Nepalese telecoms firm Ncell has installed 8 3G base stations along the route to Everest base camp. Photo / Wikimedia Commons
A round-up of the latest technology news from around the globe.
SUMMIT CALL: Heading off to climb Everest? Don't forget your smartphone. Nepalese telecoms firm Ncell has installed 8 3G base stations along the route to Everest base camp. Phone coverage is believed to extend to the summit. Hillary: first person to climb to the summit. Which will be the first
phone at the top? More at the BBC.
A BANKABLE FACE: The Mobile Biometrics project from the University of Manchester tracks 22 facial features in real time with the camera on a mobile phone. Eventually you may be able to log in to Internet sites such as your bank via facial recognition. The software was demonstrated on a Nokia N900. I hope there's a backup login method for 'bad face' days. More at Manchester University and video on YouTube.
GRAVITY SUIT: The Gravity Loading Countermeasure Skinsuit is intended to simulate the effects of gravity on the human body. While those of us who are earthbound may not see that as a good thing, for astronauts it's crucial. Each suit is purposely too short for the astronaut who wears it, and so it compresses their body as gravity would, with a special focus on the legs. A simple but effective idea. Details at Gizmodo.
THREATCAM: A UK firm has created software to detect threats from sounds captured alongside security cameras. The software analyses the pitch, tone and intonation of noises then matches sounds to hundreds of audio fingerprints. A call for help, or aggressive sounds trigger an alert for security guards. Don't anyone watch TV near a security camera. More at the BBC.
MORE BLOOD, MORE GUTS: The trouble with training for military medics is that it's just not gory enough. In real life situations new medics may be too shocked to be effective. A new training course uses hyper-realistic special effects and movie-style make up to provide a believably real experience. The blood, the guts, the medics. More at FastCompany.
