There’s a lot of talk that technology is going to kill the book, eBooks specifically. It’s true that physical books are still pretty low-tech, but that doesn’t mean they have to stay that way. Maybe there could be a future where books are actually computer peripherals. If so, the prototype Elektrobiblioteka is a teaser. More »
The inventors with the world come up with interesting stuff all the time, but one new device from Boston inventor Steve Hollinger is particularly cool. Holliger has been awarded a patent for his throwable ball camera, which is bound to offer a new perspective on things. This ball camera could have many potential uses, with reconnaissance, search and rescue, and outdoor recreation being just a few of the examples Hollinger brings up in a statement.
Specifically, the patent is for a “ball that provides normalized images of a ground-based target subject captured over the course of the arc of its airborne trajectory.” The ball makes use of position sensors and high-speed cameras, and once it’s in the air, the camera uses its own position, orientation, and trajectory to determine its “precise relationship to a subject of interest.” The camera can use this knowledge to “stitch together” a collection of images into a video, and if the ball has multiple cameras in it, it can keep perspective on a specific subject while it’s in the air.
In baseball, the camera could take us through a pitch and subsequent hit from the ball’s point of view. The camera would be snapping shots from the time it’s pitched, and in the case of a ball that has multiple cameras in it, it could keep the focus on the batter as it flies through the air. It’s a very interesting patent, and Hollinger has already started work on the first-generation prototype of his idea, calling it “Squito.” Squito comes equipped with “three cameras, an array of position sensors, a microcontroller and image processor,” and it’s capable of taking a spherical, panoramic shot of its surroundings when it reaches the apex of its trajectory.
There really isn’t any denying that this is a pretty cool idea, and hopefully we’ll be hearing more from Hollinger about Squito soon. As stated above, this patent could have some applications that are potentially life saving, so here’s hoping that Hollinger’s invention gains some steam. Keep it right here at SlashGear, because you can bet we’ll be watching the development of Squito.
Throwable ball camera for fly-by video patented by inventor is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
It’s already stepping on the toes of Amazon’s dual-display patent, but at IFA E Ink is showing off a prototype handset featuring a traditional full color LCD panel on the front, and a dull monochrome e-ink display on the back. Kind of like a reverse technological mullet with the party in the front and business in the back. More »
While the design has yet to catch on with civilian air travelers (focus groups hate amphitheater-style seating), Blended Wing Body aircraft hold great promise for military operations. To better study this innovative design without sinking untold extra millions into R&D, NASA built the next best thing—a 1:8.5 scale RC demonstrator. More »
Lovin’ the bold look of those new Nikes? If you’re up to date on the athletic shoe scene, you may notice that sneaker designs can give way long before your soles do. A new decaling technique could enable you to “erase” labels and other artworks overnight without a trace, however, letting you change up your wardrobe without shelling out more cash. A prototype device, called Shader Printer, uses a laser to heat (at 50 degrees Celsius, 120 degrees Fahrenheit) a surface coated with a bi-stable color-changing material. When the laser reaches the “ink,” it creates a visible design, that can then be removed by leaving the object in a -10 degree Celsius (14 degree Fahrenheit) freezer overnight. The laser and freezer simply apply standard heat and cold, so you could theoretically add and remove designs using any source.
For the purposes of a SIGGRAPH demo, the team, which includes members from the Japan Science and Technology Agency and MIT, used a hair dryer to apply heat to a coated plastic doll in only a few seconds — that source doesn’t exactly offer the precision of a laser, but it works much more quickly. Then, they sprayed the surface with -50-degree Celsius (-58 Fahrenheit) compressed air, which burned off the rather sloppy pattern in a flash. There were much more attractive prints on hand as well, including an iPhone cover and a sneaker with the SIGGRAPH logo, along with a similar plastic doll with clearly defined eyes. We also had a chance to peek at the custom laser rig, which currently takes about 10 minutes to apply a small design, but could be much quicker in the future with a higher-powered laser on board. The hair dryer / canned air combo offers a much more efficient way of demoing the tech, however, as you’ll see in our hands-on video after the break.
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Household
Shader Printer uses heat-sensitive ‘paint’ that can be erased with low temperatures (hands-on video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Aug 2012 16:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Yesterday brought news of some Apple iPad prototypes kept secret until they were revealed in court documents, and now we’ve got even more pictures of freshly-revealed prototypes to show you, this time of the iPhone and the iPod Touch. Take a look at this first one below, which could be another version of the iPhone 3GS. We don’t really know which generation this iPhone was planned for, but the inclusion of a home button and the lack of a front-facing camera makes us think that this one came along a little later in the iPhone’s life.
Oh, it also has straight edges, which gives it more of a mechanical look. It’s a little bit strange when you’re used to the rounded corners that grace current iPhone models, but once you get used to them, they start to grow on you. This next one, which comes with an N90 designation, appears to be an early concept for the iPhone 4. We’re thinking that most will be happy Apple went with its current design for the iPhone 4, but this one does appear to have some notable qualities – such as the fact that it appears to be smaller than the iPhone 4 we know and love.
