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The ugly history of strapping screens to our faces
2017 isn't the first time that VR, or any face-worn gadget for that matter, has attempted to make it in the mainstream. And yet, the hardware itself, be it a Daydream View or a HTC Vive, is still a pretty intimidating thing to attach to your face. But looking at some of the headsets that didn't make it over the years, we're in a much better position than we were two decades ago.
Color-changing helmets could warn you about head injuries
Head injuries can be particularly sinister -- unless it's obvious that you took a bad blow, you might not get the help you need in time to mitigate the damage. University of Pennsylvania scientists may have an easy way to raise the red flag when you're hurt, however. They've crafted a polymer that changes color depending on the amount of force, giving anyone around you a sign that you've suffered some trauma. The key was to use holographic lithography to create photonic crystals whose structures change color when they deform. They don't require any power to work, and they're light enough that you could apply them to a helmet without noticing a significant weight difference.
Monkeys may be the first primates to get successful head transplants
Outside of horror and sci-fi flicks, head transplants aren't really viable. What attempts have been made so far usually kill the unfortunate test subjects within a day, and they can't really survive without life support. Researchers at China's Harbin Medical University think they can do better, however. In the wake of hundreds of mouse operations, the scientists are planning to conduct the first primate head transplants where the patient survives on its own for at least a while. The surgery will connect only a fraction of the spinal nerve fibers in the long-tailed macaque monkeys going under the knife, but it should be enough to maintain voluntary muscle movement and other crucial functions.
Quadriplegic racer will drive a Corvette using only his head
When Indy Racing League driver Sam Schmidt crashed in 2000 and became a quadriplegic, many assumed that his driving days were over. However, technology is about to put him back on the track. Arrow Electronics has developed the Semi-Autonomous Motorcar (SAM) project, a modified 2014 Corvette Stingray that will let Schmidt drive using only head tilts. An array of infrared sensors will translate his head movements into steering commands, letting him race around with ease; the only control he'll touch is a pressure sensor in his mouth for braking. GPS will also keep Schmidt out of harm's way by creating virtual fences around the track walls that nudge the car back on course.
XYZbot's Fritz offers a cheaper robot head, free trips to the uncanny valley (video)
It's been relatively easy to get your hands on an expressive robot face... if you're rich or a scientist, that is. XYZbot would like to give the rest of us a shot by crowdfunding Fritz, an Arduino-powered robot head. The build-it-yourself (and eerily human-proportioned) construction can react to pre-programmed actions, text-to-speech conversion or live control, ranging from basics like the eyes and jaw to the eyelids, eyebrows, lips and neck of an Advanced Fritz. Windows users should have relatively simple control through an app if they just want to play, but where Fritz may shine is its open source nature: the code and hardware schematics will be available for extending support, changing the look or building a larger robot where Fritz is just one part. The $125 minimum pledge required to set aside a Fritz ($199 for an Advanced Fritz) isn't trivial, but it could be a relative bargain if XYZbot makes its $25,000 goal -- and one of the quickest routes to not-quite-lifelike robotics outside of a research grant.
Baby robot Affetto gets a torso, still gives us the creeps (video)
It's taken a year to get the sinister ticks and motions of Osaka University's Affetto baby head out of our nightmares -- and now it's grown a torso. Walking that still-precarious line between robots and humans, the animated robot baby now has a pair of arms to call its own. The prototype upper body has a babyish looseness to it -- accidentally hitting itself in the face during the demo video -- with around 20 pneumatic actuators providing the movement. The face remains curiously paused, although we'd assume that the body prototype hasn't been paired with facial motions just yet, which just about puts it the right side of adorable. However, the demonstration does include some sinister faceless dance motions. It's right after the break -- you've been warned.
Subscribe to TERA's newsletter, get free stuff for the game
The people at En Masse Entertainment want you to read the TERA newsletter. But they're not going to spend a whole lot of time boring you with its virtues. No, they're just going to straight-up bribe you with the promise of free character goodies. All subscribers to the newsletter with an active TERA subscription will receive a code for a free Black Bandit Mask as long as they've signed up to receive the newsletter by 2:59 a.m. EDT on July 26th. If you aren't currently signed up to receive the letter and have a burning need to cover your face, you can sign up under Account Management on the official site. The codes for the masks will be distributed along with the next newsletter, which will include instructions on how to redeem them. It's a neat little promotion to ensure that players are kept in the loop about the game's development with just a little extra bribery.
Former Apple iAd VP Andy Miller to be President and COO of Leap Motion
Former head of Apple's iAd program Andy Miller recently left the company to join a firm called Highland Capital, but now he's taking another leap into the COO role of a company called Leap Motion. Leap Motion is currently working on a new device designed to make motion controlled gestures easy across multiple platforms, and Miller will be helping them try to release that product commercially. The move over to Leap Motion isn't too much of a "leap," actually (sorry about that one) -- Highland Capital has backed Leap Motion previously, and in his position there, Miller reportedly worked closely with his new employer. All of this just shows that iAd's legacy is carrying farther and farther. Given how the actual business at iAd is going lately, the service's biggest consequence may just be that it found its former executives some excellent followup jobs.
