all pretty flexible. The keyboard, for instance has two modes (hold and press), as does the noise generator and the sequencer. Even the oscillators can be switched between square and saw waves. That means those 12 bits in the box can actually generate quite a wide variety of sounds, from deep bass rattles and percussive ticks to swooping synth dives and arpeggiated leads. It's quite simple to get started designing your own instruments, and you'll probably even learn a bit about synthesizer design along the way. Of course, you can combine it with other LittleBits kits and add light sensors or displays to your homebrewed synth. Founder Ayah Bdeir likes to claim that it's the easiest to use modular synthesizer with this sort of power. And she's probably right. While nobody is going to mistake you for the next Daft Punk, you can still create an impressive set of sounds. Some of which might even prove usable in actual music.
Hands-on with Mr. Postman, a smart mailbox that links your inbox to your letterbox
Sometimes, even the oldest cliches can serve as inspiration. Take the dog and the letter carrier, for instance: when Manuel Masri first moved to the United States, he was surprised to find his canine companion obsessed with the mailman. Every delivery became an event, anticipation for a 4pm delivery and an excited pooch -- but the K-9 notification system only worked when he was at home. His solution? Mr. Postman, a mailbox that knows when to expect your mail, notifies you when it arrives and locks after delivery. Masri's smart mailbox falls into that growing category of the "internet of things," something that links typically disconnected physical objects with each other and your digital world. It also happens to be one of Engadget Expand's Insert Coin semi-finalists. We dropped by the company's show booth to see the project's take on the future of mail delivery.
Daily Roundup: Vivo Xplay review, Star Wars Episode VII, Expand NY prizes and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Going to Engadget Expand? This web app is your personal guide
So, like a flute to a cobra, we've charmed you into attending Engadget Expand in NYC -- hooray! It'll be quite the busy weekend, but this handy Expand web app will help you prepare for the event. We've outlined the full agenda for both days (November 9th and 10th), listed every exhibitor and even included a floor map of the convention center within the application. You can also find the full roster of speakers (along with their Twitter accounts) and a link that takes you straight to the Insert Coin voting page. It'll work on any device since it's a web app, so bookmark it for easy access while on the plane, train or automobile to the Big Apple. If you're searching for even more ways to stay on top of vital info, you can follow the official Expand Facebook and Twitter accounts, as well.
Expand NY: Come see bionic suits, play VR games, mingle with robots and get special perks courtesy of Outlook.com
November's here, and that means Expand NY is mere days away, people! If you're among those unfortunate souls who have yet to buy their tickets to the show, perhaps a rundown of some of what you'll see on the show floor will serve as sufficient enticement to join us. Like robots? We've got those in spades. Carnegie Mellon's modular snakebot will be slithering around, the da Vinci surgical system will be making its second Expand appearance and Ekso Bionics' human exoskeleton will be there, too. If wearables are your thing, Pivothead's glasses that record 1080p will be on hand and Avegant's retinal display will be there to beam video directly into your eyeballs. Maybe you're a gamer? If so, take a spin through a virtual neighborhood with Paper Dude VR, stroll around digital worlds via the Virtuix Omni VR treadmill or get your Android gaming fix courtesy of Mad Catz's M.O.J.O. micro-console.
Make presents: Raspberry Pi Make:Off competition at Expand!
As if there wasn't already enough fun to be had at Expand, with our incredible lineup of speakers and our Insert Coin competition, we've got another treat for attendees. We're gonna have a Raspberry Pi Make:Off hosted by Matt Richardson of Make Magazine! Here's the deal: two teams of four contestants will spend the weekend building a project with tools and components from our electronics "pantry." The competition will kick off at 10 am on November 9th and a winner will be announced at 3:30 pm on November 10th. If you think you have what it takes to take home the proverbial gold (note: we will not be handing out any actual gold), you can enter your name here on Facebook. If you're chosen to be one of the eight participants, you'll receive a Getting Started with Raspberry Pi kit and a free ticket to Expand. What's more, the four members of the winning team will be featured in Make in an article by Mr. Richardson himself, chronicling the build. The submission period ends at 5 pm ET on Monday November 4th, so get your applications in now!
Be a volunteer at Engadget Expand from November 7-10!
Are you the kind of ham who likes to be a part of the show? Does the sound of free tickets strike your fancy? Most importantly, do you like to work hard and have fun? Then you just might be a candidate to volunteer at Engadget Expand New York! We're taking over the Jacob K. Javits' Convention Center in New York City for four full days, November 7-10 (though the 7th is for us to prepare, and the 8th is open just to press). We're looking for a small army of folks to cover one or more of these shifts: Thursday - 2pm to 6pm (One day ticket for Saturday or Sunday included.) Friday - 8am to 6pm (Weekend pass included.) Saturday and Sunday - 9am to 6pm (Weekend pass included.) As a volunteer, we'll likely ask you to help out with tasks such as: Registration Ticket scanning Helping with giveaways Assisting sponsors with load in/load out Lending a hand with an assortment of errands Feeding someone's pet rabbit While we'll be asking for preferences on tasks, we can't promise that you'll get what you're after. Conversely, if there are any tasks you can't help with or aren't comfortable doing,let us know and we'll work something out! (And we're kidding about the rabbit). Once you apply to volunteer at Engadget Expand, we'll confirm your attendance and give more details over email. If you have any questions about volunteering, drop us a line at events AT engadget DOT com.
