Technology

Breakthrough robo-glove gives you superhuman grip

Published

2 hours ago

August 22, 2024

Breakthrough robo-glove gives you superhuman grip

Imagine struggling with everyday tasks like watering your plants or peeling potatoes because of weakened grip strength. For many people dealing with conditions like osteoarthritis or myositis, these simple activities can become real challenges.

That’s where the Carbonhand robo-glove comes in.

This innovative device, now available to everyone in the U.S., is designed to lend a helping hand, quite literally, making daily tasks easier and helping individuals regain their independence.

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A man wearing the Carbonhand robo-glove (Bioservo)

The evolution of the soft robotic glove

The journey of the Carbonhand began in the mechatronics lab at the Swedish Royal Institute of Technology. Founded in 2006, Bioservo set out to develop a commercial product that would enhance human grip strength. Their pioneering work led to the creation of the SEM Glove and, later, the Ironhand system, which was launched in 2018 as the world’s first soft robotic muscle-strengthening system. This system was designed to combat strain injuries and support factory workers by reducing the physical toll of daily tasks.

Carbonhand robo-glove (Bioservo)

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From factory floors to everyday homes

Bioservo’s latest innovation, the Carbonhand, is a soft robotic glove that uses pressure sensors and motors to provide a natural and dynamic grip. Engineered to assist individuals at home, it helps them regain independence in daily activities such as watering plants or peeling potatoes.

The glove’s design features uncovered index fingers and pinkies, while the remaining fingers are equipped with sensors and motors that apply up to 20 newtons of force per finger when needed. The Carbonhand improves grip and endurance by using artificial tendons and electric motors to add power to the glove, ensuring endurance for people with impaired hand function. This enables activities in everyday life, at work or during rehabilitation.

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Carbonhand robo-glove (Bioservo)

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Personalized support at your fingertips

With personal settings, users can create and customize their own profiles via a companion app. For example, you may need more support for leisure activities and less for simpler household tasks. You can easily switch between your profiles with the push of a button.

Carbonhand robo-glove and app (Bioservo)

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One glove, many possibilities

In addition to the actual glove, Carbonhand consists of a small power unit that distributes the power as required. You can wear Carbonhand on your back or around your waist, allowing it to be customized to suit the situation or your preferences.

Carbonhand robo-glove and power unit (Bioservo)

Expanding access in the US

Initially available only to veterans in the U.S., the Carbonhand has now been made accessible to all patients. While the pricing details remain undisclosed, the expansion of availability marks a significant step in making this life-changing technology more accessible.

A man wearing Carbonhand robo-glove (Bioservo)

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How to get a Carbonhand

For those interested in getting a Carbonhand, the process is straightforward.

First, you should complete a screening questionnaire to determine if the Carbonhand is a suitable fit for your needs. After submitting the questionnaire, a coach from Bioservo will contact you to discuss how Carbonhand can assist you and explore financial options.

If you qualify, you will receive an invitation for a consultation via Zoom with Licensed Physical Therapists, who will assess your specific requirements. Following this consultation, the coach will assist with obtaining a prescription and placing the order once it is approved.

Next, you will need to download the Bioservo app, which is essential for configuring the glove to your specific needs. The app is available for both iOS and Android devices.

During the initial setup, licensed physical therapists will guide you through configuring your Carbonhand and explain how the system works. Regular follow-up and training sessions will be scheduled to ensure you get the most out of your device and that everything operates smoothly. After the introduction phase, you also have the option to subscribe to a support package for ongoing assistance with further settings and customizations.

With this streamlined process, you can easily integrate the Carbonhand into your daily life and start enjoying the benefits of improved grip and independence.

Kurt’s key takeaways

The Carbonhand robo-glove represents a significant advancement in assistive technology, offering a practical solution for those with impaired grip strength. By merging cutting-edge robotics with everyday functionality, Bioservo is enhancing the quality of life for so many people with hand weakness.

What challenges have you faced in daily tasks due to weakened grip strength, and how do you think the Carbonhand robo-glove could make a difference in your life? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

Technology

The Verge’s favorite audio gear

Published

2 hours ago

August 22, 2024

Press Room

Every year, I ask The Verge’s staff what kind of audio gear they like to use. And they are the perfect set of people to ask: besides working on videos and podcasts, our Slack channels are filled with discussions of the podcasts and music we listen to while working, walking, exercising, or just hanging out.

So here are the headphones, earbuds, and other devices that some of the folks here like to use, both on a professional and personal level.

Headphones and earbuds

RØDE NTH-100 headphones

Andrew Marino, senior audio producer

Professional-level over-the-ear headphones with memory foam cushions and an optional headset microphone.

The RØDE NTH-100 headphones are the comfiest headphones I’ve used. The memory foam cushions let me wear these all day at work without fatigue. The sound is great for the price, too, and the optional headset microphone is one of the best-quality mics I’ve heard on consumer headsets.

Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses

Victoria Song, senior reviewer

$379

Smart glasses equipped with Meta AI, a 12MP camera, and audio, in various styles.

On sunny walks and runs, I’m not interested in getting flattened by wayward SUVs in my neighborhood — I need that situational awareness. Many open-ear headphones wrap around the top of the ear, and since I often wear glasses, that’s a lot to put on my poor ears. The Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses kill two birds with one stone; they’re my go-to headphones these days. The audio quality is great, they protect my eyes from UV rays, and once in a while, I use them to snap a photo of a random bunny or stray cat. There’s a mic right by your nose bridge, so you sound pretty great on calls, too. Who doesn’t love a multitasking gadget?

Sony LinkBuds

Andrew Liszewski, senior reporter

Sony’s LinkBuds have a standout design that’s rooted in comfort and an airy, open sound. They also excel when used for voice calls, outshining pretty much all competitors.

They’re not the wireless earbuds I reach for all the time, but when I’m relaxing on a bike ride at the end of the day, the open design of Sony’s LinkBuds helps keep me aware of my surroundings — whether it’s approaching vehicles or other cyclists who are in more of a hurry. Even with some compromises to sound quality, the LinkBuds still sound very good, and because they sit in my ears, they’re easier to wear with a helmet. My favorite feature is the ability to tap on the side of my head to control playback or adjust the volume while riding. The earbuds detect the nearby vibrations as inputs so I don’t have to precisely target buttons or touchpads.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro

A photo of Samsung’s purple Galaxy Buds 2 Pro.

These buds have excellent sound quality and good noise cancellation but work best when you’re part of the Samsung ecosystem.

I love my Galaxy Buds 2 Pro; they’re the first wireless earbuds I’ve ever used, and they made the most sense for me, as I’m knee-deep in Samsung’s ecosystem. They fit comfortably inside my ears and their active noise cancellation works well — almost too well — at the gym or on an airplane.

Miscellaneous and accessories

Shure MV7 USB microphone

Andrew Marino, senior audio producer

Shure MV7+ microphone hanging from above.

$279

An update to the well-regarded Shure MV7 with customizable color and improved performance.

The Shure MV7 USB has been our go-to microphone to send to remote guests for Verge podcasts. It’s a very flexible dynamic microphone for podcast interviews because of its sonic similarity to typical radio mics like Shure’s SM7b and has both a USB and XLR output for virtually any recording setup.

Apple’s Lightning and USB-C headphone adapters

Nathan Edwards, senior reviews editor

iPad with headphone jack adapter attached

If you miss having a headphone jack in your iPhone or iPod, this adapter can help.

Taking away the headphone jack was and is user-hostile and stupid. It is stupid that I need an adapter to connect wired headphones to my tablet, and it is stupid that I need a different adapter to use them with my phone.

At least Apple’s Lightning and USB-C headphone adapters are small and cheap. And the USB-C one is a surprisingly good DAC. I keep one of each in a little pouch in my backpack, along with some cheap wired earbuds. If only there were some universal wired audio connector! Maybe someday.

3D-printed rack mounts

Andrew Marino, senior audio producer

Red audio interface device in a bracket under a desk.

$19

Motu offers desk mounting brackets for a variety of audio interfaces, getting them out of the way of your other equipment.

If you have a lot of audio gear on your workspace, I’d recommend making some room by mounting some of that stuff under your desk. I bought a 3D-printed mounting bracket for my Motu audio interface from an Etsy store, which makes my setup look a lot more professional and keeps the tech away from any spilled drinks.

Teenage Engineering PO-33 K.O.!

Andrew Liszewski, senior reporter

Two hands holding a Teenage Engineer microsampler.

$99

This microsampler and drum machine can provide hours of fun for music lovers.

I am by no stretch of the imagination a musician, but I do enjoy living out my Daft Punk fantasies with the Teenage Engineering PO-33 K.O.! It’s part of the company’s Pocket Operators lineup of calculator-sized drum machines, but what sets the PO-33 apart is a built-in microphone that can be used to record sounds that can be turned into beats. I won’t be releasing an album anytime soon, but the PO-33 is an endlessly fun distraction — easy to learn but with enough functionality that it feels like it will take years to master.

Audio-Technica AT-HPH300 headphone hanger

Barbara Krasnoff, reviews editor

$24

A convenient way to hang your headphones up next to or under your desk.

My partner spends a lot of time wearing headphones — among other things, he has a radio show and a YouTube channel — but occasionally he does have to put them aside. When he does, he uses the Audio-Technica AT-HPH300 headphone hanger that he bought a few years ago. It fastens securely to the edge of his desk and has an adjustable padded hook. The hook rotates so he can also move the headphones out of the way and under the desk if he needs to.

