Well, it doesn’t have a Roomba that will check up on your vitals just yet, but it looks like iRobot is betting on healthcare robotics in a fairly big way, with it taking advantage of the recent TEDMED conference to announce that it’s forming a new business unit focused solely on the still burgeoning industry. That unit will be headed up by Tod Loofbourrow, who says that he believes the business “has the potential to make a significant difference in the field of healthcare,” and adds that he thinks “the long-term potential of robotics to extend independent living is profound.” While he’s just as light on specifics, iRobot CEO Colin Angle is no less ambitious about the company’s goals, saying that iRobot’s “healthcare mission is add a million years of independent living to our customers.” And in case you’re wondering, the image at right isn’t an iRobot robot, but it is all too real.

[Via So, Where’s My Robot?]

Filed under: Robots

iRobot creates new business unit for healthcare robotics originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Via [Engadget]

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Scientists Mapping Out 10,000 Animal Genomes For “Genetic Zoo” [Genetics]

On the tail-end of news that all of the HIV genome and 98% of the pig genome has been decoded, scientists are announcing that they’ve got a plan to collect and sequence the DNA of 10,000 vertebrate species.

Over 68 scientists worldwide are participating in the Genome 10K Project, the results of which would not only bring understanding of changes in species but also “allow predictions of how certain species might respond to climate change, pollution, new diseases and competitors.” There’s great potential to discover more about genetics with this project, but I have a sneaking suspicion that at least one of those scientists is in it for the DNA scavenger hunt through zoos. [Genome 10K via Pop Sci]

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Latest Mac OS X 10.6.2 beta build brings back Atom support
Well, it looks like reports that Apple might be killing Atom support in the next Snow Leopard update may have been slightly overblown, as the latest developer build of OS X 10.6.2 (10C535) has apparently restored support for the processor and simultaneously brightened the spirits of hackintoshers the world over. What’s more, there doesn’t appear to be any explanation for the switch-a-roo from Apple which, as Electronista notes, could indicate that it was simply a bug or a temporary measure — although it does of course also mean that Apple can just as easily flip the switch again if it sees fit (which seems like at least a 50 / 50 shot).

[Via Electronista]

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops, Software

Latest Mac OS X 10.6.2 beta build brings back Atom support originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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T-Mobile’s Super Speedy 7.2Mbps 3G Rollout Has Begun [Rumors]

Some good news follows T-Mobile’s recent outages: reports are coming in that some customers are experiencing download speeds above 2Mbps, meaning that the HSPA 7.2Mbps rollout may have begun. Is anyone here seeing increases in download speed?

Android and Me is suggesting that T-Mobile customers try checking their data speed using Xtreme Labs Speedtest or Mobile Speed Test. I encourage you to do so and post the results after a few tries along with your region. In the meantime, we’re waiting on official word from T-Mobile to confirm this potentially great news. [Android and Me—Thanks, Slacker!]

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Lenovo IdeaPad U150 gets unboxed and critiqued (video)

We spotted the IdeaPad U150 sitting pretty as far back as CEATEC, but now it seems the 11.6-inch beaut is finally finding its way out into the wild, wild… wilds. The suave folks over at Netbooked were able to wrap their paws around a retail unit, and aside from just unboxing it on video (which was a nice gesture in its own right), they also ran it through some basic tasks and spit out a few general opinions. Hit the links below if you’d like to follow the journey from undressing to battery life testing, and hop on past the breaks if you’re into this hot new thing called “video.”

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Read - IdeaPad U150 impressions

Continue reading Lenovo IdeaPad U150 gets unboxed and critiqued (video)

Filed under: Laptops

Lenovo IdeaPad U150 gets unboxed and critiqued (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Gadget Buyer’s Decision Making Flowchart [Fowchart]

Not sure about whether or not you should invest in that new gadget? It’s a well known fact that flowcharts are the most reliable decision-making tools in existence. Consult the flowchart. Believe in the flowchart. You can’t go wrong. [Scordit]

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Official Microsoft Policy: If You a Buy a Used Xbox 360 That’s Banned From Xbox Live, You’re Just Screwed [Xbox 360]

Major Nelson, updating us on a periodic Xbox Live purge—banhammering cheaters, pirates and other folks of ill-repute, though not 12-year-olds—reminds us of Microsoft’s official policy that if you buy a used Xbox 360 that’s been banned, you’re screwed.

The crux of the matter is that the warranty on an Xbox 360 “is not transferable,” so if you buy a used console “that has been previously banned, you will not be able to connect to Xbox LIVE.” So if you buy a used Xbox 360, make sure it’s from a less-than-shady party—and if you buy from a used games shop, make ‘em connect it to Xbox Live so you know you’re getting something that works. [Major Nelson]

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Furniture Suitcases Are Living Rooms to Go [Furniture]

This is not a sofa. This is luggage. From Erik De Nijs—the designer who once bastardized these pants—I present you with your new airport/train station living room-to-go: The Suited Case. One by one, the suitcases are quite charming.

I even like the retro fabrics. [Nieuwe Heren via Dezeen—Thanks Lola]

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