HATSUNE MIKO, JAPANESE VIRTUAL POPSTAR
Japanese pop star Hatsune Miku is among the most successful contemporary Japanese performers, but she is also virtual: an avatar with a computer-programmed voice, who sings songs compiled of lyrics written by her fans. The voice-synthesizing program that powers the popstar is the work of Crypton Future Media, which bills Hatsune Miku as ‘a virtual singer who can ..read more..
HOW MUJI DESIGN REDUCES CARBON IMPACT
Muji has always approached product design with tremendous self-restraint, but after last year’s devastating earthquake in Tōhoku, the Japanese retailer had a moment of introspection and vowed to streamline its products even more. The company challenged its craftspeople to slash the materials and energy used in each item by 20%. The results–including narrower toilet paper, shortened ..read more..
A CAMERA THAT CAN SEE AROUND THE CORNER
Scientists at MIT have built a camera that can peer around corners and see objects that would otherwise be hidden from sight. By overcoming a major challenge in optics and image processing, the feat could usher in devices that can survey a scene beyond the line of sight. The technological trick might be used to ..read more..
HOLIDAY INN LONDON LAUNCHES FIRST AUGMENTED REALITY CAMPAIGN
Holiday Inn London is claiming the title of world’s first augmented reality hotel. The expansive hotel chain has teamed with augmented reality developer Aurasma to launch the Holiday Inn Olympic STAY YOU Campaign. The campaign brings together some of the British athletes that will compete in this year’s Olympic Games, which will be held in ..read more..
PAYPAL UNVEILS ‘PAYPAL HERE’ A NEW MOBILE PAYMENT SOLUTION
PayPal, an eBay company, announced PayPal Here, a global mobile payments solution that allows small businesses to accept almost any form of payment. The company said that the new service includes a free app and fully encrypted thumb-sized triangular card reader, which turns any iPhone, and soon Android smartphone, into a mobile payment solution. With PayPal Here, small businesses, service ..read more..
COMPUTER FINDS THOUSAND OF NEW DRUG SIDE EFFECTS
side effect graphic A new computer program has found thousands of new side effects and problematic drug interactions, researchers reported March 14 in the journal Science Translational Medicine. On average, the program found 329 side effects for every drug, when most drug labels list an average of 69 effects. The new program, developed at Stanford University, combs through millions ..read more..
SPECIAL NASA GLASSES ENABLE PILOTS TO SEE THROUGH FOG
When fog suddenly blankets an airport, it can make things difficult for pilots taxiing to and from the runway – especially if they’re not familiar with its layout. To help solve this problem, NASA has developed a pair of augmented reality glasses for pilots to wear in low visibility conditions. These days, depending on the ..read more..
AFTER 244 YEARS, ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA STOPS THE PRESSES
Cue the Europe song cause it’s the final countdown for Encyclopaedia Britannica’s print edition. After 244 years its the end of the line for paper volumes… and on the plus side end of the paper cuts you would have gotten flipping through the pages. For the low low price of $1,395 you can get your ..read more..
