Category: Electronics

Fabric Switches and Keyboards

SOFTswitch Electronic Fabrics – Applications – Wearables

As fashion and technology converge, SOFTswitch is providing the enabling fabric interfaces to allow electronics to function within clothing. From wearable audio and computing to mobile phones and personal healthcare SOFTswitch enables the portability and softening of traditionally large hard plastic devices.
Employing wireless connectivity SOFTswitch enabled clothing can also interact remotely with electronic devices in your home, car or workplace.

Internet watches… ;-)

Suunto
From the site:
Suunto n3, the first in a new line of smart wristop computers that combine the quality and features from Suunto with access to timely, glanceable information provided by Microsoft‚Äôs MSNÆ Direct Service. The Suunto n3 offers a variety of features that will streamline daily tasks and enhance daily life – a stylish and unique information source for people who want to be in the know while on the go. Owners will be able to receive customized information to their wrist discretely and automatically – Microsoft‚Äôs MSN Direct Service ensures that the information they need is up-to-date and ready at a glance.

Fossil has another MS powered watch is: http://www.fossil.com/jump.jsp?iMainCat=450&itemType=CATEGORY&itemID=451.

Fossil also has a Palm powered watch: http://www.fossil.com/jump.jsp?iMainCat=447&itemType=CATEGORY&itemID=448

Robot journalists

BBC News | SCI/TECH | Robo-reporter goes to war

From the article:
A robotic war correspondent that can get to places even veteran correspondent John Simpson cannot reach is being developed in the US.
The Afghan Explorer looks like a cross between a lawnmower and a robotic dog and has been designed to travel to war zones to provide images, sound and interviews from hostile environments off-limits to human reporters.

Another article: “Robot reporter puts a new spin on things” available at http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/03/27/1017089547673.html

Thanks to Hans for the links.

Interesting ultra-portable (somewhere between a pda and a laptop) computer coming this year (2004)

oqo: hardware: basics

From the site:
The OQO computer has all the functionality of an ultraportable notebook computer, with a 1GHz processor, a 20GB hard drive, 256MB of RAM, color transflective display (for easy indoor and outdoor viewing), 802.11b wireless, a removable lithium-polymer battery, and FireWire‚Ñ¢ and USB 1.1 ports. For input and navigation it includes thumb keyboard with TrackStik‚Ñ¢ and mouse buttons as well as digital pen and thumbwheel.

This is the phone I want…

Nokia 6620

The Nokia 6620 imaging phone offers advanced messaging capabilities. The integrated camera lets users record video clips as well as capture VGA (640 x 480-pixel) images. The ability to share images and messages via Multimedia Message Service (MMS), e-mail, infrared, and Bluetooth makes the Nokia 6620 phone suitable for both mobile lifestyle and business applications.
Developers will also appreciate the Nokia 6620 phone’s use of the latest in mobile technology, including support for Java‚Ñ¢ MIDP 2.0 applications, MMS, XHTML content, and high-speed content (over EDGE). The Nokia 6620 phone is a tri-band device developed for the Americas market; data carrier support is CSD, GPRS, EGPRS, and EDGE. Note that messaging functions, Java application downloads, XHTML browsing, and high-speed access all require operator and network support.

Light, light, light

SPIE–The International Society for Optical Engineering. The Optics, Photonics, Fibers, and Lasers Resource.

SPIE is a not-for-profit society that has become the largest international force for the exchange, collection and dissemination of knowledge in optics, photonics and imaging. Founded in 1955, SPIE is the growing legacy of those who seek to learn, discover and innovate by building a better world with light.