Improvements in Gaming (10)

From Past to Present

For my last blog post I want to examine how the video game industry has evolved and improved over time. One of the longest surviving game franchises in the world (and probably most well known) is Super Mario. The first "Mario" game was called "Jumpman" and featured extremely basic graphics and game-play mechanics. Here is a link to a video displaying the game. In the image on the right, you can see just how far Mario's sprite has evolved over the course of approximately 40 years. Not only do the games just look better, but they play better. Jumpman only had a few basic game-play elements. You can move left, right, up, and down while either jumping or smashing oncoming barrels. Today, the level of complexity introduced in video games has increased exponentially. 

Mario, over the years has always remained true to its roots in that it keeps the elements of being a "platformer" game. For those unfamiliar, a platformer game is a genre where the player must jump around on platforms while performing various other actions. One of my favorite games, that is now over 10 years old (released in 2007), is "Super Mario Galaxy". The game introduced crazy 3D elements and gravity that were pretty much new to gaming as a whole. The creativity that was put into this game's development is nearly impossible to explain. You can take a look here with this trailer. I remember this game blowing my 12 year old brain. Personally, I feel Mario Galaxy was ahead of its time. From 2007 to present, the games have still improved. However, Galaxy holds up to titles that have been released this year even.

Graphics in gaming have transformed from 8-bit styles to 4k resolution over the last few decades. In the image on the right, you can see just how far graphics have improved. The left image displays the game "Halo: CE" released in 2001. The image on the right is from the same game that was re-released in 2011. About a week ago,"Red Dead Redemption 2" was released. The game's graphics are stunningly beautiful. Up close, you can even see detail on individual blades of grass. At times, playing the game is almost like watching a movie because of how real the people look.

Of course, with all these improvements, the hardware required to run these games must also improve. Even though the technology is getting progressively more expensive, it is definitely worth the investment if you enjoy video games. I'm incredibly excited to see what kind of innovations the gaming industry reveals next. 

Wireless Charging (9)

No Wires Required

Inductive charging, or more commonly known as wireless charging, has actually been around for over a century. The only problem was, the technology wasn't efficient enough to be reasonably considered as a method of charging. Many electric toothbrushes have had small inductive chargers in their base for years because, when not in use, the toothbrush stays in one place allowing the device to charge slowly. Phones and other electronic gadgets are always on the move with us, and wouldn't have the time to charge. Recent innovations to this technology have allowed for much faster and more efficient charging capabilities.

How it Works

Contrary to popular belief, there is no magic in the air at play here. An inductive charger is essentially a very flat bar magnet with loops upon loops of coiled wires around it. When an electric current passes through the wire, it creates an electromagnetic field that is capable of transferring a voltage to something nearby (like your phone). The strength of the voltage is directly related to the number of coils as well as the distance of the device to the charging area. 

An inductive charger "under the hood"

Additionally, the charger won't "waste" juice on something that is incapable of receiving a charge (such as a quarter). Thanks to tiny receivers in our devices, the charger can communicate with them. It will send and receive data to figure out if the nearby device is in need and capable of receiving charge. When fully charged, the device will communicate to the charger that it is finished and to stop sending voltage.

For a more in depth rundown on how inductive charging works, click this link.

Out With the Old, in With the New?

Even though wireless charging looks and functions like real magic, is it good enough to fully replace traditional charging methods? In my opinion, no. At least not yet. Inductive charging is still slower and more expensive than wired charging. The technology has gotten a lot more efficient over the years so it is definitely a possibility. Right now, I am seeing wireless charging being marketed from companies like Apple as a luxury feature. The newer phones are being manufactured with the technology, but aren't sold with the charging pads. 

One of the features I hoped to see with wireless charging was fully universal compatibility. Meaning, I can charge any device with any charger. This has clear benefits over wired charging, which relies on having compatible charge accessories (like Apple's lightning cable or a micro USB). Unfortunately, and this is speculation, but it seems this will not be the case. Using those receivers inside our devices I mentioned earlier, companies can "brand" their accessories to only allow communication to and from authorized devices. To me, this is a big letdown because greed is getting in the way of a distinct technological advantage.

