sensors
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Sensor-equipped seals deliver goldmine of climate data
Seals with sensors have been roaming Antarctica's seas for over a decade and the trove of data they gathered is now available to scientists across the world. The research, conducted by an 11-nation consortium called Marine Mammals exploring the Oceans Pole-to-Pole (MEOP), was designed to see how climate change affects sensitive oceans in the region. The sensors record position, sea pressure, temperature and salinity data as the animals dive up to 60 times a day to depths of 7,000 feet. Since 2004, they've gathered more than 300,000 environmental profiles of the sea.
Google's Project Jacquard wants to put a trackpad on your pants
The ATAP division of Google is known for some the most innovative ideas to come out of Silicon Valley. It's the home of the Project Ara modular phone and Project Tango. So it's no surprise to find that Project Jacquard has a large single piece of fabric with conductive yarn woven in that works like a trackpad. The Jacquard team said that more information about its technology would be revealed at tomorrow's ATAP session, but it already looks promising.
The government wants you to buy a car with smarter brakes
Autonomous cars may have been all the rage at this year's Consumer Electronics Show, but most of the tech showcased is still pretty far off. What isn't, however, are smarter stopping systems. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is adding crash imminent braking and dynamic braking support to its list of recommended advanced safety features for new cars. The former uses sensors to activate the brakes if a crash is imminent and the driver already hasn't. Dynamic braking support, on the other hand, increases stopping power if you haven't put enough pressure on the brake pedal. Like lane-departure and front collision warning systems, these features are available on some models already -- this move gives them high-profile attention, though.
Sony's prototype headphones put a digital running coach in your ears
Tech giants across the world are having to do something they probably never thought they'd have to: cook up a wearables strategy. Sony's is still very much in flux, but until now it's mostly centered around gadgets that go on your wrists and -- in one crazy case -- a pair of Google-esque smart glasses. This time though, Sony's wondering out loud about the future of gadgets that go in your ears (earables?), and to that end it's cooked up a kooky prototype it calls the B-Trainer.
CES 2015: Elgato Eve line joins the parade of HomeKit-enabled connected devices
When Apple's HomeKit framework was announced back in June of 2014, many tech pundits speculated that the first product announcements would happen at CES 2015. Sure enough, we're hearing about a number of HomeKit-enabled devices, the latest being from Elgato. Elgato's Eve is more than just one product; it's designed to be a complete line of products and sensors to let you know what's going on in your home and provide control with a Siri voice command. The company says that two products will be available in the first quarter of 2015 - Eve Energy and Eve Door & Window Sensors. Eve Energy is a HomeKit-enabled switch that can also let you know how much energy an appliance is using, while Eve Door & Window Sensors let you know if doors or windows are shut. Controlled by the free Eve app, more devices will be available later in the quarter. Eve Room provides temperature, air quality, humidity and air pressure inside your home, while Eve Weather captures similar information from the outside. Eve Water connects to plumbing to monitor water consumption and temperature. Eve Smoke is a smoke detector that may be able to take on the buggy Nest Protect in the connected devices market. Not surprisingly, no pricing information has been released for the new Eve line. Expect to see more about Elgato's HomeKit offering on TUAW in the future.
Riding shotgun in Tesla's fastest car ever
Tesla's "D" unveiling had a little early reveal thanks to USA Today but now we've had a chance to see it for ourselves. As rumored, Tesla is rolling out new all-wheel-drive-equipped versions of its Model S (check out our review of the original here). The top-of-the-line, dual-motor-equipped P85D has a measured 0-60 time of 3.2 seconds, which should put it among the fastest sedans ever when it starts shipping in December. According to Elon Musk, the system is a "huge improvement" that actually adds efficiency over a single motor -- about 10 miles in range per charge. That's apparently because there's no shaft between the front and rear axles, and the motors constantly adjust output so well that the car overcomes the weight of the second engine. Update: Musk revealed the truth about D's dual-motor setup, and then we rode along in the P85D. Check out the video and details after the break!
