theverge--2020-07-28--Razer Blade Stealth 13 (2020) review: great gaming on the go

The biggest question about the Blade Stealth 13 isn ’ t actually about the Blade Stealth 13 .
It ’ s about the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 , the best ultraportable gaming laptop ever made .
For a while , that title belonged to the 2019 Blade Stealth 13 .
Prior to last year , it was highly unusual to see any GPU more powerful than an MX 150 in a thin and light machine .
( The reason rhymes with “ schooling.
” ) That Razer crammed an Nvidia GTX 1650 into a chassis that was just 3.13 pounds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was astonishing to see .
There was nothing like it on the market .
That ’ s not true anymore , thanks to the Zephyrus , which not only houses a powerful GPU ( up to an RTX 2060 Max-Q ) and CPU ( up to AMD ’ s eight-core Ryzen 9 4900HS ) in a chassis that weighs just over 3.5 pounds , but it ’ s also aggressively priced : the tricked-out model is just $ 1,449 .
After spending time with that device , it was hard for me to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the go .
Razer ’ s work was cut out for it .
In a vacuum , the $ 1,799 Blade Stealth 13 is an improvement over last year ’ s model : the chips are more powerful , there ’ s a faster screen , and Razer made a much-requested tweak to the keyboard .
But thanks to Asus and AMD , this year ’ s competition is much stiffer .
The Blade is no longer the obvious ( only , really ) choice that it used to be .
But there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a better choice than the Zephyrus .
Whether you ’ re one of them depends on what you care about the most .
One obvious area where the Blade has the Zephyrus beat is the webcam — specifically , there is a webcam .
( Asus didn ’ t put one on the Zephyrus . )
Some people will care about this and some won ’ t .
But part of the appeal of a laptop with this form factor is that it could easily double as a driver for daily work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zoom .
The webcam makes the Blade that much more versatile for non-gaming purposes .
Plus , it supports Windows Hello facial recognition , which is handy for quick and easy logins .
The other factor that distinguishes this from the Zephyrus is the design .
Don ’ t get me wrong : the Zephyrus looks fine .
But not only is the Blade Stealth 13 one of the best-looking gaming laptops out there ; it ’ s one of the best-looking laptops out there , period .
It ’ s a world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that of the Dell G5 .
The chassis is light ( 3.11 pounds ) and compact ( 11.99 x 8.27 x 0.6 inches ) , which makes it very close to the size of the 13-inch MacBook Pro ( 11.97 x 8.36 x 0.61 inches , 3.1 pounds ) .
This Blade looks and feels like a premium ultrabook , and it certainly wouldn ’ t be out of place in a school or office setting .
If I didn ’ t know anything about laptops , I ’ d be shocked to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There is one feature that slightly gives up the game ( pun intended ) : the colorful keyboard .
In Razer ’ s Chroma Studio software , you can customize all kinds of effects , colors , and speeds .
The keys aren ’ t individually backlit , so you can ’ t get up to anything too fancy .
But I think the subdued lighting actually augments the Blade ’ s professional aesthetic .
Where garish RGB setups like that of the Gigabyte Aero 15 evoke a disco club , this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bar .
Razer has made a few significant upgrades to last year ’ s Blade Stealth 13 model .
The first feature to know about is the display .
You can now configure the Blade with a 120Hz panel , which is the highest refresh rate 13-inch screen you can get .
( There ’ s also a 4K touchscreen option .
Obviously , you won ’ t want that one for the best gaming results . )
I measured brightness at up to 357 nits , covering 99 percent of the sRGB @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The screen delivers a nice picture , with bright colors and sharp details .
Response times were decent , but I did see more ghosting than I ’ d want to see on a high-end gaming laptop .
As it did on other Blade models , Razer has also made a welcome change to the Stealth ’ s keyboard .
Previous generations of Blade and Blade Stealth attempted to squeeze an up arrow right between the right Shift key and the question mark key .
This made it very easy to accidentally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hit Shift .
No longer : Razer has extended the Shift key and wedged half-height arrow keys underneath .
As someone who uses the Shift key more than I use the up arrow , I much prefer it this way .
The trackpad is also quite good and extremely smooth , clicking with a nice quiet thunk .
The other peripheral that ’ s worth mentioning is the speakers .
Like last year ’ s Blade , this laptop has upward-facing speakers on each side of the keyboard .
The audio they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this size , though it lacks strong bass ( as laptop audio tends to ) .
I felt comfortable using the Blade to blast music through my bedroom and living room without any sort of external speaker .
It sounds better than the G14 , and is fairly on par with the 13-inch MacBook Pro , though the Pro does a better job with bass .
I tested the Blade model that has an Nvidia ’ s GTX 1650 Ti with Max Q design , in addition to a quad-core Intel Core i7-1065G7 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 512GB SSD .
The GTX 1650 Ti is a slight step up from the last Blade Stealth , which had a GTX 1650 .
But we wouldn ’ t expect it to deliver nearly the same power as the RTX 2060 that can come in the Zephyrus G14 .
That bore out in our testing .
The Stealth ran Shadow of the Tomb Raider on its highest settings at an average of 45fps .
That ’ s playable enough , and you ’ ll certainly hit 60 if you ’ re willing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s a significantly worse frame rate than we got from the G14 , which ran the same benchmark on the same settings at 74fps .
The Blade also did a fine job on our Premiere Pro test , which involves exporting a 5-minute 4K video .
This unit completed the task in 5 minutes and 50 seconds .
That ’ s a much better result than we got from the MacBook Pro 13 ( which lacks a discrete graphics card ) as well as the 13-inch Surface Book 3 with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , on a laptop with this screen and size , most people are likely spending more time on daily productivity work than on heavy media editing .
For regular office tasks , the Blade does just fine .
I used it to jump between 12 to 16 Chrome tabs , Slack , Spotify , and Zoom , as well as miscellaneous tasks like downloading files , copying folders , and batch processing photos .
Everything was smooth , and I didn ’ t notice any performance difference between the Blade and bulkier rigs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s fans were often spinning , but they only got annoyingly loud under heavy loads of Chrome tabs or other demanding programs ( like games ) .
The bottom of the chassis was usually warm on the lap , but never hot enough that I had to move it .
Battery life was good , but the profile you choose has a significant impact on results .
On the Windows Better Battery and Battery Saver profiles as well as Razer ’ s Battery Saver profile , I got ( on average , from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seven hours of use .
Our battery test includes running the laptop through our typical workday ( mine is detailed above ) at 200 nits of brightness .
On the Windows Better Performance profile and Razer ’ s Balanced setting , I only tended to get around five and a half hours .
I didn ’ t see a huge performance difference between any of the battery presets ( and you ’ ll want to plug in when gaming anyway ) , so I ’ d just use it on Battery Saver if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That battery life is pretty good as gaming laptops go .
Seven hours is comparable to what I got running the XPS 13 through the same workload and better than what we got for the MacBook Pro 13 .
They don ’ t quite put the Blade at the top of its class , though ; the Zephyrus lasted 8 hours and 50 minutes on the same test .
I ’ m a bit disappointed that this Blade didn ’ t outlast the Zephyrus , given the latter ’ s more powerful chips @ @ @ @ @ @ @ result nonetheless .
Razer ’ s 2020 Blade Stealth 13 is a competent and beautiful computer .
Almost everything about it is good .
The problem is that when it comes to its main attraction — gaming — there ’ s an exceptional 14-inch rig out there that just shellacks it .
Not only that , but it ’ s a few hundred dollars cheaper .
From the Zephyrus to the Dell G5 and the Envy x360 , recent AMD systems have run circles around Intel systems in the price-to-performance game .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in good conscience , recommend the Blade as the best portable gaming laptop for most people .
Asus and AMD have that crown for now .
That said , there are reasons why someone might want Razer ’ s laptop instead .
One is the built-in webcam .
Another is the refined aesthetic , which is a hallmark of the Blade Stealth , including the chic colorful keyboard .
And another is the form factor .
At the end of the day , the Blade Stealth 13 is still the most portable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ G14 is a bit bigger and noticeably heavier .
If you ’ d prefer to sacrifice some gaming performance in exchange for a laptop that ’ s exceptional in these areas , the Blade Stealth 13 is for you .

The biggest question about the Blade Stealth 13 isn’t actually about the Blade Stealth 13. It’s about the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14, the best ultraportable gaming laptop ever made.
For a while, that title belonged to the 2019 Blade Stealth 13. Prior to last year, it was highly unusual to see any GPU more powerful than an MX 150 in a thin and light machine. (The reason rhymes with “schooling.”) That Razer crammed an Nvidia GTX 1650 into a chassis that was just 3.13 pounds and 12 x 8.3 x 0.6 inches was astonishing to see. There was nothing like it on the market.
That’s not true anymore, thanks to the Zephyrus, which not only houses a powerful GPU (up to an RTX 2060 Max-Q) and CPU (up to AMD’s eight-core Ryzen 9 4900HS) in a chassis that weighs just over 3.5 pounds, but it’s also aggressively priced: the tricked-out model is just $1,449. After spending time with that device, it was hard for me to imagine recommending anything else for gaming on the go. Razer’s work was cut out for it.
