A new type of artificial larynx could mean better-sounding speech for those who've had their larynx removed due to laryngeal cancer or other ailments.
Researchers hope the SmartPalate can work for those without a larynx. The space-time graph pictured below the device corresponds to the tongue-palate contact pattern for the word "been."
(Credit: Jaren Wilke/Megan Russell/University of the Witwatersrand )Researchers at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, have come up with a system that tracks mouth movements to determine what word is being formed and then uses a speech synthesizer to audibly produce the correct word.
"All of the currently available devices produce such bad sound--it either sounds robotic or has a gruff speaking voice," Megan Russell, a Ph.D. candidate at the university, told Technology Review. "We felt the tech was there for an artificial synthesized voice solution."
Russell and her colleagues created the software for the system, which is being shown off this week at the International Conference on Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Engineering in Singapore. For their research, the team is training a retainer-like mouthpiece already utilized in speech therapy to recognize words mouthed by people without a larynx.
The mouthpiece, called a SmartPalate, is made by Utah-based company Complete Speech. It uses 118 embedded sensors to track tongue-to-palate and lip closure contacts.
A microprocessor input/output device worn around the user's neck or placed on the desktop connects the SmartPalate to a personal computer, and software produces real-time, onscreen visual feedback that shows those with speech impediments how to reposition their tongues.
The system being developed in South Africa, according to Technology Review, would translate mouth movements into words to be reproduced on a small sound synthesizer that could be kept in a pocket.
Russell has trained her software to recognize 50 common English words by saying each one multiple times with the SmartPalate in her mouth. The information picked up by the sensors can be represented on a graph and put into a database, and each time the wearer configures his or her mouth to form a word, the contact patterns are compared against the data to identify the right word.
Russell says the system identifies correct words 94.14 percent of the time, although this doesn't include words that the system classifies as "unknown" and chooses to skip.
(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.
Appliance manufacturer Whirlpool has received $19.3 million in U.S. Department of Energy funding as part of its Smart Grid Investment Grant program, the company announced Thursday.
Whirlpool, which markets appliances under the brand names Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Jenn-Air, Amana, Brastemp, Consul, and Bauknecht, joins General Electric in what seems to be a quest for designing the most well-behaved appliances.
The Whirlpool Duet washer and dryer is part of the company's 2009 line of eco-efficient laundry appliances. With Department of Energy funds, it plans to have a million smart-grid-compliant dryers ready for sale by 2011.
(Credit: Whirlpool)Similar to GE's smart-appliance ambitions, Whirlpool plans to develop home appliances that can connect and communicate with municipal smart grids. The machines will be able to receive signals from a smart grid, letting it know of off-peak hours, a good time to turn on and run.
Whirlpool, which will get its funding over a two-year period, plans to match the funds in order to have a million smart-grid-compatible dryers available for public purchase by 2011. The smart dryers will be manufactured in the United States, and the company estimates that the dryers could save consumers $20 to $40 per year in energy savings.
In addition to the smart dryers, Whirlpool has pledged that by 2015, it will discontinue making appliances sans the ability to communicate with smart grids. It will no longer make "dumb" appliances at all.
That promise, however, is dependent on a few things happening.
"This commitment is dependent on two important public-private partnerships: the development by the end of 2010 of an open, global standard for transmitting signals to, and receiving signals from, a home appliance; and appropriate policies that reward consumers, manufacturers, and utilities for using and adding these new peak-demand reduction capabilities," Whirlpool said in a statement.
Whirlpool's announcement follows President Obama's release this week of plans to overhaul the country's electrical grid to turn it into a smart-grid system. An estimated $8.1 billion is planned to be spent on 100 smart-grid projects in 49 states. Utilities themselves will kick in $4.7 billion, while the remaining $3.4 billion will come from the U.S. government as stimulus money.
Microsoft is banking on multitouch support as one selling point for Windows 7, and HP--traditionally a loyal supporter of Microsoft's consumer strategy--is helping the push by releasing an update to its TouchScreen PCs.
The touch-enabled version of Rhapsody for HP's TouchSmart PCs lets you search by writing an artist's name on the screen.
