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In this video robotics student Robert Stephenson demonstrates an iPhone app he wrote to wirelessly control his Hexapod robot.

Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in iPhone | Digg this!Adam Flaherty13003167503912829537100323891242518914621754329185896039650816713571141383166434062521246009367503311157498893173336010902486432133543575133172719390706046255230333485580389610492508815046739560468860

So far in this series, we’ve discussed the intent of the Reactive Extensions for JavaScript (RxJS) and how to create the publishers (Observables) and subscribers (Observers).  Along the way, we’ve talked a little about integration with other libraries such as jQuery (although we could talk about others) and since JavaScript developers tend to work in quite a few libraries, it’s best to see how we can fit RxJS in those solutions.

In the previous posts, I’ve shown jQuery in combination with RxJS to show how the two can play together.  For example, we can create a click handler on a single element with an ID of someElement.

var element = $("#someElement").get(0); var observable = Rx.Observable.FromHtmlEvent(element, "click");

Unfortunately, that doesn’t take full advantage of the things jQuery can do for us, so I think we can do better.  in this post, let’s look at how we could further tie the two libraries together.

Before we get started, let’s get caught up to where we are today:

• Introduction
• Creating Observables
• Creating Observers

From jQuery Events to Observables

As I showed above, we could integrate using jQuery by only using a single element at a time with the get function.  But, that certainly doesn’t scale as it would only allow for single selectors, and that would miss out of the simplicity and beauty of the library.  What we really want to do is utilize the work that has already been done inside jQuery for event handling and extend it with RxJS.

Using jQuery we can bind to events with the bind function, which takes the event type, optional event data and a handler function.

$("#someElement").bind("click", {msg: "hi"}, function() { alert("Clicked on someElement with " + event.data.msg); });

What we want to do is extend this behavior to make these events composable.  For example, how about being able to take all spans and divs on a document and attach to the click event?  Inside the click event subscription, we want to get the pageX and pageY values and display them through an alert.

$(document).ready(function() { Rx.Observable.FromJQuery($("div, span"), "click") .Subscribe(function (event) { $("#baz").html("The mouse cursor is at (" + event.pageX + ", " + event.pageY + ")"); }); });

Just as well, we could also take it a little bit further and bind to two events together, our mouseenter and mouseleave to toggle the highlight class on our div and span elements.

$(document).ready(function() { Rx.Observable.FromJQuery($("div, span"), "mouseenter mouseleave") .Subscribe(function (event) { $("div, span").toggleClass("highlight"); }); });

In order to support this, the RxJS framework has provided a FromJQuery method onto the Observable class.  This function takes our jQuery object, our event type and any event data we have and we call the Create function to create an Observable.  Inside the Create function, we are handed an Observer which we used to yield the next value inside of the handler function.  We then bind the event type, our data and our handler to the jQuery object which then integrates RxJS and jQuery.  Finally, we return a function which is to be called when we need to clean up, and in this case, we unbind the handler from the event type.

Rx.Observable.FromJQuery = function(jQueryObject, eventType, eventData) { return Rx.Observable.Create (function(observer) { var handler = function(eventObject) { observer.OnNext(eventObject); }; jQueryObject.bind(eventType, eventData, handler); return function() { jQueryObject.unbind(eventType, handler); }; }); };

This is a great start, but why can’t we also just extend the jQuery object itself with a function called ToObservable which takes event type and event data.  In this example we can take the click and double click events from our div and span elements and then display the mouse cursor position.

$(document).ready(function() { $("div, span").ToObservable("dblclick click") .Subscribe(function(event) { $("#baz").html("The mouse cursor is at (" + event.pageX + ", " + event.pageY + ")"); }); });

To make this happen, RxJS will also provide a jQuery plugin which allows for this behavior.  This plugin does nothing more than call the RxJS FromJQuery method with the jQuery object, the event type and the event data.

jQuery.fn.ToObservable = function(eventType, eventData) { return Rx.Observable.FromJQuery(this, eventType, eventData); }

What we get from these two pieces is that jQuery and RxJS can really talk together on a new level they hadn’t been able to before.  And this approach is certainly not restricted to just jQuery.  We could look at other libraries as well for integration points to see where it makes sense.

Conclusion

One of the important stories around the Reactive Extensions for JavaScript is the integration to your JavaScript library of choice, whether it be jQuery, Dojo, Ext, etc.  By providing this functionality out of the box to jQuery for example, it enables developers to freely move between the two libraries.

This of course is only scratching the surface of what capabilities this library has and there is much more yet left to cover.  The question you’re probably asking now is where can I get it?  Well, for that you’ll have to stay tuned.  I hope to have more announcements soon about its general availability.

