A group of researchers from the University of Washington’s Ubiquitous
Computing Lab developed a method called Touch that uses a simple sensor
and software to turn an ordinary LCD into a touch screen display. The
system takes advantage of the low levels of electromagnetic interference
produced by many consumer electronics, harnessing it to do things like
control video playback with pokes and motions on an otherwise
noninteractive screen.
“All these devices around you have all
these signals coming out of them, and we ignore them because we think
they’re noise,” says Sidhant Gupta, a PhD candidate at the University of
Washington’s Ubiquitous Computing Lab and one of the co-authors of the
paper.
While touch screens are the norm on smartphones and
tablets, they’re still not common on TVs, computer monitors, and other
big displays. Existing methods that turn passive LCDs into touch screens
typically use cameras or other sensors, but they’re not always
practical. The group’s findings, explained in a paper that will be
presented in May at the Computer Human Interaction conference in Paris,
could eventually be used to cheaply add touch and gesture interactions
to TVs, computers, and much larger displays, too.
Gupta says his
group’s method works by measuring signals that are normally given off by
an LCD display and how they change when a user brings a hand near the
screen. These signals show up as electromagnetic interference, and can
be measured with a $5 sensor that plugs into a wall outlet.
In
the study, users’ gestures and touches controlled an on-screen video
player. Information about how the user’s actions changed the LCD’s
electromagnetic interference was gathered by the sensor, and then sent
to a connected PC, where software isolated the display’s signal and
tracked how it changed over time. The software used machine learning to
predict if changes were simply “noise” or one of five gestures and
touches that it had been set to respond to. Once the touch or gesture
was determined, it would elicit an appropriate on-screen response—like
pausing or resizing a video.
“What we’re trying to find out is
how that signal changes, and in particular we’re looking for changes in
the intensity of that signal,” Gupta says.
The system can tell
the difference between different displays, since each has its own
electromagnetic interference “fingerprint,” and a single sensor can be
used to track interactions on numerous displays. Eventually, Gupta says,
the sensing and processing could be done in a single unit that’s
plugged into a wall socket.
The technology won’t make a
noninteractive display as touch-sensitive as an iPhone or Android
smartphone. The gestures are much simpler than the complex swipes and
pinches you can make on those gadgets.
Still, Gupta can imagine
it being used to do things like make large screens at museums
interactive. It could also be used to add interactivity to other devices
that emit electromagnetic interference—something Gupta and some of his
uTouch colleagues explored in an earlier project called LightWave that
uses a plug-in sensor to enable compact fluorescent lightbulbs to sense
human proximity.
The researchers aren’t planning to commercialize
the technology, but Gupta says the sensor uses off-the-shelf parts, and
the algorithms are included in the paper, so any motivated person could
put together the same system.
2013年4月24日 星期三
2013年4月17日 星期三
New Survey Releases Energy-Efficient Lighting
Today, energy-efficient lighting manufacturer Precision-Paragon [P2] released the results of its 2012 Energy-Efficient Lighting Industry survey, distributed to over 4,000 energy efficiency professionals.
The survey results show that 77% of survey respondents expect their energy-efficient lighting revenue to grow in 2013.
In past years, respondents' predictions have been proven accurate. For example, in the survey that [P2] conducted at the end of 2011, 69% of respondents surveyed expected moderate or substantial growth in their revenues from energy-efficient relighting projects in 2012. In this most recent survey, conducted in December of 2012, 67% reported actually experiencing either moderate or substantial growth during 2012. That's a difference of just 2% between expected and actual growth.
"The lighting professionals who take our survey know the industry," explains [P2]'s vice president and general manager Joe Martin. "Based on our past experience, I think it's fairly likely that we'll see their predictions come true between now and the end of the year."
The survey also established that automated lighting controls are being specified in nearly half of all retrofits. Survey takers indicated that, on average, 48% of their energy-efficient lighting retrofits use automated lighting controls. Automated lighting controls respond to occupancy conditions and light levels, making sure that lights are turned off when they're not needed, and turned on when they are.
In terms of energy-efficient lighting technology, the survey predicts that fluorescent lighting will continue to be the predominant technology installed in 2013. 68% of survey takers expect that linear fluorescent will represent the primary lighting technology they install in 2013.
It's no surprise to see linear fluorescent remain the most popular energy-efficient technology among lighting professionals.
"Even as LED technology continues to improve, advances in fluorescent lighting technology have helped to keep it a very attractive option," said Martin.
Just this year, major lamp manufacturers began to offer fluorescent lamps with 80,000 hour rated lifespans. For a fluorescent lamp operating 12-hours a day for 365 days a year, that's a rated lifespan of more than 18 years. Combined with the lower initial costs of fluorescent lighting and the technology's other benefits, it's not surprising to see that survey takers predict that fluorescent will be the dominant energy-efficient lighting technology of 2013.
