Information Technology

An 8-inch wooden cube may be an unlikely spark for a musical revolution – but that’s the hope of a collaboration of electronic engineers and musicians to modify electronic instruments to produce new sounds. The cube uses sensor technology and data processing to transform tapping, brushing and rubbing into sound. It is the creation of Dr Andrew McPherson, whose work on ‘hackable ...

HFC Canna is that rare thing, an Android-based smart telephone (not a mobile). Its creators are looking for funding in the Kickstarter crowd-funding website. Like a mobile it has a 7 or 10 inch touchscreen, but it can either be a standard PSTN wireline phone or VoIP internet phone. The Android platform running on a 1.8GHz quad-core CPU brings features ...

The US government has given the go ahead for vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication technology for light vehicles. The expectation is that wireless links between vehicles will improve safety and ultimately avoid many crashes altogether by exchanging basic safety data, such as speed and position, ten times per second. “Vehicle-to-vehicle technology represents the next generation of auto safety improvements, building on the life-saving achievements we’ve ...

A pocket-sized wireless device that enables you to carry out electronics diagnostics on your car through a smartphone app is proving popular on the Kickstarter crowd-funding website. Dubbed OBDLink MX WiFi, it connects in a data port found under the dash of most cars. It transmits data about your car via secure Wi-Fi to your iOS, Android, or Windows device. ...

Worrying data about the poor level of security of our mobile phones, particularly Android phones, comes from a new report by Alcatel-Lucent. The Paris-based networks firm says its data indicates that security threats are increasing and as many as 11.6 million devices may be infected by malware at a given time. This could result in stolen personal and financial information, pirated data usage and even device control. ...

Rex Computing, a start-up server company, introduced an ARM-based server blade prototype at the Open Compute Summit, a Facebook-led technology event in San Jose. The full blade uses less than 150W of power runing its 32 ARM Cortex-A9 cores and 256 Epiphany co-processor cores. The system architecture incoporates 16 processing nodes each with a dual-core Xilinx Zynq ARM processor and an Adapteva Epiphany III co-processor. Each compute ...

San Diego-based start-up StrongVolt has raised $52,000 on Kickstarter crowd-funding site for its iPhone and iPad solar charger. The charger consists of multiple panels which fold up into a “pocket-sized” format. Dubbed SmartCharger, it uses patent-pending technology developed by the start-up which allows the solar charger to automatically reconnects after passing under clouds or shade and is specifically designed for iDevice compatibility. These are different power verison of ...

Intel has agreed to sell is Cloud TV products and services business to Verizon Communications. Verizon will purchase intellectual property rights and other assets for Intel’s OnCue Cloud TV platform. “This sale also enables Intel to further align our focus and resources around advancing our broad computing product portfolio in segments ranging from the Internet-of-Things to data centers,” said Intel CEO Brian Krzanich. ...

KPMG is targeting mobile app development firms in the UK with a Digital Innovation Network for supporting early stage start- up companies. KPMG has announced a partnership with the Chelsea Apps Factory (CAF), a developer of design and production of Mobile Enterprise Apps (EMA’s). “By working closely with early stage tech companies, such as the Chelsea Apps Factory, we can give our clients access to ...

Iceotope, the environmental-friendly cooling specialist, has announced the completion of its Series A fundraising, securing in excess of $10m. Yorkshire-based Iceotope will also establish close cooperation with investor Aster’s strategic sponsors, particularly Schneider Electric. Aster Capital, an international venture capital firm specialising in clean tech led the transaction alongside Ombu Group, a UK investment company committed to backing the cooling ...