Gizmo Watch

The modern age is a race against time and our generation is bound to be forgetful. A monotonous office schedule has worsened our case and we therefore need concepts like the Mnemonic device to assist us remember important things that need to be catered to in time. This concept is a wearable wrist wrap with a display that always remains on top courtesy of a built-in accelerometer to which the interface responds, ensuring that we never miss out when we cannot afford to. The designer has designed it bearing in mind the plight of the Alzheimer or Amnesia patients, but still, the usage can be general given the function of this concept. This isn’t something completely unique as we keep hitting on such concepts at different times, yet we can laud the fact that there are more people thinking about making the scatty race more punctual.

Via: Yankodesign/Ubergizmo

Gizmo freaks who love to lay their hands on the best doodads apparently available might just want to check out the beast Confederate Motors calls the B120 Wraith. A devil in its own zone, the wraith has been chiseled using carbon fibre and aluminium without bothering to polish it for the intent was to keep the design very industrial. Exhibited at the 2009 New York Auto Show, the Wraith is capable of churning out 125 horses from the crank at 130lb of torque. It’s not just the metallic eye-candy; it also has LED headlights included as a part of the forks. Brembo brakes and the carbon fiber wheels complete the trick to ensure that no machine lover can ever ignore it.

Via: Cnet

The war between Apple and Microsoft is never just over and it has indeed found a new life with the photo leak of the suspected Zune HD. Appleinsider claims that Microsoft is merely replicating the iPod touch by developing the Zune HD, but we can’t yet be sure this isn’t an official photo release backed by Microsoft. Even the high-definition tagging is a hubbub, and if the next Zune completely ignores the resolution choice, the allegations might stand void and baseless. Nonetheless, such allegations make a product release interesting, and more so if there is a marked difference between the predictions and the final product.

Via: Engadget

Researchers at the University of Waterloo, Ontario, have developed the first flying robot giving micro-scale manipulation a new hope. This robot christened Micro ElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) is capable of moving and placing smaller objects with laudable meticulousness. The manipulation level this robot achieves is beyond human accuracy levels which is why this achievement is being hailed as special. The robot flies by defying gravity using magnetic field in the process and also uses remotely controlled magnetised micro-grippers courtesy laser focusing technology.

We have developed a magnetically levitated micro-robot, which is a new technology for manipulation using flying micro-robots. Magnetic levitation will be used to position the micro-robot in a three-dimensional space, employing an external magnetic drive mechanism

- explained research leader Behrad Khamesee.

Image 1 Via: ZdNet/TOI

Suddenly in the ongoing economic recession, social security in the US is found stranded. Those security cards have started losing importance, still minds at FrogDesign feel there is scope within them, and have thus taken liberty to move past the orthodox, to redesign the social security ID cards. The design dubbed Troika made in aluminum, housing a multifunctional screen, adds durability and biometrics to beef up that security concern looming alongside. The cards have been stuffed with a thumbprint reader for biometric safety, and can be changed from a social identification card to a driving license to a passport only on a touch of a button. With added functionality of water resistance, the Troika is one card for all security issues, losing it somehow the last thing you’ll wanna do once you have them.

Via: Core77/Dvice

The unconvinced Bluetooth 2.0 users who normally seek higher speed for file transfers can finally afford to smile, for the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) has announced the upgrade 3.0 launch on April 21. We can now transfer videos and audio folders quickly with the new format using the certified 802.11 standards, eliminating the need of Wi-Fi for bigger file transfers. Instead of Wi-Fi, 3.0 would use two compatible Bluetooth modules which would work in tandem to flip to the 802.11 mode and then back again to a slower option. It may crank up the battery a little bit more, but the bottom line is that faster transfers are more pleasing than the annoying hankering beeper.
Via: Arstechnica

SOS calls only is a common problem in low connectivity areas and it leaves you wanting on more than a single occasion. The satellite phone is your best chance for survival, but until date only the army men or the uber rich have enjoyed the privilege.

TerreStar or SkyTerra intend to make the satellite phones mainstream in an attempt to permanently end the problem of no signal zones. Though expensive, these phones would be available in a regular AT&T store just like any other model, and there would be no scary antennas clubbed to make the user look alien. The company is investing $1.2 billion to lift a satellite in an orbit 22,000 miles from the earth to make sure that no caller is ever found wanting in a difficult situation.

We need some card playing robots alongside those capable of playing Ping-Pong and other games. Perplexed thinking why, simple, we need to win over the machines, somewhere, somehow. But what, the blackjack playing robot - Jak’s got those humans defeated in the game. And guess, he doesn’t even have the slightest grin on his face? Heck, those machines have become so use to defeating their masters, phew.

Resurrected for the Robotfest 2009 exhibition competition, Jak in his gaming trait scans the card while dealing, stuffing its software with the data collected by the integrated webcam. As the cards are dealt, Jak keeps a vigil on each opponent’s hand and as the player projects a move, touching a touchscreen monitor required for input, the bot responds to the move. The intricate robot Jak is Newmarket Highschool’s brainchild, and you can enjoy the video for details on its programming and development.

Via: HackADay

A tablet that bears no moniker and has yet succeeded in creating ripples across the web world; one cannot have a better definition for Micheal Arrington’s Crunchpad, which has swarmed the net with some leaked photos. Netbooks have had their share of dominance but with the Crunchpad, we can finally hope for some competition and the balance looks slightly titled in favor of the Crunchpad for a rumored pricing of $200. What’s more on the grapevine is that Arlington wants to make the details available under an open source license for the giants to further develop it. The supposed details would be a uniform power button, built-in camera, 512MB of memory, 4GB SSHD, and the keyboard would predictably be chucked into the bin.

Scanners have been an exotic technology in our real world, they have become ever so common, but the relevance still lingers. With a motive to make a difference on the shelves and amid the users, Futronic has revealed the FS90 USB 2.0 mini fingerprint scanner with optic system. The portable mobile application scanner with the embedded optics delivers high-quality images in a very confined form factor.

The tiny scanner measures 15×22mm, being a handy addition for mobile and notebook users, the PS90 is accompanied by a 0.3 meter USB cable and can transfer fingerprint image at 300×440 pixel resolutions to a PC in only 0.1 second. The scanner comes with modules ready to work with all operating systems, making it easier for users to stick it with their portables without any added discomfort.