Flock'n Sheep!: AirJelly

Flock'n Sheep!: AirJelly: "AirJelly houses two lithium-ion polymer accumulator batteries rated at 8 V and 400 mA, which can be completely charged in half an hour and are AirJelly's sole source of power. A connected central electric drive unit transmits the force to a bevel gear wheel and then to eight spur gears in sequence. These gears power eight shafts, each of which activates a crank; these in turn move the jellyfish's eight tentacles. Each tentacle is designed as a structure with Fin Ray Effect®- a construction derived from the functional anatomy of a fish's fin. The actual structure consists of two alternating tension and pressure flanks movably connected by ribs. If a flank is subjected to pressure, the geometrical structure automatically bendsin the direction of the applied force. Together, the tentacles produce a peristaltic forward motion similar to that of their biological model."

Livescribe :: Never Miss A Word

Livescribe :: Never Miss A Word

The Pulse smartpen records and links audio to what you write, so you never miss a word. It runs on Java and can translate languages instantly. The 2GB version is capable of storing over 200 hours of speech and costs $199. The 1GB version is capable of storing over 100 hours of speech and costs $149. Both versions have an OLED screen 2 microphones, a speaker, an audio jack, a USB port, and an infrared camera to watch the required Livescribe dot paper.

Photos: Bill Gates shows off 'TouchWall' | ZDNet Photo Gallery

Photos: Bill Gates shows off 'TouchWall' ZDNet Photo Gallery:

"At Microsoft CEO Summit 2008, Bill Gates shows off a new multi-touch user interface technology called TouchWall. The product developed by a joint effort between Microsoft Research and Office Labs creates touch-sensitive interfaces on vertical surfaces."

GreenPeak Technologies - Ultra Low Power Wireless Control Networks

GreenPeak Technologies - Ultra Low Power Wireless Control Networks:
"Key Technology Characteristics

GreenPeak’s wireless communication devices leverage three key technologies that enable it to operate in a battery-free environment without cabling.

The first is an ultra low power wireless transceiver and sensor interface design with efficient power-up and power-down modes that dramatically reduce power consumption.

The second is an energy harvesting interface that enables the modules to utilize power provided by external solar, electromagnetic and piezo-electric transducers.

The third is a mesh technology that enables designers to create extended sensor networks without the need for battery-powered or cabled routing nodes."

Arch Rock > Applications

Arch Rock > Applications:

"Arch Rock's products and technology enable a wide-variety of sensor networking solutions that target a diverse set of industries. Because of the company's deep expertise at all levels of the technology stack, from microcontrollers and radios to web services, we are able to deliver innovative solutions that allow enterprises to quickly develop sensor applications that seamlessly integrate into an existing IT infrastructure. Arch Rock is initially targeting the following application areas: Environmental Monitoring, Industrial Automation, Location & Proximity, Action & Control."

Smart-label chip makes RFID affordable - Electronic Products

Smart-label chip makes RFID affordable - Electronic Products:


"Enables fast deployment of a wide range of datalogging and tracking systems
Claimed by the company to be priced up to 10 times lower than existing RFID temperature-sensing modules, the IDS-SL13A smart-active-label chip can automatically track, monitor, time-stamp, and record information about any goods in any supply chain or cold chain transport — from expensive fragile components, medical goods, and pharmaceuticals, to bags of bananas — on land, sea, or sky. The chip enables fast deployment of a wide range of datalogging and tracking systems and can check on and record unseen changes such as extreme temperatures that can impact goods."

The future, reusable paper | Videos on ZDNet

The future, reusable paper Videos on ZDNet: "Xerox demonstrates disappearing ink
At the Gartner Symposium/ITxpo in Las Vegas, Steve Hoover, vice president with Xerox Research Center Webster, shows off a technology being developed in the company's labs that enables people to reuse a piece of paper. The paper contains a photochromic compound that makes ink disappear when hit by direct heat."

For Segways new RMP, its all about the wheels - R & D

For Segway’s new RMP, it’s all about the wheels - R & D:

"Segway's new RMP recently debuted at RoboBusiness in Pittsburgh this week, but there isn't much information available about it at this time other than it 'might' cost up to $50k and it can move in any direction on its Mecanum wheels.

It uses the same parts that a Segway uses but just doubled, it can haul up to 400 lbs. According to showgoers, plenty of odd robot wonders like this showed up pretty much unannounced."

Total Recall: Storing every life memory in a surrogate brain

Total Recall: Storing every life memory in a surrogate brain: "April 2, 2008 (Computerworld) Remember walking in to start your first job out of college? Or that diner you stopped in when you were on a road trip with your friends? The way the sky looked when you made that one perfect ski run, or the song that was playing when your daughter took her first step?
Gordon Bell, a longtime veteran of the IT industry and now principal researcher at Microsoft Corp.'s research arm, is developing a way for everyone to remember those special moments.
Actually, Bell himself wants to remember -- well, everything.
With memories piling up and continually slipping away, Bell is working to capture every moment of his life, so he can store it on his computer -- a Dell laptop with a dual-core processor. He wants the ability to pull up any picture, phone call, e-mail or conversation any time he wants."

In Pictures: Take a tour of Microsoft's robotics efforts

In Pictures: Take a tour of Microsoft's robotics efforts:

"April 7, 2008 (Computerworld) The members of the Microsoft Robotics Group are betting that the robotics industry is about to take off.
Tandy Trower, general manager of the group, predicted that his 3-year-old department, which operates like a start-up inside Microsoft Corp., will go from a quiet unit to a major revenue source within five years.
That will happen, he said, because the industry is quickly moving from one that mostly supplies giant robotic machines to factories and manufacturing plants to an industry that is creating robotic aids and companions in our homes."