Tech and college students go hand-in-hand. That hasn’t always been the case for tech and student housing. This sector of multifamily housing has experienced a lag in affordable products that bring energy management and automation into the modern technological environment. StratIS is quickly changing that. BuLogics, a campus leaders in wireless solutions for the Internet of Things, developed StratIS in 2013. StratIS facilitates varying degrees of remote control for energy usage, home automation, and access to residential units. Users can also submit maintenance requests using the app. For unit access, StratIS partnered with Schlage hardware company to create Control Smart Locs with ENGAGE. This technology is ideal for multifamily applications: ENGAGE permits lock control through the cloud-based StratIS app. Through this network, staff can now remotely issue replacement credentials, grant vendor access, and complete audits without entering into the field. StratIS operates in more than 72,000 multifamily and hospitality units in nearly 300 properties throughout the U.S. Student housing units make up approximately one third of StratIS properties. The system has quickly grown popular with student housing owners and managers thanks to three key components: Low Costs Popular energy and access management systems of this type are often cost prohibitive for the owners of smaller buildings. The relatively low cost of StratIS technology opens the arena of advanced management tools to owners of properties with smaller footprints. Quick Returns StratIS claims a two-year return on investment for its wireless solutions. The company also reports a 20 percent reduction in energy consumption before demand response capabilities. Easy Installation StratIS offers ultra-simple product installation. CEO Felicite Moorman told Building Design + Construction, “I also test everything on my seven-year-old, and if she can’t use it, we try to figure out what happened.” The company’s innovative approach...

Virtual Reality is on everywhere these days—videogames, engineering, healthcare, entertainment—are just a few of the industries fuelings its evolution. More recently, VR entered the real estate market too. Allured by its many advantages, developers turn to virtual reality and enable buyers to tour units, “walking” around mock layouts and peering out windows to envision the view they might wake up to every morning (this is where drones step in to capture accurate floor-by-floor perspectives). Instead of the full-sized models of one of the units, they can now use smaller sales centers equipped with a VR headset. No more selling off blueprints. “Our whole business exists to work on spaces that don’t exist.” Jamie Fleming, CEO of Studio216 Such a development that used the VR technology to drive sales is Luma, a 24-story condominium development in Seattle. The sales team opted for an Oculus Rift headset and started offering tours of the property a little after the project had just broken ground. Studio216 of San Francisco is the digital production agency that created the simulated space for the Luma development and one of the firms currently involved in developing industry-specific application for the technology. The virtual reality market is expected to explode over the next decade. According to a Goldman Sachs research, VR will be an $80 billion industry by 2025—the size of the current desktop PC market. The forthcoming consumer release of Oculus Rift headsets to the public might rapidly improve consumer adoption. However, real estate technology is far behind where it should be. A good exemplification is that there are still real estate firms still using Internet Explorer (sorry, Microsoft) as their main browser. Using VR headsets to tour your future home, office or vacation rental is pretty straight forward: the agent connects...

Google’s playfulness in domains ruled by curiosity and ambition is never-ending. The giant seems to be working on a new and very secretive project dubbed SkyBender, as reported by The Guardian. This is a new Internet-in-the-sky program designed to bring the next-generation 5G network. Unlike Project Loon, but part of the Google Access team that includes the balloon project, SkyBender wants to use outfitted drones with millimeter wave transceivers. First, let’s have a look at these millimeter waves—they are longer than infrared waves or x-rays, but shorter than radio waves or microwaves. The millimeter wave region of the electromagnetic spectrum corresponds to radio band frequencies of 30GHz to 300GHz, sometimes called the Extremely High Frequency (EHF) range. These are thought to be the future of high-speed data transmission technology and the backbone of 5G mobile networks. Millimeter waves have a shorter range than that of the mobile phone signal, they fade sooner and are easily disrupted by weather conditions like rain, fog, and snow. However, using the so called phased array antennas and focused beams, Google and others could potentially focus the transmissions over greater distances. But this requires a lot more power. The FCC said that 5G millimeter wave networks could hit speeds between 1GBps and 10GBps, or up to 40 times more than today’s 4G LTE systems. In case you’re wondering why millimeter waves, Jacques Rudell, a professor of electrical engineering at the University of Washington in Seattle and specialist in this technology, justified to The Guardian: “The huge advantage of millimeter wave is access to new spectrum because the existing cellphone spectrum is overcrowded. It’s packed and there’s nowhere else to go”. Google is not the first to work with millimeter wave technology and drones. In 2014, DARPA—the research arm of...

