In a new approach to electronic design, companies such as Thinfilm and Ynvisible are developing cheap and disposable printable electronics that do not require an Internet connection or an IP address to make everyday items connected components of the Internet of Things. Thin, plastic printable electronics can be embedded in almost any item to transfer information to a smart device. For example, a bag of lettuce may be able to alert a smart fridge when it is past its expiration date. Continue reading IoT: Printable Electronics Will Make Everyday Items Smart

Intel showed off some ideas for what it calls better computer commands at CES this week, as demonstrated by SVP Mooly Eden. The exec said that touch commands are not the end-all be-all and that gesture and voice commands are more natural ways of accomplishing tasks. Eden introduced a couple of Intel’s newest efforts toward “perceptual computing,” including camera modules for gesture recognition as well as similar software for speech recognition. Continue reading Intel Exec Says Gestures and Voice Commands are the Future

Netflix is making a push for Ultra HD resolution streaming and promises to reveal details on its plans for 4K at next month’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Neil Hunt, the streaming service’s chief product officer indicated Netflix has deals to offer 4K streaming with embedded players on certain UHD TVs (manufacturers will also be announced at CES). The second season of Netflix’s original series “House of Cards” will be the first to stream in 4K in 2014. Continue reading Netflix to Reveal 4K Streaming Details at Next Month’s CES

The Panono Camera offers a compelling solution for recording panoramic shots. The device is a ball with 36 embedded cameras that can be tossed into the air to capture 360-degree photos. Images are beamed wirelessly to a mobile device, and then stitched together in Panono’s cloud service. Creator Jonas Pfeil developed the prototype, which was roughly the size of a cantaloupe. Now he and the Panono co-founders plan to release a grapefruit-sized version in 2014 for $599. Continue reading Panono Camera Can Be Thrown into Air for Panoramic Shots

Chip manufacturer Intel is debuting very small processors that have a wide variety of uses from wearable devices to medical and industrial applications. Some have criticized the company for not entering the smartphone market fast enough, but with Quark, Intel plans to pursue embedded computing technologies emerging in wearable devices and the Internet of Things. Intel will have to address the expected low price of these chips, along with increased competition from other chip makers. Continue reading Intel Creates Ultrasmall Quark Chips for Wearable Computing

New embedded technologies may replace mobile devices as personal computers are being killed off by smartphones and tablets. The “post-mobile” device could change the way humans interact with their computers, removing the need for keyboards and allowing users to simply touch or speak with their devices. Wearable devices will be an early example of new technologies that will incorporate radical ways in which users and devices interact. Continue reading Embedded Technologies to Drive Future Post-Mobile Devices