8 Verge Score Razer Blade Stealth 13 (2020) $ 1799.99 The Good Sturdy, compact, beautiful build
Colorful keyboard with updated layout
Powerful gaming specs with a 120Hz screen The Bad Expensive compared to portable competitors
Performance can’t match larger gaming laptops
Large top and bottom bezels (by current standards) $1800 at Best Buy$1800 at Razer How we rate and review products
In a vacuum, the $1,799 Blade Stealth 13 is an improvement over last year’s model: the chips are more powerful, there’s a faster screen, and Razer made a much-requested tweak to the keyboard. But thanks to Asus and AMD, this year’s competition is much stiffer. The Blade is no longer the obvious (only, really) choice that it used to be. But there are certainly people for whom the Blade is a better choice than the Zephyrus. Whether you’re one of them depends on what you care about the most.
One obvious area where the Blade has the Zephyrus beat is the webcam — specifically, there is a webcam. (Asus didn’t put one on the Zephyrus.) Some people will care about this and some won’t. But part of the appeal of a laptop with this form factor is that it could easily double as a driver for daily work or for messing around with friends on Zoom. The webcam makes the Blade that much more versatile for non-gaming purposes. Plus, it supports Windows Hello facial recognition, which is handy for quick and easy logins.
One USB-C, one USB-A, and an audio jack on the left. One USB-C (Thunderbolt 3) and one USB-A on the right.
The other factor that distinguishes this from the Zephyrus is the design. Don’t get me wrong: the Zephyrus looks fine. But not only is the Blade Stealth 13 one of the best-looking gaming laptops out there; it’s one of the best-looking laptops out there, period. It’s a world away from traditional gaming laptop designs like that of the Dell G5. The chassis is light (3.11 pounds) and compact (11.99 x 8.27 x 0.6 inches), which makes it very close to the size of the 13-inch MacBook Pro (11.97 x 8.36 x 0.61 inches, 3.1 pounds). This Blade looks and feels like a premium ultrabook, and it certainly wouldn’t be out of place in a school or office setting. If I didn’t know anything about laptops, I’d be shocked to hear that it was designed for gaming.
There is one feature that slightly gives up the game (pun intended): the colorful keyboard. In Razer’s Chroma Studio software, you can customize all kinds of effects, colors, and speeds. The keys aren’t individually backlit, so you can’t get up to anything too fancy. But I think the subdued lighting actually augments the Blade’s professional aesthetic. Where garish RGB setups like that of the Gigabyte Aero 15 evoke a disco club, this keyboard has the vibe of a classy bar.
Razer has made a few significant upgrades to last year’s Blade Stealth 13 model. The first feature to know about is the display. You can now configure the Blade with a 120Hz panel, which is the highest refresh rate 13-inch screen you can get. (There’s also a 4K touchscreen option. Obviously, you won’t want that one for the best gaming results.) I measured brightness at up to 357 nits, covering 99 percent of the sRGB spectrum and 74 percent of Adobe RGB. The screen delivers a nice picture, with bright colors and sharp details. Response times were decent, but I did see more ghosting than I’d want to see on a high-end gaming laptop.
The side bezels are 4.9mm thick. The Stealth has four stereo speakers, and it comes pre-loaded with Dolby Atmos software.
As it did on other Blade models, Razer has also made a welcome change to the Stealth’s keyboard. Previous generations of Blade and Blade Stealth attempted to squeeze an up arrow right between the right Shift key and the question mark key. This made it very easy to accidentally hit the up arrow when you meant to hit Shift. No longer: Razer has extended the Shift key and wedged half-height arrow keys underneath. As someone who uses the Shift key more than I use the up arrow, I much prefer it this way. The trackpad is also quite good and extremely smooth, clicking with a nice quiet thunk.
The other peripheral that’s worth mentioning is the speakers. Like last year’s Blade, this laptop has upward-facing speakers on each side of the keyboard. The audio they deliver is impressive for a laptop of this size, though it lacks strong bass (as laptop audio tends to). I felt comfortable using the Blade to blast music through my bedroom and living room without any sort of external speaker. It sounds better than the G14, and is fairly on par with the 13-inch MacBook Pro, though the Pro does a better job with bass.
I tested the Blade model that has an Nvidia’s GTX 1650 Ti with Max Q design, in addition to a quad-core Intel Core i7-1065G7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. The GTX 1650 Ti is a slight step up from the last Blade Stealth, which had a GTX 1650. But we wouldn’t expect it to deliver nearly the same power as the RTX 2060 that can come in the Zephyrus G14. That bore out in our testing. The Stealth ran Shadow of the Tomb Raider on its highest settings at an average of 45fps. That’s playable enough, and you’ll certainly hit 60 if you’re willing to lower the settings. However, it’s a significantly worse frame rate than we got from the G14, which ran the same benchmark on the same settings at 74fps.
Agree to Continue: Razer Blade Stealth 13 (2020) Every smart device now requires you to agree to a series of terms and conditions before you can use it — contracts that no one actually reads. It’s impossible for us to read and analyze every single one of these agreements. But we started counting exactly how many times you have to hit “agree” to use devices when we review them, since these are agreements most people don’t read and definitely can’t negotiate. To start using the Razer Blade Stealth 13, you’ll need to agree to the following: A request for your region
A request for your keyboard layout
Microsoft account
PIN You can also say yes or no to the following: Wi-Fi
Windows Hello face
Activity history
Syncing an Android phone
OneDrive backup
Office 365
Cortana
Privacy settings (speech recognition, location, Find My Device, sharing diagnostic data, inking and typing, tailored experience, advertising ID)
Razer account In total, that’s four mandatory agreements and 15 optional agreements to use the Blade Stealth 13.
The battery life is good as gaming laptops go
The Blade also did a fine job on our Premiere Pro test, which involves exporting a 5-minute 4K video. This unit completed the task in 5 minutes and 50 seconds. That’s a much better result than we got from the MacBook Pro 13 (which lacks a discrete graphics card) as well as the 13-inch Surface Book 3 with a GTX 1650 Max Q.
Of course, on a laptop with this screen and size, most people are likely spending more time on daily productivity work than on heavy media editing. For regular office tasks, the Blade does just fine. I used it to jump between 12 to 16 Chrome tabs, Slack, Spotify, and Zoom, as well as miscellaneous tasks like downloading files, copying folders, and batch processing photos. Everything was smooth, and I didn’t notice any performance difference between the Blade and bulkier rigs like the G14.
The Blade’s fans were often spinning, but they only got annoyingly loud under heavy loads of Chrome tabs or other demanding programs (like games). The bottom of the chassis was usually warm on the lap, but never hot enough that I had to move it.
Battery life was good, but the profile you choose has a significant impact on results. On the Windows Better Battery and Battery Saver profiles as well as Razer’s Battery Saver profile, I got (on average, from a number of runs) just over seven hours of use. Our battery test includes running the laptop through our typical workday (mine is detailed above) at 200 nits of brightness. On the Windows Better Performance profile and Razer’s Balanced setting, I only tended to get around five and a half hours. I didn’t see a huge performance difference between any of the battery presets (and you’ll want to plug in when gaming anyway), so I’d just use it on Battery Saver if you need a day of juice.
That battery life is pretty good as gaming laptops go. Seven hours is comparable to what I got running the XPS 13 through the same workload and better than what we got for the MacBook Pro 13. They don’t quite put the Blade at the top of its class, though; the Zephyrus lasted 8 hours and 50 minutes on the same test. I’m a bit disappointed that this Blade didn’t outlast the Zephyrus, given the latter’s more powerful chips, but it’s a solid result nonetheless.
Razer’s 2020 Blade Stealth 13 is a competent and beautiful computer. Almost everything about it is good. The problem is that when it comes to its main attraction — gaming — there’s an exceptional 14-inch rig out there that just shellacks it. Not only that, but it’s a few hundred dollars cheaper. From the Zephyrus to the Dell G5 and the Envy x360, recent AMD systems have run circles around Intel systems in the price-to-performance game. That’s why I can’t, in good conscience, recommend the Blade as the best portable gaming laptop for most people. Asus and AMD have that crown for now.
The keyboard is fixed! It’s still a unique 13-inch gaming laptop.
That said, there are reasons why someone might want Razer’s laptop instead. One is the built-in webcam. Another is the refined aesthetic, which is a hallmark of the Blade Stealth, including the chic colorful keyboard. And another is the form factor. At the end of the day, the Blade Stealth 13 is still the most portable gaming experience you can find. The G14 is a bit bigger and noticeably heavier. If you’d prefer to sacrifice some gaming performance in exchange for a laptop that’s exceptional in these areas, the Blade Stealth 13 is for you.


theverge--2020-07-28--NASA’s new Mars rover is about to embark on a hunt for ancient alien life

On July 30th , a six-wheeled NASA rover the size of an SUV will embark on its journey to Mars — the beginning of a quest to decode the secrets of the Red Planet ’ s past .
Equipped with a suite of instruments and a sophisticated drilling system , the rover is tasked with answering a question that has confounded scientists for centuries : has Mars ever hosted life ?
The rover , named Perseverance , is one of NASA ’ s most ambitious planetary missions to date .
Not only is the bot designed to analyze Martian rocks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rover will also cache dozens of samples to leave somewhere on the Martian surface .
These samples will weather the next decade on Mars , awaiting the day that another robotic spacecraft arrives , picks them up , and blasts off .
The samples will then travel back to our planet , where eager scientists will be waiting to receive them .
“ This is really a unique — really a once-in-a-lifetime — opportunity to get samples from a known location on Mars.
