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A beginner’s guide to robot programming with Python

Let’s face it, robots are cool. They’re also going to run the world some day, and hopefully, at that time they will take pity on their poor soft fleshy creators (a.k.a. robotics developers) and help us build a space utopia filled with plenty. I’m joking of course, but only sort of. In my ambition to have some small influence over the matter, I took a course in autonomous robot control theory last year, which culminated in my building a Python-based robotic simulator that allowed me to practice control theory on a simple, mobile, programmable robot. In this article, I’m going to show how to use a Python robot framework to develop control software, describe the control scheme I developed for my simulated robot, illustrate how it interacts with its environment and achieves its goals, and discuss some of the fundamental challenges of robotics programming that I encountered along the way. In order to follow this tutorial on robotics programming for beginners, you should have a basic knowledge of two things: Mathematics—we will use some trigonometric functions and vectors Python—since Python is among the more popular basic robot programming languages—we will make use of basic Python libraries and functions The snippets of code shown here are just a part of the entire simulator, which relies on classes and interfaces, so in order to read the code directly, you may need some experience in Python and object oriented programming. Read the full article

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Build beautiful and fast sites with this intuitive website builder

TLDR: Easy website creation for visual builders is the calling card of this Sparkle Pro Website Builder lifetime subscription offer. Website builder apps have a tough job. They need a robust set of cutting edge features and customization options to keep web development pros happy, while being simple enough that a first-time user can get a good looking site completed without pulling their hair out.  That’s a finer line than you might realize. Many apps and services are either too simplistic and short of creative options for the diehards, or head-swimmingly complicated for the newbies. However, Mac owners have been embracing an option that seems to strike a nice balance between those poles: Sparkle Pro Website Builder. Right now, a lifetime subscription is available for over 40 percent off the regular price, just $69.99 from TNW Deals. Sparkle Pro was developed with a visual first edict, which is why their entire approach to website building never gets bogged down in HTML and CSS and stays focused on allowing users to visually adjust their page with the naked eye. Even for those who have never tackled web building before, creating a website with Sparkle is easy and intuitive. A drag-and-drop visual interface allows users to move elements freely, with all changes displaying as they will on the actual page without hassling with code.  Users Read the full article

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3 questions to consider before surveying customers or employees

Technology makes surveys too easy to execute, while organizational culture makes it too hard to do anything with the results. Your opinion is very important to us. If you'd like to take a simple 483-question survey that will take no less than three hours, please press 1 after reading this article. You have a nonexistent chance of winning a prize with little to no value. If you're lucky, the data you entered will end up in a pie chart on slide 121 of the PowerPoint the intern creates and no one reads, or it will be dumped into a database to which no one remembers the password, and never again considered. Thank you for your valuable time! At the risk of sounding like a Luddite, one of the things I often find myself bemoaning is that technology makes some once-complex tasks too simple. The careful art of writing a letter has been replaced with throwaway prolixity in the form of tweets and iMessages, delivered instantly and, too often, thoughtlessly. Another area corrupted by the ease of technology is the survey. Read the full article

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Software as a Service (SaaS): A cheat sheet

SaaS replaces the need to physically purchase, install, and deploy application software throughout an organization. Learn more about SaaS, which is now a mainstay for businesses large and small. Image: putilich, Getty Images/iStockphoto With few exceptions, the IT business tools of the modern enterprise, whether a multinational conglomerate or a one-person operation, revolve around cloud computing and the "something-as-a-service" delivery method. Network infrastructure, platforms, application software, and everything in between can all be accessed from anywhere, at any time, with nothing more than an internet connection. While much of the cloud services available replace the need to purchase expensive hardware, Software as a Service (SaaS) supplants the need to physically purchase, install, and deploy application software throughout an organization. In theory, SaaS transfers the costs associated with initial purchase, regular maintenance, and security management to a third-party vendor, which allows the client to expend resources on other, possibly more productive, endeavors. This Software as a Service cheat sheet explains what SaaS is, why it is important, who provides it, and how you can get it. Read the full article

