French Researchers Build Creepy Phone Case That Mimics Human Skin
A team of French and English researchers recently showcased a prototype phone case called Skin-On, which not only mimics the look and feel of human skin, but also enables interaction communication through gestures like pinching or tickling. Developed by researchers at the University of Bristol in partnership with Telecomm ParisTech and Sorbonne University, Skin-On consists […]
You Can Now License Your Face to Be Used on a Humanoid Robot
If you’re short on cash and don’t mind selling the rights to your face, you can stand to make £100,000 ($130,000) by licensing your mug to a robotics company to be used on one of their humanoid robots. According to a recent blog post by London-based outsourcing company Geomiq, a robotics company is currently looking […]
Vatican Launches Smart ‘eRosary’ That Brings Religion and Tech Together
The “Click to Pray eRosary” is a smart gadget shaped like a regular rosary and designed to educate young, technology-focused youths how to pray the rosary. The smart eRosary can be worn as a bracelet and is activated by making the sign of the cross. It comes with a companion smartphone app which synchronizes with […]
Chinese Company Develops New Recognition System Based on Veins in the Human Hand
While most human identification technology companies choose to focus on facial recognition, one Chinese startup claims to have developed much more accurate identification system based on micro traits of veins within human hand. Developed by MELUX, AirWave is an incredibly efficient identification system that is said to be a million times more accurate than facial […]
Peruvian Company Creates Wooden Laptop Designed to Last Forever
In an age when tech companies are encouraging consumers to constantly buy newer, more-expensive gadgets, one Peruvian company has just a launched a sustainable wooden laptop designed to last at least 10 to 15 years. In an attempt to bring new and affordable technology to the most remote areas of Peru, the Carrascos —a family […]
Terrifying Deepfake App Lets You Swap Faces with Virtually Anyone
Zao, a Chinese artificial intelligence-powered app that allows users to swap faces with actors and other celebrities in videos and GIF images, has sparked serious privacy concerns due to how convincing the transformation can be. Uploaded to China’s iOS App Store last Friday, Zao became the number one downloaded app on the platform in only […]
Chinese Scientists Use Innovative Chip to Power Autonomous Bicycle
While tech giants like Tesla and Google are working hard to perfect autonomous cars, a team of scientists in China is developing a self-driving bicycle and their results are pretty impressive. Showcased in a short video presentation, the autonomous bicycle developed by scientists at Tsinghua University, in Beijing, can balance itself while also avoiding obstacles, […]
Chinese Startup Creates App That Finds Lost Dogs Using Photos of Their Nose
Chinese facial-recognition startup Megvii has been making news headlines for an app that allows people to track down their lost dogs using photos of their unique noses. The idea of using AI-powered facial recognition technology to identify pets isn’t new, but what makes Megvii’s solution special is that instead of analyzing several facial features, like […]
Emirati Businessman Wants to Tow Icebergs from Antarctica to the Arabian Gulf
An Emirati entrepreneur and inventor has been working on an ambitious project that involves towing a giant iceberg all the way from Antarctica to the Arabian Gulf in order to provide fresh drinking water for the UAE. Because of its arid climate, the United Arab Emirates doesn’t have too many options when it comes to […]
Online Pet Store Uses Face Recognition Technology to Allow Dogs to Do Their Own Shopping
Brazilian pet shop chain Petz has combined face recognition technology and artificial intelligence to create a groundbreaking platform that allows dogs to buy their favorite products by analyzing their facial expressions. There’s nothing more disheartening for dog owners that buying a new toy for their pooches only to see them turn their nose up at […]
Meet Liam Nikuro, Japan’s First Virtual Male Influencer
1sec Inc., a Japanese technology company that specializes in blending the digital world with our reality, has created Japan’s first virtual male influencer, a young music producer named Liam Nikuro. If you thought making it as an Instagram influencer these days was hard, we have some bad new for you: it’s about to get even […]
Forget Face Recognition, Chinese Authorities Now Use “Gait Recognition” Technology That Identifies People By How They Walk
They say you can tell a lot about a person by the way they walk, but one Chinese startup has apparently developed technology that allows it to identify individuals by their gait, even if their face is covered or they have their back to the camera. Known as “gait recognition”, the technology invented by artificial […]
China Unveils World’s First AI Female News Anchor, And She Looks Eerily Realistic
China’s state-run news agency, Xinhua, yesterday unveiled its newest news anchor, Xin Xiaomeng. Why is this newsworthy? Well, because Xin isn’t a real person, but an ultra-realistic computer generated model powered by advanced AI technology. The perfectly coiffed Xin Xiaomeng introduced herself to Xinhua’s viewers in a short clip, announcing that she will make her professional […]
Girl Uses “Handwriting Robot” to Complete Homework Faster
The story of a young student who used a so-called “handwriting robot” to complete her Lunar New Year holiday homework in record time made news headlines in China last week, sparking a heated debate. The Qianjiang Evening News reported the case of a junior high-school student from Harbin who spent 800 yuan ($118) on a copying robot […]
Korean Company Creates Smart Treadmill for Cats
Getting a house cat to exercise can be quite a challenge, but a Korean company claims that it’s smart exercise machine can keep felines in tip-top shape even when their owners are away. There’s just one catch – it costs $1,800. Korean startup Pet Ding unveiled its smart treadmill for cats earlier this month, at […]