” It ’ s all part of a herculean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The goal is to bring pristine pieces of Martian material back to Earth where we can study them in sophisticated labs .
“ If you want to confirm that life exists beyond the Earth , you probably can not do it with any instruments that can be flown today , ” Kenneth Farley , the project scientist for Perseverance and a professor at the California Institute of Technology , tells The Verge .
“ You really have to bring samples back to the lab.
” Perseverance is just the first — extremely complicated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If successful , Perseverance will neatly package dozens of samples of the Martian surface that may one day see Earth .
They may tell us if life existed on Mars or if it ’ s always been a barren planet .
“ This is really a unique — really a once-in-a-lifetime — opportunity to get samples from a known location on Mars , ” Tanja Bosak , a professor of geobiology at MIT who is a participating scientist on the mission , tells The Verge .
The search for life on Mars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , called Viking 1 and Viking 2 , to the Martian surface to actively look for signs of life .
While the pair learned a great deal about Mars , they didn ’ t turn up any compelling evidence that life had ever existed on the planet , putting a damper on the search for a while .
But in hindsight , the Viking landers were not well-equipped to answer that ultimate question .
“ Compared to what we know today , they did not have a very sophisticated understanding of how to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Farley .
Over time , a new portrait of Mars ’ past emerged NASA followed up the Viking landers with orbiters that studied Mars from above as well as rovers that crawled across the planet ’ s surface .
Over time , a new portrait of Mars ’ past emerged .
Thanks to data from these spacecraft , scientists realized that 3.5 billion years ago , liquid water lakes and rivers dotted the planet ’ s surface .
Flowing water on Earth is perhaps the single most important ingredient for life on our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lush Mars of the past hosted organisms , too .
Data from NASA ’ s most recent rover , Curiosity , reinvigorated the search for life .
Dropped into a basin called Gale Crater in 2012 , Curiosity ’ s instruments quickly determined that the region was once a giant lake .
“ At the same time as that environment existed , on Earth a similar environment would not only be habitable , it would have been inhabited , ” Farley says .
“ There would have been living organisms in a very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Earth.
” Fast-forward to today , and NASA picked perhaps the most tantalizing place for Perseverance to explore : a region on Mars called Jezero Crater .
Scientists are fairly certain that the crater was once home to a flowing river that poured into a lake .
That flowing water may have brought sediments and other minerals into the lake , providing the right chemical recipe needed for tiny lifeforms to thrive .
“ If there were microbes in that lake , they had every opportunity to colonize.
” “ We are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from orbit as a very , very habitable environment , ” Ken Williford , the deputy project scientist for Perseverance at NASA ’ s Jet Propulsion Laboratory , tells The Verge .
“ If there were microbes in that lake , they had every opportunity to colonize , especially , say , on the edge of the lake where you often find pond scum on Earth or this sort of just green goo at the edge of a pond or a lake .
That ’ s like our holy grail.
” Once Perseverance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be on for so-called “ biosignatures.
” A biosignature could be a rock , mineral , or structure that is formed by living things .
It could be chemicals that are produced by biological processes or organic matter — molecules made of carbon and hydrogen that comprise all of Earth life .
Finding one biosignature would be incredible , while finding multiple types in one location would be a jackpot .
Perseverance is decked out with seven instruments , most of which will look for biosignatures as the rover surveys the Martian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a laser , and more .
Perseverance has a few side projects , too .
One instrument called MOXIE will attempt to turn carbon dioxide in the Martian atmosphere into oxygen — a technique that may be useful for future human explorers of Mars .
The glitziest addition is a tiny helicopter , which will attempt to fly through the thin Martian atmosphere .
“ The sample return aspect is really sort of the biggest motivating objective.
” The real pièce de résistance of Perseverance is its sampling system .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the biggest motivating objective of Mars 2020 , ” Williford says .
“ It ’ s our reason for being.
” A robotic arm will extend outward from the front of the rover and drill into the surface with one of nine drill bits .
The drilled material will be shuffled into one of the 43 titanium sample tubes that Perseverance brought to Mars .
Once filled , a tube is brought into the belly of the rover , where another robotic arm takes pictures of the sample , hermetically seals it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Entire teams of scientists and engineers will determine where and when Perseverance drills .
They ’ re trying to plan as much as they can now , but it all depends on exactly where Perseverance lands within Jezero Crater .
Once it ’ s on the ground , the rover can analyze its surroundings and highlight key areas of interest .
The teams are on the hunt for certain types of rocks like carbonates , which have been seen from orbit surrounding the rim of Jezero Crater .
They ’ re also hoping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , known as stromatolites .
Stromatolites form in shallow water environments on Earth when mats of cyanobacteria trap tiny bits of sediment , creating layered rock formations .
Similar structures on Mars would provide enticing spots to drill .
Ultimately , a decision to drill will take days to weeks of discussion , with scientists weighing thousands of different factors .
“ Each sample will be incredibly valuable , and really one of its kind , ” says Bosak , who is part of the team of scientists making the decision on where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we can be paralyzed also by : ‘ Oh is this as valuable as something around the corner could be ?
’ We ’ re still working out what exactly is good enough , because maybe around the corner is worse.
” The goal is to get at least 20 samples of diverse material that can be returned to Earth one day , though the option is there to fill all 43 tubes .
“ If you ask all the engineers , it ’ s 43 , ” Eric Aguilar , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manager for the sample caching system on Perseverance at NASA JPL , tells The Verge .
“ We want every single one taken and working and have a sample , and then make it really hard for the scientists to decide which ones to come back.
” At some point , scientists will make the decision to drop the sample tubes somewhere on the Martian surface .
It ’ s possible they ’ ll decide to dump the tubes in ones and twos , or most likely in one big grouping on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re made of titanium , the sample containers should be able to withstand the cold Martian environment — as well as any potential dust storms — without losing the precious contents inside them .
They ’ ve also been painted white in case things heat up on Mars , too .
“ We don ’ t want these things to get overheated on the surface of Mars , even though it ’ s still pretty cold up there , ” Aguilar says .
“ But in direct sunlight it can get fairly hot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NASA claims the tubes will be able to last for up to 20 years without degrading .
NASA claims the tubes will be able to last for up to 20 years That ’ ll be key since it ’ s going to be a long wait until the follow-up mission .
NASA and the European Space Agency are working together to help speed things up .
The mission will likely send another rover to Mars to collect the samples and then take them to a rocket , which might meet up with another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then start the journey back to Earth with the samples .
It ’ s going to be incredibly complicated , and scientists are looking at a wait that could last up to a decade .
But if it all pans out , the results could be tremendous .
Once on Earth , scientists would be able to take the samples and slice them down into thin sheets of rock .
“ We ultimately polish it down until it ’ s thinner than a sheet of paper , so you can shine light through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And this then allows you to see very , very tiny things the size of individual microbial cells .
We can ’ t really do that quite yet with the instruments that we can fly on a Mars mission .
But if we get the samples back , we can do that.
” Getting to the launchpad There is still quite a lot of work left to do , but just getting to this point is an achievement for the Perseverance team .
The idea of a Mars sample return mission has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ People would laugh and say we ’ re always 10 years away from Mars sample return , ” says Williford .
“ That was the joke , because this is something people have wanted to do at least since the Apollo era.
” “ This is something people have wanted to do at least since the Apollo era.
” Because of the nature of Perseverance ’ s mission , many extra precautions had to be taken .
Above all , the rover has to be incredibly clean to avoid any contamination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at more than 300 degrees Fahrenheit ( 150 degrees Celsius ) , to completely sterilize it .
“ When we collect that sample , we have to make sure when we open it up and we interrogate it for possible ancient microbial life , that we don ’ t say , ‘ Hey , big newsflash , we found life on Mars !
’ And come to find out , it ’ s actually something that hitched a ride from Earth , ” Moogega Stricker , the lead for planetary protection on Perseverance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
During the final stretch of launch preparations , the COVID-19 pandemic hit , forcing engineers to completely rework their plans .
The team worked in shifts to enforce social distancing and added extra cleaning and disinfection precautions to make sure they didn ’ t spread the virus to their colleagues .
There were struggles with the rover ’ s ride to Mars , too .
The Atlas V rocket slated to launch the mission experienced some issues during a test in June , forcing the team to push back the launch by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only a small window of time this summer for Perseverance to launch when Mars and Earth come closest together on their orbits .
If the rover can ’ t launch before late August , NASA may have to wait another two years to try again .
“ Is the origination of life some kind of magic spark that happens only incredibly rarely , or alternatively , is it the kind of thing that is inevitable ?
” Perseverance is now days away from its scheduled launch on July 30th at 7:50AM ET .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canaveral , Florida , putting Perseverance en route to Mars with a scheduled arrival date sometime in February 2021 .
It ’ s the same month that two other spacecraft will arrive at Mars : an orbiter built by the UAE called Hope and China ’ s Tianwen-1 mission , which also includes a rover .
Next February , Perseverance will descend to Mars , a daring feat that only eight missions have successfully pulled off .
It ’ ll be the most harrowing part of the journey , often described as seven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can get down to the ground in one piece , the real work can begin .
Whether or not Perseverance finds life , it could give us important insights into the nature of our Solar System — and the Universe .
“ The central question of ‘ Is there life on other planets ?
’ — it really comes down to : is the origination of life some kind of magic spark that happens only incredibly rarely , or alternatively , is it the kind of thing that is inevitable ?
” says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is we can go to such place in our own solar system on Mars and ask the question , ‘ Is life ubiquitous ?
