emergency
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NTT DoCoMo's latest FOMA device aids the elderly
Providing emergency assistant kits for the geriatric set seems to be all the rage these days, and now NTT DoCoMo is jumping into the mix in a presumed attempt to look after the constantly aging Japanese population. The firm's latest
AT&T launches Motorola M900 for security and emergency types
Apparently the bag phone is the new black; AT&T and Motorola have launched the M900 specifically targeted at security and emergency workers. We expect this type of handset will see wide acceptance in just about any industry that needs reliable coverage when in less than reliable areas. Thankfully, this rather huge and cumbersome device is installed and left in your car, truck, Mobile Command Center or whatever else is in vogue for daring rescue hijinks. The M900 features a 2 Watt RF amp that can triple this device's range over a standard cell phone on a mobile network, a lovely blue backlit screen, and name and number dialing. Handsfree calling time is touted as being 105 minutes on battery, but power options also include cigarette lighter and wall adapter. The M900 only comes in dual-band GSM 850 / 1900MHz flavors for use on this side of the pond, since carrying this 10 pound phone with you while on holiday might be a bit much; unless of course, Motorola has a backpack accessory.[Via SlashPhone]
Siemens AySystem utilizes GPS / GRPS for emergency tracking, alerting
While Siemens HQ is probably still dusting itself from last year's invasion, that's not stopping the whole show 'round those parts, as the firm is introducing a new form of emergency communication with its AySystem. By utilizing worldwide GSM / GRPS networks (and optionally, GPS), the pocketable device can be tracked, modified, and used as a channel of communication between a caregiver and patient, parent and child, boss and subordinate, or any other useful combination of individuals. Essentially, the Ay token is given to the person who needs monitored, and the other party can adjust various "thresholds" such as motion (or the lack thereof), temperature, and sound, and if that limit is surpassed (i.e. a patient stops moving), the token will sound an alarm whilst simultaneously texting / calling a user-selected individual. Moreover, it can be remotely controlled and tweaked via a web-based interface, and users can add "SnapOns" such as GPS receivers and cameras to extend its functionality even futher. Thankfully, the platform in which the device runs on is entirely Java-based, which should please those looking to code their own programs to take full advantage of what's being offered. As of now, we're not exactly sure how much this fancy panic button will end up costing, but it is slated to be made available "via mobile carriers or through pre-paid plans" in the not too distant future.[Via Gizmag]
Modded flashlight doubles as cellphone charger
Although most modern phones can go quite a few hours sans an AC outlet, we understand the need for juice in unexpected emergencies, and while the solar-powered charger does a fair job at high noon, you'll probably need a different approach come nightfall. Tackling two issues in one fell swoop is the cellphone-charging flashlight mod, which not only provides a beacon of light for those dim excursions, but also offers up hand crank recharging abilities for your fading mobile. Of course, hacking your flashlight to pull double duty as a manually powered charger is a bit more complex than just picking up a hamster or bicycle-powered option, but you've got to admit, crafting a makeshift charger with spliced cables and a soldering iron is totally MacGyver-approved. So if you're interested in giving yourself (and your handset) a bit longer life when robotic overlords eventually invade our domiciles, be sure to hit the read link for a video demonstration, and do mind the managerial cat on duty.[Thanks, Kipkay]
Japan rescuers to get water jet cutters for debris slicing
While Japan is fairly well equipped to notify citizens of impending doom, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency is taking another step to preparing its rescue forces for anything in times of emergency, and the forthcoming water jet cutter should help slice through debris without the risk of starting a fire in the process. Due to a railway disaster in April of 2005 which forced rescuers to find an alternate way of cutting metal with gasoline sloshed about, the water jet cutters were moved up in priority, and now the powerful streams can output a high-pressure blast of water / sand in order to make a "1.5-centimeter cut through a 2-centimeter-thick steel plate in just a single minute." Of course, the biggest boon here is the device's inability to spark a fire, but the pressure cutter can also be used in instances where flammability isn't an issue, and it has already been demonstrated to local reporters last week. Although we're not sure just how soon these slicers, along with high-powered "blowers" to whisk away harmful fumes, will be put into action, they'll be hitting the fire departments of Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Fukuoka, and Sapporo first.[Via Fark]
