Category 21st Century Techniques

Why closing background apps to save battery is bad?

When your apps are open in the background, they are in a state where it is easy to re launch them. This does not mean that they are using much of your resources. Resources are accessed by apps open in the background only when a background process is involved such as uploading a file, location tracking, playing audio. In fact, closing background apps uses more battery. When you force quit an app, you are using a portion of your resources and battery for closing it and clearing it from RAM. Resources will be used when you open it again leading to increased usage of battery. To improve battery life, turn off notifications for frequently used apps, turn off vibration for calls/notifications and dim the display.

Picture Credit : Google 

What is Sony Aibo Companion Robot ?

The new Sony Aibo’s outward appearance resembles a real dog and it includes 4,000 parts, 22 actuators to allow for fluid movement, OLED-screen eyes, and the same kind of artificial intelligence (Al) used for self-driving cars. Its sophisticated cameras and sensors map a house, so it can easily move around and go to its charging station on its own. It recognizes upto 100 faces and remembers interactions with people, allowing its AI engine to develop a unique personality that changes over time. Aibo can learn new tricks, bark, detect words of praise and smiles, and respond to touch when someone pets it. It is controlled by voice command or through the Aibo app. Its software is naturally curious and trained to please, letting it learn a user’s preferences and eventually become a one-of-a-kind companion.

The new robot dog is also equipped with a fisheye camera in the nose and a second camera near the rear that both work with sensors to detect and analyze sounds and images, and help aibo recognize its owners faces. Simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) technology allows aibo to adapt to its environment.

Controlling all of this is a 64-bit quad-core CPU. The robot’s power consumption is rated at 14 watts and the battery has a life of about 2 hours.

According to Izumi Kawanishi, Sony’s senior general manager of its AI Robotics Business Group, this combination of sensors and deep learning also helps aibo analyze praise, interpret smiles, and respond to petting, which creates “a bond with its owners that can grow over time.”

A SIM card connection provides aibo with mobile Internet access, which Sony plans to extend to connect to home appliances and devices. And Kawanishi said the company was also considering educational and personal assistant applications for aibo, but he gave no examples of how those would work. He added that other entertainment robots were a possibility in the future.

Credit : IEEE Spectrum

Picture Credit : Google 

LED stool shows you how to sit

We all know that it’s important to sit up straight, and to not stay seated for too long. With that in mind, researchers at Germany’s  Fraunhofer  Institute have developed an LED stool that coaches people in ‘sitting’. Along with LEDs, the stool is outfitted with multiple flexible pressure sensors. By measuring the user’s weight distribution, the sensors are able to determine if the person is sitting ergonomically they detect if the user is seated at an improper angle or is maintaining one posture for too long. The data is wirelessly transmitted to a computer or mobile device via an app, then transmitted back to the stool which responds by illuminating its LEDs in certain colours, letting the user know that they need to make a change. That app can also guide users through exercises intended to alleviate problems caused by their improper posture, with the sensors detecting if they’re doing the exercises correctly.

The user can consult the app to see a video illustrating what the problem is, along with suggestions on how to correct it. The app also guides users through exercises intended to alleviate problems caused by improper posture, with the sensors detecting if they’re doing the exercises correctly. Fraunhofer is currently demonstrating the system on Germany’s MS Wissenschaft exhibition ship, in a setup where two players control their movements in a game of electronic table tennis by swinging their pelvis on a couple of the stools. Down the road, the sensing technology could also be integrated into more practical applications, such as mats or office chairs.

Credit : New Atlas

Picture Credit : Google 

What is Aloe Bud app?

Life can be busy and stressful. Here’s where Aloe Bud comes in, making it enjoyable to check in with yourself every day for a bit of self-care. There’s no sign up process, no “friend-finding” function, no pressure of joining yet another social network. Users set reminders to do little things like Hydrate, Breathe, Rest, Motivate or Be kind. All tasks fall under three umbrellas: emotional, mental and physical. For each activity, users can check in or write a reflection. You can use the app for journaling, too. The creators have concentrated on using only positive and encouraging language whether it is for the name of the activity (“fuel” instead of “food”) or for push notifications (“You’ve got to nourish to flourish!”). Free for iOS. The app is the latest to enter the booming “self-care” market, which caters to a largely younger demographic who are better handling the pressures of modern-day life by carving out time for themselves to mediate, relax, and practice other mindfulness techniques. Some older folks have scoffed at the movement, claiming millennials are too self-involved – or they just scratch their head in confusion. (“Mindfulness?”)

