LATEST TECHNOLOGY: ROBOTS IV

Pleo XBee wireless & facial recognition hacks

Pleo for sure is a cute robot. But it can also help you learn about robotics. Some folks at Otto-Friedrich-University in Bamberg, Germany, calling themselves GRIP (Group for Interdisciplinary Psychology) have posted two tutorials designed to wirelessly connect Pleo to a remote computer and give him the ability to recognise faces.

The team has added a small XBee module to the robot which connects to the internal serial port allowing them to monitor Pleo’s internal state and sent transmit the signal back to them. They also have replaced the robot’s default low resolution camera with a camera of their own that will help them to perform a real time pattern recognition.

LATEST WACKY GADGETS: BATMAN GADGETS

After the latest Batman movie, The Dark Knight, the Batman fever is catching everyone from kids to big boys. “Everybody likes Batman. He’s a superhero we can relate to. Unlike Superman or, say, the Incredible Hulk, Batman isn’t an alien or mutant. He’s just a regular guy who makes himself “super” using mobile gadgets.
Batman offers a “what if” fantasy of gadget extremism. What if you were a billionaire and had control over a world-class military R&D lab that produced devices just for you?
Batman is in the crime-fighting racket. And he’s better than other crime fighters because he’s got better devices, computers, cars and weapons — and has trained himself how to use them.
But most of us don’t fight crime. We’re IT professionals and lawyers and technology columnists. But that doesn’t mean we can’t be like Batman and transform ourselves into superheroes in our own professions by buying and mastering extreme devices.
Batman gadgets tend to be very rugged, bleeding edge and numerous. Batman would never hold back and buy sensible, practical gadgets. He goes all out and gets the most powerful, advanced and rugged gadgets possible. You can, too.” Check out the batman style gadgets that you can use on your day to day life.

BAT-WATCH

BAT-GLASSES

BAT-PHONE

Bat-Ultra Mobile

BAT-PC