Atheer Labs, Inc. is developing wearable computer glasses that can display information over users’ real environments, like with Google Glass, but Atheer’s glasses will have much more advanced displays that can project 3D images. Whether viewing three-dimensional diagrams or placing two-dimensional text boxes three-dimensionally in the space around the room, Atheer’s glasses allow users to fully immerse the data into their lives. The glasses have a sensor built in that allows users to move and manipulate the content with hand motions. They can pull up displays, rotate them, alter them, as well as move them aside and remove them by moving…
Author: Scott Blickensderfer
A U.S. federal court case will determine how much responsibility shippers like FedEx and UPS hold for delivering illegal contents and substances later this week. FedEx was indicted in early July for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. FedEx allegedly played a role in transporting illegally sold painkillers and other prescription drugs. FedEx is scheduled to be arraigned in the proceeding Tuesday, July 29 in San Francisco. The Drug Enforcement Agency and federal prosecutors investigated UPS for similar malfeasance for its unlawful delivery of prescription drugs. UPS settled in March 2013, agreeing to pay $40 million and admitting fault in its conduct.…
ClassWallet is an app that provides a more efficient way for teachers to collect, manage and spend money for classroom needs. The app has been in beta testing with about 500 teachers for the past few months, but it will soon be launched, according to TechCrunch. ClassWallet was founded by Jamie Rosenberg, who realized that all of the red tape involved for teachers to get access to discretionary spending money wastes both time and money. Rosenberg wants to make the funds more accessible to the teacher by foregoing all of the hassle of sending forms from the school to the…
McDonald’s and KFC are once again at the middle of a health and safety scare concerning the meat they are selling in their restaurants in China. On Monday, July 21, a Shanghai news channel reported that their food supplier, Husi Food Co., sold them expired beef and chicken, according to USA Today. Husi allegedly repackaged stale meat and put new expiration dates on the packaging before distributing the meat to McDonald’s, KFC and Pizza Hut. McDonald’s Corp. and Yum Brands Inc., which owns KFC and Pizza Hut, stated that they have stopped using meat from that company in light of…
The 2014 FIFA World Cup Final between Germany and Argentina measured the third-highest TV ratings for any World Cup game and was ranked second highest among non-U.S. games for the ESPN networks, according to Zap2it. ABC won the night in ratings as Germany won the championship, 1-0, on Sunday, July 13. Read also: Germany Is the New World Cup Champion ABC’s coverage of the match averaged a 9.7 rating overnight, according to Nielsen. ESPN’s coverage peaked at a 14.2 rating between 5:15-5:30 p.m. This was second-highest rated World Cup Final for either of the Disney-owned networks, ESPN and ABC.…
From either side of the aisle, Congress members are backing startups because they see the potential for job growth for Americans. House Representatives Darrell Issa, California (R.), and Jared Polis, Colorado (D.) are working together to promote an official day dedicated to promoting startup businesses. Startup Day Across America, which will be held on Aug. 5, will host special events geared toward putting the spotlight on these job-creating startup companies. According to Upstart Business Journal, startup companies “have created 2 million jobs in the United States since 2008.” Issa and Polis, who both have backgrounds in small-business ownership, have formed…
With the United States and World Cup host Brazil out of the contest, FIFA’s big-spending corporate partners may be relieved by the outcome of the nail-biting semi-finals match between Argentina and the Netherlands on Wednesday, July 9. After remaining in a scoreless stalemate through 120 minutes of play, the match was settled in a penalty kick shootout. Argentina’s goalkeeper Sergio Romero made two saves in the shootout that put Argentina on top, 4-2, and sent them to the World Cup final where they will face Germany for the cup. Argentina has had an average of 3.63 million U.S. viewers, which…
This time around, there was no 75-minute spectacle on ESPN to declare “The Decision” LeBron James has made as a free agent. King James took a humbler, more low-key approach to announcing where he has decided to play starting next season. On Friday, July 11, at 12:17 p.m., Sports Illustrated writer Lee Jenkins tweeted that James would be returning to Cleveland, and he provided the link to an SI exclusive, where James penned an essay explaining why he has decided to return “home.” James opened his letter nostalgically detailing his fond memories of his home in Akron, Ohio. “Before anyone…
