Have you ever caught yourself whistling a made up tune and thought to yourself, "hey this could be a hit song!" Those moments of inspiration are fleeting but with the Compose concept, you can compose anywhere.

The pen acts as a mic you sing into. When docked into the digital paper tablet, your vocal harmonies are automatically transcribed into a score. For the old schooler, you can write directly on the display. It also contains libraries for an entire orchestra so once your composition is finished, just sit back and enjoy. yankodesign

Designer Chueh Lee over at Samsung China has designed what may be the worlds first camera for the blind, the "Touch Sight".

Touch Sight is a revolutionary digital camera designed for visually impaired people. Simple features make it easy to use, including a unique feature which records sound for three seconds after pressing the shutter button. The user can then use the sound as reference when reviewing and managing the photos. Touch Sight does not have an LCD but instead has a lightweight, flexible Braille display sheet which displays a 3D image by embossing the surface, allowing the user to touch their photo. The sound file and picture document combine to become a touchable photo that is saved in the device and can be uploaded to share with others-and downloaded to other Touch Sight cameras. More in details

I sit right under the air conditioner so believe me when I say I look dumbfounded when coworkers come over and turn the thing up. HELLO! I'm freezing over here. Free Wind is a smart ceiling mounted air conditioner with customizable air flows. Six fans operated by a smart system control wind zones and enable sectioned climate control. The cool remote uses touch-drag to anticipate and control your environment with a flick of a finger. Do want! yankodesign

The Motorola Sparrow was conceived to provide retail stores with a mobile point of sale device to solve increased service demands from consumers while decentralizing the check out point, i.e. pay for it and get out as fast as you can. It combines a scanner, point of sale (POS) system, RFID, communication and credit card reading capabilities into one mobile device. yankodesign

Why bother with one screen when you can have two for probably double the price? Designer Andy Kurovets presents his "Bend Mobile" concept. He thinks turning on a device and having it grow to nearly double its size will really be attractive to some people. He may be right but where is the proof? Oh right, he is also including a high capacity digital camera that also pops out to larger than expected proportions. All that and it's curved, for easy sliding in and out of your pants. yankodesign

Designer Kai Chen has invented a little what's hot/what's not meter that takes all the guess work out of getting into your bathtub. "Bath Safeguard" is a neat little electronic bath plug device that measures the temperature of the water and emits a color glow reflecting the current conditions of the water. When not in use, place it back on the magnetic induction recharger base. Made of waterproof silicon this item is sure to see production...and at least shut that little tramp up. yankodesign

Designing electronic gadgets specifically for women has always seemed like either an insult to their sensibilities or simple pink pandering. Either way, you run the risk of a ton of pink back stock or pissing them off. My advice, design gadgets for humans. Except when it is done to the high degree of slickness as this "Costume" Samsung 2.5″ Hard Drive by Joongoo Lee. Joongoo's design was inspired by a ladies make-up compact found at the bottom of most hand bags. Fitting comfortably in the palm of your hand (not that hard drives need to be in the palm of your hand) this design makes me want to explore my feminine side a bit further. yankodesign

  A Japanese institute announced that it confirmed a cell conversion efficiency of 17.7% by using a CIGS solar cell made with a flexible substrate. The efficiency of the solar cell, which was developed by Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), is one of the highest in the world for a flexible CIGS solar cell. The production of a flexible CIGS solar cell has thus far faced an issue in the formation of a p-type semiconductor, according AIST. The carrier density of a p-type semiconductor in a CIGS solar cell is controlled by adding an alkali metal such as sodium. Specifically, sodium selenide or sodium fluoride is added to the semiconductor. But Na₂Se and NaF are unstable and only have a poor reproducibility, AIST said. This time, AIST developed a technology called "alkali-silicate glass thin layer (ASTL) method." According to this method, a silicate glass layer is first formed on the substrate, and the amount of alkali metal that passes through the backside electrode layer and diffuses into the light absorbing layer is controlled by adjusting the film formation conditions of the silicate glass layer. Details of the technology will be unveiled at the 4th Annual Symposium of Research Center for Photovoltaics, which runs from July 28-29, 2008, at the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation. Tech On!

Straight out of Poland, Damian Kozlik has designed an interesting if not confusing timepiece dubbed "X-Watch". His attempt at a universal time piece able to be used by sighted and the blind is a step in the right direction. Not sure if X marks the right spot on this one but his rubber strap housing carries an array of LEDs behind graduated glass with extruded braille numbers that chris-cross to highlight and center the correct time. Seems like a lot of acrobatics just to tell time, but maybe life is truly in the journey and not the destination... even when counting the hours. If you ask for more details, our heads may explode. This was a hard one to figure out...let it go. yankodesign.com

 Researchers in Japan are developing a gadget that could enable people to hold a three-dimensional image of someone in the palm of their hand. They hope the gCubik, which is still at the prototype stage, will later be developed to move in real time and appear to speak. 
Grandparents could use the device -- which comes in a 10 centimetre (3.9 inches) cube -- to see a 3D image of their grandchild living far away, while business people could view a prototype product from afar and school teachers could use it in science classes, he said.
At the moment the device has a still image but efforts are underway to make it move in real time, Yoshida said.
The panels have many tiny lenses on liquid crystal displays. Unlike conventional 3D displays, which are viewed only from the front, the gCubik can be seen from three sides, giving different images from various angles. And unlike conventional 3D users will not need glasses to see the benefit.
Yoshida said the team hopes to put the technology to practical use within about three years by improving picture quality, getting rid of cords now attached to the cube and allowing viewing from all six sides of the box.
The team also wants to give vocal sounds to the 3D image in the future, making it appear as if the person in the cube is speaking. PhysOrg.com

Microsoft's new wireless Arc Mouse folds down to save space during transit, anyone that's used one of those mini-travel mouse devices will appreciate the full size body. It's questionable whether the space saving benefits are really necessary. It will retail for approx. $60 US later in the year. core77

It looks as though an Italian company named V12 Design might beat the OLPC's XO-2 laptop to the dual touchscreen punch with their dual LCD laptop called the Canova. According to Laptopmag, V12 developed its design four years ago and is currently working on a second generation version with a US manufacturer. The plan is to have the device on the market within 16 months. An interview with Valerio Cometti, the founder and managing director of V12 Design, confirmed that the upcoming version would support multitouch input and that a microphone would be built into the design for voice commands. Unfortunately, the image pictured above is the first gen version and no images of the current Canova design have been released. However, if they are on target with their prediction, we could have one in our hands by 2010.Gizmodo

The BLOC MP3 player may look like another stylized DAP but there's function to its Lego-like form. The core unit houses an OLED screen, 4-way directional toggle, and 50GB of memory. Should you need more, just snap on another memory module. Wanna share music with friends? No problem - just connect two BLOCS together and get your sync on. Oh and just for kicks, it'll record voice notes too.  yankodesign

Here is the YOM, your typical clock radio alarm with an atypical USB dock for your MP3 player. Instead of waking up to the radio or some blaring noise, why not plug your USB stick loaded with your favorite tunes? You can set which songs to wake up to via the touch sensitive controls.The speakers are also good enough to act as a stereo. The USB stick then becomes a joystick to toggle thru your playlists. Quite an innovative use for something that would otherwise just be a weird eyesore. yankodesign

At the Hokkaido environmental summit Sharp showcased an experimental 26 inch LCD TV which consumes around 30% less power than its peers. Coming to the specs it has a contrast ratio of 10000:1 and the display panel is just 20mm thick. Another innovation showcased by Sharp was a 26 inch solar panel which generates enough electricity to power the LCD TV. According to Sharp it is a perfect combo for the 1.6 billion people living below the poverty line in non-electrified areas and earning less than $2 a day.  newlaunches

