(Credit:
SmartFish Technologies)
I switched from mice to trackpads and trackballs years ago after my wrist started getting all janky on me after a few hours a day of work. That's because seesaw mouses like SmartFish Technologies' ErgoMotion laser mouse didn't exist back then.
Looks like fun, no?
(Credit: SmartFish Technologies)The mouse, which just launched officially, isn't static like most, but rather has a Y axis and X axis pivoting motion so it fits more naturally in your hand as it moves. When you push a mouse forward the geometry of your hand is different than when you pull it back. The mouse is designed to shift with your hand's geometry. Neat trick.
Made by the same company that brought us the Pro:Motion family of moving keyboards, the ErgoMotion laser mouse goes for about $50 and works with Windows or Mac OS X and connects via a wireless USB dongle (included) so the wires don't get in the way and force the mouse one way or another. It's also designed for left hand or right hand use, something many ergonomic mice don't feature.
I haven't had a chance to try an ErgoMotion mouse yet, but it certainly looks comfortable. Which reminds me, I should look getting into some ergonomic pants for my Thanksgiving feast.
(Credit:
Michigan State University)
Michigan State University researchers are spawning robot fish to monitor the quality of lake water and the effect of harmful algae.
The prototype fish resemble other robot fish, such as those being developed at MIT to check for pollutants in water.
An electric charge in the 9-inch MSU prototype causes its polymer fins to bend so the robotic perch can maneuver. Designs call for onboard sensors to record temperature, oxygen, pollutant, and algae data, which would be relayed to a docking station when the fish surfaces. GPS systems and infrared sensors could be developed to aid navigation.
The fish are designed to be low-cost for applications such as monitoring aquafarms and water reservoirs. Compared with water sampling by humans, the robo-fish would provide a more regular data feed by communicating with each other and their docking station.
The MSU researchers hope to make the robot more robust so it can swim through currents. Currently it can only move through calm water.
Postgraduate researcher Ryan Ladd helped develop Gymnobot at the University of Bath's Ocean Technologies Lab.
(Credit: Nic Delves-Broughton/University of Bath)A robot fish developed at the U.K.'s University of Bath features a unique method of propulsion--a single fin rippling along its belly like a wave. Bath engineers say Gymnobot might inspire lighter, more efficient robotic submersibles.
Recent robot fish, such as MIT's low-cost polymer fish, have flexible bodies, but Gymnobot is rigid save for a long undulating fin powered by twin crankshafts inside its body.
The design is a nod to freshwater knifefish, which can move forward and backward, and hover, by rippling an elongated ventral fin. The skin of the fin covers hundreds of fin rays that oscillate side-to-side, creating a wave in the water. Check out a black ghost knifefish moving here.
Other scientists have also examined this unique mechanism (PDF), though Bath engineers seem to be the first to build a model.
Gymnobot may be used to study biodiversity in oceans and rivers and help detect pollution. Its ventral fin would allow the robot to maneuver in shallower water than propeller-driven robots since propellers can get caught in reeds.
It may also be more energy-efficient, according to engineers at the University of Bath's Ocean Technologies Laboratory led by biomimetics lecturer William Megill.
The lab is also building a robot manta ray to study fish stocks in the fjords of British Columbia.
(Credit:
MIT)
On the heels of a scientific report last month saying 63 percent of world fish stocks require rebuilding, scientists at MIT have unveiled a new robot fish that's cheap to make and ripe for mass production.
Actually, MIT engineers Kamal Youcef-Toumi and Pablo Valdivia Y Alvarado aren't aiming to replenish fisheries. They want their robot swimmers to be used for underwater monitoring of pipelines, sunken ships, and pollution. Since the fish are less than a foot long, they can maneuver into spaces that are too tight for most underwater autonomous vehicles (UAVs).
The fish--while not as pretty as these toxin-sniffing robot carp patrolling Spanish waters--are notable for their novel design. They have fewer than 10 parts, making them low-cost, and are housed in a continuous flexible polymer casing that prevents water damage.
Lacking different segments, the fish can swim more naturally, according to MIT (watch the video after the jump). A single motor in the middle initiates a wave that moves along the body and propels it forward. Real fish move in a similar fashion by contracting muscles on either side of their bodies.
Youcef-Toumi noted that the polymers allow for stiffness to be specified in different sections, adding that another application would be robotic prosthetic limbs.
The early versions of the fish, about 5 inches long, swam like bass and trout, with movement concentrated in the tail. ... Read more
(Credit:
Gamespot)
Mark Licea AKA MTI fills in for Justin Yu's diminutive shoes on this beautiful snow day, who's out with a genital warps outbreak. (Mwuahaha... Wilson would like to thank Justin for giving him the power to write the blog post/show description.) Mark gives us his one word review of Street Fighter IV for the PlayStation 3: "Yeah". Also, Jeff can't wait to catch Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-li, which seriously got a 0% on Rotten Tomatoes. The only reason why Wilson wants to see it is because Kristin Kreuk is in it. (Volume off, of course).
We find out today that Judd Apatow will be taking over the production of Ghostbusters 3, the long awaited sequel. We're just worried that Seth Rogen will be in it smoking a doobie the whole time, while the original Ghostbusters try to break out of a nursing home instead of a mental hospital. Plus, we don't think that New York City can take any more monsters, even if it is Stay Puft Marshmallow Man. Some one please let J.J. Abrams know that because apparently he has an idea for the next Cloverfield movie. This time with more vomit-inducing camera shake. Finally, Nokia phones can take a beating but don't survive the fryer.
