BIONIC EYE

Bionic eye man gets camera fitted
Plans to make film about surveillance society


Already this week we've had news of one of the world's first bionic eyes, so we probably shouldn't be too surprised to hear about an artificial eyeball that's actually a video camera.

The amazing device belongs to a Canadian filmmaker who will be using the 'Eyeborg' camera to make a documentary film about the perils of surveillance cameras.

Gun accident

Rob Spence, who lost his right eye in a gun accident as a child, intends to raise awareness of the nature of constantly being watched. He cites the fact that there are 12,000 CCTV cameras in his home city of Toronto.

He explained: "The whole idea was to do a documentary about surveillance. I thought I would become a sort of super hero... fighting for justice against surveillance."

YAMAHA

Yamaha

Jake Loniak, a student of Art Center Pasadena has crammed the combination of motorcycle and tech-skeleton into an awesome looking Yamaha branded Deus Ex Machina. Jake has beyond his wild imagination to design this concept. The vehicle will be powered by ultra-capacitors and doped nano-phoshpate batteries. Jake believes that this vehicle can achieve a top speed of 75 mph. The recharge time of this vehicle is15 minutes and cycle time is of 1 hour. The qualities are more than the qualities found in hybrid cars. Anyone who uses this vehicle would be protected from any kind of accident. Can’t wait this vehicle to come on roads…!!

FLEX G

Stylish and Cool “Flex G” Goggles by Ricardo Baiao

Baiao has designed unbreakable goggles feature a great shape and flexibility. These are made from highly durable and virtually unbreakable material providing a modern style to the user. These are available in several colors to go with your personality. The safety frame of these goggles is flexible as you can adjust it according to your face size. Fames are available in urethane rubber, carbone fiber and foam. If you want to look fashionable among your friend’s circle then you add these elegant goggles without sharp edges to your style.

(more…) http://www.tuvie.com/category/sports

Sunlight Gadget

sunLight, a Scaleable Gadget that Generates Power from Solar Energy

The unique product called sunLight is a concept that utilizes the natural energy both for its usage and storage. It is one unit that has all the aspects in one device like generating, storing and consuming the electrical energy. The device designed for a long lifecycle with the same components and no replacement of spares, and even if, there is a need for replacement of spares due to any malfunction, the same can be done without much of an effort and cost. Thus it’s not just environment friendly but quite cost effective as well. All that sunLight needs to work is solar energy - you simply unfold it so that solar cell film is exposed to the sun and the energy will recharge the batteries. Received power can be used in different ways, as a flashlight or for loading up connected gadgets (mobile phones or music players, for example).

FIPA Women

Fipa is A Luxury Platinum Cigarette Holder for Women

Fipa is a brand new smoking concept specially designed for women with tasted tobacco in individual units. The main starting point of this business development plan was figuring out a design solution that would give a feel like a woman’s smoking device. This understanding led the founder to develop Fipa as a luxury icon for women. The inspiration came from the women in the golden era from 1940s to 1960s, when using a cigarette holder was a common issue to maintain a decent distance from mouth to cigarette. Lawrence Chu, an exceptionally talented Canadian designer, designed the final form of chromium-platinum Fipa.

“We looked back in history and discovered that until the end of the Victorian period it was quite well accepted for women to smoke pipes in Europe, but due to cultural changes it became unfashionable, thus eventually becoming associated strictly with masculinity over the course of the last century.

The real inspiration came from looking at women in the golden age of smoking, from the 1940s to the 1960s, when it was common to use a cigarette holder to extend the distance from cigarette to mouth to cool the smoke. You can probably guess that this culminated in the iconic image of Audrey Hepburn in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” with long black gloves and equally long black cigarette holder.

It was this image that convinced us that, for an object, the secret to feminine elegance is a simple linear slenderness. That’s what we tried to communicate in the fipa.”

Be Straight

Snooc Wireless Hair Straightener

A high quality hair straightener is always a need for everyone, specifically for the age group of 25 to 35 years. A hair straightener should aim at people who feel young and mobile, always follow the newest trends, want to show up, have a strong feeling for quality and are very much conscious about personal care. Most of the competitive products are pretty conservative as well as low in quality since all of them are basically using the same technology. In this situation, The Snooc is different due to the automotive styling, wireless technology, high quality materials, and the vital spring- system instead of metal, connecting both portions and being gathered in the form.

