3:16 PM
Japanese researchers demonstrated a robot that can mimic speech and gestures sent to it by video-phone, replicating the other person's presence. A sensor transmits the caller's sounds and movements of the head, face, and arms to a robot near the recipient--one of the first markets for the robot is for elderly people living alone and is expected to sell for about $8,000:
http://www.physorg.com/news199888488.html
Half of the Space Station's cooling system suddenly shut down and forced astronauts to turn off equipment and probably make urgent spacewalk repairs:
http://www.physorg.com/news199887270.html
Sheets of graphene oxide are highly effective at killing bacteria and may be able to be integrated in shoes to keep anyone's shoes from smelling:
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20727715.300-computer-supermaterial-could-stop-your-shoes-smelling.html
The UAE and Saudi Arabia said that it will block key features on BlackBerry smartphones because their governments cannot monitor their use:
http://www.physorg.com/news199886732.html
Hacker showed how he could use $1500 in equipment to listen in on any call using GSM, one of the world's most widely used cellular standards (AT&T and T-Mobile in the US). He says that GSM is broken and there is nothing that consumers can do to protect their calls. Phones using 3G and BlackBerry phones are protected. The GSM Association says that there has never been a guarantee of secure communications:
http://www.physorg.com/news199886466.html
Nissan's new cars will feature air conditioners that spray breathable vitamin C to moisturize skin. They are also looking to install "friendly" speedometers that can remind the drivers of wedding anniversaries or birthdays, in case the driver forgets:
http://www.physorg.com/news199513947.html
Spirit Airlines is charging $30 for each carry-on bag that doesn't fit under the seat if the fee is paid in advance, and $45 for each carry-on if it is paid at the gate. They claim that this is a way to reduce flight delays because it speeds the boarding process by discouraging passengers from stuffing the overhead bins. That is a nice attempt to spin a new fee...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38509841/ns/travel-news/
Officials went to congratulate the oldest living man in Tokyo on his 111th birthday...and found his skeletal remains lying in his bed. He may have been dead for *32 years*, but his family continued receiving his pension payments and some of the money had recently been withdrawn. His relatives told police that Kato had "confined himself in his room more than 30 years ago and became a living Buddha":
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-10809128
The welfare officer had visited Kato's home once a year since 1992 to give him a senior transportation pass, but each time his daughter had refused to allow her to see Kato because she said he was in poor health. His grandson lied to a welfare officer about where he was in February:
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20100730p2a00m0na041000c.html
http://www.physorg.com/news199888488.html
Half of the Space Station's cooling system suddenly shut down and forced astronauts to turn off equipment and probably make urgent spacewalk repairs:
http://www.physorg.com/news199887270.html
Sheets of graphene oxide are highly effective at killing bacteria and may be able to be integrated in shoes to keep anyone's shoes from smelling:
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20727715.300-computer-supermaterial-could-stop-your-shoes-smelling.html
The UAE and Saudi Arabia said that it will block key features on BlackBerry smartphones because their governments cannot monitor their use:
http://www.physorg.com/news199886732.html
Hacker showed how he could use $1500 in equipment to listen in on any call using GSM, one of the world's most widely used cellular standards (AT&T and T-Mobile in the US). He says that GSM is broken and there is nothing that consumers can do to protect their calls. Phones using 3G and BlackBerry phones are protected. The GSM Association says that there has never been a guarantee of secure communications:
http://www.physorg.com/news199886466.html
Nissan's new cars will feature air conditioners that spray breathable vitamin C to moisturize skin. They are also looking to install "friendly" speedometers that can remind the drivers of wedding anniversaries or birthdays, in case the driver forgets:
http://www.physorg.com/news199513947.html
Spirit Airlines is charging $30 for each carry-on bag that doesn't fit under the seat if the fee is paid in advance, and $45 for each carry-on if it is paid at the gate. They claim that this is a way to reduce flight delays because it speeds the boarding process by discouraging passengers from stuffing the overhead bins. That is a nice attempt to spin a new fee...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38509841/ns/travel-news/
Officials went to congratulate the oldest living man in Tokyo on his 111th birthday...and found his skeletal remains lying in his bed. He may have been dead for *32 years*, but his family continued receiving his pension payments and some of the money had recently been withdrawn. His relatives told police that Kato had "confined himself in his room more than 30 years ago and became a living Buddha":
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-10809128
The welfare officer had visited Kato's home once a year since 1992 to give him a senior transportation pass, but each time his daughter had refused to allow her to see Kato because she said he was in poor health. His grandson lied to a welfare officer about where he was in February:
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20100730p2a00m0na041000c.html