Microsoft Patent Reveals That The Company is Working on Augmented Reality Wand

Microsoft’s Patent – Wand-Like Controller

From Microsoft’s patent filing, it has now come to light that the company has been functioning on a wand-like controller for augmented reality (AR) and `HoloLens’. Microsoft had made an announcement of a new patent on August 22 of the design for an augmented reality input device wherein the wand-like controller appears like a cross between a motion controller and a pen, according to the report on The Verge.

The software giant company had originally filed the patent in June 2016 on the same day it had published its Windows Mixed Reality vision video. In the video one would see what seems to be a wand-like device in action being utilised to articulate hand tracking with a HTC Vive VR headset.

 There is a possibility that this tends to be simply a reference device which had been testing with partners by Microsoft though it could also hind that the company intends accessories which would operate across several VR headsets.

The software major had intended to introduce a range of Mixed Reality headsets from partners like Asus, Acer, Dell, HP and Lenovo, later in the year. The headsets would be available at a price below the prevailing VR devices, with the unit of Acer beginning at $299.

Aiming - Six Degrees of Freedom

Microsoft has been aiming on six degrees of freedom tracking with the need of traditional external sensors positioned all through a room.

 The lowest specs for Mixed Reality platform of Microsoft also specify most PCs would have the potential of running the most basic apps together with games. Augmented reality has been gaining power quickly in the US, powered by Snapchat Lenses and Facebook Stories.

 Facebook has also been operating on emerging augmented reality glasses which could balance digital object with that of the physical world. Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of the company had earlier shown photos of comparable glasses stating that they would be the future of augmented reality though had not disclosed that it would be developing this kind of product.

CEO of Facebook is of the view that augmented reality would be the subsequent big user tech platform after the smartphones. This information had been reported after the announcement of Microsoft on its Build developer conference in May that the company plans to utilise AI for the purpose of safety in workplaces.

Purpose – Match with Promotional Video

It had also showcased how AI can make for example a construction site to be safer and also efficient. Spotted by WalkingCat, the patent revealed an accessory which seemed to appear like want, having buttons, a trigger and a finger guard.

It is unknown at the moment as to what the accessory would be capable of doing though it seems like it could be utilised as a pointing device for the purpose of presentations, a prop for augmented reality games or could be also a painting tool.

The purpose of the device tends to match with promotional video wherein Microsoft portrays too small want controllers which tend to interact with an augmented reality setting. It appears similar to Google’s Draw accessory for Google Glass and increases on the controls that are available with the HoloLens clicker.

Android Oreo:12 Best Features of New Android Operating System

Google has finally launched Android Oreo successor of the Nougat after months of name guessing. This version brings a wide range of upgrades which helps in enhancing the overall experience, security and intelligence of the Android platform. Here is a quirky list of things which Oreo users will be proudly showing off to the Nougat counterparts in the days to come.

