Eidos Sensory Augmentation Device Concepts: Anti-ADHD

We already have devices that augment two our sight and hearing. But a group of Innovation Design Engineering students at the Royal College of Art built a couple of devices that provide a new level of augmentation. One is a headset that applies special effects to what you’re seeing in real time, while the other one is a mask that works like noise canceling headphones. No Typhoon explosives though.

eidos sensory augmentation devices by tim bouckley et al

Tim Bouckley, Millie Clive-Smith, Mi Eun Kim and Yuta Sugawara call their project Eidos. The idea is not just to help us focus on sights or sounds that we consider important, but also to provide totally new ways of seeing and hearing.

The headset for example can apply a long-exposure effect on moving objects – a bit like seeing in four dimensions. The mask on the other hand not only blocks out all sound except for the one you want to hear, it broadcasts the sound through your inner ear. The students claim that this makes it seem like the sound is being sent directly inside your head – a bit like being a schizophrenic.

Obviously the devices in their current state are silly and impractical – the cool use cases shown in the video are all hypothetical and conceptual. Still, wouldn’t be amazing if future sunglasses and hearing aids had these capabilities? I mean I didn’t ask for these, but when they arrive I can see old man Bert buying Eidoses. Eidii. Eidoes. Edeese. Eidosia.

[via Dezeen via Walyou]

USB 5-in-1 Adapter Looks Like the World’s Simplest Puzzle

Sick of carrying around a ton of different cables and adapters for charging all your gadgets? This handy accessory lets you plug in five different types of connectors using one compact card.

usb adapter

Kikkerland’s USB 5-in-1 adapter offers Mini USB, Micro USB, 30-pin iPod/iPhone, Nokia and standard USB connections. When not in use, they all snap neatly into a flat card for easy travel, so you can throw it into your bag without wires getting all tangled. The card itself measures 6.46″ (L) x 4.4(W) x 0.75″ (D).

The only thing missing from this thing is an Apple Lightning connector, but if you happen to use something like the Mophie Helium battery case for your iPhone, that has a Micro USB connector, so you’re in luck.

It’s available from Kikkerland for just $15(USD).

Days Keeps a Visual Diary on Your iPhone

Time flies by so fast. It seems like it was only yesterday when I was complaining about homework in high school… Or hanging out with friends in college… Or scrambling for my first job interview a few weeks after graduation… The human brain can only remember so much. And it’s often the seemingly insignificant memories in between these huge milestones that sometimes define and give context to the life that you have lived so far.

If you’re looking for something to help you remember your days before they pass you by, then look no further than the aptly named Days app for iOS.

days visual diary app

It’s a visual diary of sorts which lets users document their day by snapping photos or with animated GIFs. Days supports emoji, so users can create animated GIFs from photos that have been taken in rapid succession. You can also share your days with friends if you so choose.

Days can be downloaded from the iTunes App Store. Fret not if you’re using an Android device, because the app’s developers are currently working to bring Days to other platforms.

[via Laughing Squid]

AT&T Beam 4G USB Modem Shows Data Usage at a Glance

One of the worst things about using a wireless modem on the go to connect your computer to the Internet is that it’s a pain in the butt to know how much data you’ve used. A data overage can cost you hundreds of dollars or more, so most people will keep a close eye on exactly how much data they are using. With your typical wireless modem, that means you have to go to your wireless carrier’s website, or dig into the device’s settings to search out the report that will tell you how much data you’ve used so far for any given month.

However, AT&T has unveiled a clever new USB wireless modem that features an integrated LCD screen that can solve this problem.

att beam 4g modem

Made by Sierra Wireless, the new wireless modem is called the Beam. The coolest thing about it is that its integrated display can do is show you exactly how much data you’ve used at a glance. The display also shows several other helpful bits of information including such as network type and signal strength indicator.

The wireless modem offers 4G LTE connectivity, and can also act as a storage device supporting memory cards up to 32 GB of capacity. The Beam will be available on May 10 for just $19.99(USD) – with a two-year contract, of course.

Barnes & Noble Offers Nook Discounts for Mother’s Day

If you’re not following the calendar, Mother’s Day is coming up this Sunday, May 12. That means you need to get mom something cool to thank her for putting up with all of your crap over the years. All you guys with families, trust me when I say you need to get your wife something for Mother’s Day even if she’s still pregnant.

If you want to get something cool for your mom or wife for Mother’s Day, Barnes & Noble has announced some nice price cuts on the Nook HD and HD+ tablets.

nook hd

The Nook HD can now be had for $149(USD) with 8 GB of storage or $179 with 16 GB of storage. The tablet has a seven-inch display and all the same hardware as before, only the prices been decreased.

If you want something with a bigger screen, the nine-inch Nook HD+ tablet is available with 16 GB of storage for $179 or 32 GB of storage for $209. The special prices are available through Sunday. As a bonus, Barnes & Noble also announced that both tablets now have direct access to the Google Play store.

