Facial recognition technology can identify people in complete DARKNESS by reading thermal signatures Criminals operating under the cover of darkness had better watch out.
Computer scientists have developed a technology that can recognise a person face and identify them in poor lighting and even total darkness.
It uses a eep neural network systemthat works a little like the human brain to analyse infrared images and match them with ordinary photos.
This is a new approach to facial recognition, which is used for biometrics, access to devices and social media tagging, for example.
At the moment, facial recognition systems tend to rely on matching clear and well-lit photos meaning they are not useful
if someone is standing in the shade, RT reported. Computer scientists at the Karlsruhe Institute of technology, Germany, developed the new facial recognition technique that reads a person thermal signature.
Saquib Sarfraz and Rainer Stiefelhagen created the system that uses mid or far-infrared images then matches details with those in ordinary photos.
This is particularly impressive because there not a linear correlation between faces in visible and infrared light.
environment and even a person expression. Also, infrared images tend to be lower resolution than regular photos,
To overcome this, they used a deep neural network, which is a computer programme that imitates the way the human brain makes connections and draws conclusions.
But it needs a large dataset to do this in the form of masses of infrared and normal images
The researchers used a set of 1, 586 images from the University of Notre dame which included pictures of 82 people with different facial expressions and in different lighting.
The experts found their system outperformed the leader in the field by 10 per cent
However, there is still a long way to go before police could use the system to catch criminals, for example,
and manufacturing custom 3d fabrics from a computer, with no sewing required. the printer works with custom polyester and cotton blends,
that are shipped as liquids in pods that are placed into the machine prior to each job. the team consists of marcus foley, aaron rowley both biomedical/mechanical engineers and joseph white,
a computer engineer. the technology they devised first starts with a designed mold using CAD. the mold is inserted then into the printing chamber,
and the liquid solution is guided onto the mold by an electric field the process is called electrospinning. it evenly coats
and binds the nano fibers together into a cohesive seamless fabric. once removed from the mold,
the unique material can flex, drape, and fold just like the most commonly known fabrics. the electroloom prototype can only mold 800mm by 900mm sizes,
and connects to a computer via USB. the project is looking to introduce colors and other types materials to the electroloom soon. the project is currently looking for funding on kickstarter,
centered on raising money on developer kits, with a pledge deadline on June 15, 2015. image of the fabric microstructure the prototype interface a sample of the printed fabri
#a VR empowered workout station created by german design firm HYVE a VR empowered workout station created by german design firm HYVE all images courtesy of HYVE designed by johannes scholl
and CEO michael schmidt, the HYVE caroshome gym works with a virtual reality headset, that can imitate flying, roller coasters,
and other planets all while burning calories and toning muscles. he first design model was developed on the basis of VR in 2012,
when a VR boom started with oculus rift a few months later. we could then work on making our concept become reality. he icaros works along with virtual reality headsets the design
works on user balance alone, with no hydraulics or motors, and all the movement in pitch
and roll axis are detected by smartphone accelerometers, that send user data into the virtual world, which was created by HYVE companion animation studio, lumacode. the combination movement and visual cues,
convincingly fools the brain into believing the virtual scenarios. initially the caroswas very complex with advanced exo skeleton electronics,
yet to focus on consumer availability the entire construction needed rethinking, with a final result looking like their working prototype. all movements are done by the user e
#replace those medieval keys with ola fingerprint lock door keys have been around since the sixth century BC. the provide an inexpensive,
though imperfect method of access to homes, vehicles and even cupboards. why do we still use them?
fingerprint technology has come along way to fill that void. it already in banks, laptops, and smartphones. ola fingerprint smart lock wants to bring it to the forefront with faster operation, longer battery life,
and phone-less independence. made of zinc aluminum alloy, the lock incorporates the most advanced fingerprint sensor from sweden. it utilizes a radio frequency signal to scan the pattern under the surface of the skin to guarantee its authenticity. the body is has no keyholes to deny any idea of lock picking,
and is installable in minutes with a mortise lock or a standard latch bolt system. the ola fingerprint lock uses four AA BATTERIES with a back up AAA BATTERY that are all replaceable by dissembling the back casing on the side of the home.
