Hardware

Watch two Mini Cheetah robots square off on the soccer field • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on October 17, 2022Posted in Hardware, mini cheetah, robot, Robotics & AI, SoccerNo Comments

Some robotics challenges have immediately clear applications. Others are more focused on helping systems solve broader challenges. Teaching small robots to play soccer against one another fits firmly into the latter category. The authors of a new paper detailing the use of reinforcement learning to teach MIT’s Mini Cheetah robot to play goalie note, Soccer goalkeeping using quadrupeds is a challenging problem, that combines highly dynamic locomotion with precise and fast non-prehensile object (ball) manipulation. The robot needs to react to and intercept a potentially flying ball using dynamic locomotion maneuvers in a very short amount of time, usually less than one second. In this paper, we propose to address this problem using a hierarchical model-free RL framework. Image Credits: Hybrid Robotics Effectively, the robot needs to lock into a projectile and maneuver itself to block the ball in under a second. The robot’s parameters are defined in an emulator, and the Mini Cheetah relies on a trio of moves — sidestep, dive, and jump – to block the ball on its way to the goal by determining its trajectory while in motion. To test the efficacy of the program, the team pitted the system against both a human component and a fellow Mini Cheetah. Notably, the same basic framework used to defend the goal can by applied to offense. The paper’s authors note, “In this work, we focused solely on the goalkeeping task, but the proposed framework can be extended to other scenarios, such as multi-skill soccer ball kicking.”

Low-cost hearing aids are now available over the counter in the US • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on October 17, 2022Posted in biden, fda, Government & Policy, Hardware, hearing aidsNo Comments

Over the summer, Joe Biden issued the “Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy.” Included in the legislation was a push to make more affordable hearing aids available without prescription. Following a final rule from the FDA, those products are finally arriving on store shelves. A number of major U.S. drugstore chains have announced hardware that’s either available now or coming soon. The list includes a $799 model from Walgreens, a $200 device from Best Buy, a $199 hearing aid from Walmart and a variety of different options from CVS. In most cases, the hardware will be available as both an in-store purchase and online. Per the FDA, the new, prescription-free model will make hearing aids up to $3,000 cheaper in many cases. On the subject of prospected costs moving forwars, the agency writes, Currently, states regulate the personnel who may distribute hearing aids. We have no reason to suppose states will impose more onerous restrictions on hearing aids that will be prescription medical devices as a result of this final rule than are currently imposed on distribution of hearing aids. However, it is possible changes in state regulation of prescription hearing aids as well as potentially increased variation in state regulation of prescription hearing aids may increase the cost of hearing aids that convert to prescription medical devices. Hearing aids are one aspect of the executive order announced back in July to “promote competition in the American economy, which will lower prices for families, increase wages for workers, and promote innovation and even faster economic growth.” The order also includes items designed to lower prescription drug prices, banning or limiting non-compete agreements, expediting airline refunds and cutting the price of internet bills.

Cyberdontics raises $15M for robotic root canals • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on October 17, 2022Posted in cyberdontics, dentist, Hardware, robotics, Robotics & AINo Comments

