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How facial recognition could replace train tickets

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The end of train tickets?

Ever jumped on a train and hidden in the toilets until the train conductor has gone because you didn’t buy a ticket?

Firstly, shame on you and secondly this might be a thing of the past.

New technology is being developed which will aim to eliminate train tickets and barriers in the future.

The facial recognition system uses two near-infrared lights to help a single camera determine texture and orientation of each pixel it captures therefore being able to identify the person boarding the train.

The system, being developed by the Bristol Robotics Lab, is being partly funded by government and the private sector – their hope is that it will make the process of arriving and leaving stations faster and effortless,

The idea in theory might work but if someone has a similar facial structure to another person or is even a twin, this might make a simple time saving process into an annoying long winded one.

Why suitcases rock and fall over

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Puzzle solved

We’ve all been there, we’re in a rush to get to our gate at the airport and as we’re speeding to reach the check-in before the plane leaves without us, our overpacked suitcase starts rocking dangerously side to side, so we slow down in an attempt to calm this tiny beast.

Wrong. Scientists are now saying to speed up rather than slow down to avoid a suitcase toppling over, apparently it’s basic physics… as you speed up the suitcase has less room and time to swing side to side.  Another solution the scientists have put forward is to hold the suitcase as close to the ground as possible.

Alternatively, if you are not an olympic runner or a tiny person, you could just try to get to the airport on time – therefore avoiding the rush, rock, fall situation all together.

URB-E Electric Foldable Scooter

URB-E Electric Folding Scooter

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URB-E Electric Scooter

Check out the URB-E electric scooter!!

Posted by How To Kill an Hour on Tuesday, 20 June 2017

This is not just any electric foldable scooter, this is the URB-E electric, foldable scooter! It is super easy to ride with a super comfortable seat with built in suspension. 

It takes 4 hours to fully charge the scooter and on a single charge the scooter has a top speed of up to 18 mph and a 20 mile range! The best part is, it is legal to ride the scooter wherever a bicycle is allowed!

Additional features:

  • Charges your phone and or tablet.
  • Incredibly lightweight (35 lbs).

To buy the URB-E scooter click here!

Beeline smart navigation

Beeline – Smart Navigation

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Powered by an app, Beeline is a smart compass. Meaning, rather than using your usual sat nav giving lots of confusing instructions, it simply tells you the direction and distance to your destination or next waypoint. You make the decisions.

Beeline includes special features including a speedometer, a clock and a battery readout.

The display is crisp clear, water and shock proof, prepared for any weather!

You can save your favourite destinations and journeys. Battery life lasts up to 30 hours!

 

Download the app for Apple and Android.

To buy the Beeline click here!

Uber Flying Cars

Uber Air

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Who said flying cars?

Yes, that’s right.. Uber wants to test on-demand air transport by 2020. With, eventually the goal enabling customers to “push a button and get a high-speed flight in and around cities”. The company will be partnering with aircraft manufacturers that are developing electric vertical take-off and landing cars.

 

“Embattled ride-sharing company is partnering with aircraft manufacturers to develop an ‘on-demand’ network of ‘vertical takeoff and landing vehicles”

 

To hear the guys chatting more about Uber Air click here!

US asks for Social Media Accounts?!

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If you want to travel to the US under the visa waiver program you will now have an optional question to fill out in the ESTA form. (Electronic System for Travel Authorization, basically a form which you have to fill out to get into the United States)

It reads: “Please enter information associated with your online presence,” along with a drop-down menu for various social media outlets and a text box for the username associated with each one.

Reportedly this was introduced to help identify Terrorist threats and was suggested way back in June 2016. It has just passed the DepDepartment of Homeland Security has approved the controversial proposal on December 19th.

There has been a lot of worry about this of course due to privacy risks and there is a worry that discrimination would “fall hardest on Arab and Muslim communities, whose usernames, posts, contacts and social networks will be exposed to intense scrutiny.”

To listen to the guys chatting about this please click here!