Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Japanese researchers show off 'interactive' plants: real leaves, artificial emotions]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/04/japanese-researchers-show-off-interactive-plants-real-leaves/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/04/japanese-researchers-show-off-interactive-plants-real-leaves/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/04/japanese-researchers-show-off-interactive-plants-real-leaves/#comments Image
Looking for a little more companionship from your household plants? Then a team of researchers from Keio University in Japan may have just the thing for you. They've developed a rather elaborate system that promises to lets plants react to you and display a variety of different emotions (see "anger," pictured above). Yes, that's a real plant sprouting up out of the box, which contains sensors and microphones that monitor its surroundings, as well as some actuators that are connected to the plant itself with some fine cords. Lest you worry about the safety of the plants themselves, the researchers say that they've had plants rigged up like this for nearly a year and none have wilted. Of course, there's no indication of a commercial version just yet, but you can get a glimpse of the current state of things in the video after the break courtesy of DigInfo TV.

Continue reading Japanese researchers show off 'interactive' plants: real leaves, artificial emotions

Japanese researchers show off 'interactive' plants: real leaves, artificial emotions originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Apr 2012 02:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>interactiveinteractive plantinteractive plantsInteractivePlantInteractivePlantsjapankeio universityKeioUniversityplantplantsvideoWed, 04 Apr 2012 02:33:00 EST<![CDATA[Add-on turns a smartphone camera into a joystick (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/30/add-on-turns-a-smartphone-camera-into-a-joystick-video/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/30/add-on-turns-a-smartphone-camera-into-a-joystick-video/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/30/add-on-turns-a-smartphone-camera-into-a-joystick-video/#comments ImageOne of the more irritating aspects of touchscreen gaming is almost certainly the inevitability of blocking the screen as you play -- particularly with smaller devices like smartphones. A new peripheral being developed by Keio University takes an interesting approach to the problem -- using the device to transform the gadget's camera into a three-axis joystick of sorts by detecting the movement of markings on the add-on. According to its creators, the accuracy of the joystick depends largely on the precision of the phone's hardware. Check it out in action after the break.

Continue reading Add-on turns a smartphone camera into a joystick (video)

Add-on turns a smartphone camera into a joystick (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Mar 2012 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cameracamingjoystickkeio universityKeioUniversitymobile gamingMobileGamingsmartphonetouchscreenvideoFri, 30 Mar 2012 16:28:00 EST<![CDATA[Pinoky makes it easier to pretend like your stuffed animals are real friends (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/19/pinoky-makes-it-easier-to-pretend-like-your-stuffed-animals-are/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/19/pinoky-makes-it-easier-to-pretend-like-your-stuffed-animals-are/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/19/pinoky-makes-it-easier-to-pretend-like-your-stuffed-animals-are/#comments Seated above, from left to right, are Ms. Snuggleberry, Mr. Cuddlekins, and Professor Puddles. They congregated atop this egg yolk for what they thought would be another customary meeting of Mammalian Malice -- a vaguely neo-Jacobean slam poetry collective founded in the aftermath of the Crimean War. Little did they know, however, that they were walking straight into Yuta Sugiura's trap. Sugiura and his colleagues, you see, have created a toy known as Pinoky -- a small, ring-like device that wirelessly brings stuffed animals to "life," as Snuggleberry, Cuddlekins and Puddles soon discovered. Developed as part of a project at Keio University, Pinoky uses a micro controller, a Zigbee input device and a servo motor system to move an animal's extremities, with a set of photo sensors designed to measure the angle at which it bends. All you have to do is grab your favorite imaginary friend, strap a Pinoky around his limb, and use the accompanying remote controller to make him flail around like a fish on house arrest. See it for yourself, after the break.

Continue reading Pinoky makes it easier to pretend like your stuffed animals are real friends (video)

Pinoky makes it easier to pretend like your stuffed animals are real friends (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accelerometeranimalanimalsjapankeio universityKeioUniversitykidsmicro controllermicrocontrollerphotosensorpinokyscaryservo motorServoMotorstuffed animalsStuffedAnimalstoytoysvideowirelessYuta SugiuraYutaSugiuraMon, 19 Dec 2011 16:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Telesar V robot brings new meaning to escapism (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/07/telesar-v-robot-brings-new-meaning-to-escapism-video/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/07/telesar-v-robot-brings-new-meaning-to-escapism-video/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/07/telesar-v-robot-brings-new-meaning-to-escapism-video/#comments The esoteric art of telepresence is all about that sweetest of dreams: being somewhere you'd rather be. So far, though, it's hardly teleported much beyond our head movements and kisses. What we really need is a fully-fledged avatar that can also feed sensory information back to us -- and that's exactly what the Telesar V claims to be. The user dons a pair of VR goggles that control the robot's head and see through its eyes. A pair of gloves not only control the Telesar's hands, but also transmit force and temperature data back from its sensors. Drag yourself away from that violent BF3 simulator and check out the smoochiness after the break. (And yes, the inventor's surname is just about perfect.)