’ ”

On July 30th, a six-wheeled NASA rover the size of an SUV will embark on its journey to Mars — the beginning of a quest to decode the secrets of the Red Planet’s past. Equipped with a suite of instruments and a sophisticated drilling system, the rover is tasked with answering a question that has confounded scientists for centuries: has Mars ever hosted life?
The rover, named Perseverance, is one of NASA’s most ambitious planetary missions to date. Not only is the bot designed to analyze Martian rocks for signs of past life, but the rover will also cache dozens of samples to leave somewhere on the Martian surface. These samples will weather the next decade on Mars, awaiting the day that another robotic spacecraft arrives, picks them up, and blasts off. The samples will then travel back to our planet, where eager scientists will be waiting to receive them.
“This is really a unique — really a once-in-a-lifetime — opportunity to get samples from a known location on Mars.”
It’s all part of a herculean operation known as Mars Sample Return. The goal is to bring pristine pieces of Martian material back to Earth where we can study them in sophisticated labs. “If you want to confirm that life exists beyond the Earth, you probably cannot do it with any instruments that can be flown today,” Kenneth Farley, the project scientist for Perseverance and a professor at the California Institute of Technology, tells The Verge. “You really have to bring samples back to the lab.”
Perseverance is just the first — extremely complicated — step in that sample return process. If successful, Perseverance will neatly package dozens of samples of the Martian surface that may one day see Earth. They may tell us if life existed on Mars or if it’s always been a barren planet. “This is really a unique — really a once-in-a-lifetime — opportunity to get samples from a known location on Mars,” Tanja Bosak, a professor of geobiology at MIT who is a participating scientist on the mission, tells The Verge.
The search for life on Mars
In 1976, NASA sent two landers, called Viking 1 and Viking 2, to the Martian surface to actively look for signs of life. While the pair learned a great deal about Mars, they didn’t turn up any compelling evidence that life had ever existed on the planet, putting a damper on the search for a while. But in hindsight, the Viking landers were not well-equipped to answer that ultimate question. “Compared to what we know today, they did not have a very sophisticated understanding of how to actually look for life,” says Farley.
Over time, a new portrait of Mars’ past emerged
NASA followed up the Viking landers with orbiters that studied Mars from above as well as rovers that crawled across the planet’s surface. Over time, a new portrait of Mars’ past emerged. Thanks to data from these spacecraft, scientists realized that 3.5 billion years ago, liquid water lakes and rivers dotted the planet’s surface. Flowing water on Earth is perhaps the single most important ingredient for life on our planet; many scientists wondered if this lush Mars of the past hosted organisms, too.
Data from NASA’s most recent rover, Curiosity, reinvigorated the search for life. Dropped into a basin called Gale Crater in 2012, Curiosity’s instruments quickly determined that the region was once a giant lake. “At the same time as that environment existed, on Earth a similar environment would not only be habitable, it would have been inhabited,” Farley says. “There would have been living organisms in a very similar environment at a very similar time on Earth.”
A false color image of Jezero Crater, as seen from above from NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Image: NASA
Fast-forward to today, and NASA picked perhaps the most tantalizing place for Perseverance to explore: a region on Mars called Jezero Crater. Scientists are fairly certain that the crater was once home to a flowing river that poured into a lake. That flowing water may have brought sediments and other minerals into the lake, providing the right chemical recipe needed for tiny lifeforms to thrive.
“If there were microbes in that lake, they had every opportunity to colonize.”
“We are going to see what looks to us from orbit as a very, very habitable environment,” Ken Williford, the deputy project scientist for Perseverance at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, tells The Verge. “If there were microbes in that lake, they had every opportunity to colonize, especially, say, on the edge of the lake where you often find pond scum on Earth or this sort of just green goo at the edge of a pond or a lake. That’s like our holy grail.”
The Martian dig
Once Perseverance makes it to Jezero, the hunt will be on for so-called “biosignatures.” A biosignature could be a rock, mineral, or structure that is formed by living things. It could be chemicals that are produced by biological processes or organic matter — molecules made of carbon and hydrogen that comprise all of Earth life. Finding one biosignature would be incredible, while finding multiple types in one location would be a jackpot.
An artistic rendering of Perseverance with its primary robotic arm extended, drilling into the surface of Mars. Image: NASA
Perseverance is decked out with seven instruments, most of which will look for biosignatures as the rover surveys the Martian terrain. They include cameras, radar, a laser, and more. Perseverance has a few side projects, too. One instrument called MOXIE will attempt to turn carbon dioxide in the Martian atmosphere into oxygen — a technique that may be useful for future human explorers of Mars. The glitziest addition is a tiny helicopter, which will attempt to fly through the thin Martian atmosphere.
“The sample return aspect is really sort of the biggest motivating objective.”
The real pièce de résistance of Perseverance is its sampling system. “The sample return aspect is really sort of the biggest motivating objective of Mars 2020,” Williford says. “It’s our reason for being.” A robotic arm will extend outward from the front of the rover and drill into the surface with one of nine drill bits. The drilled material will be shuffled into one of the 43 titanium sample tubes that Perseverance brought to Mars. Once filled, a tube is brought into the belly of the rover, where another robotic arm takes pictures of the sample, hermetically seals it, and then stores it for later.
Entire teams of scientists and engineers will determine where and when Perseverance drills. They’re trying to plan as much as they can now, but it all depends on exactly where Perseverance lands within Jezero Crater. Once it’s on the ground, the rover can analyze its surroundings and highlight key areas of interest. The teams are on the hunt for certain types of rocks like carbonates, which have been seen from orbit surrounding the rim of Jezero Crater. They’re also hoping to spot bumpy mounds of layered dirt, known as stromatolites. Stromatolites form in shallow water environments on Earth when mats of cyanobacteria trap tiny bits of sediment, creating layered rock formations. Similar structures on Mars would provide enticing spots to drill.
Ultimately, a decision to drill will take days to weeks of discussion, with scientists weighing thousands of different factors. “Each sample will be incredibly valuable, and really one of its kind,” says Bosak, who is part of the team of scientists making the decision on where to drill. “But while valuable, we can be paralyzed also by: ‘Oh is this as valuable as something around the corner could be?’ We’re still working out what exactly is good enough, because maybe around the corner is worse.”
Weathering Mars
The goal is to get at least 20 samples of diverse material that can be returned to Earth one day, though the option is there to fill all 43 tubes. “If you ask all the engineers, it’s 43,” Eric Aguilar, a system testbed manager and assistant product delivery manager for the sample caching system on Perseverance at NASA JPL, tells The Verge. “We want every single one taken and working and have a sample, and then make it really hard for the scientists to decide which ones to come back.”
Engineers load the titanium sample tubes into Perseverance ahead of launch. Image: NASA
At some point, scientists will make the decision to drop the sample tubes somewhere on the Martian surface. It’s possible they’ll decide to dump the tubes in ones and twos, or most likely in one big grouping on a flat surface somewhere. Since they’re made of titanium, the sample containers should be able to withstand the cold Martian environment — as well as any potential dust storms — without losing the precious contents inside them. They’ve also been painted white in case things heat up on Mars, too. “We don’t want these things to get overheated on the surface of Mars, even though it’s still pretty cold up there,” Aguilar says. “But in direct sunlight it can get fairly hot, too.” All in all, NASA claims the tubes will be able to last for up to 20 years without degrading.
NASA claims the tubes will be able to last for up to 20 years
That’ll be key since it’s going to be a long wait until the follow-up mission. NASA and the European Space Agency are working together to help speed things up. The mission will likely send another rover to Mars to collect the samples and then take them to a rocket, which might meet up with another spacecraft in orbit. That spacecraft will then start the journey back to Earth with the samples. It’s going to be incredibly complicated, and scientists are looking at a wait that could last up to a decade.
But if it all pans out, the results could be tremendous. Once on Earth, scientists would be able to take the samples and slice them down into thin sheets of rock. “We ultimately polish it down until it’s thinner than a sheet of paper, so you can shine light through it,” says Williford. “And this then allows you to see very, very tiny things the size of individual microbial cells. We can’t really do that quite yet with the instruments that we can fly on a Mars mission. But if we get the samples back, we can do that.”
Getting to the launchpad
There is still quite a lot of work left to do, but just getting to this point is an achievement for the Perseverance team. The idea of a Mars sample return mission has been on the minds of scientists for decades. “People would laugh and say we’re always 10 years away from Mars sample return,” says Williford. “That was the joke, because this is something people have wanted to do at least since the Apollo era.”
“This is something people have wanted to do at least since the Apollo era.”
Because of the nature of Perseverance’s mission, many extra precautions had to be taken. Above all, the rover has to be incredibly clean to avoid any contamination of Mars. Engineers baked the rover at more than 300 degrees Fahrenheit (150 degrees Celsius), to completely sterilize it. “When we collect that sample, we have to make sure when we open it up and we interrogate it for possible ancient microbial life, that we don’t say, ‘Hey, big newsflash, we found life on Mars!’ And come to find out, it’s actually something that hitched a ride from Earth,” Moogega Stricker, the lead for planetary protection on Perseverance at NASA JPL, tells The Verge.