Sanyo kicks out kid-tracking handset for KDDI
Just a few days back we told you how the Japanese government planned on tracking kids via strategically placed RFID locators in dodgy areas of town, and it looks like KDDI is already pushing the "beneficial" side of being able to follow your offspring's every step by offering up Sanyo's latest kid-tracker. The A5525SA handset was designed with children in mind, from the dainty colors right down to the "crime prevention buzzer," which calls a pre-selected number if a certain pull string is yanked. Additionally, the battery cover is purportedly screwed down with a proprietary bolt so kidnappers can't easily power it down, but unfortunately it doesn't sport any type of smash resistance for taking it offline the easy way. Nevertheless, it also boasts a 1.3-megapixel camera, 320 x 240 resolution screen, microSD card, but most important to the parents is the built-in "route notification" function that can track your youngster's steps via GPS and map it out on your PC back home. Of course, we wouldn't be apt to let our five-year old run rampant on the streets of Japan in the first place, but if you're the uber-lenient type, at least this here lets you follow right alongside, albeit virtually.[Via Spluch]
SpectraLink unveils NetLink 8000 series of 802.11a/b/g WiFi phones
For those of you who think VoIP just isn't good enough, or you manage an enterprise with hundreds of folks needing to yap it up simultaneously sans wires, you might be interested in SpectraLink's latest duo, which collectively claim the title of "world's first" 802.11a WiFi phones. The VoFi (voice over WiFi) handsets are part of the NetLink 8000 series, and both units feature 802.11a/b/g, WPA2 support for enhanced security, four programmable softkeys, audible / vibrating ringers, backlit displays, text messaging support via Open Application Interface (OAI), military grade shock resistance, speakerphone, and a software configuration tool to boot. The NetLink 8030 ups the ante by including dust / water resistance, rubberized grips for "improved ergonomics and durability," enlarged earpiece for noisy environments, and SpectraLink's "unique PTT feature." Both handsets should begin shipping during the first quarter of this year, and while the NetLink 8020 will run $595, the PTT-enabled NetLink 8030 will demand a whopping $675.[Via NetworkWorld]
Inventor crafts GPS-equipped shoes, includes a panic button
We've seen some fairly interesting means of keeping track of your mischievous kids (or pets), but Sayo Isaac Daniel's latest invention takes top honors as the ultimate paranoid parent's must-have gizmo. Aside from the obvious tracking uses, Daniel's GPS footwear is actually intended to beam out a distress signal to a pre-selected recipient if the wearer hits a certain panic button. The GPS-equipped kicks would present the location of the violated victim to whoever is deemed that person's hero, and would hopefully give the rescuer enough time to arrive and lay down the law. Also, the patent explains an "alarm toe switch" that would be inserted within the shoe in order to give customers the ability to sound their alarm (intentionally or otherwise) without making any sudden movements. Reportedly, a company dubbed Quantum Satellite Technology plans to start selling the shoes "in March for around $350 per pair," but the GPS signal emanating from your soles won't do you much good if your kidnapper ditches your footwear before tossing you in the trunk.[Via The Raw Feed]
Ubukata offers up compact smoke / earthquake detector
While we've seen detectors from nearly every angle imaginable, Ubukata Industries Co. is helping us all to consolidate just a bit by cramming two of the most important sensors into a single, compact device. The multi-tasking earthquake detector and alarm comes in a variety of colors and is compact enough to mount on a ceiling without drawing too much unwanted attention, and it also features built-in lighting to brighten your way in case you lose power. Furthermore, this gizmo sniffs out unpleasant drafts of smoke and feels the rumbles of earthquakes with magnitudes of five or higher, setting off a presumably piercing alarm to let you know something's going down. Of course, the price of a twofer doesn't run cheap, as this two-in-one emergency mainstay demands ¥14,700 ($124). [Warning: PDF link][Via I4U]
