Use the "force" to control your cell phone

Cell phones may or may not mess with our brains, but now our brains can mess with them.

NeuroSky, a San Jose, Calif.-based company that focuses on developing brain-controlled interfaces, recently created a prototype of a system that reads brain waves and uses them to control mobile phone applications. Basically, the brain dictates the action of the device without the help of the middleman: the fingers.

This is how it works: Software algorithms deduce from your brain waves what you intend to do and pass on the appropriate commands to the cell phone. During the demo of the prototype, NeuroSky exhibited a game in which users moved a video game character to an intended place on the cell phone's screen. The more the person concentrated, the faster the character would move.

Right now the system still requires multiple parts, but the company, is working on making a single integrated chip that can perform all the functions.

This is a first step toward a silent world where we don't really need to talk anymore. Just think and you are understood. Now that's scary.

Via Crave CNET | Source: Fashionfunky

Large Hadron Collider downed by faulty transformer

Not long after the Large Hadron Collider was launched last week, the world's largest particle collider experienced a malfunction that affects its cooling operations.

The European Organization for Nuclear Research, or CERN, the organization that built the LHC, announced Thursday that a transformer that helps cool part of the collider had malfunctioned, forcing operations to be suspended.

As explained by CERN:

The transformer, weighing 30 tonnes and with a rating of 12 MVA, was exchanged over the weekend. During this process, the cryogenics system was put into a standby mode with the two sectors kept at around 4.5 K. Since the beginning of the week the cryogenics team have been busy re-cooling the magnets and preparing for operation with beam, which is currently forecast for today.

No word on why it took CERN so long to let us know about the malfunction, though.

The LHC, a massive particle accelerator 17 miles in circumference built along the French-Swiss border, is designed to help scientists explore particle physics theories.

However, it has also spawned fears that the experiments could prompt natural disasters or black holes that would swallow Earth, which have led to threatening phone calls and e-mails, CERN said.

Via CNET News

Epic's Tim Sweeney predicts future of 3D gaming

If you're a fan of those John Carmack interviews that pop up every once in a while, you'll probably enjoy the interview with Tim Sweeney over at Ars Technica. Tim is one of the co-founders of Epic Games, and also one of the creators of the technology behind the Unreal and Gears of War series. We think we even understood most of it.

The gist of the interview focuses on the future of 3D-graphics programming, but this one section we found particularly interesting:

Jon Stokes (from Ars): I'd like to chat a little bit about Larrabee and software rendering. I'm sure you're NDA'd on it, but Intel just did a pretty substantial reveal so we can talk in more detail about it. So first off, I'm wondering if you're looking at any of the Larrabee native stuff. What do you think about the prospects of this whole idea of not doing Direct3D or OpenGL, but writing directly to Larrabee's micro-OS?
Read more »

Future Sony Ericsson Xperia phones may not do Windows Mobile

Oh, snap. On Monday, Sony Ericsson kicked off its digital marketing campaign for its Xperia X1 smart phone, but the most interesting news to come out of the launch is that future Xperia models may not use Windows Mobile. Magnus Andersson, product manager for the X1, said, "The brand is not tied into any specific technical platform," but did not expand on what other mobile operating systems the company may consider.

The Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 made quite a splash at GSMA 2008, not just for its unique panel interface but also for the fact that it was the company's first Windows Mobile device. (Previous Sony Ericsson smart phones used Symbian's UIQ OS.) Not sure what it means that Sony Ericsson is already considering other operating systems before the Xperia X1 has even shipped, but it doesn't look all that good for Microsoft.

One other noteworthy tidbit: According to a company spokeswoman, there will be announcement on November 3 for the North American market, so mark your calendars. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Sweden will be able to get the smart phone on September 30, while it should roll out to the rest of Europe, Asia, and Latin America in Q4.

Via Crave CNET | Source: Reuters

A portable kitchen for cubicle rats

Whatever designer Nojae Park was thinking, he may just have hit the jackpot with this portable kitchen for cubicle rats permanently tethered to their PCs, thanks to deadlines. How many times have we wished we could pack a mini microwave/fridge/pantry right on our desk?

Park's appliance packs the four essentials of a kitchen: A stainless plate for warming meals; an electric stove; a dish drawer; and a mini-fridge. The design cleverly works on energy-saving power and safety features to avoid accidents. Now all that remains is for Electrolux--which organized the contest--to buy into Park's idea, get this into production pronto, retail it at an affordable price, and there'll be no shortage of takers from CNET Asia.
Read more »

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