Neatorama

---

• Google Acquires Another Company That Makes Smart Glasses
• These Were Created By A Neural Network
• The Bat-Man
• The Accidental Invention of the Slip ‘N Slide
• Exploding Whale Memorial Park
• The World's Smallest Knitted Sweaters
• Funny Book Dedications
• Sharing Your Bed With Your Partner Results In Better Sleep
• A One-of-a-Kind Timelapse Video
• This Rock Looks Like a PlayStation Controller
• Turning An SNES Into A Nintendo Switch Dock
• What A Gaze Could Tell Us
• Female Hedgehog Competes on the American Hedgehog Warrior
• The Dumbest Wishes In Dragon Ball
• "We Are the World": Inside Pop Music's Most Famous All-Nighter

Google Acquires Another Company That Makes Smart Glasses Posted: 02 Jul 2020 11:38 PM PDT With their ordinary-looking glasses that have "technology that's there when you need it, gone when you don't, hidden by design", Focals by North just might be the smartest glasses in the market, perhaps even better than Google Glass. Still, it wasn't perfect. The Focals had a lot of issues when it was released, and this resulted in the product not selling well in the market.  Unlike the tech giant Google, which could probably withstand a failure or two, North isn't that big of a company. Because their product was a flop in the market, the company's future was bleak. It was rapidly losing money, and just a month after it released the glasses, it had to lay off 150 employees just to keep itself running. The Focals were anywhere from $600 to $1,000, depending on your color and prescription needs, and launched in 2019. By all accounts, the company was not doing well before Google bought it. After the January 2019 launch, Focals laid off 150 employees in February 2019, a substantial portion of the "over 400 people" it employed. Josh O'Kane, the reporter who broke the acquisition story for the Toronto-based Globe and Mail, said on Twitter, "We've learned the company likely sold very, very few Focals and was running out of money." The company has planned a Focals 2.0 with a better display and lighter body, but with the Google acquisition, those products are canceled. Thankfully, the company is in better hands now. But it has been anticlimactic for the company's CEO. Google's smart glasses contribution was, of course, the infamous Google Glass, which launched in 2012 and basically shut down as a consumer product about two years later. (North CEO Stephen Lake actually called Google Glass "a massive failure" in a 2019 tech talk. Awkward!) More details about this over at Ars Technica. (Image Credit: North/ Ars Technica)

These Were Created By A Neural Network Posted: 02 Jul 2020 11:37 PM PDT There has been a growing interest in neural networks recently. Just a few weeks ago, I posted about a neural network which created realistic faces based on the blurry photos it was fed with. Now, a programmer named Aldo Cortesi has created an even stranger algorithm — one that draws silhouettes for nonexistent animals, some of which look plausible and others which look like nothing you've ever seen before. In a post about the project, Cortesi wrote that he was indeed inspired by algorithms that generate human likenesses. Check out the photos over at Futurism. I wouldn't be surprised if, one of these days, I come across something weirder than these fictional animal silhouettes. What are your thoughts about this one? (Image Credit: Futurism)

The Bat-Man Posted: 02 Jul 2020 11:37 PM PDT If Tim Burton's Batman were made in 1945, it would be The Bat-Man. YouTuber Journey's End edited together the movie from 1989 with vintage footage and gave it the necessary filters to look somewhat like the 1943 Batman serial, now starring Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson, and Jack Palance. I'd go see it! -via reddit

The Accidental Invention of the Slip ‘N Slide Posted: 02 Jul 2020 11:34 PM PDT The toy that eventually became known as the Slip 'N Slide was patented in 1961 by Robert Carrier. The first prototype was made of Naugahyd, because Carrier worked at an upholstery shop. Once it was made, he spent time improving the design.   According to Carrier's 1961 patent , the "aquatic play equipment" was a portable surface for the "sport" of body planing. From his original strip of Naugahyde, Carrier took a ream of the plastic material and sewed a tube into the side, forming an "irrigating duct" to which a hose could attach. The duct had punctures along the length of it, from which water could be released via pressure from the hose. Seams stitched across the length of the fabric at regular intervals also carried water laterally, wetting the repellant surface but not making it soggy. "It's very easy to dismiss," says Walsh. "The best inventions are so simple that people are like, 'Wow, why didn't I think of that?' But if you look at the patent, I mean it is really genius. You attach the hose to one end and then sew the other end shut so that there's pressure, and then you put spaces in between the stitches so that water literally shoots out every inch and lubricates the entire surface of the slide." But the inspiration for the Slip 'N Slide was to make things safer for his son. Read the "accidental" origin and the history of the Slip 'N Slide at Smithsonian.

