Developages - Development and Technology Blog

Some things do come true! Earlier this year, ThinkGeek April Fooled all of us with its Personal Soundtrack T-shirt. The shirt contained an embedded speaker on the front, and when you pushed the button on the included remote, you could hear music or sound effects for any situation—sort of like a soundtrack to your life.

Well, I’m happy to say that the joke is no longer on us. Due to popular demand, ThinkGeek decided to go ahead and design the Personal Soundtrack Shirt for real. The design remains the same, with a built-in speaker on the front of the shirt, as well as a pocket remote with 20 buttons that let you select one of 10 music themes or one of 10 different sound effects. You can load your own sound effects and music using standard Ṃ files. Even more, play your iPod or other portable audio player through the speaker for even more music choices.

Hurry and pick one up today for $40, because this wearable audio system will surely sell out quick!

Original post by Jen the Weird Hunter

It’s getting chilly, and we’re starting to think about keeping warm. This means hats, scarves, and gloves, but if you look closely, the dangling white iPod headphones are bound to be hiding somewhere in the mix. A little cold weather won’t keep us from rocking out!

This is where i360 and its Music Infused apparel step up to bat. The company offers headbands, beanies, and hat beanies that have built-in pockets in which to stash your iPod nano and its provided headphones.

I had the chance to try out the Music Infused Polar Headband ($49.95 direct) that was designed for the 1st-generation nano. This model comes in black or white for both the 1st- and 3rd- generation nanos.

Installation is simple plug your iPod and the packaged headphones into the pre-threaded wire and then slip them into the side pockets. The headphones stay completely hidden within the band, while a round hole in the front gives you access to the iPod controls.

After I had my iPod loaded into the headband, I tried it on. And here’s where the first and biggest problem arises.

Though many will concur that I have an exceptionally large mental capacity, my actual head is average size. The one-size-fits-all headband was too snug for me, though, causing the integrated electronics to push uncomfortably into my scalp. Additionally, to get the phones in a good listening position requires pulling the headband down to a point where it both looks and feels awkward. And if you’re an eyeglasses wearer like me, expect to have the frames dig into the side of your head, adding more pain to the mix.

Had this been a product I wasn’t reviewing, it would have already ended up right back in the box for a swift return. Grunting through my discomfort, I felt around haphazardly for the nano controls, which were exposed near the front of the headband. When I finally figured out how the buttons were orientated, it was time to hear how these puppies sounded.

A tinny tone and a severe lack of bass were immediately apparent. I continued to fiddle around with placement, thinking that was causing the degradation in sound, but the only improvement came by pushing the headphones even more uncomfortably close into my ears. This created an improvement in the bottom end, but it’s not a reasonable solution.

Volume-wise, these things can get pretty loud when you crank the sound up, and I heard no significant degradation in sound or distortion at full volume. The downside is that even when you’re listening at normal sound levels, the people around you hear it too, since the speakers are unenclosed.

My recommendation is to stick with your favorite pair of ear buds and throw a comfortable hat or headband over the top. This is especially true for any classic iPod owners out there who wouldn’t otherwise be able to fit their players inside the i360 headband.

Original post by Andrew Frankel

Thanko is striking while the iron is hot, or in this case, while the weather is freezing cold. After the warm mouse and mouse pad we saw some time ago, the weird gadget maker Thanko is now hawking a wrist AND a lunch warmer. The wristband connects to your computer via USB and reaches temperatures up to 40 degrees Celsius to keep your blood flowing during extra cold days. It has an extended Velcro strap so it fits a range of wrist thickness. The other new Thanko product for the winter is a lunchbox with built-in heater (pictured after the jump). Powered by a USB connection to a computer, the heater is made up of anodized aluminum that’s supplemented with Styrofoam insulation so the heat doesn’t escape while away from a power source like during commute.

Original post by Mariella Moon

A professor from the Tokyo Institute of Technology developed a robotic device that could be attached to an arm and be used for rehabilitation of non-working joints at home. Called the Tail-wrist-II, the device prevents the loss of retractility in patients with half of their bodies paralyzed. Having the option of doing rehabilitation at home on their own rather than going to hospitals or hiring professionals would be economically advantageous to patients.

The device is fitted onto a patient’s arm and controlled by a joystick which can be maneuvered by the unaffected arm (or another person in case of full-body paralysis). The joystick adjusts the air pressure inside the helical tube that runs along the length of the Tail-wrist-II to induce movement. This particular device was designed for wrists only, but the same principle could be used to manufacture similar devices for legs. In the future, the creator aims to develop a system that could let professionals in hospitals remotely control the device via the Internet.

Original post by Mariella Moon

This elegant timepiece may not offer as much practical ‘geek’ as we have come to expect from the latest feature-laden Casios. However, the Equinox Watch, conceived by the Portuguese designer Nuno Teixeira, will certainly keep you on time… in a celestial sort of way.