Since Apple's iPhone was such a runaway success, the entire mobile phone industry has been playing catch-up with the pocket wonder. Jonathan Ive's (Apple's Chief of Design) minimal flat black screen design has instantly become a gadget icon and seems to be the inevitable future of mobile phone designs for everyone looking to grab market share. The problem with this design direction is the very limited aesthetic potential. Designer Jaren Goh has done a pretty decent job of putting his own spin on this movement with his "Basic Tab" mobile phone design. He has masterfully taken softer side out of the iPhone silhouette and gave it a more edgy, masculine appearance. His clever use of red translucent materials mixed with chrome harkens more retro future funk sci-fi creations like 2001 A Space Odysseys "HAL 9000″ and the Cylons on Battlestar Gallactica. yankodesign

This time around it was designer Peter Zsolt Koren. His "In-spiral" bangle bracelet/watch design looks acceptable on either on a wrist or a desktop. This rail system design adjust through every other line and locks magnetically. yankodesign

Designer Jason Kline discovered people don't use most of the buttons on today's TV remotes. The complex array of function only confuses some and alienates others. Most people also only watch 12 different channels so why are we still using these ever elongating sticks? Kline suggests another way called the Licentia.

The Licentia is straight forward, no-nonsensical remote control consisting of 2 discs which can be spun or compressed in a number of gesture patterns to interact with your TV. Once you get the hang of it, channel hopping will become easier and faster. None of that cumbersome numeric keypad stuff. yankodesign

Like a precision calliper tool, 08 Radio by Mikael Silvanto lets you precisely find the station you want by sliding the entire radio unit up and down the scale. It's a minor improvement and may irk some who prefer a dial but functions aside, it is nice to look at just as a stand-alone piece. Designer: Mikael Silvanto.yankodesign

If we're not absorbing information at an alarming and astounding rate 24/7, we start feeling a little hollow and frivolous, being surrounded with all this connected technology and what not. Thankfully Manabe Hiroyuki (pictured) at NTT DoCoMo took the time to develop and create the wearable headphone gaze detector; slightly less elegant than the traditional neural implant, with this system you could not only record the goings on of your days and "bookmark" important events, but also train the cameras to feed you information about your surroundings based on QR codes or possibly eventually object recognition; think of it as augmented aural reality triggered by giving a passing glance. Shine on, you crazy diamond - -we think you might just have Masahiko Tsukamoto beat this time.engadget

I have seen parsecs worth of concept computer designs during my visit here on Earth, but nothing like this "B-membrane" design by Korean designer Won-Seok Lee. He has taken the need for a bulky monitors right out of the equation and opted for beaming your YouTubing onto any surface you can point the omni-directional projector at. Some highlights of this Kubrick inspired mother ship computer include a membrane keyboard that appears when needed, integrated optical drive and when not used as a computer, the projector can beam ambient light effects on any surface you desire. yankodesign

On 29 June 2008 the design world will celebrate the first „World Industrial Design Day". The World Industrial Design Day has been initiated by the international umbrella association of industrial designers Icsid (International Council of Societies of Industrial Design) with a view to offer as of now a fix date every year on which the merits of the profession of industrial designers and their influence on our living standards shall be recalled. The 29th June has been chosen because it is the birthday of the association: On 29 June 1957 the Icsid was founded officially in London. This day shall prompt many activities such as events, exhibitions, lectures or open days around the world. red-dot

Polaroid, the company that brought the world the iconic snap-and-print camera, is ready to introduce a new instant-photo product fit for the Digital Age. The PoGo, a mobile, inkless printer with a cute name, is small enough to fit in a pocket and prints wallet-size pictures that can be turned into stickers. The company--which continues its attempt to transition from an analog past to a digital future--hopes the Polaroid-on-the-go will revolutionize instant photo printing. Polaroid showed the little 8-ounce PoGo to CNET News.com on Tuesday. The product receives images via Bluetooth from a camera cell phone or through a USB cord from any digital camera. Then it uses inkless Zink technology to heat up the photo paper and bring out the colors embedded in the paper's dye crystals.Without ink heads, printers can be smaller and save money on ink. However, the Zink paper will still cost extra--an average of 35 cents per print. Future plans include larger prints that rely on the the same mobile, inkless concept.Jon Pollock, vice president and general manager of product planning and new technology at Polaroid, said the product is aimed at teens and young adults who want to print from their cell phone cameras and get instant access to their shots.The back side of the photos can be peeled, turning pictures into stickers--perfect for slapping on an unsuspecting victim's back, but ideally used for decorating or making collages.Although Polaroid sells digital cameras and other gadgets, it almost missed the digital wave. Pollock admitted the company suffered about five years ago when it still dealt with analog cameras, but it appears ready to climb back to the top of the photography world. By 2009, the classic instant Polaroid camera will finally fall by the wayside. Pollock said the PoGo is its replacement. Polaroid's PoGo will be available at Best Buy on July 6 and in most department stores by the fall. The printer retails for $149. cnet

The absence of a numeric keypad on a laptop is sometimes irritating. But thanks to Canon's new mouse it solves my problem and can also juggle with two other functions. The LT-100TKM has a clamshell like form factor, which when closed acts as a normal optical mouse at 1000dpi and makes numeric keypad and calculator function work after opening. It is selling in Japan for $32. toysgadget

The "Sens" phone by Takumi Yoshida is a great idea who's time has come. For the nearly blind, this phone features lighted sides that help convey different alert messages. Forgoing the use of the standard "blind man's dimple" keyboard arrangement found on most cell phones and designing a more tactile keys distinguishable not only for the blind but for anyone trying to interact with this device.yankodesign

The Pullight Dynamo looks to be nothing more than a flashlight powered by stored kinetic energy built up from pulling a string. Inside the dynamo is a 3 phase motor to deliver more power from very little kinetic energy. What's more, the dynamo can charge other devices like a mobile phone or iPod. It's splash proof and perfect for emergency situations. yankodesign

Glass surface inputting is the new hotness for almost every gadget maker today. From from the iPhone to Microsoft's Surface technology, flat is where it's at. Introducing the flattest full size QWERTY keyboard to date, "No-key Keyboard" by Kong Fanwen. Consisting of just a glass surface, camera and lighting, this alternative keyboard concept will use the latest motion capture technology to watch your fingers nervously select just the perfect smiley for your online bantering. yankodesign

Slice PC Concept is trying to answer the need of efficient and visually files storage on your computer. This PC Concept is trying to help you with the trouble of finding the files that are buried deep within folders, and you are no longer know how to indicate and locate the files when you need it. Slice PC Concept helps you physically interacting with the information, users can organize and place files accordingly. Each of the slices visually represent different folders seen in current operating software such as My Documents, My Music, My Videos, etc. The visual and haptic experience associated with slice emotionally connects the users to their information stored on the computer reassuring the safety and placement of their files.tuvie

On June 3, engineers at iXs Research Corporation unveiled a robotic teddy bear designed to work as a talking car navigation system. The prototype robot stands 30 centimeters (1 ft) tall and has 6 joints in its arms and neck, which it uses to make gestures while providing spoken directions. The robot bear is also equipped with functions to improve auto safety, such as an alcohol detection sensor embedded in its neck. If it smells booze, the robot confronts the driver, saying, "You haven't been drinking, have you?" Other sensors detect wreckless driving, so if the driver suddenly accelerates or slams on the brakes, the robot says, "Watch out!" As a bonus feature, the robot bear provides information about nearby landmarks when you stroke its head. The company hopes to make the robot commercially available next year. "We want to make it more compact," says CEO Fuminori Yamasaki, "and we'd like to offer a variety of shapes, including other characters and a plain mechanical version." Fujitsu has patented the idea of merging car navigation systems with dolls, but it has granted iXs Research Corporation permission to use the patent through a Kawasaki-area project encouraging major corporations to share intellectual property rights with small-to-medium-sized companies. Pink Tentacle

