Joel Orr Blog
Joel Orr's thoughts about current tech news
Updated: 47 min 57 sec ago
BigDog - amazing quadruped robot
Boston Dynamics is developing a series of biomimetic ("life-imitating") robots. Cool videos and brief explanations can be found here. (Thanks, John Miller!)
really tiny airplane!
TU Delft takes flight with three-gram 'dragonfly'
23 July 2008 by M&C
On Wednesday 23 July, TU Delft presented the minute DelFly Micro airvehicle. This successor to the DelFly I and II weighs barely 3 grams,and with its flapping wings is very similar to a dragonfly.Ultra-small, remote-controlled micro aircraft with cameras, such asthis DelFly, may well be used in the future for observation flights indifficult-to-reach or dangerous areas.
The DelFly Micro is a 'Micro Air Vehicle' (MAV), an exceptionallysmall remote-controlled aircraft with camera and image recognitionsoftware. The Micro, weighing just 3 grams and measuring 10 cm (wingtipto wingtip) is the considerably smaller successor to the successfulDelFly I (2005) and DelFly II (2006). The DelFly Micro, with itsminuscule battery weighing just 1 gram, can fly for approximately threeminutes and has a maximum speed of 5 m/s.
Ultra-smallremote-controlled, camera-equipped aircraft are potentially of greatinterest because they could eventually be used for observation flightsin difficult-to-reach or dangerous areas.
The solution to the paper vs. pc issue?
My friend Ramon pointed me to the Smartpen. You write on special paper (you have to buy it). It records audio as you write. Then you can touch any part of the drawing/writing, and it will play the audio that was recorded at just the moment you were writing.This is a step up from a similar feature in Microsoft OneNote; the recording is indexed by the image. You can play back this way without a computer, or store and play on the computer.
The software can read written text, and you can search it.
I haven't bought one yet, but I'm sure tempted. I've always wished my paper notebook could somehow be indexed and searchable.
1GB Pulse™ Smartpen Publisher: Livescribe
enlarge image
$149.95
The software can read written text, and you can search it.
I haven't bought one yet, but I'm sure tempted. I've always wished my paper notebook could somehow be indexed and searchable.
1GB Pulse™ Smartpen Publisher: Livescribe
The 1.3 oz. anodized aluminum Pulse™ smartpen records audio and links it what you write.
The 1GB of memory can hold over 100 hours. Actual recording time varies by audio quality setting.
Requires Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or Windows Vista
enlarge image
$149.95
- Capture Everything: The Pulse smartpen records audio andlinks it to what you write. Missed something? Tap on your notes ordrawings with the tip of your Pulse smartpen to hear what was saidwhile you were writing.
- No Need to Lug the Laptop: The Pulse smartpenautomatically captures everything as you write and draw. Transfer yournotes to your computer, organize them, and even search for words withinyour notes. Find what you want in seconds.
- Share Your Notes: Transform your notes and audio into interactive movies. Upload your creations online for everyone to see, hear and play.
Another take on global warming
Thanks, John Miller!
Nasa is out of line on global warmingBy Christopher Booker
Nasa is out of line on global warmingBy Christopher Booker
Considering that the measures recommended by the world's politicians to combat global warming will cost tens of trillions of dollars and involve very drastic changes to our way of life, it might be thought wise to check the reliability of the evidence on which they base their belief that our planet is actually getting hotter.
There are four internationally recognised sources of data on world temperatures,but the one most often cited by supporters of global warming is that run by James Hansen of Nasa's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS).
Hansen has been for 20 years the world's leading scientific advocate of global warming (and Al Gore's closest ally). But in the past year a number of expert US scientists have been conducting a public investigation, through scientific blogs, which raises large question marks over the methods used to arrive at his figures.
Morefarewell, randy - and thank you
'Last Lecture' Professor, Randy Pausch, Dies
Randy Pausch, a Carnegie Mellon computer science professor whobecame a national celebrity last year after a lecture he gave became a viral video sensation, died today of complications from pancreatic cancer, CMU reported. He was 47.
Last September, when Pausch delivered the talk, he believed he had less than six months to live, a fact which added gravitas to the spirited, pithy address about the merits of perseverance.
Pausch turned the address into a book, which became a runaway best-seller when it was released in April and remains in the top 20 books on Amazon.com.
Back then, Pausch told Wired.com, "We're clawing for every extra month we can get. Realistically, I hope to get two to four more months."
Publish anything on the web
Mark Victor Hansen and some other big names have put together a site that lets you post any kind of a file - audio, video, pdf, doc, movie, etc. - and tell people about it. You put a price on it, if you want to; you get 50% and the site gets 50%. If you make it free, it's free to all.
There are books, wedding pictures, articles, audio files from Steven Covey - all manner of stuff. Check it out.
There are books, wedding pictures, articles, audio files from Steven Covey - all manner of stuff. Check it out.
joelorr.com ranked as good tech blog
Look 'way down on the left side of the page, at the lower end of the left column. You'll see a new badge from blogged.com, ranking this site an 8.2 out of 10. Cool!
