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Holographic Mobile Handsets Are Becoming a Reality

Chris — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 15:11:16 +0000

Mobile devices with the capability of capturing, transmitting, and reproducing full 3D scenes have been developed and patented by the Indian company, Infosys.

The portable machines will capture and send 3D snapshots of the surrounding world, helping accident investigators, teachers and doctors work remotely by instantly relaying realistic depictions of car damage, injuries, medical scans or educational aids.

The powerful onboard processor on the Infosys machine would build a series of 2D shots taken, for example, from a digital camera, into 3D holograms using algorithms called ‘Fourier’ transformations to calculate the extra third dimension.

All I can say is….wow. What an awesome idea for something that I thought wasn’t yet possible, even with today’s technology. Whether or not it truly works as advertised is yet to be seen, but for now, we can certainly hope.

Source: ZDNet UK

Tags: holograms, mobile, 3d, Infosys

Reggie: The IT Guy (Comic)

Chris — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 21:24:48 +0000

My wife made a comic awhile back, specifically for posting to Mizzouse. It’s her very first comic, and I must admit she did a good job. Without further ado, I present to you the world premiere of Reggie: The IT Guy (by Melanie James).

Tags: comic, IT, tech support

Amazing 3D Audio Illusions You Won’t Believe

Chris — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 20:51:04 +0000

What do you get when you place two microphones in the ears of a plastic head, make a recording, and combine the recordings into one? The most amazing audio illusion you could ever imagine!

Called holophony (similar to holographics, but applying to audio), this type of recording simulates the actual sounds heard in a 3D environment. If you’re not careful, you’ll think you’re actually there! When I first listened to the virtual haircut, I literally thought someone was grunting behind me at work and turned around to find out where the sound was coming from.

Note: You must listen with headphones in order to get the full effect

A Virtual Haircut:

A Matchbox:

A Woman’s Voice:

Source: 404 Creative Studios

Tags: 3D, audio, holophony, wave field synthesis

Google Changes Favicon, World Explodes

Chris — Sat, 31 May 2008 18:31:59 +0000

Google has made a change to their search engine that has rippled throughout the world, causing panic and fear in the hearts of all, tearing apart economies and launching all-out nuclear war worldwide. What could they have done to cause such turmoil, you ask?

They changed their 1 KB, 16×16 pixel favicon.

Due to the sudden and unannounced change, people everywhere have been launched into a state of chaos, as they fear the worst.

“I thought it was spyware,” says one man from West Virginia. “I saw the new icon as I was purchasing movies online and thought they were going to steal my credit card information. So I grabbed my shotgun and mutilated my computer in hopes that my information would not get stolen.”

A woman in the UK hung herself when she thought that Google’s main page had been taken over by hackers. “I just don’t understand,” reports her husband, Barney. “She was always so….non-suicidal. Her suicide note simply said, ‘If Google has been taken over, our world will soon fall apart and I don’t want to be here when it does. Goodbye, world!’.”

A teenager was found dead with a cranial gunshot wound in Canada. Found near his body was a note that simply stated, “Google, my head asplode [sic].”

An elderly man in Brazil sold all of his possessions and retreated into a cave deep in the rain forest. When asked why he was doing so, he replied, “The new Google icon. It looks like an ‘8′, not so much like a ‘g’. My grandfather always told me to watch out for deception in the world and to flee at the first sign of suspicious behavior among world leaders. Plus, 8 is my least favorite number.”

These are just a few examples of all the chaos and destruction that has ensued. Loss of computer systems has occurred everywhere, including vital servers and routers that supply access to the Internet’s backbone.

As world leaders have discussed the ongoing panic and madness, war has broken out instead of compromise. The world’s most powerful weapons are being prepared and deployed, with at least 5 known strikes already occurring in various locations throughout the globe, with millions reported dead.

If you are reading this article unscathed, you are one of the lucky few who have escaped the turmoil.

Could this be the end of the world as we know it? And all this because of a favicon. Why, Google, why?

Tags: Google, favicon, icon

Self-playing Mario World Level Plays Music

Chris — Thu, 08 May 2008 05:01:38 +0000

This is the coolest Mario-related video I have seen in a very long time, even cooler than the music video. The stars have aligned to allow someone with awesome talent and way too much time on their hands to create a Mario World level that not only completes itself without any user intervention, but plays music with the game’s sound effects.

