Technology

The 6-wheeled robot that checks out dangerous situations so humans don’t have to

Published

3 hours ago

August 30, 2024

The 6-wheeled robot that checks out dangerous situations so humans don’t have to

At first glance, you might think you’re looking at something straight out of a sci-fi movie, but what you’re actually seeing is PIPE-i, a remarkable six-wheeled robot designed for real-world challenges.

Developed by Beca, a leading engineering firm in New Zealand, PIPE-i is a robotic survey vehicle that boldly ventures into hazardous and confined spaces like culverts and tunnels.

This innovative robot not only enhances safety by keeping humans out of dangerous environments but also boosts the accuracy and cost-effectiveness of asset surveys.

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PIPE-i inspection robot (Beca)

The story behind PIPE-i

So, how did PIPE-i come to life? Well, it all started back in June 2022 when a group of structural engineers at Beca faced a daunting task. They were called in to survey a severely cracked and deformed culvert located beneath a busy highway.

Unfortunately, they quickly discovered that no commercially available tools could adequately tackle this inspection. Instead of throwing in the towel, these engineers decided to roll up their sleeves and create a solution of their own. Fast-forward a year, and PIPE-i was born, a robot designed to take on the unique challenges of confined space inspections.

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PIPE-i inspection robot (Beca)

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Design and features of PIPE-i

Let’s look at what makes PIPE-i so special. First, its design blends advanced engineering and smart materials. The robot features a 3D-printed body made from a combination of polycarbonate and carbon fiber. This not only gives it incredible strength but also keeps it lightweight, which is perfect for maneuvering through tight spaces.

Equipped with six individually suspended wheels, PIPE-i can tackle uneven terrain with ease. And when it comes to lighting, this little powerhouse has four 850-lumen LED panels to illuminate even the darkest corners of stormwater culverts. But that’s just the beginning.

At the heart of PIPE-i’s capabilities is a sophisticated suite of sensors and imaging technologies. It features a pan/tilt forward-facing camera and a lidar sensor, allowing it to create a detailed spatial map of its environment. Plus, the onboard Leica BLK360 3D scanner is cleverly tucked away in a lidded compartment until it’s time to gather data. When needed, it flips up to capture stunning 3D scans of the culvert surroundings.

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PIPE-i inspection robot live video feed (Beca)

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Real-time operation and future enhancements of PIPE-i

What’s really cool about PIPE-i is how it operates. Right now, it’s controlled via real-time radio signals, giving users a live video feed from the robot’s camera. This means operators can monitor conditions inside the culvert as the inspection happens – pretty neat, right?

But that’s not all. PIPE-i also has some autonomous functions, like proximity sensing, to help it navigate tricky environments. And here’s the exciting part: Beca has plans to integrate artificial intelligence algorithms into PIPE-i, which will take its autonomy to the next level. Imagine a robot that can think for itself while inspecting hazardous areas. That’s the future they’re aiming for.

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PIPE-i inspection robot (Beca)

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Comprehensive data analysis

Now, let’s talk about the data. After conducting an inspection, PIPE-i allows users to generate a 3D point cloud model of the culvert. This detailed representation provides invaluable insights into the culvert’s condition, helping engineers spot issues that might be invisible during a live video feed. And if you want to capture a complete view, there’s an optional omnidirectional camera that can be added for 360-degree video. Talk about thorough.

PIPE-i inspection robot (Beca)

Adaptability and suspension features

One of the standout features of PIPE-i is its adjustable suspension system. This clever design allows the robot to change its height, making it incredibly versatile. Whether it needs to navigate around overhead obstacles or rise higher for better scanning, PIPE-i can do it all. This adaptability is crucial when dealing with the unpredictable conditions often found in stormwater culverts.

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PIPE-i inspection robot (Beca)

Kurt’s key takeaways

PIPE-i is truly a game-changer in the world of infrastructure inspection. This incredible six-wheeled robot not only keeps humans safe from hazardous environments but also delivers top-notch accuracy and efficiency. With its innovative design and future enhancements on the horizon, we can’t wait to see how PIPE-i continues to revolutionize the way we approach inspections.