it is contained self, but to expanded its functionality, it is equipped with bluetooth 4. 0 and an app that is intuitive and intentionally minimal. it grants access to friends and family members with either a bluetooth key,
or by registering their fingerprints. the ola fingerprint lock currently looking for funding on its kickstarter campaign with a march 2016 shipping date. the companion app for ola the sensor uses radio frequency signal to scan the pattern under the surface of the skin schematics of the ola fingerprint lock n
#droprinter exclusively developed for smartphones for truly mobile printing droprinter exclusively developed for smartphones for truly mobile printing all images courtesy droprinter the droprinter is designed solely for printing from a smartphone with a basic geometry that is made to fit in small bags
and be extremely portable. it can print text, photos, doodles and websites and doesn need ink
because it uses thermal paper to print anything displayed on the screen. the thermal paper is coated with a solid state mixture,
that when heated above its melting point, reacts with the acid, and shifts to its colored form. each roll of paper has 85 feet of paper to print. compact and easy to use,
with one stop to connect and within seconds starts printing and after the first connection,
droprinter pairs automatically to the mobile device. simple black and white color way influenced by brands like muji and apple,
the team behind the droprinter believes that people may not bring pens and paper everywhere, but they always bring their smartphone everywhere. that idea spawn the printer for moments
when paper feels the most natural and organic way to communicate. checkout their kickstarter campaign that is looking for funding. the portable printer doesn need ink n
#Harvard Yale scientists develop technique to make GMOS safer A new milestone has been reached by scientists at Ivy League universities Yale and Harvard;
they have discovered a method to prevent genetically modified organisms (GMOS) from escaping into the wild. This technique is a powerful breath through in the mission to build stable, synthetic life forms.
Essentially, the method that was created will consist of inserting a self-destruct mechanism into bacteria. The cells that carry an alternative genetic code will make them dependent on an artificial nutrient not available in nature.
If scientists stop supplying the bacteria with an unnatural amino acid synthesizer in a laboratory, the bacteria then dies.
George Church, a genetics professor at Harvard Medical school oversaw one of the studies that was published Wednesday in the journal Nature,
and compered the study to putting GMOS n a leash. The ability to alter an organisms genetic composition has been entertained one long by scientists and the plot of dozens of sci-fi movies and novels.
It a concept that has always felt farfetched and dangerous, but scientists are actually on a path that is bringing them close.
This new technique is one that will provide an extra security to scientists as they progress with the development and alteration of DNA.
when she was in elementary school. She was diagnosed with a genetic condition that causes macular degeneration
which is known as Stargardt disease. For Kathy, a blind spot takes up the majority of her vision.
The glasses allow the user eyes to perceive more than usual. Thanks to Kathy older sister Yvonne Felix, who is also legally blind,
On a video posted to Youtube, Yvonne wrote: Kathy and I have been legally blind since we were children. esight glasses, an amazing new technology that
Yvonne helped to raise money for Kathy to own a pair of the esight glasses so now she is able to see her son anytime.
and to read him stories at bed time. eing a person with a disability who has two children of her own,
Yvonne is working to raise money for others that are blind to be able to purchase esight glasses for their daily use as well.
Every esight user has their own inspiring story of success to tell. Our clients tell us all the time that esight is truly life-changing.
Enabling Users We are driven by our usersstories. esight is an enabling device that is used to support people
Some users take esight to work and school. Others use it to read. Some want to see faces
Vision Enhancement esight makes glasses that combine a camera, display technology, and advanced computing to deliver a real-time video that enables sight for people with vision loss.
Users have complete control over the image they see which means that can enhance, magnify, and adjust the image to ensure their eyes can best interpret their world. esight doesn just enhance sight,
it gives people the freedom to use their sight in any way they choose. Incredible Technology Our glasses are packed with sophisticated technology designed to support people with legal blindness. esight is hands-free, mobile,
and multi-use, which means that users can move seamlessly between activities, including those that would
otherwise be inaccessible due to low-vision. The electronic tools housed within the esight system independently adapt to any setting,
allowing the user to focus on what they want to see and not on the technology they use t
#Fraunhofer reveals chip-scale solar-powered wireless sensor node German lab Fraunhofer IMS has created a self-contained solar-powered wireless chip-scale IC that can warn
when windows are left open. At 10mm across, the chip is small enough to be installed inside double glazing on the frame that separate the two glass panes. hanks to this window space,
the solar cell obtains adequate light, even in the darkness of winter, said Fraunhofer. On the chip are magnetic
and acceleration sensors that measure how far the window is open, and radio that communicates this information to a basestation.
