Japanese research group concocts 3D restoration magic from regular photos (video) Jun 20th 2012, 06:17 Reconstructing 3D spacial data has long been possible, but convincing the average consumer of that would be another chore entirely. In the future, however, it may be simpler to believe. A crew of researchers at Tokyo Institute of Technology are hard at work developing a new system that "quickly creates 3D spacial data from photos taken with a digital camera." According to Assistant Professor Akihito Torii, the method can use JPEGs from a conventional point-and-shoot camera -- no specialized equipment needed -- which are then shot over to a PC via a wireless Eye-Fi SD card. From there, it's the magic of the software that takes over, reconstructing a 3D model in mere minutes. The goal? To save Earthlings time, naturally. As it stands, pilots shooting aerial shots usually have to land, offload imagery and see if they missed anything; in theory, this could allow a more real-time process to fall into place, enabling patch shots to be taken just minutes after they're missed. Looking for more? Hit up the explanatory video just after the break. Continue reading Japanese research group concocts 3D restoration magic from regular photos (video) Japanese research group concocts 3D restoration magic from regular photos (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Jun 2012 02:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | DigInfo | Email this | Comments | Nokia Lumia devices now present in 54 markets, 44 percent of apps available in China Jun 20th 2012, 05:48 In case you want to check Nokia's pulse amid a mixture of good news and bad news, the company's decided to dish out some new stats on its Windows Phones at the first-ever Mobile Asia Expo here in Shanghai. Asia region president Olivier Puech announced the Lumia devices are currently available in 54 markets worldwide, courtesy of over 130 operators and over 80,000 apps (though our friends over at All About Windows Phone said the marketplace broke the 90,000 barrier last month). Sadly, there was no mention of market share or sales figures, but Puech did add that since the Lumia launch in China at the end of March, only 35,000 -- or about 44 percent -- of all those Windows Phone apps are available in the restricted marketplace, 5,500 of which are tailored for the local market. Of course, with Nokia's constant push in the country these numbers will hopefully only go up, so hang in there, Elop! Nokia Lumia devices now present in 54 markets, 44 percent of apps available in China originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Jun 2012 01:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | LeapFrog reveals LeapPad 2 and Leapster GS learning tablets, priced at $70 and $100 Jun 20th 2012, 05:19 Got a youngster who ain't keen on waiting for his or her Surface of choice to ship? There's a LeapFrog for that. The name in educational slates has just revealed a pair of refreshed gizmos, the LeapPad 2 and Leapster GS. Boasting higher resolution front and rear cameras / video recorders, twice the memory (4GB) compared to the original and an even more durable frame, the LeapPad 2 also touts a zippier LF 2000 processor, improved battery life and compatibility with an optional internal battery system and recharger pack. Buyers of the $99.99 device will also see a gratis music player (with five learning songs, no less), a Cartoon Director creativity app, an Art Studio creativity app and the Pet Pad writing app. The Leapster GS ($69.99) is a revised Leapster Explorer, offering a thinner design, larger screen, built-in motion sensor, 2GB of memory and a camera / video recorder. Sold already? Folks in the US, UK, Canada and Ireland can grab theirs on July 18th, while most other nations will have to wait until August. Summer learning never felt so right... right? Continue reading LeapFrog reveals LeapPad 2 and Leapster GS learning tablets, priced at $70 and $100 LeapFrog reveals LeapPad 2 and Leapster GS learning tablets, priced at $70 and $100 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Jun 2012 01:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | LeapFrog | Email this | Comments | |