Swiss Quadrotor Robots Throw and Catch. We never get tired of writing about networked, swarm-like quadrotor drones, mostly because this field--though it currently lacks a killer application--continues to advance at such a rapid pace. We've previously seen quadrotors work collectively to build structures and play the James Bond theme, and now researchers at ETH Zurich are teaching them to play catch. Using a net strung between three quadrotors, the researchers deployed algorithms that not only allow the bots to toss a ball both to themselves and to another team of hovering quadrotors, but also allow them to learn in realtime. When their accuracy fails them, the quadrotors learn from their mistake and adjust their trajectory on the next try. So after a series of failed tosses, the robots eventually compensate to get it right. The machines are learning.
See it for yourself in the video below. [via Mashable] Tom's Hardware: Hardware News, Tests and Reviews.
Technology Creating a Generation of Distracted Students [STUDY] A new study by the Pew Research Center has found that though digital technology has reshaped the way students conduct research, it has been harmful in the way students process material and their overall ability to distinguish quality content from unreliable sources. 87% of teachers in the study — performed in conjunction with the College Board and the National Writing Project — said technology is creating an “easily distracted generation with short attention spans.” And 64% of teachers (from middle and high schools) say today’s digital technologies “do more to distract students than to help them academically.”
Teachers, though, remained somewhat optimistic about digital impact, with 77% saying Internet search tools have had a “mostly positive” impact on their students’ work. Lee Rainie, director of the Pew Internet Project, tells Mashable that the problem could be the lack of digital literacy training students receive, not the technology itself. Image courtesy of iStockphoto, 3bugsmom. Testing and Assessment. iExpander Gives Your iPhone Extra Features. Not satisfied with your iPhone 4S or even with your new iPhone 5? Wish they had added that extra feature you were really hoping for?
Enter the iExpander. As its name suggests, this iPhone case on steroids expands a lot of your phone's capabilities. The iExpander adds an extra battery that doubles your phone's life. It also has a Micro SD card slot compatible with cards of up to 64 GB. The drawback is that the iExpander will make your phone thicker by 6.3 millimeters. The case will be compatible with the iPhone 4, the 4S and the new iPhone 5. In a little more than two weeks, the project has raised more than $40,000 of its ambitious goal of $125,000.
Check out the video above to see what new features the iExpander brings to your iPhone. SEE ALSO: iPhone 5: The Best iPhone Ever [REVIEW] Image courtesy of Kickstarer, Charlie Corry.
Books.