Challenge one was to deposit a solar cell directly on a die, over the uneven metal layers. his is had why we to find a means of filling in
and evening the surface prior to coating it with the solar cell, said engineer Dr Gerd vom Bögel,
who lead the team with physicist Dr Andreas Goehlich. Secondly, the chip needed to run from a tiny solar cell, in the winter,
and through the night. y keeping both processor and chip extremely small, the latter is extremely frugal.
In addition, the researchers constructed switches that consume little energy, and engineered very short radio protocols,
said Fraunhofer. dding to the overall conservation of power is the fact that the sensor always switches to sleep mode.
Depending on the user preferences, the sensor can be set so that it wakes up every few minutes,
or even seconds, and takes a measurement. e have extracted every possible A, added vom Bögel.
Currently, the prototypes can store enough power for up to 30 hours of darkness, and the lab predicts products will emerge over the next two years that can run through two weeks of darkness.
In the window application, sensors on the chip measure tilt and report if it is open
so the associated system could warn if a window is open while the heating is on, for example.
The chip also detects shock, and Fraunhofer claims can differentiate between a ball hitting the glass
and a crowbar levering open the window. he applications of the radio chip are diverse.
It can remind homeowners to ventilate regularly or warn if a window is still open
when they leave the Home in addition, it offers reliable protection from intruders even for closed windows,
said the lab. Impetus came from Israeli firm Solchip which approached IMS for on-die solar cells two years ago.
Solchip has plans to use them to monitor street traffic and the climate in vineyards. here are a lot of application areas,
said vom Bögel. roduction costs are minimal because the application of the solar coating is connected directly to the production process of the chips.
Only a handful of additional production steps are needed so that manufacturing can also be accomplished in high quantities.
The solar radio sensor chip is on show this week at the BAU trade fair in Munich (Hall C2, Stand 119) a
#Pop-up silicon 3d structures mimic biological structures A way to make pop-up silicon structures which can mimic the shape of biological structures like the veins
and brain cells has been found by researchers at Northwestern University, Illinois and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Complex three-dimensional (3d) structures in biology (e g.,, cytoskeletal webs, neural circuits, and vasculature networks) form naturally to provide essential functions in even the most basic forms of life.
Compelling opportunities exist for analogous 3d architectures in human-made devices, but design options are constrained by existing capabilities in materials growth and assembly. e report routes to previously inaccessible classes of 3d constructs in advanced materials,
including device-grade silicon, say the researchers, he schemes involve geometric transformation of 2d micro/nanostructures into extended 3d layouts by compressive buckling,
say the researchers. Demonstrations include experimental and theoretical studies of more than 40 representative geometries, from single and multiple helices, toroids,
and conical spirals to structures that resemble spherical baskets, cuboid cages, starbursts, flowers, scaffolds, fences,
#Semi market grows 7. 9%nudging $340bn says Gartner Worldwide semiconductor revenues totaled $339. 8 billion in 2014,
The top-25 semiconductor vendorscombined revenues increased 11.7%during the period. The world top-25 semiconductor vendors accounted for 72.1%of total market revenues in 2014, up from 69.7%in 2013,
Gartner said. s a group, DRAM vendors outperformed the rest of the semiconductor industry. This follows the trend seen in 2013 due to a booming DRAM market that saw revenue increase 31.7%during 2014 as the undersupply
and stable pricing continued, said Andrew Norwood, research VP at Gartner. n contrast to 2013,
which saw revenue decline in key device categories, including ASIC, discretes and microcomponents, all device categories saw positive growth in 2014,
but none could match the growth of the memory market, which grew 16.9%in 2014.
Excluding memory revenue growth for the remainder of the market reached 5. 4, %but this is much better than 2013 growth of 0. 8%for non-memory revenue.
Intel saw a return to growth in 2014, following two years of revenue decline, with 4. 6%growth.
The company reorganized itself into five new business units in 2014 with the Datacenter Group continuing to be the most stable unit for the company.
Intel is on pace to reach its goal of 40 million tablet processors in 2014,
although these processors are being shipped at significantly discounted prices with incentives. On the PC front, Intel continued to gain market share from AMD,
and Gartner expects volume increases for both Intel notebook and desktop platforms compared with 2013.