1.  Turn on notification badges Oreo brings the app based notification badges right on the home screens. Enable this feature by going to the Settings followed by ‘Apps & Notification’. Notification and then turn it on. 
2.  Better protection for everyone One of the best features to debut with Android Oreo is the Google Play Protect and this feature will be making its way on older devices as well with the Google Play Services. This service is designed to make Android device more secure from before by providing the much needed basic scanning of the installed as well as incoming apps for malware and it sends out alerts if it detects anything suspicious or malicious. 
3.  Unique picture-in-picture display This feature is applicable with Google’s YouTube app wherein users are able to shrink videos into little window for some time and another app can run right in the background with no issues. This feature is unique as it offers the benefits of two apps on a single screen and it also works with Chrome app but for more apps we will have to wait for app developers to start supporting it. 
4.  Its simpler to install unknown apps Installing apps from the unknown sources have always been troublesome. Android Oreo is addressing this issue wherein users will get a chance to whitelist unknown app installation whether doing it from the Gmail, Chrome or Google Drive. It also does away with the need of enabling ‘unknown sources’ in the Settings. From now on users will be able to install app from the downloaded APk files without any issues at all. 
5.  Snooze gets more power This snooze upgrade is vital for those who love to keep dismissing the alarm. Users will get the ability to deal with the snooze notification at a later stage rather than dismissing them once and never seeing them. In order to enable it simply swipe on the right on any alert in lock screen or present in the notification or simply tap on the clock icon and edit the time delay as per your requirement. 
6.  Text selection made easier Text selection has become bit more intelligent in the Android Oreo. Simply tapping and holding on any kind of text like a phone number will ensure that now Android automatically highlights the complete number for the user. Secondly upon performing any kind of text selection the Oreo will give out context sensitive shortcuts right above the bar like if a user has selected an address then Google Maps shortcut will be shown. 
7.  Sync all your data across the different devices Android Oreo makes use of a new Autofill feature which allows the system to sync everything across the range of devices used by the users. Upon getting requisite permission form the user Oreo will help in syncing the app logins, credit card information, address details along with a wide range of information shared between the devices and apps. 
8.  Take photos in style with new shortcuts Google has made some aggressive feature enhancement in the camera app bundled with the Android Oreo. The upgrades or tweaks can be said to be minor but it has potential to go a long way in enhancing the photo and video capturing abilities of the users. Users get a chance to zoom in by 50 percent through giving a double tap on the screen. 
9.  Set and manage notification property Android Oreo enhances the way we manage notification to a whole next extent. Users will be able to make use of notification channels to categorize the one which they want to see and the one which they don’t. There are few more minor tweaks wherein swiping right on any notification then tapping on the cog icon will help getting options. Even checking out the setting of any specific app will allow users to see the options to control notification minutely. An example will help in illustrating its usefulness; users can set the group messages in the messaging app to use notification light differently. In certain situations users can get permission for group chats to buzz and light up while in other cases it will remain silent. 
10.  Fun filled new emojis Every Android version brings in new emojis for the Android users but rather than bringing just a bunch of emojis Oreo has gone ahead and brought a whole new set of emoji set. Google has spent a huge time in redesigning the emojis to give a whole new feeling to the aging Android emojis. There are few special characters in the new emoji set in the form of a dinosaur, an exploding head and a wizard showcasing the magic of Oreo. 
11.  Now get more juice for your phone’s battery Android is known for its great battery life and each year Google is enhancing the battery saving potential of the OS for better. This time around Android with a whole new set of rules which defines what varied apps can do and cannot do running in the background. It is widely known that apps running in the background are the primary reason behind loss of battery in quick succession and Oreo is aiming towards ensuring battery lasts for longer period of time at a stretch. 
12.  Easter egg for future Google is known for carefully hiding Easter eggs in its software. Similarly the Android Oreo has a unique Easter egg which can is revealed when user taps on the Android version repeatedly. To everyone’s surprise rather showing an ‘Oreo’ biscuit which ideally should be the case there comes an octopus on the screen.

Google Tracks Everything You Do. Here's How To Delete It

Google Knows A Lot About Users

In the present scenario, our lives have become more assimilated online than ever before. We tend to interact with families and friends online through social media, emails etc. We also tend to conduct business through difficult, data-driven channels and inventions due to which the culture that we encounter online seems to be essentially connected to what we seem to encounter in real life.

Google being the most popular search engine platform has most of the users utilising its services. It is a known fact that Google tends to know a lot about the user. A major section of the search engine industry model depends on advertising and in order to be successful it requires to know who you are.

Google does not makes an issue regarding its in-depth knowledge of its users however at the same time it does not even tend to keep it undisclosed. Users could get to know how to find out what Google seems to know and take control of your data.Perhaps the least surprising is that Google tends to have all of the search history stored up.

You could follow these guidelines:

If the user prefers not have a list of the search queries stored up, he could go to the history page of Google, click Menu which are the three vertical dots and then hit Advanced - > All Time -> Delete.
If the user desires to stop Google tracking your searches for good, go to the activity controls page and toggle tracking off.

