| US soldiers to wear blast sensors in Afghanistan, collect shock data Jul 30th 2012, 11:17  Starting next month, around one thousand frontline personnel in Afghanistan will begin testing the Soldier Body Unit, a sensor kit for recording the effects of explosions on the human body. While that's not the most pleasant of subjects, the blast sensors have been rushed out to collect as much data as possible before soldiers head home in 2014. The US Army's Rapid Equipping Force and the Georgia Tech Research Institute, which developed the sensors, hope to gather info on concussions and traumatic brain injuries to improve aftercare. This will also be used at source to stop super-soldiers heading back out after a concussion and increasing the probability of an even worse injury. Further sensors will be carried on military vehicles, to help measure the effects of IED blasts on passengers. Adding two pounds in extra equipment probably won't make the Soldier Body Unit too popular, but it's thought the kit could weigh in at half a pound once it's been refined. Filed under: Misc. Gadgets US soldiers to wear blast sensors in Afghanistan, collect shock data originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Jul 2012 07:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink  Ubergizmo |  Military News | Email this | Comments |  | HTC shuts Seoul office, leaves Korea to the Koreans Jul 30th 2012, 10:45  Having already pulled out of Brazil and shut down a research building in North Carolina, HTC has now closed its office in the South Korean capital of Seoul. The move is part of the Taiwanese manufacturer's efforts to "streamline operations" and focus on selling One-branded handsets in markets where it stands a better chance of success -- rather like Nokia's geographic retreats following its commitment to Windows Phone, but here on a much smaller scale. It's not yet clear how many jobs will be lost, but HTC says it regrets the "direct impact on people who have contributed to the growth HTC has experienced in the past several years." As it stands, analysts reckon that Korean manufacturers like Samsung, LG and Pantech rule a 90 percent share of their home market, leaving HTC with just one or two points that evidently weren't worth clinging onto. Filed under: Cellphones HTC shuts Seoul office, leaves Korea to the Koreans originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Jul 2012 06:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | ZDNet | Email this | Comments |  | Engadget's first UK Giveaway: win one of three Sony Xperia S phones Jul 30th 2012, 10:00  You asked, you pined and here it is -- welcome to our first (but certainly not last) UK competition. To kick off proceedings, we have three of Sony's latest flagship, the Xperia S, to offer up to our readers on the eastern side of the Atlantic. As it's our first competition for Britons, we advise that you read up on the rules after the break, then just leave a comment below to enter. Unfortunately, the adorable robot isn't up for grabs in our giveaway (we asked), but if you manage to track down a similar automaton around the UK, Sony's running a separate contest where you can net a free Xperia U in exchange -- visit the more coverage link for hints. Good luck! Continue reading Engadget's first UK Giveaway: win one of three Sony Xperia S phones Engadget's first UK Giveaway: win one of three Sony Xperia S phones originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Jul 2012 06:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments |  |
