| SRK contest produces a 26-button Starcraft II arcade controller, probably won't stop Zerg rushes (video) Jul 6th 2012, 09:02  Almost as a dare, Shoryuken challenged its fans to produce a fighting game-style controller for Starcraft II. Mauricio Romano took them up on that contest and won with a surprisingly polished arcade stick of his own. Its cornerstone is a heavily modified Ultrastik joystick that's turned into an on-controller, two-button mouse. You didn't think a PC gamer would cling to a plain joystick, did you? In the process, the usual 101 keys of a typical keyboard have been pared down to a set of 26 buttons most relevant for Blizzard's real-time strategy epic. Packaged up in a single, polished USB peripheral, the one-off prototype's design is good enough to imagine a Major League Gaming pro taking it out on the road. We'd put that idea on ice for now, though: as Mauricio shows in the video below, the learning curve is steep enough that most players won't be fending off diamond-league marine and zergling blitzes anytime soon. Continue reading SRK contest produces a 26-button Starcraft II arcade controller, probably won't stop Zerg rushes (video) SRK contest produces a 26-button Starcraft II arcade controller, probably won't stop Zerg rushes (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Jul 2012 05:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink  Joystiq |  Shoryuken | Email this | Comments | | Robotic legs simulate our neural system, lurch along in the most human-like way so far Jul 6th 2012, 08:16  We've seen some pretty wonky bipedal robots before, but scientists at the University of Arizona have gone straight to the source -- us -- to make one with a more human-like saunter. It turns out it's not just our skull-borne computer that controls gait: a simple neural network in the lumber area of our spine, called the central pattern generator (CPG), also fires to provide the necessary rhythm. By creating a basic digital version of that and connecting some feedback sensors in the legs, a more natural human stride (without balance) was created -- and on top of that it didn't require the tricky processing used in other striding bots. Apparently this throws light on why babies can make that cute walking motion even before they toddle in earnest, since the necessary CPG system comes pre-installed from birth. That means the study could lead to new ways of stimulating that region to help those with spinal cord injuries re-learn to walk, and produce better, less complex walking robots to boot. Judging by the video, it's a good start, but there's still a ways to go before they can mimic us exactly -- you can watch it after the break. Continue reading Robotic legs simulate our neural system, lurch along in the most human-like way so far Robotic legs simulate our neural system, lurch along in the most human-like way so far originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Jul 2012 04:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | EurekaAlert! | Email this | Comments | | KeyPoint's Adaptxt keyboard enters beta for Android tablets, adds handwriting for that extra touch Jul 6th 2012, 07:35  Aftermarket keyboard layouts are still relatively rare among tablets, which makes KeyPoint Technologies' new Adaptxt beta for Android tablets that much more valuable. Along with optionally splitting up the keyboard to make thumb typing that much gentler, it expands on the stock keyboard formula with aggressive word prediction and shortcuts for words or whole sentences. The wait for a tablet version has also rewarded the patient with a handwriting recognition extra, just in case they'd like to revive cursive writing as an art form. The beta is is free to use for anyone who's running at least Android 2.3 on a big-screened slate, although only for a "limited period" -- if you're willing to accept a few rough edges, we'd recommend hitting the source links before there's a price tag attached. KeyPoint's Adaptxt keyboard enters beta for Android tablets, adds handwriting for that extra touch originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Jul 2012 03:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Adaptxt, Google Play | Email this | Comments | |
