Discussions, summarized

Sumcast distills Slack conversations, Whimsical posts, Reddit discussions and more into a concise daily newsletter that only takes a few minutes to read. Or, listen to it in your favorite podcast app.

• Hacker News1TrackWeight: Turn your MacBook's trackpad into a digital weighing scaleTrackWeight is a macOS app that turns your MacBook's Force Touch trackpad into a digital weighing scale. It works by detecting pressure when you maintain finger contact while placing objects on the trackpad. While innovative, it requires constant finger contact and has limitations with metal objects and surface contact.Using phones as scales:Discussion of historical apps using iPhone pressure sensors as scales, including 3D Touch and barometer methods. Apple later restricted access, possibly to prevent drug-related uses.Trackpad implementation details:Debate about the practicality of needing finger contact for capacitive sensing, with suggestions for workarounds using conductive materials and discussion of technical limitations.Creative sensor repurposing:Examples of using laptop sensors in unexpected ways, like PowerBook's hard drive sensor as seismograph and ThinkPad's vibration sensor for desktop switching gestures.
• Reddit science1Using scented products indoors changes the chemistry of the air, producing as much air pollution as car exhaust does outside, according to a new study. Researchers say that breathing in these nanosized particles could have serious health implications.Using scented products indoors, such as flame-free candles and wax melts, can create significant indoor air pollution comparable to car exhaust. Research by Purdue University found these products release nanosized particles that can penetrate deep into lungs and potentially enter the bloodstream, posing serious respiratory health risks.Misleading title scope:Discussion about how study only focused on wax melts but title suggests all scented products, with debate about whether findings could logically extend to other scented itemsHealth concerns from chemist:A chemist's perspective against using scented products leads to sharing of personal health impact stories, from COPD to cancer cases, and debate about necessity of artificial scentsAir purification solutions:Discussion of HEPA filters and other air purification methods as solutions, with debate about effectiveness against different types of pollutants like VOCs and nanoparticles
• Create your own,
  personal Sumcast