Intel has maintained the No. 1 market share position for the 23rd consecutive year, capturing 15.0%of the 2014 semiconductor market, down slightly from its peak of 16.5%in 2011,
Gartner said. n 2014, we saw a return to production growth in the traditional PC sector,
after a 10.1%decline in 2013, said Norwood. he smartphone market continued to perform well, with production growth of around 34%,down slightly from 39.5%in 2013,
although there was a distinct shift to utility and basic smartphones away from premium handsets. Tablet production,
however, experienced a sharp slowdown from last year. RAM revenues will hit $46 billion in 2014,
an all-time high surpassing the previous record set back in 1995. Norwood continued. owever, in terms of the overall share of the semiconductor market
DRAM accounted for 13.5%in 2014, half of the 27.9%share it held back in 1995.
SK Hynix and Micron technology benefited the most from the strong memory market, with the strongest growth of the top 10 vendors.
SK Hynix saw a second strong year of revenue growth propelled by the booming DRAM market.
DRAM accounts for about 80%of the company revenues. Micron moved up one place in the rankings in 2014 due to its 41%growth.
Its acquisition of Elpida Memory in 2013 helped make it one of the fastest-growing semiconductor vendors in the top 25.
Micron DRAM business slightly underperformed the overall DRAM market as the company converted Fab 7 (formerly Tech Semiconductor) from DRAM to NAND in order to rebalance the portfolio following the Elpida acquisition.
This conversion improved the overall DRAM supply -and-demand balance, although it resulted in slower bit growth year over year.
In 2014, DRAM accounted for just under 70%of Micron revenues, and NAND flash accounted for slightly under 30%.
%There was significantly more merger and acquisition activity among the major vendors in 2014 than the previous year, Gartner noted.
Among the most significant deals was Avago Technologiesacquisition of LSI, propelling the company into the top 25 semiconductor vendors for the first time.
MSTAR Semiconductor was merged with Mediatek after a prolonged merger, and ON Semiconductor acquired Aptina Imaging.
Meanwhile, Infineon Technologiesbid for International Rectifier has yet to be completed. After adjusting for M&a activity,
the top 25 vendors grew at 10.0, %meaning the rest of the market saw a more respectable growth of 2. 6%,
%according to Gartner h
#CES: Smart watches will close the curtains We will soon be able to control the heating
and the Bluetooth chipset firm has combined its in-the-home wireless mesh network technology with Android Wear to allow home control
The CSRMESH protocol is used to connect Bluetooth Smart enabled devices controlling lights heating thermostats or even mechanisms to open and close curtains.
CSR believes it is important for this smart home application to be compatible with existing consumer devices,
Android wear will provide this. The demonstration will be connected part of CSR CSRMESH enabled home at CES in Las vegas, January 6-9th,
a connected car and location and asset tracking g
#Start-up develops vitamin measurement pen A start-up has developed a noninvasive device which allows users to check 30 most important vitamins
and minerals and has secured substantial financial backing on the Indiegogo crowdfunding website. The pen-like device is called Vitastiq and uses a smartphone as an interface.
The device uses a method called electro-acupuncture (EAV), a traditional technique for measuring vitamin and mineral levels.
EAV is a form of acupuncture where a small electric current is passed between pairs of electrodes.
Resistance of the body tissue is used to measure vitamin and mineral levels in comparison with a reference point.
An electrotrode in the pen tip creates an electrical circuit with the body through a second electrode in the pen case.
The smartphone app saves and evaluates previous reading from the device. The Croatia-based company has been working on the device and ios app development for two years.
Following the funding they company is now preparing for volume production and a commercial launch of the product next month.
An Android app will be introduced in April l
#Robot arm controlled by quadriplegic intentions Californian researchers have linked a robot arm to the brain of a quadriplegic man,
giving him smooth control over the arm. The electrodes are not in the motor cortex or attached to muscle nerves,
but are in a part of the brain associated with planning muscle activity: the posterior parietal cortex,
or PPC. hen you move your arm, you really don think about which muscles to activate
and the details of the movement such as lift the arm, extend the arm, grasp the cup,
for example, said Caltec professor Richard Andersen. o in this trial, we were able to decode these actual intents,
Caltec team shared the research with scientist from the University of Southern California. According to Caltech
Implanting electrodes in the PPC, with appropriate computer processing, has given the patient he ability to perform a fluid handshaking gesture and even play ock,
paper, scissorsusing a robotic arm, said Caltec. The patent, Eric Sorto, was shot in the neck more than a decade ago.
