Hasta La Gadget!

Pioneer’s nicer Cyber Navi GPS units already revolve heavily around cameras that dish out augmented reality. That clearly wasn’t enough for the company, though, as its new tilt-screen AVIC-VH0009 and fixed-screen AVIC-ZH0009 models wring even more value out of that front sensor. Their new Smart Loop feature automatically snaps photos at traffic hotspots that it shares with fellow drivers, giving them a crowdsourced glimpse of any trouble that lies ahead. Other upgrades don’t depend quite so much on collective wisdom, however. The AR Scouter Mode is now smart enough to spot upcoming crosswalks, and the voice search lets drivers freely speak keywords rather than follow a strict syntax. Pioneer isn’t divulging pricing ahead of the Cyber Navis’ June release, but their Japan-focused location services hint that we won’t see either navigator reach the US anytime soon. We can at least live vicariously through the (very detailed) video after the break.

Filed under: GPS, Transportation

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Via: PCWorld

Source: Pioneer

Texas Instruments has already shown off some new DLP technology here at CES, shrinking it down and shoving it into phones packed with pico projectors. It’s not done, however, as TI has plans to put DLP into next-gen car infotainment and HUD systems. Why the shift into automotive? Well, TI already makes infrared cameras, sensors and other components for cars, and because infotainment systems are becoming de rigeur, DLP based systems are the next logical move for the company. TI thinks DLP is a perfect fit for cars because it delivers higher brightness, wider field of view and better color reproduction than competing display technologies, and it can be used in curved displays. Plus, DLP-based HUD displays can be optimally positioned and changed in size on the fly based on drivers seating positions.

To power those systems, TI has also announced a new OMAP 5 chip codenamed Jacinto 6 tailor made for automotive applications. It’s got two Cortex A15 cores, two Cortex M4 cores and PowerVR SGX-544 graphics to provide ample computing power and electrical efficiency. We won’t be seeing DLP in-dash systems in showrooms anytime soon — Jacinto 6 won’t go into production until 2014 — but TI has brought a few concept systems to CES, and you can see one of them in a demo video after the break. Oh, and we’ll be bringing you an in-person look at TI’s wares from the show floor later this week, so stay tuned.

Continue reading Texas Instruments reveals plans for DLP and OMAP-powered automotive infotainment and HUD systems

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Recon Instruments has decided to take its wares off the slopes and into the air, provided enough people bite. The Flight HUD is built around the same core as its ski goggles, but has been tweaked to offer information more relevant to skydivers, base jumpers and wingsuit pilots. The tiny LCD just below the field of vision displays speed, altitude and glide ratio in real time. Rather than simply guess how fast they’re going, adrenaline junkies will be able to see accurate data in the moment and make the appropriate adjustments. Obviously, this is a rather niche market, so Recon Instruments has set a goal: 250 pre-orders to trigger a production run. The early birds can pick up a Flight HUD for $299, while every order placed after the initial 250 will cost $349. To get a run down of the proposed product from renowned aerial daredevil Jeb Corliss check out he video after the break.

Continue reading Recon Instruments offers Flight HUD goggles for wingsuit pilots and skydivers

Filed under: Wearables

Recon Instruments offers Flight HUD goggles for wingsuit pilots and skydivers originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Oct 2012 13:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple has long been working on a Google Glasses-like heads up display, and have been granted a couple of patents already. But Patently Apple has drudged up their latest one, which promises to bring Retina-quality visuals to the little screen. And intriguing as that may be, the more entertaining thing here is the sketch itself. More »

Summer in Paris — you can’t walk a block on Champs-Élysées without locking eyes with at least one camera-equipped tourist. But Steve Mann’s shooter wasn’t dangling from his shoulder and neck; it was mounted on his head, with a design strikingly similar to Google’s Project Glass. Unlike that mainstream Mountain View product, however, Mann’s version has reportedly been around in one form or another for 34 years, and was designed with the objective of aiding vision, rather than capturing stills and video or providing a bounty of database-aided readouts. It’s also street-ready today. While on vacation with his family, the Ontario-based “father of wearable computing” was sporting his EyeTap as he walked down the aforementioned French avenue, eventually entering a McDonald’s to refuel after a busy day of sightseeing. He left without his ranch wrap, but with seriously damaged hardware.

What allegedly occurred inside the restaurant is no doubt a result of the increasing presence and subsequent awareness of connected cameras, ranging from consumer gear to professional surveillance equipment. As Mann sat to eat, he writes that a stranger approached him then attempted to pull off his glasses, which, oddly, are permanently affixed to his skull. The man, at that point joined by one other patron and someone that appeared to be a McDonald’s employee, then pushed Mann out of the store and onto the street. As a result of the attack, the eyewear malfunctioned, resulting in the three men being photographed. It wouldn’t be terribly difficult for police to identify those involved, but this encounter may have greater implications. McDonalds has since launched an investigation into the matter and seems to be denying most of the claims, but it’ll be some time yet before the full truth is uncovered. Still, the whole ordeal got us at Engadget thinking — is the planet ready for humans to wear video recorders, and will it ever shake a general unease related to the threat of a world filled with omnipresent cameras? Join us past the break for our take.

Continue reading Editorial: Engadget on EyeTap, Project Glass and the future of wearable cameras

Filed under: Digital Cameras, Displays

Editorial: Engadget on EyeTap, Project Glass and the future of wearable cameras originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Jul 2012 13:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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