A new pairing of tech tools could change the way deaf individuals communicate with the hearing world. Through the combination of augmented reality and speech-to-text systems, a group of New York City teenagers is creating a platform that converts audio into text that’s shown on a wearable display that connects to any pair of glasses. The Live Time Closed Captioning System, currently seeking funding on Indiegogo, consists of a clip-on heads-up display, smartphone-sized microcomputer and a clip-on microphone. The tech-savvy teens want to help users engage in naturally flowing conversations. Source: Indiegogo
The ultimate recordkeeping site of the Internet is going to get a big upgrade in the next couple of years. The Wayback Machine keeps an archive of 445 billion Web pages, saving snapshots of sites throughout the years (and providing a great reminder of how far Web design has come). But the site isn’t searchable; users must know the exact URL of the page they want to see historical versions of. That will all change in 2017 thanks to a $1.9 million grant from the Laura and John Arnold Foundation to build a search engine for the Wayback Machine, providing an easier way to comb through pages of the past. Source: Gizmodo
is the speed at which a new robot, created by the Skype co-founders, travels on sidewalks to deliver goods like groceries. The concept by Starship Technologies is a new take on local delivery services: Clients request a delivery via a mobile app and the robot independently traverses a neighborhood at the speed of a brisk walk. Source: Engadget