Image Source: ars technica | Gregory F. Maxwell/Wikimedia Commons
It’s bizarre but true: wire recording is the longest-lasting capture format in audio history, one that paved the way for reel-to-reel tapes and a host of others—even though most people today, and some techies included, have barely heard of it. READ MORE: Forgotten audio formats: Wire recording | Ars Technica
With its Color Alive line, Crayola was the first company to merge coloring books and apps so kids could bring their on-page creations to life. But Disney Research is taking that idea one step further by letting kids see a coloring book character move in 3D while they’re still coloring it. It’s all made possible by a new augmented reality app that Disney Research has developed that’s able to track and capture real-time images from a mobile device’s camera, and then map them onto any 3D deformable surface. READ MORE: Disney Has Invented 3D Coloring Books | Gizmodo
Check out the infographic below for a crash course in how to conduct a [U.S.] patent search, and to figure out if you should even seek a patent at all. Good luck! We’re crossing our fingers for you. MORE: How to Conduct a Patent Search to Make Sure Your Brilliant Invention Doesn’t Already Exist (Infographic) | Entrepreneur
In German-speaking countries, deaf-blind people use a “tactile alphabet” called Lorm to communicate with one another, which involves a series of motions on the hand.
The problem with Lorm, though, is that few people understand it. This means that people who are both deaf and blind are often limited to communicating with others who understand Lorm.
But a new technology aims to help them communicate more easily with people who don’t understand Lorm. Researchers in Berlin are developing the Mobile Lorm Glove, with which deaf-blind people can transmit Lorm to text on a computer or mobile device.
READ MORE: High-tech glove could help the deaf-blind send text messages | Mashable
Here at Engadget HQ, most of us are used to the concept of heating a kettle or catching water from the office cooler in order to make a cup of tea. For true leaf aficionados, a more elaborate setup may be required, and that’s where the Bkon Craft Brewer comes in. Using Reverse Atmospheric Infusion (RAIN) technology, the unit’s vacuum process extracts “the optimal flavor elements” of loose-leaf tea, though it can also be used for coffee and even infused cocktails. The machine is efficient too, cranking out a cup in less than a minute and over 60 per hour — all while storing up to 200 presets. You know, once you fine-tune those recipes and ratios. To keep things tidy at the end of each cycle, the brew chamber cleans itself so you won’t have to, however Sprudge reports that the price tag will tick around $13,000 when it arrives.
Read more: This $13,000 vacuum-powered brewer aims to make the perfect cup of tea | Engadget
Braille was invented by a nineteenth century man named Louis Braille, who was completely blind.
Braille’s story starts when he was three years old. He was playing in his father’s shop in Coupvray, France, and somehow managed to injure his eye. Though he was offered the best medical attention available at the time, it wasn’t enough—an infection soon developed and spread to his other eye, rendering him blind in both eyes. While a tragedy for him, had this accident not happened, we wouldn’t have braille today.
There was a system of reading in place for the blind at the time, which consisted of tracing a finger along raised letters. However, this system meant that reading was painfully slow and it was difficult to discerning by touch the relatively complex letters of the alphabet. As a result, many people struggled to master the embossed letter system.
Read the rest of the story: How Braille Was Invented | Gizmodo
A new patent suggests that Apple may add text-to-speech functionality to its Notes app, specifically for communicating in a different language.
The feature will translate text into a desired language, and then convert that text to speech that can then be read aloud. Any integration with Siri is unclear.
The translation feature will be listed as another option from the pop up menu — along with cut, copy and paste — that currently shows up on the iPhone upon selecting a particular phrase.
Google Translate for the iPhone currently offers a similar functionality. The app reads an English word or phrase in a different language of your choice.
A Notes integration could potentially prove much more useful, with key phrases like “How do I get to the train station?” available in different languages at the ready.
via Apple Patent Hints at Text-to-Speech Translation for Notes | Mashable.
10 Ingenious Inventions for People With Disabilities | Mashable
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