Two arrays each of 96 micro-electrodes were implanted into his PPC in 2013. Functional magnetic resonance imaging his neurons to be monitored while Sorto imagined various types of limb and eye movements.
Based on the recorded neural activity it became possible for researchers to predict which limbs he wanted to move,
This information was used then to steer a computer cursor or to direct a robotic arm the latter developed by Johns hopkins university.
Trying to control the limb directly with thoughts like should move my hand over toward to the object in a certain waydidn work,
it like going to the dentist and having your mouth numbed. It very hard to speak without somatosensory feedback,
#Imec Milab medical game-changer Imec and John Hopkins University of Baltimore have delivered a ame-changer in healthcarewith a chip-based technology called Milab
and blood cells. ilab will bring a revolution in medical diagnostics, says Imec CEO Luc van den Hove,
and transmits the results wirelessly to a smartphone. It can do a complete blood test a PSA test
It replaces expensive medical testing equipment which can take days to deliver results. The technology will be commercialised by a company called Midiagnostics backed by Flemish investors Marc Couke and Michel Akkermans, Flemish investment company PMV and Imec.
Total investment is#60 million. It will take 18 months to two years to produce an IC to perform the testing
and a final product for the market is expected in four years d
#Qi introduces predictive sensing Quantum Interface (Qi) of Austin, Texas has come up with a predictive navigation interface
and direction of any input to determine user intent. It is offering beta versions of an app using technology.
When a user moves toward a menu selection with a finger on a touchpad, moves their hands in the air or moves their eyes in a car heads up display or under a VR hood,
the app infers the choice, and figuratively moves toward the user, opening up the next levels of information via predictive sensing.
This interface presents more information to the user faster than the current point and click tap and lift interfaces.
The first use of the predictive sensing technology is in Qi Android smartwatch launcher, Qilaunch Wear.
As a user puts a finger on the watch face and starts moving it toward a selection,
the app launches with no lift and tap or point and click required. According to the company, this updated look streamlines the interface, speeds up engagement with apps,
and allows the user to see more content and choices on a smaller screen. The only requirement to control any device is continuous motion,
no special sign language or gestures to learn nor any special rings, remotes or other hardware necessary.
Designed to be universal, the Qi predictive motion interface works with almost any type of device,
regardless of the sensors installed or type of touch or touchless environment, and can be added to any application or operating system.
The interface consumes less power than current touchscreens, gestures or other ways of communicating with devices. ith Qilaunch Wear and all the coming versions of our interface, there are no top signsthat slow down navigation
so users have the fastest route to navigate and select apps, says Qi founder and CTO Jonathan Josephson J
#Imec demoes full-colour OLEDS Imec and Fujifilm have demonstrated full-colour OLEDS by using their jointly-developed photoresist technology for organic semiconductors,
a technology that enables submicron patterning. This paves the way to producing high-resolution and large organic electroluminescent (EL) displays
and establishing cost-competitive manufacturing methods. Organic EL displays can be made thin and flexible with excellent response time and contrast ratio.
Products require organic EL displays of high pixel density, i e. around 200ppi for 4k televisions, 500ppi for full HD mobile devices and even higher density for compact displays for wearable devices.
There has been active R&d for organic semiconductors to develop a high-resolution patterning method for organic EL materials to be used in these products.
In 2013, Fujifilm and imec jointly developed photoresist technology for organic semiconductors that enables submicron patterning without damaging the organic semiconductor materials,
based on photolithography capable of high-resolution patterning on large substrates. There is no need for additional capital investment
since an existing i-line exposure system can be used for the new technology. This is why the technology has attracted wide attention since the development announcement with anticipation of a cost-effective way of manufacturing high-resolution organic semiconductor devices.
In the latest achievement, Fujifilm and imec produced full-colour OLEDS with the photoresist technology for organic semiconductors
and successfully verified their performance. Red green and blue organic EL materials were patterned, each in the subpixel pitch of 20 m,
to create full-color OLEDS. An OLED array of 40 x 40 dots at the resolution of 640ppi was realized
and illuminated with UV rays to confirm that red, green and blue dots separately emitted light.
The emission of red, green and blue lights was confirmed also in a test involving the application of voltage rather than illumination,
confirming its correct performance. These results open new opportunities, such as using the novel photolithography in a multiple patterning process.
An example would be creating an OLED array that adds a fourth color to red
green and blue, as well as developing previously-unseen devices such as a new sensors that integrate OLED with the organic photodetector o
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