Google's "Project Bloks" is Like Legos, But For Code

Project Bloks – Tangible Programming

An important 21st century skill of being able to code or comprehending the basics of how programming tends to really work seems to be getting more critical. The issue is that the code seems as abstract as things tend to get, which is the reason why Google’s leaping in a world with its new `Project Bloks’ of tangible programming. Project Bloks is an open hardware platform meant for developers, researchers and designers in the creation of physical programming experiences for children.

 The fact is to remove the technical obstacles for people and groups to enable them in creating a system of providing `new ways to teach computational thinking to kids. Google is of the belief that with more people having access to the same simple method, physical toys and products which teach kid on programming would come faster than before. The two types of Bloks are the `Base Boards – little square blocks that tend to pair with pucks. The pucks are little things like dials or switches which are simple and obvious that takes input from a programmer and the Base Board they tend to be on, translating this input into code.

Brain Board accumulates inputs from Pucks

Each setup also tends to have a `Brain Board that accumulates all the input from the different pucks as well as their Base Board and connects it to whatever the entire system seems to be controlling irrespective of it being a light or a remote control toy or a speaker or whatever. Project Bloks is said to be an open source party and developers all over can come up with their own pucks together with Brain Boards and devices which will work with them.

Though other smaller businesses could be struggling to get the developers on board, Google would not face much trouble in doing so. Project Bloks is in progress and is in active research.To inform the further development of the project, more researches have been conducted during summer on the opportunities for tangible programming as well as the Bloks platform.Users can sign up through the company’s website if interested in participating.

Brain Board Built on Raspberry Pi Zero

There is no doubt that Google would be assisting in bringing about more awareness to the growing trend of physical computing toys and most prominently introduce lots of children to the challenge and the joy of programming computers before they are old enough to even consider a line of code much less to write one. Bloks is basically like programming with block of Legos which begins with a puck that can have various forms. It is used to interact with an object.

 The puck tends to have instruction which may vary from `turn on/off, move left, jump, play music’. When one places the puck on the base board, it reads these instructions through a capacitive sensor. One could connect various base boards together most of which tend to end up attached to the brain board.

 The brain board are said to be built on a Raspberry Pi Zero, providing power as well as connectivity. According to the new Bloks website from Google, a modular system for tangible programming made of electronic boards and programmable puck that permits you to send instructions when connected together to the devices.

Help Design the PowerEgg Drone and You could net Yourself a Cool $3,000

PowerVision’s PowerEgg – Compact Portable Drone

PowerVision, UAV and drone specialist launched a latest design initiative – the PowerEgg Design Challenge to perceive who could design the best outer shell for its compact portable drone – the PowerEgg. The winner would get to see their design go into production as well as bag $3,000 as a prize.PowerVision Robotics is famous for its innovations in industrial robotics and the company now intends to enter the consumer marketplace. Having its headquarters in Beijing, PowerVision has revealed its egg-shaped aerial vehicle which would be easy to fly and very much portable owing to its exceptional design.

 PowerVision had chosen an oval shapefor its drone for aesthetic as well as functional motives. PowerVision CEO, Wally Zheng had stated that `we think the oval shape is not only clean and pure but also has structural and functional benefits. This simple yet vital design means that this is more than a flying robot but a work of art. PowerVision is on the lookout of giving graphic designers from across the world irrespective of them being student or an experienced professional, with the opportunity of creating the design which would embellish the recognisable folding egg design of the drone. The contest had been launched on June 22, 2016 and would be running all through July closing on August 7.

Special Chassis to Move Around& Transport

The PowerEgg was initially unveiled in February 2016 where the product of nearly two years’ worth of research and development tends to combine a 360°panoramic 4Kcamera on 3-axis gimbal, real-time HD video transmission up to 3000m together with advanced optical flow sensors for the purpose of easy indoor navigation. It is said that the arms, feet and rotors of the PowerEgg tends to fold back in the special chassis enabling it to move around and transport it with ease.

The winner of the contest would be receiving a $3,000 top prize together with royalties from the sale of PowerEgg consumer drone presenting their design. The second and third place winners would also be getting a special drone and royalties with a$1,500 and $1,000 prize respectively. Ten runner-up entrants would be receiving $200 Amazon gift voucher and $300 gift voucher for buying a PowerEgg through the PowerVision website.

