My Science School

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The HidrateSpark 3 smart water bottle tracks your water intake and reminds you to drink up. The entire bottle illuminates to remind you to drink more water at regular intervals or when you are behind on your daily water goal, and you can choose from three light patterns. It syncs via Bluetooth to the HidrateSpark app, Fitbit and Apple Health. Push notifications to your phone nudge you to keep hydrated through the day. Its smart sensors record how much you drink, calculating personal hydration goals based on your body and activity level. You can even compete with friends in fun hydration challenges. Hidrate's location tracking feature, Find My Bottle, helps you locate your bottle at the last place that it synced, ensuring that you never misplace it. A single charge of its replaceable battery lasts up to four months. The HidrateSpark 3 is made of BPA-free Tritan plastic, combined with a silicone sleeve to minimise condensation.

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The Xbox is a home video game console. You knew that already, didn't you? When it was launched a little over 20 years ago in November 2001, it was a gamble for Microsoft as it was a piece of hardware from a company known more for its software.

As a product that blurred the lines between a gaming machine and an entertainment device, the original Xbox was highly successful and continues to have devotees till this day. If this device had been running long enough without active usage, then it is likely that the owners of the Xbox might have heard some eerie chit chat that almost feels like it is from outer space.

That, in fact, is the truth. In a tweet in 2014, Lawrence Hryb, Director of Programming for the Microsoft gaming network Xbox Live and known commonly by his Xbox Live Gamertag "Major Nelson", revealed that the ambient sounds in the original Xbox were actually from NASA! Hryb added that the background sounds were created by tweaking public domain audio from NASA transmissions during the Apollo days. How cool is that?

When Sony Computer Entertainment first announced the PlayStation 2 in 1999, the company had positioned the console as a centerpiece for home entertainment, as it not only would play video games, but also could play audio CDs and video DVDs. Microsoft, whose business had been primarily in supporting the personal computer (PC) business with its Windows operating system, software, and games, saw the PlayStation 2 as a threat to the personal computer.

Four engineers from Microsoft's DirectX team—Kevin Bachus, Seamus Blackley, Ted Hase and DirectX team leader Otto Berkes, began to envision what a Microsoft console to compete against the PlayStation 2 would be like. They designed a system that would use many hardware components in common with PCs, effectively running a version of Windows and DirectX to power the games on the console.This approach would make it easy for developers on Windows to build games for their new system, differentiating itself from the custom hardware solutions of most consoles. Numerous names were suggested for this console, including "Direct X Box", and the "Windows Entertainment Project". Microsoft's marketing team conducted consumer surveys of the name, using the name "Xbox" as a control believing this would be least desirable, but found that this had the highest preference from their tests, and was selected as the name of the console.

Credit : Wikipedia 

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The Creeper program is regarded as the first virus. The idea of a computer virus- a metaphor derived from biological viruses for a computer program that when executed, replicates itself to affect machines-was discussed in a series of lectures in the late 1940s by mathematician John von Neumann.

The Creeper program created by Bob Thomas of BBN in 1971 is often regarded as the first vinus Designed as a security test, it was an attempt to see if self-replicating programs were possible. It had no malicious intent and simply displayed the message: TM THE CREEPER. CATCH ME IF YOU CAN Viruses have come a long way in half a century and are no longer a laughing matter.

Estimates suggest that 3.50,000 new pieces of malware are discovered every single day in a world that is more connected than ever before, the damaging costs of these are also spiraling out of control with conservative estimates placing a figure of $55 billion in annual costs.

An experimental computer network, ARPANET, was created in 1969 and was the precursor to the internet. It was designed to send communications from computer to computer over long distances, without the need for a dedicated phone connection between each computer. To achieve this required a method of dividing and sending data that is now known as packet switching. It’s few early users were mostly computer scientists. Imagine theirsurprise when one day in 1971, connected teletype computer screens displayed the phrase: “I’m the creeper, catch me if you can!” Although they didn’t know it at the time, they were the first computer virus victims. But what did the mysterious message mean, and who sent it? It turns out it wasn’t a hacker who coded the first computer virus, and it wasn’t sent with malicious intent. Bold, Beranek, and Newman* (now Raytheon BBN Technologies) were pioneers in packet switching networks like ARPANET and the internet. One of its researchers, Bob Thomas, had created Creeper as an experimental computer program.

Creeper was a worm — a type of computer virus that replicates itself and spreads to other systems. In this case, its targets were Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) computers which were linked to ARPANET. But it wasn’t malware like we associate with today’s computer viruses; displaying its enigmatic message was all Creeper did. It didn’t encrypt files, demand a ransom, destroy data, steal Social Security numbers, or render centrifuges inoperable. It only displayed its taunting challenge.