Last month, the Los Angeles Department of Health Services became the latest victim in a string of ransomware demands hitting the healthcare industry. Though not as severe as the ransomware attack on Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center earlier this year demanding $17,000 in bitcoin, Department officials were quick to act on the threat. The Los Angeles Department of Health Services was able to contain the damage to five work computers thanks to preemptive security measures. Because employees have limited access to the department’s database, the ransomware attack was unable to spread. When asked about the nature of the attack, Director of USC’s Center for Computer Systems Security Clifford Neuman explained, “Since this one affected only a few employees’ systems and does not appear to have spread further, it was likely one of these non-targeted pieces of malware.” Exploiting Vulnerabilities Non-targeted malware describes how attackers access a victim’s device. Whether the ransomware sneaks in through an email, an attachment or even a camouflaged link, once triggered, the result is a total lockdown of the infected device through encryption of the contents. Paying the ransom releases the data and returns control of the device to the victim. Ransom prices can vary from small sums to thousands of dollars. Until recently, Apple devices and systems had not been widely affected, but news of ransomware malware lurking inside a recent update for Transmission highlighted vulnerabilities inherent in all online activities. While in the past ransomware primarily struck individuals, in recent months attacks have kicked up a notch. The latest victims are large, data-rich institutions like hospitals and government services. “Since the New Year, the healthcare industry has experienced an uptick in ransomware incidents,” county spokesman David Sommers told the LA times, reiterating that the county has “be successful in...

Aside from the ongoing battle with the Department of Justice and its commitment to customer data privacy, Apple found one hour in March to introduce a few springy updates—a new iPhone, new iPad, news on the Apple Watch, Apple TV and CarPlay, and a new iOS version. The world today has smartphones that come in two sizes—big and huge. It is hard to turn to smaller devices after going big. Yet, the new iPhone SE seems to be the first one made for those with thumbs lacking the wingspan of albatrosses. As the company said, “this light and compact phone is designed to fit comfortably in your hand”. Steve Jobs’ words come to mind regarding phones and how they should match the ergonomics of your hand. In 2010, as competitors were selling larger devices, he mocked a big phone: “You can’t get your hand around it… No one’s going to buy that.” But in 2014 Apple changed its mind and released iPhones with 4.7 inches and 5.5 inches, up from 4 inches for older models such as the iPhone 5 and 5S. Yet more than 30 million consumers bought the older four-inch iPhones last year, according to the company. “Some people even pleaded with us to please keep the four-inch products,” said Greg Joswiak. Apple made now another U-turn with this new 4-inch phone (was Steve Jobs right after all?) The iPhone SE will be released on March 31. It has the style of iPhone 5S released in 2013 (adding the new rose gold color), but the inside hides most of the upgrades launched with the iPhone 6S released in 2015. Yes, only most of them. The iPhone SE comes equipped with the same powerful 64-bit A9 processor as the 6S, which makes it...

Imagine crossing the threshold after a long day at work to a perfectly lit, temperature-controlled living space. As you walk down the hallway, lights flicker for your approach while a disembodied voice welcomes you with a rundown of messages and alerts as your crockpot bubbles aromatically in the kitchen. It sounds like the stuff of science fiction, but if Samsung, Google and Apple have their way, eventually every home will be a “smart home.” Highlighting their technology’s ability to keep residents apprised of every activity in their home, Samsung’s Smart Things touts a setup that includes an App (available for iOS and Android), a Hub, and collection of up to 200 customizable devices including thermostats, light bulbs, outlets and sensors. The Smart Things app can push notifications to users, and its devices can turn off and on at particular times or based on temperature and vacation settings. Home monitoring through the app provides instant alerts for intrusions, smoke, leaks and other unusual activity. Adding a camera even allows for video footage of flagged events. The Hub connects via Ethernet, and uses ZigBee and Z-Wave radios for IP compatibility and works with products ranging from Sonos to CREE to Honeywell. In line with the company’s seeming commitment to simplified, intuitive technology, Google’s Nest products work together to create a “connected” home environment for easy management of a broad range of devices from electric vehicle charger to automated pet feeder. Nest touts itself as a solution for those seeking “the thoughtful home: A home that takes care of the people inside it and the world around it.” Centered on three main products – Nest Cam, Nest Protect, and Nest Learning Thermostat – the Nest app allows users to access live streaming video and control indoor temperatures...