(more…) http://www.tuvie.com/category/fashions

Color Ur Playing

New PSP Colors Set To Hit Japan In March

Ah yes, the wonderful system that is the PSP. Ever since its release back in 2005, Sony has been steadily gaining ground in the handheld war against Nintendo, especially with such fantastic games like Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core, Grand Theft Auto: Liberty and Vice City Stories, and most recently, the two enhanced ports of the first two Star Oceans. Yet Sony has been hemorrhaging money ever since the release of the PS3, reporting a $2.9 billion annual operating loss over the past fiscal year, and what do they decide is the best option to make that up? Why, color coding the new PSP-3000 model, of course!

Codenamed “The Carnival Colors,” the colors that will be newly available in Japan are aptly named “Radiant Red,” “Vibrant Blue,” “Bright Yellow,” and “Spirited Green.” In addition, each color will have its own accessory bundle, which includes a matching pouch, wrist strap and 4GB memory stick, all in the same hue as the PSP. No word yet if these new colors will eventually make their way stateside, but with Sony’s major losses, you can bet those carnies will show their vibrant selves by the beginning of the summer, if not earlier.

With this being the first “major” release by Sony since it announced the kick in the balls it received from the PS3, It makes me wonder if this was in the company’s best interest. The PSP has been available to the public for four years now, and within those four years, we’ve seen three different hardware releases; PSP-1000, 2000 (slim and lite), and 3000. The 3000 has already seen some colors added to its repertoire, so, why more? And “Carnival Colors?” Seriously? Come on, Sony. Colors aside, I feel as though if you wanted a PSP, you have already bought one, especially since no high profile title has been released since Crisis Core. Sony needs to focus on way to recover from their losses, not simply try to impress us with pretty colors (although a name like spirited green really gets me hot). Maybe Sony should put a little more effort into their PS3, considering the PSP has outsold the PlayStation 3 by nearly double (10.47 million units vs. 5.7 million units). Maybe some carnie-colored PS3s? Or perhaps you should cut your damn prices, maybe people would buy your system and see how truly amazing it can be? Just don’t pull a SEGA, Sony, or I’ll fucking shank you.

Red is PSP

PSP 4000

Sony Computer Entertainment announced today that the PS3’s quirky, do-it-yourself smash hit LittleBigPlanet will be receiving a second installment, set for release on the PlayStation Portable sometime later in 2009. Sony has been spending ample amounts of time creating a larger buzz around their handheld system, releasing news of a complete aesthetic overhaul in the upcoming PSP-4000 model. It comes as no surprise that Sony, in an effort to lure more gamers to the “dark side” of the handheld market, has other PlayStation 3 franchises making their way to the small screen, with Resistance: Retribution hitting stores March 17th, as well as off-road racer MotorStorm slated for release also in 2009.

I’m all for further installments for popular PS3 franchises - as long as they are not rushed and are designed well enough around the PSP’s limitations. The current PSPs (1000, 2000, or 3000) all lack a second analog stick, which will hinder many gameplay mechanics for any of the PlayStation 3 titles that hope to mimic their success with future releases within their respective series. However, mock-up pictures of the new PSP-4000 model does portray the much needed dual analog sticks, allowing for vast amounts of titles to start making their way to the PSP.

First, I can only hope that if these PSP installments make their way onto the current hardware, that they are designed well enough to manage the system’s physical limitations. I can’t tell you how many times I wanted to maim the Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops development team for such a foolhardy camera system. Not only was it annoying, but completely necessary to Snake’s survival. Second, I really hope that the aesthetic overhaul that will be the PSP-4000 will see the light of day before titles like LittleBigPlanet hit the shelves. If these popular titles are forced to cripple themselves just so they may achieve portability, I don’t want ‘em. But with dual analog capability, future installments of PS3 franchises will be welcomed with open arms, and I’m sure Sony will appease; the dark side is strong in that one.

