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Welcome to Cyber Dump number 57, your look at what's happening in this insane age of technology that we live in. As always, all source links mentioned are below.
- Youtube link
- Archive.org mirror
- Torrent
MIXED REALITY
Recently Captoglove showed off a demo of their minority-report style controller glove, working with the Microsoft mixed reality headset. If it works as intended, it could potentially be a very interesting way to interface with mixed reality worlds.
https://www.captoglove.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOGOv9ZeYR8
BITCOIN
A few years ago I wrote about how Bitcoin is a kind of changing of the guard, and how a new wealthy group of mostly technically minded folks could really change the world. Well last week a pseudonymous bitcoiner known as Pineapple, set up the Pineapple Fund, and pledged to donate close to $100million worth of bitcoin to various charities and organisations. Multiple charities have already received funds, and applications are still open.
https://bitcoinmagazine.com/articles/meet-pine-bitcoin-philanthropist-who-set-85-million-pineapple-fund/
https://pineapplefund.org/
https://n-o-d-e.net/bitcoinguard.html
3D PRINTING
Here's an interesting use of 3D printing. Earlier in the year, archeologists used the 3D print of a 1200 year old skull belonging to a Peruvian noblewoman, and used it as the basis for a super life-like facial reconstruction. I wonder if this kind of technique will be used for making surrogate robots in the future.
http://www.3ders.org/articles/20171215-1200-year-old-peruvian-queens-head-reconstructed-using-3d-printing-with-uncanny-results.html
In other news, some researchers in Italy and Switzerland have developed the HANDi-Hand, a robotic, 3d printed hand that can be controlled by muscle movements. The cool thing is that all the instructions, 3d files, and arduino sketches needed to make your own are on github.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGW2DPFdMgE
https://github.com/blincdev/HANDi-Hand
ROBOTICS
Korean-based Rainbow robotics showed off their FX-2 human riding robot. There's not much more information available, but it definitely looks cool. I can just imagine these walking around a rainy cyberpunk cityscape.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYyNF0eNPxQ
http://rainbow-robotics.com
AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES
Earlier in the month, autonomous racing car DevBot, went up against pitlane reporter Nicki Shields, in a race during the Formula E Hong Kong event.
I think the fact that this thing can speed around this little street track fully autonomously, without smashing into pieces, shows just how far this technology has come.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8C4FJilePPU
The US Marines have also been experimenting with fully autonomous helicopters. This particular system can convert the famous Huey choppers, and for now is aimed at resupply-type tasks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkX5HLFJvQ0
https://www.onr.navy.mil/Media-Center/Press-Releases/2017/2017-AACUS
VIDEOS
Two new videos this week. The first is a mini-documentary following Jeff Raymond, and his quest to create a self-sufficient farming system, which one day could be used to grow food on Mars.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjoiIEI0pOY
This next video shows how it's possible to use unmanned autonomous shops and restaurants in Shanghai, and go about your life without needing to come into contact with other humans.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tajmWSwodME
LAST WEEK ON NODE
Last week I showed off the NFC Key, a simple little device which basically adds button switches to NFC tags, to stop them being passively read.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nOzobRr4kc
I also shared with you a long term goal I have for NODE, and how I think we could potentially have a big impact on the world. Thank you to everyone who got in touch, I'm slowly working through replies.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWtW9yxVhq4
Here are the winners of the giveaway I announced a couple weeks ago. I've already messaged you all, so if you see your name, check your youtube messages. I'll get the packages sent out this week.
Alright then, that's it for this episode. As always, thanks for watching, and I'll see you in the next video.
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BY NODE