HP has worked with several partners to create touch-enabled versions of various consumer entertainment apps, including Hulu, Netflix, and Pandora Internet Radio, but hard-core music fans will probably be most interested in the touch-enabled version of Rhapsody.
Among the cool features: you'll be able to write the name of an artist directly on the screen, and Rhapsody will take you to that artist's page so you can begin listening to their songs. (Check out the video demo on RealNetworks' blog.)
More generally, Rhapsody remains one of my favorite subscription-based services, with a great selection and strong editorial content. While my other favorite, Microsoft's Zune Pass, offers a slightly better deal with 10 free downloads per month in addition to unlimited streaming, Rhapsody works with Apple's iPhone and iPod Touch. The Zune Pass does not.
Unfortunately, the TouchScreen only comes with a 14-day free trial, which seems a bit paltry: earlier this month Dell announced it would ship some new consumer laptops with a one-year free subscription to Napster, which includes the right to download 60 permanent files over the course of the year.
The Viper Smart Start app can control your car from wherever you are, as long as you have a data connection on your iPhone or iPod Touch.
(Credit: Directed Electronics)Car security company Directed Electronics is unveiling a new iPhone application Tuesday that lets customers control parts of their Viper SmartStart-enabled vehicle from their iPhone or iPod Touch.
The app, called Viper SmartStart, is quite similar toZipcar's recently released iPhone app, except it can work with your car, and not one you're renting for the weekend. It, too, creates a virtual keychain control module that can do things like lock and unlock your vehicle, open the trunk, and activate the alarm, getting rid of the need to carry around one of those keychain clickers as long as you've got your phone handy.
Coolest of all, though, there's a "Smart Start" button in the center of the screen that can turn on your vehicle. The company is promoting this as a simple way to defrost or cool off a car before you get in--that is, assuming you correctly set the climate controls the last time you were inside.
Since the app uses the iPhone's data connection to send the commands, you can control your car (or cars) from anywhere you have an EDGE or 3G signal. It also means you can use it on a non-cellular data device like the iPod Touch, as long as it's near Wi-Fi.
The app is completely free, but it requires you have Viper's SmartStart system installed in each car you want to take control of. This costs $499 for a new installation, or $299 for cars that already have a Viper alarm system, as well as an active subscription to Viper's Smart Start service. Buyers of the system get a year of the $29.99 service included when they get the service installed; then they have to pay after that.
I'm still waiting for a version that can give you live video and steering controls, like the ridiculous, yet awesome remote-controlled BMW in "Tomorrow Never Dies" Though something tells me that's not happening anytime soon.
You can watch the company's promo video after the break.
Correction 9:07 a.m. on October 13: This story initially misidentified the remote-controlled car and James Bond film it was featured in. It is a BMW, and it appeared in "Tomorrow Never Dies."
... Read more
(Credit:
Sarah Tew/CNET)
For this week's installment of the weekly Crave giveaway, we have an assortment of Duracell Smart Power accessories that are just about to hit stores. Included in the package is an Instant USB charger, a sweet Daylite LED flashlight, a Go Mobile charger with two AA and two AAA rechargeable batteries (plus a car adapter), and last but not least, the myGrid cable-free conductive charger (you lay your phone on a mat and the battery juices up). Out of the box, the myGrid only works with the Blackberry, Motorola, and Nokia models pictured, but additional charging adapters are available and next year a charging sleeve, which doubles as a protective case, will be available for the iPhone.
Normally, this collection of Duracell products would cost about $170, but you have the chance to get it gratis.
So, how do you try to win the Duracell goodies? Let me enumerate the basic rules. Please read them carefully; there will be a test.
- Register as a CNET user. Go to the top of this page and hit the "Join CNET" link to start the registration process. If you're already registered, no need to register again.
- Leave a comment below. You can leave whatever comment you want. If it's funny or insightful it won't help you win, but we're trying to have fun here, so anything entertaining is appreciated.
- Leave only one comment. You may enter this specific giveaway only once. If you enter more than one comment, you will be automatically disqualified.
