Erik Sofge
Popular Science
Massachusetts, United States
Contact Erik
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Past articles by Erik:
What Might A Killerbot Arms Race Look Like?
When they appear on the horizon, the robots coming to kill you won’t necessarily look like warplanes. That’s limited, human-centric thinking, says Stuart Russell, a computer scientist at the University of California at Berkeley, and it only applies to today’s unmanned weapons. Predator and Reaper drones were built with remote pilots and traditional flight mechanics in mind, and armed with the… → Read More
Why Is Google Building A Robot Army?
Looking back, Google’s emergence as a robotics powerhouse seems obvious—and inevitable. First came the scattered hires of roboticists and the release of self-driving cars into Bay Area traffic. Then, the search giant reportedly bought two humanoid HUBO robots from South Korean university KAIST. But it wasn’t until December’s revelation that Google had acquired eight robotics companies—including… → Read More
Will Mind Transfer Ever Happen?
In Self/less, a dying billionaire "sheds" his mind into a younger man → Read More
Apple Just Normalized Talking to Your House
Apple's flashy new voice-controlled speaker may feel late-to-the-party, but in reality it's a beautiful device that is poised to make the voice-controlled smart home legit. → Read More
Gadgets Moms Really Want: 11 Tech Gifts for Mother’s Day
Mother's Day is a time to celebrate Mom. Give her one of these gadgets, from a new Kindle to the best portable charger. → Read More
How to Fly Private and What It Costs
Whether it's once or regularly, here are your options for taking a private flight. → Read More
The Best Laptops You Can Buy Under $500
Here are seven affordable options for anyone looking for a great laptop on a budget. → Read More
Yes, The CIA Probably Can Hack Your Smart TV. Here's How.
A Wikileaks data dump includes the claim that the CIA can hack into smart TVs manufactured by Samsung. Security experts are hardly surprised. → Read More
Robots vs. Cancer: How Tech is Tackling Biden's Moonshot
Cancer has become an innovation priority in the 21st century, and researchers in a wide variety of fields are proposing novel approaches to finding, containing, and destroying it. → Read More
The Amazon Kindle Oasis Will Make You Want an E-Reader Again
What you need to know about Amazon's newest Kindle, the Oasis. → Read More
8 Simple Ways to Improve Your Home Sound System
It doesn't take an audiophile to appreciate the difference between an ad hoc speaker setup, and a properly-appointed home stereo system. → Read More
Q&A: How 'Star Wars' Creators Made BB-8 Into A Robot Icon
Star Wars: The Force Awakens doesn’t hit theaters until December 18, but it already has a breakout star: BB-8, the endearing ball droid that made its debut in the movie trailer this summer. → Read More
72 Hours With the iPad Pro
We spent three days straight with Apple's new iPad Pro. Here are the results. → Read More
Astrobotic Wants To Use Drones To Scope Out Martian Real Estate
In October, NASA released its plan for getting to Mars. The trip is a long way off (we’re talking decades), but the agency says it’s gearing up. → Read More
The Best TVs for Under $500
You don't have to spend your entire paycheck just to get a high-quality television. → Read More
With the Rise of Smart TVs, Is Apple TV Even Relevant?
Why Apple's newest Apple TV update matters now, and what it means for the future. → Read More
Before You Buy a New TV, Read This
The answers to the following key questions will help you find the right set. → Read More
72 Hours With the iPhone 6s
We spent three long days testing the iPhone 6s. Here are the results. → Read More
The World's Most Secure Smartphone
The Blackphone 2 aims to be the most secure mobile device ever built. → Read More
Fix All Your Password Problems
Keep your information safer with these go-to password managers. → Read More