Blogs
Robotic bartender uses Raspberry Pi to dispense perfect drinks
March 7, 2013 4:08 pm | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Comments"Let our bot get you drunk!" If there’s a better sales pitch for the seamless integration of consumer robotics into our everyday lives, I don’t know it. "Bartendro" is a godsend for those who enjoy a good cocktail but don’t like to fiddle with precise measurements (or obscene bar tabs).
The Microsoft vision for 2018
March 7, 2013 3:08 pm | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | CommentsA few weeks ago, we took a look at Walter Cronkite’s 1967 prediction of a media room in the year 2001 and, setting aside the 1960s aesthetics, he wasn’t too far off. Humans are always trying to figure out what the future of technology will be. It’s fun to imagine what would happen if Google Glass became the new iPhone or 3D printing allowed for on-site organ creation. These things could change the world as we know it.
A bug in the drone wars
March 7, 2013 12:52 pm | by M. Simon, Technical Contributor | CommentsA new element is being added to the drone wars: Micro Drones. You can watch a five-minute video by the Air Force that looks at the development of M.A.V - Micro Killer Drones. Done in the usual dominating voice that the people promoting superior military technology seem to like for their videos.
Learn from success too
March 7, 2013 9:20 am | by Alan Nicol, Executive Member, AlanNicolSolutions | CommentsToo easily, we forget that we should also examine how we achieve those occasional perfect outcomes. As we immerse ourselves in continuous process improvement, we get in the habit of tearing down and examining everything that doesn’t meet expectations, go according to plan, or work efficiently enough.
Forget 3D, say hello to 4D
March 6, 2013 12:08 pm | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | CommentsLeave it to MIT to come out with 4D printing, just as 3D printing seems to be really hitting its stride. They can’t just leave well enough alone, can they? We’ve talked a little bit about the potential of 3D printing and the pretty amazing things they can do, so now we’re moving on to 4D.
USA claims dubious honor: World's top spammer
March 5, 2013 5:29 pm | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | CommentsThat slick email from the Nigerian prince promising fabulous riches just might originate from Peoria, USA. According to research from SophosLabs, the United States of America – home of baseball, apple pie, and spam, apparently – sent 18.3% of the world’s junk mail.
Marketing schemes through the Google [looking] glass
March 5, 2013 9:14 am | by Chris Fox, Associate Editor, PD&D | CommentsLast June, Google announced a unique device that is supposed to incorporate their technology into your everyday life. In fact, their sights seem to be set on invading every moment your eyes are open with convenient updates, recording capabilities, and, of course, an easy-to-use search engine.
Obama’s brain project: A hall of mirrors?
March 5, 2013 9:04 am | by Karl Stephan, Consulting Engineer, Texas State University, San Marcos | CommentsOne of the famous line drawings of the artist M. C. Escher portrays a realistically drawn hand holding a pencil. The line drawn by the pen turns out to be the cuff of a shirt sleeve, from which emerges a second hand ... which grows out of the paper somehow and holds a pencil, whose line is the cuff of a shirt sleeve, from which emerges the first hand.
A drag on windpower
March 1, 2013 5:02 pm | by M. Simon, Technical Contributor | CommentsECN recently published an article from Eurekalert! on the limits of large scale wind power. I thought it might be a good idea to go to the source to find out if the posted article reflected the actual paper. The first thing I found without any effort at all (it was in the abstract) is that the Eureka people got the previous maximum-estimated wind source number wrong.
Top 10 must-read posts from February
March 1, 2013 3:12 pm | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | CommentsHere’s a rundown of the most read, most popular, most awesome articles on the web. Take a look at what you missed the first time around or check up on an old favorite to see the conversation in the comments. Keep checking out the Lead at www.ecnmag.com and follow us on Twitter @ecnonline for our most up-to-date articles.
Mayer’s memo ending telecommuting puts Yahoo in good company
March 1, 2013 12:27 pm | by Chris Warner, Executive Editor | CommentsMarissa Mayer created quite a hornet’s nest when she issued a memo effectively ending the work-at-home option for Yahoo employees. In the memo, obtained by AllThingsD, Mayer writes, “To become the absolute best place to work, communication and collaboration will be important, so we need to be working side-by-side."
Why 3D-printable guns are a terrible idea
March 1, 2013 9:45 am | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | CommentsMention the words "3D printed guns" and you’ve got an instant, increasingly heated debate on your hands. When you consider there were 16 mass shootings—defined as a shooting with multiple, random victims—in 2012 with at least 88 people dead including children, it’s definitely a topic worth discussing. My take? No one needs a 3D printed gun or the ability to create one.
University of Washington EcoCAR 2 Team midpoint update
February 28, 2013 10:40 am | by Communications Manager, UW EcoCAR 2 Team | CommentsWe’re now at the midpoint of Y2 of the 3 year EcoCAR 2 competition. In the last few months, the 2013 Chevy Malibu was disassembled– almost to the point of body-in-white. Further, much of the rear sub-frame was
Software patents are evil
February 28, 2013 10:08 am | by M. Simon, Technical Contributor | CommentsI was planning to write about software patent trolls and was entering "software patents" in my search engine when it offered the suggestion "are evil" to complete the phrase. I'll buy that. So to encourage more traffic here, that is the title of this post. Yes. I have been blogging for quite some time.
Pass the Marketplace Fairness Act
February 27, 2013 3:35 pm | by Rex Solomon, Houston Chronicle | CommentsOn July 1, 2012, online retail giant Amazon.com began collecting and remitting state sales taxes in Texas. As a small-business owner and president of Houston Jewelry, I can say from experience that this was cause for celebration in the Texas retail community.