Oval Chassis/Four Larger Propellers

Wally Zheng commented that `to celebrate the launch of the first consumer drone, PowerVision is excited to promote the creativity of users through this PowerEgg Design Contest and that they are looking forward to seeing the creative new designs.The egg shape sets the drone spaced out from the other four axis drones which adopt an x-shaped design. The drone comprises of an oval chassis having four larger propellers which collapse into the body of the device.
This mechanism enables the drone to double into the body of the device and the mechanism permits the drone to fold up into a compact shell thus making it easy to carry it along. When it is folded, the drone seems to be adequately small to fit in a standard backpack. The company intends to begin shipping in its new drone somewhere during the second quarter of 2016. The availability along with the pricing has not yet been disclosed.

Redshift SM: Electric Motorcycle Designed For Everyone

RedShift SM  – No Carbon Dioxide Discharge

Marc Fenigstein, Alta co-founder and the CEO, has indicated that the Alta Motors’ battery powered RedShift SM is a good bike which does not discharge carbon dioxide and the company opted for electric power for performance. He stated that the purpose was to build a bike which would be faster than the ones already owned. With the application of 40 horsepower to a bike which tends to weigh around 275 pounds seems good for an 85 mph top speed though it would not be adequate to stand out in a market where superbikes tends to lead on with 200 horses accelerating at a speed of 60 mph in two seconds.

The RedShift SM that seems to look and drives like a 400-cc off-road endure machine comprises of subtler upside which it exposes not on the track but at the time of a ride around midday traffic in Manhattan. Alta had spent about 10 years on designing the bike for urban riding wherein it would take on commuter bikers varying from the budget conscious Suzuki TU250 and Kawasaki KLR to high Enders such as the MBW R1200GS. The benefits of RedShift SM consist of a narrow chassis which tends to slip with ease in the midst of traffic as well as a high seat for a view of errant taxis, device-distracted pedestrians together with other dangers

Instant Acceleration

The 5.8-k Wh battery pack seems to be good for an average range of 50 miles if intended to ride aggressively which is not much for a car. The RedShift SM tends to have instant acceleration due to the torquey electric motor and while the horsepower seems to be the main power for a lightweight bike, it is the 34 pound feet of torque which tends to matter. This seems adequate to leave cars and several other motorcycles behind at least for the first few blocks.

The RedShift SM priced at $15,000, seems small and is not cheap wherein for that price one could take away any number of larger and more powerful machines such as the BMW K1300s and Yamaha Super Tenere together with various stylish entry-level models inclusive of Triumph Street Twin, Ducati Monster 821 and Moto Guzzi V7. If one is on the look-out for an urban runabout, it takes the lead. The RedShift SM validates its price with specialization.

No Direct Consumer Sales

Unlike the other bikes, the RedShift SM tends to deliver an amazing amount of mechanical feedback, an awareness that one is on a complex machine and not a two wheeled application.On twisting the throttle, the motor tends to respond with subdued, clicking, crunching vibration before the power seems to be kicked in totally. It gives a feeling like someone seems to be feathering the clutch after moving into the first gear. However, there does not seem to be any clutch for operation, and no gears to choose.

The bikes would be shipped to dealers next year and not direct to consumer sales, BMW Motorcycles of SFwould be one among the first dealers. It would begin in California during Q2 before extending to the rest of the US later this year.

5 Things You Might Not Know About 6th Generation Intel Core Processors

Skylake 6th Generation Intel Core Processor Officially Announced

The Skylake 6th Generation Intel Core processors have been officially announced by Intel at the IFA 2015 event in Berlin. Enhanced for Windows 10, the new 14nm chip has the potential of waking in around half a second and compared to PC from five years ago, they tend to deliver two and a half times the performance² and triple the battery life³. However there is more to the latest 6th Gen Intel Core processors than the iterative speed improvement.

1. They can power more than just laptops

The Skylake 6th Generation Intel Core processors can be utilised in diversity of designs inclusive of compact tablets, versatile 2-in-1 devices, hulking gaming towers, ultra-thin laptops sleek All in One systems together with mini PCs. The architecture of the chip tends to be adequately flexible to gauge up in power for mobile workstations as well as down for smaller, plug-and play gadgets such as the Compute Stick.

2. Support USB-C/Thunderbolt

The latest 6th Gen Intel Core processor also tends to support Thunderbolt 3/USB Type-C, enhancing bandwidth as well as connectivity speeds of around 40 Gbps, eight times faster than the prevailing USB 3.04standard. Moreover a do-it-all USB Type C connector tends to integrate DisplayPort, HDMI, USB, power and VGA functions.

