Own-News: News-English

Scientists close in on computers that work like the human brain

<div style="text-align: center;">
             <img alt="Scientists close in on computers that work like the human brain" src="http://images.gizmag.com/hero/memristors-three-terminal-brain-like-computing.jpg" title="Scientists close in on computers that work like the human brain" /> </div>
Scientists have been working since 2008
 to develop technology based on memristors (short for memory resistors),
 which promise computers that need never boot up and function more akin 
to the human brain – like neurons, they can retain information and perform logic operations.
 Now scientists at Northwestern University have made a new breakthrough 
that may make possible brain-like computing capabilities.<br />

Memristors are considered exciting for more than their potential to 
create brain-like computers. Unlike flash memory, they're fast. Unlike 
random access memory (RAM), they remember their state – whatever 
information they held – when they lose power. They also require less 
energy to operate, rarely crash, and are immune to radiation. The 
trouble is that they are two-terminal electronic devices, which results 
in them being tunable only through changes in the voltage applied 
externally.<br />

The team at Northwestern transformed memristors from two-terminal to 
three-terminal electronic devices, thereby allowing their use in more 
complex electronic circuits and systems. The normal memristor setup as 
two-terminal devices allows only limited control over how electrical 
current flows through the system, but the third electrode used by the 
Northwestern researchers can act as a gate, finely controlling the 
resistance.<br />

They achieved this by using a nanomaterial semiconductor called 
molybdenum disulfide, which has its "grains" of atoms arranged in a 
different direction to the memristors. A grain boundary sits between the
 molybdenum disulfide sheet and the metal electrode, acting as a kind of
 interface for the atoms. "These grain boundaries influence the flow of 
current, so they can serve as a means of tuning resistance," co-author 
Mark Hersam said.<br />

The grain boundary moves when a large electric field is applied on 
the memristor, which causes a change in resistance. And that, Hersam 
noted, makes possible a new level of function and complexity that could 
lead to brain-like computing. "We are now actively exploring this 
possibility in the laboratory," he said.<br />

A paper describing the research was published in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/nnano/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nnano.2015.56.html" target="_blank"><em>Nature Nanotechnology</em></a>.<br />

Source: <a href="http://www.nature.com/nnano/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nnano.2015.56.html" target="_blank">Northwestern University</a><br />
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Scientists close in on computers that work like the human brain

Scientists have been working since 2008 to develop technology based on memristors (short for memory resistors), which pro...

How to give your Windows 8 PC a clean start with PC Refresh

<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Here's how to perform a PC Refresh on Windows 8.1" src="http://images.gizmag.com/hero/windows-8-pc-refresh.png" title="Here's how to perform a PC Refresh on Windows 8.1" /> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Just like with previous versions, once you've had your Windows 8 
computer for a while, chances are it will become unstable or not be as 
sprightly as it once was. That's when a little clean up might be on 
order to return it to its former glory. Here's how to use the PC Refresh
 feature to reclaim the speed and stability the computer once had and 
not lose your personal files. This article will also show you how to 
make PC Refresh (and Reset) work if you receive a common error message.</div>
PC Refresh and Reset has been available since the first release of 
Windows 8, but it has changed since Windows 8.1 and the more recent Windows 8.1 update 1.<br />
<b>Note:</b> There is a big difference between a PC Refresh
 and PC Reset. The latter will restore your PC to factory settings, 
which will also delete all of your personal files and apps. I suggest 
doing the PC Refresh for getting speed and stability back to your 
computer while retaining your personal files. However, If your computer 
is badly infected or you're selling it, then a PC Reset would be in 
order.<br />
Getting to either PC Refresh or PC Reset is exactly the same. The 
only difference is with one you keep your personal files, while the 
other wipes your machine clean.<br />
<h2>
Why is PC Refresh valuable?</h2>
Inevitably, your Windows system will slow down over time in 
comparison to when you first got it. Everyday use and installing and 
uninstalling apps will leave remnants of those programs and files in 
temporary directories and the Registry, which causes stability and 
performance problems. If you've been hit by malicious software, 
uninstalling it can also lead to corrupted files that results in a slow 
and unstable computer.<br />
The best solution to this type of slow down or instability in 
previous versions of Windows was to do a clean install of the OS, which 
is a long and arduous process. And who has the time? Now, in Windows 8, 
there’s a feature that lets you Refresh or Reset your PC without going 
through the hassle of a clean install.<br />
<h2>
Refresh your Windows 8 computer</h2>
To refresh your Windows 8.x system, go to <i>Settings > Update and Recovery > Recovery</i>.
 Then under "Refresh your PC without affecting your files," click the 
Get started button. Or if you do want to do a PC Reset, click the Get 
Started button under "Remove everything and reinstall Windows." We'll 
take the first option.<br />
<div class="article_img">
<img alt="Start the PC Refresh process" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/windows-8-pc-refresh-0.png" width="" /></div>
Next you should see the following message letting you know what will happen during the PC Refresh.<br />
<div class="article_img">
<img alt="Windows' message about what PC Refresh does" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/windows-8-pc-refresh-4.png" width="" /></div>
Now wait while your computer restarts a couple of times and the PC 
Refresh completes. You'll see a series of different screens, like the 
one below, where Windows lets you know where it's at in the refresh 
process. In my experience, it usually takes about 30 minutes, but the 
time will vary between systems.<br />
<div class="article_img">
<img alt="Windows is starting PC Refresh" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/windows-8-pc-refresh-7.png" width="" /></div>
Keep in mind that after the refresh is complete, you'll need to do 
some system configuration to get everything back to how you had it. For 
example, you'll need to set up and reconfigure some desktop programs 
like iTunes or <a href="http://www.gizmag.com/google-now-chrome/31361/" target="_blank">Google Chrome</a>,
 reset file associations, desktop shortcuts, etc. While that's a bit 
annoying, the important thing is your personal files, such as photos, 
music, Office documents, videos, etc., are still there.<br />
<div class="article_img">
<img alt="After the refresh, some apps will need to be reconfigured" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/windows-8-pc-refresh-8.png" width="" /></div>
<h2>
Troubleshooting PC Refresh/Reset</h2>
<div class="article_img">
<img alt="Error when trying to execute a PC Refresh" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/windows-8-pc-refresh-3.png" width="" /></div>
If the above instructions didn't work and you receive the error message: <i>"some files are missing. Your Windows installation or recovery media will provide these files"</i>
 shown above, you'll need to do some geeky stuff. This is a common error
 if you updated Windows 8 to 8.1 via the Windows Store. Microsoft didn't
 include the proper image file to do a PC Refresh and the ability to do a
 PC Refresh or PC Reset is no longer there.<br />
Microsoft advises that you need the ISO file of Windows 8.1, but that
 wasn't made available right away, and a lot of people aren't able to 
use their original Windows 8 key to download it. The good thing is, you 
can create the proper image file, but it takes some time and patience.<br />
Before you start, make sure your computer has at least 16 GB of free 
space available on the hard drive. Then you'll need to run the command 
prompt as administrator. This is essential, otherwise creating the image
 won't work.<br />
Right-click on the Windows button from the desktop and select Command
 Prompt (Admin) from the menu. Alternately you can search for <i>cmd</i> in the Modern environment, then under the results right-click Command Prompt and select to run as administrator.<br />
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<br /></div>

How to give your Windows 8 PC a clean start with PC Refresh

Just like with previous versions, once you've had your Windows 8 computer for a while, chances are it will become unstable or not ...

