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Touchy subject: 3D-printed fingertip “feels” like human skin

<p>Machines can beat the world’s best chess players, but they cannot handle a chess piece as well as an infant. This lack of <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/robotics/the-surprisingly-complicated-technology-that-goes-into-picking-winners/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">robot dexterity</a> is partly because artificial grippers lack the fine tactile sense of the human fingertip, which is used to guide our hands as we pick up and handle objects.</p> <p>But now, scientists have created this sense of touch in an artificial fingertip using a 3D-printed mesh of pin-like papillae (bumps) on the underside of synthetic skin. These papillae mimic the dermal papillae found between the outer epidermal and inner dermal layers of human tactile skin.</p> <p>This 3D-printed tactile fingertip can produce artificial nerve signals that look like recordings from real, tactile neurons.</p> <div class="newsletter-box"> <div id="wpcf7-f6-p187394-o1" class="wpcf7" dir="ltr" lang="en-US" role="form"> </div> </div> <p>The papillae are made on advanced <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/materials/how-does-3d-printing-work/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">3D-printers</a> that can mix soft and hard materials to create complicated structures like those found in biology.</p> <p>“Human tactile nerves transmit signals from various nerve endings called mechanoreceptors, which can signal the pressure and shape of a contact,” explains senior author Nathan Lepora, professor of Robotics &amp; AI (Artificial Intelligence) from the University of Bristol’s Department of Engineering Maths, UK.</p> <p>Electrical recordings from these nerves were first plotted in 1981 to study “tactile spatial resolution” using a set of standard ridged shapes used by psychologists. In this work, researchers tested their 3D-printed artificial fingertip as it “felt” those same ridged shapes and discovered a startlingly close match to the neural data.</p> <p>“Our work helps uncover how the complex internal structure of human skin creates our human sense of touch,” says Lepora. “This is an exciting development in the field of soft robotics – being able to 3D-print tactile skin could create robots that are more dexterous or significantly improve the performance of prosthetic hands by giving them an in-built sense of touch.”</p> <p>The <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2107.02084" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">research</a> was published in the <em>Journal of the Royal Society Interface</em>.</p> <p><img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=187394&amp;title=Touchy+subject%3A+3D-printed+fingertip+%E2%80%9Cfeels%E2%80%9D+like+human+skin" width="1" height="1" data-spai-target="src" data-spai-orig="" data-spai-exclude="nocdn" /></p> <div id="contributors"> <p><em><a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/robotics/robot-3d-printed-fingertip/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/imma-perfetto" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Imma Perfetto</a>. Imma Perfetto is a science writer at Cosmos. She has a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Science Communication from the University of Adelaide.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Professor Nathan Lepora</em></p> </div>

Technology

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Fake Banksy print sold on the artist’s website for over $450,000

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A hacker has been forced to return over $450,000AUD to a British art collector after he tricked him into purchasing a fake Banksy print. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The NFT (non-fungible token) print was posted on Banksy’s official website, fooling many fans of the elusive street artist. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The auction of the print ended early after the art collector offered 90% of rival bidders. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Banksy’s team spoke to the </span><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-58399338"><span style="font-weight: 400;">BBC</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and assured art fans that, </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">"any Banksy NFT auctions are not affiliated with the artist in any shape or form."</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">NFT’s are a relatively new phenomenon in the art world, which show artworks that can be “tokenised” to create a digital certificate of ownership that can be bought and sold. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They often don’t give the buyer the actual artwork of copyright, but are seen as more of an investment. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The man who got duped by the site believed he was buying Banksy’s first ever NFT. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The man, who wished to remain anonymous, explained over Twitter that he suspected Banksy’s official site was hacked and that he was the victim of an elaborate scam. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The hacker returned all the money, with the exception of $9,000AUD transaction fee once he was caught out. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The prominent NFT collector used the online name Pranksy, and said the whole experience was bizarre but that the hacker may have got scared.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"The refund was totally unexpected, I think the press coverage of the hack plus the fact that I had found the hacker and followed him on Twitter may have pushed him into a refund. “</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"I feel very lucky when a lot of others in a similar situation with less reach would not have had the same outcome," he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The NFT was called Great Distribution of the Climate Change Disaster, and is not linked to the famous street artist.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image credits: Banksy</span></em></p>

