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Yamaha gets Fuji TV into InfoSound, to bring acoustic data transmission apps to tablets and phones Jun 14th 2012, 01:19 Remember Yamaha's InfoSound technology? If not, well, it's a bit of black magic that shoots data wirelessly to devices using an inaudible (to humans, anyway) 18kHz signal emitted from a speaker and received via microphone. Yamaha came up with the idea back before the ubiquity of WiFi-enabled TVs, and now it's partnered up with Fuji Television Network to develop apps for phones and tablets that use the tech. Keep in mind, InfoSound has a fairly short range (33 feet) and maxes out with a data rate of only 80 bits per second, so you won't be streaming sound or video. That said, it's a fat enough pipe to send out hyperlinks, so the apps seem destined for use in retail outlets and in conjunction with digital signage to make it easy for folks to navigate to websites or receive store coupons. Further details are few and far between for now, but what info we do have can be found in the PR after the break. Continue reading Yamaha gets Fuji TV into InfoSound, to bring acoustic data transmission apps to tablets and phones Yamaha gets Fuji TV into InfoSound, to bring acoustic data transmission apps to tablets and phones originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Jun 2012 21:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments MIT engineers develop glucose-based fuel cell to be used in neural implants Jun 14th 2012, 00:53 We've seen fuel cells used in a variety of gadgets -- from cars to portable chargers -- and while medical devices aren't exactly at the top of the list, they're yet another application for these mini power sources. MIT engineers are turning to sugar to make fuel cells for powering brain implants. The scientists developed cells that use platinum to strip electrons from glucose molecules found in a patient's cerebrospinal fluid to create a small electric current. The fuel cells are fabricated on a silicon chip so they can interface with other circuits in a brain implant. The prototype can generate up to hundreds of micro watts, which is enough to power neural implants used to help paralyzed patients move their limbs. Mind you, this technology is years away from making it to market. The next step will be proving that the devices work in animals, which reminds us of one Ricky the rat, who survived a biofuel cell implant back in 2010. MIT engineers develop glucose-based fuel cell to be used in neural implants originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Jun 2012 20:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Extreme Tech  |  MIT  | Email this | Comments Skype rolls visual ads during some Windows calls, wonders what the hang up is Jun 14th 2012, 00:32 Skype has been raising the prospect of ads during calls for some time, and has already been running between-call ads before that, but now it's taking more definitive action. As of today, Skype for Windows users who don't have any credit their accounts will see -- thankfully, not hear -- ads during pure Skype-to-Skype voice conversations. The ads won't disrupt calls or take over the interface, but the company's attempt to spin location-targeted sales pitches as a way to "generate fun interactivity" between callers isn't exactly leaving us warm and fuzzy. There's no mention of whether or not Mac or mobile users will get the ads as well -- not that there's exactly a rush to embrace them or the "additional commercial experiences" coming in the future. Skype rolls visual ads during some Windows calls, wonders what the hang up is originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Jun 2012 20:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink   |  Skype  | Email this | Comments Twitter brings expanded news tweets to the web, makes skimming articles all too easy (update: Lytro too) Jun 14th 2012, 00:03 While Twitter has had expanded tweets for photos and videos, it's been necessary to click through to full news articles to see any of their content, sometimes even for the headline. A newly-launched update to the desktop and mobile web versions of Twitter is making that at-a-glance reading easier. Major traditional outlets like the New York Times, Der Spiegel or Time now show a brief snippet of an article when the linking tweet is given a click. More Internet-focused sources such as BuzzFeed and TMZ are also in the batch, and videos from the likes of BET and Dailymotion will play in-line. Android and iPhone users will see the same expansion from their native apps in the near future, although we're already weeping quietly for attention spans everywhere. Update: If you're craving shots taken with a Lytro camera, the company has revealed that its interactive, infinite-focus photos are included in the expanded tweet collection. Twitter brings expanded news tweets to the web, makes skimming articles all too easy (update: Lytro too) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Jun 2012 20:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink TechCrunch  |  Twitter  | Email this | Comments

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