Tags: Mario, Mario World, Super Nintendo, SNES, music

Real Exoskeleton Turns Soldier Into Iron Man

Chris — Wed, 07 May 2008 04:59:27 +0000

It may not be as well-equipped as the Iron Man suit, but this Raytheon contraption turns humans into superhumans. The hydraulics in the Exoskeleton provide tremendously increased strength and capacity to carry out difficult tasks. Its controls are even precise enough for activities as light as walking on tiptoes or playing catch.

For more details, check out this article in Popular Science magazine.

Tags: Iron Man, Exoskeleton, superhuman, strength

Jumping Dolphins in Florida

Chris — Wed, 07 May 2008 04:46:24 +0000

I recently took a business trip to Fort Walton Beach, Florida and had the chance to do some tourist activities while I was there. The highlight was a two-hour boat ride in Destin where we got a glimpse of several families of dolphins. The boat captain put the boat in full throttle and the dolphins swam right beside us in our wake, jumping out of the water. It was amazing! I caught some of this on video and I just can’t help but post my videos here. Enjoy!

Tags: Florida, dolphins, animals

How To Accept User Input in a Windows Batch File

Chris — Sat, 19 May 2007 03:31:43 +0000

If you’re using Windows 2000 or above, you’re in luck. User input is extremely simple. Using the ’set’ command with the /p switch provides a prompt that will allow the user to type in a string, which will then be saved to a variable of your choice. Example:

set /p NAME=Please enter your name:
echo Hello, %NAME%! How are you today?

Easy enough, right? I sure thought so.

Tags: Windows, batch, scripting, scripts

17 Hidden Windows XP Applications

Chris — Fri, 04 May 2007 03:34:30 +0000

Here are some of the Windows apps that exist on your computer even as we speak, yet you may have never used or even heard of many of them. To run any of these, simply go to Start->Run (or type -R) and type in the name of the executable (i.e. “dxdiag”).

1. clipbrd.exe - Clipbook Viewer – View the contents of the Windows clipboard

2. drwtsn32.exe - Dr Watson - Troubleshooting tool

3. dxdiag.exe - DirectX Diagnostic Tool -Diagnose and test DirectX, video cards and sound cards

4. eudcedit.exe - Private Character Editor - Creation or modification of characters

5. iexpress.exe - IExpress Wizard - Create self-extracting / self-installing packages

6. mobsync.exe - Synchronization Manager - Allows synchronization of files on the network for when working offline

7. mplay32.exe - Windows Media Player 5.1 - Retro version of Media Player with very basic capabilities

8. msconfig.exe - System Configuration Editor - Tweak startup items in system files and registry

9. odbcad32.exe - ODBC Data Source Administrator – Administer databases

10. packager.exe - Object Packager - Package objects for insertion in files

11. perfmon.exe - System Monitor - Very useful and highly configurable tool that reports every aspect of computer performance (tech geeks only)

12. progman.exe - Program Manager - Legacy Windows 3.x desktop shell

13. rasphone.exe - Remote Access phone book - Um, maybe you can find a use for it

14. sigverif.exe - File signature verification tool

15. syskey.exe - Syskey - Secures XP Account database (be careful with this one!)

16. verifier.exe - Driver Verifier - Monitor your hardware drivers

17. winchat.exe - Windows for Workgroups Chat - old NT utility to allow chat sessions over a LAN

(Source)

Tags: Windows XP, Windows, tips

Arcade Mania: Deal or No Deal

Chris — Thu, 03 May 2007 03:41:59 +0000

Okay, the game’s official title is actually “Banker’s Deal”, obviously for trademark reasons. However, it is practically the same as the game show. What’s missing, you ask?

Annoying fluff
Endless commercials
Howie Mandel
Beautiful women
Real money

It’s got its pluses and minuses, but cool for a while of brainless entertainment. Just like the show.

Play Banker’s Deal

Tags: online games, Deal or No Deal, arcade

Various Sorting Algorithms Shown Visually

Chris — Tue, 01 May 2007 03:58:19 +0000

There are lots of sorting algorithms out there and sometimes it gets confusing as to which is which. Analyzing pseudo code sometimes can get monotonous, especially if it’s Monday. That’s why I find this little applet useful. It shows six different algorithms visually as they sort the same data. You can also randomize the input data or sort a pre-sorted list to view how each algorithm behaves in each case. It’s a very handy tool for those who are starting to learn the ropes.

Sorting Algorithms Demo

Tags: computer science, sorting algorithms, algorithms

Mini R/C Helicopter Fits In Your Palm

Chris — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 04:09:28 +0000

The title says it all. This little chopper could entertain me for hours, or at least until I’m fed up with recharging it every 5 minutes. Or replacing the 6 AA batteries that are required for operation.