Voice search-saving habits of Google have several times been reported. Those who tend to use voice search or the voice-activated assistant of Google their searches have been stored by Google Now so that more relevant ads are served and the search features are steadily enhanced, the same manner one expects from regular Google search.

Many are not aware that these searches have been actually recorded which means that users are able to listen back to precisely what they have explored by listening to what they said and how they have said it.


If the user has utilised any of the opt-in voice features of Google for yourself, then go to the Voice & Audio Activity page of Google to review your voice searches and listen back the audio. A warning of caution - this could be fascinating, funny or plain cringe-worthy.In order to erase this database of embarrassing searches, you could opt for one or more of the recordings from the check box near them and click `delete’ towards the top of the screen. Google also tends to keep a tab on your location besides recording your searches and your voice.

The location history or timeline page of Google tends to serve up a Google Map enabling you to choose specific dates as well as time and locate where you were. Its precision is based on whether the user were signed in their Google account and carrying a phone or tablet at that point of time. When a user tends to visit the timeline page they can go to setting component towards the bottom right-hand area of the screen and choose delete all from there. Besides this there is also another option to pause location history by going to the big button towards the bottom left area of the screen.However this one seems a bit trickier to get rid completely since to stop it occurring in future, one would need to choose out of both location tracking and location reporting with your device, regardless of running Android or iOS.

A more interesting area of checking out what Google tends to precisely know about the user is to go over its ad setting page where. If signed in Google account, one would see a profile which Google has built for you depending on your search history, YouTube history and interests. For instance, it could know that one is a female, aged 18-24 and interested in banking, consumer electronics, mobile phones, shooter games, rap and much more.

From this page there is a possibility to turn ad personalisation on or off. If the user tends to opt out of personalisation, the adverts which seem to follow you around the web – trainers, after one has searched for them once, will stop showing up. The ad network of Google operates on more than two million websites all across the world and restraining its knowledge regarding the user would make everything less disturbing

If, the user wishes to completely eliminate himself from the internet, then Swedish website Deseat.metends to utilise your Google account for assistance. Utilising OAuth protocol of Google enables third-party users to access your other accounts without knowing your password details, Deseat.me tends to bring up all your online as well as social media accounts, and permits the user to delete his accounts from them.

In order to delete it you could visit Deseat.me and edit your Gmail address. This will bring up all the online accounts that have been linked to that particular email address and enable the user to get rid of the same.

How Self Driving Cars will Get Your Hands Back on the Wheel

Prevailing Navigation System in Cars

Self-driving cars will be driving themselves very soon on long expanses on the highway and it is left to be seen when the car seems to need you to take the wheel. In Germany, at a Bosch-sponsored event, the automotive equipment supplier had shown a solution which tends to work in the same way to the prevailing navigation systems in cars.

The function had been examined by a passenger who took the passenger seat of a heavily modified Tesla Model S while a Bosch test pilot had taken the driver seat for a demonstration on the test track of the company near Frankfurt, Germany.

As the car reached a section of road where it was permitted for self-driving cars, the centre screen calculated the distance and once in the zone area, the driver pushed two buttons on the steering then and let the car manipulate the driving.

As the car neared the end of the approved self-driving zone, the screen started to calculate the distance to when the driver required to take back control portraying and sounding alerts as they got nearer. The information seemed to be the same as the navigation system showing the distance to the next turn, which most of the drivers would find accustomed.

 

Level 3 Self-Driving

 
This competence signified the next step in driver support to what engineers consider Level 3 self-driving, where humans tend to share control with the car. This is a natural evolution of self-driving cars system from the prevailing adaptive cruise control systems that could regulate the speed of the car in relation to the traffic ahead.

Together with the adaptive cruise control cars progressively is likely to come with lane keeping systems which tends to use cameras in recognizing lane line and steering the car in order to avert it from travelling into another lane. In order to permit Level 3 self-driving cars would have to maintain high definition maps of precise roads.

