Let’s Visit Tokyo! We bring you to Yoyogi Park on a sunny weekend afternoon in March, 2013.
We saw a passionate artist, jump rope practice, a talented dog and other characters…
This is from about 2 months ago, but we have a lot more video that we have taken and we will finally be getting the series on a regular schedule going forward…
This marketing analysis tool, under development by Fujitsu, uses technology to sense people’s movement. By analyzing how customers behave in response to merchandise, entirely new kinds of marketing information will be obtainable.
“This exhibit is designed with retail stores in mind. The system determines how people choose products, whether they were interested in a product already, and what products they compare, using Kinect and a camera.”
With regular POS systems, the only information obtained is how much merchandise has been sold. But by using this system, it’s possible to find out how customers acted while contemplating the purchase of a product. This system could help with marketing by showing how customers behaved when they were thinking about buying a product, but didn’t complete the purchase.
“For example, we think this system will make it possible to analyze how a person considered two products, found it hard to decide between them, and finally chose one of them. It’ll enable analysis to go deeper, regarding whether a person who had difficulty deciding was a man or woman, and how old they were.”
“Rather than using this system by itself, we think it could be used in conjunction with RFID tags and other sensors. Also, rather than using Kinect to detect people coming and going, it could be combined with more specialized sensors. In fact, all this system does is collect data, so when it comes to analysis, it could be cross referenced with point of sale data and big data, or the system could be used to correlate information regarding the effectiveness of introducing customer loyalty points programs. So, we hope this system will be utilized in combination with Fujitsu’s all-round solutions.”
Event: Fujitsu Forum 2013
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Sony has developed an A4 sized equivalent 13.3″ digital paper notepad.
The display is the first in the world to use E Ink Mobius, a new flexible electronic paper display technology developed by E Ink in collaboration with Sony. Technology developed by Sony for forming high precision thin film transistors on plastic instead of glass has been used, making the display flexible and light. It is scheduled for mass production this year.
“We’ve succeeded in mass-producing these large flexible panels, by combining E-Ink’s flexible paper technology and Sony’s mass-production technology.”
“Usually, devices are made by sandwiching TFTs between glass sheets. But these panels use plastic instead of glass, so they’re much lighter. Another feature is that, unlike glass, these panels are very durable.”
This prototype digital notepad weighs 358 g and is 6.8mm thick, with the 1200×1600 pixel display itself weighing around 60g, 50% less than if glass was used. The prototype also features a battery life of approximately three weeks.
“This is a PDF document. You can page through it with your finger. Of course, you can also write comments and draw lines in the PDF document. Also, if you choose the marker, and move your finger over text, you can highlight text like this.”
“This is still at the prototype stage. But we’re designing it to work smoothly. Also, with paper, you can rest your hand on it while you write, but with a tablet, you can’t always do that. This digital paper makes it possible to write while resting your hand on the panel.”
“We’d especially like this to be used in universities. From the second half of this year, we’re planning to do trials with Waseda, Hosei, and Ritsumeikan Universities. We also plan to release a commercial version during this year.”
Event: Educational IT Solutions Expo
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Fujitsu has developed technology which can measure a person’s pulse in real time by analyzing video of their face.
“As blood circulates through the body, the amount of light absorbed by the face varies, depending on how much blood there is in it. The first point about this technology is, it identifies minute changes in light intensity on the face, and converts them to a pulse. Also, it accurately detects people’s movements, to distinguish noise. Consequently, it can make a measurement in as little as five seconds.”
When the user is sitting still, the system continuously detects changes in light intensity on the users face, as shown by the green waveform. The red waveform shows the resulting wave with noise associated with movement removed. Fujitsu has found that that accuracy of the system is within about three beats per minute.
“The main point about this technology is, it can make the measurements naturally. All the person needs to do is be in front of the camera, without operating a device. For example, when you’re working on a computer, you often stop moving for at least five seconds while you’re thinking. We think that, by detecting those moments and measuring your pulse rate, this system could be used to support health management, by recording changes throughout the day.”
“In the case of a security camera, it might be possible to detect suspicious persons, based on the assumption that people about to do something risky have a high pulse rate. However, we don’t think that can be done using this technology alone. We think it might be possible through all-round analysis, by combining this with other technologies.”
