Daily Bits

Angry Birds for Real

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It’s been a while since I last played this overly addictive game, but there is no denying that there are still people who are only starting to get hooked. Unsurprisingly, businesses will continue to ride this wave as long as it can bring them benefits. And Deustche Telekom is not exempt from this.

Earlier this month, the telecommunications giant teamed up with Rovio, the creators of Angry Birds, to promote their new services. In a Spanish town called Terrassa, they set up a real-life Angry Birds scene, complete with pigs, birds, bricks, and what-have-you. To top it off, this talented band provides a jazzed up version of the game’s theme. Never mind that the people who participated in the event were all invited to be there and paid (I assume). The whole thing still looks fun.

Some of you may be sick of the birds by now, but this video just might change your mind.

I wonder if this will set off a string of copycat events?

Virtual Fitting Room Courtesy of the Kinect

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Virtual Fitting Room

Want to bet that before the year is over, we might just have no need to actually try on clothes when we go shopping? If the setup that Russian company AR Door ((AR Door)) is successful in its endeavors – and I don’t see why it won’t be – we could very well see virtual fitting rooms everywhere.

The idea is simple and not new. In fact, I seem to remember a teeny bopper movie from ages ago where the lead character used a similar system. She would merely use her computer to try on combinations of clothes to see which looked good.

What AR Door is doing, though, is far from a mere teeny bopper project. Using software that they have created, coupled with the Microsoft Kinect, they have created virtual fitting rooms for Topshop, a popular clothing chain. Basically, if a customer fancies a dress, she does not have to look for a private fitting room to undress and actually put the dress on. Instead, she only has to stand in front of a huge screen and let the system do the work. The Kinect scans the customer and displays her on the screen. The customer then has to push virtual buttons to try clothes on. And yes, it works with the back as well. (Of course, you have to see how your backside looks in that pair of jeans!)

See the virtual fitting room in action.

I have to say that this is a brilliant application of the Kinect, which I thought was silly when I saw some people playing with it during a tweet-up. I can already imagine the convenience that this setup will bring!

Mobile Phone Battery Dying? Talk Louder!

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ShoutTechnology never ceases to amaze me, and even the most improbable ideas can turn into reality, thanks to some of the most creative minds in this world. In the future, if you are in the middle of nowhere without electricity and your phone’s battery is running out of juice, you might just have to talk louder to power up your gadget.

I kid you not – this is the technique that has been developed by some electrical engineers in South Korea. The idea is simple – sound waves being converted into electricity. The brainchild of Dr. Sang-Woo Kim of the Institute of Nanotechnology at the Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul, South Korea, this technique holds a lot of promise for the average person today.

Not only can using the phone to make a call help to charge the battery, but the background noise can also be used to power up the device. Before you get too excited, you have to understand that there are limitations to the technology. For one, the power that can be derived from the sound waves may not be enough to charge the battery to its full capacity. However, if the technology works properly, the sound waves may at least be able to allow the device to keep on functioning until a proper outlet can be accessed. Even better, this technology can be applied to gadgets other than mobile phones. Think netbooks and laptops.

Here’s the science behind the idea: set up two electrodes with strands of zinc oxide in between. Attach a sound absorbing pad. When this pad vibrates, the zinc oxide strands move as well, the result of which is an electrical current. That is, of course, simplifying things, but the concept alone is enough to evoke some excitement as to its potential!

Via Crazy Engineers

Star Wars in LEGO: Condensed Version

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Have you ever tried telling the entire story of Star Wars to someone who has no idea what it’s about? You probably would need at least an hour and nifty story-telling skills to do the job. That or show that person this video telling a fast paced version of the story. In LEGO.

Now Star Wars LEGO is not a new thing. Try googling “Star Wars LEGO” and you will see countless results. This video is something else, though. Not only are the minifigs and the sets set up so they look really cool, but the background music and the narrative are also noteworthy. It’s not technically epic (whatever that means), but no one can say it is not funny and attention-grabbing. I can only imagine how much this kid has spent on buying all those LEGO pieces!

That is the more recent video that dzine123 uploaded, but sometime last year, he also had a similar video.

Now you can either use these videos for bedtime stories or you can actually transcribe the narrative and tell the story on your own. Either way, you are sure to have the Star Wars story understood by kids of all ages!

All Along the Watchtower Jazz Cover

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Time for a dose of Battlestar Galactica – well, sort of. We may not watch the entire BSG series every year, but enthusiasts will definitely get their hands on anything related to BSG on a regular basis. This month, what I stumbled upon is a jazzy rendition of Bear McCreary’s All Along the Watchtower.

I do not know a single person who has watched BSG who was not affected by that haunting piece by McCreary, and to be honest, I think that it’s still the best version. The Sac State Jazz Singers did a pretty good job, though, especially given the fact that there were no instruments involved. Oh, and they got a comment from McCreary himself!

Wow, guys… this is seriously awesome. Someone sent this link along, and I’m pretty much stunned listening to this. What a killer arrangement! I think I might like it better than mine. 🙂 Keep up the good work. So say we all…

-Bear
bearmccreary

That’s the best praise these guys can get. Without further ado, here is the video. Enjoy those BSG scenes in your head as you listen!

HBOC201: “Unreal” Blood That Can Save Lives

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dr-mark-fitzgerald
HBOC201. It may remind you of the ubiquitous TV channel, but it has nothing at all to do with that. This is the name of a synthetic blood substitute that has saved an Australian woman’s life. Tamara Coakley had a really bad car accident and was barely alive when she got to the hospital. She had only one liter of blood left in her body, and immediately needed a blood transfusion. Not to mention all the other complications, she is also a Jehovah’s Witness, meaning she couldn’t undergo blood transfusion. Technically though, using the synthetic blood is not blood transfusion as it is considered a blood substitute. ((I honestly am hard pressed to see the difference, but okay.))

In any case, HBOC201 is something that probably belongs to science fiction. This blood substitute contains a molecule that is derived from cow plasma. It was developed by the US Navy and can be used for a wide variety of conditions wherein a blood transfusion is required.

It may not seem an appealing choice, given that HBOC201 is essentially made of cow plasma. Then again, we already drink cow’s milk. This isn’t much different, is it? This blood substitute presents a lot of potential. For one, HBOC201 is not limited by blood type restrictions. Whatever your blood type may be, you will be able to receive HBOC201. Another thing is that HBOC201 is stored more easily. It can be kept without refrigeration for up to three years. This can mean a lot for those in areas where electricity is not taken for granted! And with the low supply of donor blood, HBOC201 just might be what is needed to save other people’s lives.

Science fiction? Amazing!