Author: Caran Sheppard

Kohl’s to Open Amazon Boutiques Inside Some Stores

Amazon.com Inc. has been growing its brick-and-mortar presence as it recently acquired the organic grocer Whole Foods chain. And now the Seattle-based online e-commerce giant is teaming up with Kohl’s to open Amazon shops in 10 of its stores.  While Amazon devices have long been available at other traditional retailers like Best Buy, Kohl’s shoppers will be able to buy Amazon Echos, Fire tablets and other gadgets from the 1,000-square-foot Amazon shops staffed with Amazon employees to offer a hands-on experience.  In this “smart home experience” customers will be able to ask what products integrate with Alexa, try them hands-on and to even have an Amazon...

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New Camera Sees Inside the Human Body

Scientists led by the University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University have developed a new camera which can see through the human body.  The new camera according to the research published in the journal Biomedical Optics Express. can detect individual photon particles, and is so sensitive it can spot tiny traces of light passing through tissue. The prototype camera is designed to help doctors track medical endoscope devices, which are inserted into openings of the human body to investigate a range of internal conditions. Light beams from the inserted endoscope are difficult to track as they usually scatter or bounce as they reflect off...

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Sphero Debuts Cool New Smart Phone Controlled R2-D2 and BB-9E Droids

Timed around the release of Episode VII: The Force Awakens Sphero’s  authentic app-enabled BB-8 Star Wars toy robot was a huge hit a couple of years ago.  BB-8 offers an adaptive personality that changes based on your interactions and even perks up when you give voice commands.  Now, two years later, Sphero announced it is expanding its connected toy line-up with two new Star Wars droids the iconic R2-D2, and BB-8’s cranky evil twin BB-9E.  It is probably no accident that BB-9E’s debut coincides with the next Star Wars film, The Last Jedi, which is hitting theaters on Dec. 15th, 2017. R2...

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How to Make a Beautiful DIY Miniature Piano or Violin

Video Transcript 0:00Hi guys! It’s Cath. 0:01Today I’m going to show you how to build 0:02this gorgeous 1:12 scale miniature upright piano. 0:05Thanks to everyone who requested this video because I had a lot of fun making it! 0:09Let’s get started. 0:10The first thing I do is grab a sheet of craft plywood. 0:12This is only 1/8 of an inch thick so I can cut it with just my X-acto knife. 0:15Draw out 4.75 inch by 4 inch rectangle. 0:18Then cut on the lines you drew on both sides and snap the wood off. 0:22This will be the front...

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Two New Studies Back Health Benefits of Chocalate

Most of us love the rich taste of chocolate, but many people are unaware of its amazing health benefits. Cocoa includes polyphenols, are rich in antioxidants and have significant nutritional value.  When an individual has type 2 diabetes, their body either does not produce enough insulin or does not process blood sugar properly. The underlying cause of the disease beyond environmental stresses is a failure of beta cells, that are responsible for producing insulin.  BYU researchers have identified certain compounds found in cocoa that may help delay the onset of type 2 diabetes by increasing the ability to deal with oxidative stress. In the...

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