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Fraunhofer's Surround Vision lets projectors get curvy
Those prolific folks at the Fraunhofer Institute recently took the wraps off yet another invention of theirs, this one promising to let projectors do things they've never done before (or at least let 'em do it more easily). More specifically, its "Surround Vision" software will automatically calibrate projectors to allow for images to be projected on surfaces of any shape with "pixel-precise accuracy". What's more, according to Gizmag, the system can apparently be used "in principle" with any type of projector. While it seems unlikely that many folks will be reworking their home theaters to take advantage of the system, the Fraunhofer folk see no shortage of other applications for the technology, including trade show booths, theme parks, simulators, and planitariums, to name a few.
Elephant trunks inspire ISELLA robotic arm
It's not often you see a piece of tech touted by its developer as being inspired by something "long, gray, and soft," but that's exactly how the researchers at Germany's prolific Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft Institute are describing their ISELLA robotic arms. Inspired by the finesse and power of an elephant's trunk, the team developed a unique redundant motorized "muscle" called DOHELIX, consisting of dual drive shafts intertwined around each other in a double helix, resulting in a system that can be scaled from micrometer-scale muscles to cranes in container seaports. The protoype ISELLA unit (pictured) has ten DOHELIX muscles, enough to mimic the flexibility of the human arm, but the team expects even better results when the system is ready to ship in two years -- here's hoping some enterprising carnie rigs up the next generation of elephant rides.[Via MedGadget]
German researchers create zooming liquid lenses
Liquid lenses have been kicking around as the Next Big Thing for a while, but outside of cameo appearances in a couple Samsung cellphones, they haven't exactly made waves in the market. That may be in part due to the fact that they can be made smaller and cheaper than conventional optics, but haven't been able to provide zoom or particularly high resolution. All that might be changing, however, as a Fraunhofer Institute team working in conjunction with French firm Varioptic has developed a system of 4 liquid lenses that can snap from 1 - 2.5x magnification at the touch of a button. The system isn't quite ready for primetime yet -- exposure times are still a little long, it can't zoom continuously, and the assembly is a little big at 29mm -- but the team is already considering solutions to those problems and is ready to go to the prototype stage. With all the interest from cellphone manufacturers, we'll bet they solve those problems right quick.
Tiny camera shoots HDTV
The research kids in Germany's Fraunhofer Institute just announced a tiny new video camera capable of shooting at a 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution and a variable frame rate up to 60 frames per second. The MicroHDTV is said to measure a scant 4 x 4 x 8-cm. So either that picture above is not to scale (a Euro is about the size of a US quarter) or they don't include the housing, lens, transmitter, etc. in their dimensions. We'll assume the former since it's said to be small enough to fit in a racing-car cockpit, helmet, or any other tiny space you'd like to broadcast HDTV from. It operates using "standard optical systems" and can be controlled via a web interface across the Internet. It'll be on display at CeBIT in march where we'll see what this baby can do.