Now here is a perfect example of concept design bettering the world in previously unimagined ways. The deaf of the world are not just being deprived of music, a sweet whisper and a simple phone call. They are also lacking the ability to be fairly warned of impending danger from out of sight sources. Designers Kwang-seok Jeong, Min-hee Kim and Hyun-joong Kim really deserve a round of silent applause for this inspired design. "Vibering" is an ingenious way to help the deaf, by fashionably housing a sound detection and identification system to be worn as a pair of rings and a wristwatch. The rings are to be worn on both hands and are the ears that not only listen for sounds emanating from behind, they also determine distance, position and vibrate according to source. The wristwatch aspect, identifies the sound wave and present this info to the wearer in an easy to read display. The watch is programmed to listen for certain key phrases from humans like "Excuse Me..", your name being called and any number of car noises including the most important one, a car's horn. This device concept could not just be a major life enhancer for the deaf, it would most certainly save lives. yankodesign

We have all seen the nature shows where the baby deer wanders too far from its mom and gets pounced on by some hidden predator. Well aside from opposable thumbs, moms have a new way to differentiate themselves from our mammalian brethren. The "Link" Child Locator is a device that takes a page from the movie Alien, in that it allows for the tracking of your spawn as they hide in the clothing racks at your local Gap store. The product has 2 components, a bracelet worn by the child that contains a transmitter module that works at a range of up to 100′, and a watch-style bracelet worn by the parent that receives the child's signal and indicates its direction and distance on a small LCD display. Hide-and-seek will never be the same. yankodesign

 For its 75th anniversary, sporting goods purveyor Lacoste decided to peek another 75 years into the future, imagining what the face of tennis would look like in 2083.  It's covered by a sweet visor.

The envisioned persona of the future of tennis also has vibrant footwear with heel screens that read "Lacoste," and a fancy, collapsing racquet emlazoned with the Lacoste alligator logo.Check out Lacoste gallery for more shots of this futuristic tennis player.

Technology and scaled down computers are finding their ways into more and more ubiquitous items in our lives. From RFID clothing tags and eBooks (Kindle) to running monitors (Nike/iPod) and even cars that respond to your voice (Ford Sync). Why not get a daily does of information stimulation while you have your morning brew? That's what the designers of "The Cup" have in mind. They envision a cup that literally pours information in waves of holographic images for your daily consumption. Have a big creative meeting? Then spill your thoughts onto the conference table. Found a lot of racy pictures of your girlfriend on the internet? Then pour your finds all over her head and let her know your a just a little annoyed.Designer: Hyuh-Jin Lee & Hyeroung Choen. yankodesign

Momenta, the neck worn PC also captures the best and most exciting moments of your life. Ever thought, "Man I wish I had that on tape!" When everybody is laughing themselves to tears, Momenta has already captured the previous 5 minutes from its rolling buffer and continues to record until you tell it to stop. Triggered by increased heart rate, it captures those hilarious or exciting moments that are usually lost forever. Whether it's an exciting sports experience, a funny social scene, the scene of an accident, etc. you can capture it and share it.

Using the new light-weight Microsoft operating system, SLIM, this PC travels with you effortlessly. The projected touch-gesture interface allows you to interact with your software wherever you are without requiring interface peripherals but its wide-coverage 700 MHz WiFi wireless allows both connection to the web and to performance enhancing peripherals.NextGen

When the future goes to crap in the next 10 years or so, and anarchy rules as humanity falls into a deep, dark pit of despair, this alternate reality mask concept from Frog Design will be there to soften the blow. Invoking mental images of cowed sheep, Aldous Huxley's soma and even the Matrix, Frog Designs describes its FrogConcept mask as an escape for the doomed people of the future, complete with a "re-skinned" reality.
The visual design casts the mask as a lifestyle product of the future, as it plays with a glaring, exaggerated coolness of the wearer. It gives an almost robotic appearance, and suggests a diversion from what we define today as "normal" physical human interaction.

Within the mask, smells, sounds, even air quality would be imitated to create a full sensory experience. The facial expressions of those wearing the device would be detected and projected onto personal avatars visible to others also living behind the shield of the mask.gizmodo

Modern mobile phones come in many different form factors and sizes, but almost all of them have something in common - they fit in your pocket. Designer Tamer Koseli seems to disagree though. He has created a concept of what has to be the longest mobile phone ever. Not only it is long enough to impress your girlfriend, it's also very narrow (see it compared to the size of a SIM card below). The concept phone is called "Need".The phone has two displays - a simple OLED one which displays basic information, and a touchscreen that goes along all the length of the phone as demonstrated in the photos. You can lock and unlock the phone by sliding the first screen up and down, as shown in the first picture. The battery and connection information is only shown in the unlocked state for some reason.Mr. Tamer Koseli also seems to have strong opinion on the functions that a mobile phone should have. His concept doesn't include any camera, MP3 player or anything of sorts; everything is limited to communicational features only. Via: YankoDesign

It's either the perfect Father's Day gift or the perfect excuse for initiating divorce proceedings: ESPN has announced the coming of its branded Ultimate Remote, a $299 universal remote control designed to give the sports fan quicker and easier access to games, stats and excuses not to engage in "honeydew" chores on weekends. A list of cool-sounding features is there: Wi-Fi Internet access, text and email, quick setup that doesn't require a nearby PC, the ability to let sports fans surf games on TV, surf team standings and info on the web, the ESPN logo at the top of the device, and the Sportscenter jingle (dah-dah-DAT, dah-dah-DAT) every time you press a button. toysgadget

LCD panel manufacturers can make displays in all kinds of shapes from now on. Last week LG Display introduced round LCD displays and today NEC shows off a heart shaped LCD Display.
NEC LCD Technologies says that shape restrictions have eased significantly with their new LCD TFT technology.The heart LCD Display prototype is 40mm wide and 36mm high and has 146px/inch. Gadget designers around the world can start thinking about what kind fo LCD shapes they would like to have in their products, seems almost anything is possible.I4U

Large lily-shaped discs which harness solar power could soon be seen floating on the River Clyde. The concept, from Glasgow-based ZM Architecture, has been handed to the city council with the hope that a trial project could go-ahead. The proposal has already won the firm the International Design Awards (IDA) Land and Sea Competition. Judges were impressed by the idea that energy harnessed on a river could help reduce a city's carbon footprint. In the IDA project description, ZM Architecture said its project proposed to stimulate river activity and change by using the surface to harness solar power on a large scale. The energy created would then be transformed and exported to the national grid. The firm said the design of the lilypads was "inspired by nature" and they could be tethered to the river bed. Integrated motors would then rotate the discs to follow the sun for maximum output. ZM Architecture director, Peter Richardson, said: "We are delighted to be recognised for our commitment to providing alternative energy solutions and are excited about the potential of this idea in a range of contexts." The company hopes Glasgow City Council will be interested in developing a small pilot project in conjunction with the Science Centre. BBC

They are getting older by the second. That massive batch of the baby boomer generation adults is about to become the largest group of elderly the world will ever see in its history. Companies are scrambling to come out with products and services to appeal to this post world war 2 generation of increasingly confused citizens. The "EMC" (easy mobile calling) phone by designer Matthias Pinkert might just be what the doctor ordered. This phone features four keys for direct calling, one-touch calling, GPS tracking, for when grandma is too loopy to tell where she is, a built in speaker phone and even comes with a laniard to wrap around(choke) grandma's neck to avoid misplacing it in the refrigerator, next to the pickles. yankodesign

Technologies are being developed right now that will one day replace the paper news dynamic completely. One such concept device is called the Ori-Ori Moshi-Moshi and it is basically origami. Some hope that it will offer the ultimate fold-up multi-media solution.

