Remember the fantastic video I posted in April of a robot folding laundry? The UC Berkeley researchers behind that breakthrough are now attempting to teach a robot a new chore: pairing socks. "The PR2 is presented with two socks. It then classifies each sock as either "inside" or "outside" and flips accordingly. Once both socks are in the proper orientation, it pairs them." (The video is sped up 15x.) The "Sockification" team have just won $5,000 for that effort from robot Willow Garage, makers of the PR2 robot seen in the clip. Be sure to also check out the other videos in the Willow Garage PR2 Quick Start Contest! (Thanks, Pieter Abbeel!)
Robot to pair socks!
Watch the incredible sales video for Rockwell Automation's Retroencabulator
This 1997 pitch for Rockwell Automation's Retroencabulator makes me feel like an idiot for not already owning one. The technology improves upon a 1944 machine called the turboencabulator: The original machine had a base plate of prefabulated amulite, surmounted by a malleable logarithmic casing in such a way that the two main spurving bearings were… READ THE REST
Lou Ottens, inventor of the cassette tape, RIP
Lou Ottens, who in 1963 invented the cassette tape while an engineer at Philips, has died. He was 94. I'm glad that he lived to see the cassette resurgence of recent years. From NPR: The cassette tape was Ottens' answer to the large reel-to-reel tapes that provided high-quality sound but were seen as too clunky… READ THE REST
Parler wanted Donald Trump, who demanded an ownership stake, which didn't happen
A scoop from Buzzfeed News: "Parler wanted Donald Trump on its site. Trump's company wanted an ownership stake. Here's the exclusive story of their negotiation." Parler is the chat app founded in 2018 by former college roommates John Matze and Jared Thomson, and Rebekah Mercer, the right-wing political donor and daughter of hedge fund magnate… READ THE REST
30 eco-friendly deals
It's a big and beautiful world. And sometimes, it's easy to feel afraid that all the ill effects we've heaped on our resilient planet have practically consigned us to our doom. But hey…that's quitter's talk. Progress only happens when everybody does their part. And in celebration of Earth Day, this is a great time to… READ THE REST
Community Tax can walk you through every step of settling your outstanding IRS tax burden
May 17th is the 2021 U.S. tax filing deadline – and the way the past year has gone for millions of Americans, that extra month-long extension to get their 2020 return finished is a welcome sight. That's especially true for those already knee-deep in a sticky tax situation that was likely made worse by all… READ THE REST
These earbuds use AI to optimize your music while keeping you safe for under $40
The ostrich analogy is real. Nobody should be sticking their head in the sand to escape unpleasant truths. And one such unpleasant reality is that for all their functionality, headphones can be incredibly dangerous. An overwhelming 96 percent of Americans say it's dangerous to wear headphones or earbuds when driving. That number remains high for… READ THE REST