The watch functions by representing the exact time when the sun is positioned directly over the equator, says Tuvie. The two opposite dials were designed to display the Sun, representing the hours, and the Earth showing minutes.

The Equinox Watch appears to be a pure concept. Its movement also remains somewhat of a mystery. Is it quartz or is it more like those sliding paper calendars from the fifties? Does it use batteries, and if so, what kind? One thing is clear: it has buttons and looks mighty cool!

Want to drool over some more ingenious timepieces? Check out PC Mag’s recent review of the 10 Geeky Digital Watches.

Original post by Steven Volynets

If you have a job that keeps you on your feet all day, or you hate standing at a concert for 4 hours, then you′ll be happy to hear about Honda Motors’ robot legs. Revealed on Friday, the wearable assisted-walking device helps alleviate the stress on your joints when you′re walking, going up stairs, or “semi-crouching.”

The robotic legs, which look like they belong to a “Star Wars” droid, work with the user’s natural movement to take the stress off of the ankles, knees, and hip joints. Honda says the device helps by redistributing body weight along its frame and lightening the burden on a workers’ real legs.

The device consists of a bicycle-like seat, a frame, and shoes. To use it, you simply place your shoes into the provided shoes and lift the seat into position. Honda sees the device being used by factory workers–including those at the company’s own factory–as well as handicapped people. HOnda expects testing to start this month. Engineer Jun Ashihara said that using the device should be as easy as riding a bike.

The gadget has a computer, motor, gears, battery and sensors embedded in it. The battery is a lithium ion battery which holds the charge for about 2 hours.

To watch a video of the robot legs in use, check out BBC News’ Web site. Pricing is still undecided, but Honda predicts the legs will be available by April of 2009.

Original post by Jennifer Bergen

Need a last-minute Halloween costume accessory and want to fulfill your secret desire to be a clone trooper?

The surprisingly inexpensive and “realistic″ Star Wars The Clone Wars Clone Trooper Voice Changer, from Hasbro, costs just $29.99. Yes, it’s essentially is a toy, but this Helmet is adjustable to fit children and also adults with large heads (like me). It also comes with sound effects and can amplify your voice with synthesized radio static.

The Clone Trooper helmet requires a bit of assembly, since the headgear comes in multiple pieces–and it’s tough to get it out of the box! Once all the packaging is removed, though, you just snap everything together in the right order.

The three necessary AA batteries are included. They power various recorded voice announcements stored within the helmet, such as,” Get ready to turn those clankers into scrap metal!” and, “I’ve got a bad feeling about this, sir.”

My favorite feature of the helmet, though, is the speaker button: It plays a bit of signature trooper-radio crackle, then activates the Helmet’s internal mic, which pumps your amplified voice out of a speaker grill located at the front of the headpiece. While not loud enough to serve as a megaphone–or to perform crowd control for non-compliant citizens of the Empire–it’s pretty slick nonetheless.

Original post by Brian Bennett

There are a lot of iPod cases available, but few are quite as useful as the iStik. Equipped with eight Neodymium magnets and a hard, clear Lexan plastic case, the iStik pulls double-duty, protecting your iPod nano from minor injury while offering a hands-free method of music enjoyment.

Meant for active iPod users, the iStik’s magnetic fastening system allows you to attach your iPod to your clothing, bag or other thin material–or even your iron chestplate. (Ah, the joys of magnets.) The thinner the fabric, the closer the magnets are and the more secure the iStik is, so it’s not recommended for use on heavy fabrics.

I began by attaching the iStik to my t-shirt while I did household chores. The iStik held on superbly. The case itself is designed to allow access to the click wheel as well as hold switch, earphone plug and power outlet. This handy video explains exactly how to assemble the case.

Confident that the iStik could survive light use, I moved onto its intended purpose: the gym. The iStik stuck with me through a standard workout, including stretching, weight machines, and the treadmill.

The iStik did everything the manufacturer said it will. As long as it’s properly attached, it’s a great option for keeping your iPod nano with you through vigorous activities. It’s a good alternative to those iPod armbands and is also a handy option for non-gym use around the house or if your outfit doesn’t have pockets in which to keep an iPod.

The one drawback of the iStik is that it’s currently only available for 2nd- and 3rd-generation iPod nanos. According to the iStik Web site, iStiks for the 4th generation nano, iPod Touch, and iPhone are in the works, though it seems as though the iPod Classic is going to get the shaft.

The iStik is available for the $19.95 (2nd-gen nano) and $26.95 (3rd-gen nano) with free shipping directly from the iStik Web site. Replacement fasteners are also available for $9.99 from the Website.

