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Thursday, May 10, 2012
Artsy robot reacts to you watching it
26 min.
If your robot watches your every move and reacts accordingly, will you love it more or run for the hills? If it?s anything like the one in this video, it?ll want your love but might give you the creeps.
The Gestural Interactive Automation (G.I.A.) is a robotic sculpture created by Daniel Jay Bertner, a Chicago-based robotic and new media artist.
On his website, Bertner describes the installation as ?a robotic life form that strives to emulate and socially engage its viewers in hopes to become understood and accepted.?
The wall-mounted robot uses an open-source tracking application to follow its viewer's face with a webcam. The data collected affects the ?emotional state? of the face that the robot projects onto its sphere in real time, he explains.
To see it for yourself, watch the video above.
--Via Technabob and Engadget?
John Roach is a contributing writer for msnbc.com. To learn more about him, check out his website and follow him on Twitter. For more of our Future of Technology series, watch the featured video below.
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Wednesday, May 9, 2012
TCAA, NTCA historic partnership accomplishes first goal to elevate ...
The Tile Contractors Association of America (TCAA) and the National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA), as previously reported in TileLetter, submitted a proposal for language to be included in the TCNA Handbook for Ceramic, Glass and Stone Tile Installation stressing the importance of considering qualified tile contractors and installers when specifying tile and stone.
Stephanie Samulski, TCNA, announced February 8, 2012 that committee members approved the ballot with a significant affirmative vote. Carole Damon, executive director of TCAA, noted, ?We are very pleased and gratified by the ballot outcome. The Handbook has long been an authoritative guide to materials usage and installation techniques. Expanding that guidance to the equally important consideration of contractor qualifications is a watershed moment in our industry.?
Nyle Wadford, NTCA president, added, ?It was said concerning this new language that ?everyone involved has worked to lay a bedrock foundation in which trust and partnerships can develop and thrive for the good of our industry.? I could not agree more and would like to thank everyone involved. It is really exciting to see the important industry relationships that are developing as a result of this venture.?
The approved TCNA Handbook language recommends including installer and contractor specifications, stating, ?How good the finished installation looks, how well it performs, and how long it lasts are in [the hands of] installers who have demonstrated their commitment to their craft and take the time to remain current with the latest materials and methods.? The Handbook further stresses, ?Requiring a portfolio and references reflecting the installer?s/contractor?s experience, along with a bid or estimate, is a good way to ensure work of similar size, scope, and complexity has been completed. [Varied installations] require different skills. Matching installer ability to the project at hand requires close evaluation of their experience, training, state licensing?and certifications/credentials.?
Programs administered by non-profits, associations, and unions serve the tile industry by providing education, hands-on training, and evaluation of the skills and competency of installers and contractors. The Handbook recognizes the following well-established non-profit programs:
Tile Contractors Association of America (TCAA) Trowel of Excellence Program: TCAA is a contractors association for BAC signatory contractors. Its Trowel of Excellence Program recognizes TCAA members who have demonstrated a record of successful installations. To earn the Trowel of Excellence designation, a member must submit letters of reference, submission of a detailed project description and photos, employee participation in educational programs and proof of financial responsibility. See www.tcaainc.org to learn more.
National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA) Five Star Contractor Program: The Five Star Program is peer review program recognizing NTCA members who demonstrate a record of successful installations. To earn this coveted designation, a contractor must complete a rigorous evaluation including customers? recommendations, supplier references, and participation in continuing education, training, and safety programs. For more information, see www.tile-assn.com.
Ceramic Tile Education Foundation (CTEF) Certified Tile Installer Program: CTEF tests hands-on installation skills and knowledge. Installers must achieve the minimum required score on both tests to earn the ?CTEF Certified Installer? designation. See www.tilecareer.com for more information.
International Masonry Institute (IMI) Contractor College Program: IMI conducts professional and technical courses for union masonry and tile contractors. For more information, see www.imiweb.org.
Journeyman Tile Layer Apprenticeship Programs are recognized by the U. S. Department of Labor and require several years of documented training as apprentices. Qualified Journeyman Tile Setters may be located through union locals, primarily the Bricklayer and Allied Craftworkers (www.bacweb.org) and the United Brotherhood of Carpenters (UBC, www.carpenters.org).
Trip the light fantastic with Acer's 11.6-inch Aspire One 725 Netbook
Ivy Bridge might be the belle of the ball in laptop-land, but small and nimble will always be on the dance card, too. Despite its petite 11.6-inch 1366x768 screen and 2.6-pound frame, Acer's newly announced Aspire One 725 can still pirouette with a dual-core C-60 AMD processor, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, Radeon HD 6290 graphics, and choice of two colors. Along with the 320 or 500GB hard drives and HD output, those specs should allow you to edit the odd video while still doing the emailing and surfing it was made for. Acer's confirmed the unit will land in Europe in July for 359 euros, but stateside dates and price are still unknown. It's not as flashy as those ingénues, but it should be a cheap, light date.
Trip the light fantastic with Acer's 11.6-inch Aspire One 725 Netbook originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2012 11:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Disneyland Fan Builds a Working Version of the Main Street Electrical Parade on His Coffee Table [Video]
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Military deploys VR NeuroTracker game to train special ops forces (video)
We've seen virtual reality used to simulate the experience of being in space, to train engineers and even to help patients regain mobility, so it's no surprise that the military is recognizing VR's potential, too. The US Special Operations Command recently announced that it will employ NeuroTracker -- a system currently used to train athletes in the NFL and NHL -- to assess and improve commandos' response times and perceptive capabilities.
The VR setup tasks commandos with following the movements of four different balls projected on a 3D screen, the catch being that four "decoy" objects are also bouncing around. NeuroTracker assesses how well an individual can keep track of the designated targets, and also helps determine how he or she would be able to predict trajectories in the field. Once a user has completed the first game, several variations come into play, including a version that speeds up the balls' movements and one that pits two players against each other. CogniSens, the company behind NeuroTracker, says the game develops perceptive abilities just like a workout develops muscles; there's even a high-intensity gameplay option that combines the mental challenge with physical conditioning exercises.
Continue reading Military deploys VR NeuroTracker game to train special ops forces (video)
Military deploys VR NeuroTracker game to train special ops forces (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 May 2012 05:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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