Technology partners together with automakers could develop maps and also wirelessly modernize them to prevailing cars. When the car tends to driver on a mapped road, it has the potential of taking over the driving and the computer of the car is said to constantly compare what its sensors view with its stored map. Super Cruise technology had been recently demonstrated by Cadillac utilising this methodology that would be made available in the next few years.
 

Easier Driving Environments – Highways/Freeways

 
However, when this technology tends to be made available, high definition maps will not be accessible for every road. Similarly, the automakers could also opt for easier driving environments like the highways as well as freeways for the purpose of self-driving cars instead of suburban or city streets.

One can visualize driving down I-5 on the west coast, I-95 down the east coast or I-80 through the country and after merging on the freeway, your car tells you it can take over and so you permit it to drive for some hundred miles to your exit and then take the wheel for the off-ramp.

There could be issues when the section of high definition mapped road may run out and the driver does not seem to take charge. A solution was shown by Bosch for this type of a scenario. When the driver had not taken the wheel after several audio as well as visual warnings, the car seemed to pull over to the side of the road safely.

In the near future, drivers may be awaken from their nap to find that their self-driving cars are parked in a selected pull-over zone, relaxed though several miles down the road.

Alphabet Wants to Store Renewable Energy Using Salt in an Attempt to Save Power

Resources for Storing Renewable Energy – Salt/Antifreeze

 
Google’s parent company has turned to two unexpected resources of salt and antifreeze in order to endeavour in storing renewable energy. Alphabet which is owned by Google has been working on a project known as `Malta’ in storing renewable energy which would else be wasted.

 If the same tends to be effective, the system would be placed almost everywhere thereby saving millions of megawatts of energy which tend to be present lost all over the world annually. According to a report in Bloomberg, the mysterious X division of Alphabet has been operating on the `moonshot’ project Malta.

 The system has the capabilities of lasting longer than lithium-ion batteries and can compete with the other clean energy storage systems according to X executives and researchers. Obi Felton, director at X while speaking to Bloomberg had mentioned that if the moonshot factory gives up on a big important issue like climate change, then probably it would never get resolved.

He added that if they do begin resolving the issue there would be trillions and trillions of dollars in market opportunity. According to Ms Felton, the team of 10 researchers are now on the lookout for partners, in order to build and operate a prototype to the grid, though Malta has not yet been an official X project.
 

Insufficient Means of Storing Energy

 
Huge amount of energy seems to get wasted every year since there is insufficient means of storing the same. For instance, California had wasted 300,000 megawats of energy in the first half of this year that had been produced by solar panels and wind farms, while Chine threw out over 17% of its produced energy as per Bloomberg New Energy Finance.

The Malta system seems like a small power plant having four tanks that has been linked to a heat pump. X states that the system tends to come in several sizes ranging from the same size as a garage to a full-scale traditional power plant based on requirements. Julian Green, the product manager for Malta describing the system to Bloomberg had stated `to consider it at a very simple level as a fridge and a jet’.

Two of the cylindrical tanks are said to be filled with salt while the second two seemed to be filled with antifreeze. The energy is said to be taken in the system by way of electricity which is thereafter revolved into separate streams of hot and cold air.
 

Potential of Storing Energy for Days

 
The hot air is said to heat up the salt and the cold air tends to cool the antifreeze. In order to re-generate the energy, the procedure is inverted in order the hot and cold air rush towards each other thereby developing powerful winds which spin a turbine and produce the energy that is utilised.

The system has the potential of storing the energy for days based on the amount of insulation. Mr Green had commented that the thermodynamic physics seem to be quite popular to all who had studied adequately at college level.

The project has now the support of Robert Laughlin, a Nobel prize-winning physicist whose research is said to be the foundation for the system. Laughlin had commented that `a blessing came out of the sky. X came in and took a giant bite out of this problem’. It is not known when the system would be ready for set-up.