×

Submission + - Ask Slashdot. What's the best place to relocate?

Submitted by tsakas
tsakas writes: I am an IT researcher from the southern Europe looking for a good place to relocate. Markets are pulling the teeth out of the strong European countries by destroying the south. The US is in debt and there is no way of telling how long this can go on. China and India are on the rise. Brazil and Australia are looking good. The question: Which city would you choose to go and start a family if you were to stay there for a) 5, b) 10 and c) 20 years? Thanks.
Hardware

Submission + - Camera-toting EyeRing could help blind people to "see" objects (gizmag.com)

Submitted by cylonlover
cylonlover writes: Generally speaking, the vast majority of augmented reality applications that enhance the world around us by overlaying digital content on images displayed on smartphone, tablet or computer screens are aimed squarely at the sighted user. A team from the Fluid Interfaces Group at MIT's Media Lab has developed a chunky finger-worn device called EyeRing that translates images of objects captured through a camera lens into aural feedback to aid the blind.

Submission + - Demonoid Domains name for sale (pcmag.com)

Submitted by Pax681
Pax681 writes: PC World and other sites are reporting of the death of Demonoid "Bad news for those expecting the BitTorrent site Demonoid to somehow spring up from the ashes after last week's alleged bust. The Demonoid domain names are now officially for sale via Sedo, the final nail in the coffin for the popular site that was taken down via a combined assault from the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry and Interpol. "
Would it be fair to assume that the week long DDOS was part of the operation to take the site down? and if so does thing signal that the *IAA's now see it as ok to break the law witha DDOS to enforce their copyright? http://torrentfreak.com/demonoid-domains-go-up-for-sale-120812/ http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57491730-93/domains-seized-from-demonoid-bittorrent-site-up-for-sale/
Businesses

Submission + - Facebook faces high-level staff exodus (computerworld.com.au)

Submitted by
angry tapir
angry tapir writes: "It has been troubled times for Facebook since the social network's IPO in May. There has been speculation that Facebook could suffer a talent drain in the wake of the IPO, and now the organisation has lost four of its high-level managers the space of a week: Ethan Beard, director of platform partnerships; Kate Mitic, platform marketing director; Jonathan Matus, mobile platform marketing manager; and Ben Blumenfeld, design manager, have all resigned from the company."

Feed + - Engadget: NAA verifies new US record for human-powered helicopter flight (video) (engadget.com)

From feed by feedfeeder

A team at the University of Maryland has been taking human powered flight to new heights. Or, rather, lengths, by setting a new US record for flight duration of 49.9 seconds with its Gamera II rotorcraft. The benchmark event actually took place in June, but only received the all important plaudits from the National Aeronautic Association on August 9. Gamera II builds on its predecessor (unsurprisingly, Gamera I) by featuring improved transmission, rotor design and a redesigned cockpit. Not content with smashing the previous craft's record of 11.4 seconds, the team plans to fly a further refined version of the copter with longer blades and other fine tuning later this month. The 49.9 second flight has also been submitted to the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale for World, rather than American-record verification. The guys at Maryland might want to keep an eye over their shoulders though, as it looks like someone else already has their eyes on that prize. Video evidence after the break.

Continue reading NAA verifies new US record for human-powered helicopter flight (video)

Filed under: Transportation

NAA verifies new US record for human-powered helicopter flight (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 12 Aug 2012 19:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

PermalinkGizMag | Alfred Gessow Rotorcraft Center |Email this|Comments
Hardware

Submission + - Colour printing reaches its ultimate resolution (nature.com)

Submitted by
ananyo
ananyo writes: "The highest possible resolution images — about 100,000 dots per inch — have been achieved, and in full-colour, with a printing method that uses tiny pillars a few tens of nanometres tall. The method could be used to print tiny watermarks or secret messages for security purposes, and to make high-density data-storage discs.
Each pixel in these ultra-resolution images is made up of four nanoscale posts capped with silver and gold nanodisks. By varying the diameters of the structures (which are tens of nanometres) and the spaces between them, it’s possible to control what colour of light they reflect. As a proof of principle, researchers printed a 50×50-micrometre version of the ‘Lena’ test image, a richly coloured portrait of a woman that is commonly used as a printing standard (abstract).
Even under the best microscope, optical images have an ultimate resolution limit, and this method hits it."
AI

