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What Impact Do Drones Have On Wildlife?
University of Adelaide environmental researchers have called for a ‘code of best practice’ in using unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) for wildlife monitoring and protection, and other biological field research.
The researchers, from the University’s Unmanned Research Aircraft Facility (URAF) or Adelaide Drone Hub, say that drones are a useful tool for field research and their use is growing in popularity. But this new technology could also have undesirable and unforeseen impacts on wildlife, and there is currently little understanding of the risks.
These Anti-Drone Guns Are The Future Of Messing With Your Neighbours
With the rise of consumer drones, everyone from the US military to Border Patrol are stocking up on anti-drone guns. And the Navy Times has a new video of the most sci-fi looking drone gun: Battelle’s DroneDefender. While they’re not available yet commercially, they’re definitely the future of shooting down your neighbour’s pesky drone.
Smart Home Devices That Will Save You Time, Money And Energy
To say I’m a fan of smart homes is an understatement. Being a renter I’m limited somewhat as to what I can have in my apartment, but that hasn’t stopped me from integrating as many smart devices into my environment as humanly possible.
One thing I’ve discovered a long the way — not only have I saved a lot of effort (regular light switches are for plebs, you guys), but I’ve saved time, money and kilowatts on my energy bill. Here’s my top recommendations for doing the same at your place.
The Robot Assistant Who Can Second-Guess Your Every Need
It’s here – a world in which helper robots live with us, get us through the day, and yes, become our trusted friend. Science fiction is becoming science fact.
As sci-fi writer William Gibson noted: “The future is already here — it’s just not very evenly distributed.”
The demand for helper robots is booming, and academia, industry and the military are working overtime to meet the need as a whole new industry gains momentum.
This Microwave Oven Is The Size Of A Thermos
There’s a reason the microwave in your kitchen is a heavy brick: it uses a magnetron and vacuum tube technology that dates back to World War II. But since then, the technologies involved have been vastly improved (see mobile phone towers) and a company called Wayv in the UK is finally using them to shrink the microwaves.
This Machine Makes Better Chai Than Starbucks
Good chai is transcendent. Strong black tea is sweetened by rich boiled milk and given a pleasant bite from a handful of spices. In South Asia it’s a way of life. Every person has their method of preparation — a ritual after years of boiling and reboiling the ingredients until they coalesce into the drink.
People Are Pissed At Oculus For Changing Up Its DRM Rules
When it released the Rift DK1 in 2012, the Oculus team was seen as the little startup darling that could finally make virtual reality an actual reality — and it was going to do it with a community-based effort. When it was snatched up by Facebook, founder Palmer Luckey made it clear “a million times” that Oculus wasn’t going to build a VR walled garden. It’s becoming increasingly clear that Oculus’s openness has its limits.
This Is The Smallest Flying Robot Capable Of Landing On Surfaces
Birds, bats and insects can’t fly forever, and neither can microrobotic drones. A new system that taps into the power of static electricity — the same principle that allows a balloon to stick to a wall — now allows robotic insects to land and stick to surfaces, greatly extending their operational life.
Apple Is Making iOS And Mac More Accessible Than Ever
Yesterday was Global Accessibility Awareness Day, and every year it throws into sharp relief the fact that a lot of Australians living with disability don’t have the same access to technology — the technology powered by touchscreens and mice and keyboards — that the rest of us do. 1 in 5 Australians live with disability of some kind, and to mark the occasion Apple has made a wide variety of specialised accessibility accessories available through its online store in Australia for the first time.
Apple's New San Francisco Store Has A 24-Hour Public Space With Free Wi-Fi
<> on May 19, 2016 in San Francisco, California.
Apple has just unveiled a new store in San Francisco’s Union Square, and it’s the template for a new style that will likely eventually be replicated all over the globe, including the most “significant” Australian stores in Sydney and Melbourne. As well as an in-store garden grove for Genius appointments and a 6K-resolution video wall, there’s also a plaza that will be open to the public 24 hours a day with free Wi-Fi and music performances.
Your Move, Apple
It feels like it’s 2001. A ton of companies had released a ton of MP3 players, and they all sucked. The iPod was just months away.
But it’s 2016, and instead we’re drowning in smarthome gadgets, most recently the voice-powered Amazon Echo and whatever Google Home is.
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