Shuffling 2009

A New iPod Shuffle Arrives — Minus Steve

With the release today of Apple's "smallest iPod Shuffle ever," the pioneering tech bellwether continues to wean us off its charismatic founder, Steve Jobs. Until recently, the new Shuffle would have been unveiled as an appetizer during a bigger media banquet — one of those wonderful little trinkets that Jobs would show off at the start of, say, a Macworld conference.
But that was then and this is the post-Jobs Apple now.
With the chairman and CEO on sick leave until June, the company has been working hard to carry on with business as usual — a tough trick since business was usually carried on the back of Jobs. He was the front man, the face of Apple, its every innovation incarnate. Even a trifle like the new Shuffle, with its clever way of "speaking" the names of tracks and playlists to ease navigation, would have been his to unveil. Not this morning. The Apple Store went down briefly, then came back up with news of the new, new thing: "The first music player that talks to you." Uncharacteristically, Apple's p.r. folks, normally a reticent bunch, carried out a coordinated media blitz at dawn, offering up Apple execs to reporters for briefings. The scenario was similar to last month's refresh of the company's desktop Macs, which were also announced without the usual fanfare.
The new Shuffle costs $79 and replaces the one that cost $49. That's potentially a big driver to Apple's bottom line. Veteran Apple analyst Gene Munster of Piper Jaffray thinks the higher price tag carries higher margins for Apple, increasing its revenue and profit. That's yet another reason Jobs would have delivered the news and taken the victory lap. Greg Joswiak, who oversees iPod and iPhone marketing for Apple, says the non-Jobsian approach is nothing new. "We've always done a mixture" of product releases, some without a lot of fanfare or big-tent releases, he says. "For this one, it just made sense to do it this way. We've done a lot on our website to make sure customers understand how it works."
It is, of course, entirely possible that even when Jobs returns, this faceless way of doing business makes more sense than the Jobs/Apple way. Apple's stores generate their own buzz, after all, despite these days of economic Armageddon. Besides, Apple's products continue to be so cool, they get us to write about them. Even in the absence of Jobs.

Smart driving

Attention Assist says “Pause” whenever you’re dead sleepy

I was 18 years old when I first drove a car as I decided it was time for me to get my driving license. Even if I was never very much into cars and driving them has never been a hobby of mine, I can’t say that the lack of interest I’ve always proven concerning this area was somehow a disadvantage and I was never afraid of driving. My only fear was related to other people and their driving skills. You can never know the crazy people one can “intersect” on road.

The worst thing that can happen to someone is to fall asleep while driving, which is the cause of so many accidents nowadays. Fortunately for those who are bold enough to drive a car when being so very tired, the Mercedes E-class is smart enough to know when you’re on the point of closing your eyes and to attempt to wake you up. It sounds like a fairytale, isn’t it? Not to mention the fact that the car will also make a very strong suggestion to the exhausted driver: to make a pause and drink a cup of coffee.

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The guys over Mercedes worked hard on Attention Assist, an impressive program which is based on numerous studies, meticulously concretized in conclusions that are meant to help people whenever they need. They studied the connection between the brainwaves of sleepy individuals who dare to drive their cars and their physical behavior. This way, they managed to develop a car that is able to know when you’re on the point to fall asleep at the wheel.

The sensors placed in the steering wheel helps the system notice when something like this happens and a noisy alarm will immediately bring you back to reality. Then, as you can see in the picture above, the “pause” message will appear on the display, so you’ll know that is time for a coffee break.

This means that if you’re one of those who can hardly wait for the new E-class, which is expected to come out in 2009, you will most probably be among the fortunate ones to drive a smart car equipped with the Attention Assist. Let’s just hope that it won’t be smarter than the driver.

View the mystery

The first ever Canon waterproof camera – the PowerShot D10

Preparing itself for the Photo Marketing Association trade show (also known as PMA), which is to take place in Las Vegas, March 3-5, Canon announced an impressive number of cameras that are to be launched in the market. Impressive, the number of devices, this isn’t something we can say about the devices themselves.

The only one which stands out is the Canon PowerShot D10, which is the first waterproof digital compact camera, equipped with an impressive 12.1 megapixel resolution. The camera was designed for all those who live an adventurous life, who have the most active lifestyles possible and combines tough qualities with outstanding image quality. Therefore, it doesn’t matter if you’re surfing, skiing, snorkeling or mountaineering, because the PowerShot D10 is the perfect companion.

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The features it comes equipped with include: the 12.1 megapixel resolution, a 3x optical zoom provided with optical Image Stabilizer, resistance to water (up to 10 meters), shocks (1.22 meters), freeze (-10 degrees Celsius) and to dust, Smart Auto mode with Scene Detection Technology, DIGIC 4 for ultra-fast response, IS and Motion Detection Technology (meant for combating blur), Face Detection Technology, Face Select, Track and Blink Detection, 30 frames per second VGA movies and the special 2.5” PureColor LCD II protected by a 2 millimeters protective shield.

If you want to keep your camera safe in all sorts of “dangerous” environments, Canon comes with a special offer consisting of protective accessories like a soft case, shoulder, neck and carabiner straps.

A great thing about this Canon waterproof camera is the fact that it gives users the possibility to increase the capacity storage with SD, SDHC, MMC, MMCplus and HC MMCplus card formats.

“The PowerShot D10 is a boundary-breaking camera”, said Rainer Fuehres, head of Canon Consumer Imaging Europe. In addition, he said that “it brings the hallmarks of the PowerShot range – exceptional imaging and ease of use – to places where many other cameras simply cannot go”.

The $329.99 camera is expected to become available sometime in May 2009.