Episode 9: Mind control, wind tunnels, and robots

We've got now is on and we we -- -- look into the future and give you more contact. Except that didn't make it last time makes it in this time plus bloopers of course your new mail and always on his car. Hey everyone I'm Molly Wood and welcome to always on the show we take a look at the -- that's part of your life and your future. This week we're taking a quick production break from our regular schedule to -- some awesome segments for season -- -- Which premieres on September 11 spoiler alert I have already lived to tell the tale of jumping out of a helicopter and pledging 101000 feet so I could protest the HTC one -- And compare -- in -- image quality to the iPhone four. That's coming up later but first we take a look back -- episode three when I went down to Carnegie Mellon and tried to be in charge of some tiny flying robots. Let's check out the director's cut of -- a box. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- A pop up. Yes -- that's actually not supposed to happen. These flying robots which are being developed by scientists -- Carnegie Mellon University are actually designed to help its search and rescue missions. Up IP is theft and -- situations were very dangerous situations. You don't want people to go and -- things like -- -- -- on the -- the fire's progress. When you have a nuclear reactor accidents you -- another edition wouldn't find the building most. Sound far fetched of a sudden. Yeah a little bit but this kind of research is being done all over the world as scientists try to figure out how to make robots swarm autonomously. What could go wrong. When you're investigating the helicopter design did you actually have to -- studied. How helicopters fly. None of us are actually and mechanical engineers. All -- so what we did was that we went to store and look for. A fondness -- really into -- by. So you could potentially put a camera sensor on here or radiation sensor without weighing you down too much -- we have -- radiation sensors. And very light cameras sensors -- -- speakers microphone sensors to. That's a pretty tricked out little bird. What about battery like it seems like these right now can only fly for about ten minutes. That's what they fly about ten -- him and that's what I -- is not that they constantly are flying. They're going to -- to dig for so Digital's ability handset telling some provision then they can calls ring on her arm around them but -- -- Now these robotic helicopters have radios gyroscopes and compass is inside so they can sense objects around them and each other. -- -- -- is a gyroscope to stimulates the rotation C you don't need it comes to spinning out of controlling wanted to sit straight and check in a particular direction that's of the gyroscope -- You can handle the helicopter and hot that is a very good question. Synchronized and targeted him something that sounded kind of comment. That's being slightly terrifying vision of tomorrow all of the video edited attacks -- president. Police helicopter ride to work when I put them to the tests -- how many can get going at once renowned. Like directing them to fly right into the palm of my hand so also -- the right amount -- music. The coming -- -- -- got. -- -- -- We've taken the side room yeah. Me in this new assault captain robot joining many things he can be and. The other thing to -- -- they use the sort of -- technique brain tell me about -- So the idea is got to work using the storm cycle to make it easier for the system to any failure tolerant. But again we're not particularly -- -- -- where we have tens of thousands of devices because that's just not realistic. So here we're although it would be Austin and will be offered to help it but here we're taking up how many people have north Clinton devices have been rumors small scales well. The technology still have a long way to go I mean what I signed development was pretty impressive. But the notion that -- bots will be able to autonomously smoothly into a burning building and eventually save lives. They've got a little work today but let's hope dramatic. So I know you say it's disposable but it's not really just -- -- Behind the scenes between U and meet I don't think those Carnegie Mellon -- had any idea how fun those elements can actually be. Moving on to -- being I'm still in search of a better verb for that although I do think that -- doodle -- is -- on. This is the segment that was a surprise hit for us that always on let's look at the director's cut of high tech smoking. -- hill at the same time as -- -- it like a cigarette. -- -- here just think if you haven't heard of big being let me tell you all about it that we got to help. -- -- up these are smokeless cigarette packets to -- sucking the tech industry's attempt to re engineer smoking in most people cause they think has that kind of term for vapor rising. Maybe as we -- we can come up with something better than that I feel like they don't love it. I've visited Silicon Valley is a certain -- and