The start-up manufacturer of customized earphones called Normal produced an informational video that was anything but normal. Their quirky video featured a bespectacled Brit who demanded the attention of the viewer by walking backwards through Normal’s apparent, yet fictional, facility that resembles a 1960s-era Bond villain’s complex as he explained Normal’s innovative earphones product. Although the video shows a bizarre man, referred to as “the Tailor,” who uses his “dexterous fingers” to craft each pair of custom earphones, Normal is actually using 3D-printing technology to manufacture earphones that will fit snugly into the consumer’s “ear-hole,” as the Brit referred to…
Scientists have developed a way to create artificial blood vessels using a 3D printer. The printed biological structures could be used for transplants or for testing new drugs, according to Live Science. Read also: GeckoTek 3D Printer Innovation Meets Kickstarter Goal in One Day 3D-printing technology is proving to have many practical uses. Drones attached with 3D printers can be used to seal nuclear waste, giant 3D printers in China can build 10 houses in just one day, and unfortunately individuals are already using the technology to print plastic guns that can pass through metal detectors undetected. …
On June 25, United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) head coach Jurgen Klinsmann wrote a note that playfully acts as an approved excuse for employees to get out of work in order to watch the World Cup match between United States and Germany. The noon kick-off time was scheduled to the dismay of Americans interested in watching the game. The note is written similarly to that of a doctor’s note, and it includes a space for the employee to fill out his or her name. “I understand that this absence may reduce the productivity of your workplace, but I can…
House Speaker John Boehner said Wednesday, June 25, he will push a lawsuit forward to sue President Obama for not doing his job as the Constitution lays out. Boehner claims he does not intend to impeach the president. “The Constitution makes it clear that a president’s job is to faithfully execute the laws,” Boehner, R-Ohio, said. “In my view, the president has not faithfully executed the laws.” When asked which specific executive action, or actions, he would be challenging in court, Boehner replied, “When I make that decision, I’ll let you know.” “Congress has its job to do and so…
A small group of protesters calling themselves “OccupyGoogle,” were arrested for trespassing on Google’s private property on the night of June 24. The pro-net neutrality activists had set up outside Google’s Mountain View HQ in California. One protester taking a video of the incident claimed “about 50 police officers” had arrived on scene to arrest only about a dozen protesters. It was not clear how many officers were present from the video, but they did appear to outnumber the protesters. The cameraman was also arrested for trespassing. Net neutrality is the principle that Internet Service Providers (ISPs) should treat all…
Aly Khalifa, founder of Gamila Company, is creating a lot of buzz for the company’s next big project, LYF Shoes. Their business model offers environmental sustainability that competitors’ shoe factories do not. With the use of 3D printers, LYF Shoes will be customized shoes that are sold made-to-order. “It’s basically assembling shoes not that differently than you would assemble hamburgers, on demand and at the point of sale,” Khalifa said. Khalifa likens his vision to a hamburger shop, but it has not yet been announced how quickly the shoes could be printed. 3D printers currently can take two minutes to…
Patreon puts a different twist on crowdfunding for creative artists. Instead of focusing on a specific project, Patreon has fans, or “patrons,” pledge money for creators who post new content regularly, like a cartoonist who serially publishes Web comics. “It’s different from Kickstarter because it’s not about one big project that requires lots of funding,” founder Jack Conte explained in an informational video on their website. “It’s more for bloggers, or Youtubers, or Web comics—anyone who creates on a regular basis.” Youtube musician Conte founded the crowdfunding startup last year with his Stanford roommate Sam Yam, who built the website.…
Facebook recently shut down pages that sold merchandise that displays and celebrates the terror organization, ISIS, which has caused a reign of terror through Iraqi cities and along its borders. “We have rules that bar direct statements of hate, attacks on private individuals and groups, and the promotion of terrorism,” said Facebook spokesman Israel Hernandez. “Whenever we become aware of possible violations of our terms, we will investigate these instances and take action if violations of our Statements of Rights and Responsibilities take place.” The retail websites originate from Indonesia. The merchandise included T-Shirts, hoodies and action figures, emblazoning…