It’s been more than 20 years since the da Vinci Surgical System received FDA clearance. Pretty incredible when you think about it. Robotic surgery and automation in general have come a long way since then, and a number of companies have entered the lucrative category, focused on all manner of different procedures. Surprisingly, robotic dental procedures have been slow to follow. Let me get this out of the way up front — I’m squeamish about dental procedures. I don’t like thinking about them, don’t like talking about them and certainly don’t like having them. And like many of you reading this, I’m certainly not rushing out to have a robot perform a root canal on me any time soon. I said as much to dentist turned Cyberdontics founder and CEO, Chris Ciriello. Image Credits: Cyberdontics The executive notes that there are two big selling points here from the patient’s standpoint. First is efficacy. He says the system that Cyberdontics is developing will be capable of extremely accurate tooth cutting, down to around 30 microns. The second — and perhaps more important — is speed. “If you’ve had something like a root canal, a crown or any of these types of procedures, where you’re spending an hour or two in the dentist’s chair and you’re spending multiple trips to go back and get it fixed,” he explains, “the idea that you can literally have this robot in your mouth for under one minute and you can be out the door 15 minutes later, is a game changer. For people that really don’t like the dentist, this is a really attractive way to get in and out a lot faster.” The notion was attractive enough to warrant a $15 million Series A for the YC grad. The round, led by dentist chain Pacific Dental Services, will go toward additional R&D and bringing the system to market. The system is supervised by the dentist and, like surgery robots before it, is designed to level access to such procedures amid a dentist shortage. Image Credits: Cyberdontics “Today, a dentist would cut a hole in your tooth and fill the hole with some type of material, whether it’s a crown, a filling, some kind of plastic they squirt in,” says Ciriello. “What we do is scan your tooth, then we virtually create a model of what the tooth will look like after we cut it. Then we can cut your tooth and fabricate a prosthetic at the same time, or we can fabricate the prosthetic in advance of the surgery. Then that piece will fit in just like a puzzle piece, right into the hole we cut.” Cyberdontics “aspirationally” plans to launch its imaging process within the next year, with plans to introduce the robot within the next two, regulator approval depending.

Sugar Lab buys back its tech to take 3D-printed foods mainstream • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on October 15, 2022Posted in 3d printing, 3d systems, food tech, Hardware, sugar labNo Comments

Original founder raises a sweet round at a $16M valuation, wants another stab at the market The 3D printing world can print in concrete, plastic, metal and pretty much everything else that starts off gooey and turns solid after a while. That includes a bunch of different types of foods, as Sugar Lab demonstrates. The company was originally acquired by 3D Systems in 2013, but co-founders Kyle von Hasseln and Meagan Bozeman decided to reverse course. Together, they wrestled the company loose again from its corporate overlords and they are having another go at growing it — and the Currant 3D printer the company sells — by themselves. The genesis for the company was von Hasseln’s sister’s birthday party, and an absence of regular cooking tools. He hacked an old 3D printer to print cupcake decorations, and he’s been on a mission to create unusual cakes and sweets ever since. The company describes what it does as a “digital bakery,” and much of the tech involved is there to make the printers food-safe — not typically a huge consideration for most 3D printing applications. “I recognized straight away that 3D printing with extruded food paste was too slow and rudimentary for wide adoption in the culinary world. That realization led me to immediately pivot to another 3D printing engine where thin layers of dehydrated food powder are bound layer after layer by water jetted from a printhead — which allows for precise, fast, full-color 3D printing,” says von Hasseln. “That invention, now called the CURRANT 3D Printer, solves the fundamental problem in the 3D-printed food space: mass adoption.” Weird and wonderful custom-printed sugar cubes for the sweet, sweet win. Image Credits: Currant 3D The new company acquired the 3D printing tech back in May, and now the race is on to raise more money and bring the products to market. The company claims its printers are able to 3D-print complex foods in full color, with the ability to scale the production for large batches of tasty treats. The pritners can print a number of ingredients, including dehydrated fruits, vegetables, spices and plant proteins. The result is that the company has what appears to be the only NSF-certified commercial-scale 3D food printing solution. “It may seem trivial, but our success is predicated on a simple design theory that every chef knows by heart — beautiful food is enticing, fun and engaging. And our 3D printer is best-in-class at creating beautiful food because we leverage all the promise of 3D design and 3D printing — color, precision and speed,” says von Hassln. “I am personally driven to make this new technology accessible to chefs everywhere. Chefs are artists at heart, and more than anyone they understand that well-designed food can create a completely new culinary experience.” The company raised $5 million, most recently at a $16 million post-money valuation. The money is being used to take back full ownership of the tech and company, and spin up operations. “After Kyle developed his culinary 3D printer, it was quickly acquired by 3D Systems, where he and I teamed up to create and run the Culinary Technology division that built the CURRANT 3D Printer from scratch. We left 3D Systems in 2019, backed by our investor group, to found our company and quickly became the largest purchaser of the 3D printing technology. When an opportunity to acquire the tech arose this year, we went back to our investor network, which was hugely supportive, and raised capital to wholly acquire the CURRANT 3D Printer platform,” explains Meagan Bozeman, COO at Currant 3D and Sugar Lab. “We’re extremely proud and grateful that the technology is back in the hands of its original inventors and champions. This has put us in complete control of our future; we’re 3D printing food faster than ever, expanding into a much larger commercial kitchen where we will manage a 20+ printer fleet for this next rapid growth chapter, and enabling others to build their own 3D production kitchens through the purchase of our printers and supplies.” The company says its ultimate goal is to take 3D-printed food from novelty to “indispensable ubiquity”. That doesn’t mean replacing how existing, well-loved foods are made, but to give chefs new powers to experiment and make new types of food. “Adoption of digital design and 3D printing is critically important for a more sustainable and secure food future,” claims von Hasseln. “If you can download a new 3D design into a regional 3D printing kitchen, and 3D-print onsite with local labor and ingredients, you can cut deeply into the inefficiencies of legacy food production that rely on trucking ingredients all over the country — both to and from factories.”

