Playstation 3 & The Future of Gamming

With the release of Playstation 3 game Gran Turismo 5 this week, the future of gaming has leaped forward to a new dimension- The third dimension! Gran Turismo 5 hit shelves on November 24th and offers the most realistic gaming experience to date. There have been other minor 3D release previously such as Motor Storm and WipeOut 3D though not until now has a game been released with such notoriety. Sony’s next move is to combine holographic technology with the Playstation 3 to deliver and even more interactive gaming experience, close to virtual reality. In an interview with tech site Develop, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe studio director, Mick Hocking said the company was working on "techniques like holographics for the PS3" that he thinks "will be very interesting for future 3D games. Imagine a camera that sits in front of your TV and can project a hologram around you. Combined with the new Playstation move, the technology could immerse gamers in the virtual allowing them to move freely with motion capture technology. (Source: Dvice)

As most of us dont have 3D PC monitors, heres a look at the stunning 2D graphics of Gran Turismo 5:

Navy Laser Weapon System

In May this year, the US navy successfully destroyed four unmanned aircraft over the Pacific ocean using a solid state laser. The video below was released later in July and shows the LaWS laser system shooting down one of the drones. LaWS is made up of six solid-state lasers with an output of 32 kilowatts that simultaneously focus on a target. The Phalanx—a rapid-fire, computer-controlled, radar-guided gun system—used electro-optical tracking and radio frequency sensors to provide range data to the LaWS.

Virgin Galactic

As of today, a total of 340 aspiring astronauts have booked space flights with Virgin Galactic at a cost of $200,000 US. The space tourist will undergo three days of training to prepare them for their 2 hour flight. Weightlessness will be experienced for around 5 minutes before the craft returns to Earth. Astronauts will take off from a 2 mile long runway at the New Mexico space port named 'Spaceport America'.

Spaceport America: At a cost of $200 million US, the three story spaceport will house Virgin Galactic's 'Spaceship Two' in a combined hanger and terminal. Virgin have secured a lease for the next 20 years to operate at Spaceport America. Now in its late stages of construction, the completion date original scheduled for 2010 has been pushed back until mid next year (2011)















Virgin's Spaceship Two:
SpaceShipTwo will reach a speed of roughly 4000 km/h (2500 mph), using a single hybrid rocket motor. SpaceShipTwo uses a feathered re-entry system, feasible due to the low speed of re-entry — by contrast, space shuttles and other orbital spacecraft re-enter at orbital speeds, closer to 25000 km/h (16000 mph), requiring the use of heat shields. SpaceShipTwo will carry 6 passengers and 2 pilots and launch in midair at 15 km from its mother ship, WhiteKnightTwo.















Flight animation:

New hologram technology brings 3-D to life

Although its not much to look at on your computer screen, This image is the closest scientist have come to creating a real-time true 3d image. Scientists at the University of Arizona say their new holographic technology can beam a near 360-degree image that updates every two seconds, to another location.Known as three-dimensional telepresence, the technology addresses shortcomings of current holograms, which give the illusion of 3-D but leave out the rear view. The earliest use of the technology could be in movies, given the popularity of 3-D films. The advance could also have more mundane uses, such as making video conferencing more lifelike. (Source: ABC Science)

XOS 2 Exo-Skeleton System

The widespread usage of exoskeletal robotics to augment human beings moved a step closer when Raytheon demonstrated its second generation Exoskeleton, the XOS 2. The new robotic suit is lighter, faster and stronger than the original proof-of-concept XOS 1, yet uses half the power. While Raytheon's development is primarily focused on military usage, exoskeletons for the mobility-impaired are already at market and industrial exoskeletons from Japan, Korea and Isreal are not far behind. One day in the not-too-distant future, one of these suits will enable us all to have superhuman strength, speed and endurance. (Source: Gizmag)

New Generation of Hybrid Supercars

The Jaguar c-x75 is a new breed of supercar using cutting edge hybrid technology to deliver what has been missing from previous breeds of hybrid cars- Power! The hybrid car has long been revived as a cartoonish plug in city runabout. Now manufactures all over the globe are being hit by emission reduction regulations which in turn have egged on sports car companies to develop electric hybrid vehicles to reduce emissions. Jaguar C-X75 is a two-seat, concept car which debuted at the 2010 Paris Motor Show. The C-X75 produces 778 horsepower through four electric motors, each of which drives one of the four wheels. The batteries driving these motors are recharged using two diesel-fed micro gas turbines instead of a conventional internal combustion engine. In terms of performance, Jaguar envisions future super cars reaching 330 km/h and accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) in 3.4 seconds and 80 to 145 km/h in 2.3 seconds. It is powered by four 145 kW electric motors – one for each wheel - which produce(582 kW) and a total torque output of 1,600 N·m (Source: Wikipedia)

Sharp Lynx- Glasses free 3D phone

LYNX 3D SH-03C with a 1 GHz processor, 9.6-megapixel camera, digital TV tuner, and a 3.8-inch screen sans glasses for 3D effects. The device will launch with Android 2.1, though the carrier is committing to giving the LYNX an update to Android 2.2 Froyo in the future, which would bring with it support for Adobe Flash 10.1 and tethering capabilities. With the 3D display in this device you can convert your own photos to 3D and can watch mobile TV in 3D as well. Avatar on your mobile?

2D vs 3D display modes:

ULTra personal rapid transport system

The electric-powered vehicles have four seats, can carry 500-kilogram payload, and are designed to travel at 40 kilometres per hour (25 mph) This year the world’s first Personal Rapid Transit system will open at London’s Heathrow Airport, connecting one station in Terminal 5 to two remote stations in the business car park. The Heathrow Terminal 5 project includes a 3.9-kilometre (2.4 mi) Ultra PRT system expected to use 21 vehicles. The developers expect that users will wait an average of around twelve seconds with 95-percent of passengers waiting for less than one minute for their private pod. If the pilot project is successful, BAA have indicated that they will extend the service throughout the airport and to nearby hotels using 400 pods.

This is the picture which inspired me to create a blog for the futurists out there. It was taken aboard the international space station in the new cupola installation. It was attached by the Endeavour crew just recently and picture is crew member Tracey Caldwell Dyson. 196 individuals have accumulated a total of 297 visits to the station. It goes to show how life upon vessels in space is a reality of today for the lucky few.

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Dedicated to the futurists wanting a glipse into the future by showing the technological advances created, conceived and already in use today.