The Atlas V rocket, operated by the United Launch Alliance, will launch Perseverance to Mars. Image: NASA
During the final stretch of launch preparations, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, forcing engineers to completely rework their plans. The team worked in shifts to enforce social distancing and added extra cleaning and disinfection precautions to make sure they didn’t spread the virus to their colleagues. There were struggles with the rover’s ride to Mars, too. The Atlas V rocket slated to launch the mission experienced some issues during a test in June, forcing the team to push back the launch by a few weeks. There’s only a small window of time this summer for Perseverance to launch when Mars and Earth come closest together on their orbits. If the rover can’t launch before late August, NASA may have to wait another two years to try again.
“Is the origination of life some kind of magic spark that happens only incredibly rarely, or alternatively, is it the kind of thing that is inevitable?”
Perseverance is now days away from its scheduled launch on July 30th at 7:50AM ET. The vehicle will take off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, putting Perseverance en route to Mars with a scheduled arrival date sometime in February 2021. It’s the same month that two other spacecraft will arrive at Mars: an orbiter built by the UAE called Hope and China’s Tianwen-1 mission, which also includes a rover.
Next February, Perseverance will descend to Mars, a daring feat that only eight missions have successfully pulled off. It’ll be the most harrowing part of the journey, often described as seven minutes of terror. But if Perseverance can get down to the ground in one piece, the real work can begin. Whether or not Perseverance finds life, it could give us important insights into the nature of our Solar System — and the Universe.


theverge--2020-07-28--Gogoro Eeyo 1S electric bike review: unapologetic fun

Never has an electric bike caused more commotion as I rode it through Amsterdam , the world ’ s bicycling capital , and home to a culture known more for practicality than flash .
“ Where ’ s the battery ?
” a passerby would ask , admiring the stunning simplicity of the carbon fiber Gogoro Eeyo electric bike .
“ It ’ s in the wheel , ” I ’ d say , motioning to the Smartwheel , a brilliant bit of Gogoro engineering that houses the motor , computer , and electrons required to power the lightweight bicycle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goes on sale today in the US and begins shipping in limited quantities August 10th , is exactly what you ’ d expect from the mind of Horace Luke .
Gogoro ’ s CEO was the former head of design at HTC back when the company was showing competitors like Nokia , Ericsson , and Samsung how to maximize the appeal of Windows and Android smartphones .
It ’ s been said that a designer knows they have achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add , but when there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the $ 3,899 Eeyo 1 and my $ 4,599 Eeyo 1S test bike are so stark that they verge on the impractical , for which Gogoro is proudly unapologetic .
Rightfully so , because the Eeyo 1S is fun to ride and fun to be seen riding .
The removal of the seat tube , the vertical section of frame that normally extends from the seat post to the pedals , is the first sign of Eeyo ’ s commitment to minimalism .
It helps make the Eeyo 1S incredibly lightweight for an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( 11.9 kg ) .
Its feathery physics are assisted by the use of carbon fiber for the frame , fork , seat post , rims , and handlebar , and by forgoing urban accessories like fenders , a chain guard , or even a kickstand .
It ’ s so light that I was able to hoist the diamond-frame design over a shoulder when traversing long flights of steps in train stations , but that ’ s not something everyone could do .
Fortunately , the rubber cover hiding the seat post @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when lifting the bike underhand on smaller flights of stairs .
Nearly all the weight of the Eeyo is in the back , allowing you to stand up the front end when entering a shallow elevator or when storing in the corner of your home , since that ’ s where you ’ ll be charging it anyway ( more on that later ) .
The weight distribution of the Eeyo means easy wheelies and a thrilling ride .
The back-heavy design coupled with a sporty , forward-leaning riding position makes steering quick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ twitchy .
But this riding position can be especially uncomfortable if you ’ re wearing a heavy backpack to work .
The Eeyo ’ s carbon fiber diamond frame is remarkably stiff with zero noticeable flex , despite the lack of a seat tube .
That ’ s either a positive or negative depending upon the condition of the roads you ride .
On one particularly long stretch of brick road , that rigid frame sent every vibration straight through the stock saddle and into my sit-bones .
I ’ d highly recommend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with long bumpy commutes in their future , because the Gogoro designers also removed any sense of padding from the stock saddle .
The Eeyo 1S performance is tuned perfectly for my aggressive riding style .
In sport mode , the 250W Smartwheel starts powering the single-speed Gates Carbon Drive from the first downward press of the pedal for instant starts .
Then the torque and speed sensors provide just the right amount of power to assist with pedaling .
Power delivery felt totally intuitive , without being overly jerky or laggy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ flat terrain .
When I did find myself climbing easy-to-moderate hills I never longed for the missing throttle .
I did find myself lacking the oomph I desired when climbing the steepest hill I could find in Amsterdam , a bridge that causes many to get off their bike and push .
Although I traversed it with relative ease , I imagine that moderate-to-extremely hilly terrain will likely present a challenge for the Smartwheel and riders .
Overall , riding the Eeyo felt remarkably similar to riding a second-generation Cowboy , an electric @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distribution profile that I tested last year .
I ’ ve ridden other all-in-one hub motors in the past , but none compare to Gogoro ’ s Smartwheel .
Gogoro says it spent three years in development , and it shows — the company has certainly learned from its electric scooter operation .
The most obvious competitor is the Zehus Bike+ all-in-one motor I tested in the Byar Volta e-bike .
While the Smartwheel doesn ’ t offer the regenerative capabilities on the Zehus , riding the Eeyo is much more natural , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supplying the extra power , not the motor .
Gogoro ’ s Smartwheel also isn ’ t as unsightly as the bulky Copenhagen Wheel all-in-one .
Although I tested my Eeyo 1S review bike in Europe , I was able to easily set it to the higher US speed limit in the app .
That gave me access to pedal assist at speeds up to 20 mph ( 32 km/h ) instead of the European limit of 25 km/h ( 16 mph ) .
When riding outside the Amsterdam city center I would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and over its max assist speed causing the Smartwheel to enter a “ Protective Mode , ” cutting off the pedal assist until my road speed dropped to 12 km/h ( 7.5 mph ) .
This was annoying .
Gogoro says the cutoff is necessary to protect the battery , but it ’ s an unexpected limitation on a bicycle billed as the “ sports car ” of e-bikes .
I was always dubious about the claimed 40-mile ( 64-km ) range from a 123Wh battery in sport mode ( or 55 miles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And sure enough , my testing came up well short of that , but it still did surprisingly well .
I performed two tests : one ridden over long distances , the other in real-world city riding over a period of four days .
Both tests were conducted over flat terrain with very little headwind — ideal conditions for maxing out the range .
I weigh 180 pounds ( 82 kg ) and managed 28.3 miles ( 45.6 km ) during the long-distance test , and just 25.5 miles ( 40.96 km @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m also being generous as those numbers were the higher values calculated by Google Maps and a Garmin fitness watch — Gogoro ’ s own numbers measured in the Eeyo app were way off .
The Smartwheel is super efficient , using just 4.4Wh of energy per mile ( 2.7Wh per kilometer ) based on that 28.3 mile ( 45.6 km ) test result .
My equally aggressive VanMoof riding , for comparison , yields about 37 miles ( 60 km ) from a 504Wh battery , or 13.6Wh of battery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .
The 42 pound ( 19 kg ) VanMoof bikes also weigh significantly more than the 26.4 pound ( 12 kg ) Eeyo 1S , while costing less than half as much .
You ’ ll likely have to charge your Eeyo in your home or office because the non-removable battery is integrated into the Smartwheel .
It uses a clever clamp that attaches directly to the outside of the motor .
There ’ s also an optional charging stand coming in September .
The battery charges from zero to full in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with my test bike charging to 50 percent in 1 hour and 15 minutes .
When my Smartwheel battery did die , it created some additional friction when pedaling .
Not as much as when the wheel is “ locked ” via the app , but enough to make it uncomfortable to ride long distances — akin to being in third gear on a traditional seven-speed bike when you ’ d prefer to be in first .
As to the antitheft wheel “ lock ” feature , don ’ t assume it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
While it does make the bike very difficult to ride even short distances , the e-bike is so lightweight that any thief of reasonable fitness will just throw the open-frame design over a shoulder , or lift up the rear and roll it away on the front wheel .
By comparison , VanMoof e-bikes have an integrated kicklock that also arms the bike with both a loud alarm that ’ s tripped by motion , and a location tracking service that allows the company to hunt down the bike should it be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to buy a sturdy lock or two if you want to park your Eeyo outside .
The only way to power on the Eeyo is with the Gogoro Eeyo app ; there ’ s no physical button on the bike or the Smartwheel .
I ’ m not a fan of this because your phone can be lost , stolen , or just run out of juice , making an already bad day worse when trying to ride home .
I almost got burned when commuting with the Eeyo on a train .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ auto lock ” the motor after a predefined time ( options are 5 , 10 , or 15 minutes , or never ) .
My phone was about to die when I remembered to turn on the bike and shut off the auto lock , else I might have arrived at my destination with a locked motor , unable to ride home until my phone was charged .
During my testing , I ran into two software-related issues .
The first prevented me from unlocking the Smartwheel despite the battery being charged and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as unlocked .
After multiple app relaunches , rebooting my phone , and toggling settings , I eventually got it unlocked .
It ’ s unclear if the issue was related to my phone running the iOS 14 beta , or if it was to do with the Eeyo app or Smartwheel firmware .
It only happened once over a period of eight days .
Nevertheless , it illustrates the potential pitfalls of e-bikes with a phone dependency .
The second software issue left my battery range indicator borked .