IBM sets new tape storage record

<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="A hand-sized tape cartridge of the new tape could hold the equivalent of 220 terabytes of ..." src="http://images.gizmag.com/hero/ibm-tape-record.PNG" title="A hand-sized tape cartridge of the new tape could hold the equivalent of 220 terabytes of ..." /> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
For many people, tape memory
 is a dead technology found only on reel-to-reel computers in old 1960s 
movies. However, it’s still a major storage medium and a new 
breakthrough by IBM Research and Fuji Film has produced a low-cost 
particulate magnetic tape with a record density of 123 billion bits of 
uncompressed data per square inch, which represents 88 times more 
capacity than 2012's LTO-6 tape cartridge. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
When the first half-inch-wide computer tape was invented in 1952, it 
had about 2 megabytes per reel of storage. Previously, the main storage 
medium was punch cards, but the development of electronic computers 
produced machines that soon operated at the limits of the speed of punch
 card systems.<br />
Plastic tape seemed a viable alternative, but even in the 1950s, the 
speed that tapes had to run was more than the plastic could handle 
without stretching or tearing, so elaborate mechanical buffers, vacuum 
columns, and magnetic readers were developed so the tapes could run back
 and forth quickly without putting too much strain on the plastic.<br />
<div class="article_img">
<img alt="The new tape uses a high-density barium ferrite medium" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/ibm-tape-record-6.jpg" width="" /></div>
Over the years, hard drives, CDs, DVDs, and solid state memory came 
along, but tape is still very much a mainstream technology used in 
backups, disaster replicas, video, archiving and other renditions, with 
over 500 exabytes of data currently on tape.<br />
The new IBM tape has an areal density 110,000,000 times greater than 
IBM’s first tape drive, which could result in a hand-sized tape 
cartridge that holds the equivalent of 220 terabytes of data. IBM 
compares this to 220 million books that would need 2,200 km (1,367 mi) 
of bookshelf.<br />
The new tape is the result of 13 years of work on a high-density 
barium ferrite tape combined with new control technology for read-write 
heads involving advanced servo control technologies, a high bandwidth 
head actuator, and a set of tape-speed, optimized, H-infinity, 
track-follow controllers that place the head within 6 nanometers; 
allowing a track density of 181,300 tracks per inch. This new recording 
medium combined with noise-predictive detection technology makes 
possible an ultra-narrow 90 nm-wide Giant MagnetoResistive (GMR) reader.<br />
<div class="article_img">
<img alt="Test rig for the new IBM computer tape" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/ibm-tape-record-1.jpg" width="" /></div>
IBM sees the new tape technology as having applications in big data 
and cloud computing at a cost of pennies per gigabyte. One example of 
this is the company’s OpenStack Swift, which lets users inexpensively 
migrate cold data to a highly durable cloud based storage tier.<br />
A research prototype of the new tape drive is on display at the 2015 National Association Broadcasters Show.<br />
The video below discusses the new IBM storage tape.<br />
Source: <a href="http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/46554.wss" target="_blank">IBM</a><br />
<div class="article_video">
</div>

IBM sets new tape storage record

For many people, tape memory is a dead technology found only on reel-to-reel computers in old 1960s movies. However, it’s still a m...

Pastrovich X-Easy yacht concept takes the beach house to the ocean

<img alt="The Pastrovich X-Easy concept yacht is designed for a 'beach house' type lifestyle" src="http://images.gizmag.com/hero/pastrovich-x-easy-concept-yacht.jpg" title="The Pastrovich X-Easy concept yacht is designed for a 'beach house' type lifestyle" />
           
         
   <div class="pic_caption">
Yachts, often being a plaything of the wealthy, are a fertile breeding ground for flamboyant and luxurious new designs.
 One such concept is the 55 m (180 ft) X-Easy motor yacht designed by 
Monaco-based Pastrovich Studio. The X-Easy is designed for the fun, 
relaxation and wellness of those on-board.<br />

Pastrovich explains that an "X" in its model names relates to the 
company's concept designs. The "Easy" part of the name, in this case, is
 said to be indicative of usability, peace of mind, comfort and privacy.<br />

To begin with, the X-Easy concept has a diesel-electric engine, but 
Pastrovich tells own-news this could just as well be a full diesel or even
 a hybrid engine. Hybrid engines, explains the firm, lend themselves 
well to a boat used primarily as a watersports hub, as they allow for 
moving around a bay to source a good spot using electric power and 
without having to start up the main engines.<br />

Facilities on the boat are designed to be easily manageable so that 
the crew can be kept to a minimum. Only nine crew members are required, 
which helps to foster a familiar, family-feel amongst all those on 
board.<br />

<div class="article_img">
<img alt="The Pastrovich X-Easy is 55 m (180 ft) long and has a proposed diesel-electric engine" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/pastrovich-x-easy-concept-yacht-1.jpg" width="" /></div>
The yacht's layout is designed to be easily adaptable, with fixed 
furniture kept to a minimum. Loose furniture instead allows for spaces 
on the yacht to be reconfigured as required. The spaces themselves are 
open and flow easily between inside and out. This, says Pastrovich, 
creates a bright, fresh and simple "beach house" atmosphere.<br />

The brightness and freshness of the X-Easy is further fostered by the
 use of natural materials throughout. The materials used, both 
internally and externally, include teak, bamboo, stone and linen.<br />

Amongst the facilities on-board are a spa and gym for helping 
passengers to stay healthy and fit. A bow terrace with a dining table 
provides a quiet and private space for eating and chatting. The stern of
 the boat is dedicated to the beach house lifestyle that the concept is 
designed to achieve. The stern, meanwhile, is kept separate from the 
main section, with side-access helping to avoid any disturbance to life 
on board the vessel.<br />

<div class="article_img">
<img alt="The Pastrovich X-Easy features a variety of 'toys,' including a jet-ski, inflatables, smal..." src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/pastrovich-x-easy-concept-yacht-2.jpg" width="" /></div>
A variety of "toys" are incorporated into the concept, include a 
jet-ski, inflatables, small sailboats, a jellyfish pool and standup 
paddle boards. All these are stored in a space under the main deck that 
is accessible through hatches in the side of the hull.<br />

Although the X-Easy is designed as a concept, Pastrovich tells own-news
 that it hopes to bring the design to fruition in the future.<br />

Source: <a href="http://www.pastrovich.com/wordpress/portfolio/55m-x-easy/" target="_blank">Pastrovich Studio</a></div>
</div>

Pastrovich X-Easy yacht concept takes the beach house to the ocean

Yachts, often being a plaything of the wealthy, are a fertile breeding ground...

