Saturday, May 31, 2014

Recommended Reading: Beer genetics and Kinect physical therapy

Recommended Reading highlights the best long-form writing on technology and more in print and on the web. Some weeks, you'll also find short reviews of books that we think are worth your time. We hope you enjoy the read.




Strange Brews: The Genes of Craft Beer

by William Herkewitz, New York Times


Pocket



White Labs has been providing professional and home brewers with the requisite yeast strains that they need for proper fermentation for years. Now, the suds-focused laboratory has gone a step further by creating the first genetic map for the yeasts. The company has sequenced DNA from over 240 strains from all over the globe, reading the 12 million molecules that compose each line by line. Not only will direct comparisons be an option, but also discovering exactly how the mapping translates to the final taste and the overall brewing process.














How the Kinect Saved My Life and Why I Don't Want it to Go Away

by Holly Green, Polygon


We've seen Kinect used in a variety of ways over the years, and aiding physical therapy patients is just one of the myriad tasks. Finding relief from her Reflex Neurovascular Dystrophy, Polygon's Holly Green took to Dance Central for at-home sessions and staying motivated to get the much-needed exercise in. With Microsoft recently making the choice to unbundle the Kinect from Xbox One packages, the future of the add-on could be in jeopardy, and Green pleads her case for it to stay.


Pocket



Why This NASCAR Team Is Putting RFID Sensors On Every Person In The Pit

by
Matt Hartigan, Fast Company


A fraction of a second in the pits could mean the difference between winning a race and finishing fifth. Until now, NASCAR crews have used video footage and stopwatches to gauge performance, but a company is looking to outfit each person over the wall from Michael Waltrip Racing with RFID Sensors. By doing do, the effort seeks to maximize efficiency by gauging each turn of the track bar, tightened lug nut and fuel fill-up to ensure that races are won -- and not lost -- on pit road.


Pocket



Kickstarter Helps Revive a Film Ansel Adams Used

by Hiawatha Bray, Boston Globe


Thanks to a Kickstarter campaign, Polaroid's popular large-format black-and-white Type 55 film is set to return. A new release based on the original photo material -- which was used by Ansel Adams to shoot stills of Yosemite National Park -- is scheduled to debut next year thanks to the efforts of inventor Robert Crowley.


Pocket



How To Redesign Stadiums For People Who'd Rather Watch Games On TV

by Evan Gant and Alex Tee, Fast Company


Let's face it: Sometimes it's just better to stay home and watch the big game on TV. There's the traffic and the overpriced beers and the view from the nosebleeds to make the experience a bit less than ideal. Most folks are okay to stay at home, so attendance is suffering, but there are some things that can be done to motivate couch potatoes to turn out.


Pocket



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