HorizonWatching

Friday Gadget: ProDigits - The Partial Hand Solution

It has been estimated that the world's current "partial hand amputee" population is about 1.2 million worldwide.

A new device, called ProDigits and developed by Touch Bionics, is perhaps the "world's first bionic fingers" controlled by brain signals from the user. 

Until now, the options available to people who have lost fingers or been born without them have been fairly limited.  Prosthetics are often cosmetic in nature and have minimal mobility.

Those fitted with the device can "bend, touch, pick up and point", all very simple actions which are made impossible without fingers and thumbs. Also, because of a special sensor which the device is fitted with, which let the fingers detect when they have closed around something, people can also write and grip objects.

Check out this video (found on YouTube) 

The ProDigits device work in two ways: 

• Myoelectric sensors can be used to sense electrical signals from the muscle to help the fingers move; or
• Sensitive touch pads can use pressure from remaining fingers or tissues near bone to activate prosthetic finger movement.

The cost depends on the number of missing fingers, but a prosthetic is estimated to run between $60,000 and $75,000.

For more information go to www.touchbionics.com/prodigits-press

Friday Gadget: Solar Impulse Plane

 

I think we all agree that we need to figure out how to harness more of the sun’s energy, but I’m wondering how many of you would get on a plane powered by the sun?  Solar power has already been used to power unmanned aircraft, but the challenge of hauling a heavy human up into the atmosphere remains more daunting.  

There’s a company by the name of Solar Impulse is currently testing their solar-powered plane they call HB-SIA.  Solar Impulse’s stated goal is to build and fly a human piloted solar powered plane around the world. 

The current HB-SIA prototype features four electric motors.  The aircraft’s wingspan is as wide as a jumbo jet (to provide maximum solar panel space), but thanks to space-age carbon-fiber materials only weighs as much as a mid-sized car.

In a few weeks the plane is scheduled to attempt a very short flight where it will lift off the runway no more than 10 feet and then land again, to see how it behaves at the beginning of the flight.”  Then in February the plan is to take the plane up for a full flight.   After that, there are plans for some longer flights. 

Still there is lots of testing before an around the world flight can be attempted.  For the plane to make it around the world, it will have to fly at night.  Batteries are charged during the day by the sun and then used to power night time flight.  

For more, see  http://www.solarimpulse.com.   For videos, check out http://www.solarimpulse.com/sitv/index.php

Friday Gadget: The Recon Scout Rescue Miniature, Mobile Reconnaissance Device

Here’s a simple looking device with a wireless-transmitting camera that can go where people can’t…or where it is safe to go.

The Recon Scout® Rescue is a miniature, mobile reconnaissance device that will add greater safety and speed to search and rescue and hazmat operations. According to the company, using it requires no special training, making it a great for firefighters, disaster responders, and public safety professionals.

For example, a firefighter using would just pull the activation pin and throw the device through a doorway or over a wall, or drop it down a vertical shaft using a tether.   Then by using a joystick on a handheld control, the firefighter can then direct the device to move through.   Equipped with an infrared optical system that automatically turns on when the ambient light is low, the Rescue can see in complete darkness and can transmit video up to 100 feet indoors and 300 feet outdoors.  Additional accessories allow it to transmit video to an incident command post that can be located up to 1,000 feet away.

The performance characteristics of the Recon Scout Rescue make it ideally suited to this task:

• The Recon Scout Rescue is just seven inches long and weighs just one pound, making it extremely easy to carry and throw.
• Deploying the Rescue takes less than 15 seconds and requires no special training.
• The device is equipped with sophisticated infrared optical systems that can see in complete darkness and automatically turn on when the ambient light is low.
• The Rescue transmits clear, crisp video through walls and debris up to 100 feet to a handheld Operator Control Unit (OCU) or up to 1,000 feet to a Command Monitoring Station.
• The device can withstand throws of 120 feet and it can be tossed through windows or doors, over walls, or down a flight of stairs.
• It can also be dropped down a vertical shaft or into a void using a provided tether.

I am thinking future version of these devices can be fitted with all types of sensors to measure things like temperature, air quality, water quality, etc.

Check out more on the website http://www.recon-scout.com

Friday Gadget: The Spruce Whale – An aircraft we’ll see in 2095?

I’ve been doing these Friday gadget posts for almost three years now.  For me, these Friday gadget posts are not only about having fun on a Friday, but have always been about imagining the future.  What types of products will future generations have that will make their life easier?  In addition, how will emerging technologies play?

For this week’s post, I found a concept by designer Reindy Allendra for an aircraft we might see in 85 years.  Randy calls it the WB-1010 but affectionately also calls it the Spruce Whale (named after the famous Spruce Goose).  He’s entered the design into a KLM design contest.

According to the design specs, the WB-1010 (named after the Wright Brothers)  will be constructed from material made of thin layers of metal and glass fibre. Other featured include:

• Ability to harvest wind energy into electricity.
• An extractable robotic stand would also be used during the craft’s vertical landings.
• Seats for more than 1500 people.
• It can reach speeds of over 600mph
• Helium injected in the body makes the plane lighter

For more, see Randy’s post at Yanko Design here http://www.yankodesign.com/2009/10/14/the-spruce-whale/

Friday Gadget: Concept for a Harley in 2020

What will a Harley look like in 2020?   That’s what designer Miguel Cotto wanted to explore.   His resulting design is sleek and robotic. 

The 2020 Harley design is Cotto’s attempt to fast forward 10 years.   According to Cotto, the 2020 Harley will still have a large 883cc engine, with that solid brand sound of high revs and roars, but the traditional road hog will look entirely different.  Missing are today’s handlebars and spoke wheels.  The wheel hubs are said to be giant bearings.  And you can’t miss thinking that the orange color represents total transformation.