Art

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“I don’t have one of those!”: Kmart slow cooker fine print reveals hilarious X-rated typo

<p>In a world of social media, something that potentially could’ve gone unnoticed can be immediately shared with thousands around the globe.</p> <p>And that is exactly what happened to homewares giant Kmart as an Australian woman discovered an X-rated typo on her slow cooker purchased from the discount department store.</p> <p>The Newcastle shopper shared the mistake in a Facebook group called Kmart Hacks and Décor and asked the members to point out the unfortunate mistake.</p> <p><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fsandie.swain%2Fposts%2F10156235421561594&amp;width=500" width="500" height="620" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe></p> <p>The woman shared the appliance’s warning instructions that say “c**k only in this container instead of “cook”.</p> <p>The post garnered a large reaction and many members of the group shared their puns.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">"It's a C*ckpot," one person joked. </p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">"What a c*ck up," another commented. </p> <p>“That is hilarious. Just checked mine, says the same thing too. Can’t wait to give the other half the instructions!!!” the woman said.</p> <p>“Does this mean the meat will fall off the bone(r)?” another joked, adding to the long list of puns.</p> <p>Kmart was quick to address the incident in a statement to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7335503/Newcastle-mum-shocked-finding-X-rated-typo-slower-cooker.html" target="_blank"><em>The Daily Mail Australia</em></a> saying that they were sorry for the mistake.</p> <p>“We sincerely apologise for this error and the team have ensured this does not occur on future ranges,” the discount department store said. </p>

Home & Garden

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In praise of the printed book: The value of concentration in the digital age