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The path to real-world artificial intelligence

Experts from MIT and IBM held a webinar this week to discuss where AI technologies are today and advances that will help make their usage more practical and widespread. Image: Sompong Rattanakunchon / Getty Images More about artificial intelligence Artificial intelligence has made significant strides in recent years, but modern AI techniques remain limited, a panel of MIT professors and IBM's director of the Watson AI Lab said during a webinar this week. Neural networks can perform specific, well-defined tasks but they struggle in real-world situations that go beyond pattern recognition and present obstacles like limited data, reliance on self-training, and answering questions like "why" and "how" versus "what," the panel said. The future of AI depends on enabling AI systems to do something once considered impossible: Learn by demonstrating flexibility, some semblance of reasoning, and/or by transferring knowledge from one set of tasks to another, the group said.  SEE: Robotic process automation: A cheat sheet (free PDF) (TechRepublic) The panel discussion was moderated by David Schubmehl, a research director at IDC, and it began with a question he posed asking about the current limitations of AI and machine learning. Read the full article

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Apple reportedly planning two MacBooks with ARM processors for 2020

Prolific Apple analyst Ming Chi Kuo is at it again with another prediction on Cupertino’s upcoming products. Specifically, Kuo believes Apple is planning to launch a 13.3-inch MacBook Pro and a new MacBook Air with the newfangled chips as early as this year, as well as 14 and 16-inch Pros next year. In a research note, Kuo says(via MacRumors): We predict that Apple will launch new MacBook models including the new 13.3-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ equipped with the ‌Apple Silicon‌ in 4Q20, the new ‌MacBook Air‌ equipped with the ‌Apple Silicon‌ in 4Q20 or 1Q21, and new 14- and 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ models equipped with the ‌Apple Silicon‌ and all-new form factor design in late 2Q21 or 3Q21. Apple is also rumored to announce a redesigned iMac with a design more akin to the iPad Pro this year, although it probably won’t feature an ARM processor in 2020. The company has developed an expertise in ARM processors since the inception of the iPhone, launching devices with processors that are often a generation ahead of competitors in performance while being more efficient to boot. At WWDC, the company claimed its silicon will both be more powerful and use less power than existing desktop processors, although the announcement was light on specifics. Developers were offered a new Mac Mini featuring an A12Z Bionic process — essentially a tweaked iPad Pro chip — after WWDC. Read the full article

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Automation, its whats for dinner: "Robot-run" restaurant opens in China

The eatery offers hundreds of menu items and delivers them in mere moments. Will this spark a trend in robotic dining experiences? IMAGE: Country Garden Holdings In the age of digital transformation, organizations are leveraging artificial intelligence, IoT devices, automation, and more to streamline their operations. In the 21st century, robots, a key component of automation, are no longer strictly staples of manufacturing factory floors. Today, an increasingly sophisticated fleet of automatons are a common part of our day-to-day lives.  Robots have been tapped as robotic security guards in shopping malls and others, such as the da Vinci surgical robot, are being used to assist in the operating room. As a testament to our modern times, a recent report notes that in the not so distant future some companies will have not only human resource departments, but also robot resource departments. Now, a company has recently opened what it says is the world's first "robot-run" restaurant complex, but what does that look like? Last month, Qianxi Robot Catering Group opened the robotic restaurant facility in Guangdong, China. The complex encompasses 2,000 square meters of total space and can accommodate approximately 600 patrons at a time. Those so inclined shalt not worry about limited food selections. Read the full article

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5 ways to be a better ally in the office, according to psychology