The Shure MV7 is a nearly perfect USB microphone • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on October 14, 2022Posted in Gadgets, Hardware, microphone, shure, usbNo Comments

Around late-September/early-October each year, I get a Slack message from Greg asking whether I’m interested in writing a gift guide (or two). “Sure,” I say, never anticipating just how much of a slog the next two months are going to be for hardware news/reviews. Putting together a roundup like that has the decided benefit of forgetting what a pain the whole thing can be. I used to write a “Best Gifts for Travelers” each year. And then this global pandemic thing happened, at which point I shifted to “Best Gifts for Working from Home.” Fittingly, this year I’ve committed myself to both, as myself and others semi-cautiously reenter the world. My process for putting these together is getting in whatever potential products I can get my hands on. It’s easier said than done sometimes, but an important part of recommending products is actually trying them yourself. I know it sounds straightforward, but you’d be surprised. The past few years have been a bit of a quiet revolution for teleconferencing. Some folks are perfectly content using their computers’ built-in camera and microphone, be it for the sake of simplicity or price. Honestly, that’s fine for like 99% of the people 99% of the time. I had my hand forced on both of these things for two reasons. First, I review gadgets for a living. Second, I’ve been hosting a podcast for just under 10 years and the pandemic required a shift from in-person to remote. For a variety of reasons, I haven’t gone back. I’ve written about my in-person mobile podcasting setup in these pages a number of times. It was the result of several years of refinement through trial and error. Putting together my at-home setup hasn’t been all that different, honestly. In particular, I’ve gone through a number of different USB mics. If I had more money and time, I’d probably have a more professional auto interface with a proper XLR microphone. My level of commitment has, instead, been seeking out my platonic ideal USB microphone. Up to now, I’ve been happily recommending the Audio Technica ATR2100-USB. It’s a great-sounding, directional stick mic, with both a USB-C and XLR input that’s not dissimilar from the sort I used for face-to-face interviews. I’m partial to directional microphones for a number of reasons, and have long thought they ought to be the industry standard, particularly for beginners. Here’s the dirty little secret in all of those: You can get pretty good sound from most USB mics over $100 (and several below), but the interface is almost intentionally difficult. Many of these microphones feature three, four or five directional settings. Beginners will almost invariably choose the wrong one, accidentally turn the gain up full force and wind up sounding worse than they would have with a pair of earbuds or a default system microphone. The ATR2100-USB fixed that with simple, out of the box setup. But the Shure MV7 takes things even further. The design looks like a more compact version of the legendary studio/podcasting SM78. I’m not going to say it sounds as good as a proper studio mic with a proper studio interface, but I will say I doubt most people would be able to pick out the difference. The MV7’s sound is rich, full and warm — everything you want out of a vocal mic. Like the ATR2100-USB, it sports both an XLR and USB-C output. Given how good it sounds, however, I don’t feel any need to switch to the former. Also like the Audio Technica system, it just works. Plug it in, make sure your software is accessing it and you should be good. Better still, there’s a touch panel with green lights that lets you adjust the volume on the fly. There’s also a headphone input if you want to monitor your voice in real time through the mic. A few downsides. First is price. At $250, you can get a good mic at half the price. This, however, is a great mic. If sound is important to you, splurge a little. Second has more to do with the directional design. If you absentmindedly shift a lot in your seat while speaking, this might not be the mic for you. I do that sometimes, and I’m just trying to force myself to be more mindful of those movements. Third, it’s fairly heavy. If it’s just going to live on your home desk, no biggie. It mounts on either a mic stand (I have a small one I use) or an arm. For an additional $20, the company will toss in a mini tripod. If you plan to take it on the road, it could be a bit more of an issue, but it’s far from a dealbreaker, especially given the small size (just remember to pack a stand). I’ve been recording episodes of my podcast exclusively on the MV7 and haven’t looked back since.