"Our survey results back up what most people in the industry already know," Martin concludes. "Whether you're looking at the available technology or the opportunity for energy savings, this a great time for the industry, and for end users who benefit from the savings.”
About Precision-Paragon [P2]: For over 20 years, [P2] has made high-quality, indoor-and-outdoor light fixtures for just about any setting—including retail, commercial and industrial spaces. [P2]'s energy-efficient lighting drastically cuts energy consumption, creating big cost savings and significant environmental benefits.
Over the last two decades, [P2] has earned a reputation for going the extra distance in customer support by producing high quality, American-made products. [P2] products are manufactured in Gainesville, Fla., Hudson, Wis., and at the company's headquarters in Yorba Linda, Calif.
The survey results show that 77% of survey respondents expect their energy-efficient lighting revenue to grow in 2013.
In past years, respondents' predictions have been proven accurate. For example, in the survey that [P2] conducted at the end of 2011, 69% of respondents surveyed expected moderate or substantial growth in their revenues from energy-efficient relighting projects in 2012. In this most recent survey, conducted in December of 2012, 67% reported actually experiencing either moderate or substantial growth during 2012. That's a difference of just 2% between expected and actual growth.
"The lighting professionals who take our survey know the industry," explains [P2]'s vice president and general manager Joe Martin. "Based on our past experience, I think it's fairly likely that we'll see their predictions come true between now and the end of the year."
The survey also established that automated lighting controls are being specified in nearly half of all retrofits. Survey takers indicated that, on average, 48% of their energy-efficient lighting retrofits use automated lighting controls. Automated lighting controls respond to occupancy conditions and light levels, making sure that lights are turned off when they're not needed, and turned on when they are.
In terms of energy-efficient lighting technology, the survey predicts that fluorescent lighting will continue to be the predominant technology installed in 2013. 68% of survey takers expect that linear fluorescent will represent the primary lighting technology they install in 2013.
It's no surprise to see linear fluorescent remain the most popular energy-efficient technology among lighting professionals.
"Even as LED technology continues to improve, advances in fluorescent lighting technology have helped to keep it a very attractive option," said Martin.
Just this year, major lamp manufacturers began to offer fluorescent lamps with 80,000 hour rated lifespans. For a fluorescent lamp operating 12-hours a day for 365 days a year, that's a rated lifespan of more than 18 years. Combined with the lower initial costs of fluorescent lighting and the technology's other benefits, it's not surprising to see that survey takers predict that fluorescent will be the dominant energy-efficient lighting technology of 2013.
"Our survey results back up what most people in the industry already know," Martin concludes. "Whether you're looking at the available technology or the opportunity for energy savings, this a great time for the industry, and for end users who benefit from the savings.”
About Precision-Paragon [P2]: For over 20 years, [P2] has made high-quality, indoor-and-outdoor light fixtures for just about any setting—including retail, commercial and industrial spaces. [P2]'s energy-efficient lighting drastically cuts energy consumption, creating big cost savings and significant environmental benefits.
Over the last two decades, [P2] has earned a reputation for going the extra distance in customer support by producing high quality, American-made products. [P2] products are manufactured in Gainesville, Fla., Hudson, Wis., and at the company's headquarters in Yorba Linda, Calif.
2013年4月15日 星期一
Postal Service & Major Lazer Turn Up BPM at Coachella
Dance music owned Coachella on Saturday—but it wasn't thanks to white-hot EDM artists like Benny Benassi, Julio Bashmore or even Baauer. Instead, it was two very different interpretations of the of-the-moment genre, one tender and emotive and the other straight booty bangin' down by da beach, boi.
Death Cab for Cutie frontman Ben Gibbard and producer Dntel's reunited project The Postal Service certainly qualifies as EDM. But the duo subscribe to a different definition of acronym: Let's call it Emo Dance Music instead [knee slap].
Playing their first major festival appearance since reuniting, the Postal Service drew the biggest crowd yet at the main stage; the mass stretched to the food vendors some 150 yards back. And for good reason: After releasing their debut, the 2003 synth-pop gem Give Up, the duo swiftly broke up, only fueling the band and album's legendary status. That only grew over the following decade, propelling Give Up to go platinum—no small feat for a email side-project. Now they're back for a 10th anniversary victory lap.