Impossible City: A youth-built off-grid movable eco-village for Seattle's homeless

<div style="text-align: center;">
             <img alt="Sawhorse Revolution seeks to develop confident, community-oriented youth through carpentry..." src="http://images.gizmag.com/hero/impossible-city-seattle-homeless-shelters.jpg" title="Sawhorse Revolution seeks to develop confident, community-oriented youth through carpentry..." /> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
A project by Seattle-based charity Sawhorse Revolution is both educating
 young people and creating accommodation for the homeless. The 
Impossible City is a community of housing built by local teens as they 
learn new skills. The accommodation is designed to be affordable, 
sustainable and movable. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
"It wasn’t hard to realize that we really needed to engage with 
off-grid living practices to build for an off-grid community," says 
Sawhorse Revolution executive director Adam Nishimura. "That idea also 
inspired the use of salvaged and up-cycled materials whenever possible."<br />

<div class="article_img">
<img alt="The Impossible City is an affordable, sustainable and movable homeless community being bui..." src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/impossible-city-seattle-homeless-shelters-1.jpg" width="" />f</div>
The project has seen one off-grid micro-home constructed already. The
 Green House was designed and built by Sawhorse Revolution students and 
staff and is made largely from recycled materials. A salvaged aluminum 
panel is used for the roof, the sides of the structure are made from old
 street signs and re-used glass provides a window for light.<br />

Work on a second shelter began this month and is expected to be 
completed in June. The Nest has again been designed by the students, but
 this time with them mentored by Olson Kundig Architects. It features a 
lofted bed with space for storage underneath, additional space for 
storage along one side, a window seat and a rubberized floor. High 
windows provide lighting, ventilation and privacy, while a grated ramp 
allows for shoes to be wiped-off before entry.<br />

Additional shelter designs have been shortlisted for building in the 
future, including one with collapsible functionality, canvas-covered 
structures and a concept inspired by disaster relief shelters. A solar 
charging hub, a community cookspace and composting latrines are also 
shortlisted for creation.<br />

<div class="article_img">
<img alt="All of the shelters are designed to be built using recycled materials where possible and t..." src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/impossible-city-seattle-homeless-shelters-4.jpg" width="" /></div>
Adding solar panels to the roofs of the shelters was initially mooted
 as a means of providing residents with power, but it was decided that 
this was not workable. Instead, a solar hub was devised as a means of 
allowing residents to charge devices. The hub could also potentially 
generate power to heat water for hand/dish washing.<br />

A community cookspace would provide a dry place for residents to cook
 and eat together. It is the least technical of the shortlisted ideas 
and an easy design to adapt depending on what the residents decide they 
need in such a facility.<br />

Sawhorse says that the most challenging shortlisted concept to 
deliver would be the composting latrines. The latrines need to serve at 
least 40 residents, but would not be able to use concrete or solid 
foundations like other similar latrines. They must be portable, simple 
to empty, user friendly and meet city code standards. Despite the 
challenges involved, this project is a priority and would be a big 
benefit as toilet rental and maintenance is the Nickelsville camp's 
biggest expense.<br />

<div class="article_img">
<img alt="A conceptual diagram of some of the proposed shelters in-situ" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/impossible-city-seattle-homeless-shelters-8.jpg" width="" /></div>
All of the structures are designed to be built using recycled 
materials where possible, to be well insulated and to incorporate 
passive elements that take advantage of the surroundings (such as being 
oriented towards the sun). The shelters are all less than 11 ft (3.4 m) 
high, around 8.5 ft (2.6 m) wide and 1,800 lb (820 kg) so that they can 
be easily lifted for transportation.<br />

Sawhorse Revolution is coming to the end of an Indiegogo campaign
 to raise money for the Impossible City. There are a number of pledge 
options available all the way up to $5,000, which would fund an entire 
program.<br />

The Impossible City project is expected to be completed in the next 
2-3 years, or longer if extra money can be raised to fund additional 
activities.<br />

Source: <a href="http://www.sawhorserevolution.org/" target="_blank">Sawhorse Revolution</a>

Impossible City: A youth-built off-grid movable eco-village for Seattle's homeless

A project by Seattle-based charity Sawhorse Revolution is both educating young people and creating accommodation for th...

9 useful Google Search functions you may not know about

<div style="text-align: center;">
             <img alt="There are a host of commands and functions that can be used with Google Search to get more..." src="http://images.gizmag.com/hero/google-search-functions-12.png" title="There are a host of commands and functions that can be used with Google Search to get more..." /> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Google Search is so widely used that the company's name has become 
synonymous with searching online. There's more to the most used search 
engine in the world than just locating websites though, other services aside. Let's have a look at some of Google Search's other functions. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<h2>
1.Search with missing letters or words</h2>
<div class="article_img">
<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/google-search-functions/34382/pictures#3" target="_blank"><img alt="Google Search allows users to use an asterisk as a wildcard in place of a word or letter" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/google-search-functions-3.png" width="" /></a></div>
Sometimes you may know what you want to search for, but may not be 
able to remember the exact word or phrase. Believe it or not, there is a
 solution to help with this. Google Search uses the asterisk as a 
wildcard, meaning you can substitute any word or letter for an asterisk 
and results containing all of the possible alternatives that the 
asterisk could stand for will be returned. For example, searching for 
"an * a day" will bring up results that include "an hour a day," "an 
apple a day," and "an aspirin a day."<br />
<h2>
 </h2>
<h2>
2.Find similar websites</h2>
<div class="article_img">
<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/google-search-functions/34382/pictures#4" target="_blank"><img alt="Google Search allows users to search for other websites that are similar to a specific web..." src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/google-search-functions-4.png" width="" /></a></div>
If there's a website or service you can't get enough of, or to which 
you need something slightly different, then you can use the "related:" 
command to find sites or services that are similar to it.<br />

