Quanergy to Deliver Low Cost Sensors for Self-Driving Vehicles

Today, the costs associated with implementing a light detection and ranging sensor — or LIDAR — for a self-driving car are rather expensive, ranging anywhere between $8,000 to $80,000. Silicon Valley startup Quanergy Systems however, claims it will soon be able to offer those same sensors at a significantly lower cost. By next year, the company plans to release a LIDAR no bigger than a credit card with a price tag of about $250. Quanergy hopes to release a postage stamp-sized version by 2018 for $100 or less. Continue reading Quanergy to Deliver Low Cost Sensors for Self-Driving Vehicles

Amazon Assures FAA That Prime Air Drones Safe for Deliveries

Amazon recently filed another request with the Federal Aviation Administration in which it advocated for a change in the regulations that are preventing the company from launching its drone-based delivery system called Prime Air. In its most recent proposal, Amazon claims to have addressed some of the safety concerns the FAA has had with drones for commercial usage. Among those claims, Amazon said its drones would rely on sensors and computers to safely travel on their designated routes. Continue reading Amazon Assures FAA That Prime Air Drones Safe for Deliveries

Bodyprint Scans Body Parts to Authenticate Smartphone Users

Yahoo Labs researchers have developed a new technology called Bodyprint that works as an alternative to the fingerprint scanners used in high-end smartphones to authenticate users. With Bodyprint, users can convert the screen on their smartphone to function as a biometric scanner capable of detecting users’ ears, fingers, fists and palms when pressed against the screen. The technology has reportedly produced impressive results in classifying body parts and identifying users. Continue reading Bodyprint Scans Body Parts to Authenticate Smartphone Users

Apple Patents Light-Splitting Camera Tech for Color Accuracy

Apple has developed a new iPhone camera with a light splitting cube that can more accurately display colors and produce sharp images even in low-light situations. The tiny digital camera uses three sensors and a light-splitting cube to differentiate between three different color components, creating a sharp and colorful image from all three. This light-splitting technology is similar to the approach used in high quality cameras from companies such as Canon, Panasonic and others. Continue reading Apple Patents Light-Splitting Camera Tech for Color Accuracy

MagicBand Offers Seamless Experience for Theme Park Guests

Visitors of Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando can now enter the theme park, check in at FastPass entrances, and buy food and merchandise without ever having to reach for their wallets. That is because Disney recently introduced the MagicBand, a tech enabled wristband that transmits signals to various sensors throughout the theme park so that the consumer experience can be completely hassle-free. Each wristband is personalized and designed to anticipate the needs of anyone visiting the park.  Continue reading MagicBand Offers Seamless Experience for Theme Park Guests

Perceptiv Labs Launches Subject-Tracking Accessory for Drones

Perceptiv Labs, a startup from Waterloo, Ontario is launching a device for drones called SHIFT that can be used to capture remarkable aerial shots of an intended subject without ever going out of focus. The two-part accessory, available for pre-order now, comes with a processor and vision sensor that can be attached to the DJI Phantom and 3D Robotics Iris drone models. Users can then use their mobile devices to designate what they want to track and where they want to track it. Continue reading Perceptiv Labs Launches Subject-Tracking Accessory for Drones

Project Morpheus Gets Bigger Screen and Impressive New Specs

At this week’s Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, Sony announced that its PlayStation-powered Project Morpheus VR headset has some new specs. The screen resolution has been improved to 1,920 x RGB x 1,080 and its refresh rate has been doubled to 120Hz. Project Morpheus now features a new 5.7-inch screen with nearly 100-degree field of view, and touts lower latency, at under 18 milliseconds. While no price has been revealed, the company says it plans to launch the device by the first half of next year. Continue reading Project Morpheus Gets Bigger Screen and Impressive New Specs

HPA Tech Retreat: Understanding the New Digital Acquisition

On the third and last full day of the HPA Tech Retreat in Indian Wells, California, a panel of imaging experts drilled down into some of the more esoteric topics related to 4K and digital acquisition. Among the topics addressed were sensor-lens options for 4K acquisition; solar activity and lit/stuck/dead pixels; design challenges of long-range zoom lenses for 4K S35 digital cameras; video/D-Cinema camera/sensor noise; the role of nonlinear coding of the TV image; and 4K, HDR and imagers. Continue reading HPA Tech Retreat: Understanding the New Digital Acquisition