Credit : Exabeam

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What do you do when you want to check something online? Most of us will likely enter a search string in the Google search bar and wait for it to come up with its results. There's hardly any "wait" these days as the tumaround for most searches are nearly next to nothing for practical terms.

Did you know that a single Google query actually uses 1000 machines in just 0.2 seconds? Even though Google is usually secretive about their search infrastructure, they revealed certain details in 2009. During a keynote talk at WSDM 2009, a Google Fellow revealed Google's exponential growth during the decade from 1999 to 2009. As compared to 12 machines that were used earlier, 1000 machines were employed by 2009 in order to hold the complete search index in memory. Crawler updates, which used to take months in 1999, were down to just minutes by 2009. Search queries and processing power went up by a factor of 1000, while latency went down from around 1000 ms to 200 ms or 0.2 seconds.

Also, according to Jeff Dean, Google puts the search index all in memory several years ago and displays search results almost instantaneously to the person who is trying to search, so for each query, 2 , It is said that thousands of machines are working in tandem instead of three dozen machines. Google has developed various index compression technologies over the past several years and finally put it in a format that combines the four deltas of the position in order to minimize the number of replacement work required for decompression I told you it was solved. Google is paying attention to where their data is located on the disk, and data that needs to be read immediately is placed on the outer circumference of the disk which can read data at a higher speed even in the hard disk , It seems that cold data (data that does not need to be read out quickly, data with low reading frequency) and short data are placed on the inner circumference of the disk.
Also, in usual server applications, we use ECC memory at a higher price than usual which can correct errors themselves, but Google uses non-parity memory, so we created our own program to recover from errors, My own disk scheduler. The Linux kernel has also made a number of corrections to meet the needs.
Regarding the physical server as well, in the first phase it was a self-made server without a case, then it became a server to fit in a normal rack, but now it is back to a custom server without case again.

Credit : Giga zine

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Staring at your smartphone or any other digital device could speed up blindness. A study by University of Toledo in Ohio (USA) found that blue light from digital devices triggers the production of a toxic chemical that kills light-sensitive cells in our eyes. The resulting damage can speed up macular degeneration - a leading cause of vision loss.

Dr Ajith Karunarathne from the University of Toledo said: "We are being exposed to blue light continuously, and the eye's cornea and lens cannot block or reflect it. It's no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye's retina."

Macular degeneration begins with the death of photoreceptor cells (light sensitive cells) in the retina. These cells need molecules called retinal to sense light and trigger a cascade of signalling to the brain. "You need a continuous supply of retinal molecules if you want to see," Karunarathne said.

When blue light hits our eyes, it triggers retinal to produce toxic molecules that kill off the eye's photoreceptor cells. "Photoreceptor cells do not regenerate in the eye. When they're dead, they're dead for good," Karunarathne adds.

Retinal and blue light need each other to cause their damage; either one on its own wasn't found to kill photoreceptor cells. The researchers say that people should avoid using digital devices in the dark because this can dilate pupils and cause more blue light to enter the eyes.

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Taking inspiration from physical notebooks, Zoho Notebook has scrapped 'Folders' used by other apps, instead using 'Notebooks'. The app lets you set a custom cover image for Notebooks and group related notes into stacks. Individual notes can be locked using a PIN. Capture your thoughts in six ways: text notes, checklists, audio notes, photo notes, sketches and document notes. Students can record lectures using Audio Card, or draw diagrams and take handwritten notes using Sketch Card, or scan reference books, or use Notebook Web Clipper to clip research content and web links. You can even capture special moments using Photo Note. The app syncs across devices and you can share notes via supporting apps or export as PDF. The app integrates with assistants: Ask Google Assistant to "Take Note' to instantly create a note or ask Siri to search through notes. Free for iOS and Android.  The covers make it easy to segregate and identify different notebooks. You can also choose fonts, font size and colours as per your preference. On iOS, the app integrates with Siri. You can ask Siri to search through notes, for instance. If you want to have your notes synced across your devices, you need to sign-up for a free account. Its not mandatory to sign up if you don't want to back up online and only want to keep notes on your current device.

Credit : Economic Times

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When your apps are open in the background, they are in a state where it is easy to re launch them. This does not mean that they are using much of your resources. Resources are accessed by apps open in the background only when a background process is involved such as uploading a file, location tracking, playing audio. In fact, closing background apps uses more battery. When you force quit an app, you are using a portion of your resources and battery for closing it and clearing it from RAM. Resources will be used when you open it again leading to increased usage of battery. To improve battery life, turn off notifications for frequently used apps, turn off vibration for calls/notifications and dim the display.