- The winner will be chosen randomly. The winner will receive (1) Duracell Instant USB charger, (1) Duracell Daylite LED flashlight, (1) Duracell Go Mobile charger, (1) Duracell myGrid cable-free induction charger. Approximate retail value is $170.
- If you are chosen, you will be notified via e-mail. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen.
- Entries can be submitted until Monday, October 12, at noon EDT.
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. MUST BE LEGAL RESIDENT OF ONE OF THE 50 UNITED STATES OR D.C., 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER AT DATE OF ENTRY INTO SWEEPSTAKES. VOID IN PUERTO RICO, ALL U.S. TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS AND WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. Sweepstakes ends at 12 PM ET on October 12, 2009. See official rules for details.
Good luck.
We've known the specs for the Zune HD since May, and I've even gotten a couple brief hands-on demonstrations, but I discovered a few more surprises in the run-up to the retail release Tuesday.
(Credit:
Microsoft)
My favorite surprise on the device was a new feature called Quickplay. It solves one of the greatest problems with an MP3 player: as you add more music, it gets harder to find and immediately start playing the songs you're most excited about. Quickplay basically adds an alternate menu on the Zune home screen--it appears as collection of small album covers, offset slightly to the left of the main start menu--which automatically displays songs you've most recently played, as well as songs you've most recently added. You can also manually "pin" songs and albums to the menu. I also liked the way images (such as artist photos) drawn from the Zune Marketplace and cached to your device gradually scroll across the screen as you play a particular song, giving you more to look at than a static album cover.
Within the Zune PC software, my favorite surprise was the Smart DJ feature, which sets up an endlessly rotating playlist based on a particular song or artist. Like a lot of other Zune features, it works best if you've got a Zune Pass (which costs $14.99 a month)--in this case, it'll rotate not only through songs in your collection but also through the millions of songs in the Zune Marketplace, delivering the same kinds of surprises that Pandora fans have grown to love. If you don't have the Zune Pass, it simply draws songs from your collection, similar to how iTunes Genius works (in this case, Marketplace songs are greyed out but clickable if you want to buy them).
Zune's Smart DJ feature put together this playlist based on The Pixies. Here, it's playing a song from the Zune Marketplace--a cover of Jimi Hendrix's "Stone Free" by the group Belly.
There were also a couple of mild unfortunate surprises. First, Microsoft has removed the "squirting" feature, which let you send songs directly from one Zune to another. This feature was supposed to be a big selling point of the first Zune but was crippled by unreasonable rights restrictions that let you play songs only three times or within three days (whichever came first). Microsoft and content owners gradually loosened those restrictions, but the feature never made much difference--mainly because there were so few Zune users out there to exchange songs with. (The "first man with a telephone" problem.) Now it's gone. You can still share songs with your friends through the Zune's social-networking features--if you have a Zune Pass, then any song in any of your Zune contacts' library will be immediately playable on your machine--but that requires an active wireless connection and isn't quite as spontaneous as the Zune-to-Zune sharing. That said, I only used it a handful of times in the three years since I've had a Zune.
The other disappointment is the complete lack of a competitor to Apple's App Store for the iPhone and iPod Touch. There will be applications, including games, but Microsoft will release them directly to users through the Zune Marketplace or within software updates. There are no public APIs for developers, no distribution model, and more surprisingly, no immediate plans to connect to the Windows Marketplace for Mobile, Microsoft's app store for Windows Mobile phones, which launches on October 6. Why? Because Microsoft wants to build only one app store, and it can't be sure that apps built for Windows Mobile will work on the Zune HD.
There's plenty of other great stuff about the Zune HD, including a built-in HD Radio, bright touch screen, high-definition video output, and all the great wireless and social-networking features introduced in previous versions. It's the best Microsoft MP3 player yet and the first to pose a credible competitor to the iPod Touch, although it's still focused on digital audio and video, while the Touch (and iPhone) is more of a portable computer.
Be sure to check back later this week for the full updated review from CNET's Donald Bell, and we'll both be posting more personal impressions of the new device as we live and work with it throughout the coming weeks.
(Credit:
CellControl)
If you can't keep your hands off your cell phone while driving, a new blocking device can help you keep them on the wheel.