Elgato announces $50 Avea smart lightbulb and Eve smart home sensors
Apparently, the world needs another smart lightbulb, and Elgato's going to sell it to you. Called Avea, the $50 bulb connects to your iDevice directly using Bluetooth (no external hub needed), and lets you set the mood in any room with an appropriate shade of light. Just one iPhone (4S and up), 5th gen iPod Touch or iPad (3rd gen or newer) can control a whole house full of lights and give users multiple lighting scenes to choose from. Plus, there's an alarm feature that wakes you with the gentle gleam of a 7W LED bulb pumping out 430 lumens (which is just a bit brighter than its competitor from Lumen, and is roughly equivalent to a 40W incandescent bulb).
WSJ: Apple's smartwatch will feature 'more than 10 sensors'
Apple is said to be creeping ever closer to launching a smartwatch, and there could be more than one. The Wall Street Journal reports that the company is planning a new wearable that comes in "multiple screen sizes" and includes "more than 10 sensors" capable of tracking fitness and wellbeing. It's believed that the smartwatch will include more sensors to differentiate it from Apple's smartphones and tablets, like being able to collect fitness data without the need for a mobile device. What could those sensors be? Well, an accelerometer, magnetometer, gyroscope, compass, heart-rate monitor, altimeter and an ambient light sensor are all possible inclusions. Samsung and Google are already detecting body temperatures, location and integrating voice commands inside their wearables, so perhaps Apple's ambition is to find a way to cram in the whole lot.
Samsung launches a flexible platform of sensors for wearables
At Samsung's "Voice of the Body" event today, the company announced SIMBAND, a modular reference platform for wearable health sensors that it hopes will inspire a new generation of fitness products. The prototype device you see above has a multitude of sensors built right into it, including an optical light sensor that can detect the variation of light absorption through the skin in order to come up with your pulse and other data. There's even an ECG sensor integrated into the watchband so that when you touch the clasp, an electrical route is completed.
Researchers say new development could give artificial skin a wider range of senses
We've seen a number of efforts to build a better artificial skin, or "e-skin," over the years, and a team of researchers from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology now say they've made a breakthrough that could lead to some of the most sensitive e-skin yet. The key development is a new type of flexible sensor that would not only allow the artificial skin to detect touch, but humidity and temperature as well. Those sensors are comprised of gold-based nanoparticles that are just five to eight nanometers in diameter and laid on top of a substrate -- in their research, the scientists used PET, the type of plastic you'd normally find in soda bottles. That substrate conducts electricity differently depending on the way it is bent, which means researchers can adjust its sensitivity just by increasing its thickness. As you might expect, this is all still in the early stages, but the researchers see plenty of possibilities for the future, from bringing a sense of touch to artificial limbs to using the same technology to monitor stress on bridges.
SmartThings opens up its home automation platform to developers
To say SmartThings' Kickstarter campaign was a success is an understatement: the Internet of Things outfit, which offers a clever array of home automation sensors, routers and smartphone apps, raised more than $1.2 million (over four times the company's original goal), nabbed over 6,000 backers and quickly sold out of its first batch of kits. Naturally, the company isn't stopping there -- it's making good on its goal of providing an open-source platform for developers, as it announced the availability of its Developer and Inventor Toolkit. Now, interested parties can create and develop their own SmartThings, and can collaborate with like-minded folks to come up with even more ways to take advantage of the platform. Additionally, it supports several types of wireless standards, such as WiFi, Bluetooth, ZigBee and Z-Wave, giving it interoperability with various home automation systems. As a refresher, SmartThings connects a large number of household items -- appliances, automatic door locks, thermostats, humidity sensors, presence sensors, power outlet switches, IR remotes, secret bookcase doors and plenty more -- to a central router which then can be controlled through a smartphone app. Thanks to the openness of the platform, the number of use-case scenarios is rather significant, which certainly makes it more appealing to users. If you're interested in learning how to get started, head below to the press release and go here to get the whole enchilada of information.