Did you know that Cat® sells phones and smartphones? A new version of smartphone was introduced at the  Mobile World Congress in Barcelona last month. The Cat S60 is the company’s new flagship product, the world’s first smartphone with integrated thermal camera, once a very expensive tool used only by law enforcement and the military. Initially, the FLIR ONE thermal camera begun life as a cumbersome case for the iPhone 5, then turned into a dongle that connected to the microUSB or Apple Lightning port. In the new smartphone though, the Lepton sensor that enable FLIR cameras to see in darkness has been integrated into the device itself, next to its standard rear camera. “To stand out from the crowd in today’s smartphone market requires true innovation and we are proud to partner with FLIR to announce what is truly a world’s first,” said Peter Stephens, CEO Bullitt Group, global mobile device licensee for Caterpillar. “The Cat S60 represents a milestone for smartphones. We are excited for thermal technology to be in the hands of Cat phones customers and to discover the myriad of daily time and efficiency use cases it will present for them.” A sixth sense “We are delighted to work on the latest Cat phone with Bullitt Group, to integrate our thermal camera into their proven, industrialized smartphone to create a truly innovative and groundbreaking mobile product,” said Andy Teich, President and CEO of FLIR. “The CAT S60 presents mobile users around the world with new capabilities – a ‘sixth sense’ experience that only thermal imaging can offer.” Cat S60 is also waterproof to depths of up to 5 meters for one hour, during which time it can be used as an underwater camera, pushing the boundaries of mobile technology. The...

The SURE HOUSE strikes a balance between mitigating and protecting against the vagaries of climate change and extreme weather all under one charming, beach cottage roof. The winner of the US Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon for 2015, the SURE HOUSE is an entirely solar-powered structure designed to make the most of the weather, including sunny days and stormy nights while providing its inhabitants with a comfortable, modern dwelling. Designed by the Stevens Institute of Technology, the SURE HOUSE rose to the top of a roster including 14 collegiate teams competing for a shot at developing the country’s most innovative, sustainable and marketable solar home. Occurring every two years, the Solar Decathlon challenges participants to design efficient, economical, and visually appealing solar-powered habitation. The teams must construct and operate their proposed habitats, which are then judged on “affordability, consumer appeal, and design excellence with optimal energy production and maximum efficiency.” With an eye toward the challenges posed by climate change and unpredictable weather patterns, the SURE HOUSE splits the difference between a charming beach cottage and hurricane safe-house. During sunny, mild days, the building’s design takes advantage of outdoor space by opening up to reveal a combination of decks and patios modeled after “the quintessential 60’s style modern beach cottage.” Its integrated solar panels, meanwhile, can produce up to 10,000 watts of power. While the design may be inspired by the 1960s, SURE HOUSE only requires 90% less energy than a conventional house. Its “ultra-low energy consumption” comes primarily from the incorporation of highly efficient appliances, including a solar-powered electric water heater and an energy recovery ventilation system, along with zoned heat pumps for heating, cooling, and dehumidification. Additionally, an extremely efficient building envelope helps manage indoor temperature and reduce HVAC demand. While the...

We already have robots serving us in different industries: they build our cars, entertain the family, and defuse bombs. A new bot has emerged from IBM’s labs as a result of collaboration with Hilton Worldwide—the first Watson-enabled robot concierge in the hospitality industry, Connie. Connie, named for Hilton’s founder Conrad Hilton, represents the first time IBM has developed a Watson-enabled robot for the hospitality sector. The automaton can already be found in the Hilton McLean hotel in Virginia, where it will work with Hilton’s team members as a regular concierge, answering questions about nearby restaurants, tourist attractions, and hotel information. Connie will not be able to check guests in to the hotel. The 23-inch wonder (that’s 58 centimeters) has as physical support Nao, a French-made android (Aldebaran) that has become the first platform used for educational and customer care tasks, partly because its relative affordability—approximately $9,000. Connie is more about brains than looks though as its brain is based on IBM’s flagship AI program Watson, the Jeopardy!-winning system engineered to understand people’s questions and answer them. Connie’s brain uses a combination of Watson APIs, including Dialog, Speech to Text, Text to Speech, Text to Speech and Natural Language Classifier, enabling it to greet guests upon arrival, and to answer questions about the hotel’s amenities, services and hours of operation. The information on local attractions and interesting sites is actually channeled from the travel platform WayBlazer’s database, also an IBM partners. What’s more interesting is how Connie improves itself through interactions with human customers, learning how to fine-tune its recommendations. “This project with Hilton and WayBlazer represents an important shift in human-machine interaction, enabled by the embodiment of Watson’s cognitive computing,” said Rob High, IBM fellow and vice president and chief technology officer for IBM Watson....