Continue reading Telesar V robot brings new meaning to escapism (video)

Telesar V robot brings new meaning to escapism (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 Nov 2011 08:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>avatargogglesjapanjapaneseKeio UniversityKeioUniversityProfessor TachiProfessorTachisensationsensorsensorssensoryTachitelepresencetelesarTelesar VTelesarVtelexistencevirtual realityVirtualRealityVRVR glovesVR gogglesVrGlovesVrGogglesMon, 07 Nov 2011 08:13:00 EST<![CDATA[RePro3D is a 'touchable' 3D interface that lets you poke pixies (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/16/repro3d-is-a-touchable-3d-interface-that-lets-you-poke-pixies/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/16/repro3d-is-a-touchable-3d-interface-that-lets-you-poke-pixies/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/16/repro3d-is-a-touchable-3d-interface-that-lets-you-poke-pixies/#comments RePro 3D The illusion of 3D is kind of ruined the moment you reach out and try and grab whatever silly thing is supposed to be protruding from the screen. Researchers at Keio University in Tokyo have started to figure out a solution to the problem, and are calling their system RePro3D. By combining a glasses-free 3D display with an infrared tactile interface, they are able to create a holographic model that responds when "touched." The next step for the team is to provide feedback via a wearable device, adding the sensation of touch to the already impressive illusion of interactivity. We do have our concerns about the researcher's motives however. One of the creators, Keitaro Shimizu, told DigInfo, "there are many attractive characters in animations and games, but since those characters only exist within the screen, it feels a little lonely..." We guess getting a girlfriend is out of the question. Check out the video after the break.

Continue reading RePro3D is a 'touchable' 3D interface that lets you poke pixies (video)

RePro3D is a 'touchable' 3D interface that lets you poke pixies (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Sep 2011 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dglasses-free 3dGlasses-free3dhologramKeio UniversityKeioUniversityKeitaro ShimizuKeitaroShimizurepro3dtactile feedbacktactile interfaceTactileFeedbackTactileInterfacetouchvideoFri, 16 Sep 2011 12:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Japanese scientists create giant metal cilium, relief for Voltron's giant metal lungs (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/30/japanese-scientists-create-giant-metal-cilium-relief-for-voltro/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/30/japanese-scientists-create-giant-metal-cilium-relief-for-voltro/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/30/japanese-scientists-create-giant-metal-cilium-relief-for-voltro/#comments Why would a group of researchers develop a table full of rods that mimic the movements of microscopic hairs? It's a fair question, and Keio University's Yusuke Kamiyama certainly doesn't offer up much in the way of real world applications for such technology. He is, however, happy to demonstrate the cool functionality of the metallic cilium, which appear to drift around as though underwater, until coming into contact with an external stimuli. The rods react to touch by congregating near the area of contact, with movements executed by biometal rods that communicate with an external PC. Scientists hope that research from the project will be useful at some point, but in the meantime, at least we know where to turn if we get a major mucus blockage. Video after the break.

Continue reading Japanese scientists create giant metal cilium, relief for Voltron's giant metal lungs (video)

Japanese scientists create giant metal cilium, relief for Voltron's giant metal lungs (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 May 2011 18:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ciliaciliumjapanKeio UniversityKeioUniversitylungsrobotvideoYusuke KamiyamaYusukeKamiyamaMon, 30 May 2011 18:44:00 EST<![CDATA[TEROOS robotic avatar gives your long-distance girlfriend a tiny, googly-eyed face (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/25/teroos-robotic-avatar-gives-your-long-distance-girlfriend-a-tiny/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/25/teroos-robotic-avatar-gives-your-long-distance-girlfriend-a-tiny/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/25/teroos-robotic-avatar-gives-your-long-distance-girlfriend-a-tiny/#comments Do you pine for animatronic eyes and robots that whisper sweet nothings in your ear? Well, geeks with distant girlfriends rejoice, because TEROOS, the shoulder-mounted, remotely-controlled telepresence avatar has arrived. Created by researchers from Keio University in Japan, the little bot has a camera and mic so far away friends can see and hear what you do, while a directional speaker keeps your conversations private. Communication's courtesy of Skype, while some custom code lets users control the device's six-axis articulating head. It's not an independent system, however, as it relies upon a smartphone to relay commands from a PC to the avatar through Bluetooth. Users can also change the bot's facial expressions thanks to a couple of googly eyes and mechanical eyelids, though it doesn't have quite the emotional range of other androids from the land of the rising sun. Intrigued? Check the vid after the break.