These last few all appear to be relatively old (some of them more so than others), as a couple of them lack any kind of face button entirely. The model you see pictured below is one such example, which actual corners and no home button to speak of. It’s just you and that touchscreen, baby!
This one seems to be a pretty old prototype of the iPod Touch. Unlike the model pictured above, this prototype does have a home button, but it’s been labeled “menu” instead. It also looks quite a bit smaller than the i-devices we’re accustomed to seeing, which leads us to believe that it could have been a planned version of the iPod mini, only this time with a touchscreen.
Finally, we arrive at the beast you see pictured below. This model is quite thick, so it has to be pretty old. The front is all touchscreen too, so perhaps this is one of Apple’s earliest touch-based models? We don’t know. We do know that it looks pretty bland, though.
And that’s that. It’s been a pretty exciting couple of days for the Apple fanatic, and even if you don’t count yourself among Apple’s biggest fans, it’s cool to look back and see which ideas Apple has played around with in the past. Check out the full-size images in all of their glory in our gallery below!
[via BuzzFeed]
Even more Apple prototypes surface is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
There’s no telling how much more we’ll see once the big Apple vs. Samsung trial finally gets underway in a San Jose federal court next week, but today has already seen the release of a swath of new documents full of surprises. Most notably, that includes a range of previously unseen Apple prototype devices, including various renderings of both the iPhone and iPad. One standout is an iPhone 4-esque device that quite literally wears its Sony influence on its sleeve (in one instance with the logo changed to “Jony,” a la Apple’s Jony Ive). According to the filing, it was designed by Apple’s Shin Nishibori, and was apparently up against another more metallic, iPod-style device at one point (ultimately winning out despite some protestation).
But those are far from the only iPhone prototypes that have been revealed. There’s also an elongated device identified by the codename N90, seemingly with a small screen and space for a keypad or input area of some sort below, plus a device with squared off corners somewhat reminiscent of the Motorola Photon 4G. Another prototype goes in the opposite direction, with sharp corners and a slightly rounded back. As for the iPad, we’ve gotten a look at some more recent prototypes than the early 2000-era model that surfaced earlier this month. While there’s no stylus in sight, there are a couple of iPad prototypes with kickstands built into the back of the device, and a number of considerably different designs than what Apple ultimately settled on. Dive into the galleries below for a closer look at the whole lot.
Michael Gorman contributed to this report.
Gallery: iPhone CAD drawings and prototypes
Gallery: iPad CAD drawings and prototypes
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablet PCs
Apple v. Samsung court filings reveal Sony-inspired iPhone, kickstand-equipped iPad and other prototypes originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Jul 2012 23:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Earlier in the year, a design team called ADR Studio created a camera concept based off the Instagram icon used for iOS and Android. Now the designer of Socialmatic, Antonio De Rosa, says the concept could see a fully working prototype before the end of the year. De Rosa recently returned from Singapore where he met several manufacturers based in Hong Kong, saying that he had secured a partner that will bridge the gap between the concept and the manufacturing.
ADR tried to secure $50,000 in funding from IndieGoGo earlier in the year, but failed to reach its target goal. A private investor swooped in, however, allowing the team to continue with the project and begin searching for manufacturers. De Rosa confirmed that the final name of the camera will be Socialmatic, saying that there’s a strong demand for the camera despite the failure of the IndieGoGo funding.
The camera is designed to take Instagram style photos, but also features an integrated printer so that you can give a physical copy of the photo to anyone. The Socialmatic would come with 16GB of storage, WiFi, a 4:3 touchscreen featuring the company’s custom InstaOS, and two lenses; one for the main photo capture and a second for 3D filters among other applications. InstaOS, meanwhile, is said to pull the best features of the Facebook and Instagram apps.
[via International Business Times]
Socialmatic promises Instagram-for-real prototype by end of year is written by Ben Kersey & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
We’ve all seen a Roomba at one point or another, be it picking up debris around our feet in a friend’s living room or chauffeuring a courageous kitty for an entertaining clip on YouTube. Likely far less familiar, however, is iRobot’s gadget-filled Massachusetts headquarters, including the museum-like “cool stuff room” in the lobby. There you’ll find a large variety of autonomous devices, ranging from an early Roomba prototype that subs in a removable cloth for the vacuum to the relatively creepy My Real Baby — an $89 doll that cries for food and offers realistic reactions to tickling. There’s also plenty of industrial and military gear on hand, including a long cylindrical bot used for repairing oil rigs as they continue to operate, a full-size self-driving vehicle and a wall-climbing robot that uses suction cup wheels to ascend vertically. Some of the exhibits are downright creepy, such as a crab-like prototype which an iRobot employee referenced as being “inspired by nature,” though the company’s familiar household gadgets help to balance out the eerie. Sadly, the collection doesn’t appear to be open to the public, though IEEE was granted a tour, which it graciously filmed for your enjoyment — you’ll find that video walkthrough just past the break.
Continue reading Visualized: a look inside iRobot’s gadget-filled ‘cool stuff room’ (video)
Filed under: Robots
Visualized: a look inside iRobot’s gadget-filled ‘cool stuff room’ (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Jul 2012 21:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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