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Robotic dishwasher saves restaurants from drudgery
Restaurants and other eateries are facing a shortage of dishwashers, and for understandable reasons -- it's inglamorous work with low pay. Dishcraft, at least, thinks robots can fill that gap. It just revealed a robotic dishwasher intended to clean large volumes of plates in commercial kitchens. Once customers stack plates on a special cart, a staffer just has to wheel that cart into the robot. From there, the machine flips the plate upside-down and uses both cold water and a brush to wipe the surface clean within seconds. AI-guided cameras then scan dishes to see if dishes need another scrub before they head to the dish rack.
TUAW's Daily App: Plates!
A while back, we featured a game in this space called White Lines, a sort of Simon Says-style gesture drawing game. The game's creator, Kyle Webster, recently released his second app on the App Store, and this one is a little different -- much more frantic, and much more colorful. It's called Plates!, and you can pick it up right now for an "introductory price" of US$0.99. The idea is simple -- you have three conveyor belts on screen, and each one funnels plates of food past you. There are four different sauces on the four different corners of the iPhone, and your goal is to tap a certain sauce, then tap the appropriate plate, squirting the correct sauce on each dish as it goes past. Hitting combos will get you a bonus score, and eventually there are even non-food items sprinkled in among the mix that you have to avoid to keep going. The game gets pretty fast quickly, and when combo plates show up, you'll have to squirt fast to keep the food moving ("squirt" is an appropriate word -- the game isn't all that appetizing, despite the colorful graphics). Add in OpenFeint functionality, and you've got a pretty addictive little reflex tester. Plates! is good, simple fun for just a buck.
Addon Spotlight: Tidy Plates
Addon Spotlight focuses on the backbone of the WoW gameplay experience: the user interface. Everything from bags to bars, buttons to DPS meters and beyond -- your addons folder will never be the same. This week, Tidy Plates makes its long-awaited spotlight. You can stop emailing me about Tidy Plates now. Addon Spotlight truly is fueled by users just like you, considering how many emails I get about Tidy Plates. "Why haven't you talked about Tidy Plates yet? It's absolutely amazing." There's a reason I haven't talked about this particular mod before, and I'll get to that explanation, but for now know that I am happy to introduce Tidy Plates to those who don't know of its existence and reintroduce the 'plates to the already faithful.
World of WarCrafts: Light switch cover
Every Thursday, Shelbi Roach of The Bronze Kettle guides you in creating WoW-inspired crafts using real world mats with World of WarCrafts.While it may be true that us geeks typically prefer the dark, it might be worth turning on the light just to show off one of these totally rad WoW-themed light switch covers. Take a screenshot of your character decked out in epics or your favorite NPC. You can also use a shot of your preferred locale, such as The Dark Portal, Zangarmarsh or Nagrand (as pictured).Here is what you will need: Light Switch Cover Printed Image Paper Cutter (or Scissors) Clear Acrylic Spray Mod Podge Paintbrush Xacto Knife Click on the images below to view a gallery of step-by-step instructions. %Gallery-21279% DISCLAIMER: If you are under 18, please make sure that you are supervised by your parents or an adult. We will not be held responsible if you stab yourself with an artist's tool. Stores will also require you to be at least 18 to purchase the acrylic spray.
RFID technology to hit license plates in Malaysia, too
In a bid to "stop automotive theft" from occurring so frequently in Malaysia, the Road Transport Department will begin fitting vehicles with RFID-equipped license plates that can be quickly scanned and analyzed by the boys in blue. The plate itself will receive a few minor aesthetic changes, but the integrated microchip is where the rubber hits the road; only authorized mechanics will be able to actually install the plates, and the microchip onboard will house information about the vehicle's model, make, and even driver information. The e-plate, as it's so aptly named, has already quelled theft in Japan (and hit Britain, too), and the RTD hopes that Kuala Lumpur will see the same drops in crime as the new plates make things much more difficult for carjackers since swapping out the plates won't exactly bypass security. The RTD's director-general has already set the implementation in motion, aiming to equip "new cars" first, while "older" (read: less desirable) whips will get the RFID treatment later on.[Via Inquirer]