<p>There is an old saying that anxiety is the enemy of concentration.</p> <p>One of the best pieces of sports journalism I ever read was by <a href="http://spectator.org/archives/2007/02/22/the-man-who-wasnt-there">Gene Tunney</a>, world heavyweight champion of the 1920s, writing about how reading books helped him stay calm and focused in the lead-up to his most famous fight against former champion Jack Dempsey. While members of Dempsey’s camp ridiculed Tunney for his bookishness, Tunney kept calm, and went on to win.</p> <p>Most of us would feel stressed at the prospect of stepping into the boxing ring, but stress-related illnesses, especially depression and forms of anxiety and attention disorder, are becoming increasingly prevalent, especially in wealthy societies. According to a major <a href="http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=1&amp;ved=0CCIQFjAA&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.plosmedicine.org%2Farticle%2FfetchSingleRepresentation.action%3Furi%3Dinfo%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.0030442.sd004&amp;ei=_3mgULrKOoWRigeI6IDoCw&amp;usg=AFQjCNFMmbioHNEqLYDf0H8jduBX-qV_hw">2006 projection of global mortality by Mathers and Loncar</a>, by 2030, unipolar depression will be almost 40% more likely to cause death or disability than heart disease in wealthy societies.</p> <p>Stress can of course have many causes, but in the most general sense, it spreads from factors that impact negatively on focus and concentration. We fear interruption or a surplus of tasks, responsibilities or options to choose, leading to heightened stress levels.</p> <p>The digital age is an age of distraction; and distraction causes stress and weakens concentration. Concentration, as the philosopher <a href="http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/james/">William James</a> argued in his classic 1890 work <a href="http://psychclassics.yorku.ca/James/Principles/"><em>Principles of Psychology</em></a>, is the most fundamental element of intellectual development. He wrote:</p> <blockquote> <p>The faculty of voluntarily bringing back a wandering attention over and over again, is the very root of judgement, character, and will … An education which should improve this faculty would be the education par excellence.</p> </blockquote> <p>Concentration is equally important emotionally, as is being increasingly revealed by new research into <a href="http://www.lib.monash.edu.au/collections/monash-authors/2008/9781741667042.html">“mindfulness” and meditation</a>. The inability to focus is associated with depression and anxiety and, amongst other things, an underdeveloped sociability and human empathy. Tests have revealed that people report greater happiness from being effectively focused on what they are doing than from daydreaming on even pleasant topics.</p> <p>How many memoirs include stories of the author surreptitiously reading books by torchlight underneath the blankets, with parents fearful of the child reading too much? (In my case I was reading The Hardy Boys so my mother’s objections were probably justified.)</p> <p>As <a href="http://www.jamescarroll.net/JAMESCARROLL.NET/Welcome.html">James Carroll</a> has argued, at its core, reading is <a href="http://www.commondreams.org/views01/0130-02.htm">“the occasion of the encounter with the self”</a>. In other words, the ultimate object of reading is not to take on information but to absorb and reflect upon it and, in the process, hopefully, form a more developed version of one’s own identity or being.</p> <p>It seems likely that the concentration required and encouraged by books is extremely valuable. Reading books is good for you. And this seems especially so in the case of print books, where a reader is most completely free from distraction.</p> <p>Ebooks, and more pertinently perhaps, the digital reading environment, are unquestionably transformative in the opportunities and experiences they offer to readers. Great oceans of knowledge otherwise only obtainable through tracking down print books or physical archives and records, have become available and, much more easily searchable. <a href="http://websearch.about.com/od/h/g/hyperlink.htm">Hyperlinks</a> mean readers no longer have to read in a straight line, as it were, but can follow innumerable paths of interest.</p> <p><a href="http://www.unimelb.edu.au/copyright/information/guides/wikisblogsweb2blue.pdf">Web2 technologies</a> enable “talking back” to publishers and media, the formation of groups of readers with common interests, easy (sometimes too easy) sharing of files and other information. Stories can be enriched by animated graphics and interactivity. And so on.</p> <p>No-one in their right mind would imagine that the e-reading environment can or should somehow be wound back.</p> <p>Nonetheless, by their nature e-reading devices facilitate and encourage the constant, inevitably distracting consideration of other reading options, more or less instantly attainable. This is probably their main selling point. <a href="http://ase.tufts.edu/epcd/faculty/wolf.asp">Maryanne Wolf</a> has even asked:</p> <blockquote> <p>“if the assumption that ‘more’ and ‘faster’ are necessarily better (will) have consequences that radically affect the quality of attention that can transform a word into a thought and a thought into a world of unimagined possibility?”</p> </blockquote> <p>It is interesting to consider, in light of this possibility that the greatest benefit of reading may come from its capacity to assist in the development of focus and concentration, that the print book may not actually have been superseded or, indeed, be supersede-able.</p> <p>This, I think, is what the novelist, critic, philosopher and communications historian <a href="http://www.umbertoeco.com/en/">Umberto Eco</a> means when he argues: “The book is like the spoon, scissors, the hammer, the wheel. Once invented, it cannot be improved.”<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/9855/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: http://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em>Written by <span>Nathan Hollier, Director, Monash University Publishing, Monash University</span>. Republished with permission of </em><a href="https://theconversation.com/in-praise-of-the-printed-book-the-value-of-concentration-in-the-digital-age-9855"><em>The Conversation</em></a><em>. </em></p>

Books

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Style queen: Duchess Camilla's beautiful retro fashion statement

<p>The Duchess of Cornwall made a stylish appearance whilsthosting a reception for the Ebony Horse Club at herand Prince Charles home on Tuesday.</p> <p>The 71-year-old royal went for a stylish A-line flowy monochromatic dress that was reminiscent of the bold retro print which was all the rage in the '80s.</p> <p>The dazzling look was a head turner and featured a high key-hole neckline that was paired with mustard coloured shoes.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bzs1D_3A5qe/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bzs1D_3A5qe/" target="_blank">A post shared by Clarence House (@clarencehouse)</a> on Jul 9, 2019 at 8:07am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>While attending the reception held at Clarence House, the duchess met a delightful guest – a horse named Splash.</p> <p>Splash is one of the many friendly horsespart of theEbony Horse Club– a charity which aims to help young horse lovers how to ride.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bzte4pAnTHI/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bzte4pAnTHI/" target="_blank">A post shared by The British Royal Family (@british_._royal._.family)</a> on Jul 9, 2019 at 2:13pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The event hosted some of Ebony’s hopeful young programmers, as well as alumni and fellow supporters.</p> <p>The Duchess received praise for her fashionable get up, with one fan writing: “She always looks stunning and dresses befitting for the occasion… She will make a great Queen.”</p> <p>“Beautiful dress as always… HRH Camilla looks gorgeous!” another commented.</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery above to see the retro print outfit worn by the Duchess of Cornwall.</p>