Touchlab to begin piloting its robotic skin sensors in a hospital setting • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on October 14, 2022Posted in Hardware, robot, robotics, Robotics & AI, Touchlab, XPRIZENo Comments

Manipulation and sensing have long been considered two key pillars for unlocking robotics’ potential. There’s a fair bit of overlap between the two, of course. As grippers have become a fundamental element of industrial robotics, these systems require the proper mechanisms for interacting with the world around them. Vision has long been a key to all of this, but companies are increasingly looking to tacticity as a method for gathering data. Among other things, it gives the robot a better sense of how much pressure to apply to a given object, be it a piece of produce or a human being. A couple of months back, Edinburgh, Scotland-based startup Touchlab won the pitch-off at our TC Sessions: Robotics event, among some stiff competition. The judges agreed that the company’s approach to the creation of robotic skin is an important one that can help unlock fuller potential for sensing. The XPrize has thus far agreed, as well. The company is currently a finalist for the $10 million XPrize Avatar Competition. The firm is currently working with German robotics firm Schunk, which is providing the gripper for the XPrize finals. Image Credits: Touchlab “Our mission is to make this electronic skin for robots to give machines the power of human touch,” co-founder and CEO Zaki Hussein said, speaking to ZebethMedia from the company’s new office space. “There are a lot of elements going into replicating human touch. We manufacture this sensing technology. It’s thinner than human skin and it can give you the position and pressure wherever you put it on the robot. And it will also give you 3D forces at the point of contact, which allows robots to be able to do dexterous and challenging activities.” To start, the company is looking into teleoperation applications (hence the whole XPrize Avatar thing) — specifically, using the system to remotely operate robots in understaffed hospitals. On one end, a TIAGo++ robot outfitted with its sensors lends human workers a pair of extra hands; on the other, an operator outfitted with a haptic VR bodysuit that translates all of the touch data. Though such technologies currently have their limitations. Image Credits: Touchlab “We have a layer of software that translates the pressure of the skin to the suit. We’re also using haptic gloves,” says Hussein. “Currently, our skin gathers a lot more data than we can currently transmit to the user over haptic interfaces. So there’s a little bit of a bottleneck. We can use the full potential of the best haptic interface of the day, but there is a point where the robot is feeling more than the user is able to.” Additional information gathered by the robot is translated through a variety of different channels, such as visual data via a VR headset. The company is close to beginning real-world pilots with the system. “It will be in February,” says Hussein. “We’ve got a three-month hospital trial with the geriatric patients in the geriatric acute ward. This is a world-first, where this robot will be deployed in that setting.”