After reading about PIPE-i and its innovative approach to infrastructure inspection, what other areas do you think could benefit from robotic technology? 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

How to use iOS’s Live Text feature

Published

2 hours ago

August 30, 2024

Press Room

I’m something of a hoarder when it comes to interesting facts — I’ll see something online or in a photo, and a small voice in my brain says, “You’ll be able to use that reference somewhere, somehow. Save it so you can find it later!” Which is fine if it’s just a line or two of text, but what if that info is within an image — a photo, say, or even a drawing?

Luckily, back in 2021, Apple introduced a feature in iOS 15 called Live Text, which makes it possible for iPhone users to grab text, email addresses, phone numbers, and more from images. Live Text works with both handwritten and typed text and supports a variety of languages.

Once you’ve captured text from an image, you can paste it into a document, an email, a text message, etc., just as you would any copied text. (A suggestion: you might want to proofread it before you send or post it, especially if you’ve copied handwritten text — Live Text is pretty good, but it’s not perfect.) Just press on the selected text and choose Copy. You can also select Translate if you want to translate it to another language or Look Up to get more information.

You can use Live Text with your camera app or directly from Photos or Safari. Here’s how to capture the text in these three apps.

Capture text using the camera app

One of the handiest ways of using Live Text is on documents or objects that are around you in real time. If you have an iPhone XS or later, you can use the camera app to quickly grab some text — say, the name on a product label, or of a book you want to remember to buy — and drop it into another app. You don’t even have to snap a photo. It’s very easy:

Open the camera app and point it at the text you want to copy. You’ll see a faint outline around the text, and a live text button will appear in the corner of the viewfinder.
Hit the button, and you’ll get a pop-up with the text inside. Highlight the part of the text you want to copy (or hit Select All) and choose Copy.
If there is an email address, phone number, or link, you will be given the option of interacting with it directly.

When you point the camera at some text, it will be outlined; use the symbol in the lower right corner to grab it.

Screenshot: Apple

If the text has an email address or phone number, you can use it to send an email or a text message.

Screenshot: Apple

Capture text from photos

If you’re viewing any pictures with text in the Photos app, you can select and interact with text there. It works just like selecting actual text anywhere else on iOS: tap and hold on the text in an image and you’ll see the familiar-looking blue highlights pop up.

The search bar in Photos will also search for text within images in your photo library, which is handy if you know you took a screenshot or photo of a receipt and just aren’t sure when. Once you find it, you can copy it using the steps above.

You can capture text from photos….

Screenshot: Apple

…or from screenshots

Screenshot: Apple

Capture from web images in Safari

Text can also be selected directly from images on the web in Safari. To grab text, just highlight the text in the image as you would any text, and hit the Copy button.

Update, August 30th, 2024: This article was originally published on July 1st, 2021, and has been updated to account for changes in the OS.

Technology

Hyundai’s electrified N Vision 74 is headed for production someday soon

Published

11 hours ago

August 30, 2024

Press Room

Hyundai’s electrified N Vision 74 is headed for production someday soon

The N Vision 74 coupe was a slick embodiment of Hyundai’s “high-performance vision of electrification” two years ago that we have hoped to see as a real vehicle. That seems way more likely now that it got namechecked in Hyundai’s plan to launch 21 fully electric models by 2030. This slide (below) is from the company’s 2024 CEO Investor Day presentation, explaining the range of vehicles the company will launch and listing the Vision 74 and the Genesis Magma concept.

Hyundai EV Full Lineup slide

Image: Hyundai

Executives didn’t directly mention the N Vision 74 as the slide was shown. In response to an inquiry from The Verge, PR director Michael Stewart pointed to the slides and video presentation as all of the information available at this time.

The Vision 74’s link to that virtual supercar included a hybrid hydrogen fuel cell system. Still, this announcement wasn’t directly connected to Hyundai’s hybrid plans, so in whatever form the real car arrives, it may be very different than what we’ve seen so far. Of course, in other parts of the presentation, Hyundai talked up plans for extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs) that use a gas engine to recharge the battery pack, with the company offering a range of powertrain options “including ICE, hybrids, plug-in hybrids, EVs and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.”

