Pokemon Go Is Driving Insane Amounts of Sales at Small Local Businesses. Here\’s How It Works | Inc.com

Augmented reality is no longer a fringe curiosity. It’s having real commercial potential.

For $1.19 an hour, you can have more customers than you’ve ever seen in your life

Source: Pokemon Go Is Driving Insane Amounts of Sales at Small Local Businesses. Here\’s How It Works | Inc.com

A Fitbit and The Internet Discover A Couple’s Pregnancy | Digital Trends

 

Ladies and gentlemen, we may have found the pregnancy test of the 21st century. Or at least it looks like Reddit user YoungPTone did, as he discovered he and his wife are pregnant through very unconventional means, reports BBC.

Source: A Fitbit and The Internet Discover A Couple’s Pregnancy | Digital Trends

New frontiers in cyborgology have been crossed when one of the most intimate of discoveries is mediated, not only by wearable computing, but crowdsourcing.

Bionic eye helps man see

 

When I was a kid, this was the stuff of science fiction (“The Six Million Dollar Man.”) Now it’s closer within reach.

About a decade ago Allen Zderad, a 68-year-old Minnesotan, was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, an incurable disease that attacks your retina, leaving you blind. Now for the first time in 10 years Zderad can see thanks to a pioneering bionic implant. The implant reads and sends light photons to the bionic nerve, going around the damaged retina. The sight is fairly crude, but this is a big step forward toward a possible cure for blindness

via The Optimist Daily.

‘Anki Overdrive’ Bringing Modular Tracks and New Cars to AI Racing Game – Mac Rumors

More augmented reality for fun and games.

Anki today announced a sequel to its innovative iOS-compatible Anki Drive slot car racing game. Called “Anki Overdrive” and set for launch in September, it will include brand new cars, a customizable track – courtesy of magnetically interlocking track pieces and “bridges” that adjust track height – and even jump ramps (via Re/code).

Originally debuted on stage at WWDC 2013, Anki has slowly grown support for the original Anki Drive by adding new cars and track support but keeping the same basic static roll-out mat technology. The sequel, which the company plans to announce today at the New York Toy Fair, will retain the same basic concept of using a smartphone to control a physical toy car around a track, battling against an A.I. opponent or other players.

via ‘Anki Overdrive’ Bringing Modular Tracks and New Cars to AI Racing Game – Mac Rumors.

An App Promises Mobile Justice to Protestors When Law Enforcement Violates the Law – NationofChange

The Mobile Justice app allows users to take video of public exchanges with police and other citizens, and then automatically uploads to the American Civil Liberties Union, keeping the file from being deleted if the phone is confiscated. Will this help with cases of police violating people’s civil rights?

via An App Promises Mobile Justice to Protestors When Law Enforcement Violates the Law – NationofChange.

“Limbitless” – 6 Year Old Gets $350 3D Printed Myoelectric Arm. | E-nabling The Future

It’s not every day cyborgology makes the eyes moist.

“My mother taught us that we’re supposed to help change the world…We’re supposed to help make it better. That’s why we did it.” – Albert Manero, UCF Aerospace Engineer – on why he created a 3D printed robotic prosthetic device for 6 year old Alex Pring.

via “Limbitless” – 6 Year Old Gets $350 3D Printed Myoelectric Arm. | E-nabling The Future.

Augmented Education

I know that I am supposed to like this product because of its advertising—the simulacra of spontaneous discovery and multicultural cast—but I do anyway.

Here is a wonderful example of subordinating the machine to the use of actual “manipulatives” in a potentially one–to–many relationship with children. Here the machine facilitates action and interaction IRL, “in real life.” I love the simplicity of the hardware, a plastic stand, plastic–housed mirror for the front–facing camera, and plastic manipulatives; and the sophistication of the artificially intelligent classroom.

I can only hope that this would be adopted in classrooms that already have iPads in use. I give you Osmo, “play beyond the screen.”

Another artful example of augmented reality

On Facebook I discovered another beautiful example of augmented reality as art. Enjoy!

A Chinese Company 3D-Printed 10 Houses In A Day – Business Insider

Every day, I think we head closer to the world of cyberpunk, in this case to Neal Stephenson’s grand vision of The Diamond Age.

There’s a lot you can do with a 3D printer. Now add “building a house in a day” to the list.

Make that 10 houses.
The WinSun Decoration Design Engineering Co. has printed 10 homes in 24 hours out of recycled materials.

via A Chinese Company 3D-Printed 10 Houses In A Day – Business Insider.

Kid Cyborg

I loved seeing this report about the Dad who printed his kid a cybernetic prosthesis. The unthinkable is always just around the corner, and next door.

Two years ago, Paul McCarthy began searching for an inexpensive yet functional prosthetic hand for his son Leon, who was born without fingers on one of his hands. McCarthy came across a video online with detailed instruction on how to use a 3-D printer to make a prosthetic hand for his son. Michelle Miller reports.

 

Related articles

• Video: Boy gets prosthetic hand made by 3-D printer (cbsnews.com)
• Dad Makes a 3D-Printed Prosthetic Hand for His Son for £6 (gizmodo.co.uk)
• Loving father built a prosthetic hand for his son with a 3D printer (sploid.gizmodo.com)
• This awesome dad 3-D printed a prosthetic hand for his son (now.msn.com)
• Dad Uses 3D Printer To Make His Son A Prosthetic Hand (VIDEO) (huffingtonpost.com)
• Dad 3D Printed A Prosthetic Hand For His Son (eteknix.com)
• Loving father built a prosthetic hand for his son with a 3D printer (jeremiahtillman.wordpress.com)