Casetop Smartphone Dock: Return of the Lapdock

Remember Motorola’s Atrix and Photon 4G? They were phones that could be plugged into a proprietary dock that turned them into Linux netbooks. If you ever wished you had something like that for your phone, check out the Casetop.

casetop smartphone dock

The Casetop doesn’t give you a desktop OS but it does add three useful things to your phone: a full-sized keyboard, an 11.1″ 720p LEd-backlit screen (not a touchscreen) and a battery. That’s right – the Casetop has its own battery, and if you plug your phone in via a USB cable the Casetop will charge your phone. The Casetop works with any smartphone that has Bluetooth connectivity (to connect to the keyboard) and a video output via HDMI, MHL or micro-USB (to connect to the screen). It also has a couple of 1W speakers, but you’d probably be better off plugging in a pair of headphones via the 3.5mm connector. Here’s a brief demo of the prototype Casetop:

And here’s the full Kickstarter pitch video:

It’s kinda weird having to navigate via your phone’s touchscreen, but aside from that I think this device could find its niche. Pledge at least $250 (USD) on Kickstarter to get a Casetop as a reward.

[via Ausdroid]

Popslate iPhone 5 Case Has E-ink Screen: Kindling

Last year we heard about the YotaPhone, a smartphone that has two screens – the usual full color touchscreen and an E-ink screen. A small company has come up with a case for the iPhone 5 that gives Apple’s smartphone a similar set up to the YotaPhone. Called the Popslate, the case has an E-ink display at the back.

popslate iphone 5 e ink case

The Popslate’s screen draws power from the iPhone 5′s battery via the Lightning connector, but because it’s an E-ink screen it shouldn’t make a large dent in the phone’s battery. As for its usefulness, many of the same things that can be said about the YotaPhone apply to the Popslate as well. You can leave a map or recipe on there, read books and do other things that require an always-on screen. The makers of Popslate also said that they’ll develop an open API so other people can make apps that work with the case.

It all sounds good, but even though the $119(USD) device was successfully crowdfunded on Indiegogo and is now available for pre-order, I don’t think you should reserve one just yet. The demo above is clearly a mock-up – as Vimeo users pointed out, E-ink screens don’t refresh as smoothly as the one shown in the video. I’d suggest that you wait for a review or at least a demo of the finished product before you even consider getting one.

[via Outgrow.me]

VOTO Charger Turns Heat to Electricity: Promethe-Zeus

The PowerPot and the BioLite stove seem like great ways to harness the heat from fire and turn it into electricity. But what if you already have a pot and a stove? A company called Point Source Power might have a solution for you. The only thing that the company’s VOTO chargers need is a fire.

voto charger by point source power

VOTO chargers look like one of those portable water heaters. But instead of a metal coil at the end, the chargers have a stack of replaceable fuel cells made from biomass. You stick this end into the bottom of your stove or bonfire and it will generate electricity over time. The electricity will be sent to its handle. There are a variety of handles, but the most useful one is shown in the video below. It’s a battery that can be used to charge devices via USB but it can also use its stored energy to power its built-in LEDs.

These chargers will be useful not only for campers and field workers but also for people who live in places that don’t have access to electricity. You can check out Point Source Power’s website for more info on their products, although the site seems to be down as of this writing.

[via Inhabitat]

SanDisk Cruzer Orbit Runs Circles Around Other Flash Drives

Flash drives are useful, and I always keep one on me in case I need to transfer files, but they are getting so tiny these days that they are easy to lose. I’ve probably lost about four myself, just because they were so small. This flash drive uses a simple system so that you won’t lose it quite so easily, unless you’re the kind of person who constantly loses their keys.

sandisk cruzer orbit keys

The SanDisk Cruzer Orbit has a special circular design, allowing it to be easily snapped onto key rings, carabiners, lanyards, as well as ring binders. Its swiveling ring mechanism also doubles as a way to protect the USB connector.

sandisk cruzer orbit open

The SanDisk Cruzer Orbit costs $30 to $50(USD), and is available in 8, 16 and 32 GB capacities. Like many flash drives, it comes with encryption software to protect your private files, as well as backup software.

sandisk cruzer orbit closed

Samsung NX2000 Digital Camera Takes Aim at Mid-Size APS-C Market

Samsung has added a new digital camera to its lineup called the NX2000. The camera has an exceptional resolution of 20.3-megapixels and uses an APS-C CMOS sensor. One of the best features of the camera is its blazing quick shutter able to activate in 1/4000th of a second to catch fast action.

samsung nx2000 camera 1

The camera is also capable of shooting bursts at up to eight frames-per-second. The display on the back of the camera is 3.7-inches at 800×400 resolution with full touch support. It can record full 1080p HD resolution video at 30fps, and has a built-in HDMI output. Samsung fits the camera with lens shift image stabilization for most lenses and it has an ISO range of up to 25,600. It also can capture images in RAW format for optimal image quality.

samsung nx2000 camera 2

The camera also supports a series of 12 different interchangeable lenses, including a special lens for capturing still or video content in 3D. In addition, it offers Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity. The camera has a number of automated shooting settings including 14 different scene modes and a number of automated options take the best photos possible.

samsung nx2000 camera 3

The NX2000 is available for pre-order in white, black, or pink, and lists for $649.99(USD), including a 20-50mm f/3.5-5.6 ED II lens and a hot-shoe mounted flash.