Hasta La Gadget!

[CEATEC 2013] I still remember how Nintendo was ridiculed by different segments of the gaming community when they first released the Nintendo Wii which sports motion control using a nunchuk as well as the Wiimote. The strange thing was, Sony introduced subtle changes to their Sixaxis controller afterwards, while Microsoft took things further with their Kinect system where your entire body ended up as the game controller itself. Nintendo was justified in their innovation, and here we are with something that might represent the next level – the MURATA/Elliptic Labs Ultrasound Gesture Control.

Basically, it is able to perceive depth – or the Z-axis, if you will. Whenever your hand goes closer to the display, the “ball” will become larger to show just how near it is, and vice versa. It is even able to detect your hand when it beyond the border of the display, while slicing your hand across will result in the “ball” being depicted as a thinly stretched graphic, showing just how sensitive it is. In the demonstration, the MURATA/Elliptic Labs Ultrasound Gesture Control showed how one is able to manipulate the Windows 8 environment as well as a browser using nothing but gesture controls. There is no gesture to perform pinch-to-zoom at the moment, but I guess it is just a simple matter of time. Not only that, the entire shebang consumes very little juice, so it is just a matter of time before we could see it implemented in future devices – and it could very well end up to be an extremely popular feature down the road.

MURATA/Elliptic Labs Ultrasound Gesture Control original content from Ubergizmo.

[CEATEC 2012] We have seen how Murata intends to help the elderly and infirmed get around more independently in a safer manner via the Electric Walking Assist Car, but here is another device that will target the more able-bodied – a pressure sensor and wireless module that has been embedded into the sole of a pair of shoes, resulting in a walking measurement system to create what some might deem as Smart Shoes. These sensors will monitor the weight shift of the shoe’s wearer, letting it check up on forms of running, walking, and golfing among others in addition to charting the effects of rehabilitation.

All data will be measured using the integrated pressure sensor, where it will then be transmitted over to a smartphone via the “Bluetooth SMART (Bluetooth Low Energy)” module. The pressure sensor used was made possible thanks to a transparent piezoelectric film that has a constant piezoelectric output, allowing the sensor to detect extension as well as contraction and torsion in each person’s movement.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Murata Electric Walking Assist Car isn’t really a car, Muscle Suits make heavy lifting easier,

Ubergizmo co-founder Hubert Nguyen preparing for retirement…

[CEATEC 2012] We’re still a long way off from having self-replaceable, robotic legs but that isn’t stopping companies from trying to pave the way for such technology. Murata is one such company. Back in 2011, the company exhibited a concept model of an Electric Walking Assist Car, and this year they’ve managed to create a fully-working prototype. Looking like a smaller version of a Segway, users don’t stand on the “Car”. Instead, they lean on it, putting their weight on its handlebars, pushing forward, pulling backwards or turning into the direction they wish to go. From what we can see, it works like a regular walking aid – except that it looks a lot fancier and has some additional features over its normal counterpart.
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By Ubergizmo. Related articles: TDK’s contactless charging system makes it easy to charge your EV, Toyota Smart INSECT is aptly named,