In recent interviews, the American soccer player Crystal Dunn expressed the joy and fear she felt when her teammate Megan Rapinoe decided to take a knee against police brutality and racism in 2016. While Dunn wanted to join her teammate she worried “they could rip up contract” and as a result chose not to. The fact that Rapinoe felt she could take a knee while Dunn could not speaks volumes. The US Soccer Federation did condemn Rapinoe’s kneeling. However, Dunn was worried the repercussion would be worse for her as a black player. Psychologists have found that when a black person confronts a racist remark they are seen as “rude”, but when a white person does the same they are perceived as “persuasive”. Similarly, when black people pushed for a diversity initiative they were seen as self-interested. While white people who did the same were “objective”. If people of color and women showed they valued diversity at work, they received worse performance ratings from their boss. However, white men who did the same weren’t punished. Although white people, particularly men, are less likely to be punished for pushing anti-racism, they often shy away from it. They think it’s not their place, they don’t want to seem impolite and it can make them feel profoundly uncomfortable. As a result, this difficult work gets outsourced to people of colour. Read the full article

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We won’t reach other solar systems for a while — robots could visit them first

Many great movies and television shows, including the Lost in Space reboot, show various versions of interstellar travel. SpaceX and the new space race are making space geeks salivate at the thought. To those like myself who’ve cherished the idea since the debut of the Starship Enterprise, the question becomes, what is the reality that we could achieve such a feat in our lifetime? There are two answers to that question. The first involves unmanned travel, which I consider cheating. I mean, where is the fun in that? None if you ask me. A view of what a futuristic spacecraft may look like, as it approaches the Alpha Centauri star system. Image credit: The Cosmic Companion / original simulation created in Universe Sandbox / spacecraft design by Sutulo (Pixabay). Robots could beat us there Not to say there won’t be some benefit to mankind, and based on the current pattern, unmanned travel will naturally occur first, perhaps even decades before the manned interstellar travel and likely within the next twenty years. For unmanned missions, researchers are already working on it. One project aims to use lasers to propel an armada of postage stamp size ships that could travel at impressive sub-light speeds. With multiple organizations, NASA included, working on such projects, it’s all but a foregone conclusion that we will see real images of the first extrasolar planets within 30 to 40 years or less. Read the full article

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Qualcomm Announces New Snapdragon Wear 4100 & 4100+: 12nm A53 Smartwatches

Today Qualcomm is making a big step forward in its smartwatch SoC offerings by introducing the brand-new Snapdragon Wear 4100 and Wear 4100+ platforms. The new chips succeed the aging two 2018 originating Wear 3100 platforms and significantly upgrading the hardware specifications, bringing to the table all new IPs for CPU, GPU and DSPs, all manufactured on a newer lower power process node. Smartwatch products over the last few years had always one big criticism to them, and that was the fact that the SoCs powering them were always seemingly underpowered compared to what we’re seeing from the like of vertically integrated vendors such as Apple and their own smartwatch SoCs. Qualcomm’s new Wear 4100 SoC now finally abandons the Cortex-A7 cores and 28nm process in favour of Cortex-A53 cores and a 12nm process – whilst certainly not bleeding edge, it’s a big jump in performance and power efficiency. The new SoC is a complete overhaul in terms of design. As mentioned, instead of the quad-core A7 cores at 1.1GHz, the new chip now features quad A53 cores at up to 1.7GHz. The chip still relies on LPDDR3 as its memory technology but the clock rates have been upped from 400MHz to 750Mhz. The GPU has seen a giant leap in performance as it sees the jump of 2 architectural generations from an Adreno 304 to a new Adreno 504. Read the full article

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Realme Buds Air Neo vs Realme Buds Air: Features and Price Comparison

About five months after launching the Realme Buds Air, the company has now unveiled the Realme Buds Air Neo with a cheaper price tag and newer color options. Now, at first glance, both the truly wireless earphones look very similar concerning design and features. However, there are significant differences that may drive your buying decision. Here’s our detailed Realme Buds Air Neo vs Realme Buds Air comparison for you to decide which one’s a better choice or you. Realme Buds Air Neo vs Realme Buds Air Comparison Design Realme Buds Air Neo Realme Buds Air The Realme Buds Air and Air Neo look very similar with regards to design, except for the silver ring at the bottom portion. They both come with AirPods-like profile and are available in multiple color options- the former comes in White, Yellow, and Black while the Neo can be bought in White, Red, and Green options. The Neo weighs 4.1 grams for each earbud and 30.5g for the case. Whereas, the regular Buds Air weighs about 4.2 grams per earbud and 42.3g for the case. The former’s case lacks USB Type C and uses micro-USB instead, as opposed to the Buds Air Original’s USB Type-C port. With the Buds Air, the company doesn’t claim any kind of water-resistant rating, except for sweat-proofing. On the other hand, the Air Neo touts IPX4 rating, which offers basic protection against water splashes. Connectivity, Drivers The two earphones come with Bluetooth 5.0 Read the full article

