DARPA wants to let you all know that its plans for the robot apocalypse are still going strong. The agency’s got IBM working on the brains, has an RFI out on the skin, and is handling propulsion and motor control in-house. Next up? Eyeballs. In order to give its robots the same sort of “visual intelligence” currently limited to animals, DARPA is kicking off a new program called The Mind’s Eye with a one-day scientific conference this April. The goal is a “smart camera” that can not only recognize objects, but also be able to describe what they’re doing and why, allowing unmanned bots and surveillance systems to report back, or — we’re extrapolating here — make tactical decisions of their own. To be clear, there’s no funding or formal proposal requests for this project quite yet. But if the code does come to fruition, DARPA, please: make sure autoexec.bat includes a few Prime Directives.

DARPA sets sights on cameras that understand originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Mar 2010 07:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Disgruntled auto salesman bricks cars with remote kill-switch originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Mar 2010 06:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Want to get our attention in a hurry? Tips us on a digital magazine concept for the iPad that combines footage captured by a RED Epic Mysterium-X camera inside of a Frank Miller styled noir hellscape. Of course, just because it was created for the iPad doesn’t mean that the concept isn’t applicable to any of the hundreds (not an exaggeration) of tablet devices destined to arrive over the next year. The concept, created by Alexx Henry and Andrew Grant together with co-directors Cory Strassburger and Ming Hsiung, redefines the art infotainment. And make no mistake: as mainstream media fights for eyeballs this is blood for blood and by the gallon. These are the old days, the bad days, the all-or-nothing days. They’re back. There’s no choice left. And publishers are ready for war. See the video (and making of) after the break.

Continue reading Viv magazine iPad concept is sin city, man (video)

Viv magazine iPad concept is sin city, man (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Mar 2010 04:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Heads-up displays are undoubtedly novel, and downright useful in the right circumstances. Trouble is, few of these prototypes ever make it beyond the lab, and we’re stuck using these same two eyeballs to experience the world around us. General Motors is evidently tired of the almosts, and it’s now working in concert with Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Southern California in order to concoct one of the most advanced HUD systems that we’ve seen — particularly in the automotive world. Setting out to create “enhanced vision systems,” GM’s R&D team has created a windshield packed with visible and Infrared cameras along with internal optics that keep a close eye on the driver’s retinas. In the images and video below (hit the ‘Read More’ link for the real action), you’ll see a solution that utilizes lasers in order to highlight road edges, speed limit signs and all sorts of other vital bits of data during a fog-filled commute. Best of all? We’re told that some of these technologies “could end up in GM vehicles in the near-term future.” Granted, the Volt was supposed to set sail already, but we suppose we’ll give ‘em the benefit of the doubt.

Continue reading GM shows off sensor-laden windshield, new heads-up display prototype

GM shows off sensor-laden windshield, new heads-up display prototype originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Mar 2010 04:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If the minature box doesn’t give it away then the word “Premiere” certainly does. That’s the first in the wild shot of TiVo’s inaugural Series 4 shifter riding the shelves of Best Buy. We’re told that the units are definitely in-house but are being withheld from shelves until March 28th (not the 27th as originally rumored but ahead of the official “early April” date) with a list price of $2,000 to prevent enthusiastic clerks from breaking the street date. So don’t go in demanding a $149.99 take home price (MSRP is $299) this morning just ’cause you saw it on Engadget, ok?

[Thanks, DS]

TiVo Premiere spotted in Best Buy with March 28th retail date originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Mar 2010 04:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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With not so much as a hint of fanfare (and a very loose definition of “coming soon“), Amazon has quietly unleashed its Kindle app for Mac. The 22MB file is for Intel-based machines only, OS X 10.5 and above. Nothing too fancy, it does exactly what you’d expect in terms of functionality… and not much else. What else is there to say? Time’s a-wastin’, hit up the source link to download.

Kindle for Mac now finally available originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Mar 2010 00:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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