Philips Simplicity Event 2006 shows off conceptual shiny toys

Philips is currently demoing various concept products at its Simplicity Event 2006 expo this week in London, some of which may or may not see the light of day. Among our favorites that we've spotted are the new Drag Draw (pictured above), a new light-emitting pen that will let you make crazy illustrations on any surface, so you can unleash that fantasy of scribbling up your bedroom wall -- without doing any permanent damage. Our next favorite is the Versa Tiles (pictured on next page), a series of moveable hexagonal tiles to lay down on a floor that creates a game that is basically Dance Dance Revolution meets Simon. Finally, to round out the trio are a pair of spherical weights (also pictured after the break) that glow pink and include athletic sensors that monitors your workout progress. No word on if we'll ever actually see any of these, but if Philips wanted to oblige us, we'd be happy to take on challengers for Versa Tiles at the next Engadget reader meetup.

[Photos courtesy of GadgetCentre]

[Graham McLeod @ Oct 5th 2006 6:21AM]

I have to get me those floor tiles - I feel a game of Blockbusters coming on!

[itssimple @ Oct 5th 2006 7:09AM]

It looks like Philips is also sponsoring a website to get consumer insights about these product and what kinds of products consumers would want to have. It's worth a try to get your idea out there at www.livesimplicity.net.

[itssimple @ Oct 5th 2006 7:11AM]

It looks like Philips is sponsoring a site to accompany the event too. It allows everyday people to give their ideas on the future of innovative products and how they can simplify our lives. Have your say at www.livesimplicity.net

[Michael @ Oct 5th 2006 8:52AM]

...doesn't the bucket the kid has in the first pic look like a giant glowing bucket of radioactive goo? O.o Maybe its just me.

Still an awesome thing, though. Wish I had the Drag Draw as a kid.

[strider_mt2k @ Oct 5th 2006 9:05AM]

So now we CAN write on the walls?
MAKE UP YOUR FRIGGING MINDS!!!

Adults lie.

[strider_mt2k @ Oct 5th 2006 9:05AM]

Oh and on pic#2:

Good against remotes is one thing...

[Rick Lyon @ Oct 5th 2006 9:28AM]

Graffiti artist around the world just screamed out 'hell yea'.

[SurfedToTheEndAndBack @ Oct 5th 2006 9:49AM]

That kid sucks at drawing.

[Steven Palter, MD @ Oct 5th 2006 9:51AM]

This is another version of what I call "gesture control" where a video system sees your movements and integrates its into moving images. I have recently posted on this technology with videos from nextfest and some future medical applications

http://docinthemachine.com/2006/10/05/hand-gesture-control-video-2/

http://docinthemachine.com/2006/10/02/nextfest-2-hand-gesture-controlled-surgery-and-tom-cruise/

[wolff000 @ Oct 5th 2006 10:15AM]

SWEET! I want one of those light writers. That is the coolest toy I have seen since in quite a while. Hopefully Phillips actually makes it.

[umwot? @ Oct 5th 2006 11:08AM]

how could you philips? drawing on the wall with light was my concept at uni....im hurt.

[Grayson @ Oct 5th 2006 11:40AM]

I so want one of those high tech crayons.

[Joe Shmoe @ Oct 5th 2006 12:04PM]

itssimple: "It looks like?" embrace your plant-y nature. Something like half of all posters here are astroturfers some of the time.

On topic: Does anyone else find it alarming that Phillips has bought into (or is capitalizing on) new age mysticism with all this light therapy crap? Isn't there some obligation on the part of the manufacturer to prove the efficacy of their products? This is particularly true when we know that some folks will use instead of seeking actual medical treatment (or fail to get regular checkups) because they think 'light therapy' actually works?

[zoe @ Dec 10th 2007 9:36AM]

[url=http://books.google.nl/books?hl=en&lr=&id=F62UgWiAffkC&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=light+therapy+SAD&ots=nJ5IMvHyuZ&sig=o8USgolembAKgnzNmhqHuNdQLCo#PPR10,M1]Read the preface[/url].
The beneficial effect of light therapy on seasonal affective disorder is rather well documented.

Course - Philips might want to get some extra credentials, that I'll agree with. Wouldn't put it past them to just install a fancy glowing light without any therapeutic value.

[Timerider @ Oct 5th 2006 12:16PM]

I looks like there's a projector for the drag draw thing (lower middle of pic). It records movements and projects the image on the wall.

[CZ @ Oct 5th 2006 12:30PM]

Philips had better tread lightly (all puns intended) on the Versa Tile name as it already belongs to another, very similar product. Element Labs has had a LED product called Versa Tile for some years now. See here: http://www.elementlabs.com/?page_id=39 .

[Rand @ Oct 5th 2006 1:23PM]

Uh I may be the lone dissenter but small children don't have the reasoning skills to make the distinction between magic pen O.K. to write on wall and crayon not O.K. to write on wall. My son was a wall writer of the worst kind. Crayon masterpieces as high up the wall as he could climb. Granted he was 3 y.o. but It got to the point we had to search him when he came back from pre-school because he smuggled in contraband crayons.

[John L @ Oct 5th 2006 2:46PM]

The guy lifting the pink balls, has slight man boob nipples.
Jesus christ !!!

[enzo @ Oct 5th 2006 9:10PM]

That implemented with mirosoft's OLED wallpaper... would be awsome.

[enzo @ Oct 5th 2006 9:11PM]

*microsoft... sorry.

[Lazarpandar @ Oct 9th 2006 5:26AM]

Look at the first picture, the kid is drawing with a radioactive dildo of some sort >.>

[DCP @ Feb 25th 2007 11:42PM]

IF you combine the light bucket technology with a FLY pen you could have an interactive whiteboard on any surface.