For more R/C goodness, check out these posts: Full-Sized Remote Controlled Cars & Incredibly Fast Radio-controlled Turbine Jets

Tags: toys, rc, helicopters

Clone a Stupid Version of Yourself for Automated Chatting

Chris — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 01:56:52 +0000

Do you like to chat, but sometimes find that you have to do other things, like sleep, that hinder your time online? Many people do have to sleep, and more, so you’re not alone. If you’re under high demand to be online, you can create a “Mini Me” of yourself to take over your chat sessions on those rare occasions.

MyCyberTwin.com allows you to create and train your very own chat bot based on a personality quiz and hundreds of additional training questions. Your friends can chat with your clone directly from the web site, via an embedded script on your blog, or from within your Windows Messenger account.

I tried out a chat session with a clone of Michael from TechCrunch, claiming to be 10% trained (which definitely shows). Here’s the transcript:

(more…)

World’s Smallest Laptop Runs Vista

Chris — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 16:59:24 +0000

This little laptop is the coolest thing you’ll see today. It is called the FlipStart and it’s coming soon to a drooling geek crowd near you. This looks like an advanced smartphone, but surprisingly enough it packs a heavy punch…allowing you to run a full install of Windows Vista along with virtually any software of your choice. It’s literally a laptop that fits in the palm of your hand (maybe I should call it a palmtop).

A small screen on the lid allows you to access frequently used information such as contacts. When you want the full power of Vista, just open up the lid and you have a full 5.6″ display, complete with a backlit QWERTY keyboard and touchpad mouse.

Keep reading for the full specs.

(more…)

Amazing Ball Bearing Clock

Chris — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 18:33:09 +0000

This is by far the coolest clock you’ll see today (or this year, for that matter). A DIY guru at hackedgadets.com has put together this massive work of machinery that keeps itself ticking using ball bearings. It’s not available commercially, but it really ought to be (not that I could ever afford it, though).

[via TechEBlog]

Tags: clocks, mechanics, DIY

Life Tip: Fix Car Dents With Dry Ice

Chris — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 17:54:43 +0000

Apparently, it’s possible to fix small dents by applying dry ice to the center of the dent. The cold temperature causes the metal to contract and the dent pops back into place.

Take it or leave it. I haven’t tried it myself, so I can’t recommend it either way. My main concern would be messing up the paint job.

[via TechEBlog]

Tags: life tips, dents, cars

Official DRM-Free Music Is Now A Reality

Chris — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 16:29:14 +0000

The press release is being voiced across the Internet:

EMI Music launches DRM-free superior sound quality downloads across its entire digital repertoire.

EMI Music, one of the largest record companies in the world, is now a pioneer for the rest to follow. The entire catalog of music from EMI on iTunes will have it’s copy protection removed, meaning we can finally have some freedom with the songs we rightfully purchase. Not only that, but they will be superior quality, encoded at 256 kbps. They will cost $.30 more, priced at $1.29, but I suspect that most users will find it worth the price to have control over their music.

[via The Unofficial Apple Weblog]

Tags: DRM, music, iTunes, iPod

Flowline Computer Animated Water (Video)

Chris — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 19:07:05 +0000

In my opinion, rendering the flow of water realistically would be one of the hardest tasks involved in any CG animation project. However, the Flowline technology from Scanline VFX is truly amazing at producing realistic water effects, so much so that it is very difficult to tell it apart from real water footage. Check out the video:

For more amazing feats using computer graphics, check out these links if you haven’t seen them already:

Tags: CGI, computer animation, graphics, water

Controlling Traffic Lights With a Universal Remote

Chris — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 18:30:51 +0000

Please don’t try this at home. Though it is very interesting, it seems that this method could be both dangerous and illegal. But, for the purpose of entertainment, here is an instructional video about how to control a traffic light using a standard universal remote control found at any electronics store.

[via TechEBlog]

Tags: hacks, traffic, remote control

Real-life Flying Saucer To Be Used By U.S. Military

Chris — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 00:27:49 +0000

It’s not quite big enough to transport people, or even Chihuahuas for that matter, but the GFS has interested the military. Its name stands for “Geoff’s Flying Saucer” and was built by 67-year-old Geoff Hatten in his shed in Peterborough, England. Using the Coanda effect, it can take off and land vertically and move from side to side fluidly, just like the UFOs in every classic alien movie. Its most probable use is for surveillance, as it can fly through doors and other tight spaces.

The biggest drawback: it’s terribly loud. So, we still haven’t been able to invent a science-fiction caliber flying saucer, but this one is a good starting point.

[via Gizmodo]

Tags: UFOs, flying saucers, military, aircraft