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cyborgs

Google Glass: The opposition grows

The opposition will congregate in dark corners.

They will whisper with their mouths, while their eyes will scan the room for spies wearing strange spectacles.

The spies will likely be men. How many women would really like to waft down the street wearing Google Glass?

It won't be easy. Once you've been cybernated, there's no turning back. Which is why the refuseniks are already meeting in shaded corners of the Web.

One site is called "Stop The Cyborgs." It claims to be "fighting the algorithmic future one bit at a time."… Read more

Eek! Remote-controlled cyborg cockroaches are real

If Borg ships have vermin on them, they look exactly like a project researchers at North Carolina State University are working on.

These intrepid scientists have taken a lightweight chip with a wireless receiver and transmitter and attached it to a cockroach like a little backpack. For the record, large Madagascar hissing cockroaches are the roach of choice. … Read more

Carry your iPad like a baby kangaroo

Last year I slipped on the ice and landed on my back, with my iPad in an over-the-shoulder canvas bag between me and the hard surface. The device was damaged, but thankfully I got it fixed. The experience, though, has me eyeballing new cases to keep my tablet safe from the elements and myself, and a new line from Assero Industries might be just what I was looking for--except I'm not sure I'm ready to go around looking like a cyborg kangaroo.

The company has a pair of pouches, or "frontpacks," that it plans to unveil this week at Macworld, where you can expect to see many, many iPad cases. They are basically backpacks worn around the belly that feature quick-release clasps so a mobile iPad owner can walk around iPadding while standing up.

Honestly, it's not a problem I've found myself in need of a solution for, but I could definitely see construction workers, architects, sports coaches, and others out in the field using them. … Read more

Creepy RatCar could drive mobility research

The cyborg armies of the future just got one step closer to total domination. Probably by taking a break from building giant fighting robots, scientists at the University of Tokyo have created the RatCar, a wheeled contraption controlled by a rat's brain.

The researchers wanted to prove a simple idea right: that animals could use the parts of their brains that control limbs to control a vehicle. It looks like they can.

The goal of the research was to see if it might eventually be feasible for paralyzed people to control wheelchairs using brain implants. Other work has been done on brain-machine interfaces, or BMIs, in the past, usually using non-invasive methods to connect the brain and the target machines. The RatCar uses sensors embedded directly into the rat's motor cortex to help a computer control the vehicle. … Read more

Monkey brain controls robot arm, hand

Monkey see, monkey do. And if monkey is a cyborg with a massive robot arm, monkey will do anything it wants.

University of Pittsburgh researchers led by Andrew Schwartz have made a monkey control a seven-axis robot arm and manipulator with its thoughts alone by implanting sensors in the simian's brain.

Like Honda's brain-controlled Asimo experiment, the research is aimed at developing better brain-machine interfaces to give disabled or paralyzed people greater mobility.

The researchers inserted two implants in the animal's motor cortex, covering the arm- and hand-controling areas. The video shows how the monkey controls the … Read more

Mad Catz delivers 11 buttons of programmable glory with Cyborg X

Mad Catz has unveiled the latest in the company's line of PC flight sticks, the Cyborg X. While the new hardware showcases many new features, we're most impressed with the amount of customization it offers.

A total of of 11 buttons can be completely programmed (22 if you're holding down the shift button) allowing for complete control. Compatible with most air-combat and flight-simulation games, the Cyborg X should pacify even the most hardcore of PC gamers. As an added space-saving bonus, the Cyborg X can fold up for easy storage--a feature we've never seen before on … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 856: Competition FTW

We discover a fun new tautology on today's show (you know, competition...for the win?), have a fun time goofing off with Brian Tong, rail against Apple's decision to include HDCP restrictions in its new MacBooks, and rejoice at the arrival of Netflix streaming on the Xbox 360 (minus a few select Sony movies, ahem). Also: India takes on Google in the Earth-spying department. Yeah, India! Go, India!

Listen now: Download today's podcast EPISODE 856

Apple’s new MacBooks have built-in copy protection measures (thanks Mager!) http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08/11/18/apples_new_macbooks_have_built_in_copy_protection_measures.html http://arstechnica.com/journals/apple.ars/2008/11/17/apple-brings-hdcp-to-a-new-aluminum-macbook-near-you… Read more

'Cyborg' keyboard lives up to its name

Often when we talk about keyboards it's for some features that are practical but ultimately mundane--until we get to gaming gear, that is, when all bets are off. Case in point: Saitek has released its new "Cyborg Gaming Keyboard," which was first shown at CES in January, and it fully lives up to its name.

The fortified design and accents make the PK17U model looks like a game device in and of itself, or perhaps something from the instrument panels of the Galactica or the Enterprise. Particularly impressive are its backlighting features, which has three colors … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 685: Do Androids Dream?

HTC has subtly referenced Phil Dick by naming their forthcoming Android phone Dream. But is it a replicate? We'll never know. And of course Google is crumbling because their search traffic grew. You heard that right. We'll explain that theory and attempt to debunk it on the show. Listen now: Download today's podcast EPISODE 685

comScore releases February 2008 U.S. search engine rankings http://www.comscore.com/press/release.asp?press=2119

Google queries decelerated in February–comScore--Silicon Alley Insider http://www.alleyinsider.com/2008/3/ google_comscore_says_queries_decelerated_in_february

Google data watch: Enough with the overanalysis http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=8272… Read more