5 ways disruptive component startups can win over OEMs • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on October 14, 2022Posted in Column, components, EC Column, EC Hardware, EC How To, Hardware, hardware startups, StartupsNo Comments

Ori Mor is chief business officer and co-founder of Wi-Charge. Creating a disruptive hardware components startup can be quite exciting. Few things can compare to the joy of physically interacting with your creation as you design and build it from scratch. But hardware startups are challenging. Think of it as the business version of the age-old question: “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?” You have to figure out which comes first: The components you’re creating or the devices that are designed to use those components. This may sound like an easy question to answer, but it isn’t. For example, our company built a new way of delivering long-range wireless electricity using infrared light. In order to “catch” those beams of electricity, though, devices would need to have the receiver chips built in, and product designers would need to substantially change their devices to power them wirelessly. We hoped that manufacturers would be excited for our system and move quickly to update their products. We got positive feedback, too, but most simply had no bandwidth for disruption as they grappled with their burdens of running a business and worrying about earning calls. They liked the idea, but they put it on the back burner. So we began to build devices with the necessary receivers built-in to showcase how they work. Here are five things you should do if you’re on a similar path: Creating your own devices does not mean giving up on your original goal of providing components for other manufacturers to use. Start with just one Let’s be honest. The chances are quite low that you’ll have the world-changing success of cargo containers or Qualcomm SoCs. So there’s no point rushing when building a hardware startup. Instead, start by making just a single prototype that you can use to show OEMs. Don’t worry about making this first version of your device perfect or packing in all the features you’ve thought up. Think of it as a relatively crude demonstration that can give people a glimpse of what’s possible. For example, we made a small digital display device for a supermarket shelf that could be powered wirelessly. We 3D printed it and actually used some tape on the inside to keep things in place. The only goal was to show potential buyers a proof of concept that validated our idea. While you’re showing off your first device, gauge people’s responses and ask for both initial impressions and constructive feedback. Would they use it? Would they want more? What might make it work better?

Repairable laptop firm Framework introduces refurbished program • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on October 13, 2022Posted in framework, Gadgets, Hardware, Laptop, refurbished, right to repairNo Comments

Framework is at the vanguard of a growing movement to make electronics more repair-friendly. Some have done so by choice and others have been…nudged in that direction by looming right to repair legislation across the globe. Framework, like Fairphone, is making that a core principle of its technology, without sacrificing the final project (check Devin’s review here). Today the company announced another step in the process of reusing consumer waste with the addition of a refurbished program that will make its laptops and components available for a secondhand discount. The program launches today with the Laptop DIY additions, three Intel processors and an expansion card pack. Those are all currently available to customers in the U.S. and Canada. Additional parts will be added to the list, down the road. The company notes: Refurbished laptops and modules typically start from the small number of returns we get from our 30-day return guarantee. They then go through an extensive testing and cleaning process at our service center in New Jersey, where any parts that don’t meet our specifications are replaced. We also have service centers in Europe and Australia capable of performing refurbishment at the same level of quality, but we’ve received so few returns that we haven’t been able to build refurbished inventory for sale just yet. Per the company, the refurbed parts are covered by the same warranty as those purchased new.

Stanford’s robotic boot gives wearers a personalized mobility boost • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on October 13, 2022Posted in exoskeleton, Hardware, robotic exoskeleton, Robotics & AI, stanfordNo Comments

Some of the most exciting robotics breakthroughs are happening in the exoskeleton space. Sure, any robotic system worth its salt has the potential to effect change, but this is one of the categories where such changes can be immediately felt — specifically, it’s about improving the lives of people with limited mobility. A team out of Stanford’s Biomechatronics Laboratory just published the results of years-long research into the category in Nature. The project began life — as these things often do — through simulations and laboratory work. The extent of the robot boot’s real-world testing has thus far been limited to treadmills. The researchers behind it, however, at readying it for life beyond the lab doors. “This exoskeleton personalizes assistance as people walk normally through the real world,” lab head Steve Collins said in a release. “And it resulted in exceptional improvements in walking speed and energy economy.” The principle behind the boot is similar to what drives a number of these systems. Rather than attempting to work for the wearer, it provides assistance, lowering some of the resistance and friction that come with mobility impairments. Where the lab says their approach differs, however, is in the machine learning models it uses to “personalize” the push it gives to the calf muscle. Image Credits: Kurt Hickman The researchers liken the assistance to removing a “30-pound backpack” from the user. Collins adds: Optimized assistance allowed people to walk 9% faster with 17% less energy expended per distance traveled, compared to walking in normal shoes. These are the largest improvements in the speed and energy of economy walking of any exoskeleton to date. In direct comparisons on a treadmill, our exoskeleton provides about twice the reduction in effort of previous devices. Those kinds of numbers are delivered, in part, from the emulators that provide the foundation for much of the research. The boot is the culmination of around 20 years of research at the lab, and now the team is working to commercialize the project, with plans to bring it to market in “the next few years.” They’re also developing variations on the hardware to help improve balance and reduce joint pain.