PFP Cybersecurity Develops Tech to Prevent Zero-Day Hacks

Virginia-based PFP Cybersecurity has developed a technology that may prevent future “zero-day” hacks from happening, such as the ones recently experienced by Sony, Target, JPMorgan Chase and Anthem. The technology reportedly detects hackers within milliseconds of an attack by identifying pattern changes in the power that devices use. PFP is currently testing the technology in South Carolina working together with the Department of Energy’s Savannah River National Laboratory.  Continue reading PFP Cybersecurity Develops Tech to Prevent Zero-Day Hacks

Thinfilm and Xerox Pursue Printed Electronics for IoT Chips

Thinfilm — a Norwegian tech firm with 90+ employees that also does business as Thin Film Electronics USA — has a deal with Xerox to produce electronic chips that print their features atop thin surfaces. Thinfilm could manufacture up to a billion “printed electronics” chips per year for memory, processors, and sensors designed for connected devices and objects as part of the Internet of Things. The company envisions significant cost savings and increased efficiency in teaming “smart labels” with connectivity tech such as NFC and the Internet-connected cloud. Continue reading Thinfilm and Xerox Pursue Printed Electronics for IoT Chips

Microsoft Unveils Windows 10 OS Features and New Headset

During a press event yesterday, Microsoft made a series of announcements regarding new features for its coming Windows 10 operating system including improvements to built-in apps for Windows Phone that involve mail, messaging, photos, maps and more. According to the company, Windows 10 also intends to enhance and integrate Xbox, PC and mobile gaming. Additionally, Microsoft introduced its HoloLens headset that will allow users to interact with holographic images for playing video games and building 3D models. Continue reading Microsoft Unveils Windows 10 OS Features and New Headset

New Universal Remote Controls All Your Smart Home Devices

While universal remotes are primarily used to control cable boxes and TVs, Cupertino-based startup NEEO is taking the idea a step further. The company claims its universal remote can control a home theater system and almost every smart device that a homeowner could imagine. The NEEO touchscreen remote works with over 30,000 Internet-connected gadgets such as the Nest, Philips Hue and others. It also uses hand recognition software to create profiles for each user. Continue reading New Universal Remote Controls All Your Smart Home Devices

Smart Home Push Continues, Despite Slow Consumer Adoption

Numerous tech giants, startups and telecoms have recently introduced new smart home products, hubs, sensors and apps, yet consumer adoption has been comparatively slow, as people take their time getting comfortable with the concept. However, that did not slow manufacturers such as Samsung, LG and Whirlpool from demonstrating new connected appliances at CES. And while major players including Google, Lowe’s, Apple and others continue to push various smart home solutions, progress of the digital home has so far been incremental. Continue reading Smart Home Push Continues, Despite Slow Consumer Adoption

Intel Promotes its RealSense 3D Camera Technology at CES

At CES, a wide range of companies showed or discussed products that are becoming more aware of their surroundings, largely due to improved sensors. This will enable tablets, phones, cars, drones and other devices to interact with people and each other in more sophisticated ways. This could also require significant upgrades to camera tech. While Microsoft’s Kinect sensor for Xbox was built to use gestures for game control, the tech has proven more far-reaching, especially in robotics research. Now Intel is aiming to take the next step with 3D sensors. Continue reading Intel Promotes its RealSense 3D Camera Technology at CES

Epson Moverio BT-200 Making Strides Toward Immersive AR

Several augmented reality devices debuted at CES this week, but Epson’s Moverio BT-200 offers one of the more complete experiences to-date. The glasses run Android 4.0 from a wired smartphone-like controller and provide a full-color image in the center of the user’s field of view. Sensors for the device include a camera, accelerometer, gyroscope, microphone and compass. The product is not consumer ready, but priced at less than half that of Google Glass ($699.99), it is a promising platform for developers to build an app library for AR. Continue reading Epson Moverio BT-200 Making Strides Toward Immersive AR