Beauty & Style

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How to sign a document without printing it out

<p><em><strong>Lisa Du is director of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://readytechgo.com.au/" target="_blank">ReadyTechGo</a></span>, a service that helps people gain the confidence and skills to embrace modern technology. </strong></em></p> <p>There are often times when you need to sign or fill in a PDF form that has been sent to you. You could print out the document, fill it in, sign it, scan it and then email it back but that's all such a hassle for something that should be so simple.</p> <p>Thankfully with Microsoft Edge (previously known as Internet Explorer), you can do all that without having to print the document!</p> <p>Here’s how:</p> <p>Step 1: Right click on the PDF file.</p> <p>Step 2: Go to "Open with" and then click on "Microsoft Edge"</p> <p>Step 3: Click on the pencil icon located at the top right.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="600" height="NaN" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/e785dd9ba906ed79fad48bd7e/images/04a179b2-1e01-4c08-a4e3-4cf46008b44d.png" style="width: 240px; height: 120px; margin: 0px; line-height: 100%; outline: none;"/></p> <p>Step 4: Click on the "pen" icon and choose the right colour and size for you signature.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="320" height="148" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/e785dd9ba906ed79fad48bd7e/images/11f3ba9a-4647-40e1-bced-1a137714ef37.png" style="width: 320px; height: 148px; margin: 0px; line-height: 100%; outline: none;"/></p> <p>Step 5: Draw your signature by holding down left click and dragging your mouse. If you're unhappy with the signature (or you've made a mistake) click on the "eraser" icon in the top right and 'draw' over your signature to erase it.</p> <p>Step 6: When you're satisfied with your signature, right click on the open PDF and click on "Save-As" to the document!</p> <p>Have fun signing documents in a jiffy!</p>

Technology

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How to: make a paw print Christmas ornament

<p>This year while you’re wrapping the tree in tinsel and hanging the baubles you’ll be able to include your furry friend in the festivities with their very own paw print ornament! Just like a handprint from your grandkids, this easy-to-make keepsake will make the perfect addition to your Christmas decorations. Here’s how to make one.</p> <p><strong>What you’ll need:</strong></p> <ul> <li>1 cup flour</li> <li>1/2 cup salt</li> <li>1/2 cup water</li> <li>1 straw or skewer to make hole </li> <li>1 glass or circle cookie cutter</li> <li>Baking paper</li> <li>Decorating supplies: ribbon to hang, paint, glitter etc to decorate  </li> </ul> <p><strong>Instructions:</strong></p> <ol> <li>Preheat oven to 120° C</li> <li>Combine flour, salt, and water in a large bowl. Mix and knead until well combined.</li> <li>Roll out dough and use a cookie cutter or any circular shape to cut.  Allow enough room for your pet’s paw to fit.</li> <li>Press your pets paw into the dough firmly and evenly.</li> <li>Make a small hole at the top with toothpick or straw for the ribbon.</li> <li>Place on baking paper in oven and bake for 2 hours. Flip the ornament an hour in so both sides dry evenly. </li> <li>Remove from oven and let it cool completely.</li> <li>Now it’s time to decorate! A great activity if the grandkids are around.</li> <li>Show your furry friend and hang on tree!</li> </ol> <p><em>Image credit: <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/276619602084276388/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></em></p>

Family & Pets

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Researchers print 3D ear tissue

