For the past week, prospective NFL athletes have been competing in the NFL Combine – an exhibition that tests players’ physical and mental abilities. Not only have NFL prospects been working hard to impress coaches with their strength, speed, and intensity, some also have been the first to wear the new biometric Under Armour E39 shirt.
The E39 may look like a typical Under Armour compression shirt, but it is equipped with electronic sensors that monitor heart rate and breathing as well as a triaxial accelerometer to gauge swiftness.
Should this be your new look? Let’s ask a computer
Everyone needs a good makeover once in a while, but what if one can’t afford a makeup artist? In the future, those trying to improve their appearance may be able to turn to computers for not just hair and fashion help, but virtual makeup consultation as well.
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute in Germany have created software to do just that, using a webcam to capture a 3-D image of the subject’s face.
Former Jeopardy champion contestants face off against Watson in a test run at IBM Research Labs
It may just be the greatest man vs. machine matchup since chess champion Garry Kasparov squared off against Deep Blue.
This week, the two most celebrated and successful players in Jeopardy history matched wits in a three-day competition against Watson, an IBM supercomputer, and, as many predicted, the artificial intelligence program won by a landslide.
So far, 2011 has been full of winter storms and a whole lot of snow. And as a massive blizzard that just slammed the Midwest U.S. moves eastward, Japan might have a cute and innovative solution for scooping up all the snow.
Not only can shoveling be too strenuous for some people, such as the sick or elderly, but it can also leave massive piles of snow in roads or sidewalks.
Instead, winter storm victims could enlist the help of the self-guided robotYuki-taro, which eats up snow and then excretes little snow-bricks.
Called AutoFrost, the machine combines electronic sensors, computer programming, and precise mechanics with delicious gooey confections. Just doodle your design on a basic Microsoft Paint-like program, hit the button that says, “I’m ready to design an amazing cake,” and watch the frosting begin.