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The new Sony Aibo's outward appearance resembles a real dog and it includes 4,000 parts, 22 actuators to allow for fluid movement, OLED-screen eyes, and the same kind of artificial intelligence (Al) used for self-driving cars. Its sophisticated cameras and sensors map a house, so it can easily move around and go to its charging station on its own. It recognizes upto 100 faces and remembers interactions with people, allowing its AI engine to develop a unique personality that changes over time. Aibo can learn new tricks, bark, detect words of praise and smiles, and respond to touch when someone pets it. It is controlled by voice command or through the Aibo app. Its software is naturally curious and trained to please, letting it learn a user's preferences and eventually become a one-of-a-kind companion.

The new robot dog is also equipped with a fisheye camera in the nose and a second camera near the rear that both work with sensors to detect and analyze sounds and images, and help aibo recognize its owners faces. Simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) technology allows aibo to adapt to its environment.

Controlling all of this is a 64-bit quad-core CPU. The robot’s power consumption is rated at 14 watts and the battery has a life of about 2 hours.

According to Izumi Kawanishi, Sony’s senior general manager of its AI Robotics Business Group, this combination of sensors and deep learning also helps aibo analyze praise, interpret smiles, and respond to petting, which creates “a bond with its owners that can grow over time.”

A SIM card connection provides aibo with mobile Internet access, which Sony plans to extend to connect to home appliances and devices. And Kawanishi said the company was also considering educational and personal assistant applications for aibo, but he gave no examples of how those would work. He added that other entertainment robots were a possibility in the future.

Credit : IEEE Spectrum

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We all know that it's important to sit up straight, and to not stay seated for too long. With that in mind, researchers at Germany's  Fraunhofer  Institute have developed an LED stool that coaches people in 'sitting'. Along with LEDs, the stool is outfitted with multiple flexible pressure sensors. By measuring the user's weight distribution, the sensors are able to determine if the person is sitting ergonomically they detect if the user is seated at an improper angle or is maintaining one posture for too long. The data is wirelessly transmitted to a computer or mobile device via an app, then transmitted back to the stool which responds by illuminating its LEDs in certain colours, letting the user know that they need to make a change. That app can also guide users through exercises intended to alleviate problems caused by their improper posture, with the sensors detecting if they're doing the exercises correctly.

The user can consult the app to see a video illustrating what the problem is, along with suggestions on how to correct it. The app also guides users through exercises intended to alleviate problems caused by improper posture, with the sensors detecting if they're doing the exercises correctly. Fraunhofer is currently demonstrating the system on Germany's MS Wissenschaft exhibition ship, in a setup where two players control their movements in a game of electronic table tennis by swinging their pelvis on a couple of the stools. Down the road, the sensing technology could also be integrated into more practical applications, such as mats or office chairs.

Credit : New Atlas

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Life can be busy and stressful. Here's where Aloe Bud comes in, making it enjoyable to check in with yourself every day for a bit of self-care. There's no sign up process, no "friend-finding" function, no pressure of joining yet another social network. Users set reminders to do little things like Hydrate, Breathe, Rest, Motivate or Be kind. All tasks fall under three umbrellas: emotional, mental and physical. For each activity, users can check in or write a reflection. You can use the app for journaling, too. The creators have concentrated on using only positive and encouraging language whether it is for the name of the activity ("fuel" instead of "food") or for push notifications ("You've got to nourish to flourish!"). Free for iOS. The app is the latest to enter the booming “self-care” market, which caters to a largely younger demographic who are better handling the pressures of modern-day life by carving out time for themselves to mediate, relax, and practice other mindfulness techniques. Some older folks have scoffed at the movement, claiming millennials are too self-involved – or they just scratch their head in confusion. (“Mindfulness?”)

But there’s real demand for these self-care applications and services – in the first quarter of the year, the top ten self-care apps pulled in $15 million in revenue. Now who’s scoffing? However, most of the self-care apps today are focused on meditation and calming techniques, not on the day-to-day aspects of self-care. That’s where Aloe Bud comes in. Even cynics will have to admit the app is kind of adorable with its soft color scheme and its original, retro-ish pixel art icons.