But there’s real demand for these self-care applications and services – in the first quarter of the year, the top ten self-care apps pulled in $15 million in revenue. Now who’s scoffing? However, most of the self-care apps today are focused on meditation and calming techniques, not on the day-to-day aspects of self-care. That’s where Aloe Bud comes in. Even cynics will have to admit the app is kind of adorable with its soft color scheme and its original, retro-ish pixel art icons.

Picture Credit : Google 

What are Google Tasks?

Create lists of to-do items and check them off once completed with Google’s new to-do app. Tasks syncs across devices and integrates into the desktop version of Gmail and Google Calendar. You can add additional information like a description, date and sub tasks to your tasks, and create separate lists that you can switch between. In the new re-designed desktop Gmail, tasks are located to the right of your screen, so you don’t have to open the app on your smartphone if you’re at your computer. Drag emails from your inbox into the Tasks panel to automatically create new tasks around them. Free for iOS and Android. Aside from its simplicity, Google Tasks’ best feature is its deep integration with Gmail. Your inbox isn’t the best to-do list—so Google Tasks gives you somewhere to list those important messages that need a reply or action on your part. Drag an email from anywhere in Gmail to the Google Tasks sidebar to instantly turn it into a task. It’ll keep the email’s subject as the task name, with a link to the email underneath. You can then archive or move the message and still open it easily from the Google Tasks link.

Much like a paper to-do list, the most direct way to use Google Tasks is to jot down basic things you need to do and check them off as they’re completed. But if you’d rather plan, rearranging your tasks into the order you should complete them, you can do that too. Just click on a task and drag it to the order you want. Move a task with subtasks? Just drag to move the whole set together. Or, if you decide a subtask should be its own task, drag it out, and it’ll turn into a standalone task.

Credit : Zapier

Picture Credit : Google 

What are the ways to stay safe online?

Do you spend a lot of time online? How can you stay safe in cyber space? Here are some simple tips to shield yourself from dangers.

When you download a game. you look for something that keeps you engaged. You possibly use it as a stress buster or to lift up your spirits. But imagine a game that draws you in such a way that you end up in a darker place, quite possibly a point of no return. That’s not all. Many children and teens are easy prey for online predators because they are wired to take on more risks, without considering the consequences. Here are some simple tips to guide you in cyber space.

Be alert to strangers

Do not let your guard down and allow the wrong people into your online circle. A false sense of security sets in on social networks and services where safety is an assumption. But remember do not interact with any unknown people. Anyone can create an online profile, so it’s best to be alert. You can turn down friend requests from strangers.

Set strong passwords and do not share them

Your password must consist of at least eight characters, which are a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols. Do not share your social media passwords with friends or acquaintances, no matter what situation arises. You may share it with your parents.

Mails, messages from unknown senders are best unread

One of the terrifying things about the Blue Whale is that it finds you, even if you do not. The best way to be safe is to not open any mails or messages from unknown people.

Do not respond to invitations sent by them.

Keep your account private on photo sharing sites

We tend to let our guard down on photo or video sharing sites such as Instagram, Snapchat and others. But the media uploaded on such sites inadvertently gives out a lot of personal information. Ensure that your account is private on this site, so that people would need to request your permission before following your stream.

Avoid open chat rooms

These places are filled with landmines and should be avoided like the plague. In a chat room, unknown people can strike up a conversation with you through private messages. What’s worse you never know if they are telling the truth about their identity. If you must, then log in using privacy settings.

Anonymous?

There are applications that allow users to send  anonymous messages to people. Recipient cannot respond to the messages. Although people usually use it to show their appreciation to writers or colleagues, it can be equally  harmful if fallen in the wrong hands.

Here’s how you can be cyber smart:

If someone on the internet asks you to meet in person-even if they are the same age- say no and inform a teacher or an adult whom you trust.

Passwords should be hard to crack. Avoid using obvious dictionary words. You can use online password generators, which jumble up characters and numbers. Change it often.

Your online posts should not reveal any personal information. This includes your moods, habits, locations, or information on your friends.

Do not participate in online surveys or contests requiring your personal information. It is illegal for companies to ask for any information from children under 13 years of age, without the consent of your parents.

Picture Credit : Google