Geek News Central Special Media Feed

Flir created a minor sensation few years ago with the Flir One thermal imaging attachment for smartphones costing only a few hundred bucks. Building on this, Flir have launched the Duo, a dual sensor compact camera designed to be carried by drones. John gives Todd a quick demo of the new Duo and see if you can spot the GNC cameraman. The Flir Duo combines both visible light and thermal sensors into a single camera which can be carried by any drone that attaches GoPro cameras.  The visible resolution is full HD at 1920 x 1080, whereas the thermal camera is only 160 x 120. This might seem poor but the resolution of thermal imaging tends to be much lower. Flir has a nice trick called MSX blending where the visible and thermal images are combined to give more detailed pictures. There’s a demo here. There a two versions, the Duo and Duo R, with the latter providing calibrated radiometric temperature measurements, i.e. it can tell accurately how hot an object is. The Duo is priced at US$999 and the Duo R is $1,299. Available now. Flir have partnered with drone makers Autel Robotics and paired their Duo with the X-Star Premium drone for an all-in-one package including customised flight software. Oddly the package appears to be available only to US military and no word on price. Todd Cochrane is the host of the twice-weekly Geek News Central Podcast at GeekNewsCentral.com. Become a GNC Insider today!

Vivint has been a leader in smart home technology for years. It was only a matter of time before the company partnered with AirBnB to provide tools to hosts who rent out rooms thru the service. Todd had a chat with Trevor inside of Vivint’s booth (which is really more of a home than a typical CES booth) at CES. Trevor explained how Vivint has developed a range of tools that will be useful to AirBnB hosts: * Hosts can use a Vivint smart door lock to issue unique pass codes to renters so there’s no worries about keys, and hosts won’t have to be on site when renters arrive * Vivint’s products can monitor and manage security and energy of the property during the rental period * Using a connected doorbell camera, hosts can confirm the identities of renters and see how many people are actually in their parties Pricing for Vivint products varies. For more information, visit their website.

Technology can do a lot to help keep us safe on the road. And that’s exactly what Cosmo Connected is doing with its rear-mountable helmet light for motorcyclists. Todd spoke to Roman at the Cosmo Connected booth during CES. Roman showed how his company’s smart light easily attaches to the back of a standard helmet (using magnets) to help provide visibility while on the road. Here are some highlights: * Connected brake light with built-in accelerometer, light is engaged when driver reduces speed * Built-in gyroscope can detect if the driver has fallen or been in an accident * In the case of a fall or accident, the light sends a confirmation to the driver’s phone to see if they’re OK, if no confirmation is received, the light will prompt an incoming call from an operator to check on the driver, if there’s no answer after two attempts, the operator will contact emergency services and the driver’s emergency contact * Cosmo Connected light charges via USB connection * The light can be set to flash mode so it can be used by bicyclists or other non-motorcycle drivers Cosmo Connected is expected to retail for $99 for the light. The remote operator service may run between $2 and $3 per month.

Underwear isn’t usually the first thing that comes to mind when you ponder CES. But if you think about it, clothing is probably one of the first (and oldest) forms of technology. Sure, we mostly take it for granted in the 21st century. But, there was definitely a time where you were on the leading edge if you left the cave with anything at all covering your body. With that spirit in mind, Todd stopped by the Spartan booth. There, he spoke with Anthony, who believes in his product so much, Anthony wore it through the entirety of the convention. Spartan makes underwear that’s specifically designed to help its wearers protect what is probably their most important asset: the “family jewels.” Spartan’s boxer-briefs are made from a unique fabric blend that blocks up to 99% of cellphone and WiFi radiation. Each pair can be washed up to 300 times before they start losing their potency. Spartan underwear are priced at $35-$45 per pair, depending on the amount purchased at one time.

Fancy a beer? Me too, but I’ve never brewed my own, though his might change with the iGulu automated home brewing system. Todd looks for some refreshment in the hot halls of tech. Winning a CES Innovation Honoree award, the iGulu machine brews a beer from ingredients to fresh beverage in anything from seven days to a couple of weeks, depending the receipe. Everything is done in the iGulu, from initial mixing and mashing to the fermentation and pour, with sensors ensuring that the final product is perfect. There are receipes for everything from lagers to stouts and the process can be tweaked via the iGulu app to suit personal taste. There’s a small screen to control and check on progress of the brew. I’m feeling thirsty…. The iGulu is available for pre-order via Indiegogo starting from US$550, with an expected final retail price of US$800. Todd Cochrane is the host of the twice-weekly Geek News Central Podcast at GeekNewsCentral.com. Become a GNC Insider today!