The Mobile World Congress in Barcelona had many attractions this year. Among them, Remix OS in beta, now available for download. The alpha version of product was introduced earlier this year at CES. It’s an Android fork with desktop features that can run on pretty much any x86 computer. Work on the Androidx86 Open Source Project started in 2009 with the initiative of computer engineer Chih-Wei Huang. Over time, the project lead to an official partnership with Jide Technology. The foundation of Remix OS for PC is a custom engineered version of Android Lollipop – Remix OS 2.0. The Google Play Store in not pre-loaded onto the OS, as the Jide is still waiting for Google’s approval to directly integrate Google Play Services and the Play Store. These items have been side-loaded at the moment (not optional) and it is a bit of a hassle to test it. However, the company says they are in constant discussion with Google about this and they’re confident they’ll receive full approval later this year. Jide Technology announced the beta version, a more stable build with support for 32-bit hardware and dual-boot support through the new hard drive installer. Moreover, it brings in OTA update options. In other words, users won’t have to worry about losing data (theoretically) when performing an update. Remix takes basic Android and adds all those elements present in any Mac or PC—support for mice and keyboards, a windowed interface, a file manager, system bar and a dock at the bottom of the screen for the apps. Other changes from Alpha to Beta include over 50 major bugs fixed, UEFI support added, and 32-bit support added alongside 64-bit. Remix OS allows users to run Android apps and games such as Clash of Clans, Microsoft...

Ever wonder what the future looks like for New York City’s payphones? Well,  you won’t be seeing them for too long as they disappear like the extinct species they’ve become. But a new public utility kiosk is coming along to take their place. LinkNYC, a consortium of experts in technology, media, user experience and connectivity that includes Intersection, Qualcomm, and CIVIQ Smartscapes, has plans to replace them with a high-tech sibling. The launch has already begun with a beta phase rolling out a fiber optic network of kiosks equipped with different types of free services such as high speed internet, web browsing, cell phone charging and calls to within the U.S. Additional apps, features and services will be rolled out on an ongoing basis over the next few years. “It’s going to be the largest and fastest public Wi-Fi network in the world,” Collin Odonell, managing member of CityBridge, said in a prepared statement. “It’s really the first of this kind of network and it’s going to transform the streets and people’s way to access information.” Privacy and security is the main concern, especially when the subject is some public Wi-Fi network. LinkNYC claims it offers two types of networks: a public Wi-Fi one and a private encrypted one. The private, fully equipped network is accessible only by devices that support Hotspot 2.0 (currently, LinkNYC only supports Apple gear). On its public network, LinkNYC will be able to track the user’s MAC address (which won’t be tracked either, claims LinkNYC). In addition, users will have the option to clear their sessions once they’ve done using the kiosk. Please keep in mind though that it’s still very risky to log in to bank accounts over public networks and that even though the user information won’t...

The dormant fiber-optic cables beneath San Francisco will soon awaken. Google parent Alphabet Inc. wants to expand its gigabit Internet service to parts of San Francisco, specifically apartments, condos, and affordable housing units. In most cities Google has wired, the company built its own physical infrastructure to support the service. The company installed network cables in Kansas City; Provo; Utah; and Austin, Texas. San Francisco will require tapping into existing fiber-optic cables. This was also the case in Atlanta, resulting in Fiber service access for fewer neighborhoods than other Fiber cities. But there is also an upside: a much faster path to launch. “To date, we’ve focused mostly on building fiber-optic networks from scratch,” said Michael Slinger, Google Fiber’s business operations director. “Now, as Google Fiber grows, we’re looking for more ways to serve cities of different shapes and sizes.” Google Fiber is already taking this approach in other markets, including Huntsville, Ala., where earlier this year it announced plans to launch using the city’s municipal network. Alphabet’s high-speed Internet service is 85 times faster than the typical residential connection. San Francisco is the 11th U.S. city with existing or planned Fiber service. Single-family homes are not considered for now, because the company wants to serve denser communities first. Also, many of the single-family residences are not close to the existing cables. Alphabet declined to say how many of San Francisco’s homes it aims to serve. As it has done elsewhere, Google Fiber plans to provide free gigabit internet service to “some public and affordable housing properties.”  Google is also working with a non-profit to teach low-income San Franciscans basic internet skills, like how to set up an email account or apply for a job. The fiber network cable doesn’t belong to the city of San...