Onstage, Gibbard called the long-defunct band "imaginary," as most had never seen them live. Turns out, they're great in concert. Tamborello posted up behind a laptop on a podium, while Gibbard bounced from guitar to keys to drums, lisp-whisper-singing his hopeful, sentimental lyrics. Rilo Kiley's Jenny Lewis joined onstage, as the band—also featuring two other members—played their hits including "The District Sleeps Alone Tonight," "Nothing Better" and "Brand New Colony," which stretched into a swelling jam with screeching guitar meanders as Lewis and Gibbard cooed in unison.
The neon-warm, 8-bit video game bleep-blop bounce matched the stage set of tall LED rectangles, which flashed pulsing lights like the volume on an '80s boom box, and projected patters and pixels.
The highlight, naturally, came with "Such Great Heights." A frenzy sparked at the digital twinkle of song's intro. A group of kids near the stage lit multi-colored sparklers, waving the fizzling smoke and cackling color above the thousands of heads, in plain sight for all, like hold a flag or roman candle or torch and declaring this a momentous occasion for all. Picture it; it was beautiful. It might have been the precise beginning to summer 2013.
Over at the Mojave Stage, Diplo's Major Lazer threw a far, far more unhinged, debauched and entirely outrospective dance throwdown. It was the largest crowd at this stage all weekend; shirtless bros and their blond girlfriends poured out of the tent, dancing on garbage cans, support beams, shoulders, any and everything. This was Molly central. Solange and Earl Sweatshirt even showed up to work it in the pit.
Diplo, perched in a podium fashioned after an old school boom box, played tracks from his upcoming album, Free the Universe, and welcomed LP guests like Jamican dance hall artist Busy Signal, who stoked the crowd with ass-shaking back up dancers. Diplo took a moment to jump into a human-sized inflatable hamster ball and roll over the crowd, a la Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne. Later, Major Lazer instructed the massive throng to remove their shirts, twirl 'em overhead like a helicopter, then throw 'em in the air. For a moment, thousands of t-shirts flew in the wind.
Death Cab for Cutie frontman Ben Gibbard and producer Dntel's reunited project The Postal Service certainly qualifies as EDM. But the duo subscribe to a different definition of acronym: Let's call it Emo Dance Music instead [knee slap].
Playing their first major festival appearance since reuniting, the Postal Service drew the biggest crowd yet at the main stage; the mass stretched to the food vendors some 150 yards back. And for good reason: After releasing their debut, the 2003 synth-pop gem Give Up, the duo swiftly broke up, only fueling the band and album's legendary status. That only grew over the following decade, propelling Give Up to go platinum—no small feat for a email side-project. Now they're back for a 10th anniversary victory lap.
Onstage, Gibbard called the long-defunct band "imaginary," as most had never seen them live. Turns out, they're great in concert. Tamborello posted up behind a laptop on a podium, while Gibbard bounced from guitar to keys to drums, lisp-whisper-singing his hopeful, sentimental lyrics. Rilo Kiley's Jenny Lewis joined onstage, as the band—also featuring two other members—played their hits including "The District Sleeps Alone Tonight," "Nothing Better" and "Brand New Colony," which stretched into a swelling jam with screeching guitar meanders as Lewis and Gibbard cooed in unison.
The neon-warm, 8-bit video game bleep-blop bounce matched the stage set of tall LED rectangles, which flashed pulsing lights like the volume on an '80s boom box, and projected patters and pixels.
The highlight, naturally, came with "Such Great Heights." A frenzy sparked at the digital twinkle of song's intro. A group of kids near the stage lit multi-colored sparklers, waving the fizzling smoke and cackling color above the thousands of heads, in plain sight for all, like hold a flag or roman candle or torch and declaring this a momentous occasion for all. Picture it; it was beautiful. It might have been the precise beginning to summer 2013.
Over at the Mojave Stage, Diplo's Major Lazer threw a far, far more unhinged, debauched and entirely outrospective dance throwdown. It was the largest crowd at this stage all weekend; shirtless bros and their blond girlfriends poured out of the tent, dancing on garbage cans, support beams, shoulders, any and everything. This was Molly central. Solange and Earl Sweatshirt even showed up to work it in the pit.
Diplo, perched in a podium fashioned after an old school boom box, played tracks from his upcoming album, Free the Universe, and welcomed LP guests like Jamican dance hall artist Busy Signal, who stoked the crowd with ass-shaking back up dancers. Diplo took a moment to jump into a human-sized inflatable hamster ball and roll over the crowd, a la Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne. Later, Major Lazer instructed the massive throng to remove their shirts, twirl 'em overhead like a helicopter, then throw 'em in the air. For a moment, thousands of t-shirts flew in the wind.
2013年4月2日 星期二
Elemental LED
Elemental LED, a leading LED lighting company, announced today that it has entered into an exclusive North American distribution agreement with HALO, the maker of the LED fiber optic sport belt, messenger bag and strip.