GeckoTek, a Cincinnati-based startup company, has innovated an integral part for 3D printers that had yet to be perfected. GeckoTek presents the first build plate with “a permanent coating that is scientifically developed for 3D printing,” according to their Kickstarter campaign page. The “build plate” is the base on which three-dimensional objects are printed. Their Kickstarter goal of $15,000 was met on June 18, one day after it was launched. They currently have $28,009 in pledges. “3D Printers offer the ability to create new materials at a lower cost with greater accuracy,” co-founder Aniket Vyas said. AT&T is looking into the…
Aaron Foss, founder and CEO of Telephone Sciences Corp., is trying to build a business around his “Nomorobo” service, which prevents unwanted robocalls from reaching the consumer. Last October, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) held a contest for developers to build an easy-to-use system to block unsolicited robocallers. Foss’ cloud-based Nomorobo service won the FTC Technology Achievement Award and a $50,000 prize. Nomorobo detects high-frequency calling patterns and calls that were auto-dialed. Nomorobo also compares the caller’s number to an FTC blacklist and hangs up on blacklisted numbers. When Nomorobo is uncertain, it prompts the caller with a “CAPTCHA” test.…
Treehouse is an online tech training platform geared toward all people who aim to learn computer programming and web design. Ryan Carson, founder and CEO of Treehouse, believes workshops and conferences that require students to be physically present narrow their outreach. Conferences can host a finite amount of students, and their class is limited to students who can afford the travel expenses. “We wanted to do something we felt could impact millions of people couldn’t afford it,” Carson said. According to Treehouse, “Over 75,000 students and companies, ranging from beginners to professionals, use Treehouse to develop and improve their skills.”…
Yo is a new app that sends messages to users’ friends that say, “Yo.” As peculiar as it seems, that is the only function of the app. Users download the app, add friends who also have it and then send a Yo message by tapping their friend’s name. Inventor Or Arbel only took eight hours to build the app. He moved from his native country Israel to San Francisco to work on the app full time. He has already raised $1 million from venture capitalists. When technology evangelist Robert Scoble said the app was “the stupidest but most addicting app…
Amazon Inc. CEO Jeff Bezos announced on “60 Minutes,” in December, 2013, that the global electronic commerce company is working toward using unmanned drones to deliver packages directly to customers’ homes. For most Americans, this was the introduction to the idea of drones flying around their neighborhoods for commercial use. Drones are helping firefighters fight wildfires, because they can go into unsafe territory and report the movement and intensity of the blaze to firefighters on the ground. In Tijuana, police are using multiple drones, bought from 3D Robotics, for “preventing crime.” Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) currently does not have regulations…
FedEx Corp. finishes the fiscal year strong with profits earned from an initiative to cut spending set forth in October 2012. FedEx stock rose 6.2 percent to reach an all-time high of $148.95 on the New York Stock Exchange. FedEx’s reductions provided a strong fourth fiscal quarterly profit of $2.46 a share, which comes as a relief for investors after FedEx reported a profit of only $1.23 in the quarters end back in February 2014, short of estimate by 16 percent. The shortcomings were the result of weather-related issues for the delivery company. After weathering the storm, FedEx boasts a…
At the Commonwealth Club of California convention in San Diego, Texas Governor Rick Perry defended his stance on what he refers to as the “homosexual issue” by comparing homosexuality with alcoholism. “Whether or not you feel compelled to follow a particular lifestyle…, you have the ability to decide not to do that,” Perry said. In his book, “On My Honor,” Perry wrote that he believes homosexuality is an “active choice.” “I may have the genetic coding that I’m inclined to be an alcoholic, but I have the desire not to do that,” Perry said. “And I look at the homosexual…
American Apparel Inc.’s board of directors moved to fire founder, President and CEO Dov Charney for an “ongoing investigation into alleged misconduct.” Charney inappropriately discussed his personal sex life in the work place, and he was even known to stroll through the factory in nothing but his underwear. He is at the center of several cases, filed in courts in New York and Los Angeles, with claims of “sexual harassment, assault and battery, impersonation through the Internet,” among others. When four female employees filed to sue Charney for sexual harassment in 2011, American Apparel’s lawyers defended Charney, as reported in a…
