Of all the cameras in the world, very few are small enough to fit on a humble keychain. Pentax has addressed this problem with their cute Pentax Q interchangeable lens camera. The camera so petite it fits on your keychain.
Obviously, this is the world’s smallest interchangeable lens camera. It only weights 7 ounces! How adorable! Size-wise, it clocks in at 3.9 x 2.3 x 1.2-inches. It has features aplenty, including a 12.4-megapixel CMOS sensor, an accessory shoe mount, pop-up flash, 3.0-inch display and a stock 47mm f/1.9 lens. Additional lenses can be purchased. The camera also does 1080p HD video. Not bad for something so small.
All of this tinyness does not come cheap, however. The Pentax Q will set you back $900. Who cares about the price, though, it fits ..read more
Posted in: Accessories, Camera, Pentax, Wearable Tech
The search for the Bionic Man continues! Bionics manufacturer Berkeley Bionics has announced that they are developing a new kind of exoskeleton that will let the disabled walk again. Amazing, right? The item is being called eLegs. It is all kinds of awesome.
The developer has this to say about the forthcoming robotic appendage. “The suit consists of a backpack-mounted controller connected to robotic legs. It is driven by four motors, one for each hip and knee. The ankle joint is controlled with passive springs that keep the foot angled so that it can be placed on the ground, heel to toe, as the leg steps. Sensors in the legs relay position information to the control unit, which determines how to bend the joints and, in turn, walk. Onboard lithium-cobalt batteries ..read more
Posted in: Berkeley Bionics, Wearable Tech
Sleeping can be the ultimate release for some. Still, for others it can be a source of stress. Insomnia aint no game, people. With this in mind, Dreamtrap(kind of a scary name) have unveiled their EASYWAKEme sleep monitor system.
The EASYWAKEme Sleep Stage Alarm Clock monitoring system is one intelligent alarm clock. How intelligent? It knows to wake you only when you are in the right sleep zone. This ends up cutting down on fatigue and ends up helping you sleep better at night. It works by using proprietary 3D Adaptive Sleep Capture (3D ASC) technology. You simply strap on a wearable sensor, set what time you’d like to wake up, and it’s on. Note, the time you put in is not exact. The system will wake you up near the time, based ..read more
Posted in: Dreamtrap, Vitals Monitoring, Wearable Tech
In a move right out of Iron Man, it has been reported that the British military is funding research into outfitting soldiers with wearable solar cells. Now solar power isn’t exactly new, but this is certainly a new use for the tech.
These solar powered outfits are intended to cut down on the weight soldiers have to lug around hostile terrain. Current word has this tech being able to cut that weight down by as much as one half. Not bad. Every bit helps right? These outfits are also designed to absorb energy, which reduces the risk of being spotted by infrared technology.
A prototype will be unveiled in 2013 and there is no word as to when they will go into production. Too bad it’s not in time for the ..read more
Posted in: Concept Design, Solar Power, Wearable Tech
Equipois and their x-Ar exoskeleton could have a ton of functional uses. This exoskeleton arm attaches to your wrist and eliminates the feeling of weight. The theory is that it will help to make repetitive tasks safer, preventing you from falling into a dangerous lull.
It was just unveiled at the Applied Ergonomics Conference in Florida. Here is how it works. It attaches to a chair or any other stable object. Then you just keep on doing what you were doing. It allows for an exceptional range of motion. The company thinks it will find plenty of uses in assembly lines and factories where workers are doing the same thing with their arm over and over. Hopefully it will even save some workers from injury.
No word on when it will become ..read more
Posted in: Equipois, Wearable Tech
Help! We are being invaded by Steampunk style! The trend continues with this useful, albeit pricey, set of USB-enable cufflinks. They are beautiful and useful. Oh brother. Where do I sign up?
These fancy cufflinks feature 8GB of flash memory, which is accessible by breaking it open and removing the drive. Basically, these are the cufflinks James Bond would wear if he were a bit more of a geek. As it stands, his cufflinks would probably shoot out poison darts or something.
They are available now for the reasonable high price of $225. That certainly is hefty for 8GB of flash storage but think of the children!
Posted in: Armbands, Wearable Tech
The world is filled with many variations of 3D eyewear. Wouldn’t it be great if there was some kind of standardization so we could be sure the glasses were actually, um, good? CEA, or the Consumer Electronics Association, is trying to do just that.
The association has just put in a request or proposals on a standard IR sync interface for active 3D glasses. As such, it is asking companies to join the 3D Technologies Working Group. These companies will have to work fast though, as proposals are due by March 31st. Of this year, in case you were wondering.
The ultimate goal here to make sure all pairs of 3D glasses work with every TV released, so you won’t get caught with your figurative(or literal, if you are creepy) pants down. ..read more
Posted in: Eyewear, Wearable Tech
There are lots of vitals monitoring kits on the market, but only one that fits in the palm of your hand. Named for its diminutive size, the Gumpack was designed by an inventive Kansas State University student. And who knows America isn’t creating new stuff nowadays?!
This multi-sensor monitoring device that fits in the palm of your hand. That’s how small it is. It relays your vital stats to the doctor of your choice via the Internet. It even features a built-in camera and microphone for record keeping purposes. The Gumpack also has WiFi capabilities and a long-living battery. Oh yeah, there’s also medical sensors built in as well. An ECG and a reflectance pulse oximeter to start.
This miniature life saver is still in the concept stages, so don’t go to ..read more
Posted in: Camera, Vitals Monitoring, Wearable Tech, WiFi Detection
California-based Second Sight makes the kind of useful wearable tech that makes life a lot better. The company’s Argus II retinal prosthesis has been turning heads since it was announced last year. Well, it has just been approved for “clinical and commercial use” in Europe. That is great, considering this thing pretty much delivers sight to the sightless. Think, Geordie LaForge and you’d be getting there.
Here is how it works: Patients put on the camera-laden lenses. Signals are then routed to a chip that implanted near the retina. The information is then literally “beamed” to the retina, giving the patient a sort of sight where there was previously none. This is some futuristic stuff.
For now, the $115,000 device will only be available in certain clinics throughout in Switzerland, France and ..read more
Posted in: Camera, Eyewear, Second Sight, Wearable Tech
This Skeletonics exoskeleton is pretty cool, as most exoskeletons tend to be. What it lacks in motors and hydraulics it makes up for in other areas, which are shown off in the video blow. It is just a concept for now, but as you can see, it is at least a working concept. This is more than what can be said about most exoskeletons.
Watch the entertaining video below and keep an ear out for when the guitar licks kick in. That’s when you know it is about to get cool. Oh so very cool.
Posted in: Concept Design, Skeletonics, Wearable Tech