CellControl plugs into the computer terminals of cars made in 1996 and later (terminals are located under the steering column). It then links to your cell via Bluetooth and a downloadable application. When the vehicle is in motion, the device blocks all incoming and outgoing calls, plus texts and e-mails. But it always allows you to call emergency numbers.
CellControl does not depend on cell phone tower triangulation or GPS; as long as a car is moving at more than 1 mph, it will sense the motion and block calling. Incoming calls and messages are stored.
The device can be programmed, though, to allow only calls or text messages. Once the car is stopped, calls automatically come through. Passenger cell phones are not affected.
Driving while distracted (DWD) is becoming an increasingly important public safety issue.
Louisiana-based developer Obdedge says texting was related to about 500,000 road accidents in 2008. Meanwhile, the United Services Automobile Association recently noted that studies conducted in summer 2009 show texting while driving makes a driver 23 times more likely to be involved in an accident, while talking on a cell phone while driving, even hands-free, makes drivers as likely to cause a crash as someone considered legally drunk.
Obdedge is offering free beta testing before it launches CellControl for BlackBerry devices on September 15. Launches for Windows Mobile and Android will come later.
HP App Studio
(Credit: HP)HP just opened up its new Printer Application Studio to coincide with the release of the HP Photosmart Premium with TouchSmart Web slated for the end of this month. The site will offer visitors the chance to browse apps that extend the usability of the Web-connected printer, all available as free downloads directly to the device.
In a similar fashion to Apple's iPhone App store, HP's version can also be accessed using the "Get More" button on the large 4.33-inch touch screen. I had a chance to preview the store in a live demo with HP and the layout is very simple, with small icons and a place to submit user ratings, reviews, and suggestions for future applications. The marketplace is already populated with several applications from HP's partner companies. Some examples include:
- Snapfish: View, edit (lightly), and print your snapshot photos
- Google Maps: Print maps and directions
- Fandango: Buy and print movie tickets
- DreamWorks Animation: Print coloring pages and movie-themed games for the kids
- Weathernews Inc: Print up-to-date weather information
- Web Sudoku: Print out puzzles and games
HP also has the last piece of the puzzle in the form of the HP Software Developers Kit that will eventually give consumers and developers the tools to create their own Apps for submission to the App Studio. In the meantime, HP will continue to update the store with new apps throughout the year.
More pictures after the break.
... Read more
Lexmark Platinum Pro905
(Credit: Lexmark)Not to be outdone by HP's Photosmart Premium with TouchSmart Web, Lexmark on Tuesday rolled out a new line of printers, three of which will will feature a touch screen to access the Web. Although both companies claim to have the rights to the "world's first Web-connected printer," Lexmark's new product line is aimed at the business market rather than the consumer.
The Lexmark Solution Center already has several existing applications that users can easily download onto the machine with a touch of a virtual button. Some additions including a photo viewer, application shortcuts, RSS headline aggregators, and Google Calendar. Lexmark tells us that more applications are on their way and will roll out as they're developed.
Lexmark Interact S605
(Credit: Lexmark)Although only three of the new releases will include the SmartSolutions Web connectivity, five of the eight will feature 802.11n wireless as well as a new eco-friendly mode that automatically changes the driver settings to two-sided printing to save on the cost of consumables.
The final addition is a convenient business card scan feature that automatically inputs contact info to commonly-used personal information management applications like Microsoft Outlook and Palm OSTM. I had the opportunity to see all of the new features in action and was impressed with its accuracy. Unfortunately, the Mac OS Address Book is not supported at this time.
The offering is also labeled with Lexmark's new, simplified nomenclature to make it easier for consumers to distinguish between products and features, which break down into two lines: the Professional Series (including the Platinum, Prestiage, Prevail, and Prospect) and the Home Office Series (Interact, Intuition, Interpret, and Impact). Prices start at $99 for the Impact and scale up to $399 for the Platinum, which includes dual paper trays and the SmartSolutions touch screen.
We already have a Lexmark Platinum Pro905 on the way, so keep your eyes peeled for an in-depth review coming soon.