A spring clamp

Nathan Edwards, senior reviews editor

Four spring clamps with a fifth being held in a hand.

These clamps can be used for a variety of useful tasks, including holding up your headphones. Package of four.

I hang my headphones from a spring clamp I found in the garage.

Technology

OpenAI exec says California’s AI safety bill might slow progress

Published

9 hours ago

August 22, 2024

Press Room

OpenAI exec says California’s AI safety bill might slow progress

In a new letter, OpenAI chief strategy officer Jason Kwon insists that AI regulations should be left to the federal government. As reported previously by Bloomberg, Kwon says that a new AI safety bill under consideration in California could slow progress and cause companies to leave the state.

A federally-driven set of AI policies, rather than a patchwork of state laws, will foster innovation and position the U.S. to lead the development of global standards. As a result, we join other AI labs, developers, experts and members of California’s Congressional delegation in respectfully opposing SB 1047 and welcome the opportunity to outline some of our key concerns.

The letter is addressed to California State Senator Scott Wiener, who originally introduced SB 1047, also known as the Safe and Secure Innovation for Frontier Artificial Intelligence Models Act.

According to proponents like Wiener, it establishes standards ahead of the development of more powerful AI models, requires precautions like pre-deployment safety testing and other safeguards, adds whistleblower protections for employees of AI labs, gives California’s Attorney General power to take legal action if AI models cause harm, and calls for establishing a “public cloud computer cluster” called CalCompute.

In a response to the letter published Wednesday evening, Wiener points out that the proposed requirements apply to any company doing business in California, whether they are headquartered in the state or not, so the argument “makes no sense.” He also writes that OpenAI “…doesn’t criticize a single provision of the bill” and closes by saying, “SB 1047 is a highly reasonable bill that asks large AI labs to do what they’ve already committed to doing, namely, test their large models for catastrophic safety risk.”

The bill is currently awaiting its final vote before going to Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk.

Here is OpenAI’s letter in full:

Technology

The next-gen humanoid robot is knocking at your door

Published

10 hours ago

August 22, 2024

Press Room

The next-gen humanoid robot is knocking at your door

California-based company Figure has unveiled its second-generation humanoid robot, Figure 02.

This innovative creation is initially targeted at production lines in commercial settings, where it aims to streamline operations and enhance efficiency.

However, Figure has ambitious plans for the future. It envisions a time when these advanced robots will serve as bipedal butlers in our homes, transforming the way we interact with technology in our daily lives.

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Humanoid robot F.02 (Figure)

Ground-up redesign for Figure 02

Figure’s engineers have undertaken a comprehensive hardware and software redesign for Figure 02, which includes significant upgrades to AI systems, computer vision, battery packs, electronics, sensors and actuators. The new model features onboard microphones and speakers that facilitate one-to-one conversations, powered by custom AI models developed in collaboration with OpenAI.

The Figure 02 robot is similar in stature to its predecessor, Figure 01, but this latest design includes several physical improvements. The most obvious change is the matte black finish of the robot’s “skin” rather than the chrome metal finish of Figure 01. It stands at 5 feet 6 inches tall, has a payload capacity of 44 pounds and weighs 154 pounds in total.

Additionally, a new 2.25-kWh custom battery pack increases energy delivery by over 50%. It has a runtime of five hours and can move at a speed of approximately 4.0 feet per second. Figure 02 operates on an electric system designed to seamlessly integrate into our world.

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Humanoid robot F.02 (Figure)

Advanced features of Figure 02

Figure 02 is equipped with a vision language model that interprets visual data from six RGB cameras, enabling the robot to make autonomous decisions based on its surroundings. The robot also features the latest iteration of human-scale hands, which provide 16 degrees of freedom, allowing it to perform a wide range of human-like tasks.

Humanoid robot F.02 (Figure)

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Figure 02’s real-world applications

Figure 02 has already been deployed at BMW’s manufacturing facility in Spartanburg, South Carolina, where it has been involved in AI data collection and use case training. The robot’s ability to perform real-world AI tasks autonomously is bolstered by a threefold increase in computational power compared to its predecessor, making it a valuable asset in industrial settings.

Humanoid robot F.02 (Figure)

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Figure’s road ahead

Figure’s ultimate goal is to create robots that enhance productivity and efficiency while improving our quality of life. The advanced capabilities of Figure 02 bring the company closer to realizing this vision, with potential applications extending beyond industrial settings to everyday home use.

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Humanoid robot F.02 (Figure)

Kurt’s key takeaways

Figure 02 represents a significant achievement in robotics by combining advanced AI with human-like dexterity and efficiency. As the company continues to innovate, the dream of having a humanoid assistant in our homes seems more attainable than ever. Stay tuned for more updates as Figure pushes the boundaries of what robots can achieve.

What features or capabilities would you most like to see in future humanoid robots, and would you feel comfortable with one in your home? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.

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