Hasta La Gadget!

Alternative navigational systems aren’t exactly new, but the concept shown here just might have wings. HAPMAP was one of a handful of projects selected for demonstration at SIGGRAPH‘s E-tech event, aiming to keep a human’s eye away from the map (and in turn, on whatever’s in front of them) by developing a system that guides via haptics. With a handheld device capable of both navigating and vibrating, the interface indicates complex navigation cues that follow the curvature of a road or path — it’s far more detailed than the typical “go straight,” and there’s also opportunity here to provide handicapped individuals with a method for getting to previously inaccessible locales. By mimicking the operation and interface of sliding handrails (as well as using motion capture cameras), it’s particularly useful for the visually impaired, who need these subtle cues to successfully navigate a winding path. Hop on past the break for a couple of demonstration vids.

Continue reading HAPMAP navigational system keeps your eyes on the prize, your hands on the route (video)

HAPMAP navigational system keeps your eyes on the prize, your hands on the route (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Aug 2011 15:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Robotic GPS voices can prove to be fairly annoying with its monotone “turn left in 100 meters” and its countdown towards the actual maneuver. Car navigation manufacturer Clarion has introduced their new add-on feature “Custom Voice,” which allows users to customize their navigation guidance voice and have their loved ones or even favorite singers navigate them through the heart of Tokyo.

An SD card is plugged into the user’s PC and by using a webpage provided by Clarion that translates audio into a GPS format, they can record any of the most frequently used phrases that navigation systems dictate to the driver. The card is then plugged back into the GPS; unfortunately, the add on is currently only compatible with Clarion’s Smoonavi series.

The Custom Voice add on is the first customizable route guidance system and may be the start of a new wave of user-generated audio GPS systems. Users can have their spouse, children, or pretty much anyone they desire to notify them of upcoming turns and how far they are from their destination. It also creates opportunities for companies to produce celebrity ringtone-like programs that can be installed into the navigation system, similar to the Rio Calculator, which features a popular Japanese AV actress and uses her voice to pronounce the keys on the number pad.

With Custom Voice, driving will seem more personal and comforting, almost as if that certain someone is sitting in the passengers seat and reading directions to the driver. Now your partner can nag at you from the navigation system rather than from the passengers seat!

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We spied a mystery FCC listing just the other day, filed under a no-name company but bearing some unmistakable Lenovo markings. Now we have another unidentified device bearing the same branding and, according to our friendly neighborhood tipster, this is the company’s 7-inch IdeaPad, which might be (internally) dubbed the A1-07. It’s said to be powered by a TI OMAP3621 processor (which also drives the Nook Color), features a 7-inch 1024 x 600 touchscreen, a Broadcom GPS unit, 3G wireless with a SIM slot, and room for a microSD card as well. A 3,700mAh battery supposedly keeps things juiced, both front- and rear-facing cameras are on offer, and it’s all wrapped in a glossy plastic styling that makes it look a little like a TouchPad with some bare metal highlights. It also features three buttons up front that we’re hoping don’t mean it’s been relegated to Android 2.x. Now, the image above (and the second one, below) have obviously been crudely modified to hide something, and we can’t be sure of what we’re looking at here, but it’s interesting enough for us to pass these along. Have a gander and let us know what you think in comments.

[Thanks, Anonymous]

Continue reading Lenovo’s 7-inch IdeaPad caught by Mr. Blurrycam?

Lenovo’s 7-inch IdeaPad caught by Mr. Blurrycam? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Jul 2011 10:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sitting in the backseat of a car while your parents are taking you somewhere can be a bore for a young, energetic child. As a parent, having a jittery son constantly pestering you with questions like “are we there yet?” definitely tests tests your nerves. Toy Toyota, Toyota’s new division that aims at creating innovative projects directed towards families, has worked with Party, a new creative super-group set up by some of Japan’s leading creative artists to develop an interesting iPhone app that allows children to join in on the driving experience.

The “Backseat Driver” uses GPS to let kids follow their “daddy car” in their “my car,” driving along the same path as their parents are in real life. Given the ability to steer left and right, users are awarded points when making correct turns and passing through landmarks and famous sites which appear as little objects on the road. The rarer the landmark, the more points that are rewarded, which can then be converted into unique designs for the car in a “garage.” Users can then share with friends and family their customized car and travel routes via Twitter, showing off the “cool” places that their parents had taken them, including the new candy store down the road.

The video below is an ad launched by Toy Toyota introducing this new app, available for free download on iTunes. It is interesting that the ad uses their Prius, their iconic hybrid vehicle, closely tying into their CSR activities.

Innovative apps like the Backseat Driver prove to be a great way of keeping the kids entertained on a long road trip. Although I’m not particularly sure if children at this age would have a Twitter account, if Toyota believes this young generation to be intact with the SNS trend, this would certainly be a huge marketing opportunity for sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Toyota seems to be heavily invested in CSR activities, evident in their announcement today to create several new in-house schools in the Tohoku region (where the 3/11 disaster struck) to train junior high school students the basics of manufacturing before actually hiring them.

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So you think you’re a huge fan of the Dark Knight, huh? Not so fast. Do you own a full-sized Batmobile? Yeah… we didn’t think so. But, auto restoration guru Casey Putsch does, and to launch himself further into super-fanboy status, he upgraded the engine with a Boeing turboshaft — snatched out of a naval drone helicopter. According to him, this makes his collector’s item one of a kind, in true Bruce Wayne fashion. Sure, these discarded movie props are usually powered by a standard 350 (especially the older models), but that wasn’t enough for a dude’s dude who appraises and designs all types of vehicles for a living. Mods were also made to the interior, including an iPad in the dash which serves as the avionics system and keeps track of the important GPS coordinates — you know, stuff you’d expect Lucious Fox to toss in to track villains and such. For a look at this beast in action, check out the video after the break; meanwhile we’ll try to figure out how to cram a jet engine into a Tesla Roadster.

Continue reading Man builds turbine-powered Batmobile, brags about having the only one (video)

Man builds turbine-powered Batmobile, brags about having the only one (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 Jul 2011 06:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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