Continue reading TEROOS robotic avatar gives your long-distance girlfriend a tiny, googly-eyed face (video)

TEROOS robotic avatar gives your long-distance girlfriend a tiny, googly-eyed face (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 12:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>avataravatarsbluetoothchatkeio universityKeioUniversityrobotrobotsskypetelepresenceTEROOSvideovideo chatVideoChatFri, 25 Mar 2011 12:26:00 EST<![CDATA[Fragrance Jet II receives video demonstration, still looks like a terrible idea (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/15/fragrance-jet-ii-receives-video-demonstration-still-looks-like/http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/15/fragrance-jet-ii-receives-video-demonstration-still-looks-like/http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/15/fragrance-jet-ii-receives-video-demonstration-still-looks-like/#comments Ah, those zany Keio University researchers trying to recreate Smell-O-Vision, do you want to know what they're up to these days? They're still trying, of course, but now they've taken the opportunity to demonstrate their hardware -- which uses basic inkjet printer tech to fire off very short bursts of fragrance -- to tech lovers in Japan while still tweaking and refining it. Primarily aimed at helping healthcare professionals in assessing a patient's sense of smell, the Fragrance Jet II has a high degree of control granularity, permitting the varying of both intensity and duration of a scent, which in turn can provide a very accurate measurement of a given person's olfactory acuity. A mobile prototype has also been trotted out (pictured above), hinting at the possibility of eventually shrinking these modules to fit inside cellphones and thus leading us to an awesome future of customizable "incoming call fragrances." Awesome indeed. Video after the break.

Continue reading Fragrance Jet II receives video demonstration, still looks like a terrible idea (video)

Fragrance Jet II receives video demonstration, still looks like a terrible idea (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Dec 2010 06:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fragrancefragrance generatorfragrance jetfragrance jet iiFragranceGeneratorFragranceJetFragranceJetIihealthhealthcarejapanjapanesekeiokeio universityKeioUniversitymedicalmedicineokada laboratoryOkadaLaboratoryolfactoryresearchsmelluniversityvideoWed, 15 Dec 2010 06:54:00 EST<![CDATA[Augmented reality TagCandy creates a virtual taste explosion (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/03/augmented-reality-tagcandy-creates-a-virtual-taste-explosion/http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/03/augmented-reality-tagcandy-creates-a-virtual-taste-explosion/http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/03/augmented-reality-tagcandy-creates-a-virtual-taste-explosion/#comments
The majority of augmented reality applications these days may be visual ones, but that's hardly the only type of augmented reality possible, as fully evidenced by this so-called TagCandy device built by Yasuaki Kakehi of Keio University. As you can see above, it consists of a rather large base that accommodates a regular lollipop, which not only makes it easy to hold the candy, but uses bone-conduction technology to produce different sounds ranging from fizzy soda to fireworks. Of course, it is just a concept, and still something of a work in progress -- future possibilities apparently include the ability to detect biting in addition to sucking, and the ability to buy and share different "sensations" on the internet. Head on past the break to check it out on video.

Continue reading Augmented reality TagCandy creates a virtual taste explosion (video)