I was traveling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bridge ) and tripped the Protective mode .
I rode along without power assist for a few kilometers with my battery meter reading 8 percent .
I then turned a corner , dropped my speed purposely to 12 km/h to re-engage the pedal assist and saw the app reset , lose connection to the motor , then connect again showing the wheel locked even as it kept rotating ( thankfully ! )
.
I clicked unlock but got no power , despite the battery now showing 31 percent .
So I stopped , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , then relaunched it and the power was back .
But the bike eventually died with 8 percent power showing in the app , causing me to bike back home the last few kilometers fighting the added resistance .
The Gogoro Eeyo app is as minimalist as the bike itself , which I like .
What I don ’ t like is the animated purple bubble that overtakes the speedometer as you ride .
It bounces around constantly , shrinking and expanding in a dance that ’ s distracting , particularly at night @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phone to sleep to ignore it , or swipe over to my navigation app .
• I ’ m very happy with the soft , sticky rubber on the grips and phone mount .
The phone mount really attracts dust , sand , and lint , but both come quickly clean with some soapy water .
• I ’ ve never had so many people comment on the looks of my bicycles before , either through saucer eyes as I pedaled past or from glowing words of praise .
• The placement of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pedals is a lovely bit of engineering , even if it does terminate into a simple Tektro V-Clip .
The front wheel is stopped by a TRP disc brake .
Both brakes were reliable at stopping the bike throughout my testing .
• Eeyo is software upgradeable .
I received a firmware update the first time I powered it on , for example .
Gogoro says Eeyo has some additional enhancements coming , including a “ commute mode ” described as “ not quite a throttle , ” integration with cycling and health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that will help tune the Smartwheel performance .
• The Eeyo frame is dotted with nerdy embellishments like torque requirements , which I adore .
• The Smartwheel makes no perceptible sound while riding .
The only time the motor makes any noise is when it ’ s locking and unlocking , and then it ’ s satisfying and Transformer-like .
• The bike does make an overly loud clicking sound while coasting .
That can be good as it alerts others that they ’ ve interfered with your flow , or bad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ’ re trying to relax .
• Gogoro only ships lights with bikes in countries that require them , which is not the case in the US .
• The optional stand that holds the bike upright while charging will cost $ 289 when it begins shipping in September .
An additional portable charger for the office will cost $ 129 .
• Gogoro has Smartwheels at the ready for each global region should owners need a replacement , which are provided free under warranty .
The battery is good for 500 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then should hold 80 percent of the original charge according to Gogoro .
• Of the two test bikes provided to The Verge , we blew a rear tire on one after just 9 miles on poor New Jersey roads , and stripped the threads on the left crank after failing to properly tighten the left pedal per the assembly instructions .
The former was perhaps bad luck , and we weren ’ t able to get it repaired in time for publication .
The latter was clearly user error , so please @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eeyo 1S is available in a warm white matte finish only , while the Eeyo 1 is available in cloud blue or lobster orange .
The Eeyo 1 is expected to ship in mid-September .
Who is this bike for , is the question I kept asking myself over the last week of testing .
It ’ s not a race bike , despite the sports car pitch .
It ’ s also not a city commuter , in the traditional sense , as Gogoro doesn ’ t offer mudguards , lighting , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Eeyo range .
The cheap little bell that ships with the $ 4,599 bike made me laugh out loud at the juxtaposition .
When I asked Gogoro who they built Eeyo for , they responded with this : “ With Eeyo 1 we ’ re focusing on a new era of urban e-bike riding for people living in cities that are looking for a more agile and fun ride that also provides maximum portability and a low-to-no maintenance ownership experience.
” In other words , it ’ s for anyone that wants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ driver , despite the impracticality of racing a supercar from stoplight to stoplight .
It ’ s for the fixie rider who wants to take a victory lap down Sand Hill Road after taking their bike messenger service public .
One thing is certain : Eeyo is an attention-grabbing showcase for the Smartwheel which is the real star of the show .
I can ’ t wait to see what comes next As with the launch of the original Gogoro scooter back in 2015 , that super-specced two-wheeler was a showcase for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relied upon a network of battery swapping GoStations .
Gogoro is taking the same approach with Eeyo , while offering to license its Smartwheel tech to prospective bike makers .
While its GoStation tech hasn ’ t exactly taken over the world , the company might stand a better chance with its innovative all-in-one motors .
The COVID-19 pandemic has created a surge in micromobility demand , and interest in electric bicycles in particular is booming .
Sure , Gogoro wants to sell a few bikes , but Eeyo is priced , built @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s not a mass-market play .
Maybe that will come later in the form of a new bike design , kick scooter , or some other form of rideable built around the Smartwheel .
Eeyo is nevertheless the perfect vehicle for Gogoro to peddle its impressive all-in-one motor .
And there ’ s more money to be made selling blades than razors .
While I can ’ t recommend the Eeyo 1S to most people , I also can ’ t wait to see what comes next .
Vox Media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ influence editorial content , though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links .
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Never has an electric bike caused more commotion as I rode it through Amsterdam, the world’s bicycling capital, and home to a culture known more for practicality than flash.
“Where’s the battery?” a passerby would ask, admiring the stunning simplicity of the carbon fiber Gogoro Eeyo electric bike. “It’s in the wheel,” I’d say, motioning to the Smartwheel, a brilliant bit of Gogoro engineering that houses the motor, computer, and electrons required to power the lightweight bicycle.
The Eeyo 1S bike, which goes on sale today in the US and begins shipping in limited quantities August 10th, is exactly what you’d expect from the mind of Horace Luke. Gogoro’s CEO was the head of design at HTC before making electric scooters, showing competitors like Nokia, Ericsson, and Samsung how to maximize the appeal of Windows and Android smartphones.
It’s been said that a designer knows they have achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away. But the $3,899 Eeyo 1 and my $4,599 Eeyo 1S test bike are so stark that they verge on the impractical, for which Gogoro is proudly unapologetic.
Rightfully so, because the Eeyo 1S is fun to ride and fun to be seen riding.
7 Verge Score Gogoro Eeyo 1S $ 4599 The Good Smartwheel all-in-one motor
Thrilling, fun ride
Incredibly lightweight
High-tech showcase The Bad Super expensive
Lacks basic accessories
App dependent
Niche product $4599 at Gogoro How we rate and review products
The removal of the seat tube, the vertical section of frame that normally extends from the seat post to the pedals, is the first sign of Eeyo’s commitment to minimalism. It helps make the Eeyo 1S incredibly lightweight for an electric bike, weighing just 26 pounds (11.9 kg). Its feathery physics are assisted by the use of carbon fiber for the frame, fork, seat post, rims, and handlebar, and by forgoing urban accessories like fenders, a chain guard, or even a kickstand.
It’s so light that I was able to hoist the diamond-frame design over a shoulder when traversing long flights of steps in train stations, but that’s not something everyone could do. Fortunately, the rubber cover hiding the seat post assembly also makes for a convenient grip when lifting the bike underhand on smaller flights of stairs. Nearly all the weight of the Eeyo is in the back, allowing you to stand up the front end when entering a shallow elevator or when storing in the corner of your home, since that’s where you’ll be charging it anyway (more on that later).
The open diamond-frame design is impressively lightweight for an electric bike.
Eeyo puts the rider into a sporty riding position. Wheelies are a cinch with all the weight in the back.
The weight distribution of the Eeyo means easy wheelies and a thrilling ride. The back-heavy design coupled with a sporty, forward-leaning riding position makes steering quick, bordering on the performance edge of twitchy. But this riding position can be especially uncomfortable if you’re wearing a heavy backpack to work.
The Eeyo’s carbon fiber diamond frame is remarkably stiff with zero noticeable flex, despite the lack of a seat tube. That’s either a positive or negative depending upon the condition of the roads you ride. On one particularly long stretch of brick road, that rigid frame sent every vibration straight through the stock saddle and into my sit-bones. I’d highly recommend an aftermarket seat for any Eeyo owners with long bumpy commutes in their future, because the Gogoro designers also removed any sense of padding from the stock saddle.
The Eeyo 1S performance is tuned perfectly for my aggressive riding style. In sport mode, the 250W Smartwheel starts powering the single-speed Gates Carbon Drive from the first downward press of the pedal for instant starts. Then the torque and speed sensors provide just the right amount of power to assist with pedaling. Power delivery felt totally intuitive, without being overly jerky or laggy. Mind you, I rode on mostly flat terrain. When I did find myself climbing easy-to-moderate hills I never longed for the missing throttle. I did find myself lacking the oomph I desired when climbing the steepest hill I could find in Amsterdam, a bridge that causes many to get off their bike and push. Although I traversed it with relative ease, I imagine that moderate-to-extremely hilly terrain will likely present a challenge for the Smartwheel and riders.
Overall, riding the Eeyo felt remarkably similar to riding a second-generation Cowboy, an electric bike with a comparable power and weight distribution profile that I tested last year.
I’ve ridden other all-in-one hub motors in the past, but none compare to Gogoro’s Smartwheel. Gogoro says it spent three years in development, and it shows — the company has certainly learned from its electric scooter operation. The most obvious competitor is the Zehus Bike+ all-in-one motor I tested in the Byar Volta e-bike. While the Smartwheel doesn’t offer the regenerative capabilities on the Zehus, riding the Eeyo is much more natural, making it feel like your muscles are supplying the extra power, not the motor. Gogoro’s Smartwheel also isn’t as unsightly as the bulky Copenhagen Wheel all-in-one.
