TLDR 2021-03-23

DoorDash has partnered with Vault Health and EverlyWell to distribute at-home Covid-19 test kits across the US. Customers will be able to order test kits directly from the DoorDash app or Vault Health's website in eligible markets. The kits contain polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, considered to be the most accurate in the market. Results are returned to customers within 24 to 48 hours. A list of eligible markets is available in the article.

Apple's HomePod mini smart speaker has a secret temperature and humidity sensor in its casing. It isn't currently usable by owners of the device yet, but Apple has previously included hardware in its devices before that were activated after release. New HomePod firmware tends to release in the fall of each year.

Norway is building the world's first ship tunnel to help vessels navigate the Stadhavet Sea. The tunnel will cost around 2.8 billion Norwegian kroner and take between three to four years to build. Construction is due to begin in 2022. The tunnel will protect ships from the weather and tide. It could also enable a ferry service in the future. Building the tunnel will involve removing roughly three million cubic meters of rock.

A researcher from the Swiss research institute EMPA has developed an invisible lock system that uses conductive ink on a transparent polymer film to create invisible buttons. The result is a lock mechanism with no obvious way for it to be opened. It can be integrated with existing systems. A short video about the lock mechanism is available in the article. The technology is scalable, so the lock could be used for doors and other building entrances.

Many IOT devices require you to use proprietary apps that can't be audited for security. Sometimes, the only way to ensure privacy on a device is to hack it. This article follows a developer as they hack a lava lamp so that it could be used securely without the manufacturer's software.

OpticSim.jl is a package designed to allow optical engineers to create optical systems procedurally. It supports a large variety of surface types that can be composed into complex 3D objects. OpticSim.jl provides extensive control over the modeling, simulation, visualization, and optimization of optical systems. Examples are available in the documentation.

Google co-founder Sergey Brin loves airships, and he has been working on building a giant sky yacht. He wants to use the airship for humanitarian aid. Airships can land and deliver goods almost anywhere. They are also zero-emission alternatives to airplanes. Airships are faster and have fewer emissions than cargo ships. Brin's airship will be about 650 feet long and cost as much as $150 million to construct. It will run on hydrogen.

The Fagradalsfjall volcano in Iceland began erupting for the first time in 800 years last Friday. It was a small eruption and no one was in danger. A drone pilot captured footage of the eruption by flying a drone right through it. The footage is available in the article. A gallery of images from the erupting volcano is also available in the article.