3. Enables to unlock a PC with your face

Security is a big concern presently which is the reason why the 6thGen Intel Core processors are designed to function with RealSense camera technology of Intel. Utilising a RealSense camera with Windows Hello, one would be capable of using facial recognition in order to log in to one’s PC. Using RealSense with Intel’s True Key Technology would also remember passwords for the user.

4. Can handle 4K

In comparison to a 5 year old PC, a system upgrade established on the latest 6th Gen Intel Core processors could deliver around 2.6 times improved productivity performance5, 6and around 30 times enhanced graphics6, 7. Moreover, the 6th Gen Intel Coreprocessors can export 4K video for sharing up to 18 times quicker with dedicated hardware support for 4K playback. At the latest IDF 2015 event in San Francisco, Intel demonstrated this function with an immersive triple screen gaming rig running a VRX enhanced type of iRacing video game.

5. They enable you to go completely wireless

If your laptop seems to be running on battery power and connected to the Internet through Wi-Fi but one would prefer to plug the laptop powered by 5th Gen Intel Core processors into a TV, monitor or projector, then a cable would be needed. A device powered by the 6th Gen Intel Core processors would not require one since it is well-suited with Intel’s Wireless Display – WiDi technology from the start.

Skylake H processors have been trademarked as Core i3, i5 and i7 though they are designed for workstation or gaming-rig class presentation with 35- or 45- watt TDPs together with four cores. With one CPU, the Core i7-6830HK would power a new generation of overclockable laptops and for those wanting added mobile performance than a Core i7 could gather, Intel will be introducing the first set of mobile Xeon CPUs for the workstations.

Behold, Rolls Royce’s Truly Bizarre Self Driving Car

Roll-Royce – Self-Driving Concept Car – 103EX

Rolls-Royce, the ultra-luxury automaker introduced its self-driving concept car recently known as the 103EX. It is almost 20 feet long and 5 feet tall having some of the most amazing features. This futuristic looking vehicle comprises of two passenger seats on a silk covered sofa in the `Grand Sanctuary’ of the car or interior cabin. One gets to view through a glass display screen instead of a steering wheel. The engine is said to be at the rear of the car with the luggage compartment just behind the front wheels.

 Regarding the wheels, the company has not provided any engineering reason on why they intended to cover them so. It did mention that the design tends to make the car seem elevated ensuring its passengers to have a `Grand Arrival’. The vehicle seems to have some really in-built and advanced features such as the display screen together with an artificial intelligence called `Eleanor’ which tends to act as a personal assistant.

The name Eleanor was given in honour of Eleanor Thornton, who had inspired Charles Robert Sykes to sculpt the iconic hood ornament of Rolls-Royce. The auto division of Rolls-Royce, possessed by BMW has constantly been there attempting to push it on luxury and style and the 103EX surely tends to do both. It evidently entices buyers who intend to be noticed.

The 103EX – `Grand Sanctuary’

The company has mentioned that the model would be hitting the road in 2040. The 103EX has been endorsed as `grand sanctuary’ and is said to be one of four `Vision Vehicles’ Rolls-Royce parent which was announced back in March at the time of its centennial celebration.

Presently BMW together with Roll-Royce have visions for the next hundred years, wherein driving could be referred to something more than just a pastime. Director of designs for Roll-Royce Motor Cars, Giles Taylor stated that `with the Rolls-Royce Vision Next 100, we were mindful not to dwell on the past’.

Rolls-Royce while carefully not dwelling on the past is looking in restoring the world to a wealth and splendour of days gone by. In order to convey the stately feel together with the importance of Vision Vehicles occupant, Rolls-Royce had designed the 103EX as big as a carriage.

The vehicle being over five feet tall will not need people to duck into it. Making use of the 20 feet build, Rolls-Royce has carved an extra storage space between the cabin and the front wheels wherein the storage compartment tends to open whenever motorist disembark from the vehicle, automatically.

Rolls-Royce Patron – Famous Figure in Future

Rolls-Royce is not certain regarding the kind of engine it would be utilising, 100 years from now though it is sure that it wishes its riders to remain to reign in luxury during that time. Taylor states that `the Rolls-Royce patron will continue to be famous figure in the future.

 The Rolls-Royce Vision Next 100 will pay a key role in these people’s lives, guiding and conveying them effortlessly through their life’s journey in an exquisite sanctuary where they can reflect in peace ahead of arriving in the grandest style’. Overall, this self-driving concept car can be considered as an exclusive invention and will remain to be the very first visionary vehicle created by Rolls-Royce.