EMI puts your medical history on a digital business card
While having your entire catalog of medical issues on your person at all times would sure come in handy if your GPS leads you into a body of water or you get mangled by a Japanese Land Walker, implanting an RFID data chip underneath your skin could (understandably) sound a bit extreme. While digital medical records and emergency panic buttons are certainly swell, EMI's 911 rCard places every quirk and prior health issue you've ever had onto a single wallet-sized card, which can be viewed immediately by any medical personnel that would need pertinent information statinum. The "vivid, full color LCD" can display everything from medical charts to photos / text describing the patient's history, and sports a built-in battery that can handle "about two hours" of constant viewing before it needs recharging. Boasting USB connectivity, users can continually update and upload new information from their EMI web portal onto the rCard, including any mild injuries sustained during last week's campouts. The 911 rCard is available now for $79.95, which includes a USB cable / charger and the first year of website access, while additional years of data storage and interfacing will run you $20.[Via EverythingUSB]
NEC and Takara unveil Duke Nukem-approved notebook: the TYPE-N01
What better to control a ginormous army of robot overlords than a notebook ripped straight from the confines of a science fiction control lab? To get those 'bots a-marchin', just boot up the NEC TYPE-NO1, load the commands (stored on your USB Pocket Rocket, of course), and unleash your best impression of an evil dictator's laugh. NEC has teamed up with Takara to create the presumably mad scientist-approved machine, which sports all the token stickers, labels, and even wallpapers that make this device so similar to those seen laying around Duke Nukem laboratories. Beneath the facade is a LaVie G type L laptop, sporting a 15.4-inch WXGA display, 1.6GHz AMD Mobile Sempron 3200+ processor (Turion 64 X2 TL-50), 1GB of DDR2 RAM, 80-100GB hard drive, dual-layer DVD burner, 802.11a/b/g, and the likely dangerous "FeliCa" port. Flanked on the side is the very necessary "Emergency Button," which apparently shuts down the machine in case of unexpected intruders. The highly secretive TYPE-NO1 can be reserved starting today, and considering that they'll be limited to 300 units, you should probably make haste if you plan on throwing down your ¥145,530 ($1,231) to ¥174,510 ($1,476).[Via Akihabara News]
Motorola patents parasitic cellphone to text battery alerts
While those lusting for love may be enthralled about Motorola's newfound method of extended your chances on ProxiDate, the researchers behind the parasitic cellphone patent probably had more critical scenarios in mind. In cases where your battery life is running flat, situational demands may leave you wondering how you're going to contact your laundry list of emergency contacts with such little juice. The patent spells out an automatic shutdown feature that disables all non-essential functions (including accepting incoming calls), which allows the Bluetooth transceiver to search for "compatible proxy phones" nearby. The sputtering device can then use the proxy cellphone to "send a warning text message to everyone on your pre-arranged emergency list," alerting them of your predicament and that you can only receive SMS messages (for a limited time). Of course, this brilliant plan will only work if indifferent strangers leave their mobiles open for Bluetooth syncs (not likely), and then don't mind you racking up their monthly bill with costly text messages (even less likely).[Via NewScientistTech]
New "underground radio" tech provides emergency communication
Just don't call it radio. Vital Alert's new wireless tech uses Very Low Frequency (VLF) to penetrate earth, skyscrapers, subways and ocean with two-way digital text and voice communication. Their Emergency Broadcast Network (EBN -- dang we're good) has now been licensed by Los Alamos National Laboratory for use by emergency personnel in urban centers and underground mining. Beyond communicating with victims and rescue teams, the tech allows for location tracking, and obviously avoids the signal pitfalls of normal GPS and radio systems. Apparently the "fail-safe" tech is also relatively cheap to implement, and should be coming soon to an emergency near you.