Exploding Whale Memorial Park Posted: 02 Jul 2020 11:34 PM PDT The city of Florence, Oregon, has opened a new municipal park named Exploding Whale Memorial Park. The name was selected by a poll of citizens, and commemorates the infamous 1970 incident in which Oregon authorities decided to get rid of the rotting carcass of a huge beached whale by blowing it up with a half-ton of dynamite. The ensuing disaster became a tale to be told for generations. And now the event will live on forever in the Florence park. They even have a mascot named Flo, seen above. Read more about the park, and the exploding whale, at Oregon Live. -via Boing Boing

The World's Smallest Knitted Sweaters Posted: 02 Jul 2020 09:00 PM PDT Nice sweaters, but what are they sitting on? It's a hand! Those are some small sweaters, but they didn't shrink in the wash; they are made that way. Althea Crome is a micro knitter. She knits sweaters so tiny that they are in danger of getting lost in your hands, but just look at how detailed they are! Crome explains how she does it. Crome uses a fine silk thread and fashions her own knitting needless from surgical wire. According to her website, they're sometime as small as 0.01 inches and can "accommodate more than 80 stitches per inch." Read more about Crone's micro knitting at Messy Nessy Chic. See more of Crome's work at Instagram and at her shop.

Funny Book Dedications Posted: 02 Jul 2020 06:35 PM PDT Why settle for the cheesy book dedications when you can just state the facts that your wife and children are the reason why you finished your book two years later than you expected? Or why dedicate the book to someone else (and waste your time thinking of a good dedication message) when you could just dedicate it to yourself? Check out these and other funny and creative book dedications over at Sad and Useless. Which do you think is the best book dedication? (Image Credit: Sad and Useless)

Sharing Your Bed With Your Partner Results In Better Sleep Posted: 02 Jul 2020 06:34 PM PDT It seems that sleeping together on one bed is not just romantic; it also is healthy, according to science. This recent study suggests that couples who share a bed together get better sleep compared to those who sleep on separate beds. Researchers conducted the study among 12 young, healthy, heterosexual couples who spent four nights in the sleep laboratory. They measured sleep parameters both in the presence and absence of the partner using dual simultaneous polysomnography, which is a "very exact, detailed and comprehensive method to capture sleep on many levels — from brain waves to movements, respiration, muscle tension, movements, heart activity" says Dr. Drews. Additionally, the participants completed questionnaires designed to measure relationship characteristics (e.g., relationship duration, degree of passionate love, relationship depth, etc.) The results showed that rapid-eye movement (REM) sleep is both increased and less disrupted in couples sleeping together compared to when they slept individually. This finding is particularly relevant because REM sleep, which is associated with vivid dreams, has been linked to emotion regulation, memory consolidation, social interactions and creative problem solving. The researchers also observed that the couples that shared a bed together could synchronize their sleep patterns, which they believe is associated with relationship depth. In order words, the higher participants rated the significance of their relationship to their life, the stronger the synchronization with their partner. More details about this one over at Neuroscience News. (Image Credit: Pixabay)

A One-of-a-Kind Timelapse Video Posted: 02 Jul 2020 06:34 PM PDT Most timelapse videos that we see display the Earth as the steady object, with the celestial objects, such as our Sun, the stars, and the planets, moving in the sky. But when you take the focus away from the steady Earth, and instead focus on the cosmos, something amazing happens: it turns the world upside down… literally! The movie, with each hour is compressed to a second, dramatically demonstrates the daily rotation of the Earth, called diurnal motion. The video begins by showing an open field in Namibia, Africa, on a clear day, last year. Shadows shift as the Earth turns, the shadow of the Earth rises into the sky, the Belt of Venus momentarily appears, and then day turns into night. Amazing. (Image Credit: Bartosz Wojczyński/ APOD Videos/ YouTube)

This Rock Looks Like a PlayStation Controller Posted: 02 Jul 2020 06:33 PM PDT 新しいコントローラー拾った pic.twitter.com/POwx1eyCK6 — ミッシ@ER34 (@cbr6w) June 27, 2020 Twitter user @cbr6w found the perfect controller for when you're so frustrated with a game that you want to just throw something at the screen. Although it won't vibrate, it is wireless. -via Super Punch