Submission + - Machine Learning allows actors to create games that understand body language (gold.ac.uk)

Submitted by ptresset
ptresset writes: Goldsmiths college developing technology with natural responses to human interaction. The technology enables video games characters to move in a more natural way, responding to the player’s own body language rather than mathematical rules. The hypothesis is that the actors’ artistic understanding of human behaviour will bring an individuality, subtlety and nuance to the character that it would be difficult to create in hand authored models.
AI

Submission + - How To Breed A Face - Pareidoloop (i-programmer.info)

Submitted by mikejuk
mikejuk writes: The genetic algorithm is a way to create solutions to problems by mimicking the way that nature works. However, that doesn't mean it can't be fun! Pareidoloop is a program which uses a GA approach to create a face that satisfies a face recognition algorithm — and all using JavaScript.
The program constructs some random polygons and then proceeds from generation to generation breeding new images. The measure of fitness in each generation is simply the score on the face detection program. Eventually the image evolves to look more and more like a face — sort of.
The overall result is spooky and its a demonstration of the power of evolution in just a few thousand generations.
You can try it for yourself at pareidoloop
NASA

Submission + - Rep. John Culberson, R-TX to propose NASA reform bill (examiner.com)

Submitted by
MarkWhittington
MarkWhittington writes: "Rep. John Culberson, R-TX, along with Rep. Frank Wolf, R-VA, is developing a bill that will attempt to rationalize NASA’s budget process and provide some long term continuality in its administration.

First, a NASA administrator would be named to a ten year term. The intent is to provide some continuality in the way the space agency is run and to remove it, as much as possible, from the vagaries of politics.

Second, NASA funding would be placed on a multi-year rather than annual cycle. This is of particular importance to the space agency because the majority of its high level projects take several years to run their course. If funding were fixed for a number of years, the theory goes, money could be spent more efficiently. NASA planners would know how much they have to spend four or so years going forward and would not have to worry about being cut off at the knees by Congressional appropriators year after year."
Android

Submission + - The Number That Shows Why Apple is Suing Every Android Manufacturer in Sight (readwriteweb.com) 1

Submitted by
amiller2571
amiller2571 writes: "The eyes of the technology world are focused on the epic patent struggle between Apple and Samsung — the latest iteration of Apple’s frantic legal battle against everything Android. The iPhone maker has also brought suits against Android device manufacturers HTC and Motorola. Apple has faced criticism for its endless lawsuits designed to stunt competition from Google's Android, but a quick look at Android device shipments in the second quarter of 2012 reveals a key number that suggest Apple is right to worry."
Privacy

Submission + - White House Pulls Down TSA Petition (epic.org)

Submitted by Jeremiah Cornelius
Jeremiah Cornelius writes: The Electronic Privacy Information Center posted a brief and detailed notice about the removal of a petition regarding security screenings by the TSA at US airports and other locations.

At approximately 11:30 am EDT, the White House removed a petition about the TSA airport screening procedures from the White House "We the People" website. About 22,500 of the 25,000 signatures necessary for a response from the Administration were obtained when the White House unexpectedly cut short the time period for the petition. The site also went down for "maintenance" following an article in Wired that sought support for the campaign.
Microsoft

Submission + - MSFT reaches out to hackers: 'Do epic $#!+' (cnn.com)

Submitted by
hessian
hessian writes: "Microsoft isn't exactly known for its underground hacker culture, but a recent effort to give its employees more slack is generating some wild experiments.

Last summer, Microsoft completed a redesign of one of its original buildings on campus — Building 4, where Bill Gates' office used to be — into a laid-back workshop where staff can tinker with things. It's open to anyone, anytime, and it's got everything from a hardware workshop to an actual working garage door.

If it doesn't sound to you like something Microsoft would normally do , the Garage's motto will really shock you: "Do epic s--t.""

Slashdot Top Deals