It’s only natural that musical performance and technology would collide in some interesting ways at this year’s CES. Musicians, music teachers, and students are always looking for new ways to hone their skills. And eager hardware/software developers are stepping up to provide some innovative tools to help. One such company is called Jameasy. Todd met with Dawon from Jameasy. Dawon is a violinist (and a capable one at that). She showed off the Jameasy system which uses a Bluetooth-enabled sensor on her violin that measures all kinds of information from the instrument and transmits it to the Jameasy app on her iPad. The app then tracks her performance and shows her where her playing might be off from the original composition. Correct notes show as green, wrong notes as red, and notes that were just a bit off show up as yellow. The Jameasy system is expected to retail for between $59 and $99. Jameasy is planning on expanding its product to all stringed instruments, but the product will be available for violin first.

It’s no surprise that connected/smart devices could be found all over the place at this year’s CES. Proving that, at some point, every facet of the modern home will have a chip in it, Todd met up with Min from Amadas. Min demonstrated her company’s new smart door lever lock. The lock has some impressive features: * Unlock door using either Amadas mobile app or PIN * Built-in emergency solar panel lets you recharge the door lock’s battery using just the light from your smartphone’s camera, in case the battery dies while you’re out * Control the smart door lock from anywhere, at any time, using the Amadas mobile app * See a login history of who has accessed a specific door lock * Amadas door lock hardware comes in a variety of designs with customized options available * Uses Z-Wave technology to ensure security The Amadas smart door lever lock is expected to retail for between $300 and $400

The Internet of Things is bringing new products and concepts into our lives every day. We’ve got smart devices and apps all around us that measure and quantity everything from our vital statistics to the air we breathe. It seems only natural that this technology would enter into more specific areas of measurement. That’s exactly what iOB (“Internet of Beauty”) Labs is doing. Todd spoke with Vincent from iOB Labs. Todd was willing to be Vincent’s guinea pig for a demonstration of iOB Labs’ Skinscopy skin analysis system. The system uses your phone’s camera to analyze the state of your skin. From there, it can suggest products you can buy from company partners that can help to improve the quality of your skin. The app also allows users to track the condition of their skin over time, making it easier to track progress and changes.

Who’d ever have imagined that the truly most powerful and (potentially) versatile devices we’d own would turn out to be our cell phones. But in the era of the modern smartphone, that’s exactly what’s come to pass. People are using mobile devices like smartphones and tablets to do way more than just take calls. And while these devices have an impressive array of features built-in, their usefulness can be infinitely extended thru the use of accessories. Todd met with Kristen at the OtterBox booth during CES. Kristen educated Todd about the new OtterBox line of phone and tablet cases called uniVERSE. The uniVERSE case system creates a full ecosystem of possibilities for adding all kinds of accessories to phones and tablets, while leaving the uniVERSE base case on the device. uniVerse cases and accessories start at $59.95 and should be on the market by the end of first quarter 2017.

Step counters and activity trackers are ten-a-penny, but what if the tracker could show you how you run, not just how far you run? It’s now a reality with smart insoles from FeetMe. Todd finds out more from CTO Andrey Mostovov and sprinter Taylor Pegram. FeetMe’s athletic smart insoles, FeetMe Sport, constantly takes measurements from over thirty pressure sensors, before processing the information in their FeetMe coaching app to show exactly how your feet hit the ground. Imagine being a top athlete and being able to see your stride and steps. The app gives suggestions for improvement and weaknesses are highlighted for attention in the next training session. Unsurprisingly, the FeetMe Sport uses Bluetooth to pass the information on to a nearby smartphone or tablet, giving feedback in the field. There’s a professional version for healthcare aimed at people who have gait or foot problems, or need post-operative assessment, allowing clinicians to review the data from the insoles. The FeetMe Sport insoles are on pre-order for US$150. Todd Cochrane is the host of the twice-weekly Geek News Central Podcast at GeekNewsCentral.com. Become a GNC Insider today!