It was developed by Antenna Design, and they are calling it the "super gadget for the year 2014." The concept device would have a flexible OLED screen with utilities for gaming, phone, and video viewing. As flexible displays get better, this will be the norm in no time.Via slipperybrick

LG Display have just successfully made the "world's largest 6-inch elliptical and 1.4-inch circular-shaped LCDs," featuring 262,000 colors and a near 160-degree viewing angle. The technology isn't ripe enough to be shipped with any type of electronics product yet, but possible applications could be for digital photo frames and, as you see here, old-fashioned wrist watches.Unwiredview

   Microsoft is launching its new web cameras the VX-5000 and VX500 LifeCams. Both cameras feature a VGA resolution and are compatible with Windows Live Messenger. Microsoft is also releasing a headset called the LifeChat LX-2000  getting ready for video conferences.The VX-5000 will be available in June for $49.95 and the VX-500 and LX-2000 will hit shelves this month for $16.95 and $29.95.gadgettastic

Those lovable Finns at Nokia really want you to get in touch with our emotions and believe that your mobile phone is a great start to get you there. They are introducing a design exhibit showcasing the future of mobile phones at this year's New York Design Week. Design firm Provoke worked with Nokia to make a conceptual study showing where mobile phone trends are heading in 4 years. One of  three concepts is being called  "Feel".

Touching is a very intense and personal form of communication. People share their deepest feelings by touching. Feel is a phoneset concept for couples. Tactile sharing trough simulated touch. Real physical communication - what if you could touch your loved one via your mobile phone?In the future, the user interface will eventually step out of the display. Feel has a specialized user interface and touch simulation to enable deep communication.Yanko

Designer Roman Tubl wasn't concerned with integrating the latest and greatest in his EGG mobile phone concept. He just wanted something functional and easy to use with some eye candy.

The soft rounded body is surrounded by an illuminated red strip. The surface of the phone consists of a flexi true color display for tactile touchscreen feedback. You've also got your standard data ports like bluetooth, USB, and Wifi in addition to a 3.2 megapixel camera and a snazzy amount of memory - up to 4 GB. Yanko

NTT has begun selling a device that transmits data across the surface of the human body and lets users communicate with electronic devices simply by touching them, the company announced on April 23. The new product, called "Firmo," consists of a card-sized transmitter carried in the user's pocket. The card converts stored data into a weak AC electric field that extends across the body, and when the user touches a device or object embedded with a compatible receiver, the electric field is converted back into a data signal that can be read by the device. For now, Firmo transfers data at 230kbps, but NTT is reportedly working on a low-cost 10Mbps version that can handle audio/video data transfers. Firmo is based on NTT's RedTacton human area network (HAN) technology, which is designed to allow convenient human-machine data exchange through natural physical contact - even through clothing, gloves and shoes. NTT initially hopes this human area network technology will appeal to organizations looking to boost convenience and security in the office. Obvious applications include secure entrances and keyless cabinets that recognize employees when they touch the door handle (thus bypassing the need for card-swipers and keys), or secure printers that operate only when you touch them.

For now, a set of 5 card transmitters and 1 receiver goes for around 800,000 yen ($8,000), but NTT expects the price to come down when mass production begins.Pink Tentacle

  Russia's Ministry of Industry and Power and Expert Club in the field of industry and power within the scope of design development concept implementation in Russia till 2008 start work on performance of a number of industrial design master classes oriented to assistance in advanced training of enterprise management in the field of industrial design integration into manufacture and administration processes.

The first master class will take place on May 15, 2008 within the scope of the First International Special Exhibition of Helicopter Industry «HeliRussia 2008» in the first show-room of the MVK "Crocus Expo" from 1 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. in the conference hall #1. The master class subject intended for aircraft building companies' management and designers will be "Aircraft design".

Nowadays many scientists try to find a way to return vision to blind people. If they succeed, it will be one of the greatest achievements. Meanwhile PC producers, taking into consideration the fact that blind people can not use modern technologies, decided to create something that will improve and diversify their everyday life. Given gadget named Siafu represents a personal computer designed to give people with vision loss a more intuitive computer experience.The main technology used in Siafu - Magneclay - represents an oil based synthetic agent that possesses limitless morphing capabilities. It has a loose molecular structure but can be infinitely rearranged when acted upon by electrical and magnetic charges. As long as the charges acting upon it remain stable, the magneclay will hold its structural rigidity, allowing it to be touched without deformation.gadgets-reviews

There may be plenty of nerdy spy gadgets around that allow the socially challenged to eavesdrop on their nearest and dearest, but few are as elegant as the latest Japanese video pen from Digital Cowboy.The 30g pen does its thing through a 1mm hole just above the pocket clip and a microphone secreted just beneath it. A generous 2GB of onboard memory should be enough for several hours of 352 x 288-pixel 15fps video compressed in the AVI format.Power comes courtesy of a lithium-ion battery that charges by USB, giving two hours of runtime from a similar period attached to a PC. Naturally, the DVR-BP operates as a mass-storage device when connected and - best of all - it even works as a real pen.TechRadar

Papyrus is an inexpensive, student oriented e-reader specially designed with collaboration in mind. It is produced by Kaleidoscope, a product development consultancy.Papyrus gives teachers the ability to respond to student issues as soon as they appear in a post and gives the chance to create a game plan for the next class meeting versus going into the situation blind, wasting precious class time trying to figure out where to pick up from the last assignment. Most importantly, Papyrus provides collaboration and communication without the distractions of current technology like laptops.the unit is far less expensive at around $100.
More in details

This time around he created the Mp3 Pocket Player, designed to be comfortably used while worn in the trouser pocket. Due to the curved shape all relevant controls and the display are visible, no matter if the user is sitting or walking. Designer Matthias Lange. yankodesign

Electrolux has chosen eight finalists to compete for first place in Electrolux Design Lab 07, the fifth edition of this annual global competition. Hundreds of design students from around the world entered this year's competition and were challenged to present their ideas on for eco-friendly and sustainable household appliances and solutions for 2020. 

One of the finalists was Nature Wind by Bae Won-Ho. Nature Wind is a solar-powered air cleaner mounted to a window that uses a series of filters to refresh and sanitize household air.  yankodesign

We often think of a universal remote to be a device that controls any and everything. The Mulit-Chalk one-ups that axiom by controlling everywhere. Huh, what?!? It's a soft electronic device designed to slip on anything with a button. It can be designed to compliment your outfit and style. With a little simple programming, just about anything can be controlled from it by turning the disk in various directions. Just be smart and don't use it during a big football game. The guy with the colorful button is always the target.yankodesign

On April 17st 2008 the first  conference " Industrial design" was held in Moscow at the World trade centre. Design director of Tancher Vasily Vinogradov reported once bringing out the corner stones of contract design in Russia.

The main purpose of the conference was to establish informational and business ties between contract designers and their potential customers (electronics manufacturers, governmental structures, etc).

