future

In the future, robots equipped with tails may help with search-and-rescue missions, but it also could be that robots deployed by those with tails will also have a hand in finding survivors.

A new system created by researchers at Carnegie Mellon's Robotics Lab and Ryerson University's Network-Centric Applied Research Team provides another way to get audio and visual feedback from a disaster zone, particularly those areas that are too small for humans or canines to search. The twist here is that it's all initiated with a dog's bark. … Read more

Fresh from CES 2012, Eric, Donald, and Bonnie wrap up all the best CES tech they missed during their week in Vegas. On deck is a touch-screen window, an R2-worthy 3D projector, Kinect-controlled skateboards, toilet tech, zombie tech, and of course, Geek News.

Subscribe in iTunes SD Video | Subscribe in RSS SD Video … Read more

LAS VEGAS--The message of CES 2012 for laptops thus far: wait.

I'd love to tell you that one of the laptops of this year's Consumer Electronics Show is absolutely wonderful, a must-buy. However, I can't. I have a strong feeling that whatever we see at this show is only a half-step forward. Worse, there's a very good chance that it'll all be out of date by midyear.

The reasons are utterly simple, and made even clearer by this morning's Intel keynote presentation.… Read more

"Star Wars" is great, but "Star Wars" on your head is much better. The Crave team discusses this idea in depth in this first episode of 2012, along with Jell-O dispensers for grown-ups, StarCraft in Legos, and harmonizing hobbits.

Subscribe in iTunes SD Video | Subscribe in RSS SD Video … Read more

Today's smartphones are already pretty smart, but New York-based designer Julius Tarng thinks they can be smarter.

Imagining a mobile device that's more human than machine, Tarng came up with a concept phone called the Modai that learns from your behavior and adapts itself to different environments.

For example, it would know when you're at work and when you're at play, and adjust the contents of your home screen accordingly to present the most relevant information at that time.

Tarng also sees the Modai giving contextual prompts based on location, so if you're at a bus stop or out grabbing lunch, the phone could help out by displaying a bus schedule or today's lunch specials while you wait. … Read more

For our last Crave of 2011, Bonnie and Donald revisit the '80s with a retro Walkman case, bad Apple fashions, and a look at Crave photo submissions that have been Instagrammed into blurry, oversaturated works of art.

And whether it's by ground or by sea, Crave has the latest high-tech methods for risking your life in pursuit of fun. In Geek News, Lego goes LOTR, and Batman goes Lego.

Subscribe in iTunes SD Video | Subscribe in RSS SD Video … Read more

OK, the words fun and commute will never go together, but one Sweden-based designer is hoping to make the ride to and from work a little less painful with a new gaming concept.

Figuring one can't escape the long wait times of a commute, Jiang Qian came up with idea of the Strap Game (or Game Strap), a gaming system built into the safety handles found on trains and buses. The dangling gaming handhelds would provide entertainment to those who are bored or stressed and hopefully make the time go by faster.

Qian imagines that the Game Strap would be powered on as soon as the user touches the handle, and a button on the side of the device would allow for easy one-handed game play. A swiveling strap also ensures that the system can move with you, so you don't find yourself in an awkward position if the bus or train makes any sudden stops or turns. … Read more

Bonnie's back, just in time to witness a barrage of futuristic concept videos.

We get Samsung's take on the transparent tablet of the future. Also, Toyota's vision of a self-driving psychedelic car from a frightening nightmarescape where the middle-aged are given the "Logan's Run" treatment. We revisit the fashion predictions of 1939 and watch as flying robots construct foam towers. In Geek News, Eric recounts his obsession with MST3K and the latest RiffTrax RiffPlayer, makes amends with Dr. Who fans, and shows us the creepier side of Batman.

Subscribe in iTunes SD Video | Subscribe in RSS SD Video … Read more

With bendable smartphones already on tap for next year, Samsung's next big thing may be a flexible, transparent tablet.

Samsung's Mobile Display division posted a video yesterday showing off a concept device that looks to be a smartphone-tablet hybrid that can be rolled up like a newspaper or expanded for different tasks.

In the clip below, you can see the Samsung Flexible AMOLED concept being used as an e-reader, a camera, a video chat system, and an interpreter. The company also imagines the tablet showing off 3D images through the use of an augmented-reality system. … Read more