Dave Weisberg's Fascinating History of CAD - Now Donationware
The Engineering Design Revolution:The People, Companies and Computer Systems That Changed Forever the Practice of Engineering
By David E. Weisberg
This book has been over five years in the making and is now freely available on this web site for your personal use. It can be read online or downloaded and printed for your later perusal. Sit back and enjoy a trip through the nearly 60 years that totally revolutionized the practice of engineering design.Urgent: Fires destroy home and ministry of Denny and Ruthy Green - you can help
My dear friends Denny and Ruthy, their 10 kids, and Ruthy's aged mother, have had all their worldly possessions destroyed by fire! If you are moved to help them, you can Paypal here. You can also mail checks to: Dennis Green, Life and Liberty Ministries, P.O. Box 862, Powhatan, VA 23139.
This entire family is dedicated to helping others. Please help them!
This entire family is dedicated to helping others. Please help them!
Get my Time Tips, and get an hour back every day
I've written a report, "How to Find an Extra Hour a Day! 17 Proven but Little-Used Time-Management Techniques." It's free, and you get it by signing up for my weekly Time Tips, which are also free. Click here.
MS Office to be offered as $70/year subscription
Thanks, Russ!
Package including OneCare would cost $200 to buy the traditional way
Jessica Mintz, Associated Press
(07-07) 04:00 PDT Seattle -- Microsoft Corp. will begin selling its Office programs to consumers on a subscription basis starting in mid-July, in a bid to reach thrifty PC buyers who would otherwise pass on productivity software.
The move may also set the stage for Microsoft to offer its consumer-oriented programs as services over the Web, by acclimating people to the new pricing model such a shift could require.
The software bundle, which also includes Microsoft's Live OneCare computer security software, will be sold at nearly 700 Circuit City stores for $70 per year.
Package including OneCare would cost $200 to buy the traditional way
Jessica Mintz, Associated Press
(07-07) 04:00 PDT Seattle -- Microsoft Corp. will begin selling its Office programs to consumers on a subscription basis starting in mid-July, in a bid to reach thrifty PC buyers who would otherwise pass on productivity software.
The move may also set the stage for Microsoft to offer its consumer-oriented programs as services over the Web, by acclimating people to the new pricing model such a shift could require.
The software bundle, which also includes Microsoft's Live OneCare computer security software, will be sold at nearly 700 Circuit City stores for $70 per year.
He has a name!
It is PeterAlan Loisel Cooper, and no, there is no space between "Peter" and "Alan."
How to recognize a stroke coming on - and possibly save someone from its full effect
From Joe Sabah
To Recognize A Stroke - Have Someone "SAS" You!
Smile
Have them smile. If their face droops, or one side is lower than
the other, CALL 911
Arms
Have them lift both arms over their head. If one arm cannot come up,
or if one side of their body is not responsive, CALL 911
Sentence
Have them repeat a simple sentence, such as "Mary had a little lamb."
If their words are slurred, or if they replace a word with a nonsensical one
(Mary had a little baby) CALL 911. Something this simple can be the
first signs of a stroke.
Getting someone to the hospital BY AMBULANCE within 2-3 hours gives
them a chance for a FULL RECOVERY.
NUFF SAID?
I promised Mark that I will continue to send our "these alerts"
regularly. My goal: To reduce the incidence of stroke in the US from
770,000 a year to 650,000.
Please help me spread the word ... pass this on.
Joe Sabah
303.722.7200
Joe@JoeSabah.com
Learn about robots over the summer
Kids, getting bored with summer vacation already? SolidWorks Robotics University (SRU) may be just the antidote.
A stimulating alternative to bumming around and playing video games, SRU is a free, online, independent study robotics academy for prospective, beginning, and experienced robotics enthusiasts. More than 1,400 middle school, high school, and college students pre-registered for the academy by mid-May, accepting early admission invitations online. Many are competitors in BattleBots®, FIRST®, the MATE International ROV Competition, Trinity College Fire-Fighting Home Robot Contest, RoboCup®, or BattleCry@WPI robotics contests.
London Times: Bugs make petroleum from waste
Scientists find bugs that eat waste and excrete petrolSilicon Valley is experimenting with bacteria that have been genetically altered to provide 'renewable petroleum' to not show photographer information --> to not show image description -->
Chris Ayres
Some diesel fuel produced by genetically modified bugs
to not show enlarge option -->-->Chris Ayres
“Ten years ago I could never have imagined I’d be doing this,” says Greg Pal, 33, a former software executive, as he squints into the late afternoon Californian sun. “I mean, this is essentially agriculture, right? But the people I talk to – especially the ones coming out of business school – this is the one hot area everyone wants to get into.”
He means bugs. To be more precise: the genetic alteration of bugs – very, very small ones – so that when they feed on agricultural waste such as wood chips or wheat straw, they do something extraordinary. They excrete crude oil.