“We’d like to release this as a device embedded in our products. Right now, we’re working to bring such products out this year, including smartphones as well as PCs.”
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Pioneer has announced a service that prints the expressions of unborn babies as 3D holograms, using a compact full-color hologram printer developed by the company last year.
“When an expecting mother has a check-up, a 3D/4D echogram is made, and that contains 3D data. So, we suggest taking pre-birth photos of the baby, by skillfully processing that data.”
This device can record full color card-sized Lippmann hologram in 120 minutes with one color holograms taking 90 minutes.
“Previously, holograms were produced by making a model of the subject, shining two lights on the model, and photographing it. That method involved a lot of work, because it required a darkroom, knowledge of techniques, and specialized equipment. But with the device we’ve developed, even if you don’t have the actual object, as long as you have a CG design, then that can be used to record a hologram easily.”
The recording medium is a high-performance film specifically for holograms, called Bayfol HX, from Bayer Material Science. The hologram is visible within a 23 degree viewing angle, and is 200 components high and 300 wide, with each component containing 60 points of view vertically and horizontally.
“This method works by shining light containing information about the object from one side of the recording material, and reference light from the other side, and recording the state of interference between the two light sources in the material. A hologram is created by regularly arranging the recordings on the medium.”
As these holograms can be used to commemorate births, and Lippmann holograms can be viewed clearly in white light, Pioneer is exhibiting holograms in card-case holders and jewel-boxes with white LEDs.
Related: OPTICS & PHOTONICS International Exhibition 2013 (OPIE ’13)
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Acer today unveiled the Acer Iconia A1, the company’s first full-featured 7.9- inch tablet targeted at modern day explorers, adventurers, digital freaks and mobile executives requiring an all-day mobile companion. Thanks to a sleek and light-weight design that is comfortable to hold in one hand, it also easily fits into a purse or bag. The new Acer Iconia A1 keeps people entertained and connected with smooth and speedy navigation, browsing and media playback powered by a fast quad- core processor.
The Acer Iconia A1 was introduced today with other new products, including the Acer Aspire R7, Acer Aspire P3 Ultrabook and Aspire V Series touch notebooks. The new line of Acer mobile products highlights the company’s focus on redefining the computing experience through progressive design.
Highly Responsive Fun
Busy mobile users get the prompt performance they want with smooth video playback, and fluid and fast navigation through apps and websites powered by a fast MediaTek Quad Core 1.2GHz processor. Gestures, zooming, scrolling and navigation are all intuitive, and games are responsive, realistic and even more fun with the integrated gyroscope for movement and vibration responses.
The LED-backlit display with IPS technology and a 170-degree viewing angle vibrantly highlights videos, photos and multimedia content in accurate color and brightness. The 1024×768 resolution makes text and graphics crisp and clear, while the 4:3 aspect ratio is great for web browsing and e-reading as well as gaming.
Acer’s new Touch WakeApp® gesture gives customers one-touch express access to their favorite apps directly upon waking from sleep. The Iconia A1 delivers the Google experience with services like Google Now, Google Search, Gmail, YouTube, and great content such as magazines, movies, games, books and more than 700,000 apps from the Google Play Store.
Easy to take Everywhere to Stay Connected
Starting at only 0.90 pounds and measuring only 0.44 inches thin, customers will also enjoy taking it with them for navigation and location-based apps via the built-in GPS.
The Acer Iconia A1 keeps consumers connected to Wi-Fi networks and hotspots with reliable 802.11b/g/n wireless technology. Plus, the integrated Bluetooth 4.0 lets consumers quickly connect the tablet to a variety of other devices, such as headsets and printers.
Digital Hub
The 5MP rear-facing camera captures 1080p video at 30fps that can easily be edited for quick sharing on-the-go. The front-facing camera pairs with the enhanced microphone to capture video and audio clearly for video chats and recording. The micro USB 2.0 and microHDMI port enable quick transfer or sharing of customer’s photos, music, videos and other digital content.
Pricing and Availability
The Iconia A1-810 with 16GB capacity will be available in June at a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price of $199.99 USD.