Original post by Brittany Petersen

In the age of full-featured cell phones with Web-based forecast capabilities, the Oregon Scientific Meteo Weather Forecast Watch is more of a gimmick than a practical planning tool. Most of the wrist-mounted forecaster’s features can be found in every digital watch. But priced at just under $50, the Meteo is far from a ripoff.

The watch displays “reasonable representations” of weather for the next 12 to 24 hours, basing results on recent barometric pressure trends. Four animated graphics represent the next day’s forecast–sunny, partially cloudy, cloudy, and rainy. My watch is currently displaying the sunny graphic, and sunny conditions have been professionally forecast within the next 24 hours.

I’ve been wearing the Meteo for the past few days and glancing at the weather forecast every few hours. It rarely changed throughout the day, but each morning I woke up to a new weather graphic, each day accurately predicting the next day’s weather. After yesterday’s rain, for example, today’s animated sun graphic lets me know that tomorrow I can leave the umbrella at home.

You won’t be making any fashion statements wearing the jet-black Meteo, but the watch is redeemed by price, accuracy, and a slick, backlit reverse LCD. The Oregon Scientific Meteo Weather Forecast Watch is available at Weather Connection’s online store for $49.95, and includes a stopwatch, digital clock with alarm and date, and water resistance up (or down, rather) to 98 feet.

Original post by Zach Honig

HAL or “hybrid assistive limb” that’s designed by Cyberdyne’s Yoshiyuki Sankai has been in development for a few years now. Time has come for Cyberdyne to offer a version of HAL to the public, particularly to people with mobility problems. Beginning on Friday, a 22-pound leg-only HAL will be available for rent for $2,200 a month. It might seem a bit costly for ordinary people, but Japan is an expensive country to begin with, and the price could go down in time.

The robotic exoskeleton has a computer system that could be belted on one’s waist. That system is the one responsible for capturing brain signals and transmitting them to the leg braces unlike the ReWalk robotic exoskeleton which you’d have to manually input a command using a remote control. Additionally, unlike ReWalk, it seems HAL won′t require crutches for balance support. The two-leg HAL will come in small, medium, and large sizes although there’s also a one-leg version available for rent for $1,500 per month. While offered for rent, no word was given whether Cyberdyne will sell HAL systems for now. It is, however, only meant for social welfare with the company refusing requests for military use.

Original post by Mariella Moon

Sony Ericsson today announced the MBW-200, a line of Bluetooth-enabled watches aimed at women. The line, an offshoot of the company’s MBW-150 range, includes three new models.

The new MBW-200s synch to the user’s cell phone, via Bluetooth, displaying called ID and vibrating when a call or text message comes through. Users can reject or mute calls via the watch, as well.

Designed, in part, by Fossil, the three models include Sparkling Allure, Contemporary Elegance, and Evening Classic. They feature scratch resistant glass with anti-glare coating and a monochrome OLED.

Sony Ericsson has hired Dominika Cibulkova, Caroline Wozniacki, and Agnes Szavay to model the Sparkling Allure, Contemporary Elegance, and Evening Classic, respectively.

The watches are set to become available by the end of the year.

Original post by Brian Heater

Step one is to start exercising. Step two is to keep doing it. Step three is to see and feel results. But even if you manage to stick with the first two steps, the third one can be a little hard to attain. You may not see results right away and, depending on how long it’s been since you exercised, you may feel worse instead of better–at least in the short term.

That’s one reason people get personal trainers and go to gyms: to find other people to tell them how they’re doing and offer encouragement. Those services cost hundreds of dollars. The Fitbit Tracker, which is sort of like a pocket-size personal trainer, can watch you 24/7 and, with an accompany Web site, tell you how you’re doing, all for $99.

Launching today at TechCrunch 50 in San Francisco, the wireless device is no bigger than a standard thumb drive and is designed like a clip, so it can slip onto clothes. It’ll also fit neatly in any pocket. While you wear it, the FitBit has a built-in motion sensor that tracks exercise intensity levels, calories burned, sleep quality, steps and distance traveled.

Sleep quality is an interesting innovation: The FitBit also ships with a wrist strap, so you can wear it during sleep. According to James Park, CEO of Fitbit, human wrists experience slight tremors as we go in and out of REM sleep. The amount of tremors correlates directly to the quality of sleep.

The FitBit also ships with a 2.4-GHz wireless base and charging station. Slide the FitBit device on, and it receives a 10-hour charge. Walk by it while you’re wearing the device, and your latest information is automatically delivered to the station, which passes it along to the FitBit Web site. The site is free to access, but only those who bought a FitBit device can deliver and manage their workout, health, and sleep information. You can also measure your progress against friends and family. Park called this “peer motivation”.

The current FitBit Device has no display, but Park promises that the final product, expected this December, will feature an OLED display. The readout will include, among other things, a user-definable avatar that will shrink and grow to indication your progress. Kind of like a Tamagotchi, except you’re the one you’re keeping alive.

