The United States Patent and Trademark Office recently published details on an interesting Microsoft patent. The patent relates to a two-sided smart device display system for phones and

tablets. It features an integrated second low-power, possibly E Ink, display on the back that would show certain types of information.

The secondary display could come in very handy for getting things like a clock off of the main display to free up space. It could display other information that might otherwise not be shown. The second display would use its own low-powered processor, which would reduce the power load from the primary display.

This could be very handy and can be used in many ways. Hopefully we will see this implemented in our phones one day soon.

via:bgr

If you think it’s difficult now avoiding embarrassing moments from being captured in a snapshot or video by someone with a mobile phone, you haven’t seen anything yet.

Researchers at the University of Texas at Dallas disclosed this week that they’ve developed an imager chip that could turn mobile phones into devices that can see through walls, wood, plastics, paper, and other objects.

Kenneth O, left, with Dae Yeon Kim Image: Courtesy of the University of Texas at DallasThe research team, led by Kenneth O, director of the Texas Analog Center of Excellence and a professor of electrical engineering, tapped an unused range in the electromagnetic spectrum and some microchip technology to brew their X-ray chip.

Portions of the electromagnetic spectrum are already used for consumer devices. For example, microwaves are used to cook food, broadcast radio uses AM and FM waves, and infrared waves are used for seeing in the dark. For their purposes, the researchers used waves in the terahertz range.

“We’ve created approaches that open a previously untapped portion of the electromagnetic spectrum for consumer use and life-saving medical applications,” O said. “The terahertz range is full of unlimited potential that could benefit us all.”

The researchers’ approach reduces the size of the mechanics needed to create images with terahertz waves. Combined with CMOS technology–which is used in a number of consumer devices such as digital cameras and camcorders, smartphones and HD TVs–a chip can be created that can “see” through solid objects.

“CMOS is affordable and can be used to make lots of chips,” Dr. O explained. “The combination of CMOS and terahertz means you could put this chip and receiver on the back of a cellphone, turning it into a device carried in your pocket that can see through objects.”

In developing their chip, the researchers, who are concerned about privacy, are focusing on a range of less than four inches. Once the chip hits the mainstream, though, there are plenty of folks, many of them wearing uniforms, who have fewer qualms than the researchers about boosting the range of the chip.

Other Uses

Aside from its snooping potential, the chip could have a number of beneficial uses. For example, it could be used in a high-tech wall stud finder and to authenticate documents. Businesses could use it to detect counterfeit money and manufacturers could use it to improve the quality of their products.

The chip could have intriguing potential in the medical field, too. It could be used to detect cancer tumors, diagnosing disease through breath analysis, and monitoring air toxicity.

In addition to its X-Ray applications, terahertz waves also have communication applications. There are more communication channels available in terahertz than the range than currently used for wireless communication, so information could be more rapidly shared at the terahertz frequency.

O’s team’s research was presented at the most recent International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC). Next on the team’s agenda is to build an entire working imaging system based on the CMOS terahertz system.

via: pc world

There is no stream of life that technology hasn’t affected and now it will assist you in developing the right biceps. Two students of Cornell University Michael Lyons and Greg Meess have invented a device which they call, “haptic exercise coach.” It consists of a pair of accelerometers attached to the wrist and upper arm, while a micro-controller tracks the data obtained from them. The user can specify the calibration in advance and in case your arm movement goes out of line the device vibrates as a warning. The user then adjusts his arm movement and exercises accordingly. It can help in reducing injuries besides helping you develop ideal biceps.

The technology intends to be of great use who do not exercise under the supervision of a trainer. The device combines physics with human anatomy to achieve optimum output from the time you spend working out. Students have already filed a patent and are excited about the possibilities of their invention. Similar devices can be used for other crucial parts of the body such as legs, arms, torso etc. The device could be of great help to sportsmen from Baseball to Cricket by guiding them with the speed and the angle at which to exercise their body parts. It can help recover early from their injuries and get back to the game. The data collected by the device can be effectively used by physical therapists to quantify the improvement in patient.

via: physorg

After a year and a half of, the iPhone 5 turned out to be the iPhone 4S, which left a lot of us wondering what that meant for Apple’s release schedule. (Up until then, the company was reliably releasing iPhones every year.) Well, we could be getting back to it: a Foxconn recruiting officer is hinting at a June release for the iPhone 5.

So, quick caveat right up top: who knows if this new release in June will be the iPhone 5. In the wake of “the new iPad” and what’s now two years worth of pressure for the fabled iPhone 5 to be damn near revolutionary, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Apple swing in a different direction. The iPhone is also a mature platform, and one that hasn’t seen that much movement hardware-wise. We’ll just have to see.

Back to the matter at hand: a Foxconn recruiter, talking to a TV Tokyo program called “World Business Satellite,” mentioned that the company is “looking for 18,000 employees” for a “fifth-generation phone.”

From Mashable’s Emily Price:

The reporter went on to clarify that the recruiter was talking about the iPhone 5, and the recruiter added that the next generation of the handset will come out in June.The iPhone 5 — or, if Apple maintains the naming scheme it started with the iPad, the “new iPhone” — will actually be the 6th iPhone released by the company.

And there’s this sentiment from Price, which we’d like to echo:

The June rumor, of course, should be taken with a grain of salt. Rumors of the iPhone 5 started almost immediately after the announcement of the iPhone 4S last year.

Why is this rumor interesting? Well, beyond reassuring the Apple faithful that yes, indeed Apple will continue to make iPhones, the iPhone 5 is something of a missing puzzle piece, whereas the iPhone 4S was an oddly shaped one. The 4S was the hardware upgrade over the 4 that its name implies, and held up Siri, which predated the 4S, and has look-a-like apps on other platforms, as the headlining iPhone 4S difference and something only it can do.

The point: that’s a trick the iPhone 5 doesn’t have in its playbook, and we really don’t know where Apple will take it from ehre. The iPhone line has set the pace since it came out in 2007, and rightly so — it’s got the hardware chops with a peerless ecosystem backing it. The iPhone 4S, while wildly successful, doesn’t come off as indomitable as its predecessors.

There’s really no scenario that sees the iPhone 5 release as a flop, but it’s very possible that, when it comes out, it doesn’t seem as far out of reach for its competitors, which are already moving into areas where Apple hasn’t yet, such as true 4G and 3D displays.

via: dvice