More pictures at Harley Davidson Circa 2020, which is on the Yanko Design website.  Yanko Design is a site that encourages designers to explore designs for the future.  If you spend some time on Yanko’s website, you’ll see there are all sorts of concept designs.

To me, this is more like a 2060 (or maybe even a 2100) design than a 2020 design.  From a technology perspective, I seriously doubt that embedded sensors, robotics, AI, and nanotechnology that looks to be a part of this whole design will be ready by 2020.  And from a brand image perspective, I don’t see Harley making such radical changes to their design over the next ten years…but perhaps you could make a case for 50 years from now. 

Want to get a feel for what it would be like to ride one of these things?  Check out the Official Tron Legacy Trailer and go for a 3 minute ride.

Friday Gadget: Pumpkin Sensor Project

For those of you hackers out there looking for a Halloween themed project.

Here is a quick project for an electronic Halloween pumpkin that will scare your guests as they approach.  A sensor embedded in the nose detects when people get close and can do anything you tell the sensor to do.  The project site I found has the pumpkin playing scary sounds and lighting up LEDs on the face. 

The sounds are stored on an SD card (like the one you use in your digital camera) so its easy to change and customize what the pumpkin says.  The project site says the code is very easy to modify if you want to change what happens. 

The project instructions seem well written and comes with lots of pictures to help you along the way.  Looks like an easy project for first time sensor hackers/programmers.

Friday Gadget: City-Sheet e-paper concept

Every once in a while I go check the red dot award site (http://en.red-dot.org/design.html).  The red dot awards are given out annually for excellence in design.  On my visit today I came across the City-Sheet concept design submitted by Yeon Haejung. 

The City-Sheet is portable device designed for travellers who today can be seen carrying travel guidebooks while they are touring.   They use guide books and maps to help them plan out their day and provides more detailed information on tourist sites, public transportation, and restaurants. 

The City-sheet concept is an electronic ‘book’ that contains five ‘e-paper’ sheets that can display information.  While attached to a computer via a USB connection, users download information to the City-sheet.  The user can customize their route for the day, including potential sites they will see, stores they want to visit, museums, sporting events, and restaurants.  The City-sheet can rolled and perhaps placed in a bag or large purse. 

See more at  http://red-dot.sg/concept/porfolio/06/ic/R098city.htm

While this concept design is certainly interesting, I think in the end it will not be successful in the market.  With the flurry of activity surrounding Google-Map mashup mobile applications along with recent augmented reality apps for i-phones and Android devices, I think in the end users will end up preferring to get their city travel information on their mobile device.

Friday Gadget: Augmented Reality Business Card

As gaming technology continues to advance at a rapid pace, we will begin to see that gaming technology make its way into everyday applications.  Augmented reality is an emerging technology that I’ve been increasingly fascinated with as it will further blur the line between what's real and what is generated by computers by enhancing what we see, hear, feel and smell.  I fully expect future movie goers will be experiencing AR in local theatres.

So I was looking for an example of how AR technology could be applied in the business environment and found a neat video I’ll embed below.  In the video, you’ll see a cool augmented reality business card created by James Alliban. 

In the video James shows a business card with a distinctive pattern on it to a computer equipped with a cheap web camera.  Software on the computer automatically renders a simple 3D object (attached to the card as it moves around in 3D) and plays a short video about the person whose business card is shown.  A nice idea if you want to convey more information about yourself than can possible fit on a paper business card. 

AR Business Card from James Alliban on Vimeo.

If you know of other neat AR applications for business, please comment with a link....thanks!

Friday Gadget: High Speed Robot Hand

In the future, robots will be not only more dexterous, but they will react dynamically at lightening speed based on all their embedded sensors.  In effect, they will become more human-like by understanding and processing their external environment by using many kinds of sensory information.

Future robot systems will be able to integrate all the sensory information into its decision making process, much like humans do today.

The Ishikawa Komuro Lab at the University of Tokyo has been doing research into both robot sensors and the parallel processing of the collected sensory information.  The purpose of the Lab’s Sensor Fusion Project is to develop innovative new architectures for sensory processing by integrating information from multiple sensors.

The Lab has recently been posting videos of some of the capabilities they have demonstrated in their lab.  Here is Ishikawa Komuro Lab's high-speed robot hand performing impressive acts of dexterity and skillful manipulation.

The robot hand

• Dribbles a ball
• Picks up a grain of rice with a tweezer
• Spins a pen from one set of fingers to another
• Knots a rope
• Throws a ball into a net
• Tosses a cell phone into the air and catches it.

For this technology to advance, we’ll need to see more work in areas like

• Nanoscience
• Sensors
• Actuators
• Parallel Processing
• Dynamic Image Processing

For more information, see the Ishikawa Komuro Laboratory site.

Friday Gadget – Layar’s Mobile Augmented Reality Browser

Layar is an Android-based, augmented reality browser from SPRXMobile based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.   Check out the following video.

The Layar Reality Browser displays real time digital information on top of reality in the camera screen of the mobile phone.  Users can pan their cell phone cameras around and see nearby buildings and spaces tagged with information from the web. While looking through the phone’s camera lens, a user can see houses for sale, popular bars and shops, tourist information of the area, play a live game, etc.. 

Layar currently is only available in the Netherlands.  SPRXMobile plans to bring the browser to international markets and develop an iPhone application as well.  The company is based in Amsterdam.

The Layar platform serves as an enabler for mobile location services - any database with geo-location information can easily be turned in a content layer.