Augmented reality TagCandy creates a virtual taste explosion (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 01:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>araugmented realityAugmentedRealitybone conductingbone conductionBoneConductingBoneConductioncandyconceptkeio universityKeioUniversitylollipoptagcandyvideoFri, 03 Dec 2010 01:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Keio University developing 'olfactory printer,' AromaRama due for a resurgence]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/26/keio-university-developing-olfactory-printer-aromarama-due-fo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/26/keio-university-developing-olfactory-printer-aromarama-due-fo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/26/keio-university-developing-olfactory-printer-aromarama-due-fo/#comments
We're not entirely sure why people keep trying to bring back Smell-O-Vision, although Keio University's success in printing scents using a modified printer gives us hope that this sort of thing might someday be somewhat feasible -- and useful. It works by using an off-the-shelf Canon printer that's been given a "scent jet," Kenichi Okada told New Scientist. "We are using the ink-jet printer's ability to eject tiny pulses of material to achieve precise control." The scent dissipates quickly, after one or two human breaths. And while specific scents can be printed, there is as of yet no way to build a general purpose device. According to the University of Glasgow's Stephen Brewster: "We don't yet know how to synthesize all the scents we want. There is no red-green-blue for smell -- there are thousands of components needed." That's OK with us. In our experience, it's usually better that people keep their smells to themselves.

Keio University developing 'olfactory printer,' AromaRama due for a resurgence originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Oct 2010 12:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>canoninkjet printerInkjetPrinterKeio UniversityKeioUniversityKenichi OkadaKenichiOkadaolfactoryolfactory printerOlfactoryPrinterscentsmellsmell printersmell-o-visionSmellPrinterStephen BrewsterStephenBrewsterUniversity of GlasgowUniversityOfGlasgowTue, 26 Oct 2010 12:46:00 EST<![CDATA[Twinkle augmented reality interface promises to make your world a platformer]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/14/twinkle-augmented-reality-interface-promises-to-make-your-world/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/14/twinkle-augmented-reality-interface-promises-to-make-your-world/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/14/twinkle-augmented-reality-interface-promises-to-make-your-world/#comments Augmented reality demonstrations may be pretty common these days, but this so-called "Twinkle" interface developed by some researchers Tokyo University and Keio University takes a different enough approach to still turn a few heads. That's done thanks to the combination of a pico projector and a camera, the former of which projects a character onto any surface, while the latter is used along with some image processing software to identify objects the character can interact with. That's further backed up by an accelerometer that detects movements the camera can't, and the researchers say that the system can not only recognize specific objects like the ones on the board pictured above, but everyday objects as well -- letting you put your LittleBigPlanet skills to use on your desk, for instance. Head on past the break to check it out in action.

Continue reading Twinkle augmented reality interface promises to make your world a platformer

Twinkle augmented reality interface promises to make your world a platformer originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Sep 2010 10:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>araugmented realityAugmentedRealitykeio universityKeioUniversitypico projectorPicoProjectorprojectorTokyo UniversityTokyoUniversitytwinklevideoTue, 14 Sep 2010 10:07:00 EST<![CDATA[Keio University and Toshiba ready tiny 1TB SSDs for 2012]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/11/keio-university-and-toshiba-ready-tiny-1tb-ssds-for-2012/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/11/keio-university-and-toshiba-ready-tiny-1tb-ssds-for-2012/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/11/keio-university-and-toshiba-ready-tiny-1tb-ssds-for-2012/#commentsJapan's Keio University claims to have developed, in conjunction with Toshiba, the technology to shrink the size of SSDs by a spectacular 90 percent while also cutting energy consumption by 70 percent. If that's not enough mind-boggling numbers for you, the final product of this partnership is expected to yield 1TB drives with 2Gbps throughput. The details of this are still somewhat unclear, but we're told researchers stacked 128 NAND flash chips atop one another, with the breakthrough being in the way they communicate -- using short-range magnetic signals --- which results in less wiring complexity and reduced production costs. We'll take some convincing to believe they can really put these to practical use by 2012 as promised, but if they do make it to any sort of commercial launch, you can bet we'll be queuing up through the night to get one. Note: Nikkei source link requires a paid subscription to access.

Keio University and Toshiba ready tiny 1TB SSDs for 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 07:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012flashjapankeiokeio universityKeioUniversitymemoryNAND flashnand flash memoryNandFlashNandFlashMemoryresearchsolid statesolid state drivesolid state memorySolidStateSolidStateDriveSolidStateMemoryssdstoragetadahiro kurodaTadahiroKurodatoshibauniversityThu, 11 Feb 2010 07:53:00 EST<![CDATA[Walky robot understands iPhone gestures, football fanaticism (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/17/walky-robot-understands-iphone-gestures-football-fanaticism-vi/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/17/walky-robot-understands-iphone-gestures-football-fanaticism-vi/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/17/walky-robot-understands-iphone-gestures-football-fanaticism-vi/#comments Hey there sailor, we imagine you've been doing your fair share of button mashing what with a certain new bit of software out and about, but how would you like a whole new control paradigm? Taking up Steve Jobs' war on buttons, a group of grad students at Japan's Keio University have put together a comprehensive robot control interface that relies solely on finger swipes, taps, and presses. By employing the iPhone's built-in accelerometer and multitouch screen, the robot can replicate a humanistic walking motion, perform sidesteps and, when called upon, kick a football with gusto and presumed passion. Your destination is just past the break, where the video demo awaits.