Fake robot baby provokes real screams (video)
Uncanny valley, heard of it? No worries, you're knee-deep in it right now. It's the revulsion you feel to robots, prostheses, or zombies that try, but don't quite duplicate their human models. As the robot becomes more humanlike, however, our emotional response becomes increasingly positive and empathetic. Unfortunately, the goal of Osaka University's AFFETTO was to create a robot modeled after a young child that could produce realistic facial expressions in order to endear it to a human caregiver in a more natural way. Impressive, sure, but we're not ready to let it suckle from our teat just yet.
Flow my tears, the newly-built robotic head of Philip K. Dick said
Yes, this is definitely a post (and video!) about a hand-built, robotic head of author Philip K. Dick, who died in 1982, leaving the world a trove of literature which could be turned into films like Blade Runner, Total Recall, Minority Report and A Scanner Darkly. Sadly, he did not leave a robotic head of himself. It may surprise you to find out that this is actually not even the first robotic head of Philip K. Dick, it's apparently the second. This newly-built robo-PKD is meant to replace one that was famously lost in 2006, and was built by Hanson Robotics and Dutch public broadcasters VPRO. The video after the break is creepy and amazing, but it's nothing compared to the VALIS Trilogy.
NYU prof sticks camera on the back of his head, just as promised (video)
Remember when your parents told you they had eyes in the back of their heads, and part of you wanted to believe? Well, NYU professor and artist Wafaa Bilal recently had that done, though it's not as permanent as we'd hoped -- it's a removable dealie, affixed to a titanium plate implanted in the back of his skull. The resulting lifecast gets piped to a satchel at his side, which will be used in his art project The 3rd I at the Mathaf Arab Museum of Modern Art on December 30th... but you should be able to get a sneak peek at the images at his website in just a little over a week. No word on whether he'll also hook up the whole kit to some sweet LCD goggles. Here's hoping. Video after the break.
Flobi robot head realistic enough to convey emotions, not realistic enough to give children nightmares (hopefully)
We've seen our fair share of robots meant to convey emotions, and they somehow never fail to creep us out on some level. At least Flobi, the handiwork of engineers at Bielefeld University in Germany, eschews "realism" for cartoon cuteness. But don't let it fool you, this is a complicated device: about the size of a human head, it features a number of actuators, microscopes, gyroscopes, and cameras, and has the ability to exhibit a wide range of facial expressions by moving its eyes, eyebrows and mouth. The thing can even blush via its cheek-mounted LEDs, and it can either take on the appearance of a male or female with swappable hair and facial features. And the cartoonish quality of the visage is deliberate. According to a paper submitted by the group to the ICRA 2010 conference, the head is "far enough from realistic not to trigger unwanted reactions, but close enough that we can take advantage of familiarity with human faces." Works for us! Video after the break. [Thanks, Simon]
Creepy robotic heads serenade your wallet from deep inside the uncanny valley
No, it's not the Boyz II Men reunion tour, these are three other singing robots manufactured into a performing trio. The animatronic heads from artist Nathaniel Mellor are part of a $75,000 art piece on sale at Art Basel Miami Beach 2009. The artificial faces are controlled by servos which in turn are controlled by a computer. The uncontrolled fear you'll feel when watching the video is, however, completely natural.
"Zero lore. Maximum fun." with Onxyia back in town
When the news first broke yesterday about Onyxia returning to her status as a raid boss, I, probably like many of you, went into lore-generation overdrive. She's dead in the comic (Varian Wrynn decided her head didn't so much belong with her body any more), so how was she going to be a raid boss? I stabbed at ideas: she's in the Caverns of Time! Arthas could resurrect her as a Frostwyrm of some kind!Fortunately, cooler lore-heads (Ziebart and Sacco) prevailed: they pointed out to me this comment by Maxim in the original post: "Zero lore. Maximum fun. HOORAY!" That perfectly sums up why Blizzard is doing this: there's no lore reason or explanation behind it, it's just a straight up fun thing for us to do to celebrate the five-year anniversary. Bornakk makes it official: Ony is still dead, and she's not coming back. This is a one-time thing on the 5th anniversary.While, unfortunately, that may destroy some dreams about seeing similar old-world content come back to life (at least until the 10th anniversary, when we'll probably see Molten Core updated for the level 100 15-man raiding scheme -- drool), it means that there's no thinking involved about why Onyxia's back. She's back, we get to raid the original raid and pick up some great loot while doing it. Zero lore. Maximum fun.