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The Samsung 870 QVO (1TB & 4TB) SSD Review: QLC Refreshed

A year and a half ago, Samsung introduced the first consumer SATA SSDs to use QLC NAND flash memory, squeezing an extra bit into each memory cell, yielding the 860 QVO to join the existing lineup of 860 EVO and PRO. Samsung's second-generation QLC NAND is now ready, and the 870 QVO is the first 870 model to be launched. The industry put a lot of effort into preparing for the arrival of QLC NAND: beefing up error correction to compensate for lower write endurance, and tuning cache algorithms on consumer drives to forestall dealing with lower performance after SLC caches run out. But in spite of all the work it took to make QLC SSDs viable, they haven't made much of a splash and definitely aren't displacing TLC from the market yet. The new Samsung 870 QVO SSDs arrive into a market landscape that doesn't look all that different to what the 860 QVO faced at the end of 2018. Samsung is no longer the only brand selling consumer SATA SSDs with QLC NAND, but it's not a big club. Most of the other QLC SATA drives are so low-end that the manufacturers won't commit to using any particular memory inside, and they're using whatever is cheapest at the moment. Some months, there's more to be saved by going with a DRAMless controller and TLC NAND that fell off the back of a truck, rather than using Samsung's strategy of pairing theoretically cheaper QLC NAND with a solid controller. Read the full article

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3 Best Magic Video Effects Apps for Android

Magic video creators are a great way to unleash your creativity and kill boredom, especially in these quarantine days. But unfortunately, the majority of apps available in the market often turn out to be rogue and are quite the opposite of what’s advertised. Therefore, to save your time, we are here with the three best magic video effects apps for Android that are really worth downloading.

Best Magic Video Effects Apps for Android

1. Likee

Likee is a popular and feature-packed app that lets you create amazing videos using magical effects and share them with millions of users across the globe. It comes with a 4D magic option with an AI-powered body movement tracker that lets you use special effects, create dynamic backgrounds, and interact with multiple people in a single video. You can make yourself jump, fly, disappear like ghosts or take off with a jet throttle. You can even change the background to be in a world of your own and yet there’ll be a lot left to explore. Apart from special effects and animations, Likee lets you dub songs, act, and mimic the dialogues from famous actors. There’s also a FaceMagic feature using which you can become a superstar or actor you like with a single tap. Later, the same can be shared with the Likee community. Read the full article

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Work From Home: Tips to Improve Your Video Conferencing

During this time of lockdown, everyone is meeting online to keep the social practice of social distancing. And while you are working from home, you need to attend a lot of meetings on video calls to keep the work going on. Here we have a small list of tips and things you should keep in mind while attending an online video call.

Tips to Improve Video Conferencing

Change Video Background You first need to find a better spot in your house to create the video call. Make sure that the background should be cleaner and not a mess or clutter of random things going around. Also, makes sure that you dress up well for your online meeting. You should not be attending the meeting in your bed or something. If you don’t find any suitable spot at your place then you can make use of the Zoom app’s background changing feature. This feature changes the background by using artificial intelligence for tracking your face. If you are using this feature then you need to have better lighting in your room which brings us to the next important point, “Lighting.” Sit Opposite to Lighting The lighting is an important point while making video calls; formal or informal. To look better in your video calls, try avoiding any place where you have any light source behind you. This will decrease the video quality with a big ball of light around you which sometimes takes away the focus from your face. If possible you should use extra light which you can easily get on any online platform or electronic store. Some small LED lights can be operated by battery so you can put them anywhere according to space. The light should be behind the camera and should be facing your face so the camera can capture you better. Use a Webcam The camera is another important thing you need to take care of when you need to make a video call for a meeting. The camera on your laptop sometimes is not as good as you think it is. These cameras will give you grainy footage despite the amount of light you will use for your video call. Read the full article

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Redmi Note 9 Pro vs Realme 6: Which one to buy?