Look at this cool concept from designer Smith Newman, the Pebble MP3 Player.The Pebble MP3 player is a designed to hang around your neck like a pendant, it is designed to represent a fusion of nature and technology and features a dome faced interface in the middle.The interface is used for navigation, it also features a tilt sensor so that the user interface is always easly accessible, similar to that of the iPhone.The headphones are designed to roll up into the case, making them easy to store.gadgettastic

Sick of having to hold your head up while you watch TV in bed or lying down? Well the NapTv can help you. Designed by Sung-kyu Nam, its an extraordinary fusion of TV and a chair. Slide under it to watch what's on the screen and when your done, turn it over and sit on it. gadgettastic

April 9, 2008 The US$38 billion video gaming market thrives due to innovative input devices and one of the most interesting new additions is the Zeemote JS1 - a wireless controller that enables what the developers claim is near-console game play on mobile phones. Created by the team that developed the first force feedback joystick for PC gaming, the Zeemote controller fell into the hands of Dave Weinstein at CTIA and Dave reports the new phone peripheral is responsive, ergonomic and functional and just might help us past trying to game comfortably on a phone using controls designed for some other purpose.Measuring 95 x 35 x 20 mm (3.7 x 1.4 x 0.8 inches) and weighing only 47g (1.7 ounces) including batteries, the Zeemote JS1 fits in the palm of the hand and is very comfortable. With a thumbstick and four assignable trigger buttons, the JS1 controller offers real analog control enabling users to truly engage with mobile games.The company is already in discussions with a number of operators and manufacturers regarding bundling the controller with games and handsets."Developers and publishers such as Eidos, Finblade, Fishlabs and SEGA have already adapted popular games such as Lara Croft Tomb Raider, Helistrike 3D and Sonic The Hedgehog to use the new technology. Finblade has even created Fireworks, the first 2-player game specifically designed for use with Zeemote JS1 controllers. Gizmag

Can it be? Why... why yes, a watch with integrated cellphone we might (might!) actually wear. The Van Der Led WM2 is a quad-band GSM watch with itty bitty 1.3-inch, 260k color touchscreen display, stereo Bluetooth, up to 240-hours of standby or 300-minutes talk, and 1GB of storage for a few of your MP3 or MP4 files. Better yet, from a distance, those uber geeky keys on the numeric pad look just like the glittering wrist studs capable of mesmerizing Death Metal, she-groupies backstage. Yours for €300 (about $471 US Rubles) starting Monday. Actual product pressed to flesh in the gallery below. Engadget

I've always found effort to be pretty unbecoming. I mean, working hard at something totally increases the worry lines in your face, making you look all old and ugly. No thanks! I'm staying pretty for life! That's why I'm definitely buying a pair of these Cyber MC brainwashing goggles. It's not really clear how the Orange Dream software helps you do things like lose weight, quit smoking or meditate, but the general assumption is that it flashes images in your face Clockwork-Orange style to reprogram your brain to associating delicious, flavorful cigarettes with something unappealing like third degree burns or mining accidents.I don't care how it works, I just want to be able to sit sedentarily and not have to put any uglifying stress on my sprightly young body.Gizmodo

Mark Law designed the ori Remote with orientations, lights, and an on-screen interface in mind, rather than your run-of-the mill french bread-shaped blobject with numbered buttons. Functions such as channel and volume are accessed as the user rotates ori, much like a compass. Various touching and sliding motions on the touch pad trigger the actions. Think Kaoss pad for boob-tubing.core77

NTT Communications announced today that it is to conduct a pilot test of its new Mobile Fragrance Communication (Kaori Tsushin Mobile) service. The service is a mobile version of an existing system that NTT has for enjoying downloaded audiovisual content together with specific fragrances that are pre-loaded onto a dedicated device. The smell-as-you-go service was first launched for home use in 2005, and, according to NTT, it is now used by companies and individuals to "enhance indoor environments with pleasing fragrances." The company says that its new mobile version offers the "convenience of using mobile communication to download Fragrance Playlists, or files of recipes for specific fragrances together with visual (GIF animation) and audio (MIDI) content."Fragrance Playlists can be downloaded from the "i-mode" mobile website of sister company NTT DoCoMo. Using the phone's infrared port, the fragrance data is transferred to a device that has been loaded with a cartridge of essences, or base fragrances. The device, a smaller, lighter and more stylish version of the previous model, then mixes the specific fragrances and emits them as the user enjoys the A/V content played back on their phone. The Fragrance Playlists also can be edited as well as shared with others who subscribe to the service.BWCS , NTT

April 7, 2008 Toshiba Imaging has launched the world's smallest HD camera head, measuring just 1.6 inches and weighing only 2.3 oz. It is envisaged that the mini IK-HD1 will be used for scientific imaging and diagnostics, specialty broadcasting, homeland security, and industrial video and inspection applications. The ultra-compact control unit makes the IK-HD1 ideal for broadcasting and other imaging tasks where space is limited as it is no much bigger than an ice cube. The camera has 1080i output and Toshiba's HD 3CCD prism block technology helps deliver sharp, clear, true color imagery. High-definition 1920 (H) x 1080 (V) resolution at 30 frames per second means the camera is an attractive option for reality TV and sports broadcasters and it has already been used for filming on New American Gladiators. The camera comes standard with a C-mount lens flange and RS232C serial interface and multiple outputs for HD-SDI (SMPTE 292M), analog RGB, or Y/Pb/Pr. Accessories for the HDTV camera system includes a 4mm or 15mm lens and camera cables in 3-, 6-, 10- or 30-meter lengths. Gizmag

We can just barely remember when remote controls were still attached to the TV by a wire. But aside from the wireless innovation, the old 'mote has remained pretty boring, despite being a central part of our lives. Well now, Joris van Gelder's B&O Remote is finally taking the next leap. Not only is it wireless, but it's touchless, responding mostly to simple hand gestures. The idea was to design a remote for sticky-fingered kitchen use, but we could be looking at the future of channel surfing in any room. See how it works in videos.complex

 Today I have a treat for you - a 3D mouse.  While a regular mouse only has X and Y axes, a 3D mouse adds a Z.  This is great for CAD designers and as it turns out, it helps Second Life players navigate their 3D world with ease.  3D Connexion is making their Space Navigator and the rest of their respectable 3-D mouse range Second Life compatible.uberreview

The CLEF system consists of a flexible LCD touch screen with a built-in stand and a wireless foot pedal. Use the pedal to turn digital sheet music or just touch the screen. It also throws in some computer functions by allowing on the fly scoring, note taking, and collaborative writing. When you need a real computer, a keyboard slides out from underneath the screen and use the foot pedal as a stereo to enjoy the music you just played.yankodesign

Flat-panel computer displays could be manufactured quickly and cheaply using novel inkjet printing equipment demonstrated by Japanese scientists. The technique has already been used to produce the delicate wiring and tiny components needed for flexible screens. The new inkjet head is able to produce drops 1,000 times smaller than standard printers, according to the researchers. Writing in the journal PNAS, the team say the technique also improves the performance of printed circuits. "The present work demonstrates the feasibility of employing inkjet technology... for electronic device applications," the University of Tokyo team write in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.BBC News

University of Maryland physicists have shown that in graphene the intrinsic limit to the mobility, a measure of how well a material conducts electricity, is higher than any other known material at room temperature. Graphene, a single-atom-thick sheet of graphite, is a new material which combines aspects of semiconductors and metals. In graphene, the vibrating atoms at room temperature produce a resistivity of about 1.0 microOhm-cm (resistivity is a specific measure of resistance; the resistance of a piece material is its resistivity times its length and divided by its cross-sectional area). This is about 35 percent less than the resistivity of copper, the lowest resistivity material known at room temperature.

