Sensors Archive

  • Videos: Mobile robot RODEM

    Videos: Mobile robot RODEM

    Posted on June 24, 2010 | No Comments
    There's certainly no shortage of so-called mobility robots, but major Japanese robot maker tmsuk's offering seems to be quite cool. In fact, the RODEM (short for "Robot De Enjoy Mobility") is being pitched as a mix between robot, wheelchair and ultra-small vehicle (or "Universal Vehicle" [JP, PDF], in tmsuk's marketing language).

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  • Video: Meet Myon, Germany’s latest humanoid robot

    Video: Meet Myon, Germany’s latest humanoid robot

    Posted on June 22, 2010 | No Comments
    Germany has churned out the one or the other humanoid in recent months, but Myon might actually be the coolest deutsche robot out there. The little guy stands 125cm tall and weighs 15kg. He was designed by Cologne-based design studio frackenpohl poulheim [GER] and developed at Berlin's Humboldt University as part of the European ALEAR (Artificial Language Evolution on Autonomous Robots) research project.

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  • Altek’s Leo in the wild: point and shoot, Android phone, or both?

    Altek’s Leo in the wild: point and shoot, Android phone, or both?

    Posted on June 16, 2010 | No Comments
    As cameraphone picture quality goes, the story is that it's not really about the sensor resolution, it's about the optics -- and if you want to go by that rule, Altek's beastly Leo should probably have your attention. Just because you've got a huge, telescoping lens doesn't mean it's any good, of course, but we'd argue that it's a good sign in a world dominated by tiny, plastic lenses atop 8 and 12 megapixel sensors of questionable heritage. Indeed, the Android-powered monster has bowed at CommunicAsia 2010 as promised, bringing a 14 megapixel CCD with an honest-to-goodness 3x optical zoom and 720p video capture, WVGA display, 802.11n WiFi, and HSPA for a Q4 '10 release. Amazingly, Altek plans on selling it for $499 -- unlocked, we assume -- and CNET Asia managed to score a few minutes with it this week. Follow the break for video from the event along with Altek's press release.

    Continue reading Altek's Leo in the wild: point and shoot, Android phone, or both?

    Altek's Leo in the wild: point and shoot, Android phone, or both? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Jun 2010 16:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • NTT DoCoMo, KDDI launch their endless Summer 2010 collections

    NTT DoCoMo, KDDI launch their endless Summer 2010 collections

    Posted on May 19, 2010 | No Comments
    Surprise: Japanese carriers are announcing literally dozens of phones at once. Okay, look, that's not a surprise at all, but bear with us, because there are a few shining jewels in here amongst the seemingly endless array of WVGA displays and one-seg tuners from NTT DoCoMo and KDDI au, both of whom have announced their Summer 2010 collections of handsets this week. Of note, two of the models from DoCoMo -- the Fujitsu F-06B and Sharp SH-07B are capable of shooting 1080p video, while KDDI's SH008 from Sharp, S003 from Sony Ericsson, and CA005 from Casio all feature sensors of 12 megapixels or larger. Several of the devices can also be used as WiFi hotspots, and Hitachi's trick Beskey for KDDI has interchangeable keypads that change the shape of the keys, not the layout -- a bit superficial, perhaps, but we're all about choice. DoCoMo is also launching a handful of smartphones: the Lynx SH-10B from Sharp (not to be confused with the old Atari handheld of the same name) that features Android atop a 5-inch touchscreen, Toshiba's 4.1-inch T-01B Dynapocket with WinMo, and RIM's plain old BlackBerry Bold 9700. Don't get us wrong, it's still quite a haul, but we can't help but feel that the gap between Japan's wireless scene and the rest of the world is closing fast.

    NTT DoCoMo, KDDI launch their endless Summer 2010 collections originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 19 May 2010 00:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Think of the children: Parents Television Council finds iPhone apps too saucy

    Think of the children: Parents Television Council finds iPhone apps too saucy

    Posted on April 28, 2010 | No Comments
    So you bought your child an iPhone and you gave him or her an iTunes account and password and told them that they can simply download as many apps as they want, 24 hours a day, even if they cost money. But what’s this? Junior or Julia has started downloading saucy sex sensors and card [...]

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  • Nokia: Trust us, the N8 has a really nice camera

    Nokia: Trust us, the N8 has a really nice camera

    Posted on April 28, 2010 | No Comments
    Nokia N8 first HD video sample from Nokia Conversations on Vimeo. After a heady excoriation of the N8 based on pre-release hardware surfaced this week, it looks like Nokia is trying hard to convince us that the N8 is still the phone to beat. Look: I love Nokia. I would even marry it if that were legal [...]