At a press event held today in New York, Acer unveiled the Aspire R7, a revolutionary 15.6-inch notebook that will redefine the touch and type computing experience. Featuring a Full HD 1920×1080 touch screen, the Acer R7 was made for the new computing lifestyle, which increasingly combines touching and typing. With a repositioned keyboard and a revolutionary “Ezel Hinge” that moves the display forward and into different positions, the R7 makes the combination of touching the screen and using the keyboard more intuitive and natural. Its ergonomic design allows users to explore and determine their own preferred way to interact with technology.
he Acer Aspire R7 was introduced today with other new products, including the Acer Aspire P3 Ultrabook, Acer Aspire V Series touch notebooks and Acer Iconia Android tablets. The new line of Acer mobile products highlights the company’s focus on redefining the computing experience through progressive design.
As Acer’s Exclusive Retail Partner, Best Buy Customers who Pre-Order Will Receive the new STAR TREK: THE VIDEO GAME for PC for Free
Available May 17th, consumers who place pre-orders with Best Buy between May 3 and May 16, 2013 will also receive a free download of STAR TREK: THE VIDEO GAME for PC as part of Acer’s marketing partnership campaign with Paramount for the upcoming film, “Star Trek Into Darkness,” opening on May 17, 2013.
The Acer Aspire R7 lets consumers transform their notebook into the shape that best delivers an immersive content experience based on their usage needs. With four modes of operation, the R7 can easily be used as a traditional notebook, a table top pad, a display, or switched into “Ezel” mode, allowing the screen to float over the keyboard at various angles. This allows users to work where they want and how they want — seated or standing, at a desk or with it on their lap. The Ezel Hinge makes it easy to switch the display around, to touch or type while creating, browsing or sharing content. Dual hinge technology allows for single-hand switching between modes and keeps the display rock-steady when touched.
1. Ezel Mode – Reach out and pull the display closer, eliminating the need to reach across the palm rest and keyboard to use the touch screen. Just pull it up and out where it can be positioned in front of the keyboard, or float over it. By pulling the display close, switching between touchscreen, keyboard and touchpad is seamless.
2. Notebook mode – Slide the display back behind the keyboard, and you have a powerful, full featured Windows 8 notebook computer with a 15.6-inch Full HD(1) 1920×1080 touchscreen display, an Intel Core i5 processor, 6GB of memory, a 500GB hard drive(2), a 24GB SSD(3) and a full-size backlit keyboard. It also includes a volume control button, HDMI port, SD card reader, audio jacks, three USB ports, WiFi, Bluetooth and a convenient converter port supporting VGA, RJ45 and USB.
3. Display Mode – Flip the screen over and it’s positioned perfectly for watching a movie, showing photos or giving a presentation. Sharing and collaborating is simple, enjoyable and straightforward. With Acer’s proven dual-torque design, the screen flips easily yet remains rigid when touched.
4. Pad Mode – Simply pull down the touchscreen and lay it on top of the keyboard with the face up, and the Aspire R7 morphs into a pad, without giving up the robust performance of a notebook. The ergonomic 4-degree tilting angle makes it perfect for browsing, writing or drawing. It’s ideal for pure touch interactions like casual gaming, browsing, drawing, annotating and more.
Premium Sound
Offering a superior audio visual experience, the R7’s powerful features and high-definition display are complemented by a premium sound system with Dolby Home Theater v4 and four 8 watt speakers. Because of its transformative design, the audio channels automatically reverse when switching modes, so sound is always perfect.
In addition, Acer also relocated the placement of the dual microphones from the traditional notebook layout. Instead of positioning them on the LCD bezel near the webcam, they are placed along the front of the notebook, just under the spacebar. This provides for the best voice sound quality, and enhances the aesthetics of the touchscreen by eliminating the need for holes in the bezel.
Premium Design
In a manner befitting its revolutionary design, the Aspire R7 includes a unibody aluminum chassis, a beautiful brushed metal hinge, and an arched cover with very subtle curves and lines. The bottom features a soft touch finish for a secure grip, making it easy to grasp and carry.
Even the keyboard placement was reconsidered in the new design. Repositioning it closer to the body in front of the chassis makes typing more comfortable and as efficient and as fluid as possible. The keys fall naturally under the fingers, eliminating the need to hold the arms out and over the palm rest and touch pad in order to type. The travel of the keys was also considered in the design, ensuring it is deep enough to provide a perceptible tactile response when typing, so that using the keyboard is just as enjoyable as touching the screen.
