When you think about user experience design it’s a term we instantly associate with apps and websites. And especially when considering a typical job description of a UX designer, it can trick you into thinking that it’s a modern concept. The term was first coined in 1993 by the cognitive psychologist and designer Don Norman…

While conceived of and functioning differently in diverse contexts, ‘face’ describes a phenomenon that exists in every human society. Its most basic sense concerns the public presentation and perception of the self. Someone who has face possesses something of positive social value that arises from social approval of a person’s status, action or state of…

The Shoreline Amphitheater, the home of Google I/O. It's right in Google's backyard. The dates are set for Google I/O 2020—Google's biggest show of the year will take place on May 12-14. As usual, the show is at the Shoreline Amphitheater, an outdoor venue located right next to Google's Mountain View headquarters. Google announced the date…

Enlarge / The Apple Watch Series 5. According to a report from CNBC, Apple this week introduced "Apple Watch Connected," an initiative that sees the Cupertino company partnering with major gym chains to bring Apple Watch-related technologies and benefits to members of those gyms. Benefits include workout machines that play nice with the Watch, rewards…

We’ve been chasing ET for millennia with nothing concrete to show for it. Aside from conspiracy theory claims that the US government has an alien spacecraft hidden away somewhere, the search for alien life has been a complete bust. Michael Masters, a professor of biological anthropology at Montana Technological University in Butte, thinks that could…

The Librem 5. This is the home screen, I guess? It is just totally blank. Ron Amadeo The back. It's all plastic. Ron Amadeo Did we mention the Lbrem 5 is extra-thick? Just look at the USB-C port compared to the rest of the body. Ron Amadeo The Librem 5 is about twice as thick…

Google and its partners at the Janelia Research Campus today released the largest, most detailed set of brain scans ever published. The project encompasses nearly one-third of the brain of a fruit fly and includes detailed mappings for more than 25 thousand neurons featuring more than 20 million synapses. The best part: it’s all been…

Enlarge / Sarcos Robotics' Guardian XO is the closest thing we've seen in real life to the Power Loader Lieutenant Ripley used to such good effect in 1986's Aliens. The most interesting thing we saw at the Consumer Electronics Show this year was the back side of Delta Airlines' exhibit, where some Sarcos Robotics folks…

On average, people spend four hours on their phone every day. It should come as no surprise that we’re all probably addicted to our phones, but don’t worry it’s not all our fault — apps are literally designed to keep us hooked.  Yesterday, in a bid to get you off your phone, Google launched three…

A pair of researchers from Zhejiang University in China have developed a device that allows humans or robots to scale walls like the Amazing Spider-Man. Researchers Xin Li and Kaige Shi developed a novel vaccuum suction unit capable of gripping rough, uneven surfaces. Until recently, if you wanted to suction-cup your way up a wall…