Engineers at California-based Sandia National Laboratories have invented a dart-like bullet that features a laser-guided system, enabling it to make quick turns to precisely find its target. According to Sandia researchers Brian Kast and Red Jones, they fitted the bullets with built-in optical sensors that can be guided via laser targeting system.

According to the Sandia website, the optical sensor sends data to the guidance and control electronics that “use an algorithm to command electromagnetic actuators.” These then steer the tiny fins in the bullet that guide it to the target.

“We have a very promising technology to guide small projectiles that could be fully developed inexpensively and rapidly,” Jones said.”Nobody had ever seen that, but we’ve got high-speed video photography that shows that it’s true. That means we can overcorrect, so we don’t have to be as precise each time.”

The dart-like laser-guided bullet is still a prototype, but if it passes a private firm-conducted testing, it may be accessible to the military, law enforcement and recreational shooters.

Kast and Jones have successfully tested the bullet’s design in field tests and computer simulations using prototypes built from parts that are available commercially.

Sandia National Laboratories is part of Lockheed Martin, who is working with the United States Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop a new scope for sniper rifles that will help snipers hit targets accurately in any weather condition.

This might be something you’d want to see in the next Call of Duty or Battlefield, right?

via: Digital Trends

Direction-changing smart bullets developed by researchers is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

Electronic Arts said that the collaboration between the company and Perry would see the development of games within the Sims franchise. Perry will debut in the collectors’ edition The Sims 3 Showtime: Katy Perry, which will be launched in March 2012.

The Sims is a game that lets players control their own avatar as they go on living their lives. Showtime, an expansion of The SIms 3, enables players to turn their characters into superstars, including professional DJs, singers, acrobats and magicians.

“I love how you’re able to play out different stories through your Sims characters – giving them different careers and watching them succeed,” Perry said in a message. “It’s cool to see the Sims’ stage performances in The Sims 3 Showtime decked out just like my California Dreams Tour – even my cotton candy video screens are in there! I always like to think of myself as a cartoon, and now I’m a Sim!”
Katy will also be featured in TV advertisements and other marketing for Sims products.Perry will be in the creative mix as she will help design clothing, accessories, furniture, hairstyles and props that will “truly celebrate the imagination that she brings to her performances, music videos and life.”

via: Ubergizmo

EA closes deal with Katy Perry to join The Sims is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

Given the event’s theme, it is rather not surprising that the most people bet on “Electronic/Digital textbooks” at 1/6, with the “iPad Lite” at second with 6/1 and the “iPad 3″ at third place with 9/1.

The iMac desktop’s return is at fourth place with 14/1, while the Apple TV set, or the iTV, takes the following spot with 16/1 and the iPhone 5 on fifth place with 20/1.

“Like all tech junkies I’m awaiting the latest Apple announcement with bated breath, it looks very likely that they’re on the verge of launching electronic textbooks but I don’t think it’s beyond those geniuses at Apple to build a robot teacher,” said a spokesperson for Paddy Power.

Apple previously announced that it will hold an event in New York on Thursday, preparing for an “educational announcement.” The company has been quiet about it, but rather than releasing a new device, observers are expecting it to unveil iPad-optimized textbooks and new features on how users will interact with its content.

Paddy Power is the leading provider of gaming services and the biggest bookmaker in the United Kingdom, Australia and Ireland.

Source: Casino reviewer

Betting has started for Apple’s big announcement is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

The new Victorinox SSD drives boast USB 2.0, USB 3.0 and eSATA compatibility. The company will release 64 GB, 128 GB, 256 GB and a whopping 1 TB versions of its Swiss Army USB thumb drives.

“The Victorinox Swiss Army brand is synonymous with everyday ‘survival’ tools and we continue to evolve our product offerings in the electronics division to provide solutions for living in a technology-focused world,” said Victorinox Head of Electronics Andrea Huder. “The addition of the Victorinox SSD and Slim 3.0 to the flash USB line provides consumers with a quick and reliable way to store, transport and protect their personal and professional documents.”

The Victorinox Swiss Army SSD comes with a Bi-Stable LCD display with 96 x 48 resolution. The display remains active even when the device is not plugged in.

The company will also be showing off their Victorinox Slim 3.0 line of USB drives. These drives will feature USB 3.0 support and will be available in 16 GB to 128 GB capacities.

The solid-state storage devices will use knife bodies to protect the thumb drive. The Victorinox Swiss Army SSD will be sold for $470 and can go up to $2000 for the 1 TB version. The device will be launched in April 2012.

via: Engadget

Victorinox unveils its 1 TB Swiss Army SSD drives is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

Police officers used the website to comment on other people’s wives, harass other people and brag about beating up people during protests. Some of them even tried to befriend crime victims and revealed police operation details.

The background data were released to the Press Association after a pre-planned Freedom of Information Act request.

“Social networking is seen as a risk by all forces and authorities, but there are limited or inconsistent policies around what is acceptable, what you should do, what you shouldn’t do,” said Roger Baker, leader of the review into police corruption for Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary. “We found a significant blurring between people’s professional lives on social networking sites and their private lives which may be in the public domain and private lives which probably should remain extremely private.”

One police officer was reportedly fired without notice for a racist post on Facebook, while another was sacked for abusing a fellow police officer.

The review found that 3.4 percent of officers identified themselves as members of the police, of which 2 percent posted inappropriate photos, status posts and comments. The study also found that one out of six police officers with public profiles display police-related content in their Facebook pages.

via: Ubergizmo

UK police officers sacked for inappropriate Facebook posts is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

This impressive new device is great for starters, as they would be introduced to playing anything by reading tabs (though well-trained musicians don’t approve of this).