For example, if you're looking for alternatives to Spotify, then you 
can search for "related:www.spotify.com" and Google Search will provide a
 host of similar services and related pages<br />
<br />
<h2>
3.Find definitions</h2>
<div class="article_img">
<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/google-search-functions/34382/pictures#5" target="_blank"><img alt="Google Search allows users to look up definitions of words" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/google-search-functions-5.png" width="" /></a></div>
If you're unsure of a word's meaning, there's no need to go searching
 for an online dictionary. The search engine can provide definitions 
itself. All that's needed is to precede the word about which you're 
curious with the command "define:". For example, if the meaning of 
"pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis" has escaped you, then 
searching for "define: pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis" 
will reveal all.<br />
<h2>
4.Calculate conversions</h2>
<div class="article_img">
<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/google-search-functions/34382/pictures#6" target="_blank"><img alt="Google Search allows users to calculate conversions" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/google-search-functions-6.png" width="" /></a></div>
Google Search is able to convert many different units of measure. To 
make matters easier, it is also able to do so based on natural language.
 So, for example, you need only type in "10.5 centimeters in inches" and
 you'll be provided with the converted figure. Abbreviations will also 
work and the search engine also recognizes code conventions, such as for
 currency.<br />

To find out how many pounds sterling your dollars are worth, 
therefore, you can search for "15 USD in GBP." Other units of measure 
that Google Search recognizes include temperature, area and power, as 
well as things like height and weight.<br />
<br />
<h2>
5.Calculate sums</h2>
<div class="article_img">
<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/google-search-functions/34382/pictures#7" target="_blank"><img alt="Google Search allows users to calculate mathematical problems" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/google-search-functions-11.png" width="" /></a></div>
You can use Google Search to work out math calculations. It's just a 
case of typing your sum into the search box and pressing enter. A simple
 example would be "10 + 20" which, of course, will give you an answer of
 30. But Google Search is far more sophisticated than that and is able 
to handle parenthesized calculations, advanced math and physical 
constants.<br />
<br />
<h2>
6.Check flights</h2>
<div class="article_img">
<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/google-search-functions/34382/pictures#8" target="_blank"><img alt="Google Search allows users to check flight statuses" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/google-search-functions-7.png" width="" /></a></div>
If you're planning to meet someone at the airport, or you just want 
to check that they have landed safely, you can now find flight 
information directly through Google Search. You need only search for the
 airline and the flight number to bring up the required information. 
Searching for "qantas QF7" will bring up information about a Qantas flight on the world's longest route, for example. In a similar way, it's also possible to track courier packages with the tracking number.<br />
<br />
<h2>
7.Check for movie showtimes</h2>
<div class="article_img">
<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/google-search-functions/34382/pictures#10" target="_blank"><img alt="Google Search allows users to look up movie showtimes" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/google-search-functions-9.png" width="" /></a></div>
When you're looking for a movie to go and see at the cinema, Google 
Search can help you decide what to watch, where and when. Searching 
alone for "showtimes" will bring up cinema listings for your country or,
 if you provide more specific location information, your area. If you 
want to know when a specific film is showing, then "showtimes:" followed
 by the film name will bring up just the listings for that film (such as
 "showtimes: gone girl").<br />
<br />
<h2>
8.Find out world times</h2>
<div class="article_img">
<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/google-search-functions/34382/pictures#9" target="_blank"><img alt="Google Search allows users to look for the time across the world" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/google-search-functions-8.png" width="" /></a></div>
You may already know that you can check the time in different cities 
around the world using Google Search. The command "time:" along with the
 city in question is all you need. "Time: Sydney" will give you the time
 in Sydney, Australia. Fewer people may know that you can also search 
for the time across entire areas though. A search for "time: africa" 
will provide a range of times from cities across the continent.<br />
<br />
<h2>
9.Do a barrel roll</h2>
<div class="article_img">
<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/google-search-functions/34382/pictures#11" target="_blank"><img alt="Google Search can also do a barrel roll on command" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/google-search-functions-10.png" width="" /></a></div>
And, of course, if you want your search results to do a barrel roll, 
then all you need to do is ask and Google Search will oblige. Type "do a
 barrel roll" into the box and hit search. Why wouldn't you?<br />

For more advice on getting more out of Google services, you can hit up own-news's Google Chrome tips and our tips for getting the most out of Gmail.<br />

9 useful Google Search functions you may not know about

Google Search is so widely used that the company's name has become synonymous with searching online. There's more...

NASA has one of the most impressive self-driving cars yet

<img alt="The MRV is NASA's version of a self-driving car, and then some (Photo: NASA)" src="http://images.gizmag.com/hero/mrv.JPG" title="The MRV is NASA's version of a self-driving car, and then some (Photo: NASA)" />While both Tesla and Google
 are among the big names working on self-driving vehicles, NASA has its 
own take on an autonomous vehicle that can perform a few 
out-of-this-world maneuvers, perhaps because the technology behind it is
 borrowed from concepts for astronaut rovers designed for eventual use 
on the moon or Mars.<br />
<br />
The bureaucratically-named "Modular Robotic Vehicle" is described by 
NASA's Game Changing Development Program Office (yes, that's a real 
office) as "a fully electric vehicle well-suited for busy urban 
environments." But really, the MRV is much more than that. This is 
thanks largely to its adapted fly-by-wire driving system and four 
independent wheels called "e-corners" that allow the MRV to drift like a
 beauty, drive sideways and rotate with a perfect turn radius of zero 
degrees.<br />
<br />
Motors capable of delivering 190 lb ft (258 Nm) of torque are located
 in each wheel, and controlled with a traditional-looking steering wheel
 and accelerator/brake pedal setup. There's also an available multi-axis
 joystick that can be used in more advanced driving modes.<br />

Because the MRV has no mechanical linkages to the steering wheel, 
relying instead on a computer and sensor system interpreting driver 
input and relaying it to the wheel motors over wires, it's also a great 
candidate for remote or autonomous operation. The downside of the 
fly-by-wire approach is that failures could lead to a catastrophic loss 
of steering and control, so the entire architecture is redundant with 
back-up motors and computers. To make the vehicle feel more like a 
traditional car, the MRV has a force feedback system that sends 
vibrations and resistance to the steering wheel.<br />

<div class="article_img">
<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/nasa-self-driving-car/37056/pictures#6" target="_blank"><img alt="Motors are located in each wheel (Photo: NASA)" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/mrv-5.JPG" width="" /></a></div>
"It’s like driving on ice but having complete control," says NASA's 
Justin Ridley. "It’s a blast to ride in and even more fun to drive. 
We’ve talked about it being like an amusement park ride."<br />

NASA states that the technologies that went into the MRV are likely to play a role in the continuing development of lunar and Mars rovers, as well as future automobile design here on Earth.<br />

Source: <a href="https://gcd.larc.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Game_On_2014_AnnMag_141104.pdf" target="_blank">NASA</a><br />

NASA has one of the most impressive self-driving cars yet

While both Tesla and Google are among the big names working on self-driving vehicles, NASA has its own take on an autonomous...