What can I say?  I love JavaScript and very much looking forward to the upcoming JSConf 2010 here in Washington, DC where the Reactive Extensions for JavaScript will be shown in its full glory with Jeffrey Van Gogh (who you can now follow on Twitter).  For too many times, we’ve looked for the abstractions over the natural language of the web (HTML, CSS and JavaScript) and created monstrosities instead of embracing the web for what it is.  With libraries such as jQuery and indeed the Reactive Extensions for JavaScript gives us better tools for dealing with the troubled child that is DOM manipulation and especially events.

Matthew.Podwysocki0487477649734233502901078909911975297443

We recently posted a video showing how to make "bioplastic" -- an easily manageable substance made with vinegar, glycerine, starch, and water. Even better, it's biodegradable.

This recipe has created a modest amount of buzz. MAKE reader Matt Daughtrey has been playing around with the stuff and Joris of the Shapeways Blog recently posted a how-to.

The big question is, can this be a DIY source of plastic for 3D printers? With ABS plastic sold at the MakerBot store for fifty bucks a reel, the prospect of creating your own has got to tempt home fabbers. According to Joris, the bioplastic made with this technique doesn't look too promising:

I didn't attempt put it in a 3D printer. I used extrusion nozzles, old dish washing bottles and tubes to simulate 3D printing. At this point I would not be comfortable in putting it through a 3D printer because of the variability in consistency and viscosity. I do think that someone much more precise and diligent than I could come up with a material that might work. Currently however the material is apt to gunk up any tubing. Even if you're super careful it also gunks up. With a dish washing bottle as a stand in for an extruder nozzle I repeatedly tried to lay down layers. Variability in density made this difficult at times. At other times when I had opted for a much more fluid mixture using more gylcerine and water it was able to produce fine lines and fill in a base layer. The long drying times of 24 hours though make a layer by layer approach impractical to say the least. Even when this was attempted the warping of the drying process messed up any "filling in" or lines that were built.

What do you think, readers? Any chemistry nerds out there who could suggest a recipe allowing DIYers to create their own MakerBot ammo?

Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in 3D printing | Digg this!John Baichtal05623184753199030277032232853856897376740584195842504269160316899875024902454071144594917105629691691669306955949048021611640005885967183833047996474525340350731825807100905585262404433809418291639845120823299347883778141562687940573983233209624656966406380856039909455544857056770200902613146666770603895629052236048230095242230787355468161790635113674658158608660483240423860279158895671904972492100296994738170472968409740293827946952241058248055811778516921158351617698645788817897643600611015158

Micah Dowty is at it again, only this time he is hacking a digital bathroom scale rather than a sewing machine. Rather than taking the 'easy' route of just using the original electronics, and decoding what it output to the LCD display, he took the time to reverse engineer the analog components of the scale so that they could be interfaced directly. Nice project, and a fun read if you are interested in the process of reverse engineering things.

Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in hacks | Digg this!Matt Mets15415170308888899355066484459066062554640282821499092769272204023770805015449022085403115121912096570277171934883198594304460994726612089813173389080333735736480889999924944825021312864100835566949266

Spray-on liquid glass is about to revolutionize almost everything...

Spray-on liquid glass is transparent, non-toxic, and can protect virtually any surface against almost any damage from hazards such as water, UV radiation, dirt, heat, and bacterial infections. The coating is also flexible and breathable, which makes it suitable for use on an enormous array of products.

The liquid glass spray (technically termed “SiO2 ultra-thin layering”) consists of almost pure silicon dioxide (silica, the normal compound in glass) extracted from quartz sand. Water or ethanol is added, depending on the type of surface to be coated. There are no additives, and the nano-scale glass coating bonds to the surface because of the quantum forces involved. According to the manufacturers, liquid glass has a long-lasting antibacterial effect because microbes landing on the surface cannot divide or replicate easily.

Liquid glass was invented in Turkey and the patent is held by Nanopool, a family-owned German company. Research on the product was carried out at the Saarbrücken Institute for New Materials. Nanopool is already in negotiations in the UK with a number of companies and with the National Health Service, with a view to its widespread adoption.

Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Science | Digg this!Phillip Torrone0664495248301206494805841958425042691603142160210787490514521242772143191409952807514963697797893395178082312902597406441481051205155954013802809132820336808758061295003116823997580054197778453323326310671850134508898674107487779772860534450871264123100203783115837023705693306524033593477471946764890364417918121910398813949945115150848372054849397465990960001469707812939109475309247506111160525330011024819444639703110586353858541753024116892637227589601204044349851948780086511186046990454543516802300807349836001418182580710090558526240431403361529384567810820331246946442971148896857856591404270153940335406620009005546031613375286774044338094182916398451145305361686719455606075544155428328424019882964054505022600854031151219120965702564673100264788056156268794057398323321429446200350736863213065896170939214901075713490282944168811120743187348459770405376698492812646217022596546139553506931764088844712488241815860993640723197553073721869036899889050594317600411233577108374974321465521996184315820245899497390833224125700394677016271919000663768741175700052107788147890459924637424151752916255085844699706866052622452240815308930712583710254821803103990945554485705677068805526582241738180003817543410675381610210956300999133886007205088809093725691813452646751545292103386448143028858906090952935557661462991247055136766123718116064823897981999388014781286435223485400070789420268488477706588639349332849810066581890492483039730039991830343416952709940025680511620759012053871060514154470753247537306037686610267075201331872830143905795876644191760784864599033324460912273989436915664016176427112194771793250974029382794695224103048078217823056308058248055811778516920980802227939448117714296507937583538832072581853073102950540604062723019241391406781090021118140249176715466879779790091381404081301610309803428732989666979940

There are some great quotes in here:

"I never learned anything. I have a 5th grade education."
"I made this submarine because I have a lot of creative ideas."
"I made this to appeal to someone who can back me up and give me a helping hand."
"I seldom use a ruler. Everything is based on a feeling."

Chinese inventor's homemade submarine

Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Makers | Digg this!Gareth Branwyn046036075029333009230562318475319903027712424180753280023234143514910928784194671632247652255539533200558288576970018204154372982638606321720522356313186825219607068095677532769246047020943410825659530221446798873155549705319486739230855602018026488363866916020871264123100203783113949945115150848372054386959281853714631817330953481479825111860469904545435168182580710090558526240747715188257490205112680086853115648513120448132220229868010532446301548877313909322175405695041289025161832322209920851208232993478837781410961316654879340122156268794057398323320701089363112322627107409665934896893573073721869036899889050689100395932090072616255085844699706866103794350599909714270115470489306110999706179474229619690109039909455544857056770613076747715340636408262873975431982054129876708461044279671669341976734835544600038175434106753816179063511367465815860816170317582944992410089339402459462083165601073418842660500372516277720491336902695401038481366991072720202957742195901026707520133187283003048078217823056308058248055811778516920421279949101699213007740418424964517568063329867749890030291193377521878076175007258185307310295054155214865526700109690342873298966697994006432095485091383778

Post publicado originalmente en el blog de Territorio Creativo.

Ford ha dado un paso claro y firme en la dirección correcta con el que pretende salir de la grave crisis que padece el sector del automóvil, tomando el mismo camino que muchas empresas tecnológicas y de software han hecho con anterioridad: la colaboración con el usuario.

Primero fue el reciente anuncio de convertir todos los coches Ford equipados con sistema SYNC en Hotspots de WiFi permitiendo conexión inalámbrica a internet a todos sus pasajeros.

Y recientemente ha anunciado que facilitará a todos los desarrolladores el acceso a su sistema SYNC (sistema de conectividad que se implantará en la gama alta de los Fords a partir de este año) mediante el desarrollo de un API.

¿El objetivo?:  convertir SYNC en una plataforma abierta en la que los desarrolladores puedan crear y comercializar sus aplicaciones. ¿Os suena de algo ese modelo?

Según dice Ford en su blog, “el mercado de las app stores era un nicho inexistente  hace unos pocos años, y en 2012 se prevé que sea una industria de 4000 millones de dólares”.

Los primeros resultados de la iniciativa de convertir SYNC en una plataforma abierta ya está dando resultados: en breve se podrá sintonizar “Pandora” en la radio del coche, y utilizar Twitter mediante la voz, así como Mapquest para ayudarnos a encontrar la dirección más facilmente.

Inicialmente se adaptarán aplicaciones ya existentes como las anteriormente citadas, aunque esperemos que en el futuro se desarrollen aplicaciones nuevas que hagan más cómoda y segura la conducción.

¿Puede convertirse SYNC en un argumento lo bastante sólido como para optar por un coche Ford?.  Personalmente creo que sí, pues la mayoría de empresas que desde distintos sectores están optando por la economía participativa y la co-creación están obteniendo su recompensa en el corto y medio plazo.

Y según informa “Programable Web” Ford no es el único fabricante que ha dado este paso. Kia, la empresa coreana, sigue un camino similar con su KIA UVO Infotainment System.

Pardon me while I go chemistry geek. It has recently come to my attention that Leo Gross and co-workers at IBM Research in Switzerland have developed a special atomic-force microscopy technique that can image actual molecules with enough resolution to "see" individual bonds and hydrogen atoms. Shown uppermost is a computer-generated model of the pentacene molecule, and below it, an actual image from the microscope. The microscope's probe is tipped with a single molecule of carbon monoxide. Unbelievable.

Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Chemistry | Digg this!Sean Michael Ragan05361811494135501135015810562810473111450411537560955920848214351491092878419467005582885769700182040850676154498973295806337733174160618745096226890294078513520387728863159067841404670359603458795593075633191942744346431813999689275637436216364263849879472457052665398920402133641394994511515084837217497931965327967035098969683730032979191537409847072754728900911604760945120664027988950114096205761517334992860144448018258071009055852624041492443568365023820242952038860256514009322175405695041289113089660483556745240233348387888218200201335645613360326658041489966120624829100120338278486772509903652658187588725260059891694126537378970420377592429803821414245732085125209259102221041309577702980689100395932090072615959483671531629660087658231693243326850754455330226888631516863939950081837920014710068000976149761303201270535690255908549100487130331860104552712842552648370191248685010891616100707894202684884777022469278219772030300429414572673505036807289089959803310107102633117550171444391523779077614364021511578417370573787863183126717296144331540609055444060168322413330856921506437796181437008070833754381495570575437186417011034157769474668849

Es un honor y un placer crear una nueva noticia en nuestra humilde página cuyo contenido está dirigido a uno de los mejores artistas de grafismo computerizado en 3D que existen en la actualidad. Y cuando decimos en la actualidad queremos decir mundial. Su nombre artístico, muchos lo conoceréis seguro, es Alex Roman, y nació como Jorge Seva en Alicante en el año 1979. Es uno de los creadores de esta forma de arte (o artistas) más admirados e hiperrealistas. Esto es palpabla durante toda su carrera artística, y última obra se titula “The Third & The Seventh” no es una excepción. Puede ser ya visualizada a través del siguiente enlace. El PC o la consola de la NASA que hará falta tener cuando la industria, dentro de muchos años o siglos, de los videojuegos sea capaz de acercarse a esta calidad gráfica. Al tiempo, pero mucho.

Comentar esta noticia - (6) Entradas

Esta curiosa escultura cinética está hecha en el hangar del taller de artes visuales de Barcelona por Alex Posada. Este artista audio-visual se ha encargado tanto del software, como de la electrónica que lleva esta nueva creación. El nombre de la obra es La Partícula, y es según el propio autor:

[...] quizás la respuesta perfecta a los avances en la física de una partícula.

Está compuesta por varios anillos de colores hechos con LEDs multicolor que giran a la vez que se obtiene una respuesta audible. Para la comunicación (sin hilos) ha utilizado la tecnología que está poniéndose muy de moda: XBee. “La Partícula” es una escultura cinética que experimenta con el color, el sonido y el movimiento. Un sistema de vigilancia mediante sensores, analiza los movimientos de las personas que hay cerca de la misma. Alrededor del espacio ocupado por la escultura, se define un anillo virtual para que el sistema de sonido y las propias luces reaccionen de forma diferente. La rotación, la velocidad y la luz continua crean los efectos visuales denominados POV (Persistence Of Vision) que se aprovechan de la persistencia en el ojo humano durante un determinado tiempo de las imágenes que ve.

Lógicamente no es lo mismo verlo en la realidad, pero con éste vídeo puedes llegar a imaginar cómo es:

Sure, there are viable commercial options for taking photos in three dimensions, but if you really want to capture 3D images (and you happen to be attached to a major university) you can always go the route of Associate Professor Ishino Youzirou and company. The camera that they developed at the Nagoya Institute of Technology sports 158 lenses arranged on an 18.5-inch aluminum arc frame. The school's combustion engineers will use it to study irregular flames -- all the while content in the knowledge that they've entered the Guinness Book of World Records for building the camera with the most lenses. This is certainly safer than Youzirou's other attempt to enter the Guinness book, Most Live Rattlesnakes Held in the Mouth (the record for that, by the way, is ten).

3D camera breaks world record with 158 lenses originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Dec 2009 22:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Neat-O-Rama  |  MSN Japan  | Email this | CommentsJoseph L. Flatley100864376847344020490980309858872711047715331199588688362230060473955227715688840161742694427971582711027264703160006658123095770030912112960164997273500880579610343252642961152572180530816833572130140821520413070359401209850865865676131064160250651649072440620527325344651969823615113679902083833335167045799763687841341470498290239807828913071290232942931196013337851499807185531542502280425158510210219456665617116596182271764602356688560612755914668021068104516746588149119417005031022434797003830064144458685909832905722243060258906220015303480960822714761228717896271217939704753767268947642898010789099119752974430852724885927810534800268760599995503689165992683622632782890848400615893493344709406763167821447931