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  • Panasonic goes live with the DMC-G2 & DMC-G10 pricing

    Panasonic goes live with the DMC-G2 & DMC-G10 pricing

    Posted on April 19, 2010 | No Comments
    We already knew everything about the DMC-G1 and DMC-G10. Panasonic announced them back in early March and revealed their 12.1 MP sensors, 3-inch LCD screens, and 720p video modes. But the press release back then didn't mention anything about pricing. Don't you hate that? We do.

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  • Judge: Nintendo did not infringe on Wii Classic Controller, Wiimote

    Judge: Nintendo did not infringe on Wii Classic Controller, Wiimote

    Posted on April 14, 2010 | No Comments
    A company called Anascape, Ltd. sued Nintendo in 2008 for infringing on their patent for a controller similar to the Classic and Wiimote controllers. The Texas-based patent trolls won $21 million from Nintendo for their troubles thanks to a number of experts who attested that yes, the Anascape patents are pretty overarching and could feasibly apply to any controller ever made.

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  • Remember the Linux wristwatch?

    Remember the Linux wristwatch?

    Posted on April 5, 2010 | No Comments
    With all the hype about the iPad, and indeed, the hype about smaller and smaller mobile computing devices, I thought I would remind you all that there was at one point a Linux-powered wristwatch! This marvelous curiosity was discussed back in 2001, when it ran kernel version 2.2.1, had 8 megabytes of flash memory, and had IrDA (remember that?!). It even had a touchscreen display, and had a PIM suite that "consists of an organizer, WML browser, to-do list and a calculator" all in 51K of code!

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  • Apple’s latest patent: Macbooks with built-in projector

    Apple’s latest patent: Macbooks with built-in projector

    Posted on April 5, 2010 | No Comments
    Apple recently filed patent for a pico projector to be integrated into their notebooks. Like the sun-lit display we wrote about a few days ago, it's probably too early to expect much. Nonetheless, this is an interesting idea and I can see it being useful for projecting presentations or pictures when you don't have access to an external projector.

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  • GM’s Enhanced Vision System brings augmented reality to vehicle HUDs

    GM’s Enhanced Vision System brings augmented reality to vehicle HUDs

    Posted on March 17, 2010 | No Comments
    Heads-up displays are far from new. They’ve been around in GM vehicles since the late-80s and they’ve gone from a just displaying a speedometer, to night vision, and soon to augmented reality thanks to lasers, cameras and navigation. The Enhanced Vision System is designed with safety in mind just like previous implementations, but takes it to a whole new [...]

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  • The Road Train: taking drafting to a whole new level

    The Road Train: taking drafting to a whole new level

    Posted on March 5, 2010 | No Comments
    So we all know that drafting increases fuel efficiency. Heck, I even saw an episode of MythBusters where they proved that following a semi suicidally close will increase your mileage dramatically. Of course, drafting is dangerous, stupid, and the risk vs. reward just isn't there. Well, what if it was? Scientists in Europe are working on a system that would make drafting safe. Get ready to ride the road train.

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  • HP labs develops super sensitive accelerometer, shakes things up

    HP labs develops super sensitive accelerometer, shakes things up

    Posted on February 17, 2010 | No Comments
    HP Labs just announced the development of a new accelerometer sensor that is 1,000 more sensitive then the current mass-produced technology. HP Labs is also using the sensors as part of their CeNSE project, which is intended to track changes in and on the Earth, and how those changes impact the environment. Shell Oil on [...]

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  • Things That Can Kill You In the Ocean, Part XII: Sea Drones

    Things That Can Kill You In the Ocean, Part XII: Sea Drones

    Posted on February 10, 2010 | No Comments
    So you’re in a submarine, safe beneath the ocean waves. You’re pretty safe, right? Wrong. Apparently DARPA is working on Sea Drones that will follow ships and subs as they make their way across the briny deep, reporting positions and potentially going boom-boom if they feel like it. It’s all concept right now, but it’s [...]

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  • Ricoh CX3: 10 megapixels, with back-illuminated sensor

    Ricoh CX3: 10 megapixels, with back-illuminated sensor

    Posted on February 3, 2010 | No Comments
    I’m just wrapping my head around CMOS and you spring this on me? This Ricoh CX3 is a 10-megapixel shooter with 720p video recording and “Pets” scene mode. But what the heck is a back illuminated sensor? DPreviewHas the full release but you’re basically looking at better low-light performance with the back-lit CMOS. I honestly don’t [...]

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