Fraunhofer Institute's i-Stick will call for help if dropped
There's probably never been a better time for gadget-oriented elderly folks, given that there's all kinds of gear designed to keep an eye health-wise on 'em while out and about. Well, our friends at the Fraunhofer Institute have just invented what they're calling the i-Stick, a walking stick that will call an ambulance if it registers that it's laying horizontally on the ground for too long, thereby sending for medical aid to its carrier. (We're still trying to figure out what happens if the cat tips it over in the middle of the night.) So, If you're looking for something for your parents, grandparents, or just some folks that you'd like to keep an eye on, we think that the combination of that Bluetooth life-saving shirt and this i-Stick would be the perfect holiday gifts. Furthermore, the i-Stick's built-in life-saving feature will come in handy when street thugs get beaten down with one of these, giving Grandpa an easy way to call for an ambulance without breaking a sweat. Fraunhofer is apparently still looking for a distributor, so we may have to wait until beyond this winter to actually buy one. [Via Textually]
SX Pro technology promises 5.1 sound from stereo sources
You can't fault the folks at the Fraunhofer Institute for resting on their laurels after creating that obscure bit of technology known as the MP3. Having already announced an eye-controlled interaction system and a multimedia dome in the past two months, our fine German friends have now developed a technology that purports to automagically turn any old stereo content into sweet 5.1 surround sound. According to the Institute, SX Pro (which can apparently be implemented at either the software or hardware stage) works by analyzing an audio signal to identify characteristic sound elements, instantly redistributing those elements using an intelligent algorithm to create a natural sounding 5.1 mix. Fraunhofer even sees the technology being used at the professional level, with additional controls available to tweak the upmix process used by SX Pro -- offering a faster and cheaper alternative to producing a true 5.1 mix. How well it works, of course, is yet to be seen (er, heard), but the Fraunhofer Institute seems to be pretty confident in its work, noting that that the tech will be ready for use by the end of the year.[Via Gizmag]
"Eye-Controlled Interaction" for your GUI coming soon
Doug Engelbart, prepare to be usurped by the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering. Yes, the folks that brought you the MP3 and the Multimedia Dome are now working on the Eye-Controlled Interaction system -- a way to control a computer GUI just by staring at it the right way, possibly rendering the mouse a quaint invention of 20th century computing. Hyperbole aside, the mouse is probably safe for now, given that the EYCIN is mainly designed to be used by "disabled people, or professionals, such as maintenance technicians or chefs, who need both hands free to carry out their work." Of course, this isn't the first eye tracking system out there. One of the previous iterations' major hurdles is involuntary eye movements that are easily misinterpreted as mouse movements, and that staring at an on-screen button for slightly too long can be misunderstood as well. Dr. Fabian Hermann, a usability engineer on the project, told The Engineer that by using a "statistical average filter" to account for the jerky involuntary motions, the software can track eye movements much more smoothly. Further, on-screen buttons will change color twice to ensure that the selection is exactly what the user meant. Hermann also said that he forsees the day when by just looking at your stereo or a light panel, you could turn it on or off. He adds: "You could even control a kitchen display showing recipes or other information when your hands are busy or covered in ingredients." [Via Futurismic]
Multimedia Dome, the ultimate surround-sound theater
You think you have surround sound in your home theater? What if the sound really enveloped you, putting you at the center of the action? Enter the "Multimedia Dome," the "first digital dome theater to feature natual spatial sound." Fraunhofer, the maker of this aural hemisphere (and creator of MP3, among other things), says that films are shown with six projectors (including one at the pinnacle of the dome), and nearly 100 speakers to create a bubble of dynamic sound. Each projector also comes with its own PC, using software to seamlessly blend the borders of each image. If we were in Berlin at this year's IFA, we'd definitely be spending our days kicking back and watching every other company's video product demo in here.
Bush: government research developed iPod
Apple has long boasted of its culture of innovation, and how this led to such products as the original Mac and the iPod. However, it turns out that, at least in the case of the iPod, Apple had a hidden ally: the US government. During a speech at Tuskegee University, President (and iPod user) George W. Bush told his audience, "the government funded research in microdrive storage, electrochemistry and signal compression. They did so for one reason: It turned out that those were the key ingredients for the development of the iPod." While we have to gratefully acknowledge the efforts of government agencies such as DARPA in some of the fields mentioned by the President, we also feel obligated to point out the accomplishments of private companies in the US and abroad, including IBM, Hitachi and Toshiba -- not to mention the Fraunhofer Institute, which developed the original MP3 codec, and codeveloped (with Sony, AT&T and others) the AAC format used by Apple in the iPod. Still, we have to bow down before his Steveness; we knew he was well-connected, but until now we had no idea of his level of influence in the area of government research. Hey, Steve, while you're at it, why not get the government to resolve the display problems plaguing the next-gen video iPod? We're sure they'll get their best minds on it and fix it in no time.