Look on the bright side though. At least we won't have to deal a heaping mass of tangled wires anymore.

Innovations to Communication (8)

Babel Fish

If you've never read "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy", first go read it; it's great. Second, you probably aren't familiar with the term Babel fish.

Tower of Babel
By: Pieter Bruegel

Foremost, the term babel comes from the origin myth, Genesis 11:1-9, that explains why people speak different languages. Long story short, all of humanity spoke a single language and agreed to work together and build a tower so high it would reach heaven. God, having an issue with this, said "no way" and jumbled everyone's languages so they could no longer understand one another. The tower was nicknamed, "Tower of Babel", based on the Hebrew word "balal", meaning to jumble or confuse.

The Babel fish is a fictional fish from "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" that, when inserted into one's ear, can translate any language into the host's own language. Now that I've caught you up with a brief history lesson, we can get started.

Google's Pixel Buds

Google is working on a pair of ear buds that many people have taken to calling "Babel-Fish Earbuds". The device functions almost exactly like the aforementioned ear-fish, except it isn't gross. One user wears the ear buds while another speaks into a phone using the google translate app. The app will then play aloud the translated version of what the second user said. The technology isn't perfect yet. The number of compatible languages are still limited. There are lots of bugs and usability issues, as well. A common theme on this blog states that the technology will improve with time. The Babel-Fish Earbuds are certainly no exception.

Why is it so Important?

Language barriers are still a common block in communication for many people. While there are apps that allow one to translate written language, speaking will always be faster than typing. The ear buds streamline the process of using Google Translate to converse with someone speaking another language. Here is a great video showcasing how the device is used. It is important to note this video is a demonstration and may not show any serious bugs or issues.

Google's Pixel Buds are a fascinating piece of technology. I can't wait to see how the product is refined in the years to come.

The Future of the Manufacturing Industry (7)

3D Metal Printing

From Plastic to Metal

3D printing with plastic has been common for a few years now. The long list of uses the technology provides spans from jewelry molding to customized 3D printed gifts. The main advantage this technology offers is the ability to rapidly prototype objects. For instance, a car manufacturer can easily and cheaply prototype a plastic part before spending resources on a "real" one. The reason this technology is known for its prototyping capabilities, and not its manufacturing capabilities, is because of the material it uses. 

The ability to use metals instead of plastic in 3D printing can open up a world of possibilities. The manufacturing industry could be revolutionized. For one, manufacturers wouldn't need to waste space keeping a large inventory of various parts. They could simply print the specific part when a customer requests it. Additionally, 3D printing can produce much more complex shapes than traditional methods, allowing for higher quality parts.

How Does it Work?

The easiest way to explain the process starts with the build chamber being heated to optimal temperatures. Once heated, a thin layer of metal powder is distributed over the build area while a high powered laser scans the cross-sections of the part. The laser melts the powder together into a sturdy compound. This process repeats itself on top of the newly fused powder until the part is fully built.

After a part is complete, the entirety of it is encapsulated in metal powder, which needs to be brushed away after the components cool off. For more details on the entire process you can visit this site: Link

What this Means for the Manufacturing Industry

The technology to print with metal already exists, but because of a few factors such as cost, reliability, accessibility, etc., the industry hasn't yet converted. 3D metal printing is still relatively new and imperfect, and given time, will likely be more favorable to manufacturers. Another downside to 3D metal printing would be the fact that some part designs may not be suitable for 3D printing. There are specific techniques that need to be used when 3D printing and it might be cheaper and easier to use existing manufacturing methods rather than cooking up a new design.

I'm sure that in the next decade, the technology will be much more affordable and companies will be willing to invest in them for wider use. 

Ship in a Bottle

Building a Ship in a Bottle from Scratch

Preface

Before reading this post, it is important to note that it is not meant to be followed exactly. Many of the methods I used didn't work perfectly and required a lot (seriously, a lot) of dirty improvisation. Additionally, I did not take pictures with a tutorial in mind, which may make it hard to see all the tiny, intricate details (clicking an image will enlarge it). If you are interested in building something like this for yourself, I only suggest using this loosely - as a conceptual tutorial.

