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ForcePhone from Nokia Research, HIIT sends positive vibes with a squeeze
Most device vibration technology is used as pure feedback -- either confirmation that you've pressed something or that you've come across an obstacle. If a prototype developed by Nokia Research and the Helsinki Institute of Information Technology ever translates to production, however, it'll be as much a part of personal phone conversations as a soft voice or a cheeky text message. The modified N900 attaches a resistor that responds to a squeeze at four different pressure levels, and doles that out during a traditional or Skype-based call as a vibration on the other end. As you'd imagine, the aim is to give family, friends and lovers the closest they'll get to a hug (or the occasional frustration) when the distance is just too great for an in-person visit. Don't hold your breath for an extra-lovable Lumia anytime soon: there's no mention of any near-term production plans, and any adoption would require a platform switch just to get started. But if we ever see "reach out and touch someone" become a lot more than a slogan, we'll know where it came from.
Engadget visits Nokia House wrap-up: Stephen Elop Q&A, Lumia 920 camera tests and more
It's been a whirlwind week of all things Nokia for our Engadget crew here in Helsinki, Finland. With a (nearly) all access pass to the company's glass House in Espoo, we brought you a very candid, very live Q&A with CEO Stephen Elop -- recorded for posterity with the Lumia 920 -- as well as in-depth proofs of that handset's game-changing rear camera module. From side-by-side low light comparison shots with other leading smartphones to optical image stabilization tests and even a peek behind the Finnish outfit's R&D practices, we've got it all. So, if you haven't had time to catch up with this flurry of pre-launch news from behind the blue velvet rope, now's your chance. Just click on past the break for the full recap.
Nokia links up with Bluetooth 4.0 for indoor positioning, because anything Google can do, it can do better
Not to be outdone by the mobile mammoth that is Google, Nokia's prepping its own version of indoor maps for wireless users. Rather than run the risk of being a me too! product, Espoo's Research labs have chosen Bluetooth 4.0 as the main ingredient for its in development location service. The Finnish company's hoping to get a slew of partners onboard so it can begin outfitting retail shops, malls and other well-trodden public spaces with inexpensive antenna arrays that would track a user's movements via device-embedded Bluetooth tags. But indoor positioning for mobile-wielding users isn't the only endgame here, as the tech could also find its way into shopping carts -- useful for gathering analytics on consumer habits. It's certainly a privacy trade-off, but by now you should be well comfy with the notion that digital convenience always comes at a cost. Hit up the source below to take a peek at the proposed equipment.
Nokia research lab builds touchscreen made of ice
Chances are this is one research project that won't find its way into a phone, but Nokia's research lab in Tampere, Finland has come up with a rather unique new type of touchscreen display: one made of ice. Of course, there are a few other components involved -- namely, a projector and an array of near-infrared cameras that are connected to a PC -- but it is technically a multitouch display made of ice, and that's got to count for something. For Nokia's part, it says that while the project is a "playful experiment," it does show that "interactive computing interfaces can now be built anywhere." Head on past the break to check it out in action.
A grand tour of nanotechnology at Nokia Research Center, Cambridge
We've all seen what a bumpy ride Nokia's had over the last few months -- disappointing profits, the departure of a couple of old friends, and the slight delay of the forthcoming N8. Despite all that, Espoo seems to have at least one stronghold that remained unshaken throughout the storm: its research center in Cambridge, UK. Yep, we're talking about the magical place where Nokia and University of Cambridge co-develop the core technologies for the futuristic Morph concept. Actually, "futuristic" might be too strong a word here, as we were fortunate enough to see some of Nokia's latest research at the heart of Morph -- namely flexible circuitry and nanowire sensing -- demonstrated live yesterday. Curious as to how well the demos went? Then read on -- you know you want to.%Gallery-103427%
Nokia's Instant Community lets you socialize with those around you without actually meeting them (video)
Talking to people is hard, and talking to strangers? That's, like, really hard. Nokia has a better way: the Nokia Instant Community. It relies on ad-hoc WiFi connections from (Finnish) smartphones to create dynamic communities into which people can join. Once connected, trendy but introverted festival-goers can chat, exchange photos, and even download each other's bootlegs of the very show they're attending! It's the work of the Nokia Research Center along with Tampere University of Technology, and while it's just a prototype at this point, you can get the full walkthrough after the break -- the full, monotone walkthrough.
Nokia noBounds projects promises full HD video over USB or WLAN
It's not the first time Nokia's teased us with a research effort it's working on, but unlike some other recent examples, the company's so-called noBounds project likely isn't decades away from becoming a reality, although that's not to say it's not impressive. As you can see in the video after the break, the project aims to let you pair a cellphone or handheld up with virtually any type of display, and deliver full HD video at 30 frames per second over USB or WLAN. That's apparently also done with "very low power consumption," and would work either with displays with a built-in USB or WLAN connection, or any other display with the addition of a dongle. Needless to say, there's no indication as to when we might see such a system let loose, but you can be sure we'll be keeping our eye out for any further developments.
Nokia's Eco Sensor concept gets right with the greens
In the slow crawl of news leading up to our annual CES blowout, we bring you this, the Nokia Eco Sensor concept device. The device consists of two parts: a wearable mobile phone (duh, it's Nokia) with giant display and a remote sensing unit which keeps tabs on your health and external environment. Nokia research envisions that the sensor unit would be worn on a wrist or neck strap made of solar cells. It would then communicate back to your phone via near field communications (NFC) or RFID. What you monitor (i.e., the sensors you get) will be customizable based on user preference. You know, like the burn from your jetpack and rate of your daily food replication. Thanks for the look into the future Nokia, now get back to your S60 development please, time's a'wastin'.[Via Unwired View]