Hidden sensors in Google Glass could enable AR apps
One of the bigger digs against Glass so far has been its rather limited feature set. In particular, there seemed to be no way to build full augmented reality applications for the wearable. (And it's not like Google has exactly been forthcoming about many of its specs.) But all hope is not lost. Programmer Lance Nanek was digging around in debug mode and managed to push an Android app to the head-mounted display that spit out a list of available sensors. Looks like Glass does in fact have all of the necessary components for full-fledged AR -- the official API just hasn't exposed those capabilities yet. Currently, third-party Glass apps are limited to updating your location once every 10 minutes, but with a little bit of hacking, we're sure that limitation could be overcome and the full suite of orientation sensors exposed to developers. Perhaps it won't be long before someone ports Yelp Monocle to Glass. Of course, it's probably only a matter of time before Google opens those features up to devs. For the full list of sensors and location providers head on after the break.
Insert Coin semifinalist: Observos environmental monitoring sensors hands-on (video)
We first heard about Observos a month ago when it became a participant in our Insert Coin semifinals, but it wasn't until the Hexagonal Research product showed up at Engadget Expand that we were able to see working models of its environmentally aware sensors. Each sensor, which is shaped like a hexagon and is about twice as thick as a hockey puck, is capable of monitoring the temperature, humidity and barometric pressure of virtually any object you can think of. For indoor sensors, a small screen on top displays the desired information of the item you're monitoring, but there's no need to keep a close eye on it -- the information can be relayed to a web interface by communicating wirelessly with a base station hooked into your router. (Outdoor sensors are more rugged to handle external weather conditions and don't have a display screen. You can program the setup to alert you via email or text if something is awry, regardless of where you are, and you'll be able to monitor everything directly from your smartphone; in the future, Observos hopes to expand into a control network that would give you the ability to make changes to environmental conditions remotely. In other words, if your plants get low on moisture, you'd be able to program a flow valve to open automatically. While the company's Expand booth featured only six sensors, up to 40 could be used simultaneously. The Observos team plans to launch its Kickstarter campaign this coming Monday, and backers can grab one indoor sensor and base station together for $175, with the price going up as more sensors are added; outdoor sensors will be a bit more spendy as well. A hacker's board will also be available at $75 for anyone who just wants to tinker around with the goods. Check out our video and full image gallery below for another look. %Gallery-183003%
The Weekly Roundup for 01.21.2013
You might say the week is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workweek, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Weekly Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 7 days -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Hands-on with Atoms: a Kickstarter-funded 'modular robotic toy' (video)
Sitting apart from the abundance of health-tracking apps and gadgets on display here at the CES 2013 Bluetooth SIG event is a toy made for the creative-minded geek: Atoms. Fueled by a successful kickstarter campaign, these intelligent building blocks veer away from the intimidating halo surrounding other DIY entries like Raspberry Pi which require a certain level of programming proficiency, allowing any user to pick up a kit, then plug and play. Color-coded according to their usage -- blue for sensors, green for action and red for connectors -- the modules offer users an 'unlimited' number of applications (think: weaving these into clothing). But not everyone's going to be brimming with ideas and to that end the company's created four separate packages that'll begin shipping in June. On the low-end, there's a $29 prankster kit, which incorporates an exploding block, a $49 monster set that includes eight different modules, including one for voice recording and playback, a $59 magic wand set and, finally, on the high-end, a $79 iOS tank set. Compared to the number of pieces allocated to the cheaper sets, the two motors included in this latter iOS option may not seem like much, but it does also come bundled with a Bluetooth 4.0 brick and companion app for literal remote control. If you're looking to dig deeper into the Atoms experience, you'll be able to purchase each individual module à la carte. Unfortunately, you'll have to wait until this summer to get your own hands-on with Atoms, but in the meanwhile, check out our gallery and a brief video demo below. Jon Fingas contributed to this report. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
Node modular iOS sensor hands-on
With the spate of bad publicity surrounding all those Kickstarter projects that never make it beyond the funding stage, there's a certain surreality to actually holding a crowd-funded device in your hands. But here it is, the Node, a project we highlighted in its infancy, way back in February. The whole thing blew way past its funding goal, scoring $76,000 out of a requested $50,000. And now, roughly eight months later, the product has been shipped out to enthusiastic supporters all over the place, inside an unassuming white box. Since its inception, the Node's been an interesting (if not particularly easy to explain) proposition. Now that we've got our hands on one, not all that much has changed -- which is to say, in its early stages, there's a lot of potential, but its still a bit of a hard sell. Hardware-wise, the Node's a solid proposition -- the size and shape of a roll of quarters. The body is made of a white plastic, with Node logos indented on either side. Next to one, you'll find a micro-USB port for charging, and by the other, you get the power button, which also serves to turn on the flashlight module. Inside the body, you've got the battery (which should give you 12 to 14 hours with Bluetooth on), an accelerometer, magnetometer and gyroscope.%Gallery-168812%
SensoGlove revamp brings automatic pressure check, stops us from strangling our golf swing
Hand rookie golfers a driver and they'll frequently make the classic mistake of gripping the club as though their lives depend on it. A seasoned veteran knows that a little give and take might be needed, which is why Sensosolutions just updated its long-serving SensoGlove to better encourage a balanced hold. The new automatic sensitivity toggle will offer a recommended grip through the LCD based on how tightly the club has been held in the past; throttle the 9 iron often and you'll be asked to loosen up. Longer battery life is also in the cards versus the older model, although we're reaching out to determine how many more holes the glove will handle in one charge. No matter how you slice (or hook) it, the newer SensoGlove is shipping for $89 in versions for both hands and multiple sizes.