Tonight might also be the end of the world. A small asteroid will swing by our planet tonight, barely scrapping by at 40,000 miles from the earth's center. To keep that in perspective, the diameter of the planet is only 7926.28 miles. Who knows you might be able to catch the streak of light tonight? But we know one person who won't be sad today: James Mincey. He's a California DJ, who won "Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection" for the Xbox 360. We'll be sending that his way soon. We've got more giveaways coming up, so please send in your calls and e-mails and keep on listening to the most irrelevant podcast on the Internet. Tomorrow, we've got Dr. Michael Breus on the show to explain to us how to stop our wet dreams.
EPISODE 289
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When it comes to losing your cell phone in the sea, you expect it to be buried there. You certain don't expect it to turn up a week later inside a fish. And you most definitely don't expect it to still be working.
However, British businessman Andrew Cheatle appears to be the owner of the most resilient Nokia 1600 in the world.
He told the Sun newspaper, "I was messing about with my dog, and my phone must have fallen out and been swept out in the swell. I kept calling it, but I gave up hope after a couple of days."
He went shopping for a new cell phone with his clearly understanding girlfriend. Suddenly, her phone rang, and a chap on the other end asked her to swallow the story of a 25-pound cod he had just caught. The cod had swallowed her boyfriend's Nokia.
The caller was a fisherman named Glen Kerley. He was using Mr. Cheatle's SIM card. (The Nokia was still a little wet.) A craggy soul, with a face that launched a thousand shivers, Mr. Kerley seems to be the kind of man whose stories preclude him from ever having to buy a drink.
"Cod are greedy fish; they'll eat anything," he told the Sun. "They have big heads and big mouths."
You might think that he is confusing cod with bank officials. But no bank official could surely eat "plastic cups, stones, teaspoons, batteries." On the other hand, Mr. Kerley has also heard of "someone finding false teeth in one."
Naturally, the Nokia was not in pristine condition. The biggest problem was the smell. Mr. Cheatle has not revealed which brand of sanitizer he used to get rid of it, though I understand that his ears were assaulted by several excited cats while he was in a business meeting.
It's hard to believe that this Nokia could possibly still be in working order. All we have are Mr. Cheatle's words: "It was working, but it kept playing up, so I had to get the circuit board changed in the end. But now it's fine. I know it sounds a fishy tale, but it is 100 percent true."
I have to confess that I spent much of today trying to buy a new cell phone. I am even more partial to Nokias than was Mr. Kerley's cod. And salesmen from several providers tried to tempt me into various embodiments of BlackBerry and iPhone.
But after hearing Mr. Kerley's tale, I will hold out until Nokia lets me have a worthy successor to the unassuming but wondrous 9300.
Yo, Finland. I know it's cold. And I know you're probably all out fishing and drinking. But please think of us needy pond life over here. Thank you.
What can we say? We're in the giving spirit this holiday. Whether you like 'em or not, they're yours now! Happy Holidays, everyone!
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EPISODE 118 |
Nespresso Essenza Automatic Espresso and Coffeemakers with Nespresso Aeroccino Milk Frother
Cool party favor or life-saving tool? You be the judge
Blast Knuckles: For the woman on the go who needs that extra sense of security
Mobigrip gives you a firm grasp on your handhelds
Radio-controlled key finder makes life easy for the scatterbrained
Digital Spoon Scale, for obsessively accurate cooks
PRETTY
Sun and Moon Jars
Brazilian artist Vivian Caccuri has put together a really neat piece of installation art that remixes music from an MP3 player based on the movements of live fish. The setup uses a proximity sensor to monitor what the fish are doing and changes the processing levels, adding and removing distortion and speaker fade as they go about their fishy business.
The video, which I've embedded below, was shot by Alex Tyson, who recorded straight off the installation's sound board. To appreciate it properly you should watch it with a good pair of headphones, as the music has been mixed down from four channels to two. If you want to go see it yourself you'll have to visit Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Related: Electroplankton for the Nintendo DS.
Note: To see this video in HD, head over to its page on Vimeo.
Submersed Songs | Canções Submersas from ∆LEX on Vimeo.
BDK knows what's up.
(Credit: Bigdaddykane.org)I was not prepared for this episode, but Dong forced me to do it (ahem!) today...So, if we seem off, blame Dong and Vietnam of course. Today we get some "awesome" details on Eric's trip to Minneapolis and Dong's new exciting hard drives! Also, why the Olympics depress Dong (he's sensitive) and some other random craps.
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Virtual Console
- Samurai Shodown (1993, NeoGeo, 900 Wii points): Samurai Shodown is a fighting game that lets you choose between 12 characters each with their own moves and special abilities. Fans of the Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter franchises are sure to enjoy this title.
WiiWare
- Block Breaker Deluxe (Gameloft, 800 Wii points): Block Breaker Deluxe is a brand new take on the classic brick-breaking arcade and portable games.
- Cocoto Fishing Master (Neko Entertainment, 700 Wii points): Cocoto is a fishing master in search of five legendary fish. Use your Wii remote and nunchuk to reel them in while you battle massive bosses in five different lake-worlds.
What games do you think are missing from the Wii virtual console? Sound off here!