Launched recently, the Realme 6 raised the bar for mid-range segment by offering features like 90Hz refresh rate, punch-hole display, and quad cameras for just Rs. 12,999. But soon after, Xiaomi came up with its Redmi Note 9 Pro at the exact same price, increasing the confusion amongst prospective buyers. In this article, let’s do a detailed Redmi Note 9 Pro vs Realme 6 comparison to see which one’s a better pick of the duo.

Redmi Note 9 Pro vs Realme 6: Comparison

Design: Glass back vs Polycarbonate Back For starters, the Redmi Note 9 Pro features a glass back, covered with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection. It is available in Glacier White, Aurora Blue, and Interstellar Black color options with subtle glossy, gradient patterns. The Realme 6, on the other hand, comes with a polycarbonate rear having a gradient finish with multiple streaks diverging from the bottom. Realme calls it a comet-like design. That said, it is being offered in White and Blue color variants. Both the devices get a side-mounted fingerprint scanner and punch-hole notch upfront. However, Note 9 Pro has a few extra features, including IR blaster and notification LED. As for ergonomics, Realme 6 is smaller and lighter of the duo at 191 grams, compared to the former’s 209-gram weight. Hence, it’s more comfortable for single-hand use. Read the full article

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How to Download and Set Up Zoom App for Your Online Meetings

Zoom app is one effective way of conducting online meetings for your business. This is one free service available which you can use for private meetings and more. There are some great features included in the service. Creating the account is free but there are some features that you need to unlock by playing. Here we are telling you how you can set up your Zoom app to arrange online business meetings with your colleagues.

Steps to setup the Zoom app for Meetings

Download the Zoom app from the Google Play Store or App Store, download links provided above. Launch the app and you will be presented with a startup screen with the option to Login or Signup. If you already have an account, you can log into the app using your credentials. If not, then you can create an account using your Email ID or you can log in using your Gmail ID as well. Once successfully logged in, you will see different options on the dashboard screen. You will see options; New Meeting, Join, Schedule and Share Screen. All the options are self-explanatory, tap on New Meeting to start a new meeting. Select if you want to keep the video on or off in this screen, you can also password protect your meeting using the second toggle. Once the meeting has been started, you get an option to share the meeting link with your contacts. Once the meeting is done, just tap the End button on the top right corner and then confirm to End Meeting.

Wrapping up

Zoom is a great service for your business to set up online meetings during this lockdown. You get a lot of features which you won’t find on any other service. You get the app for almost every platform so you won’t miss any meeting. Read the full article

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Adobe Lightroom Classic

Adobe Lightroom is unquestionably the dominant professional photo-workflow application. The question is, which Lightroom should you use? The photo software is now available as two separate applications: the consumer-targeted Lightroom and Lightroom Classic, reviewed here. Lightroom Classic offers professional photographers a powerful way to import, organize, and correct everything they shoot. The February 2020 update adds new options for raw import profiles, support for huge PSB files from Photoshop, and more GPU acceleration. Other recent major updates include the Texture slider, Flat-Field correction, and the Enhance Details tool. Though there are excellent competing products such as ACDSee Pro, CyberLink's PhotoDirector, DxO's PhotoLab, and Phase One's Capture One, none equal Lightroom Classic's combination of smooth workflow interface, organizers, and adjustment tools. HDR tools, faster performance, face recognition, a mobile app, and cloud integrations are also at your disposal, along with top-notch lighting, color, geometry, and lens-profile based corrections. For all this, the program earns a rare five-star rating, along with a PCMag Editors' Choice award. Read the full article