Daily Roundup: McLaren's futuristic P1 'hypercar,' Moto X price drop, Scentee hands-on and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
We have a winner in our Gogo High Above sweepstakes and more tickets to give away
We're excited to crown the winner of our Gogo "High Above" sweepstakes, and his name is David Simkins. He will be heading out to Chicago first, where he'll hop aboard "Gogo One," the private laboratory that Gogo uses to test out the latest inflight wireless technology. We'll be with him on this journey to Engadget Expand in New York City. Bummed out that you didn't win? We're still ready to give out a treasure trove of tickets to Engadget Expand, being held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center on November 9th and 10th. We'll be giving away 50 passes to the event (valued at $30). For a chance to be one of those 50 lucky people heading to Expand for free, enter our giveaway using the widget below. a Rafflecopter giveaway
Insert Coin semifinalist: BITalino is a self-contained physiological tinker lab
You might be asking yourself, do we really need another electronics tinkertoy / microcontroller kit? And we say, you can never have too much of a good thing. BITalino takes the standard setup, and includes all the sensors you could want to get started building your next DIY project. There's a light sensor, an accelerometer, as well as sensors for electromyography, electrocardiography and electrodermal activity. All that data can then be fed to a host machine over Bluetooth. It even comes in a variety of forms: one where the sensors can be unplugged and rearranged, one where the components sit on perforated boards that can be snapped off should you want to position the sensors away from the main board and one where the company has already disassembled the various components for you. You can see all of the Insert Coin semifinalists here.
Insert Coin semifinalist: HeadsUP is a smartphone-powered HUD for your car
HeadsUP is in the extremely early prototype stage, but that hasn't stopped us from falling in love with the concept. Unlike many other heads up displays for cars, this one can be added to any vehicle and relies on your phone to power it. So there's no worry about the technology becoming hopelessly outdated. It displays the UI from your Android phone (or tablet, we suppose) on a transparent overlay on your windshield, allowing you to check your notifications or get directions while keeping your eyes glued to the road. And, rather than have to worry about taking your hands off the wheel to tap tiny navigation icons, you can simply wave your fingers at it to control the UI through gestures. Or, you can just talk to it the way you normally would using Google Now or S Voice. You can see all of the Insert Coin semifinalists here.
Insert Coin semifinalist: iOximeter is a simple, cross-platform wellness tool
Pulse oximeters that connect to your smartphone aren't exactly new. In fact, a super-hackable Bluetooth model called smARtPULSE wound up as a finalist in our Insert Coin competition early this year out in San Francisco. What sets the iOximeter apart is its cross-platform compatibility and extremely low power requirements. In fact, it's able to draw all the juice it needs from the headphone jack on your phone. The appropriate data is also transferred over a standard issue audio cable and presented in an app on your iOS or Android device. That leaves you free to charge your phone while watching your the oxygen saturation levels in you blood climb. Data is not only presented in real time, but recorded for later analysis. You can see all of the Insert Coin semifinalists here.
Insert Coin semifinalist: MYBELL is an extremely loud and customizable electronic bike bell
Say what you will about the cavalier bike messengers that give cyclists a bad name, but it doesn't change the fact that pedaling your way to work is better for both your health and the environment. Unfortunately, biking (especially in New York City) can feel a little, well, dangerous at times. MYBELL isn't magically going to keep you from getting doored while flying down Broadway, but the extremely loud electronic bicycle bell should make you a little harder to miss. Inside this little box is a powerful audio amplifier that plays custom sounds at up to 96dB -- your average mechanical bell tops out at 70dB. It also includes LEDs that can be programmed to flash in a pattern unique to you. Of course, none of that is going to keep careless motorists out of the bike lane, so you'll still your wits and quick reflexes, in addition to MYBELL. You can see all of the Insert Coin semifinalists here.
Insert Coin semifinalist: Mr. Postman brings snail mail to your smartphone
As a general rule, we're in favor of any gadgets named for one of our favorite girl group jams. We've also got a soft spot for those projects looking to send a little love in the postal service's direction -- lord knows it can use it. Mr. Postman, naturally, fulfills both of those quotas. The smart mailbox communicates with your handset to let you know when mail has arrived. You can also use the app to lock and unlock your mailbox, to ward off those pesky neighborhood mail thieves. Now if only there were a high-tech way to tell them to get off your lawn. You can see all of the Insert Coin semifinalists here.
Insert Coin semifinalist: NutriSurface helps you monitor dietary intake
Sure it's no HAPIfork, but the NutriSurface was created to ensure that you're getting the most out of your diet. The nutrition tracking gadget comes in two sizes -- coaster and chop -- letting you manage nutrient levels, portions and the like. NutriSurface's creators are opening up the API for third-party developers to help expand usage, but in the meantime, the product has some interesting potential applications for athletes, people with diabetes, chefs and a slew of other folks with specific dietary requirements. You can see all of the Insert Coin semifinalists here.
