Saturday, May 21, 2011

Latest Posts on Coolest Gadgets

Latest Posts on Coolest Gadgets

In the future, our heads will go more places than our bodies ever will

Posted: 20 May 2011 01:50 PM PDT

We have covered devices that allow for telepresence before. Usually, they come in robotic form, like the Anybot. This particular method of mini robot blimps is nothing short of freaky.

Seriously, just watch the video after the jump and see if you don’t agree with me. It looks like something out of Blade Runner or 12 Monkeys, and the dark resolution isn’t helping. In all honesty, I can’t help but think that this is some kind of joke.

However, my Source reveals that this is some project by Tobita Hiroaki and the team at Sony Computer Science Laboratories. The helium filled miniature airships can carry a screen with a live image of the transmitter. As the mini-blimp goes from room to room via tiny propellers, a camera picks up what it sees.

You will note from the video that two of these blimp avatars can actually meet up, taking FaceTime to a whole new level. All joking aside, it really is a very fascinating method of telepresence.

I just wish it didn’t come off as so darned dystopian. It also reminds me of the film The Adventures of Baron Munchhausen, where the king of the moon had a detachable head that would float around on intellectual pursuits while the body engaged in carnal pleasures. Oh man, I really hope this isn’t our future.

Source

Coolest Gadgets UK – For all your UK centric tech and gadget news.
[ In the future, our heads will go more places than our bodies ever will copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

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Stay to the right with the Lenticular floor pattern

Posted: 20 May 2011 01:24 PM PDT

This strange pattern on the floor that you see in the photo is a product of research from people at the Tokyo University of Electro-Communications. The arrangement of the tiles has nothing to do with an art-deco or seventies aesthetic, but it sends a subliminal message.

These lenticular plastic tiles are the same type of technology used in 3D postcards and other glasses-free 3D. These tiles have curved lenses that allow the image to seemingly change, depending on the angle it is being viewed. As a pedestrian walks over it, a striped pattern will shift to the right, assuming that he or she has taken the time to look down.

You might be wondering why someone would design a floor like this. Apparently, people rely on vision to maintain balance while they walk, and so the plan is that people would sub-consciously follow the motion that they are seeing on the lenticular floor and unconsciously drift to the right. This will apparently help out crowds as the user sort of subliminally picks up what direction and where he or she is walking. There is a video after the jump so you can hopefully see what I have attempted to describe.

Yeah, I’m not certain whether or not something like this could reduce crowding, and honestly, I don’t like the idea of anything sending me subliminal messages, no matter how insignificant they are. Then again, I am the type who follows an arrow on a sign like it was the Bible, and some people require more subtle forms of persuasion.

Source

Introducing Foolish Gadgets because not all gadgets are cool :)
[ Stay to the right with the Lenticular floor pattern copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

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A Paralyzed man can walk again, thanks to implant

Posted: 20 May 2011 12:53 PM PDT

For some reason, I keep writing about bionics and how they can help the disabled. I started this week with the exoskeleton that allowed a UC Berkeley graduate to walk for his graduation, and just yesterday I discussed Patrick’s bionic hand.

I guess that technology is allowing us to help the incapacitated in ways that we didn’t think of before. Now, thanks to a procedure developed by neuroscientists at the University of Louisville, UCLA, and Cal Tech, Rob Summers can walk again.

Summers was paralyzed in an automobile accident in 2005, but an implant allows him to stand on his own and remain standing for about four minutes. The spinal implant can emit small pulses of electricity that replicate signals that the brain needs to move the body’s limbs. The harness that you see in the picture helps him take steps on a treadmill and move his legs.

Summers standing and walking again is the product of about 30 years of research, all funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health. This treatment, also known as epidural stimulation, is considered a breakthrough by the researchers, as it has never been seen before on someone like Summers, who had a complete spinal cord injury.

I know what you are thinking, because I’m thinking it too. I don’t want Mr. Summers to be the last case of this. Hopefully a lot more can walk again.

Source

Introducing Foolish Gadgets because not all gadgets are cool :)
[ A Paralyzed man can walk again, thanks to implant copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

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Fling adds a new dimension to gaming on the iPad

Posted: 20 May 2011 06:30 AM PDT



One thing that the iPad is used for by many people apart from being a relatively hassle-free device used for surfing the Internet would be casual gaming. Many hit titles on the iPhone has already been ported over to Apple’s best selling tablet series, where the mechanics of the game remain the same – you will make use of your fingers to manipulate icons or characters on the screen to complete the game’s objective.

What if there was a different – and more efficient manner of playing a game? That is what Ten One Design thinks, hence coming up with the revolutionary tactile game controller known as Fling for the iPad. Now, if it doesn’t work for you because you’re too used to your fingers, don’t fling (pun not intended) your iPad against the wall out of frustration. Ten One Design has the pedigree to back up their cause – they are, after all, the creator of the first capacitive touch-screen stylus for the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.

The Fling is a patent pending device that adheres to the iPad’s screen courtesy of a pair of suction cups located over the directional pad of any applicable game in order to offer physical resistance, and what they hope to be ultimate control and superb response for a fully immersive gaming experience. With Fling’s special transparent and flexible spiral design, you will be able to enjoy an unrestricted view of all on-screen action.

Fling is compatible with any iPad game that sees the use of a directional pad, or virtual joystick within, and that includes Meteor Blitz, Across Age and Super Megaworm amongst others. Fling will retail for $19.95 for a single pack, while it will cost another $10 for a 2-pack. Are your fingers up to the challenge, and surely that small investment might make you hit that high score you’ve always wanted to achieve?

Product Page

Cool Gift Idea: Digital Picture Frames, check out our reviews.
[ Fling adds a new dimension to gaming on the iPad copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

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Withings Body Scale now connected to Panasonic Viera TV

Posted: 20 May 2011 06:00 AM PDT



Withings, the company that released its wireless Body Scale to the masses, has now expanded the functionality of the device by letting the Withings application being made available for download on Panasonic's very own VIERA Connect Market. Originally announced over at the Consumer Electronics Show in January this year, your body scale and TV can now “merge” thanks to the partnership between Withings and Panasonic, letting you access your Withings health dashboard on the Panasonic VIERA Connect-enabled VIERA HDTV display with but a touch of a button. Fancy that, transforming your living room into a virtual gym – albeit sans all the gym equipment.

The Withings WiFi Body Scale is capable of turning an standard bathroom scale into an automatic weight tracking device, being able to work for up to 8 different people. It will be able to record a user's body weight, lean & fat mass, and calculated body mass index (BMI) onto his/her own secure webpage wirelessly, as well as on the free Withings iPhone application, WiScale, if you so desire. All data on the dashboard is now easily accessible via the VIERA Connect menu page using a single button.

This is all made possible thanks to Panasonic's VIERA Connect IPTV feature, enabling owners of VIERA ConnectT-enabled 2011 VIERA HDTVs to hook up to the Internet and enjoy content from there directly, relegating the PC to the study room. You need not worry about the VIERA’s collection of applications, as Panasonic is constantly working to expand the range by including video streaming, two-way interactive features from gaming to social networking, and fitness programs.

Panasonic Corporation of North America Vice President Merwan Mereby says, "The introduction of our first VIERA IPTVs in 2008 elevated the television's place in the home to a whole new level for consumers and changed the way they interact with their TV. Collaborating with cutting edge brands like Withings has enabled us to push that to even greater heights literally making the HDTV the centerpiece for home entertainment, connectivity and now fitness. With the addition of the Withings app to our VIERA Connect Market, your television can now play a key role in your fitness goals right from the comfort of your living room."

Press Release

Introducing Foolish Gadgets because not all gadgets are cool :)
[ Withings Body Scale now connected to Panasonic Viera TV copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

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American Popcorn Maker

Posted: 20 May 2011 05:30 AM PDT

Interesting to see an American product being touted on the Brit-centric Firebox, but then again, what other nation has made popcorn so popular other than the good o’ US of A? That’s what we’re talking about with the American Popcorn Maker, where for just £29.99, you will be able to enjoy piping hot and freshly-made popcorn in the comfort of your home. All you need to do is put in the right amount of kernels (you won’t go wrong thanks to the included measuring cup), wait a while and you’re good to go.

After all, isn’t creating tasty snacks one of the Americans’ specialties? Glad to know that their popcorn is more or less globally acceptable (although we don’t know if life outside of earth, if any, will find it tasteful) – so why not get this gizmo, throw in all the sugar, salt and caramel to taste?

Check out the Coolest Gadgets 2008 Gift Guides, Christmas shopping made easy.
[ American Popcorn Maker copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

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Star Wars Trash Compactor Bookends

Posted: 20 May 2011 05:00 AM PDT

Those who have developed a healthy reading habit (and by that I mean actually purchasing real books, instead of downloading PDFs from the Internet) might want to spruce up that aging bookshelf of theirs with the Star Wars Trash Compactor Bookends. After all, most of us who grew up during the Star Wars era might just be undergoing a second childhood experience at the moment, so a gift (for oneself or for others) like this makes perfect sense.

You need not use it to support your collection of trashy novels, but it would be a great addition to complement your entire range of Star Wars novels. Bear in mind that this is no cheap imitation, but is actually an officially licensed Lucasfilm collectible, made out of high-quality polystone and hand-painted – ensuring that no two of these $199.99 purchases are identical.

Good thing these bookends smell better than they look – and you don’t have to worry about squirming your way out of such a tricky situation.

Tech Cult – We cover the latest tech news, but always with a funny twist.
[ Star Wars Trash Compactor Bookends copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

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Posted by Mohammad khuram shahzad at Saturday, May 21, 2011  

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