<p>3D printing is a process used to make a three-dimensional object, using successive layers of material that form under computer control to create an object.</p> <p>Researchers at <a href="http://www.wakehealth.edu/WFIRM/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Wake Forest Baptist Medical Centre</span></strong></a> have used this startling new technology to print customised ear moulds and earbuds in the past, and have now shown that even living tissue structures have the potential to be 3D printed. This includes ears, bone and muscle, which may actually be used to replace lost or damaged tissue on human patients.</p> <p>Dr. Anthony Atala, director of the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine and senior author on the study, said, “With further development, this technology could potentially be used to print living tissue and organ structures for surgical implantation.”</p> <p>In the study, they created a baby-sized ear structure of 1.5 inches that was implanted on a mouse and showed signs of vascularization one and two months after implantation and even maintained its shape.</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/health/hearing/2016/02/scientists-close-to-curing-partial-deafness/"><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Scientists are close to curing partial deafness</span></strong></em></a></p> <p><a href="/health/hearing/2016/03/airborne-ultrasound-could-be-harmful/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Airborne ultrasound could be harmful</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="/health/hearing/2016/02/apps-for-people-with-hearing-loss/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Revolutionary apps for people with hearing loss</span></em></strong></a></p>

Hearing

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How to print photos from your smartphone and tablet

<p>The great thing about smartphones and tablet devices is that they provide us with so many easy opportunities to snap some great photos. Being able to capture those special moments when they happen is such a great convenience, but the photos can often languish in the digital space. Relegated to Facebook and Instagram, some beautiful pictures can be forgotten about because printing them seems kind of tricky.</p> <p>That’s why we’re here to help with a simple guide to the different ways you can print photos from your smartphones and tablets.</p> <p><strong>In-store</strong></p> <p>This might seem like an obvious answer, but that’s okay, the simplest answer is often the best, right? If you visit stores like Big W, Kmart, or Harvey Norman, or even your smaller camera shops, you should be able to use a kiosk to quickly print out your favourite happy snaps. To do this, you’ll just need to have loaded your photos onto a portable storage device (like a USB drive or SD card) via your computer.</p> <p>Many of these stores offer a one hour service if you don’t mind paying a little extra, or you can return the next day to collect your photos and then grab a few frames in which to put them.</p> <p><strong>At home</strong></p> <p>If you want to print your photos at home on your own printer, the exact method will depend on your printer and the program you use to store your photos. But most software will have an option to select “Print” for each photo. From there, you just have select the right settings for the kind of paper you’re using (if you’re opting to print your photos on blank 6x4 photo cards, for example).</p> <p>Some wireless-capable printers will even allow you to print directly from your phone. If you’re not sure if that new printer you bought can do this, dig out the manual and check – most will list it as a major selling feature so it should be easy to spot.</p> <p>This option is great if you’re just wanting to print one or two snaps to include in a birthday card or letter, but as ink for printers can be expensive, it’s often more cost-effective to opt for the in-store option.</p> <p><strong>With an app</strong></p> <p>There are loads of apps you can download that will help you print your photos straight from your phone. These will help for those of you unsure of whether you can print directly to your own computer. Apps like <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/hp-eprint/id299531647?mt=8" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>HP ePrint</strong></span></a> can connect to your printer or even publicly available printers (at places like airports, hotels, etc).</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/technology/2015/12/instagram-adds-new-feature/">The new Instagram feature you’ll love</a></em></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/technology/2015/11/types-of-people-on-facebook/">The 10 types of people you always find on Facebook</a></em></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/technology/2015/11/android-phones-security-phone/">Android phones at risk of hacking</a></em></strong></span></p>

Technology

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6 hidden details in the fine print of plane tickets