Did you know the average person spends 10,000 hours of their lifetime looking for disappearing car keys? To be honest, I made that number up, but I think we can all agree time flies at the speed of light whenever we’re inevitably late and looking for that one last thing – keys, phone, glasses – before stepping out the door. What if you could find what you’ve lost with the touch of a button? There’s plenty of tech out there promising to reunite you with your AWOL objects, but what about your pet, your purse, your phone itself? What recourse is available when those waylaid whatsits that aren’t hiding in your couch cushions, but actually sitting on a park bench miles away? For the chronically searching, those kings and queens of the misplaced and forgotten, deliverance has arrived! Meet TrackR Bravo, a coin-sized device that attaches to your valuables keeps tabs on their whereabouts. The brainchild of two recent UC Santa Barbara graduates, inspired by their own experience with miscellaneous vanishing acts, TrackR Bravo is a Bluetooth enabled solution capable of interacting with your smartphone and using crowd-based GPS to geolocate mislaid property, whether it’s sitting on your magazine-laden coffee table to at bus stop down the street. About the size of a quarter and priced at $29, the TrackR Bravo can be attached to anything, from a set of keys to a bicycle to the collar of your wandering dog. As long as the fob is within 100 feet of your Bravo-enabled device, you can send a signal to trigger a beeping alarm that leads you to your missing item. Past 100 feet, the alarm is no longer an option, but the GPS will kick in, tagging various doodads and personal effects and...

With the U.S. building sector accounting for 7% of global primary energy consumption, residential and commercial property developers are turning towards modern solutions, like Passive Homes, to increase energy efficiency in new and renovated properties. Big Apple Energy While it might be “the city that never sleeps,” it wouldn’t hurt to turn a light off once in a while! Though it’s probably no surprise to learn that many of New York city’s most expensive buildings aren’t particularly energy efficient, in truth the numbers are quite shocking: 70% of the city’s emissions are generated from New York City buildings. Even more eye opening…2% of those buildings account for more than half of the city’s energy use. According to the advocacy group Climate Works for All, ten of New York’s most expensive buildings score an “F” in terms of energy efficiency based on Energy Use Intensity. With several more luxury high rises and condominiums in the works, many property developers are looking for ways to lower the energy footprint of their buildings. One solution: Passive House Technologies. A Borough Apart As all things fashionable and hip, Brooklyn is the epicenter of New York City’s passive house movement. In fact, a majority of the New York’s 28 passive building projects are located in or around Brooklyn, including homes in Williamsburg, townhouses in Park Place, and condominiums in Prospect Heights. Some of the passive properties are new constructions projects, but many more are retrofits of existing structures, including a historic house in Brooklyn Heights whose classic façade remains unchanged, despite the addition of super insulation around its double-height windows. In all, Brooklyn is home to more than 20 residences and commercial buildings that fit the passive house guidelines, but because many property owners follow the standards without seeking...

There is really only one renewable energy source that can power the whole planet —solar energy. The sun’s energy can power the earth many times over. We’re all familiar with solar technology’s limitless potential, but have yet to actualize its true capability. One of the main hurdles with solar technology is where to put it, as the places where we most need power are lacking space for the big, heavy panels. Silicon Valley startup Ubiquitous Energy, a company spun off by researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Michigan State University, believes they’ve found the solution—a new type of technology that could span from industrial applications to consumer devices and handheld gadgets—cell phones and tablets that never run out of battery life. Sounds like fantasy, doesn’t it? Until now, solar cells have been only partially transparent and usually a bit tinted, but the startup’s transparent solar cells are so clear that they’re practically indistinguishable from normal panes of glass. Transparent solar is something taught in elementary school: the sun transmits energy in the form of invisible ultraviolet and infrared light, as well as visible light. A solar cell that is engineered to only capture light from the invisible ends of the spectrum, will allow all other light to pass through—thus, it will appear transparent. “It opens a lot of area to deploy solar energy in a non-intrusive way,” Richard Lunt, co-founder of Ubiquitous Energy, said in an interview with Michigan State’s Today blog. “It can be used on tall buildings with lots of windows or any kind of mobile device that demands high aesthetic quality like a phone or e-reader. Ultimately we want to make solar harvesting surfaces that you do not even know are there.” The secret to creating such material is organic chemistry....