StabCam aims to stabilize GoPro cameras – on GoPro mounts

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             <img alt="The StabCam stabilizer works with GoPro mounts " src="http://images.gizmag.com/hero/stabcam.JPG" title="The StabCam stabilizer works with GoPro mounts " /> </div>
Motorized actioncam stabilizing rigs are becoming increasingly common, although most of them are hand-held affairs.
 The GoPro-specific StabCam is a little different, however, in that it 
can be attached to any existing GoPro mount. As an added bonus, it can 
automatically track a moving subject.<br />
<br />

The 3-axis StabCam fits all models of GoPro Hero, provided they're 
kept in their housing. Because it works with GoPro mounts, that means it
 could be mounted on a helmet, suction-cupped to a car, stuck on the end
 of a pole, or ... you get the idea. It's also "weatherproof," so snow 
and rain shouldn't be a problem.<br />

Power is provided by a removable (and thus swappable) battery that's 
reportedly good for approximately two hours of pitch, yaw and 
roll-compensating action.<br />

<div class="article_img">
<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/stabcam-gopro-stabilizer/37043/pictures#3" target="_blank"><img alt="As with some drone cameras, the StabCam has a Follow Me mode" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/stabcam-2.jpg" width="" /></a></div>
As with some drone cameras,
 it additionally has a Follow Me mode. In this setting, it will lock 
onto a moving person's smartphone, using that phone's GPS and 
accelerometer data to gauge their whereabouts. It will then pan and tilt
 the camera, in order to keep them (or their phone, at least) centered 
in the shot.<br />
<br />

The designers of the StabCam are planning to launch a Kickstarter 
campaign, in order to raise production funds. Backers will be able to 
get a unit for a pledge of US$179, as opposed to the planned retail 
price of $279 – assuming the funding goal is met.<br />
<br />

If you'd like to be notified when that campaign launches, you can 
register via the link below. Footage shot using the StabCam can be seen 
in the following video.<br />

Source: <a href="http://www.stabcam.co/" target="_blank">StabCam</a></div>

StabCam aims to stabilize GoPro cameras – on GoPro mounts

Motorized actioncam stabilizing rigs are becoming increasingly common, although most of them are hand-held affairs. The G...

Work begins on "world's tallest" Ferris wheel in Staten Island

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             <img alt="Preliminary work has begun on Staten Island's New York Wheel (Image: New York Wheel)" src="http://images.gizmag.com/hero/new_york_worlds_tallest_ferris_wheel-3.jpg" title="Preliminary work has begun on Staten Island's New York Wheel (Image: New York Wheel)" /> </div>
Preliminary construction work has begun on Staten Island's New York 
Wheel: a huge Ferris wheel that will rise 192 m (630 ft) above New York 
Harbor. Slated for completion in 2017, the US$500 million New York Wheel
 will have a capacity of up to 1,440 passengers at a time.<br />
<br />
New York Wheel is being built by Starneth BV, the Dutch firm 
responsible for the London Eye, and is part of a larger $1 billion 
redevelopment of St. George, Staten Island. Over $7 million will be 
spent in LED lighting and the Ferris wheel will feature 36 capsules, 
each with a capacity of up to 40 people. A full ride will take 38 
minutes to complete.<br />
<br />

The developers hope to attract over 4 million visitors per year, and 
they state that approximately 350 construction jobs and 600 permanent 
jobs in ticket sales, maintenance and other positions will be created as
 a result of the project.<br />
<br />
<div class="article_img">
<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/work-begins-on-new-york-wheel/37010/pictures#3" target="_blank"><img alt="The US$500 million Ferris wheel will have a capacity of up to 1,440 passengers at a time (..." src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/new_york_worlds_tallest_ferris_wheel-2.jpg" width="" /></a></div>
New York Wheel is aiming for LEED Platinum certification (a green 
building standard). Though we've no in-depth details on any sustainable 
design, the firm does make mention of possible renewable energy sources 
being used to power the Ferris wheel, including wind, wave, and solar 
power, with any excess juice sent back into the grid. In addition, New 
York Wheel's ancillary building features a massive 2.4 hectare (6 acre) 
green roof that will be host to concerts, food festivals, and corporate 
gatherings, amongst other events.<br />
<br />

Though New York Wheel is promoted as the world's tallest Ferris wheel, the <em>Daily Mail</em> <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-3038214/Stunning-views-Manhattan-restaurant-sky-four-bars-New-York-build-world-s-tallest-Ferris-wheel-unless-Dubai-finishes-theirs-first.html" target="_blank">reports</a>
 that work is also currently underway on the Dubai Eye, a Ferris wheel 
that will be 18 m (60 ft) taller. If the report proves accurate, Dubai's
 project will win "world's largest" Ferris wheel bragging rights. Still,
 New York Wheel's status as tallest Ferris wheel in the Western 
Hemisphere is assured.<br />

Sources: <a href="http://newyorkwheel.com/" target="_blank">New York Wheel</a>, <a href="http://www.nycedc.com/project/st-george-waterfront" target="_blank">NYEDC</a><br />
</div>

Work begins on "world's tallest" Ferris wheel in Staten Island

Preliminary construction work has begun on Staten Island's New York Wheel: a huge Ferris wheel that will rise 192 m (...

Lost your Android phone? Just type "find my phone" into Google

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<img alt="Android users can now search for 'find my phone' in Google Search via a desktop browser to..." src="http://images.gizmag.com/hero/android-google-search-find-my-phone.jpg" title="Android users can now search for 'find my phone' in Google Search via a desktop browser to..." /></div>
Losing your phone can happen easily. Unfortunately, finding it again 
can often be not so easy. Google has just made the search process a 
little easier for Android users, however. Now they need only type "find 
my phone" into Google Search using a desktop browser.<br />
<br />
In order for the functionality to work, users must be logged into the
 same Google account on the browser as they are on their phone. They 
must also have the latest version of the Google app installed on their 
device. Assuming all that is the case, a "Find your phone" map will 
appear at the top of the Google Search results.<br />
Once Google has successfully pinpointed the phone in question (as 
long as it's powered on, this should work), it displays the location of 
the device on a map and offers to ring it. Ringing it, of course, helps 
in those occasions that your phone has slipped behind a couch cushion or
 whatnot, while displaying it on map is useful if you've left it 
somewhere like a coffee shop or bar.<br />
<div class="article_img">
<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/android-google-search-find-my-phone/37039/pictures#2" target="_blank"><img alt="A map indicating that Google is contacting the user's phone is displayed in the search res..." src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/android-google-search-find-my-phone-3.jpg" width="" /></a></div>
Previously, it was necessary to install the Android Device Manager 
app to locate a lost Android phone (assuming you hadn't turned the 
service off, as it's on by default). Plenty of users simply won't have 
been aware of those possibilities – and this new approach, which is 
simply a web-based version of Android Device Manager, makes it easy for 
anyone to locate a lost device.<br />
Source: <a href="https://plus.google.com/+google/posts/CEdEWkg4dvf" target="_blank">Google</a></div>

Lost your Android phone? Just type "find my phone" into Google

Losing your phone can happen easily. Unfortunately, finding it again can often be not so easy. Google has just made the search process a...

