User Research Center at Harvard Library
At the end of the summer the Harvard Library opened its new User Research Center (URC) which will help to consolidate usability testing across their libraries and allow the library to make evidence based decisions. Their first project was an assessment of a selection of LibGuide. The new center houses devices that track screens and eye movement, among other things and you can read more about it from Library Journal.
Augmented Reality
So you might have heard about augmented reality, but what exactly are companies doing with it? Tech Insider gives ten examples of how augmented reality is being developed by different companies from teaching medical students, to allowing children to draw 3D figures. See all of the examples here.
Facebook’s “On This Day”
Many of you may have seen or used Facebook’s “on this day” feature, which allows you to see what you posted or what others posted to your Facebook in years past. This can be a cool feature, however, in instances where there is something that you might want to forget, up until recently there was no way to hide these memories. Facebook has recently changed that and you can learn more about it here.
Using WiFi and Sensors to Recognize People Through Walls
Researchers at MIT have developed a tool called RF-Capture that allows them to recognize people through walls. While this might seem a bit creepy it could potentially be used in smart homes in the future. You can read more about it from the Verge.
Self Lacing Shoes:
Despite the fact that Back to the Future day is now in the past without things like flying cars and the Cubs winning the World Series, Nike has succeeded in the creation of self-lacing shoes. Check them out on CNet.
3D Printed Prosthetic Hand
Using the 3D printer at the Wilmington Public Library in Delaware a 10 year old boy was able to create (with his Mom’s help) his own prosthetic hand. You can learn more about it from ABC Action News.
