Video: Vortex-Powered Wall-Climbing Robot Parachutes To Safety

The huge variety of robots is a thing to marvel at. Just a few years ago, the best they could do was roll around or walk stiffly on poorly-hinged limbs. Now we have robots that gallop , slither , and fly like a bird . This mode of transportation is totally new to me, though. The Paraswift climbs up walls by generating a suction, then gets itself safely down by jumping off and deploying a little parachute. Why not, right? Check out the video. The action happens ...
The science behind using a nuke to stop a hurricane

No matter what question faces mankind, someone always answers with, "nuke it." The Deepwater Horizon oil spill? Nuke it. Launching spacecraft to the moon? Why, there's a nuke for that. So, why didn't we nuke Irene? Well, rather than just dismiss the notion, the NOAA is using good ol' science to analyze a nuclear hurricane deterrent.
Man To Line Up Over A Month Early For The iPhone 5 (But Mostly For Attention)

Each time a new iPhone is set to hit the shelves, I get my pre-order in nice and early. Waiting in line is for chumps, right? Then Launch Day Eve rolls around, and I end up carting myself off to the Valley Fair Apple Store and camping out for 14+ hours anyway. Not for the product, mind you — it’s more so to surround myself with eccentric people and see what the hardcore early adopter/Apple fanbase looks like. You know, for science or something. Friends and family ...
Video Stabilization Software from SRI Embedded in Google Talk

Google Talk video chat used while walking by SRI researchers on an Android tablet
Image stabilization is a technology commonly used for digital cameras, but here, we are talking about real-time image stabilization for live video streaming, specifically for video chat services, which requires different algorithms and more computing power. Silicon Valley-based SRI International, a nonprofit research and development organization, is announcing that Google Talk for Android 3.0+ devices integrates its 2D ...
CrunchGear Week In Review: Independent Edition

Here are some stories from the past week on CrunchGear: Weekend Giveaway: Toshiba 47-inch TL515 Series 3D LED TV Starbucks Merges Their Two iOS Apps, Lets You Gift Your Friends Coffee From Your Phone Warn Friends And Foes With These Nine Aperture Science Test Chamber Labels SocialBicycles Bike Sharing Is Now A Kickstarter Project Ricoh Plans To Expand Camera Business, Buys Pentax Brand From Hoya
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Hanako 2 upgraded to new and improved model

When it comes to dealing with robots, they do help out in the medical industry as budding doctors learn the tricks of their trade by “operating” on such robots – so it makes perfect sense to make it as realistic as possible. Hanako 2 is a Japanese dental patient simulator that allows dentists to practice “real-life” procedures on her before they start drilling actual human patients’ teeth. What does Hanako 2 bring to the table? Well, “she” is ...
iOS 5 Legal Disclaimer Section Includes Mapping Companies That Are… Not Google!

Even though Apple has let Google answer life’s navigational questions for us thus far, it doesn’t mean that Apple wants one of its biggest competitors cashing in on the iPhone and iPad forever. Speculation surrounding Google Maps getting replaced in iOS has been around for years. In 2009, Apple bought a couple mapping companies . In mid-2010, the iPhone maker scrapped Google and Skyhook ‘s location databases in favor of its own, and a couple months later started hiring iOS engineers with mapping experience. That’s more than ...