Geoff De Ruiter builds tiny treehouse retreat for $8,200

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<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/raven-loft-geoff-de-ruiter/36870/pictures" id="hero_link">
             <img alt="The Raven Loft is perched some 5.1 m (17 ft) off the ground in British Columbia (Photo: Ge..." src="http://images.gizmag.com/hero/raven_loft_treehouse.jpg" title="The Raven Loft is perched some 5.1 m (17 ft) off the ground in British Columbia (Photo: Ge..." />
           </a>
         
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<div class="pic_caption">
The Raven Loft is perched some 5.1 m (17 ft) off the ground in British Columbia </div>
</div>
"Working at heights is risky," affirms Geoff de Ruiter when quizzed
 by own-news on the challenges he faced while building a tiny treehouse 
perched 5.1 m (17 ft) off the ground in British Columbia. Happily 
though, the University of Northern British Columbia PhD student recently
 completed the Raven Loft treehouse without incident for just US$8,200, 
plus land costs, leaving him with a mortgage- and debt-free tiny 
retreat.<br />
<br />
The plan to construct a tiny treehouse was some time in the making. Inspired by the small living movement and interested in living sustainably,  de Ruiter
 also liked the idea of owning a bolthole suitable for vacations or even
 full-time living if circumstances required. The thinking being that, if
 he ever fell on hard times, he wouldn't be in dire straits as long as 
he had a roof over his head.<br />
<br />
To turn this vision into a viable home, de Ruiter first bought a 0.2 
hectare (0.5 acre) plot of rural land on Pender Island, British 
Columbia, for the bargain price of $35,000. Then the real hard work 
began.<br />
"Walking around roofing, siding, windows, all had my mind constantly thinking <i>oh God watch out!</i>"
 says de Ruiter. "But I rock climb and that definitely helped me 
negotiate the risk of working at height. It was a great feeling when I 
had the four main walls up. I could relax a lot more then. My 
recommendation [is] unless you are a professional treehouse builder, 
there is no need to build so high in the air. Everything takes longer 
and is harder to do."<br />
<div class="article_img">
<img alt="The stairs to the right lead to the attic bedroom and double-up as storage (Photo: Geoff d..." src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/raven_loft_treehouse-5.jpg" width="" /></div>
Constructed from wood and clad with multiple sidings, including cedar
 and cedar shingles, the Raven Loft sports a SIP (structurally insulated
 panel) floor, supported by a ground support pole. It's secured to a 
large cedar tree with a triangle brace and some brackets manufactured 
for the purpose.<br />
The treehouse measures just 2.4 x 4 m (8 x 13 ft), and access is 
gained by steep wooden stairs which are set on wheels and a small track 
to allow slight movement when it shifts in the wind. The front door 
sports a combination lock and opens onto a snug living and dining area 
that includes a bed couch and a small bathroom with composting toilet, 
but no shower or bath. The kitchen features an inductive stove (heated 
by an element so no dangerous flames), mini-fridge, drawers, and a sink 
(the latter being acquired free of charge).<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="article_img">
<img alt="Yet another loft, little more than a crawl space, is also reached by a few more steps (Pho..." src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/raven_loft_treehouse-17.jpg" width="" /></div>
de Ruiter told own-news that solar power wasn't a practical option 
given the forest location. Plus, the fact that the local grid is fed by 
hydro power means that grid-based juice is relatively green anyway. So 
the treehouse is powered by an extension from a friendly neighbor. 
Additional water comes from the neighbors too, as did some windows for 
the treehouse. Indeed, much of the construction materials were salvaged,
 reused, or secondhand. Due to the size and kind of building, the Raven 
Loft is classed as a non-permitted structure, again saving money.<br />
<br />
For his next project, de Ruiter reports that he's building another 
treehouse at his mother's property that will serve as an Airbnb rental. 
Check out the video below for a tour around the treehouse and some 
further details on its construction.</div>

Geoff De Ruiter builds tiny treehouse retreat for $8,200

The Raven Loft is perched some 5.1 m (17 ft) off the ground in British Columbia "Working...

Sliding wall and hidden bed transform small New York apartment

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             <img alt="MKCA's 5:1 Apartment uses a motorized wall to switch between two different functional spac..." src="http://images.gizmag.com/hero/mkca-five-to-one-apartment-new-york.jpg" title="MKCA's 5:1 Apartment uses a motorized wall to switch between two different functional spac..." /> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
As cities are become ever more populated, living spaces are getting 
smaller and we need to find clever ways to make the most of the space we
 have. The 5:1 Apartment in New York is one such small space. It uses a 
sliding wall to transform itself from daytime to nighttime 
functionality.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
We've seen the space-saving sliding wall concept used elsewhere a number of times recently, including in Madrid's All I Own House and in Kinematix's reconfigurable office space
 in Porto, Portugal. In the 5:1 Apartment, it allows living/working and 
sleeping spaces to fit comfortably into 390 sq ft (36 sq m).<br />
<br />

Designed by micro-living architects MKCA, the apartment is situated 
in a 1920s co-op building in Manhattan, and has been comprehensively 
remodeled. The limited space is made to feel as big as possible with a 
minimalist layout, a white paint job and white units. Bright LED lights,
 which help with a sense of spaciousness, are also installed.<br />
<br />

It is the annexed section of the apartment doubling as both the 
living/work area and bedroom that's the highlight, though. During the 
day, a couch sits at one side of the space facing a TV wall unit. 
Shelving, storage and a workspace run along the third wall, all of which
 can be revealed or hidden with sliding doors.<br />

<div class="article_img">
<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/mkca-five-to-one-apartment-new-york/37037/pictures#6" target="_blank"><img alt="Once the motorized wall unit in the 5:1 Apartment has slid out, a bed can fold out from th..." src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/mkca-five-to-one-apartment-new-york-4.jpg" width="" /></a></div>
At nighttime, the TV wall unit slides over to the couch at the other 
side of the room. Behind it a bed folds out from the wall, revealing 
more storage (this time for clothing) along the third wall. 
Alternatively, the bed can be left stowed to create a dressing area. In 
this way, two spaces that are typically used at different times within a
 home are squeezed into one space.<br />
<br />

The sliding wall unit is motorized and so does not require manual 
effort to be moved. It also contains all of the cables, audiovisual and 
networking components of the apartment, as well as additional storage 
and display space.<br />

The apartment was completed two weeks ago.<br />

Source: <a href="http://mkca.com/five-in-one-apartment/" target="_blank">MKCA</a><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>

Sliding wall and hidden bed transform small New York apartment

As cities are become ever more populated, living spaces are getting smaller and we need to find clever ways to make th...

