Filed under: Cellphones, CES
We were taken by this innovative iP*** holster in attractive gunmetal finish, spotted at the Pioneer booth/spacepod. Because nothing says committment like welding your iGadget right to the wall.
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Source: Barb Dybwad
Filed under: CES
Mind you, we’ve seen no shortage of crazy antics to grab attendee attention out on the show floor (P.T. Barnum would be very, very proud), but this year’s award for randomest booth gimmick goes to wall mounting solutions company Vantage Point, who (rather successfully) drew their flock via this oxygen bar in their booth. We did overhear them get a lot of product inquiries out of the deal… about where to buy an oxygen bar (but we’re sure the mental road to wall mounting curiosity is super short).
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Source: Barb Dybwad
Filed under: Robots
While it may not have the production values — and probably not the budget — of the Pixar-produced Toy Story movies with which it shares a common theme, the stop-motion short “medialab@night” has nevertheless captured our imagination with its clever premise and lovable cast of characters. Just like Buzz, Woody, and that humorous little pig, the high-tech residents of MIT’s Media Lab apparently also come to life when no one (except a film crew) is watching, with sensor shoes, pushpin computers, and various other gadgets roaming the halls and causing a bit of mischief. This particular film catches them hacking into the brain of our favorite little Gremlin-esque robot, Leonardo, and rewiring him to edit Wikipedia on — what else — an OLPC. Check out the full flick after the break, and just remember this warning the next time your Robosapiens and Pleos try using a Dremel to drill into your brain while you sleep…
[Via Waziwazi]Continue reading The secret life of MIT’s Media Lab robots
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Source: Evan Blass
Filed under: Robots
Considering that we’ve got androids who can toss together a more cohesive conversation than some human counterparts, it’s a wonder that these mechanical pals still can’t chuckle at our jokes. Now, however, a duo of researchers at the University of Cincinnati have built a computer program “that is able to get a specific type of joke, one whose crux is a simple pun.” By loading up a database of words and then using relational programming to detect when a pun-involved joke is uttered, the bot can respond by laughing out loud and creeping any bystanders completely out. The inventors admit that the creature still misses out on some punch lines and still can’t detect a broad range of humor, but future advancements could add some serious life to those drab home healthcare bots who will inevitably be fixing our oatmeal and keeping us company.
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Source: Darren Murph