Original post by Lance Ulanoff

Leveling up your Dark Elf or reading blog posts about technology might be your idea of pixelated paradise, but that doesn’t mean your eyes are happy about all the time you spend staring at your monitor. And squinting at email on your phone during the commute home doesn’t help matters either. With all the time we spend staring at screens, it’s surprising that our eyes work at all.

But if filing TPS reports all day and fragging foes at night leaves you with headaches, dry eyes, and blurred vision, you might be suffering from Computer Vision Syndrome. And unless electronic ink displays suddenly take the world by storm, your eyes aren’t going to get any better on their own.

Getting away from the computer screen would help. But for those of us who need to be glued to our PCs, a pair of yellow-tinted glasses from Gunnar Optiks just might be the solution to happier, healthier eyes. If the plethora of graphs and slick marketing copy on the company’s Web site is any indication, the lenses in a pair of Gunnar glasses will greatly reduce the muscle strain and dryness that eyes typically suffer after hours starinng at a computer screen.

The company sent us a pair to try for ourselves; here’s what I thought.

I was initially a bit skeptical of Gunnar’s claims, especially since its lens technology is called “i-AMP,” and there doesn′t seem to be much in the way of independent, qualified testimonials from eye doctors espousing the use of these $100-plus glasses. But once I put a pair on and spent several hours wearing them while writing, gaming, and surfing the Web, most of my skepticism vanished. Not only did my eyes seem to feel better than they do after a typical day of heavy computer use, but my shoulders and back felt less stiff, likely because I spent far less time squinting at the screen and leaning forward to read.

The yellowish tint that the glasses add to your vision takes a few minutes to get used to, but for me at least, they made on-screen text easier to read by cutting out blue light emanating from the screen and the overhead lights. The lenses seem to reduce the intensity of the white background of a word document or web page, without negatively affecting contrast. Text just seems more crisp, which allowed me to lean back in my chair while reading, rather than sitting rigidly up, while sometimes leaning forward.

Text wasn’t the only thing that seemed easier on my eyes while I was wearing the Gunnar glasses. Images and games were also less glaring but just as vivid. This likely has something to do with the slight yellow tint, combined with glare reduction, and the blockage of blue light wavelengths given off by the florescent light in the room.

I could go on and on explaining exactly what these glasses supposedly do and how they do it, but you can read the Gunnar Web site for that. Since everyone’s vision is different, I’d recommend checking out a pair of Gunnar Optiks’ glasses before making the$100 to $190 purchase. You can check here to see if there is a store near you. Or you could just order a pair, and if you don’t like them, send them back withing 30 days for a refund.

The lenses are available in 15 different style frames and various colors, which should hopefully minimize the geekiness factor of wearing digital eyewear. And for those who already wear glasses, you can get prescription lenses from Gunnar.

Spending over $100 on a pair of glasses made specifically for staring at computer screens might seem a bit extreme, but if you’re suffering daily headaches and severely dry eyes or having trouble focusing after spending a long day at the computer screen, Gunnar Optiks′ digital eyewear is definitely worth a look.

Gunnar Optiks digital eyewear is available now in dozens of frame styles and colors, direct from Gunnar, or at a handful of retailers across the US.

Original post by Matt Safford

Scientists at Georgia Tech are currently developing a technology which could transform the human mouth into a virtual computer. The teeth would be turned into a keyboard while the human tongue is transformed into a biological controller, a joystick if you will, of sorts. This isn′t just some technology to be used by gamers or other ordinary computer users in the future (although that might come to pass); but rather a technology being developed for quadriplegics.

The tongue would be equipped with a magnetic system which controls all. By “all,” I mean all–appliances, computers, wheelchairs, etcetera. According to source, one potential user called it “grotesque,” but really, I could imagine that this technology, when fully-functional, could equate to what a miracle is for other people. The technology is currently in its early stages and a few issues pose potential problems such as reducing the size of the headgear into that of a dental retainer; only time could tell though, if all the scientists’ efforts would ever bear fruit.

Original post by Mariella Moon

Who says gadgets these days should be all about functionality? Straight from the land of Japan is an unusual watch some people wouldn’t be caught dead in, but some would fight tooth and nail for. Inspired by the most important train line in Japan, the Yamanote Line (that connects the center of the city with all major train stations), is this line of watches by Seahope. No, they don’t look like the train itself (although that will be amusing to see), but rather the electronic billboards on the train stations.

The Yamanote Line watches will be available in four different versions: Ebisu, Ikebukuro, Shinagawa, and Shinjuku all of which are stations of the line. Aside from displaying the time and date on its extra-clear OLED display, the calendar will show you the train timetable of the versions′ respective stations. All four will be available on either metal or leather straps for $231 and $212 respectively.

Original post by Mariella Moon