Google Maps for the Body" zooms in from whole organs down to individual cells

<div style="text-align: center;">
             </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
 l<img alt="Google Maps for the Body showing a human hip bone" src="http://images.gizmag.com/hero/google-maps-human-body.jpg" title="Google Maps for the Body showing a human hip bone" /> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
 </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The algorithms used for zooming in and out on Google Maps and Google 
Street View have made it possible to visually traverse through layers of
 the body – starting with a whole joint and drilling all the way down to
 the cellular level. The new imaging system could have huge implications
 in medicine because it drastically reduces the time required to analyze
 and compare data.<br />

The system draws on the combined expertise and technology of 
University of New South Wales (UNSW) professor Melissa Knothe Tate, 
Google, Brown and Stanford Universities, Cleveland Clinic, and optics 
and medical device manufacturer Zeiss. It uses imaging technology 
originally developed to scan for defects in silicon wafers, and with 
help from Google's Maps algorithms the researchers can zoom and pan 
through a whole organ or tissue joint all the way down to individual 
cells.<br />

Unlike Google's Body Browser,
 which visualizes the layers of the body in three-dimensional rendered 
graphics, this so-called "Google Maps for the Body" uses real images 
that get seamlessly stitched together and layered on top of each other.<br />
<br />
<div class="article_img">
</div>
"For the first time we have the ability to go from the whole body 
down to how the cells are getting their nutrition and how this is all 
connected," said Professor Knothe Tate. "This could open the door to as 
yet unknown new therapies and preventions."<br />

Knothe Tate has already used the system to demonstrate a link in 
osteoarthritic guinea pigs between disease status and molecular 
transport through blood, muscle, and bone. The condition appears to be 
the result of a breakdown in cellular communication. Understanding how 
this signalling should work, and where it goes wrong, could unlock a 
range of treatments such as physical therapies and preventative 
exercises.<br />

You can learn more about the imaging system in the video below and try it out for yourself on a human hip bone on UNSW's <a href="http://www.mechbio.org/sites/mechbio/files/maps/index.html" target="_blank">MechBio site</a>.<br />

Source: <a href="https://newsroom.unsw.edu.au/news/science-tech/%E2%80%98google-maps%E2%80%99-body-biomedical-revolution" target="_blank">UNSW</a><br />
</div>

Google Maps for the Body" zooms in from whole organs down to individual cells

l The algorithms used for zooming in and out on Google Maps and Google Street View have made it possible to visu...

New chip could turn phone cameras into high-res 3D scanners

<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="A tiny, cheap chip may soon bring 3D imaging to smartphones, robotics, and many other area..." src="http://images.gizmag.com/hero/nci-chip-3d-scanning-camera-2.jpeg" title="A tiny, cheap chip may soon bring 3D imaging to smartphones, robotics, and many other area..." /> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
As if smartphones can't already do enough, soon they may be able to scan
 three-dimensional objects and send the resultant high-resolution 3D 
images to a 3D printer that produces hyper-accurate replicas. This comes
 thanks to a small and inexpensive device called a nanophotonic coherent
 imager (NCI), which was developed by scientists at Caltech. The NCI 
could add 3D imaging to a variety of other devices and applications such
 as improving motion sensitivity in human machine interfaces and 
driverless cars.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
Unlike in conventional cameras, the NCI chip determines both the 
appearance and distance at each pixel of the part of a scene or object 
that it represents. The NCI uses an array of tiny LIDARs (scanning laser
 beams) to gather this information about an object's size and distance 
away, with an optical concept called coherence (wherein waves of the 
same frequency align perfectly) exploited to make high-resolution images
 possible.<br />
The coherent laser light from the NCI acts as a kind of ruler, 
measuring the precise distance of each point from the camera so that 
they can be mapped onto a 3D image of the scene.<br />
The researchers believe this enables 3D imaging at a greater level of
 depth-measurement accuracy than ever before in silicon photonics, while
 at the same time the NCI's tiny size – just 300 microns across in their
 16-pixel proof of concept – makes pos<br />
<br />
.

<br />
<div class="article_img">
<img alt="A 3D image of an American penny produced by the NCI chip, with the colors corresponding to..." src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/nci-chip-3d-scanning-camera-0.jpeg" width="" /></div>
The current limitation of 16 coherent pixels did not stop the 
researchers from imaging the front face of an American one-cent coin 
from half a meter (1.5 ft) away with a method that scanned in 
four-by-four pixel increments.<br />
The researchers see broad applications for their device, which they 
believe could easily be scaled up to house arrays of hundreds of 
thousands of pixels – which is closer to what would be required in 
real-world high-resolution 3D imaging through a camera lens. NCI could 
find use in security, robotics, gesture recognition, biomedical imaging,
 personal electronics, and more.<br />
A paper describing the research was published in the journal <i>Optics Express</i>.<br />
<br />
Source: <a href="http://www.caltech.edu/news/new-camera-chip-provides-superfine-3-d-resolution-46425" target="_blank">Caltech</a><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>

New chip could turn phone cameras into high-res 3D scanners

As if smartphones can't already do enough, soon they may be able to scan three-dimensional objects and send the resultant high-res...