Phat Loot Phriday: Forgotten Shadow Hood
We haven't done any cloth in a while, so here's a cool-looking hood that you can get by running a Heroic this weekend.Name: Forgotten Shadow Hood (Wowhead, Thottbot, Wowdigger)Type: Rare Cloth HeadArmor: 236Abilities: +54 Stamina, +44 Intellect, +66 Spirit, which makes it excellent for Warlocks or healers. %Gallery-33600%
Apple applies for patent on head-tracking media display system
Apple has applied for a patent for an "automatically adjusting media display in a personal display system," a kind of head-tracking eyewear that gives the user "the impression of being in the theater." From the claims of the patent, the device looks not unlike a pair of goggles that display a cropped version of a larger media file. As the wearer moves his or her head, a gyroscope and accelerometer in the goggles adjust the crop of the media file, making it appear to the user as if they were in a theater-like experience. The patent also includes provisions for techniques to reduce eyestrain, determine when the user reaches the "edge" of the media file, and zoom in and out. The application was prepared in February, and its number is 20080276196. [Via Electronista.]
Terminator head DVD player returns from the future to stop itself from playing a DVD of 'The Terminator'
Color us stumped and incredibly excited. We've discovered this totally useless yet endlessly amazing DVD player / Terminator head out in the wilds of the internet, but finding any information deeper than people exclaiming "this is awesome" is, in a word, difficult. Look, we're not saying that we want to find the company that makes these, order 100 of them, rip out their guts and replace them with those electronic rat brains, swap the eyes for stereoscopic cameras, tack on Darth Vader-esque voice boxes, and then mount them to the unkillable bodies of an army of robotic warriors we've been building, but... uh, well... okay you got us.
Silk'n light-based hair remover gets FDA approval for home use
Believe it or not, this actually isn't the first FDA approved personal hair remover we've come across, but for those looking for something capable of handling some seriously hairy ordeals, look no further than Silk'n. Created by Home Skinovations (har har), this unit relies on proprietary Home Pulsed Light technology to zap unwanted hair and bring back the smooth. Of course, this thing still has to be used "under the direction of a physician," but after waltzing into his / her office with three inches of sprawling chest hair blossoming from under that halfway buttoned shirt, we'd wager you'll have the requisite signature in no time.[Via medGadget]
Phat Loot Phriday: Gnomish Mind Control Cap
So for this PLP, I tried to come up with what I thought was the funniest looking hat in Azeroth. There are some funny looking hats out there (and I almost wrote up the Druid's Tier 4 hat because it makes me laugh every time I see it), but I eventually ended up choosing this Engineering toy with a fun proc.Name: Gnomish Mind Control CapType: Cloth HeadArmor: 50Abilities: +14 Spirit And here's the fun part: on Use (see restriction below), "engage in mental combat with a humanoid target to try and control their mind." If you succeed, you get a little hunter bar (not like the Priest's MC) to play around with your new pet. Unfortunately, it's not as fun as it used to be. The MCC only works out of combat now, so while it's still possible to use it on players with hilarious consequences, you have to plan out your attack. And over level 60, this thing gets a much reduced chance to work, in accordance with Blizzard's wishes of making CC less effective overall in BGs. But in some of the early twink battlegrounds, you can have a lot of fun with it. Plus, look at it! It's a funny hat! How to Get It: You've got to be an Engineer of any spec, level 215 (BoE) to wear this one, although if you just want the hat without the MC ability, you can always go get the Ghaz'ridian Detector, which is not nearly as fun, but looks just as funny.Anyway, you have to be a Gnomish Engineer, at least 235, to make it-- the recipe can be obtained from Oglethorpe Obnoticus in Booty Bay (he's the guy you talk to for the quest to become a Gnomish tinkerer, after it starts in Rachet or Ironforge, depending on your faction). It ain't cheap: 10 Mithril bars, 4 Truesilver bars, a Gold Power Core, 2 Star Rubies, and 4 Mageweave cloth are necessary to roll this one together, but when you do, you'll be able to MC to your heart's content. Well, once every 30 mins. And then only out of combat, and only sometimes. In fact, at this point, the mats probably don't make this worth it, unless you really like that proc enough to wait for it. But it does look funny, right?Getting Rid of It: Now hold on now, this is something you keep forever. But just in case you do want to throw it away, a vendor will give you 55s 2c for it, or you can DE into a Dream Dust, Large Radiant Shard, or Greater Nether Essence. But before you do, take a look at this spinning wheel right here, please. Are you feeling sleepy? No? Me neither...
Student co-develops head bangin' music maker
Nah, it's not quite a throwback to the 80s, but Zane Van Dusen has co-developed "a computer interface that tracks the movement of a user's head to allow them to produce electronic sounds and compose music on a virtual keyboard in both solo and ensemble settings." The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute senior worked with a team of musicians and programming gurus to create a device that would enable those with extremely limited mobility to still express their creativity through music, and aside the from therapeutic benefits, it also holds promise for expanding into a venue for verbal communication. Essentially, the user can line him or herself up with a camera, and as the head bobs, the software determines the new X and Y coordinates and "uses the information to play a note or trigger a sound." While it might not be quite as totally radical as the Guitar Zeros, it sure sounds more exciting than the Bacterial Orchestra.[Thanks, Amber]