Turning An SNES Into A Nintendo Switch Dock Posted: 02 Jul 2020 09:23 AM PDT It's always nice to see old video game consoles fused into the modern ones, as they complement each other. A casemodder known by the name Imokruok has turned an old Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) into a charging dock for the Nintendo Switch. He has also added holders on the sides of the SNES for the Switch's JoyCons. It looks really neat! All in, it cost about $157 for all of the parts used, which included a defunct SNES purchased on eBay. It took Imokruok about 40 hours to complete the build. If you're interested in learning the nitty gritty of the build, check out the full photo gallery and notes, which are documented over on imgur. (Image Credit: Imokruok/ Technabob)

What A Gaze Could Tell Us Posted: 02 Jul 2020 09:23 AM PDT A person's eyes can convey a lot of things to another person. It could be that person's emotions, motives, and current state of mind. Aside from that, looking at a person's eyes could tell you what he's about to do in the next few seconds. A person's eyes are indeed a gateway towards his soul. Of course, we can't know for sure what the other person's internal experience is. These are only estimations. But these models are incredibly useful in creating informed predictions about how someone is going to act. If someone's walking towards you, it's important to quickly figure out whether they're going to try and hug you or try to hit you. Predicting behavior is crucial to our surviving and thriving in the social world. In constructing these models and making these forecasts, we get clues from a variety of factors: the person's previous behavior, the current situation, etc. But one cue is particularly essential: eye gaze.  Humans are visually dominant creatures, and what we're looking at is a significant clue to what we're interested in and thinking. Studies have found that when we're looking at someone, we naturally gravitate to the eyes. With this information alone, we're able to accurately predict which object they're likely to pick up, or what part of the room they're walking to. Learn more about the eye gaze over at Psychology Today. (Image Credit: Skitterphoto/ Pixabay)

Female Hedgehog Competes on the American Hedgehog Warrior Posted: 02 Jul 2020 09:23 AM PDT Just when you thought that you have seen greatness when you saw the American Ninja Warrior on TV, here comes a random online video showing you that hedgehogs could do better than the contestants you saw on the aforementioned TV show. Watch as the hedgehog named Peppa displays her physical abilities as she goes across the obstacle course. While she may have butchered her run several times, she was able to finish it nonetheless. Aside from her cool display of strength, the video is even made better by the energetic commentary of Ozzy Man. (Image Credit: Ozzy Man Reviews/ YouTube)

The Dumbest Wishes In Dragon Ball Posted: 02 Jul 2020 09:23 AM PDT If you managed to collect the seven Dragon Balls scattered across the Earth and summoned the mighty dragon Shenron, you would surely make a wish that would totally change your life to make the trouble of collecting these ancient balls worth it. These guys, however, wouldn't. Talk about wasting their opportunity of a lifetime. Cracked.com compiles the dumbest wishes in the Dragon Ball franchise. Check them out over at the site. Which do you think is the dumbest? (Image Credit: TeoMax/ Pixabay)

"We Are the World": Inside Pop Music's Most Famous All-Nighter Posted: 02 Jul 2020 09:23 AM PDT Embed from Getty Images Between "Do They Know It's Christmas" and the Live Aid concert, a group of mostly American musicians got together under the name USA for Africa and recorded their own song for Ethiopian famine relief: "We Are The World." It was organized by Ken Kragen, inspired by Bob Geldof, produced by Quincy Jones, and written by Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson. Jones had the bright idea to record the song on the night of January 30, 1985, right after the American Music Awards, when many artists would be in town. The core group was recruiting singers right up through the AMAs, and weren't sure who would show up.    Bette Midler. Cyndi Lauper. Kenny Loggins. Willie Nelson. It was like a record store come to life. Everyone looked a little mystified. Smiling, yes, but . . . maybe not quite sure what was happening. At one point, the gate opened for a man on foot: Springsteen. Jeans, black leather jacket, gloves with the fingers cut off. Twenty-four hours ago, he was on a stage in Syracuse. He drove himself to the studio in a rental car, and he told Kragen, "I got a great parking spot right on La Brea!" Stepping from the parking area into the anteroom and finally into Studio A was like leaving the natural world. "Everybody usually walks around with their assistant, or their entourage," [Daryl] Hall says. "But you had to walk in the door yourself, just you, and be in this room with a lot of people like you, with your peers, many of whom I had never met, and vice versa—they had never met me. It was—what's the word?—slightly disconcerting. I'm a pretty self-sufficient guy, but I'm used to walking into a situation having some support around me." The result was a night of magic. The song itself was fairly bland, but the participation of a Who's Who of stars was unmatched. Read an oral history of that recording session 35 years ago at Esquire magazine.  -via Metafilter

You are subscribed to email updates from Neatorama. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States