Overview of a Smart Optical Time-of-Flight Sensor Technology

<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Overview of a Smart Optical Time-of-Flight Sensor Technology" src="http://images.gizmag.com/hero/leddartech-ad-2-5.jpg" title="Overview of a Smart Optical Time-of-Flight Sensor Technology" /> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
With billions of sensors already being deployed in all types of devices 
and applications, the sensor revolution is well underway. Through the 
Internet of Things (IoT) and the Internet of Everything (IoE), smart 
sensors have the potential to significantly help our societies resolve 
countless global challenges.  In order to do so in a timely manner, 
major advancements are required in the development of ultra-efficient 
sensors</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<h2>
Leddar Technology Overview</h2>
Leddar® (acronym for <i>light-emitting diode detection and ranging</i>)
 is a patented sensing technology developed by LeddarTech, a successful 
spin-off of Canada's leading optics and photonics research institute, <i>Institut national d'optique (INO)</i>.
 The main innovation behind this new approach lies in the superior 
signal processing that drives every Leddar sensor. Combined with the use
 of visible or infrared LEDs to perform time-of-flight measurements, 
Leddar technology provides continuous, rapid and accurate detection and 
ranging, without any moving parts.<br />
<br />
<h3>
What Makes It Better?</h3>
Contrary to collimated emitters (lasers), the Leddar sensor's LEDs 
and emitter optics are used to create a diffuse beam covering a wider 
area of interest. The receiver collects the backscatter of the reflected
 light from objects in the beam and, using full-waveform analysis, 
detects the presence of objects in each segment of the beam, measuring 
the distance of the detected objects (based on the time taken by the 
light to return to the sensor). Accumulation and oversampling techniques
 are used to maximize range, accuracy and precision.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Time-of-Flight Principle</h3>
Leddar sensors use LEDs to generate very short light pulses, 
typically 100,000 pulses per second. The time-of-flight (ToF) principle 
essentially consists in measuring the time taken by a light pulse to 
travel from the sensor to a remote object and to return to the sensor. 
The range <i>R</i> of the detected object is deduced from the measured full round-trip time <i>T</i> of the light pulse using the simple relation <i>R = c T / 2 n</i>, where <i>c</i> is the speed of light in vacuum and <i>n</i> denotes the refractive index of the medium in which the light pulse propagates.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
 <img alt="Figure 1. Signal travelling through the main components of a Leddar sensing module" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/leddartech-ad-2-1.jpg" width="" /> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<h3>
Beam Pattern for Multi-Element Option</h3>
The multiple-element photodetector has a rectangular sensing area. 
The purpose of the emission optics of a Leddar sensor is to direct as 
much of the emitted light from one or more LEDs into a pattern that best
 fits the photodetector geometry. The purpose of the reception optics is
 to collect the backscatter of light from objects in that beam onto the 
photodetector. The combined emission and reception optics solution can 
be designed to obtain different beam widths. Currently, optics options 
with beam widths of approximately 9°, 18°, 24°, 34°, 45° and 95° are 
available on the multi-element option (the single-element option comes 
with a narrow 3° beam). Figure 2 illustrates a simulated emission beam 
pattern of a Leddar® sensor with an overlay of the matching segments 
provided by the reception optics corresponding to the photodetector 
elements.<br />
<br />
<div class="article_img">
<img alt="Figure 2. Emission beam pattern and match to a 16-element photodetector" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/leddartech-ad-2-0.png" width="" /><br />
<div class="inline_caption">
</div>
<div class="inline_caption">
<br /></div>
</div>
<h3>
How Does It Work? </h3>
<div style="text-align: left;">
 The LED source is pulsed at a rate of approximately 100,000 pulses per 
second. The light pulses propagate through the detection area and 
reflected light is captured by the optics and the photodetector. The 
sensor signal is amplified, and the signal acquisition is synchronized 
to the pulses.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<h3>
Detection and Distance Measurement</h3>
The detection and distance measurement is performed by the sensor's 
processor, using the acquired signals (one per photodetector element). 
The signals consist of a series of values representing light amplitude 
at incremental distances from the sensor. The number of samples in the 
signal is chosen according to maximum range required.<br />
<br />
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<img alt="Figure 3. Sample trace, where the x-axis is a time axis, scaled into distance, and the y-a..." src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/leddartech-ad-2-4.png" width="" /> </div>
<h2>
Conclusion</h2>
This innovative core technology is giving rise to the creation of a 
completely new generation of ultra-efficient smart sensors, greatly 
changing the way detection and ranging capabilities are integrated into a
 wide range of industries and applications. Not only can it make these 
functions more accurate, more reliable and more robust, but it can also 
make the entire solution more cost-effective, which will be vital in the
 deployment of profitable high-volume applications. By providing these 
important characteristics, Leddar is poised to become a key enabler in 
the smart sensor revolution.<br />
For more information on this patented* technology, visit <a href="http://www.leddartech.com/">leddartech.com</a>.<br />
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Overview of a Smart Optical Time-of-Flight Sensor Technology

With billions of sensors already being deployed in all types of devices and applications, the sensor revolution is well underway. Th...

The 3 boats-in-1 Van Diemen Sports Limousine super yacht tender

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             <img alt="With the top and glass down, the Sports Limousine is free to travel quickly and store neat..." src="http://images.gizmag.com/hero/van-diemen-sports-limousine-0.jpg" title="With the top and glass down, the Sports Limousine is free to travel quickly and store neat..." /> </div>
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The all-new Sports Limousine from Tasmania's Van Diemen Luxury Crafts
 joins the swelling legion of convertible, multi-use boats that includes
 the sports coupe-styled Revolver 44 GT and the Kormoran super-transformer.
 The Sports Limousine goes a step beyond the basic electric hard-top 
convertible, adding an electrically raised glasshouse to create three 
distinct body styles for a myriad of on-water uses. It's a cozy fishing 
boat, a roomy, semi-enclosed limousine, and a compact tender in one.<br />

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The key component of the Sports Limousine's design is its 
electrically activated roof, which rises and drops into position by way 
of hydraulic arms. In the boat's most open configuration, the roof panel
 rests atop the gunwale, covering the interior cabin and providing a 
low, streamlined shape. Van Diemen says this configuration is ideal for 
transiting at speed and maintaining clear visibility. The compact 6.6-ft
 (2-m) height is also handy for storage in smaller spaces that lack the 
room for a high roof, such as inside a yacht's tender bay or in a home 
garage.<br />

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<img alt="The raised windows add protection without blocking views outside" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/van-diemen-sports-limousine-8.jpg" width="" /></div>
The roof can be lifted partially, sealing around the 
electrically-raised, wraparound glasshouse to create a covered cabin 
space. This limousine configuration gives shelter to up to eight 
passengers on the cozy sofas while also offering panoramic views of the 
water and shore. The captain and co-captain take the helm outside the 
covered cabin.<br />

Fully deploy the roof and the Sports Limousine shields the center 
console with a full sun shade, perfect for fishing or diving. The 
windows can be retracted to provide a breezy, open-air layout or raised 
partially or fully to offer side protection from wind and weather. The 
conversions take mere seconds, allowing the captain to quickly adapt to 
changing weather, water conditions and passenger preferences.<br />

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<img alt="Van Diemen Sports Limousine" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/van-diemen-sports-limousine-12.jpg" width="" /></div>
Van Diemen introduced the Sports Limousine last September and offers 
the craft in various sizes from 5.5 m (18 ft) on up, starting at 
AU$150,000 (approx. US$114,000) . The model listed on its website is a 
7.5-m (24-ft) variant and uses a 260-hp diesel duo prop stern drive to 
hit speeds up to 35 knots (65 km/h). Equipment and options include a bow
 thruster, hydraulic steering, a Raymarine E 165 chart plotter, teak 
decking, a toilet, a refrigerator, LED lighting and a Fusion sound 
system. The boat has a listed dry weight of 5,950 lb (2,700 kg). Van 
Diemen tells us that the demo 7.5-m model lists at AU$350,000 (approx. 
US$266,000).<br />
<br />

Van Diemen offers a variety of customization opportunities, including
 a choice between aluminum or composite construction, personalized 
styling, and a number of engines, jet drives and hybrid propulsion 
systems. It's also started design work on an electric-driven day boat 
with three-in-one convertible system.<br />

Watch the Sports Limousine's convertible system in action in the video below to get an idea of what life aboard is like.<br />

Source: <a href="http://www.vdlc.com.au/collection/sports-limousine" target="_blank">Van Diemen</a>

The 3 boats-in-1 Van Diemen Sports Limousine super yacht tender

The all-new Sports Limousine from Tasmania's Van Diemen Luxury Crafts joins the swelling legion of convertible, mult...

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