Technology

Election fraud alert: Steps to safeguard your vote

Published

11 hours ago

August 30, 2024

Press Room

Election fraud alert: Steps to safeguard your vote

Everywhere you turn, there’s another online scam. The fraudsters always pivot where the attention is and now that’s politics and elections.

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Beware of phony donation campaigns

Billions of dollars are pouring into the 2024 House, Senate, and presidential elections. I bet you’ve received a call or 10 from folks asking you to pull out your wallet. The pleas come in text form, too, plus there are videos, social media posts and DMs.

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Here are a few dos and don’ts for keeping your money safe.

Do use a credit card. Checks and debit cards don’t have the same scam protections.
Don’t give payment info over the phone. Find the official website and donate there.
Don’t click links. That includes those in emails, texts or any other source. When in doubt, visit the official campaign website of the person you want to support.
Do verify it’s a real organization. Here’s a list of registered PACs maintained by the Federal Election Commission.
Do a search for the PAC name. Hey, it’s worth it to see if anything shady pops up. Some funnel money to their own advisors and marketing budget — not to the candidate they claim to support. This page is useful, too.

Joe Biden posted on social media about his withdrawal from the US Presidential race, as seen in this photo taken in Brussels, Belgium, on July 21, 2024. (Jonathan Raa/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Social media pro tip: TikTok banned political fundraising in 2022. Anything you see there asking you to donate is likely a scam — or someone skirting the rules and you don’t want to be involved with that, either.

False info is spreading faster than ever

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It’s not just your wallet you need to worry about. Fake news travels fast online — I’ve seen everything from “The election is canceled” to “Non-citizens get to vote this year.”

In some cases, foreign countries are behind it with massive misinformation campaigns. Meta says the Kremlin is the No. 1 source of AI-created misinformation ahead of the U.S. presidential election.

icons of facebook, twitter, and whatsapp

The icons of Facebook and WhatsApp are seen on an iPhone in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Nov. 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, File)

The most common trick on Facebook? Imaginary “journalists” who write bogus news stories. If it’s an outlet you’ve never heard of, look elsewhere to corroborate the story.

In other cases, fake info spreads because someone took a joke as fact. Take the mock electoral maps flooding social media. The trend is to take a blank map, color it mostly blue or red, and slap a clever line about how either Democrats or Republicans could win the Electoral College. They’re not real; don’t share like they are.

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Learn to spot AI images and videos

Election fakes are particularly tricky to spot because there’s so much public footage of politicians speaking. The more training data, the better the copies.

Rolls of “I Voted” stickers are stored at the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Center ahead of the 2024 Arizona Primary and General elections in Phoenix, Arizona on June 3, 2024. (Patrick T. Fallon / AFP)

But you can still use these guidelines to verify if it’s AI or not:

Backgrounds: A vague, blurred background, smooth surfaces or lines that don’t match up are immediate red flags that an image is AI-generated.
Context: Use your head. If the scenery doesn’t align with the current climate, season or what’s physically possible, that’s because it’s fake.
Behavior: You’ve probably seen several videos of most major candidates. Look for differences in their tone, inflection and cadence. If their speech or facial reactions look “off,” it might be AI.
Proportions: Check for objects that look mushed together or seem too large or small. The same goes for features, especially ears, fingers and feet.
Angle: Deepfakes are the most convincing when the subject faces the camera directly. Glitches may appear once a person starts to turn to the side and move.
Text: AI can’t spell. Look for fake words on signs and labels.
Chins: Yep, you heard me. The lower half of the face is the No. 1 giveaway on AI-generated candidate videos. It’s subtle, but check to see if their chin or neck moves unnaturally or in an exaggerated way.
Fingers and hands: Look for weird positions, too many fingers, extra-long digits or hands out of place.
Accessories: Look at earrings, clothes, ties — whatever you can spot. The giveaways are often in these little details.

My best advice: Slow down. When a video gets an emotional reaction out of us, we’re quick to believe it and quick to share. That’s what scammers bank on. Watch it a few times and do your research before you make up your mind.

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