"We believe that this work points out the importance of these extrinsic effects, and creates a roadmap for finding better substrates for future graphene devices in order to reduce the effects of charged impurity scattering and remote interfacial phonon scattering."physics professor  Fuhrer said. newsdesk

Researchers at the University of Tokyo have developed a smart video goggle system that records everything the wearer looks at, recognizes and assigns names to objects that appear in the video, and creates an easily searchable database of the recorded footage. Designed to function as a high-tech memory aid, these "Cyber Goggles" promise to make the act of losing your keys a thing of the past, according to head researcher professor Tatsuya Harada.Cyber Goggles are equipped with a compact camera that feeds video to a computer worn on the user's back. The computer records the footage and relies on ultrahigh-speed image recognition processing software to analyze, name and file the objects that appear in the video. Later, when the user types in a keyword to search for a particular item, the corresponding video plays on a tiny LCD screen attached to the right-side lens, helping the user remember the location of the item in question. In a demonstration at the University of Tokyo last week, 60 everyday items - including a potted begonia, CD, hammer and cellphone - were programmed into the Cyber Goggle memory. As the demonstrator walked around the room viewing and recording the various objects, the names of the items appeared on the goggle screen. The demonstrator was then able to do a search for the various items and retrieve the corresponding video.In addition to functioning as a memory aid for the elderly, Cyber Goggles have a number of other potential uses, says professor Harada. For example, the image recognition processing technology can be used to sift through enormous amounts of video in search of specific images. It might also help in the development of robots with human-like abilities, he says.Pink Tentacle

A nimble, four-legged robot is so surefooted it can recover its balance even after being given a hefty kick. The machine, which moves like a cross between a goat and a pantomime horse, is being developed as a robotic pack mule for the US military.BigDog is described by its developers Boston Dynamics as "the most advanced quadruped robot on Earth". The company have released a new video of the robot negotiating steep slopes, crossing rocky ground and dealing with the sharp kick. View the impressive clip here ."Internal force sensors detect the ground variations and compensate for them," says company president and project manager Marc Raibert. "And BigDog's active balance allows it to maintain stability when we disturb it." This active balance is maintained by four legs, each with three joints powered by actuators and a fourth "springy" joint. All the joints are controlled by an onboard PC processor.The project is sponsored by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), who want the robotic pack mule to assist soldiers in terrain too tough for vehicles. Ground-based soldiers often need to carry 40 kilograms of equipment.Raibert says the latest version of BigDog can handle slopes of 35° - a steeper gradient than one in two. The hydraulics are driven by a two-stroke single-cylinder petrol engine, and it can carry over 40 kg, about 30% of its bodyweight. The robot can follow a simple path on its own, or can be remotely controlled.newscientist

HTC has long been partial to a smartphone slider form factor.It's slide-out QWERTY keyboard Windows Mobile smartphones like HTC S730 or HTC TyTN II are among the most popular in a category.

How could you make HTC S730 smaller, save on parts by having a single text/number input device and  have it as easy to use for different applications in both landscape and portrait modes?

Make the numeric keypad a part of the QWERTY keyboard plate. Have the phone display covering most of QWERTY keyboard, except for the numeric keypad part, in a closed mode.

To open into a text/mesaging QWERTY landscape mode, just slide the screen diagonally across the keyboard plate and fix the display in the top/middle of it.

You still have all the benefits of the S730 smartphone, the same display size, but in a smaller package.

Of course, no such HTC handset exist yet, as far as I know. The drawings above are our Photoshop renderings.

However, they are not just my imagination, and are based on a recent patent filing by HTC, called "Handheld electronic device" , describing just such a handset. unwiredview

Fetishes are an interesting phenomenon, you never know when something might peak your curiosity and strike you in a gratifying way. Rarely in life does an object instantly make you raise an eyebrow and re-imagine what turns you on, sexually or any other way.  By incorporating a digital watch into a pair of handcuffs, he might be mockingly commenting on humanities futile desires to control the one thing in life we have no control over. The persistence of time is a cruel mistress and so is this watch.yankodesign

If you commit the cardinal sin of eating at your desk (who hasn't?), then this just might be the mouse for you. Thanko took a standard USB mouse and equipped it with a tiny vacuum cleaner, hence the name, Cleaner Mouse. It won't help you clean your office, but it will get those crumbs off your desk before they end up in your keyboard or on the floor. Via: Gizmodo

Designer Sunman Kwon's "Mooon+" cellphone makes the most sense of any concept I have seen in a long time. Simply put, the mouthpiece detaches to become a bluetooth headset. Plus, both the headset and the phone look fantastic. This is definitely something I would like to see integrated into a real world product. A near ideal solution. Additional pics after the break.gizmodo.com

Designer Hung Chih Wang thinks the inkjet printer market has room for an ultra-mobile concept: his "Trak" design is a mini printer that snaps onto the lid of your laptop. Handy for hardcopies on-the-go, it's small enough to be USB powered and even has a detachable print head for easy travel storage. There's no mention of how you keep the ink from spilling in your bag, but that should please those dollar-craving ink manufacturers, eh?gizmodo

  As well as showing high-tech cellphones at MWC 2008, Nokia also demoed their green tech concept, the "Remade." The clamshell phone has an outer shell made from recycled aluminum cans, a chassis made of plastic from drink bottles and rubber parts made from old car tires. Even its screen and circuit board use techniques like printed electronics to minimize environmental impact. Vincent from Phonemag got some hands-on time and shot a video-find it below the gallery.Gizmodo

 Designer Nuno Teixeira believes every computer should be two faced and with more curves.Taking a cue from the 1950's CINERAMA wrap-around movie theatre screens, this iMac iMock-up features a giant curved screen(for better orientation to the natural curvature of the human eye) and a second built in LCD screen on the back(useful for students and graphic designer.) While shooting for the stars, Nuno also included two webcams(front and back). yankodesign

Some technology concepts just make sense the second you see them. This concept tablet ultra-connected device by Tokyo resident Mac Funamizu, has me wishing for tomorrow today. Though he has not named it as of yet, I will drink the potion and call it "The Looking Glass." The idea is simple, by incorporating a camera/scanner, GPS and internet connectivity, the world is literally at your finger tips. Just frame anything you desire behind the glass window, from a building, to a car or piece of art and the image will be analyzed and searched on any number of sites like wikipedia, google or google earth. Want to know about a word in a book or magazine? Simply frame it up and touch the word. Instant access to any number of learning aids eg. dictionary, thesaurus or reference databases will have you clued in in seconds.
Check out how the designer uses it to identify a particular floor of a building by simply clicking on it. Frame up a restaurant and get its menu or make a reservation... seriously folks, this idea has so many legs it needs to be fast tracked asap.Via yankodesign

Jim Mielke's wireless blood-fueled display is a true merging of technology and body art. At the recent Greener Gadgets Design Competition, the engineer demonstrated a subcutaneously implanted touch-screen that operates as a cell phone display, with the potential for 3G video calls that are visible just underneath the skin. The basis of the 2x4-inch "Digital Tattoo Interface" is a Bluetooth device made of thin, flexible silicon and silicone. It´s inserted through a small incision as a tightly rolled tube, and then it unfurls beneath the skin to align between skin and muscle. Through the same incision, two small tubes on the device are attached to an artery and a vein to allow the blood to flow to a coin-sized blood fuel cell that converts glucose and oxygen to electricity. After blood flows in from the artery to the fuel cell, it flows out again through the vein.
On both the top and bottom surfaces of the display is a matching matrix of field-producing pixels. The top surface also enables touch-screen control through the skin. Instead of ink, the display uses tiny microscopic spheres, somewhat similar to tattoo ink. A field-sensitive material in the spheres changes their color from clear to black, aligned with the matrix fields.
The tattoo display communicates wirelessly to other Bluetooth devices - both in the outside world and within the same body. Although the device is always on (as long as your blood´s flowing), the display can be turned off and on by pushing a small dot on the skin. When the phone rings, for example, an individual turns the display on, and "the tattoo comes to life as a digital video of the caller," Mielke explains. When the call ends, the tattoo disappears.
The tattoo display is still just a concept, with no word on plans for commercialization. physorg