[Via HDBlog.it]

Continue reading Walky robot understands iPhone gestures, football fanaticism (video)

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Walky robot understands iPhone gestures, football fanaticism (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accelerometerapplebipedalcontrolcontrollercontrolsgestureshumanistichumanoidiphoneiphone osiphoneosjapankeio universityKeioUniversitymobilemultitouchrobotrobotstokyotouchscreenvideowalkingwalking robotWalkingRobotTue, 17 Nov 2009 04:19:00 EST<![CDATA[Walky robot understands iPhone gestures, football fanaticism (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/17/walky-robot-understands-iphone-gestures-football-fanaticism-vi/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/17/walky-robot-understands-iphone-gestures-football-fanaticism-vi/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/17/walky-robot-understands-iphone-gestures-football-fanaticism-vi/#comments Hey there sailor, we imagine you've been doing your fair share of button mashing what with a certain new bit of software out and about, but how would you like a whole new control paradigm? Taking up Steve Jobs' war on buttons, a group of grad students at Japan's Keio University have put together a comprehensive robot control interface that relies solely on finger swipes, taps, and presses. By employing the iPhone's built-in accelerometer and multitouch screen, the robot can replicate a humanistic walking motion, perform sidesteps and, when called upon, kick a football with gusto and presumed passion. Your destination is just past the break, where the video demo awaits.

Continue reading Walky robot understands iPhone gestures, football fanaticism (video)

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Walky robot understands iPhone gestures, football fanaticism (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accelerometerapplebipedalcontrolcontrollercontrolsgestureshumanistichumanoidiphonejapankeio universityKeioUniversitymultitouchrobotrobotstokyotouchscreenvideowalkingwalking robotWalkingRobotTue, 17 Nov 2009 04:19:00 EST<![CDATA[Digital Rosetta Stone memory could last a thousand years]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/23/digital-rosetta-stone-memory-could-last-a-thousand-years/http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/23/digital-rosetta-stone-memory-could-last-a-thousand-years/http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/23/digital-rosetta-stone-memory-could-last-a-thousand-years/#comments
The race for bigger and better memory continues apace, it seems. It was only a week or two ago that we caught wind of the work that scientists in Berkeley were doing with nanotubes and thousand-year-plus memory lifespans, and now it looks like a group of researchers in Japan have made some headway using an electron-beam direct-writing technique that utilizes semiconductor devices that can keep data intact for a thousand years, so long as humidity is kept at 2% or less. The prototype Digital Rosetta Stone, developed by Keio University, Kyoto University, and Sharp, has a storage capacity of 2.5TB and a max transmission speed of 150Mbps. Of course, there's no telling if or when this will become a reality, so if you want to ensure that your adolescent poetry lasts for the next thousand years, you'd better print out your MySpace blog and have it carved in granite.

[Via TechShout]

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Digital Rosetta Stone memory could last a thousand years originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Jun 2009 18:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>digital rosetta stonedigital rosetta stone memoryDigitalRosettaStoneDigitalRosettaStoneMemorydrsdrs memoryDrsMemoryjapanKeio UniversityKeioUniversitykyotoKyoto UniversityKyotoUniversitymemorysharpthousand year memoryThousandYearMemoryTue, 23 Jun 2009 18:48:00 EST<![CDATA[Team hopes to build 200 eight-wheeled Eliica electric cars]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/30/team-hopes-to-build-200-eight-wheeled-eliica-electric-cars/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/30/team-hopes-to-build-200-eight-wheeled-eliica-electric-cars/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/30/team-hopes-to-build-200-eight-wheeled-eliica-electric-cars/#comments Dr. Hiroshi Shimizu of Tokyo's Keio University has been working on his Eliica eight-wheeled electric car since 2003, but the Japanese government's interest in fuel-efficient vehicles has rekindled his efforts, and he's currently, um... on a roll. The current Eliicas, of which there are currently two, run on lithium-ion batteries and each wheel is driven by a 60 kilowatt engine. The auto's got a top speed of 230 miles per hour, and Shimizu's group of engineering students eventually hope to reach 250 miles per hour with new models. The team is currently trying to raise a bunch of money to build 200 of these, which cost somewhere in the realm of $255,000 each. We wish them luck in their endeavors, but can't imagine Syd Mead's going to be pleased there's another futuristic-hearse designer entering the market.