Availability and Pricing
Best Buy is Acer’s exclusive retail partner. The R7-571-6858 has a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price of of $999.99 USD(4). It will be available in stores and online for shipping on May 17th. Pre-orders can be placed now at www.bestbuy.com. Additional models and specifications will be announced in the following weeks.
“Shibaful is the world’s first iPhone case modeled after a grassy park. This case is based on Yoyogi Park in Tokyo, and it’s the first in our World Parks series. For the next versions, we’re considering basing the grass on New York’s Central Park and London’s Hyde Park.”
“Regarding the technology, the case is made using electrostatic flocking. When the five different colored fiber particles are dropped from above, they form this kind of texture. There are all kinds of iPhone cases, but we think this is the first with a grassy texture. Also, it feels different when you stroke it and when you grip it. The green color is really fresh, and easy on the eyes, too. Another part of the concept is that you’ll sometimes want to turn your iPhone over, and rest your eyes by looking at the green.”
“The studio we work from, called co-lab Shibuya Atelier, is a shared office. We have shared access to 3D printers, laser cutters, and digital machines, so we can turn PC data into tangible objects. Here, we can try all kinds of ideas quickly and cheaply, taking those ideas closer to commercial production. In Japan, there are lots of small businesses with all sorts of technologies. We’ve produced this iPhone case to express our goal of creating new, exciting things, by combining small businesses’ technology with our ideas and prototyping abilities.”
“When we market this, we’ll initially do a limited run of 100. They’ll be available from the end of April, at eight stores throughout Japan. The price will be 3,980 yen. Meanwhile, we’re gearing up for mass production to meet future needs.”
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Have you heard of the robot maker species that doesn’t need a grand research goal, isn’t motivated by government competitions or corporate interests, and doesn’t necessarily care if their efforts result in profit? Japanese blacksmith Kogoro Kurata and British animatronics expert Matt Denton are live specimens with a simple purpose: make awesome robotic machines.
Those with an even mildly passing interest in robotics technology probably heard about Tokyo-based Suidobashi Heavy Industries’ Kuratas robot last year. Those just a bit robo-geekier have probably seen this month’s blast of coverage on Winchester-based Micromagic Systems’ Mantis robot. Here’s a quick rundown to set the stage (also see specs & videos below):
Kuratas – Japan, Public in July, 2012
Team leader Kogoro Kurata is by trade a blacksmith, and with perhaps a few sponsors and some donated labor, his namesake Kuratas robot appears to be an entirely self-funded undertaking. In development for some 3-4 years, Kurata considers his four-legged rolling mech project an artistic and proof-of-concept exercise, and this exercise can be bought and customized: rolling away in your own Kuratas will only require US $1.3 million (bells & whistles also available at $50,000-$100,000 each). Realistically, it’s probably cheaper to pack up and move to Japan than pay for overseas shipping on this one.
Mantis – U.K., Public in April 2013
Matt Denton is a microelectronics and software guy who, when not making giant robot bugs, makes other robotic stuff for the entertainment industry. Denton’s walking hexapod project took off in 2009, and he considers Mantis a demonstration piece and hopefully a source of inspiration for other robot makers. While it’s managed under the umbrella of his company, Micromagic Systems, the project does receive additional outside funding. At the moment, Mantis is not for sale, but you can arrange appearances, demos, and sponsorships. How about, uhhh… birthday parties?
A Win for Imagination
The Kuratas robot is last year’s news, but this month’s announcement of the updated Mantis robot provides an opportunity to remember that not all valuable technological development has to be sober or practical or provide immediate, obvious utility. Sure, perhaps Mr. Kurata in Japan and Mr. Denton in the U.K. are the embodiment of oversized boys with cash enough to build man-sized toys – but check your worldview – that is not a bad thing!
If you’ll forgive here a small slice of cheese, it’s nice to know that these grown men haven’t let the grown-up world and the joyless, withered, humorless souls of business and academia emasculate their imaginations. From nearly opposite sides of the earth these independent robot creators have chased their dream of building badass robots because building badass robots is badass. It’s truly admirable.