iPhone 5 and Nokia Lumia 920 face off with image stabilization test (hands-on video, updated with Galaxy S III and HTC One X)
Nokia's Lumia 920 packs the industry's best image stabilization -- there's no questioning that -- thanks to a camera module that pairs both sensor and lens-based optical IS. The iPhone 5 also offers a notable improvement over its Apple-made predecessor on the video front, but considering that its stabilization is of the digital variety, we wouldn't expect it to top Nokia's new flagship. We had an opportunity to test both smartphones in a head-to-head demo at Nokia's research and development facility in Tampere, Finland, about two hours north of the company's Espoo headquarters. In fact, we're told that this is the very first such comparison shoot in the world, considering that the iPhone made it to market just last week and the only opportunity to shoot with a Lumia 920 is currently in the European country where the device was born. As expected, the Nokia phone was able to capture far smoother video than what we snapped with the iPhone, with both devices secured side-by-side in a homemade foam holster. Unlike our handheld interview shoot earlier today, we pushed the limits a bit further this time, running through Nokia's parking lot and turning every which way as well. It's important to note that the Lumia 920 we used was a prototype, but its performance was still quite solid. You'll find the side-by-side video just past the break -- the Lumia 920 is on the left, with the iPhone clip on the right.
Apple patent application details method for detecting and displaying hand position on screen
We've had a glimpse at Apple's conception of a sensor-based keyless layout, and the latest patent application from Cupertino shows the company looking to further refine the input experience -- this time using a camera and other sensors to detect hand position and overlay that hand position on a device's screen. The filing details three methods to this end. The first shows a user's hands on a traditional hardware keyboard projected in an on-screen representation (as background, Apple mentions the ergonomic strain of looking down to check your hand placement, so perhaps that's the thinking behind this one). A second scenario involves a laptop with unlabeled keys, where the marked keyboard is displayed on the screen, and the final, most intriguing, setup shows backside controls on a tablet a la the PS Vita, with a user's fingers projected as if the device was transparent. Of course, this is just a patent application at this point, so don't expect to see this tech make its debut September 12th.
STMicroelectronics details pressure sensor in your Galaxy S III, can tell when you're mountaineering
If you're the sort to tear down your Galaxy S III, you might have noticed a mysterious STMicroelectronics LSP331AP chip lurking on the motherboard. While we've known that it's a pressure sensor, we now know that it's a new generation -- new enough that ST is just getting to explaining the technology to a mainstream audience. The piezoresistor-equipped MEMS chip tracks altitude through atmospheric pressure with an uncanny knack for precision; it can tell when you've crossing between floors, which could be more than handy for future iterations of indoor navigation. Don't worry if you're an extreme sports junkie that might push the limits, either. The sensor can do its job at the kinds of pressure you'd normally see when 32,800 feet high or 5,900 feet below sea level, which should keep it working even if you're checking your phone during a climb up K2 or a HALO skydive. We don't know if anyone beyond Samsung is lined up to use ST's pressure sensor in their devices, but we wouldn't be surprised if it becomes a mainstay for smartphones and outdoor gear in the near future.