Although I tested my Eeyo 1S review bike in Europe, I was able to easily set it to the higher US speed limit in the app. That gave me access to pedal assist at speeds up to 20 mph (32 km/h) instead of the European limit of 25 km/h (16 mph). When riding outside the Amsterdam city center I would often get the peppy Eeyo 1S up and over its max assist speed causing the Smartwheel to enter a “Protective Mode,” cutting off the pedal assist until my road speed dropped to 12 km/h (7.5 mph). This was annoying. Gogoro says the cutoff is necessary to protect the battery, but it’s an unexpected limitation on a bicycle billed as the “sports car” of e-bikes.
I was always dubious about the claimed 40-mile (64-km) range from a 123Wh battery in sport mode (or 55 miles / 89 km in eco mode). And sure enough, my testing came up well short of that, but it still did surprisingly well. I performed two tests: one ridden over long distances, the other in real-world city riding over a period of four days. Both tests were conducted over flat terrain with very little headwind — ideal conditions for maxing out the range. I weigh 180 pounds (82 kg) and managed 28.3 miles (45.6 km) during the long-distance test, and just 25.5 miles (40.96 km) in the stop-and-go city test. I’m also being generous as those numbers were the higher values calculated by Google Maps and a Garmin fitness watch — Gogoro’s own numbers measured in the Eeyo app were way off.
The Smartwheel is super efficient, using just 4.4Wh of energy per mile (2.7Wh per kilometer) based on that 28.3 mile (45.6 km) test result. My equally aggressive VanMoof riding, for comparison, yields about 37 miles (60 km) from a 504Wh battery, or 13.6Wh of battery consumed per mile (8.4Wh per kilometer). The 42 pound (19 kg) VanMoof bikes also weigh significantly more than the 26.4 pound (12 kg) Eeyo 1S, while costing less than half as much.
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You’ll likely have to charge your Eeyo in your home or office because the non-removable battery is integrated into the Smartwheel. It uses a clever clamp that attaches directly to the outside of the motor. There’s also an optional charging stand coming in September. The battery charges from zero to full in 2.5 hours as the company claims, with my test bike charging to 50 percent in 1 hour and 15 minutes.
When my Smartwheel battery did die, it created some additional friction when pedaling. Not as much as when the wheel is “locked” via the app, but enough to make it uncomfortable to ride long distances — akin to being in third gear on a traditional seven-speed bike when you’d prefer to be in first.
As to the antitheft wheel “lock” feature, don’t assume it’ll prevent someone from stealing your Eeyo. While it does make the bike very difficult to ride even short distances, the e-bike is so lightweight that any thief of reasonable fitness will just throw the open-frame design over a shoulder, or lift up the rear and roll it away on the front wheel. By comparison, VanMoof e-bikes have an integrated kicklock that also arms the bike with both a loud alarm that’s tripped by motion, and a location tracking service that allows the company to hunt down the bike should it be stolen. You’ll definitely want to buy a sturdy lock or two if you want to park your Eeyo outside.
The only way to power on the Eeyo is with the Gogoro Eeyo app; there’s no physical button on the bike or the Smartwheel. I’m not a fan of this because your phone can be lost, stolen, or just run out of juice, making an already bad day worse when trying to ride home.
I almost got burned when commuting with the Eeyo on a train. Gogoro gives you the option to “auto lock” the motor after a predefined time (options are 5, 10, or 15 minutes, or never). My phone was about to die when I remembered to turn on the bike and shut off the auto lock, else I might have arrived at my destination with a locked motor, unable to ride home until my phone was charged.
During my testing, I ran into two software-related issues. The first prevented me from unlocking the Smartwheel despite the battery being charged and the Gogoro Eeyo app reporting its status as unlocked. After multiple app relaunches, rebooting my phone, and toggling settings, I eventually got it unlocked. It’s unclear if the issue was related to my phone running the iOS 14 beta, or if it was to do with the Eeyo app or Smartwheel firmware. It only happened once over a period of eight days. Nevertheless, it illustrates the potential pitfalls of e-bikes with a phone dependency.
The second software issue left my battery range indicator borked. I was traveling down a long hill (over a bridge) and tripped the Protective mode. I rode along without power assist for a few kilometers with my battery meter reading 8 percent. I then turned a corner, dropped my speed purposely to 12 km/h to re-engage the pedal assist and saw the app reset, lose connection to the motor, then connect again showing the wheel locked even as it kept rotating (thankfully!). I clicked unlock but got no power, despite the battery now showing 31 percent. So I stopped, swiped the app away to kill it, then relaunched it and the power was back. But the bike eventually died with 8 percent power showing in the app, causing me to bike back home the last few kilometers fighting the added resistance.
The bouncy app animation can be very distracting, especially at night.
The Gogoro Eeyo app is as minimalist as the bike itself, which I like. What I don’t like is the animated purple bubble that overtakes the speedometer as you ride. It bounces around constantly, shrinking and expanding in a dance that’s distracting, particularly at night. Fortunately, I could put my phone to sleep to ignore it, or swipe over to my navigation app.
A few other observations:
I’m very happy with the soft, sticky rubber on the grips and phone mount. The phone mount really attracts dust, sand, and lint, but both come quickly clean with some soapy water.
I’ve never had so many people comment on the looks of my bicycles before, either through saucer eyes as I pedaled past or from glowing words of praise.
The placement of the rear brake caliper mounted near the pedals is a lovely bit of engineering, even if it does terminate into a simple Tektro V-Clip. The front wheel is stopped by a TRP disc brake. Both brakes were reliable at stopping the bike throughout my testing.
Eeyo is software upgradeable. I received a firmware update the first time I powered it on, for example. Gogoro says Eeyo has some additional enhancements coming, including a “commute mode” described as “not quite a throttle,” integration with cycling and health trackers, and a voluntary community program that will help tune the Smartwheel performance.
The Eeyo frame is dotted with nerdy embellishments like torque requirements, which I adore.
The Smartwheel makes no perceptible sound while riding. The only time the motor makes any noise is when it’s locking and unlocking, and then it’s satisfying and Transformer-like.
The bike does make an overly loud clicking sound while coasting. That can be good as it alerts others that they’ve interfered with your flow, or bad as it can draw unwanted attention when you’re trying to relax.
Gogoro only ships lights with bikes in countries that require them, which is not the case in the US.
The optional stand that holds the bike upright while charging will cost $289 when it begins shipping in September. An additional portable charger for the office will cost $129.
Gogoro has Smartwheels at the ready for each global region should owners need a replacement, which are provided free under warranty. The battery is good for 500 charges or three years, and even then should hold 80 percent of the original charge according to Gogoro.
Of the two test bikes provided to The Verge, we blew a rear tire on one after just 9 miles on poor New Jersey roads, and stripped the threads on the left crank after failing to properly tighten the left pedal per the assembly instructions. The former was perhaps bad luck, and we weren’t able to get it repaired in time for publication. The latter was clearly user error, so please learn from our mistake.
The Eeyo 1S is available in a warm white matte finish only, while the Eeyo 1 is available in cloud blue or lobster orange. The Eeyo 1 is expected to ship in mid-September.
The Eeyo 1S is a beautiful showcase for the Smartwheel.
Who is this bike for, is the question I kept asking myself over the last week of testing. It’s not a race bike, despite the sports car pitch. It’s also not a city commuter, in the traditional sense, as Gogoro doesn’t offer mudguards, lighting, a kickstand, or carrier options for the Eeyo range. The cheap little bell that ships with the $4,599 bike made me laugh out loud at the juxtaposition.
When I asked Gogoro who they built Eeyo for, they responded with this: “With Eeyo 1 we’re focusing on a new era of urban e-bike riding for people living in cities that are looking for a more agile and fun ride that also provides maximum portability and a low-to-no maintenance ownership experience.”
I’ve concluded that the Eeyo 1S is for anyone that wants to use a Ferrari as a daily driver, despite the impracticality of racing a supercar from stoplight to stoplight. It’s for the fixie rider who wants to take a victory lap down Sand Hill Road after taking their bike messenger service public.
One thing is certain: Eeyo is an attention-grabbing showcase for the Smartwheel which is the real star of the show.
I can’t wait to see what comes next
As with the launch of the original Gogoro scooter back in 2015, that super-specced two-wheeler was a showcase for the company’s innovative charging solution that relied upon a network of battery swapping GoStations. Gogoro is taking the same approach with Eeyo by offering to license its Smartwheel tech to prospective bike makers. While its GoStation tech hasn’t exactly taken over the world, the company might stand a better chance with its innovative all-in-one motors. The COVID-19 pandemic has created a surge in micromobility demand, and interest in electric bicycles in particular is booming.
Sure, Gogoro wants to sell a few bikes, but Eeyo is priced, built, and accessorized for a niche audience. It’s not a mass-market play. Maybe that will come later in the form of a new bike design, kick scooter, or some other form of rideable built around the Smartwheel. Eeyo is nevertheless the perfect vehicle for Gogoro to peddle its impressive all-in-one motor. And there’s more money to be made selling blades than razors.
While I can’t recommend the Eeyo 1S to most people, I also can’t wait to see what comes next.
Photography by Thomas Ricker / The Verge


theverge--2020-07-28--Amazon’s Alexa app redesigned to focus on the bits people actually use

Amazon ’ s Alexa app on iOS , Android , and Fire OS is being redesigned to focus on Alexa ’ s core functionality rather than its third-party “ skills ” or weather forecasts , TechCrunch reports .
The home screen is where the biggest changes appear to have been made .
For starters , the button to summon Alexa is now shown prominently at the top of the home screen , rather than the bottom .
Then , instead of showing you a weather forecast and a list of recommended third-party skills , the app will now show a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from setting alarms , to accessing recently played music , or making a shopping list — which will vary depending on how you use the app .
Meanwhile , the third-party Alexa skills that previously took pride of place at the top of the home screen have been shifted into the app ’ s “ More ” tab where they can now be found under “ Skills & Games.
” TechCrunch notes that usage of these skills appears to be low , and that they ’ ve yet to see a breakout hit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , these skills are joined by other advanced features like Reminders and Routines .
The new design comes after Amazon recently announced a couple of new interesting features for Alexa on mobile .
Earlier this month it announced that you ’ ll be able to summon its voice assistant using just your voice ( without pressing the blue button ) so long as you have the Alexa app open , and last week it launched a preview of a new feature that lets Alexa launch iOS and Android apps .
Amazon clearly wants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Google Assistant and Siri , and its mobile app is a key part of making that happen .
Amazon says the new app is rolling out gradually over the coming month , and should be available for all iOS , Android , and Fire OS users by the end of August .

Amazon’s Alexa app on iOS, Android, and Fire OS is being redesigned to focus on Alexa’s core functionality rather than its third-party “skills” or weather forecasts, TechCrunch reports.
The home screen is where the biggest changes appear to have been made. For starters, the button to summon Alexa is now shown prominently at the top of the home screen, rather than the bottom. Then, instead of showing you a weather forecast and a list of recommended third-party skills, the app will now show a personalized list of Alexa actions — ranging from setting alarms, to accessing recently played music, or making a shopping list — which will vary depending on how you use the app.
The new app design places the button to summon Alexa front and center. Image: Amazon
Meanwhile, the third-party Alexa skills that previously took pride of place at the top of the home screen have been shifted into the app’s “More” tab where they can now be found under “Skills & Games.” TechCrunch notes that usage of these skills appears to be low, and that they’ve yet to see a breakout hit. Within the “More” section, these skills are joined by other advanced features like Reminders and Routines.
The new design comes after Amazon recently announced a couple of new interesting features for Alexa on mobile. Earlier this month it announced that you’ll be able to summon its voice assistant using just your voice (without pressing the blue button) so long as you have the Alexa app open, and last week it launched a preview of a new feature that lets Alexa launch iOS and Android apps. Amazon clearly wants Alexa to become a platform-agnostic alternative to Google Assistant and Siri, and its mobile app is a key part of making that happen.


theverge--2020-07-28--Face masks are breaking facial recognition algorithms, says new government study

Face masks are one of the best defenses against the spread of COVID-19 , but their growing adoption is having a second , unintended effect : breaking facial recognition algorithms .
Wearing face masks that adequately cover the mouth and nose causes the error rate of some of the most widely used facial recognition algorithms to spike to between 5 percent and 50 percent , a study by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology ( NIST ) has found .
Black masks were more likely to cause errors than blue masks , and the more of the nose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the algorithms found it to identify the face .
Error rates spiked as high as 50 percent for some algorithms “ With the arrival of the pandemic , we need to understand how face recognition technology deals with masked faces , ” said Mei Ngan , an author of the report and NIST computer scientist .
“ We have begun by focusing on how an algorithm developed before the pandemic might be affected by subjects wearing face masks .
Later this summer , we plan to test the accuracy of algorithms that were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Facial recognition algorithms such as those tested by NIST work by measuring the distances between features in a target ’ s face .
Masks reduce the accuracy of these algorithms by removing most of these features , although some still remain .
This is slightly different to how facial recognition works on iPhones , for example , which use depth sensors for extra security , ensuring that the algorithms can ’ t be fooled by showing the camera a picture ( a danger that is not present in the scenarios NIST is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s been plenty of anecdotal evidence about face masks thwarting facial recognition , the study from NIST is particularly definitive .
NIST is the government agency tasked with assessing the accuracy of these algorithms ( along with many other systems ) for the federal government , and its rankings of different vendors is extremely influential .
Notably , NIST ’ s report only tested a type of facial recognition known as one-to-one matching .
This is the procedure used in border crossings and passport control scenarios , where the algorithm checks to see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their ID .
This is different to the sort of facial recognition system used for mass surveillance , where a crowd is scanned to find matches with faces in a database .
This is called a one-to-many system .
The Department of Homeland Security is worried about face masks Although NIST ’ s report doesn ’ t cover one-to-many systems , these are generally considered more error pone than one-to-one algorithms .
Picking out faces in a crowd is harder because you can ’ t control the angle or lighting on the face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That suggest that if face masks are breaking one-to-one systems , they ’ re likely breaking one-to-many algorithms with at least the same , but probably greater , frequency .
This matches reports we ’ ve heard from inside government .
An internal bulletin from the US Department of Homeland Security earlier this year , reported by The Intercept , said the agency was concerned about the “ potential impacts that widespread use of protective masks could have on security operations that incorporate face recognition systems.
” For privacy advocates this will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rush by governments around the world to embrace facial recognition systems , despite the chilling effects such technology has on civil liberties , and the widely-recognized racial and gender biases of these systems , which tend to perform worse on anyone who is not a white male .
Meanwhile , the companies who build facial recognition tech have been rapidly adapting to this new world , designing algorithms that identify faces just using the area around the eyes .
Some vendors , like leading Russian firm NtechLab , say their new algorithms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re wearing a balaclava .
Such claims are not entirely trustworthy , though .
They usually come from internal data , which can be cherry-picked to produce flattering results .
That ’ s why third-parties agencies like NIST provide standardized testing .
NIST says it plans to test specially tuned facial recognition algorithms for mask wearers later this year , along with probing the efficacy of one-to-many systems .
Despite the problems caused by masks , the agency expects that technology will persevere .
“ With respect to accuracy with face masks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ improve , ” said Ngan .

Face masks are one of the best defenses against the spread of COVID-19, but their growing adoption is having a second, unintended effect: breaking facial recognition algorithms.
Wearing face masks that adequately cover the mouth and nose causes the error rate of some of the most widely used facial recognition algorithms to spike to between 5 percent and 50 percent, a study by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has found. Black masks were more likely to cause errors than blue masks, and the more of the nose covered by the mask, the harder the algorithms found it to identify the face.
Error rates spiked as high as 50 percent for some algorithms
“With the arrival of the pandemic, we need to understand how face recognition technology deals with masked faces,” said Mei Ngan, an author of the report and NIST computer scientist. “We have begun by focusing on how an algorithm developed before the pandemic might be affected by subjects wearing face masks. Later this summer, we plan to test the accuracy of algorithms that were intentionally developed with masked faces in mind.”
Example images used by NIST to assess the accuracy of various facial recognition algorithms. Image: B. Hayes/NIST
Facial recognition algorithms such as those tested by NIST work by measuring the distances between features in a target’s face. Masks reduce the accuracy of these algorithms by removing most of these features, although some still remain. This is slightly different to how facial recognition works on iPhones, for example, which use depth sensors for extra security, ensuring that the algorithms can’t be fooled by showing the camera a picture (a danger that is not present in the scenarios NIST is concerned with).
Although there’s been plenty of anecdotal evidence about face masks thwarting facial recognition, the study from NIST is particularly definitive. NIST is the government agency tasked with assessing the accuracy of these algorithms (along with many other systems) for the federal government, and its rankings of different vendors is extremely influential.
Notably, NIST’s report only tested a type of facial recognition known as one-to-one matching. This is the procedure used in border crossings and passport control scenarios, where the algorithm checks to see if the target’s face matches their ID. This is different to the sort of facial recognition system used for mass surveillance, where a crowd is scanned to find matches with faces in a database. This is called a one-to-many system.
The Department of Homeland Security is worried about face masks
Although NIST’s report doesn’t cover one-to-many systems, these are generally considered more error pone than one-to-one algorithms. Picking out faces in a crowd is harder because you can’t control the angle or lighting on the face and the resolution is generally reduced. That suggest that if face masks are breaking one-to-one systems, they’re likely breaking one-to-many algorithms with at least the same, but probably greater, frequency.
This matches reports we’ve heard from inside government. An internal bulletin from the US Department of Homeland Security earlier this year, reported by The Intercept, said the agency was concerned about the “potential impacts that widespread use of protective masks could have on security operations that incorporate face recognition systems.”
Some companies say they’ve already developed new facial recognition algorithms that work with masks, as in the system from NEC, above. Image: Tomohiro Ohsumi / Getty Images
For privacy advocates this will be welcome news. Many have warned about the rush by governments around the world to embrace facial recognition systems, despite the chilling effects such technology has on civil liberties, and the widely-recognized racial and gender biases of these systems, which tend to perform worse on anyone who is not a white male.
Meanwhile, the companies who build facial recognition tech have been rapidly adapting to this new world, designing algorithms that identify faces just using the area around the eyes. Some vendors, like leading Russian firm NtechLab, say their new algorithms can identify individuals even if they’re wearing a balaclava. Such claims are not entirely trustworthy, though. They usually come from internal data, which can be cherry-picked to produce flattering results. That’s why third-parties agencies like NIST provide standardized testing.