Parents around the world will recognise the perennial problem of taking their child to the doctor for relatively minor ailments simply to get prescription or medication. The kid just wants to be wrapped up in bed watching TV but they’ve to be dragged down to the doctor for 2 minute exam to confirm it’s nothing to worry about. TytoCare have a brilliant solution in the shape of the TytoHome telehealth and remote examination kit. Todd finds out more from Dedi Gilad. The TytoCare system is a hand-sized unit with a small screen which has icons for the body area to be checked – nose, ears, heart, lungs, temperature. The device uses a selection of interchangeable sensors which are shaped appropriately and are plugged into the rear of the unit. The device combines a number of medical instruments, including * a high resolution video and still camera * an infrared forehead thermometer * an otoscope for the ear * stethoscope for the heart and lungs * tongue depressor for the mouth and throat The TytoHome connects via Bluetooth to any smartphone and the complementary app demonstrates and guides the owner in the use of the device. The collected data is either recorded for later review or on online consultation can be started with a healthcare provider, sending data back to the clinician during the discussion. The TytoHome is expected to retail at US$299 when it comes to market. There are enhanced versions for professional use (TytoPro and TytoClinic). Todd Cochrane is the host of the twice-weekly Geek News Central Podcast at GeekNewsCentral.com. Become a GNC Insider today!

While 3D printers struggle to find a place in homes and offices, they’ve revolutionised the world of prototyping and the development of “one offs” within design and manufacturing. SE3D hope to push 3D printing into education and science, and Todd discusses the possibilities with Dr Mayasar Lim from SE£D. SE3D’s printer differs from other devices through the substrate used for the models. Instead of plastic or metal, it uses organic materials to build the structure. By using plant or animal calls, the model can then be used within demonstrations, experiments and trials to show the response to, say, enzymes or therapeutic treatments. Aimed at both education and laboratory markets, the basic printer unit is around US$4,000 and SE3D can provide a package for schools that includes curricular materials along with reagents and other materials. Todd Cochrane is the host of the twice-weekly Geek News Central Podcast at GeekNewsCentral.com. Become a GNC Insider today!

In our previous post, we touched briefly on the latest version of Ford SYNC, and how the platform will integrate with Amazon’s Echo (Alexa) service. In this video, Todd spoke with Jack from Ford who gave some more detailed information on how SYNC will be able to integrate with Echo: * Voice recognition allows drivers to give hands-free voice commands using Alexa * Drivers will be able to access third-party services and functions thru Amazon Echo that allow them to do things like turn on garage lights in connected homes * Drivers will be able to use home or office-based Echo units to ask about the status of their SYNC-enabled cars to get information like battery charge rate, etc. * Alexa integration will allow drivers to ask their cars where nearby stores, restaurants, and other locations are and seamlessly get directions to those locations that are then sent to the car’s built-in navigation system Ford is planning on adding Alexa/Echo integration to Ford SYNC 3 in the summer of 2017.  

It might seem surprising to find a car manufacturer like Ford at CES, as the convention is primarily focused on gadgets and consumer technology. But Ford has been present at CES for several years now, focusing on its Ford SYNC in-dash system. Todd met up with Stefan from Ford where Stefan showed off some of the latest developments in SYNC. Including: * Integration with Amazon Echo (Alexa voice commands) * Driver Score app calculates a score based on your driving behavior that could be used to negotiate coverage rates with insurance companies (SYNC only provides scores to vehicle drivers, it doesn’t report directly to outside parties) * Speed Pass+ integration allows drivers to find nearby Speed Pass-enabled fueling stations where they can see which pumps are available and select and set up a pump before pulling into the station * SYNC has a built-in mobile navigation app that integrates with third-party apps so drivers can select the navigation app(s) they prefer to use Ford SYNC is currently available in many vehicles and will be added to more vehicles as the company continues to roll out and improve the platform.

Getting enough sleep is a key part of a healthy lifestyle but for some people the problem isn’t just about getting into bed early enough, it’s about falling asleep. Israeli firm 2breathe has developed a smart sensor and complementary app to help those who have difficulty nodding off. Todd relaxes with Erez. 2breathe is a guided breathing system that uses a body-worn sensor to read the breaths in and out. The app records the breathing rate and then using softly-spoken instructions and gentle music, gradually reduces the breathing speed of the wearer. As the breathing rate slows, the soon-to-be-sleeper will get drowsy and fall asleep. In the morning, the app produces a session report, showing the time to snooze and breathing patterns. The CES Innovation committee though this was a good idea too, awarding 2breathe a CES Honoree Innovation Award. 2breathe is available now for US$179, either direct from 2breathe or other major online retailers. It’s currently only available for Apple iOS devices. Todd Cochrane is the host of the twice-weekly Geek News Central Podcast at GeekNewsCentral.com. Become a GNC Insider today!