TYPING BLIND: Stanford University's Army High-Performance Computing Research Center have developed a tablet Braille writer. Instead of the blind person needing to figure out where to put their fingers on the flat glass screen the keys find the person's fingers. The user touches eight fingertips to the glass then the keys orient themselves correctly. The system would easily cater for users who have small or large hands, and for having the tablet in any orientation, even hanging around the neck. Useful too for anyone who'd like to touch type on a touchscreen. More details from Stanford.
GROUND CONTROL: The pilot of the US Navy's new K-MAX helicopter stepped out before the craft took off and headed for a control room on base. The drone will be used to ferry cargo around Afghanistan's extremely difficult terrain. The K-MAX is capable of moving 2,700kg of gear per day while pilots control it from a ground control station. Video games get real at Wired, and video Wired.
HISTORY DRONES ON: Archaeological sites are often in hard to reach areas with rugged terrain, so scientists are turning to drones for help. On a recent trip to a remote area in Russia a quadrocopter weighing only 1kg was able to obtain very clear images of almost 200 kurgan burial mounds 2,300 to 2,800 years old. Since the drones are small and light they can fly close to the ground, although wind can be a problem. WHat were the ancient cultures doing in such inaccessible terrain in the first place?
Scientific American has more.
EYE HACK: As we get older our eyes change, becoming less quick to focus, which usually makes it harder to see items close up. The GlassesOff app, in development now, aims to retrain the brain and help older eyes see more clearly. Creators claim that 3 sessions per week, each of 45 minutes, for 3 months will make a difference in correcting or even preventing Presbyopia. Definitely sounds too good to be true. GlassesOff has details.
POOPER BURNER: A scientist from Hebrew University of Jerusalem aims to help clean up dog poop. Rather than owners scooping poop into a plastic bag that goes in the rubbish the AshPoopie will scoop and burn. Shaped roughly like a walking stick the bottom of the prototype device scoops up the poop. Inside the device the poop is combined with the contents of a replaceable cartridge. After a minute or so sterile, odourless ash emerges that can be dropped on the ground. Sounds a great idea, but what's in the cartridges and will it cost heaps to replace them? Details at , and video here.