New York, US and Espoo, Finland - Morph, a joint nanotechnology concept, developed by Nokia Research Center (NRC) and the University of Cambridge (UK) - was launched today alongside the "Design and the Elastic Mind" exhibition, on view from February 24 to May 12, 2008, at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York. Morph features in both the exhibition catalog and on MoMA's official website.Morph is a concept that demonstrates how future mobile devices might be stretchable and flexible, allowing the user to transform their mobile device into radically different shapes.  It demonstrates the ultimate functionality that nanotechnology might be capable of delivering: flexible materials, transparent electronics and self-cleaning surfaces. Nokia

Today I have a treat for you. A concept fashion phone called Edge. It was design by Cris Owens an is dubbed as:"A cell phone that uses touch and light technology for a fashion oriented design".The glass keypad slides out whenever needed. It houses a LED light source for keypad edge and character illumination. Be sure to visit designers site, there's more pictures illustrating the whole design process, and even some cool flash movies showing how the phone works.Via Unwired view

  TANCHER DESIGN AWARD 2008 organizational committee announces an additional nomination " The Prize of public sympathies " which will be received by contest's finalists with the maximum amount of positive votes during online voting at www.designelectronics.org.

The results will be published right after March, 15th along with the names of official contest prize-winners.

 Before that neither jury nor anyone else on the internet will see the online voting results.

The elderly often get things wrong, from parking a car to Murder She Wrote. However, we do love them so and want to keep them around for as long as possible. With that in mind, the creators of the "Health Guard" concept for NOKIA believe that the best way to keep them around is to track their every movement (pun intended.) By monitoring (via RFID tags) what they consume; from expired foods, medicine, possible allergens and nutritional info., this easy to read and use information pad hopes to be a vital tool for the upcoming explosion of elderly Baby Boomers. This two-piece monitoring station attaches to any refrigerator and features a detachable RFID reader for trips to the local market, as well as a touch display base with easy to recognize universal icons. Other features include a memo pad and voice recorder for leaving really long messages that will probably be ignored. Conceived by Marcela Kawka and Izabela Cichecka, we are glad they omitted the auto-dial-your-kids-till-they-answer-the-damn-phone feature.yankodesign

Tired of hearing people say, "do you have me on speakerphone?" or how about "why is it echoing?" Avid hands-free headset users know the drill and no matter how sensitive the mic is, truth is the ear is just a tad too far away from the mouth. The Tie Up concept is a solve to that problem by placing the mic right below your mouth. Slide it up the lanyard to answer and conversely slide down to hang up.yankodesign

The Atlas Kinetic Cell Phone concept focuses on greener technologies without sacrificing design. It's all made of aluminum and glass. The central sapphire glass reveals the generating and charging unit. Power comes from kinetic energy similar to that found in watches that use oscillating weight to power a mainspring.

The phone only contains basic features. None of that fancy multi-media stuff. If power runs out because it was sitting still for too long, just give it a few upside down turns to get the kinetic rotors going again. Now you'll never have to worry about batteries.yankodesign

Nvidia has introduced the APX 2500 applications processor which enables Windows Mobile phones with 3D user interfaces and high-definition video. The APX 2500 delivers 10 hours of 720p HD playback, as well as HD camcorder and ultra-high-resolution photo imaging capabilities, the company highlighted. Nvidia claims the APX 2500 boasts the industry's first HD (720p) playback and capture capability for handheld devices enabling over 10 hours of high-definition video playback and up to 100 hours of audio.digitimes

Designer Fred De Garilhe was apparently thinking more about makeup packaging and jewelry than cell phones when he designed this Chanel Choco phone concept. The slim slider collapses into a square piece of shiny glass, festooned with a latticework that suggest segments of a chocolate bar, but this one's all lit up with fancy fiber optics. Out the side slides a quartet of function keys, and when the screen slides up, the numerals furtively peek through the reflective surface.

Isn't this is a pretty concept? We're wondering what old Coco Chanel would have actually thought of it, complete with its delicate chain sporting her famous initials nonchalantly suspended from one corner. No word whether the Chanel company would actually be willing to lend its name to such a beautiful bauble. The perfume maker can probably take its time mulling over that decision, because the tech necessary to build this elegant design might not be practical just yet. Dvice

Except for the full touchscreen handsets, most mobile phones have two distinct areas - data input UI and display. In most cases, these two areas are in some way connected to form a handset, and can not be used separately.  Sony Ericsson decided to take the idea a step further, and applied it to a normal clamshell phone. As described in a patent application called "Detachable Housings for a Wireless Communication Device ", mobile phone has two detachably connected housings. One of them can hold user interface devices such as keypad, keyboard, touchpad, joystick control, etc; for data input and control. Other things, such as GPS receiver, microphone, camera and battery go in there, too. The second housing will hold a display with some user input buttons and all the necessary phone circuitry, application processor and memory, another battery.When separated, both housings communicate with each other via short range communication module, e.g. Bluetooth. The housings are designed so, that they can be joined in different orientations. Either way we're curious to see what the finished product looks like.Via core77, unwired view

The Vibe Body Sound headphones aren´t the first consumer product to use bone conduction technology. Some hearing aids, military headsets, and even cell phones have employed the technique, for reasons including the ability to hear better in noisy environments. However, most of these devices have not become very popular, which may be partly due to the lack of voice clarity for some of the products.
The Vibe Body Sound headphones use the latest in bone conduction technology to try to have the best of both worlds: high quality music with the ability to carry on a conversation at the same time. Unlike normal headphones that are embedded in your ear, the bone conduction headphones clip on to your outer ear and conduct vibrations through the skin, cartilage and skull bones. The sound completely bypasses the normal hearing route through the outer and middle ear, and researchers have verified the safety of the direct "hearing through your bones" route.
When the vibrations reach your inner ear, "you hear them clear as a bell," according to online seller Think Geek. "Feel the music, don´t just hear it. The high-frequency driver rumbles and buzzes on your ear, further immersing you in a musical experience." Even though the headphones are on the outside of the ear, supposedly the vibrations required for the wearer to hear the music are small enough that people nearby wouldn´t necessarily hear the music, too - at least, no more so than with normal headphones.
Because the wearer´s ear canal remains uncovered, they´re still able to hear sounds from the environment. While sometimes listeners may enjoy immersing themselves completely in music, at other times, it´s necessary to hear other sounds. For example, the ability to hear cars when crossing the street or hear someone call your name in public can be vital for the safety of the listener and others. Outi also explains that, because the headphones are clipped to the outside of the ear, they avoid damaging the ear like normal headphones. PhysOrg.com

  If dogs are to man then the MCube is to mobile phones. This industrious little cube is a wireless charger, bluetooth speaker, and information display. When you come home just place your mobile near the MCube. Using short range induction technology, your phone gets juiced up while all basic information like date/time, messages, and caller ID are transfered to the MCube's built-in display. What's more, the touch controls on the MCube enable you to access your  mobile's music files and pumps it out thru built-in speakers via bluetooth. yankodesign

The Jelly Click takes mouse portability to the extreme. All the electronic circuity lives on a small flexible board. The body itself is just soft plastic. Whenever you need a mouse, blow up the Jelly Click, attach the USB cable and you're good to go.  As a bonus, it's a total floaty for you swimming challenged people.Yankodesign