Materials I Used:

• Wood (I recommend Balsa)
• Wooden Dowel Rods (for the masts)
• Colored paint of your choice
• Paper
• A large glass bottle and cork
• Rope, string, and thread
• Blue or ocean colored modeling clay
• Glue
• Small, narrow pins
• Patience!

Making Waves

Roll your modeling clay into a long tube shape so it can be inserted into the bottle. Here's the tricky part. I used a long narrow copper rod to flatten out the clay inside the bottle. It takes time to get it to resemble waves, but just keep flattening and pushing it around until you are satisfied with its appearance. Lastly, hollow out a small rectangular area in the middle of the clay (this is where the ship will sit).

Constructing the Stand

I began by creating the stand the bottle would rest on. Since your bottle will likely be different dimensions, start with a plank of wood a few inches longer and wider than the bottle (excluding the neck). Then, construct 2 "stands" on top of the plank that fit the curvature of the bottle. Place the bottle on top to make sure it rests snugly.

You can detail the edges and apply finish however you like.

I used a narrow braided rope that I picked up at Home Depot for a couple bucks to "cradle" the bottle. Simply cut the rope in strands that wrap around the curved stands and secure them together with hot glue. It should resemble a "nest" for your bottle. 

Building the Boat

You should know the exact dimensions of the mouth of your bottle. Sketch a rough, boat-like shape onto a piece of balsa wood. Then, sand off the edges until you are happy with the results. I did this twice, and glued the two pieces on top of one another. Before gluing, cut a small rectangular hole in the top piece as depicted in the image. The hole is a place where the middle mast's base will be. Add "railings" around the perimeter of the top half to give it more style. If you add anything to your boat, check that it will still fit inside the mouth of the bottle!!!

This part is a bit tough. The boat will have 3 masts, and the front two have a square base. I drilled a needle sized hole through the width of the railing so that I can insert a pin horizontally that spans the width of the ship. This pin will serve as a rotary pivot for the mast. This step is crucial because it allows the front two masts to be lowered and raised. If your masts cannot lower, the boat will not fit in the bottle. The 3rd mast (on the back) will be inserted into a small hole you will drill later on. Lastly, drill a hole in the front tip of your boat, this is where the bowsprit will be. At the top and bottom of each wooden dowel rod (just the top for the bowsprit) drill another needle sized hole. We will run thread starting from the tip of the bowsprit and through each mast. This acts as a sort of pulley system that allows us to raise the masts by tugging on the thread.

Ignoring the horizontal beams atop the masts, this is what your rigging should look like:

Pay close attention to the string starting from the bowsprit. The front 2 masts can be pushed downward towards the rear of the boat. When it comes time to insert the ship, the back-most mast will dangle loosely from the string (we can fit it into the hole using our copper rod and a bit of fidgeting).

For the sails, I simply cut out 3 pieces of paper. 2x square pieces (one bigger than the other), and 1x triangular piece. I dripped coffee onto them and let them dry overnight. This darkened their color and made them a bit more flexible. Attaching the sails to the masts can be done easily with a bit of super glue. The hard part is fixing the horizontal mast beams into position. The horizontal beams are too wide to fit into the mouth, so they must be able to rotate vertically until they do fit. This means we cannot just glue the beams to the mast. Instead, I wrapped thread around them, occasionally tying it off. I repeated this process until it was snug but also able to be moved with a bit of pressure.

By far the most critical aspect is that each mast can be maneuvered in such a way that allows the entire vessel to fit into the mouth of the bottle. After I folded down the masts, I wrapped the paper sails around the boat to prepare for insertion. As you can see, the widest portion of my ship fits snugly inside the mouth. I coated the surface of the modeling clay where the ship will sit with a slow drying epoxy, then inserted the ship. Use the copper rod to apply pressure to the ship so that it sets firmly into the epoxy.



The final step is to raise the first two masts, and work the 3rd into position. I used the copper rod to help guide the masts up while I gently pulled the string coming from the bowsprit. When everything was positioned accordingly, I tied off the string and cut it, placing a cork to close the bottle.