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At the Worldwide Developer's Conference (WWDC) 2018, Apple announced a new feature for iOS 12- the ability to limit how long you use individual apps via the App Limit setting. Say you don't want to spend more than an hour on Instagram per day; set a limit and you'll receive a full-screen notification when your time is up. It also syncs across your other iOS devices, so that you can't avoid the limit. Not only can you see the time you’ve spent on individual apps, but you can set time limits as well.

Say you don’t want to spend more than an hour on Instagram per day. Set a limit and Apple will send a full-screen notification when time is up. Better yet, it syncs across your other iOS devices, so you can’t cheat that way. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem you can set a hard limit. As far as we can tell, it’s pretty easy to extend your time after you receive the notification to stop there’s an ‘ignore limit’ prompt right on the alert. Still, it’s meant to be more of a deterrent than a permanent measure. Parents will also be happy to know they can apply similar allowances to their kids’ devices. Parents can limit how much time their kids spend in some apps, while allowing others – like educational apps – to be used unfettered.

It’s a small but important update. The average person will spend nearly two hours on social media apps (including YouTube) every day, and that number is expected to increase. Tools like these could help us buck that unfortunate trend.

Credit : The next web 

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The Chargerito is a tiny charger that doesn't have any wires to tangle and folds up to fit on your keychain, so you'll always have a charger when you need it. The Chargerito is a super tiny  charger that you can attach to your keys, you can never leave home without it. This tiny mobile device charger plugs into the wall, even though you might think you already have charger in places such as workplace, home, and car, there are unexpected scenarios where your iPhone’s battery is low and no charger anywhere. This is where Chargerito comes in handy.

 Claiming to be the "world's smallest charger" with a size of 2.1"x 1.3" x 0.7", it incorporates everything you need to charge any device including fold-out prongs and a flip-up Apple Lightning, Micro-USB or USB-C connector. It even serves as a built-in dock for your phone. Just plug it into a socket, and it holds your phone up as it charges.  This phone charger is also a hidden security camera.  Chargerito prides itself on being small enough that it can fit on your keychain. Plus, it has built-in connectors that fold in and out, so you never need to worry about power cables. You simply plug it into the wall and stack your device on top of it. If that balancing act makes you nervous, don’t fret – Chargerito can hold a surprising amount of weight, enough to safely charge a full-sized iPad.

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Create lists of to-do items and check them off once completed with Google's new to-do app. Tasks syncs across devices and integrates into the desktop version of Gmail and Google Calendar. You can add additional information like a description, date and sub tasks to your tasks, and create separate lists that you can switch between. In the new re-designed desktop Gmail, tasks are located to the right of your screen, so you don't have to open the app on your smartphone if you're at your computer. Drag emails from your inbox into the Tasks panel to automatically create new tasks around them. Free for iOS and Android. Aside from its simplicity, Google Tasks' best feature is its deep integration with Gmail. Your inbox isn't the best to-do list—so Google Tasks gives you somewhere to list those important messages that need a reply or action on your part. Drag an email from anywhere in Gmail to the Google Tasks sidebar to instantly turn it into a task. It'll keep the email's subject as the task name, with a link to the email underneath. You can then archive or move the message and still open it easily from the Google Tasks link.

Much like a paper to-do list, the most direct way to use Google Tasks is to jot down basic things you need to do and check them off as they're completed. But if you'd rather plan, rearranging your tasks into the order you should complete them, you can do that too. Just click on a task and drag it to the order you want. Move a task with subtasks? Just drag to move the whole set together. Or, if you decide a subtask should be its own task, drag it out, and it'll turn into a standalone task.

Credit : Zapier

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AUTOMAKERS Toyota recently showed off their ultra-compact, single passenger electric vehicle dubbed the Smart INSECT at CEATEC Japan 2012

The Smart INSECT (an acronym for Information Network Social Electric City Transporter) features flashy gull-wing doors and incorporates new features like face and voice recognition. Motion sensors and cameras recognize pre-registered drivers as they approach, and will greet them with blinking lights, sounds and messages from the instrument panel. It also anticipates the driver's intentions by tracking body movements, such as opening doors automatically when the driver reaches for them.

Its detailed GPS navigation system is connected to the cloud-based Toyota Smart Centre, which hosts a virtual agent that provides navigation instructions via voice command. As user data accumulates in the cloud, the system learns the driver's preferences and common destinations. It also makes suggestions - from restaurants to playlists - on personal tastes, and allows owners to lock up their house or activate home's AC on the way there. Priced at approximately US$10,000, it can achieve a top speed of 60 km/h and has a range of about 50 km. reserve of fat. The mammoth, named Zhenya after the boy's nickname, will become the main exhibit of the Taimyr Regional Museum.

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