Bears like it so why not humans? This bamboo inspired stereo looks good  and thru the natural acoustics of cylindrical objects, sounds good too. But it's not just nature-ry, it also has every accoutrement a technophile would want. Think wifi enabled, wireless speakers, integrated LED screen, MP3 line in, remote desktop syncing, radio, and yes - cd player.There are 3 parts to the whole system. You have you right/left channel wireless speakers, a base station that houses the subwoofer, and a control ring. Now you could attach everything and use it as a standalone stereo or connect the speakers together with the control ring. A single charge should give you 12 hours. The control ring between them contains the basic music controls. The base station can also wirelessly sync music with your computer, should you be the anti-cd type.Yankodesign

This one doesn't have a name. It's just referred to as the "Tactile MP3″ player. Why tactile? Simply because the 5 basic controls necessary to master your music are raised bumps, something like braille. The idea is you can control your music all by the sense of touch. Design wise, it's pretty slick, like a dollop of shiny mercury backed by some creamy marshmallow puff.Yankodesign

Those sweet lads over at the Chocolate Agency have come up with yet another delectable concept dubbed P-Per; a concept mobile phone that would satisfy both environmentalists and tech nerds. The design consists of just 4 layers, a printed circuit board, extruded polycarbonate, recycled titanium, and a wrap around flexible haptic LED touchscreen. By minimizing materials, the design is highly sustainable.The wrap around screen allows for endless user interface possibilities not to mention bezeless picture/movie taking and watching. It is important:7mm wafer thin form factor, 3 megapixel camera, and a 2 minute recharge time! Yankodesign

In order to appeal to billions of smokers in China, a company has brought out this ultimate cigarette phone. Not only does it look like a pack of cigarettes (the exact size and the exact warning labels concerning health), it actually holds half a pack of REAL cigarettes on the back. All you need to do is to slide open the battery cover and you're set to make new friends. The phone itself runs on dualband GSM, takes microSD cards, plays MP3, has a color screen and a VGA camera on the side. For $175 you will get a whole luxurious VIP kit with the phone, a pack of Chonghwa branded cigarettes as well as a lighter.GEARFUSE

It's like playing a card game! The Game Card remote enables you to control volume and change channels all via card playing like gestures. Sliding your thumb up and down in the center raises/lowers volume. Sliding the top card over a tad changes channel. Sliding it all the way takes you on a wild channel surf. Yankodesign

A new cell phone concept by designer Tao Ma cuts cost and weight and boosts battery life by dispensing with the screen altogether. Instead, all functions and displays take place via LEDs below the translucent surface. In phone mode, the keypad is displayed. Other arrangements of lights and shapes light up in gaming, SMS and other modes. The concept specifies two AAA batteries recharged via USB.Therawfeed

This adaptor displays useless energy consumption due to standby mode and automatically turns off office equipment that are left on unnecessarily.Each module corresponds to a device and monitors its power supply independently.If a device is in standby mode,a layer of light glows over the surface of adaptor, indicating the wasted energy and signaling for the user to turn it off.If the user does not respond, the "standby mode cut-off" turns it off automatically after three minutes.This solution could reduce the energy consumption of equipment left in standby mode by half. Gilles Belley

This product is designed to exchange basic information with new people in the first meeting by shaking hands. The most essential part of a nomadic life is frequent travel, and nowadays, people are traveling more often and more easily. Increasing opportunities to travel indicate increasing opportunities of meeting new people, and expanding your social network.Shaking hands is a customary greeting action. Handshake brings the action one step further by creating an information transfer function. Handshake operates when people first meet and shake hands, and the rings on their fingers gain the proximity to operate. The rings exchange the users' information and store it while the users are shaking hands. The more people met, the more information transferred. When the users browse through the people they have met, the card displays the basic information that was stored in the ring. The power source originates from the human body temperature, so no plug is required.Yankodesign

World Vision, an international relief and development organization, announced the release of Nanum charity MP3 player designed by Samgmin Bae. World Vision plans to donate all monies earned to low-income families with children.In contrast to other charity items already on the market that donate only a portion of earnings; MP3 Nanum was produced, manufactured, and distributed for the sole purpose of sharing. It is a 100% charity item.

Designer: Samgmin Bae.Yankodesign

Angstrom Power's hydrogen-powered Motoslvr cell phones were on display at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week. The fuel cell version looks identical to the battery version, but another advantage of the new technology is that it can refuel in as little as 10 minutes.
As Paul Zimmerman of Angstrom Power explains, the key advantage of the technology is the ability to fit the fuel cell into the phone itself, rather than being hooked up to an exterior device for power. With the design of "Micro Hydrogen" technology, Zimmerman hopes that the company will launch its first commercial fuel cell phones in 2010, and grow from there. If fuel cell phones live up to their promise of better power, the market could be in the hundreds of millions of devices.
Angstrom is currently collaborating with world-leading battery manufacturers, portable electronic device makers, and mobile service providers toward the commercialization of its Micro Hydrogen technology.PhysOrg.com

The Saverclip is a clothespin like device that reads electric usage on any power cable it's clipped onto. Say for example the slow cooker crock pot you leave on all day. How much power is it actually using and would the results make you change your mind to using something faster, like a pressure cooker?The device works by reading the electromagnetic fields emitted by said devices. Conversely, this is also how it recharges itself. The embedded LCD displays information in laymen terms so you clearly understand just how much power you're using, wasting, and could be saving.Yankodesign

Designer Nikita Golovlev has created a watch for the hearing impaired. AlarMe is a very unique and stylish design that has the ability to alert those who cannot hear an audible alarm by vibration on the watch. The watch has two built in multidirectional microphones that measure the surrounding ambient sound levels. Once the sound changes frequency, the vibrating alarm alerts the user that there is a situation going on and they need to leave the area. The LED lights and face alert the user as to what the alarm is, and if it is a serious situation or one where only caution needs to be had. Yankodesign

Just a few days ago I covered the launch of a new projection system for mobile devices by Microvision and now here's 3M with a fully operation projection device that can be implanted into any mobile phone. Sweet. The LED-based device is less than half an inch thick and roughly the same size as a wireless earpiece. Despite this, 3M claims that it is capable of VGA resolution images and unlike certain other tiny projection technologies, it is available today. 3M claims that its wee projector is capable of firing out a 40in, or larger, image with "no-speckle and a high-fill factor that ensures superior image quality"."3M mobile projection engines achieve the size, efficiency, image quality and affordability needed for consumer adoption of this promising new product category," said Mike Kelly, executive vice president, 3M Display and Graphics Business.It will be interesting to see which phone maker snaps this up first. It's about time luxury mobile phones offered something a lot more useful and cool than some silly shiny metal and Swarovski crystals.-Martin Lynch.Gizmodo

In a day where portable music devices are a must have, and the desire for "chill-out" time is even more crucial, designers are hearing what we need and making those needs a reality. Designers Per Arlander, Madlene Linstrom and Ozgur Tasar have created the MPillow which uses both light and sound to create those moments of relaxation and calmness. The pillow can be used as the consumer sees fit. They can take a nap while resting their head on the pillow, or while working around the home, they can carry the pillow with them to enjoy the music while they work. MPillow can connect to a computer wirelessly and music can be downloaded to it by way of MP3's or by using the sounds available on MPillow servers. The enterior of the pillow is filled with technogel, which is a translucent plastic gel, and can be covered with various materials. The lighting on the MPillow changes colors and intensity as the music or sounds change creating the perfect ambience for the user.Yankodesign

Intel introduced one of the smallest flash-memory-based hard drives on the market. The chip, also known as a solid-state hard drive, competes with similar chips from Samsung, which store data in gadgets such as Apple's iPod nano and iPhone. But the Intel chip comes with a standard electronics controll