noemi

Real Life RoboCop Coming Soon to a Traffic Light Near You

December 5, 2011 by noemi

Some of you may be too young to be amazed at RoboCop, but those of my generation will feel a slight thrill of excitement every time RoboCop is mentioned. And if you are totally clueless as to who/what RoboCop is, check it on IMDB. It’s a sci-fi movie which was released in 1987, with the main character being a policeman who gets killed. After his death, he gets the full sci-fi treatment and returns as a cyborg.

What we just might see in the future is not a murdered policeman turned cyborg, though, but technology that will enable people working in the law enforcement and security sector to have capabilities similar to what RoboCop had. The technology is basically augmented reality software and is being developed by Appear and Ryerson University’s Flybits. Appear is a mobile application platform provider in Sweden and Flybits is an R&D group based in Canada. [Read more…] about Real Life RoboCop Coming Soon to a Traffic Light Near You

Jet-Powered Volkswagen Beetle

December 1, 2011 by noemi

Custom cars — Jet-powered Volkswagen Beetle

The Volkswagen Beetle has taken its place in the list of cars that will be forever loved and treasured, maybe not by everyone, but by a solid group of followers. Also known as the Volkswagon Bug or the Volkswagen Type 1, this car is the “longest-running and most-manufactured automobile of a single design platform anywhere in the world”. ((Wikipedia)) Anyone who has traveled a little will attest to the fact that practically anywhere in the world you go, you will see at least one Volkswagen Beetle, probably more. There is no denying that this cute little car has an appeal like no other, in spite of how old the design is. Enthusiasts even go to great lengths to restore old Beetles and bring them back to their old glory. [Read more…]

Futuristic Lamps for the Modern Home

November 30, 2011 by noemi

Everyone has their dream home. While your dream home in its full glory may not be within your reach at the moment, you can always build it up little by little. And one of the ways to do that is to purchase furniture that you can see yourself owning and loving for decades.

When it comes to furniture, lamps are some of the most delightful things you can collect. Not only do they give you the lighting that you want in your rooms, they can also give you eye candy if you choose properly.

I recently discovered two wonderful lamps that would suit lovers of science fiction for they look as if they had come from the future. Then again, today is only yesterday’s future. What’s even cooler about these futuristic lamps is that they are easily incorporated into most modern interior designs, and yes, their appeal can last for many, many years. [Read more…] about Futuristic Lamps for the Modern Home

WalkSafe: Android App for Inattentive Pedestrians

November 29, 2011 by noemi

I have one word for people who use their mobile phones while crossing the street, but I would rather not say it here. Then again, you never know if there is an emergency which absolutely requires you to talk on your phone while walking. Let’s just say that whatever the situation may be, when you talk on your phone while on the road, you can be described as an inattentive pedestrian. The bane of motorists every where in the world.

Just in case you are “forced” to talk on your phone as you cross busy streets, there is an app that might just save your life. It is called WalkSafe, which is developed by the Smartphone Sensing Group of Dartmouth College and University of Bologna. Developers Tianyu Wang, Giuseppe Cardone, Antonio Corradi, Lorenzo Torresani, and Andrew T. Campbell have one question they wish to continuously answer with their work: How do we make smartphones even smarter? [Read more…] about WalkSafe: Android App for Inattentive Pedestrians

Having a Baby? How About Checking Google for Names First?

November 28, 2011 by noemi

Apparently, this is what a lot of parents are doing these days. Gone are the days when parents simply pick whatever name they like based on their own criteria – without having to check if other people have the same name. It used to be that people chose names for their babies based on the meaning of the name, or maybe because they have someone in the family with that name.

Today, more and more people are looking to Google to make sure that the name they pick for their baby is “safe”. What does safe mean in this case anyway? The New York Times recently ran a story about how a couple checked Google to see if the names they had picked for their baby girl matched “inappropriate” people online. ((NYT)) For example, they did a search on Kalia, only to see scantily clad women come up in the search results. They immediately discarded the name, as they didn’t want their child to have to “wrestle” with a Google identity. [Read more…] about Having a Baby? How About Checking Google for Names First?

TARDIS Bag: The Only Bag You’ll Want for Christmas

November 25, 2011 by noemi

Everyone’s all excited about the Dr. Who Christmas Special, aren’t they? It is not surprising as this tradition has spanned generations. The holidays are just more exciting with something additional to look forward to.

And when it comes to Dr. Who, it is not only the Doctor and his companion that piques the interest of viewers. If anything, the TARDIS has gotten so much more attention from fans all over the world. How can one not want a TARDIS of his own? This seemingly innocuous police call box is a world of wonders inside. Your very own time machine. [Read more…] about TARDIS Bag: The Only Bag You’ll Want for Christmas