While the latest from Kurata’s and Denton’s imaginations are wildly dissimilar in design, origin, and intent, there is also a measure of commonality. This isn’t Kurata’s first giant mech rodeo, and Denton’s been at the hexapod game since long before Mantis went into development; they’re both robotics veterans. On top of that, although released 8 months apart, both robots received common threads of media attention. We saw it last year with Kuratas, and this month Mantis is also getting a taste of the “Wow, that’s an interesting but useless robot, so… moving on.” or the “Gee, what an irresponsible and wasteful thing to create.”
Superficial media blips overlook not only the imagination put into these robot masterpieces, but also give little treatment to the super-advanced and original engineering, computer science, and design prowess that defines these machines not as mere sculpture, but actual factual functioning robots.
Mantis and Kuratas: Also a Win for Pure Science
No doubt, Kurata and Denton are the drive behind their respective robots, but their forces of passion have also produced two world-class robotics engineering and software development teams. Sure, Kuratas and Mantis may be indulgent, but while these two executive-level robot dorks pursue their geeky dreams, they’re also producing loads of practical knowledge and providing a venue for other developers to experiment.
Kurata and Denton had their self-driven, beholden-to-none ideas and goals, so they made some hypotheses, got their R&D teams together, did countless tests and trials, built models and stuff, rejiggered this and that, and eventually sent out a press release and uploaded their justifiably viral YouTube videos you see down below.
Please forgive another slice of robogeekery cheese, but it’s worth stating that pursuing something because you love it, seeing if you can get it to work just to see if you can get it to work… well, that’s some beautiful, pure science right there. In robot form.
Go Make Your Own
You might have noticed this wasn’t much of a showdown. Really, it’s a vote of encouragement to anyone building iron giants, tinkering with a robot hobby kit, or wiring together cardboard boxes, tubing, and PVC pipe.
So, good luck to Kurata and Denton, we love your work and we’re waiting for the next generations. And hey guys, how about fostering a little international cooperation and goodwill amongst robots: mount Kuratas on the Mantis chassis and have a little cultural exchange?
Oh would it were.
MANTIS:
KURATAS:
Images & Specs: suidobashijuko.jp & mantisrobot.com
_________
Reno J. Tibke is the founder and operator of Anthrobotic.com and a contributor at the non-profit Robohub.org.
Fujitsu Laboratories has developed a next generation user interface which can accurately detect the users finger and what it is touching, creating an interactive touchscreen-like system, using objects in the real word.
“We think paper and many other objects could be manipulated by touching them, as with a touchscreen. This system doesn’t use any special hardware; it consists of just a device like an ordinary webcam, plus a commercial projector. Its capabilities are achieved by image processing technology.”
Using this technology, information can be imported from a document as data, by selecting the necessary parts with your finger.
This technology measures the shape of real-world objects, and automatically adjusts the coordinate systems for the camera, projector, and real world. In this way, it can coordinate the display with touching, not only for flat surfaces like tables and paper, but also for the curved surfaces of objects such as books.
“Until now, gesturing has often been used to operate PCs and other devices. But with this interface, we’re not operating a PC, but touching actual objects directly, and combining them with ICT equipment.”
“The system is designed not to react when you make ordinary motions on a table. It can be operated when you point with one finger. What this means is, the system serves as an interface combining analog operations and digital devices.”
To detect touch accurately, the system needs to detect fingertip height accurately. In particular, with the low-resolution camera used here (320 x 180), if fingertip detection is off by a single pixel, the height changes by 1 cm. So, the system requires technology for recognizing fingertips with high precision.
“Using a low-res webcam gives a fuzzy picture, but the system calculates 3D positions with high precision, by compensating through image processing.”
This system also includes technology for controlling color and brightness, in line with the ambient light, and correcting for individual differences in hand color. In this way, it can identify fingertips consistently, with little influence from the environment or individual differences.
Also, in situations that don’t use touch, the system can be operated by gesturing. In this demo, when you move your fist, you can manipulate the viewpoint for 3D CAD data. So, there could be applications for this touch system by combining it with current gesture systems.
“For example, we think this system could be used to show detailed information at a travel agent’s counter, or when you need to fill in forms at City Hall.”
“We aim to develop a commercial version of this system by fiscal 2014. It’s still at the demonstration level, so it’s not been used in actual settings. Next, we’d like to get people to use it for actual tasks, see what issues arise, and evaluate usability. We want to reflect such feedback in this system.”
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