technologies where they are designing and manufacturing. Their own high tech paper it's kind of warm -- not enough customers it does not involve combustion which is taking a flame to tobacco and burning it. Underneath instead what happened here is the tobacco is needed that's where you -- it and turned into vapor. You can inhale -- -- that paper but you don't get combustion so a you're not destroying -- that you're trying to inhale anyway can be you don't have the negative side effects offers. Not regulated by the FDA the wee -- in a way so forget it helps with sleep and not giving people something they can hop dancer and now. So that the aesthetic of the device is really this is one of those purely. You know form follows functions -- devices so everything that you see when you look at the device as a function behind. It's a minute is unusual that yeah yeah over Star Wars fans to -- and -- -- -- favorite. I didn't notice that it was like -- is that life savers and what you do it that. Would people look at this as an electronic cigarette. Similar products are certainly not what we would consider performance electronics and we actually build our advisors -- little magic part of the device that generates the paper is our technology that we built right here. And feel that. It seems like -- magic. Create -- favorite thing. Absolutely so in order to make. You know make a device that is robust repeatedly and thousands and thousands of times per month. You have to get a design that is also robust and the design has very very very high tolerance -- I had -- close it. Parts fit together really closely every time -- -- you can manage that the behavior of the device and how much friction is in the device. Repeatedly and the only way to do that -- was this group. This -- cold finished aluminum we have survive literally -- best aluminum out there to run in these criticisms being put. Heather -- -- to that is what -- nickel plated. There's no Solder the plastic -- -- unknown materials and. It's this precision technology that is made Thermo essence vaporized as popular here and around the world and traffic African -- in a cooler way. -- -- -- -- -- You'll benefit. Sherlock Holmes. I think that's more dramatically -- her more public -- right. That's -- that -- without nicotine's genuine present if you. Person I do execs I don't know how it tastes covenant -- that a lifetime smoker would consume. Siri is code it's it's very -- -- swear to god that's -- killing because. All after a few more -- realize that maybe you would not my thing I'm sweating like that it's. But the folks -- their -- and technologies clearly see a future where tobacco and other substances like medical marijuana. Could be delivered in a safer way -- smoking. And then there's way way into the future when who knows what we might inhale if we're looking at flavored. Liquids way to kind of this is your desired. Sweet you know and so -- that. Potential weight loss -- -- a potential curb to curb your cravings that did he get that flavor and that viewing. Second act like a little espresso. Outside guy the guy at Harvard -- available laughter. When and -- that that may be in the matrix like future where -- -- -- -- we can from them anymore. -- -- -- Currently the FDA doesn't regulate vapor geysers because they're not marketed as stop smoking devices but we've gotten a lot of feedback from people who say that they have quit smoking thanks to the -- -- let's lighten things up here a little bit with some embarrassing outtakes followed me. I'm not ashamed to share. Remember that time many three that I lost my voice we have a ton of frog. You get to take a look. Okay. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- They can't -- and then there's no line and. There are times and I really hear the -- -- like -- like you're ready. They're really embarrassed and -- really have panoramic glass wall here. -- -- -- -- But now it's -- It's here. I am so embarrassed for myself right now. Moving on -- of my favorite feature tech pieces was the mind control -- we did especially the part where I challenged our young intern at Bret. We had some pretty intense battles of the brain that we had to cut for time. I think when you watch this you'll see that I am still the master content -- It's on the so it's always on and. -- -- -- -- -- It. Are. Anything that's -- -- me and I mean you're going down this is today considered for yeah I just can't. -- -- -- -- -- -- I had you do it had just lost the have and I just going to the news on -- on show. Grandmother and -- and there's. -- be terrible. Right -- I feel like you. He's not doing that -- Those like me who put his -- is involved. I understand what happens in. I can think rode my dry -- Add managed dollars and hands. This graduation loudly at launch later in the world. -- -- We have some cool behind the scenes footage here we did this great story on wind -- for future tech and I got to go to a place called -- flies which does indoor skydiving leaves a huge wind tunnel to actually make you fly