Google’s 3D video calling booths, Project Starline, will now be tested in the real world • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on October 13, 2022Posted in 3d imagery, Google, Hardware, project starlineNo Comments

While Meta is trying to convince consumers to strap on its VR headsets to enter the metaverse, Google continues to experiment with a different sort of false reality: its holographic video chat project known as Project Starline. Announced last year, Project Starline is a video-calling booth that uses 3D imagery, high-resolution cameras, custom depth sensor sensors, and a breakthrough light field display to create a lifelike experience for callers on both sides of the screen — and all without a required headset. Now, Google says it’s expanding its real-world tests with an early access program that will see Starline used in the offices of various enterprise partners, including Salesforce, WeWork, T-Mobile and Hackensack Meridian Health. Google will begin installing Project Starline prototypes in select partner offices for regular testing starting later this year, it noted. Until now, the 3D calling booths were found in Google’s offices in the U.S. where employees were able to test them for things like meetings, employee onboarding sessions, and more. The company had also invited over 100 enterprise partners in areas like media, healthcare and retail to demo the technology in its offices and offers their feedback about the experience. With the launch of the new early access program, those partners will be able to test the calling booths in their own offices, providing Google with valuable feedback and insights about how such a technology would be used in the real world and what sort of challenges it may face. Those who have been able to test Project Starline have described the experience as being incredibly realistic and an impressive technology, even in its early phases. But there have been questions about to what extent Starline would ever exist beyond being a very cool tech demo, versus a technology that would eventually become a part of office workers’ — much less consumers’ — everyday lives. It’s unclear if Google has a plan to actually commercialize the tech, what these calling booths would cost businesses to either purchase and maintain, and whether or not there’s enough demand for the technology in a world where Zoom and Google Meet are considered “good enough” solutions for virtual meetings. (Plus, they can support more than the one-on-one conversations Starline offers.) In addition, Project Starline’s long-term status at Google has been unknown as the project was wrapped up into a reorg a year ago that saw Google relocating its various AR and VR technologies, along with its internal R&D group known as Area 120, into a new “Labs” team. This September, Google then slashed the number of projects in Area 120 by half — an indication that it may not see these sorts of experiments as priorities in the current economic environment. Even some Googlers were not sure how Project Starline was still around, given the situation. Still, Starline’s tech is an interesting bet on a different kind of “virtual” reality — one where people aren’t represented with gaming-like avatars, but rather as their real selves. Instead of developing tech that uses cameras to track eye and face movements to make avatars more realistic, as Meta is now doing, or figuring out how to add legs to your in-VR body, Google is working to present a person as they are — and without the additional encumbrance of having to wear something on your head. Meanwhile, as more businesses are trying to figure out the hybrid future of work model, technology like Starline could bridge the gap between in-person meetings and the less-idea 2D video chat experience we have today. Partners like WeWork and Salesforce spoke of their interest in trying out the tech, which they believe could help make connections between people more meaningful. “In today’s digital-first world, companies need to provide the technology and tools to help employees be more productive and effective at work,” Andy White, SVP of Business Technology at Salesforce, said in a statement. “At Salesforce, we’re constantly exploring new ways to deliver incredible experiences to our employees and customers around the world. Project Starline has the potential to drive deeper connections between people by bridging in-person and virtual experiences.” Google says it will share more about what it learns from its early access program next year.