“Tab + Strummer = TabStrummer. Tab or guitar tablature refers to a system of writing guitar chords easily and visually,” according to the device’s website. “The guitar having 6 strings; EADGBe, a guitar tab is a 6 digit combination of numbers and letter X which corresponds to a muted string. Each digit corresponds to each fret of particular string on the guitar.”

This audio device is built around an Atmel microcontroller and it features a MIDI (digital) output and a line out.  The audio out jack enables you to plug the device to your headphones, speakers or your TV’s input, and it also features an add-on MIDI sound shield from Sparkfun Electronics.

The Tabstrummer also has strings made of PCB traces and are touch sensitive. The strings are spread out so that users can pluck individual strings.

The device’s creators are considering releasing it commercially, so head to the TabStrummer website and let the creators hear your thoughts.

TabStrummer programmable MIDI guitar works like a keyboard is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

The BabyPing is the first device that offers a reassuring alternative to traditional baby monitors by using the newest and safest technology to keep parents informed about the baby’s situation. Also, with the monitoring app, the device offers a number of security features that include alerts to inform the parents if the baby cries or if the connection is lost.

The device features a built-in microphone, a color video camera that captures 640 x 480 resolution and super fast Wi-Fi connectivity. The British version of BabyPing has unique features, including the Smart Filter technology that cuts out excess noise and static that can be found on traditional baby monitors and the Constant-Connect technology that instantly notifies parents if the connection is lost or the baby is upset.

BabyPing uses Wi-Fi connection to transmit data to your device, avoiding other costs and delays from streaming online. It is also the only baby monitor that has invisible infrared night vision, offering visibility at night.

“We saw customers trying to use our existing Y-cam products to monitor their babies, so we set ourselves the task of creating a revolutionary baby monitoring system around the best features of our cameras, combined with additional technology and cutting-edge app development to create a safe and secure Wi-Fi baby monitor,” explains Devin Chawda, co-creator of BabyPing.

The company has not yet revealed its price or when it will be released, you can check its website for updates.

BabyPing iPhone and iOS Baby Monitor – Peace of mind on your iPhone is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

Now, for those people who love gummy bears, a new home decor has been unveiled by Jailbreak Toys that will surely tickle their fancy. The Gummylamp is a giant gummy bear that is not only for adults who enjoy snacking on these cute gummy dudes, but also for kids who want something cute as their night light. Also, since most kids are afraid of the dark, the Gummylamp is perfect to make them feel safe at night.

A cute feature the Gummylamp has is it just needs to be squeezed to turn on the high-powered LED light. This has been designed by Jailbreak Toys to look and feel like the real thing. It doesn’t taste anything like the real thing, though, as it is not edible.

The Gummylamp is seven inches tall and comes in a variety of colors that children will surely love. It also has an adjustable timer, so you won’t have to turn it off later.

The device can be powered by two AA-sized batteries whenever you take it outdoors. But if you want to enjoy it in your bedroom, you can just plug it in a USB slot or use the USB to 5 Volt DC cable to power it.

The Gummylamp comes in five colors: green, red, clear, orange and yellow. It is available from Jaibreak Toys for £17.9 ($28.00).

Gummylamp: a giant gummy bear that lights is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

The list is compiled by a panel of experts, and the results will be featured within the main newspaper tomorrow. To coincide with the list’s release, consumer research was conducted, which looks at trends in gadgets and technology, together with people’s spending plans this holiday season.

Taking the top spot in The Sunday Times Tech List’s best gadgets is the Elgato EyeTV mobile. This device enables iPad 2 users to watch and capture Freeview digital TV content using their tablets without having to connect to the Internet. For those who watch TV a lot, they will find this device to be very useful.

The following is The Sunday Times Tech List Top 10 Gadgets of 2011:

1. Elgato EyeTV Mobile (£100)
2. Zeal Optics Transcend GPS goggles (£420)
3. Light Strike (from £30)
4. Pure One Classic Series II (£55)
5. JP Twister 2.4G Police Helicam   (£137)
6. Virgin Media TiVo (from £3 per month)
7. Lego Technic Unimog U400S (£145)
8. Arcade Nano Sonic (£9.85)
9. Gear4 Angry Birds Speakers (from £50)
10. Street Surfing Wave 360 (£100)

“Gadgets are at the top of many people’s Christmas wish-lists and the average British adult spends nearly half their waking hours using some kind of technology,” commented Matt Bringham, The Sunday Times’ tech expert. “So it is no surprise that there are thousands of high-tech products to choose from. The Tech List’s top 100 Gadgets will help everyone cut through the techno-babble and enable them to choose the best possible gadget this Christmas.”.

To learn more about the study and its findings, visit The Sunday Times’ Tech List page.

The Sunday Times releases its Top 10 gadgets of 2011 is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

A group of researchers from Waseda University has come up with a robotic polar bear pillow that flips over a user’s head in their sleep to stop them from snoring. When a person’s head is flipped, it opens up airways that cause the annoying sleeping sound.

The pillow, which is called Jukusui-kun, features a built-in microphone that detects loud snoring, which then uses the bear’s paw to turn the person’s head sideways. This motion can help those who suffer from sleep apnea syndrome by leading them to a position where then can no longer snore, which is usually when they rest sideways.

Sleep apnea refers to the difficulty in breathing while sleeping. It is not only dangerous for one’s health, but also for relationships.

“When the oxygen level decreases in the patient resulting in the snore level increasing it triggers the bear-pillow’s hand to move towards the sleepers face,” according to Japan Trends. “Gently brushing the face causes the person to then turn from lying on their back to moving onto their side, a more conducive position for a sound, snoreless nights sleep.”

The polar bear pillow was featured last week at the International Robot Exhibition in Tokyo.

via: Daily Mail

Robot polar bear pillow stops you from snoring is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos