Hasta La Gadget!

I’ve seen some unusual gadgets over the years, but the iKazoo might be one of the most offbeat, yet intriguing devices I’ve seen in a while.

Designed by ogaco, the iKazoo is first and foremost a wireless controller which can be used for playing music with your iOS or Android device. It’s got a lip sensor, a full chromatic keyboard and even a flute built into it. But the device aspires to be much more than a virtual wind instrument, as it can not only detect touch and breath, but movement. This opens the controller up to other sorts of interactions, such as using it as a paintbrush, on-screen navigation or for controlling games.

When used for gaming, it can be used as a sort of joystick, or also as a unique control method for games that involve balancing objects, or spinning a wheel. Its makers envision a plethora of other uses ranging from a motion control for golf and tennis games to a personal fitness tracker to a voice recorder and even as a karaoke machine.

Inside the stick-like iKazoo is a sophisticated set of circuits including an Ardiuno compatible microcontroller, Bluetooth wireless networking, optical, shock and motion sensors, as well as a microphone, multitouch sensor, RGB LEDs and even a headphone jack. It sounds sort of like a Wii Remote on steroids.

While the promotional video for the iKazoo is a bit silly at times (gotta love the part with the guy looking through the microscope,) I can really see potential here. A wireless controller with so much functionality along with an Open Source development platform could be a dream for hackers and tinkerers, much like the Wii-mote and Kinect have been. At this point it appears that the iKazoo is in the prototype stages, but the company is already registering interest for preorders for the strange little gadget.

The first TV remote control was released in 1951. The couch potato’s best friend has seen some improvements since then, but mostly in terms of its performance and capabilities e.g. no wires, more buttons and wider compatibility. A recent design project took a look at improving the physical form and ergonomics of the remote control as well. Here’s one such concept, called the Freehand.

Designed by ECAL student Cleo Jacquet, the Freehand consists of a pair of small buttons with suction cups on its back. Instead of coming up with a better alternative to the traditional stick form of the remote, the Freehand lets you define the shape of your remote. Do you always have a drink with you when you’re watching TV? Then stick the Freehand on your drink and make it your remote. Stick ‘em on your tablet or smartphone so you can multitask. Stick ‘em on your dog. Because you’re a free spirit.

Obviously the Freehand is way too impractical in its current state. But like the MaKey MaKey and AnyTouch, it’s a sign that the future of consumer electronics could have both software and hardware that can be tailored to our individual tastes. You can check out the other remote control concepts on Wallpaper.

In the past, we’ve talked about the interesting and odd project from Google called Project Glass. The technology is basically a small wearable augmented reality system with a display embedded into a pair of glasses. A patent application has surfaced from Microsoft that shows the company is at least considering a competing product.

Artwork included with the patent application shows one example application as view of a baseball game offering factoids about players, including stats, hovering above them while you watch the game. They also showed another example where subtitles are displayed over an opera performance. Here’s the abstract from the patent application:

A system and method to present a user wearing a head mounted display with supplemental information when viewing a live event. A user wearing an at least partially see-through, head mounted display views the live event while simultaneously receiving information on objects, including people, within the user’s field of view, while wearing the head mounted display. The information is presented in a position in the head mounted display which does not interfere with the user’s enjoyment of the live event.

Microsoft’s offerings are also not meant to be worn at all times, while Google is hoping we’ll be wearing their glasses everywhere we go. It appears that Microsoft is tying their device to live events like sports and concerts. The Microsoft product would be able to the project text and audio overlays onto whatever the wearer is viewing.

The patent app was originally filed in May of 2011, but was updated this week. There is no indication of what the status of this project is at Microsoft right now; it could be significantly further along considering it’s been over a year since the application was filed, or it could just be a concept. Whereas Google already has usable prototypes of their system, it appears Microsoft’s is in the planning stages.

You can view Microsoft’s complete patent application here.

[via UnwiredView]

Regular umbrellas shield you from the rain falling from the sky, but they don’t do anything to protect you from water splashing from the wheels of cars speeding through puddles in front of you.

It’s annoying but unfortunately, there is little you can do about it. Until now, that is, thanks to Lin Min-Wei and Liu Li-Hsiang’s Rain Shield.

It’s basically an umbrella with an extension on one side that shields you from splashes coming at you from the side.

When you’re safe and dry indoors, just fold the entire umbrella up into a 180-millimetre-diameter disc and store. Pretty convenient, huh?

The Rain Shield was presented at the red dot award: design concept ceremony in Singapore.

[via Yanko Design]

A lot of people think that mobile payments is where most establishments are headed, which will eventually make credit cards obsolete. But those cards with their magnetic strips aren’t going out without a fight.

How? By reinventing the cards to include a numeric keypad and an LCD screen.

I kid you not. MasterCard is apparently intent on launching this ‘Display Card’, which they believe is the ‘next big thing in credit card technology.’ What makes this different than the cards we have nowadays is that you have to enter a PIN number directly on the card before you can use it to pay for stuff. How this is different from keying in a number on a PIN-pad, I’m not sure.

The Display Card is going to be rolled out in Singapore soon. I personally think it’s a bit silly, but it might work. What do you think?

[via Geekologie]