Delta Air Lines Inc. apologized Tuesday, June 17, for a tweet intending to congratulate the United States soccer team for its victory over Ghana in a World Cup preliminary match on Monday. Read Also: USA Win Over Ghana Breaks Records in World Cup Delta’s offending tweet super-imposed the final score of the game, 2-1, over a photo illustration that included two pictures to represent each country. For the United States, the graphic showed the Statue of Liberty, and the image of a giraffe was used to represent Ghana. The photo illustration had a nice aesthetic but was inaccurate in its…
On the reality television series “WWE Legends’ House,” WWE wrestling great Pat Patterson, 73, came out in an emotional scene in which he informed his fellow wrestling “Legends” of his homosexuality that he has kept secret from the public for over 50 years. In 1958, before starring in the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF), which would later become WWE, the Canadian performer began his career in Montreal, Québec as “Pretty Boy” Pat Patterson. The character was meant to be overly effeminate, as he wore bright red lipstick and pink wrestling trunks while toting around a pet poodle. Pat Patterson was…
Anonymity Apps, like Whisper and Secret, allow users to post something without revealing their identity. They offer a safe space for individuals to speak their minds without worrying about negative repercussions. People have shown a rising interest in anonymous posting, a trend that goes against Facebook’s model of building profiles and communicating openly. Ten years ago Facebook changed the way people use the Internet, to put it simply. Before Facebook, the Internet was rife with “trolls” who would hide behind a meaningless username, or pseudonym. After ten years of Facebook, the culture has molded into a place where users would…
Caterpillar Inc. (CAT), based in Peoria, IL, designs, manufactures and, distributes machinery and engines. According to a Wall Street Journal article, on June 12, CAT faces at least 15 lawsuits concerning engines sold between 2006 and 2010. These engines were allegedly susceptible to frequent breakdowns and some instances of engine fires. The engines, used for school buses, charter buses, trucks and ships, failed to operate properly due to issues in the design of the emission-control systems. In the 1990s, CAT had success in designing engines for bulldozers that reduced pollution to meet standard set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).…
What do President Obama, Prime Minister David Cameron, and J.K. Rowling have in common? They all oppose the referendum that could grant Scotland independence from United Kingdom. However, only Rowling is allowed to cast a vote. On Sept. 18, individuals living in Scotland will vote on a referendum that asks, “Should Scotland be an independent country?” British, Welsh, and Northern Ireland citizens who reside in Scotland may vote. Scottish citizens living abroad may not. A long-time citizen of Scotland’s capital, Edinburgh, Rowling has donated 1 million pounds, about $1.68 million, to the Better Together campaign that hopes to swing Scots to vote…
Despite being outplayed by Ghana for much of the game, USA managed to pull off a dramatic 2-1 win Monday, June 16. USA started the game off with a quick goal, scored by Clint Dempsey. At only 30 seconds into the game, it was the fastest goal ever scored for USA in World Cup history. For the ensuing 82 minutes, the scoreboard may have shown 1-0 in favor of the Americans, but Ghana was in control of the game. Ghana put the pressure on, having ball possession for the majority of the game. USA’s defense looked sporadic, with poor decisions…
Casey Kasem, the family friendly radio host of the radio music countdown show, “American Top 40,” died early Sunday morning, June 15th, in Gig Harbor, Washington at the age of 82. Kasem suffered from Lewy body dementia, a condition with symptoms that include memory loss and hallucinations, which he was diagnosed of in 2013. Kasem’s second wife, Jean, whom he married in 1985, and his three children, of a previous marriage, had battled in court over how to handle Kasem’s medical treatment in his final days. His daughter Kerri contested to end the feeding and hydrating of her dying father,…
Revenge is a dish best served hot, and after a cold opening for San Antonio on their home turf in Game 5, the Spurs’ offense began scorching the net in the second quarter to send the Miami Heat on their heels. After trailing Miami in the first quarter with a deficit as harrowing as 22-6, San Antonio came back to lead 47-40 at the end of the half. Miami’s inability to keep up with the surging Spurs led to a 104-87 blowout that earned San Antonio their fifth Championship in 15 years. San Antonio’s victory prevented Miami from winning three…
