Category: Technology

LEGO NXT

 

 

LEGO has announced the next generation of the Mindstorm robotics line of learning toys. The NXT will have more input and output ports (3 in and 4 out), a cleaner design (no bumps, just holes – I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not), and a simpler programming language. Where the old Mindstorms used an optical IR tower to communicate with a PC for programming , the new ones will use a USB 2 interface. The new kits also come with sonar sensors and servo motors with built in rotational sensors and Bluetooth radio. There is no word if any of the parts will be compatible with the old Mindstorm kits but it will be programmable from both PC and Mac platforms. From what was in the Wired article it looks as if the NXT OS may be open to hackers that will want to make their own firmware revisions but that yet to be confirmed. LEGO has had a tough year and I’m quite glad that they have not scrapped the robotics product line in favor of saving money.

[via Wired, Gizmodo, NXT Blog, and Robot Magazine] 

LEGO NXT

Virtual Humanoid Project

Humm, the Japanese are at it again. This time they are using a virtual reality head mounted unit to map the image of a real person over a 3D representation that is colored chroma key green. The idea is to enhance communications, for instance if you shake hands you will get tactile feedback from the dummy. They are working on a version that uses a  robot and not a dummy to enable the user to interact better with the person that they are talking to.

[via engadget]

Virtual Humanoid Project (translated) 

 

High Rez Thailand

Map of Thailand

In February Thailand will introduce their own version of Google Earth. The CD or web based system will use the NASA World Wide Wind map engine (a great program BTW) to provide high resolution images of the country of Thailand. Sounds very cool as I’ll be there in a few weeks, I could use a map that lets you see the city from 15 meters altitude. 

Digital Thailand

The Ariel Atom

This is some serious VROOM-VROOM!! auto action here. Everything in this car says "I go faster than you can possibly imagine, hands off sparky". It’s got a 1998cc 4 cylinder fuel injected Honda DOHC motor that puts out 220HP of power, weighs in at  456Kg(!), and will do the Kessel Run in way less than 12 parsecs! Seriously, it will do 0-60mph of 2.91 seconds. Based on a minimalistic construction style, the Atom spots a tubular frame and non structural composite body panels. It looks as if it’s not quite done but that’s the beauty of it. As they say, its it doesnt have it, it’s not needed. Without all that extra stuff you get that amazing power to weight ratio that crushes you and your passenger into the seat.  I’d say this is just about the perfect car to take on a date. If the price fails to impress her (about $40,000US) then the balls out power will.

[via Neatorama] 

The Ariel AtomSome

( Some kick ass video from Top Gear)

DIY Homebrew Gold, the GP2X

Gamepark holdings - GPx2
Now this is a company that has an eye on the adventuresome consumer. This hand held game platform was released by the Korean company GamePark Holdings a few months ago and caught my attention because if you want you can download the programming development software for it. yep, that’s right. This company expects you pop the covers off and see how it ticks. The unit has a Linux core and runs Mplayer so it likes happy media flavors like OGM, DivX, XviD, JPG, and MP3. Plus you can also find emulators that will run the 8-bit games that the kids like so much today (NES, GB, Sega…). If there was a way to add a hard drive to it this would be the king of hacker toys. Mumm… can you add a thumb drive on the USB 2.0 port? Anyway, if I find one of these I’m going to get it, not because I like Mario Golf and Tetris or that I want to have a photo gallery or even an eBook reader, I want a device that is made by a company that realizes that the people that buy their products aren’t dumb end users. To me a customer shouldn’t be given the idea that the item in their hands has only one single use and if you try to do anything else with it you get a lawyer thrown at your head.

GP2X on Wikipedia

Microflyer Mini RC Airplane

 

 

 

 

 

Oh how sweet! And I can afford one too! Only $50! It looks like the BitChar-G of the airplane world has arrived, and none too soon I say!  

 

  • 9 inch wing span
  • 8.2 inch length
  • Weight 1 ounce (29 grams)
  • Quiet as a whisper, fly almost anywhere, over 150 ft range

The transmitter gives you throttle and rudder control as well as serves as the charging station for the plane.

 

Microflyer Mini RC Airplane