Obsolete Technology (6)

Pulling the Plug on Adobe Flash

Overview

This week's blog topic will be slightly different in that I will be focusing on the old technology instead of the new. Around this time last year, Adobe announced that it would be discontinuing support for their Flash Player. By 2020, the company will cease to push out updates and distribution for this software.

What is Flash?

Adobe Flash is a software that allows users to view multimedia content in their browser. I'm sure many of you remember playing primitive games on your school's computer browsers when you were younger. A lot of those games were called "Flash games" because they required the Flash Player plugin to operate. Education, video, and game websites like "CoolMathGames" were only possible because of this software.

Why is it Being Discontinued?

In a few years, Adobe will be dropping support for Flash due to a couple of reasons. Primarily, it has simply become obsolete. For example, other standards such as HTML5 and WebGL have advanced to the point where they can do anything Flash could do, but better. Furthermore, HTML5 is a constantly evolving standard. Today it possesses many more functions and capabilities than it did last year. A few years ago, Steve Jobs even refused to allow Flash on iOS devices, arguing that HTML5 was fully superior. Here is a great article that summarizes HTML5: Link

Another reason Adobe will drop Flash is because of its inherent security risks. By design, Flash opens up vulnerabilities that unethical people can take advantage of. Flash needs to access a user's network to operate which is one reason why it is an easy target for hackers. In simple terms, the Flash Player is like a door that can be manipulated into allowing malicious code to enter a user's computer. Once inside, the code can abuse non-Flash systems, such as viewing personal data.

What Will Happen to Flash Reliant Resources?

If you're feeling nostalgic and want a trip down memory lane, fear not, the browser games of your childhood will probably still remain. Adobe has stated it intends to end Flash gracefully by continuing support until 2020. Developers will have time to safely migrate their content to other means. As far as "abandoned" media is concerned, even that will likely be preserved. 

Only the support and distribution for Flash is being discontinued. The software will still function. This means that using a virtual machine like VirtualBox (it basically emulates any operating system, like Windows 7), one could download the last version of Flash and any games onto it. Here, they would just exist in their current state forever. This is a complicated process, even for tech savvy people. I guarantee someone with a lot of free time will create a "prepackaged" virtual machine loaded with all the popular resources for public use.

"Smart" House (5)

Blueroof Model Cottage at:
400 Spring St.
McKeesport, PA 15132

Blueroof Technologies

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What is it?

Currently, this cottage is the first of many "Smart" homes that are planned to be constructed in the McKeesport area. Within the house, a computer nicknamed "Amy" has nearly full awareness of anything that transpires. If someone opens a window, Amy will announce over the various speakers within the walls that it is open. The house can also be monitored from an external computer with access to the internet. Amy can also answer basic questions and respond to calls for help.

Link to Blueroof's Website:

What is its purpose?

The goal of Blueroof Technologies is to provide elderly and disabled people an opportunity to stay independent longer. Blueroof executive John Bertoty says, "If the design of the house can forestall someone's move into a care home for two years, the savings will be equal to the cost of the house".

Floor Plan of Model Cottage

The house features hundreds of safety oriented functions that a normal home would not. For instance, the house is armed with alarm and fire systems that will automatically notify local authorities as well as instruct the resident on what actions to take. Additionally, the house sports a full media center with television, internet, web cameras, and radio. 

Electronic technologies aren't the only thing that makes this house unique. Windows are made from PPG self-cleaning glass. The bathroom floors are made with waterproof, slick-resistant rubber that absorbs some impact of a fall. Everything in the house is also wheelchair accessible. Hallways are greater than 30 inches wide, and counter tops are built so that wheelchairs can roll up to them easily.

WQED Video on Blueroof Technologies:

The Bigger Picture

Blueroof Technologies hopes to achieve more than just providing an affordable and accessible home for the elderly. The development of these houses is part of an ongoing effort to improve the McKeesport area. Blueroof hopes the homes act as a sort of "economic magnet" to attract businesses and companies to the area. As the name implies, the blue roof and pale white walls stick out among the other homes nearby. This was done intentionally to attract visitors to the downtown McKeesport area.