through the air and sky divers practice. And we just got these dvds with all the footage I'm excited because I haven't seen myself in those two bits up the best quality but. IA it and makes I was -- up excel you after you've got -- -- -- The answer -- proud of myself because apparently they can't let go of every one the first time. And I had good about how locks are just flying around -- -- -- so. That's so cool. With totally probe it's technically be a skydiver in the mr. -- -- -- out the door. It's not my favorite -- not analyzed. -- -- effort out of this so right after I got done -- our camera guy -- game for everything you would like a game I turn. It like. -- right in and. -- -- -- -- -- And -- of the big guys like since you -- nag me. Think it's hilarious. Even the way they did not get the -- him anyway and you look at who -- Clinton's toughest. Who go -- -- -- working so hard on so that they have I gotten out now neck and -- -- -- And so we just like stiff of the board of trade and believe these violent games like this is -- -- -- -- -- -- Platter and a notebook column. That was really a work out that what I'd like -- There ago we got a one shot him. So we'll just relax and regular -- And that's not -- -- and Apple and even they didn't get up at number nine. -- So photo community here get out a lot of things a lot of things. Does -- on this one. Now I promised you a new mail -- every week so here goes this one comes from Sean not only. -- un boxing always come with the blade edge facing away from you and never -- blade towards your body. Check -- season two episode one of Lifehacker for an example. And some tips a box cutter or utility knife should be more than sufficient for -- boxing long -- blades can sometimes snag or damaged box contents. John also had some torture test suggestions which I do appreciate but. I go back to that nice thing for a minute now I know that was not my best moment in using an -- to open a box. But can we talk about the single scariest -- boxing moment that we have had all season. It wasn't an un boxing it was Sharon vaknin with a box cutter during that DIY segment did you see this. Every time I watch that segment -- freaked out. I mean look at how close that box cutter is to her eyeball. That is scary and boxing. Pilot Steven Clemens began sharing and she gets email to look here's one from -- -- head. Hello Sharon how are you I would like to know what is the usable of Autodesk website and how can I use of it thank you. -- document sharing to answer this question just for any of -- seven shared email just like that she loves it. -- -- -- would like some tips on how to buy a new iPhone. I'm Molly loved the show and -- of my favorite moments so far has to be the always on Molly woods takes on the galaxy beam videos call -- And it. The main reason why I am sending this message. So with the new iPhone on the horizon I think many of us who like to experience the process of acquiring an iPhone -- standing in line at the store. Maybe even tips on selling a spot to make money to some crazy ideas it's 3:40 AM and I'm typing away. There are many creepy things that happen when it comes to an Apple product plunge especially. When it's an IOS device what do you think question mark cheers Colin. -- Almost as much as junk messages I love 3:40 AM messages but Steven or -- He. I've spent a long time trying to avoid covering those long lines at the Apple stores so I'm not gonna do it -- -- But if you want to send -- some couldn't -- -- -- not. Moving on this next email just leaves me hanging. -- Molly you think this is crazy but you should put gadgets in the of it I'd put my iPhone in the oven while using a cooking Apple love to see what happens Patrick. Com. And it. I mean first of all we put our iPad in the oven and we're probably gonna do that with future gadgets but what happened when you put your phone and -- haven't -- now. I -- this next one comes from Jeremy. Ohio is on crew can rats on a great season looking forward to the next -- and accelerate the email vague about its funny the -- are allowed to send slash mail stuff into the crew. -- absolutely. Money should be -- care of Molly woods at 2352. Street San Francisco California 94105. I'm totally kidding I cannot accept money or any gifts worth more than RO nine dollars or something I'll look at the policy -- you -- up your packets. -- but keep the feedback coming -- please do send postcards or letters I actually love -- that. You can retest that always on at cnet.com with your digital mail you can also find us on FaceBook Twitter and Google+. I would also love -- video mail make a video of yourself posted on YouTube and send me the link I wanna see your pretty faces. Right that's it for this week everyone coming up next week on always on it's a full episode of road tests all to of that. Also I am really running -- half marathon and you'll get to find out how I did. I -- bus -- plus of course. More of your mail that's coming up next week thanks for watching -- -- -- That's not a real dance --