The HALO sport belt is designed to make outdoor activities safer by addressing visibility without compromising convenience and style. HALO products address the tremendous market growth in all demographics regarding fitness and outdoor activity. Walking, jogging and biking remain the most popular physical activities today. In 2012, Outdoor Foundation reported outdoor recreation reached the highest participation level in the past five years. In 2011, outdoor participants made 11.5 billion outings. That is 1.4 billion more outings than 2010.
“Previous visibility safety products and clothing are bulky, inconvenient and not all that effective,” said Elemental LED Director of Marketing Jim Puchbauer. “The HALO belt is convenient, lightweight, super bright and just plain cool. It’s a product that you want to be seen in, and isn’t that the whole idea of visibility safety gear?”
The partnership with Elemental LED promises to provide HALO with a wider customer reach. Elemental LED has established itself as a leading provider of next generation LED lighting solutions. The company’s overall sales growth and corporate expansion over the past several years provides a foundation for the robust and focused marketing, sales, customer service and shipping support that can transform HALO into an internationally recognized brand.
“We are very excited about the new partnership with Elemental LED. We look forward to accelerating the market distribution of this great product and setting the stage for future product introductions across all of North America,” said HALO Partner Morgan Combes.
Patented as the world’s first LED technology based visibility belt, HALO combines LED and fiber optic technology to create a lightweight band of bright, 360 degree illumination. The patented LED system uses cutting-edge thermoplastic polyurethane fiber optics never seen before in a garment the size of an everyday belt. Nestled inside the latch of the belt are two nickel lithium batteries that last up to 75 non-consecutive hours. The HALO belt includes three settings, solid, strobe and flashing, and is available in four light color options.
“HALO’s success has been astounding from the beginning. We spent a year perfecting the design and functionality of the HALO belt, and in the first six months following the release we experienced significant market buzz and customer adoption,” said HALO Founder Vincent Ng.
HALO has received a significant amount of attention already, including stories by Fast Company, CNET, Wired Magazine and Men’s Journal, all primarily focusing on the HALO belt’s success in filling a niche for the cycling community: The HALO belt doubles as a bike light while riding and an ordinary fashionable belt. By signing an exclusive rights deal with HALO, Elemental LED is committed to opening up new markets for the product, which has universal appeal across child and adult safety clothing in all outdoor activities.
The HALO sport belt is designed to make outdoor activities safer by addressing visibility without compromising convenience and style. HALO products address the tremendous market growth in all demographics regarding fitness and outdoor activity. Walking, jogging and biking remain the most popular physical activities today. In 2012, Outdoor Foundation reported outdoor recreation reached the highest participation level in the past five years. In 2011, outdoor participants made 11.5 billion outings. That is 1.4 billion more outings than 2010.
“Previous visibility safety products and clothing are bulky, inconvenient and not all that effective,” said Elemental LED Director of Marketing Jim Puchbauer. “The HALO belt is convenient, lightweight, super bright and just plain cool. It’s a product that you want to be seen in, and isn’t that the whole idea of visibility safety gear?”
The partnership with Elemental LED promises to provide HALO with a wider customer reach. Elemental LED has established itself as a leading provider of next generation LED lighting solutions. The company’s overall sales growth and corporate expansion over the past several years provides a foundation for the robust and focused marketing, sales, customer service and shipping support that can transform HALO into an internationally recognized brand.
“We are very excited about the new partnership with Elemental LED. We look forward to accelerating the market distribution of this great product and setting the stage for future product introductions across all of North America,” said HALO Partner Morgan Combes.
Patented as the world’s first LED technology based visibility belt, HALO combines LED and fiber optic technology to create a lightweight band of bright, 360 degree illumination. The patented LED system uses cutting-edge thermoplastic polyurethane fiber optics never seen before in a garment the size of an everyday belt. Nestled inside the latch of the belt are two nickel lithium batteries that last up to 75 non-consecutive hours. The HALO belt includes three settings, solid, strobe and flashing, and is available in four light color options.
“HALO’s success has been astounding from the beginning. We spent a year perfecting the design and functionality of the HALO belt, and in the first six months following the release we experienced significant market buzz and customer adoption,” said HALO Founder Vincent Ng.
HALO has received a significant amount of attention already, including stories by Fast Company, CNET, Wired Magazine and Men’s Journal, all primarily focusing on the HALO belt’s success in filling a niche for the cycling community: The HALO belt doubles as a bike light while riding and an ordinary fashionable belt. By signing an exclusive rights deal with HALO, Elemental LED is committed to opening up new markets for the product, which has universal appeal across child and adult safety clothing in all outdoor activities.
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