Archive for January, 2016

The world of gaming is about to be forever changed. This isn’t because of a new invention per se. It’s about accessibility. Thanks to a collaboration between Hewlett Packard and HTC, the world of virtual reality (VR) is practically at your fingertips.

HP and HTC recently announced that they will deliver a certified VR-ready desktop PC created specifically for gamers. The HP ENVY Phoenix will provide the most immersive room-scale VR solution available, utilizing room-scale tracking that works with photosensors on both headsets and controllers. It’s able to track the user’s movement within a 15×15-foot 3D space.

News

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! Then again, maybe not. Snow is one of those things that many of us want until we actually get it. Then we want it to be gone, gone, gone. In any case, ’tis the season for the white stuff.

Real Snow

If you have actual snow, it may interest you to know how it’s formed. The life of a snowflake begins high in the earth’s atmosphere. Whether a potential snowflake becomes sleet, freezing rain, or a blizzard depends on temperature, humidity, and water vapor encountered during its fall to earth. The perfect combination of all three factors is required to form the type of snow that’s perfect for making a snowman, snow ball, or snow fort.

When you are blessed with real snow, there are a variety of ways to celebrate. You could make DIY snow paint and design a masterpiece in the front yard. You could be more traditional and make snow prints or snow angels. Or you could be silly and make snowmen that will attract the attention of the passerby. Here are ten more activities to do in the snow. Have fun, and make sure to bundle up!

Pinterest

A Ph.D. student at M.I.T. has created a wearable device that changes colors and patterns according to the weather and the mood and movements of the wearer. The device, called Halo, consists of one hundred and eighty independently programmed light-emitting diodes, or LEDs.

Nan Zhao, the creator of Halo, originally designed it for the purpose of attaching lighting to individuals rather than to buildings. There would be no need to switch on a light during your midnight trip to the toilet, for example, if you were taking light with you.

Now, however, Zhao envisions a variety of applications. Waiters could use Halo to be more visible to customers and look more approachable. Travelers battling jet lag could use Halo to help adjust their internal body clock. Halo could even be used as an alternative to make-up.

Vimeo