Drones are unstoppable. Within the next one to three years we’ll receive our orders via drones if the private sector and government work hand in hand. Giants like Google and Amazon, and Wal-Mart have all announced working on developing their own fleet of drones to ship orders. The main setback remains the number of regulatory issues which need ironing out first. Currently, businesses interested in flying drones for commercial purposes need to seek approval from the Federal Aviation Administration on a case-by-case basis. Furthermore, under current drone rules, companies aren’t allowed to fly drones at night and drone operators can’t fly more than one drone at a time—well, except for the special show Intel prepared in collaboration with Ars Electronica Futurelab near Hamburg where four drone operators had each 25 drones under their command. You can watch the thing of beauty in the below video. Earlier this year, FAA Administrator Michael Huerta announced that the government plans to finalize its drone rules for commercial operations by late spring. The FAA enlisted a handful a drone makers, industry advocates, and retailers such as Google to help create the registration system and rules. The respective registration system came online in late December; since then 181,000 drones have been logged in its database. Google has been exploring the use of drones for deliveries over the past three years. Research continues under Dave Vos, head of Google X’s Project Wing experimental drone delivery program. At an aviation industry event in Washington, he stated that drones will be safer than general aviation and that they’ll operate quietly enough so as to not disturb anyone. According to Vos and his Jetsonian vision, people will eventually be transported from one point to another via autonomous airplanes. “Moving people and stuff around...

Never a dull moment. Technology never stops evolving, thanks to dedicated innovators from all over the world. Now, here’s something that could make Nikola Tesla’s dream a reality: Wi-Fi powered electronics. In this era, we’re surrounded by Wi-Fi almost everywhere we go  – local area networking technology allows electronic devices to connect to the network. However, some raised the question: are we using this technology to its full potential? Every time I think of Wi-Fi, my subconscious shares a second with Nikola Tesla, the man who was keen on making wires redundant. Researchers at the University of Washington wish to fulfill Tesla’s dream with PoWiFi. The engineers released a new type of technology that uses a Wi-Fi router—a source of ubiquitous, but untapped energy in indoor environments—to power devices. This new system, dubbed Power Over Wi-Fi (PoWiFi), is one of the most innovative technologies of the year—Popular Science included it in the annual “Best of What’s New” awards. The researchers recently published a paper that shows how they managed to harvest energy from Wi-Fi signals and then to power a simple temperature sensor, a low-resolution grayscale camera, and a charger for a Jawbone activity tracking bracelet. The final paper will be presented next month at the Association for Computing Machinery’s CoNEXT 2015 conference in Germany, on emerging networking experiments and technologies. “For the first time we’ve shown that you can use Wi-Fi devices to power the sensors in cameras and other devices,” said lead author Vamsi Talla, a UW electrical engineering doctoral student. “We also made a system that can co-exist as a Wi-Fi router and a power source—it doesn’t degrade the quality of your Wi-Fi signals while it’s powering devices.” What this means is that electricity flows wirelessly through the air, but don’t...

Every two years, Tokyo hosts its own Motor Show. This year’s gathering was filled with fun and futuristic designs. Some have Wi-Fi capability, others are developed to drive autonomously, and some concepts come with augmented reality technology. Cars are not what they used to be. This is the case for the Mitsubishi eX concept car, a pure electric SUV with an intriguing design the company claims has a range of 248 miles (400km) on a single charge. The Japanese carmaker mounted underneath the body a battery pack they called “high performance” and “high-capacity.” The battery feeds power to two electric motors, which comprise the concept’s Twin Motor AWD (all-wheel drive). Moreover, it has semi-autonomous functions including an self-parking feature and highway driving assistant. Yet, probably the most attractive feature is the windshield that turns into a display. You’d think such an addition might seem a distraction, but actually it’s quite the opposite. Augmented reality can add web-surfing information and entertainment value to a car, but it can also improve safety. The augmented reality windshield has the special mission to keep the driver’s eyes glued on the road ahead displaying information normally shown on the screen mounted on the dash into the driver’s forward field of vision. Furthermore, a car capable of sensing its surroundings could alert the driver via the windshield about the unseen pedestrian in a blind spot, it could warn of potential collisions with other vehicles, direct lane changes and even illuminate objects in the dark by outlining them on the windshield. The AR windshield is fitted with the Caution Tracking feature which employs driver assistance technology and includes navigation route guidance, vehicle-to-vehicle distance alerts, lane departure warning, and traffic sign alerts to display guidance and warnings on information outside the driver’s...