[Via AutoblogGreen]

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Team hopes to build 200 eight-wheeled Eliica electric cars originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Dec 2008 06:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>electric carelectric carsElectricCarElectricCarseliicahiroshi shimizuHiroshiShimHiroshiShimizukeio universityKeioUniversityTue, 30 Dec 2008 06:41:00 EST<![CDATA[Self-stabilizing bike stabilizes bikers who can't stabilize themselves]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/04/self-stabilizing-bike-stabilizes-bikers-who-cant-stabilize-them/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/04/self-stabilizing-bike-stabilizes-bikers-who-cant-stabilize-them/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/04/self-stabilizing-bike-stabilizes-bikers-who-cant-stabilize-them/#comments
The bicycle -- whether electric, rocket-powered or simply sporting Bluetooth -- is certainly looking a lot better these days, and now researchers at Yokohama's Keio University have devised a way to keep the vehicle upright without the help of a human operator. The otherwise typical bicycle sits on a set of rollers and is equipped with two motors: one moves the rear wheel an average of 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) per second while the other controls the handlebars. A linux controller keeps an eye things via webcam and gyro sensor, steering the vehicle and adjusting its speed as necessary. Currently the bike is only able to stay upright when moving in a straight line, but soon enough we should see a system that can take corners and work in real world situations. Because why should people with an adequate sense of balance have all the fun?

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Self-stabilizing bike stabilizes bikers who can't stabilize themselves originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Nov 2008 15:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You know something's a long way from becoming an actual product when we're just talking about the discovery of an "effect," but a team of researchers at Keio University in Yokohama, Japan say that the so-called "spin Seebeck effect" they've discovered could eventually have some pretty big implications for all sorts of devices. According to Science News, the researchers found that by heating one side of a magnetized nickel-iron rod they were able to change the arrangement of the electrons in the material according to their "spins," which is the quantum-physics equivalent of the south-north magnetic axes in bar magnets. One of the big advantages of that, it seems, is that, unlike with electric currents, transferring information by "flipping spins" does not generate heat, which would let "spintronics devices" operate at higher speeds without overheating, and cut down on power consumption in the process.

[Via Spintronics-Info, image courtesy Nature]

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Researchers say "spin Seebeck effect" could lead to new batteries, storage originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hang on to your Jimmy hats kids, human skin for robots has just been created in a lab somewhere in Japan, of course. OK, it's not real skin, rather, a 1-cm thick film of elastic silicone covered by a 0.2-mm thick textured layer of firm urethane -- a dermis and epidermis, if you will -- which 10 out of 12 lonely robotics professors swear feels like the real deal. The artificial skin was developed primarily for cosmetics testing in a partnership 'tween Kao Corporation and a research team from Keio University led by Takashi Maeno. Yeah, right, cosmetics. With work already underway to make robots detect their owner's sweat and racing pulse, well, we think it's pretty clear where this is all going, eh?

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Skin, it does a robot good originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Sep 2006 09:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cosmetics testingCosmeticsTestingjapankeio universityKeioUniversityrobot skinRobotSkinWed, 20 Sep 2006 09:09:00 EST<![CDATA[BiblioRoll, the new digital literary baton]]>http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/01/biblioroll-the-new-digital-literary-baton/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/01/biblioroll-the-new-digital-literary-baton/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/01/biblioroll-the-new-digital-literary-baton/#commentsWe're not sure that the BiblioRoll exactly meets the definition of kawaii, but it's definitely all sorts of awesome looking, and feels pulled from a 70s sci-fi. The BiblioRoll is a 15cm (about six inches) plastic cylinder that contains three 2-inch LCDs encased in separate sections of the cylinder. Each section can be rotated to display pages of different books, each of which can be linked and referenced together. The good folks from Media Design Okude Laboratory at KEIO University in Japan say that the BiblioRoll won't be complete until 2010, which should give us enough time to save up enough money to actually buy one of these things. Maybe by then we'll also have organized a BiblioRoll throwing contest.

[Thanks, Takashi Matsumoto]

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BiblioRoll, the new digital literary baton originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Sep 2006 17:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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