<p>A travel writer has revealed a number of secrets about air travel airlines have been hiding in the fine print of their contracts of carriage.</p> <p>Joe Brancatelli, founder of the business travel site JoeSentMe, outlined these details not as a suggestion of any malevolence on the airline’s part, but a general warning for passengers to be wary. </p> <p><strong>1. You have signed a contract with the airline, whether you realise it or not</strong></p> <p>By the act of purchasing a ticket, you’re technically agreeing to the airline’s contract of carriage (COC), which is heavily tilted in the airline’s favour. COCs are generally posted online.</p> <p><strong>2. The airlines aren’t really obliged to take you anywhere</strong></p> <p>Look closely at a contact of carriage and you’ll notice airlines generally give themselves a huge concessions in terms of being required to get you where you need to be, when you need to be there. With slight variations, COCs generally state, “Times shown in timetables or elsewhere are not guaranteed and form no part of this contract. Schedules are subject to change without notice.”</p> <p><strong>3. Class mapping</strong></p> <p>This doesn’t refer to different levels of airline service (ie Business, Economy), but rather the different fare classes airlines charge for each flight. Mr Brancatelli argues that the practice of class mapping affects passengers who book a multiple stop flights and are automatically bumped into the highest fare class for each segment of the flight. To avoid this, ask about alternate routes.</p> <p><strong>4. Space in the cabin</strong></p> <p>For now at least, there are no regulations regarding how much legroom an airline has to give you. Which probably makes a lot of sense if you’ve sat through a crowded economy flight recently.</p> <p><strong>5. Tickets are no longer exchangeable</strong></p> <p>There was a time where airlines were willing to book tickets with different carriers as no additional cost as a means of making up for cancelled flights, but this act is fast going the way of the Wright Brothers.</p> <p><strong>6. Even if your carry on fits it may not necessarily make it on the plane</strong></p> <p>Going back to airlines COCs, while there are strict regulations about the size and weight of a carry-on bag you’re allowed to take on a plane, in the end of the day it’s the air staff who make the call.</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="/travel/travel-tips/2015/12/handing-your-passport-to-a-hotel/"><strong>Is it safe to hand your passport over to a hotel?</strong></a></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="/travel/travel-tips/2015/12/never-book-a-flight-on-a-friday/"><strong>Why you should never book a flight on a Friday</strong></a></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="/travel/travel-tips/2015/12/16-travel-trends-for-2016/"><strong>16 travel trends you need to know for 2016</strong></a></em></span></p>

Travel Tips

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Understanding the “fine print” on your electricity bill

<p>Understanding exactly what costs make up your energy bill can help you save.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Terms to know </span></strong></p> <p><strong>Average cost per day</strong> – This is how much you pay each day on average for energy for this billing period.</p> <p><strong>Average daily usage</strong> – This is how much energy you use each day on average. It is measured in kilowatt hours (kWh) for electricity and megajoules (MJ) for gas.</p> <p><strong>kWh</strong> – Electricity energy consumption is measured in kilowatt hours. A kilowatt (kW) is 1000 watts of electrical power. For example, if you run a 1000 watt heater for one hour, it will use 1 kWh.</p> <p><strong>MJ</strong> – Gas energy consumption is measured in megajoules. A megajoule (MJ) is a measure of gas equal to one million joules.</p> <p><strong>Charge/kWh</strong> – Electricity usage is priced in cents per kilowatt hour, for example, 22.56 cents per kilowatt-hour (c/kWh). So if you use 20 kWh each day, it would cost $4.51 each day.</p> <p><strong>Peak and off-peak</strong> – If you choose a flexible pricing or time-of-use electricity plan, there will be different charges for peak and off-peak use.</p> <p><strong>Service to Property</strong> – A fixed charge that is also called the “daily supply charge”.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">How to calculate quarterly usage </span></strong></p> <p>Look for the detailed charged section, usually at the back of the bill, and under the usage heading you will be able to find a summary of kWh and how many cents you are paying per kWh.</p> <p>You will also find an “average use for the billing period” figure in kWh and “total for this bill”, which relates to the total amount of kWh you have used during that billing period.</p> <p>To calculate your quarterly usage, multiply your average usage per day by the number of days in your billing period.</p> <p>For example, if your daily average is 5.93 kWh, multiply that by the number of days billed for that quarter (91 days), so 5.93 x 91 = 540 kWh.</p> <p>Remember rates vary between retailers and some quarters are usually more expensive than others, such as in the middle of winter.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The common types of tariffs </span></strong></p> <p><strong>Flat rate</strong> – This is the most common type. The same rate is charged for electricity consumed at any time of the day or night.</p> <p><strong>Time-of-use</strong> – This is where a different price is charged according to when the electricity is used during the day. Time-of-use tariffs usually involve peak and off-peak pricing, which means users are charged less for electricity during 'off-peak' or low demand periods and a higher rate for electricity used during high demand or 'peak' hours. You may not be eligible for time-of-use offers – check with your retailer.</p> <p><strong>Flexible pricing</strong> – This is an extended 'time-of-use' tariff, with peak, shoulder and off-peak rates. New flexible pricing plans have some consumer-protections associated with them, unlike the older and still available 'time-of-use' plans.</p>

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