Gizmag News - FlyingLift gives camcorders a birds-eye view

Welcome to the newsletter for gizmag Emerging Technology Magazine. These are the headlines for September the 28th, 2010. FlyingLift gives camcorders a birds-eye view Sick of straining your arm to get that all-important above the crowd video angle? Here's a solution that will give you a true birds-eye view. Due to hit the market at the end of the year, FlyingLift is a remote controlled quadrocopter which can carry a conventional video camera of up too 500 grams in weight while beaming images back to the ground in real-time. The system consists of an electrically powered carbon fiber chopper, a backpack-mounted receiver unit, a hand-held controller and a set of video glasses which deliver what the camera sees to one eye while leaving the other eye free to follow the quadrocopter in flight. Read More Magic eye watch concept from TokyoFlash The folks over at Tokyo Flash are at it again with yet another crazy LED watch design that inspires both awe and confusion. This latest optical illusion watch design makes use of the famous (or infamous?) magic eye phenomenon to display the time. Of course to most onlookers the zig-zag pattern will make no sense, but if the owner can train himself to see the time displayed behind the pattern he will be sure to both astound and annoy friends and family. Read More Touch-based directional devices let users feel directions In-car navigation systems that literally tell drivers where to go are much more convenient and safer than resting a street directory on one’s lap and quickly trying to devise a route on a map at a set of traffic lights. But audio instructions may not always be the best way to impart directional information to hard of hearing drivers or those yakking on a mobile phone – with a hands-free kit I should hope. A new study suggests that devices mounted to a steering wheel that pull the driver’s index fingertips left or right could help motorists drive more safely. The same technology could also be attached to a cane to provide directional cues to blind pedestrians. Read More RIM unveils BlackBerry PlayBook 7-inch tablet The rumors of a tablet from Research In Motion (RIM) have turned out to be true with CEO Mike Lazardis announcing the company’s PlayBook tablet at its annual BlackBerry Developer Conference. Described by RIM as a “professional-grade” tablet, the 7-inch device will be running the new BlackBerry Tablet OS created by the recently acquired QNX. It boasts BlackBerry integration, out-of-the-box BlackBerry Enterprise Server compatibility and security features designed to appeal to businesses as well as true multitasking, gaming and multimedia capabilities. Read More HP throws in a “free” detachable 7-inch Android tablet with new All-in-One printer HP’s web-enabled printers already featured touchscreen control panels and wireless printing but now the company has gone one step further by including a detachable 7-inch Android with its new Photosmart eStation All-in-One printer. While the prospect of a printer with a free Android tablet might sound pretty tempting, there are some caveats. Although it’s possible to browse (and print) online content using the device’s web browser, there’s no access to the Android Market with apps and widgets limited to customized print-focused offerings from the likes of Yahoo, Facebook and Snapfish. Read More Sanyo and Suzuki collaborate on experimental electric scooter project Sanyo and Suzuki have announced a collaborative project resulting in the development of an electric drive system for an prototype scooter named e-Let's. About the same weight as the petrol scooter it was based on, the prototype has a claimed range of 18.6 miles and its battery pack can be charged using a household outlet. The scooter is currently undergoing on-road trials leading to possible commercialization. Read More Stellenbosch University's Hope Project patents 'tea bag' water filter Stellenbosch University's Hope Project has produced a disposable water filter shaped like a tea bag. When placed in the neck of a water bottle, the bag removes all harmful chemicals and microbes. Each bag cleans one liter (1.6 quarts) of water, so a lot will be needed to make any significant impact on water-related health issues globally. However, when compared to competition such as the LifeStraw or LifeSaver, it would seem to be a cost effective solution. The product is currently being tested by the South Africa Bureau of Standards. Read More Dreamslide takes a new stance on pedaling Eleven years ago, French rollerblading and boardsports enthusiast Jean‐Marc Gobillard decided that the small wheels of rollerblades weren’t quite speedy enough. He experimented with a few different ideas, which ultimately led him to design the Dreamslide. This unique device combines the standing stance of things like skateboards and roller blades with the efficient locomotion and larger, faster wheels of a bicycle. It even has its own special pedaling system, designed for a standing rider. Read More Going chainless with the Stringbike At first glance, a proposal to replace a bicycle's familiar chain and cog drive with one that uses string may sound like lunacy, but that's exactly what's been done to produce the Stringbike. The system features freewheel mechanisms on either side of the rear wheel connected by polyethylene rope to a precisely positioned, symmetrical swinging arm that drives the bicycle forward. When the unit on the right is driving the bike forward, the other is being returned to its starting position and vice-versa which is said to result in greater efficiency and makes for a more comfortable, easier ride. Read More Olympus plans new compact camera sporting a Zuiko lens At this year's Photokina, Olympus announced plans to bring its Zuiko lens system to a compact camera between January and March of the new year. Olympus brought a mock-up concept model to show off at the trade show but was keeping a tight lid on actual technical information. Start up the rumor mill everyone... Read More FlexiKnobs MIDI Controllers promise precision and flexibility Digital Audio Workstation software applications put the power of the recording and editing studio right in front of you on a computer screen. Tweaking the hundreds and hundreds of settings and parameters offered by such applications has been made easier with the addition of physical controls on a MIDI interface. But rather than be limited to a rigid set of pre-defined buttons, knobs and faders, students from the University of Applied Sciences Bremen have built a set of wireless, wooden devices with rotary dials called FlexiKnobs. Read More Laser-cooled molecules could pave way for quantum computing In order for quantum computers to become a reality, it would be hugely helpful if scientists were able to supercool molecules. If a temperature of near absolute zero (-273C/-460F) could be achieved, then the oscillations associated with the molecules’ low energies could be used in the creation of quantum bits for use in quantum processors. Recently, researchers at Yale University got a step closer to that goal, by using laser light to cool molecules. Read More Japanese company hopes use submarines to subdue incoming typhoons We usually accept it as a given that we can't change the weather. When it comes to extreme situations like hurricanes or earthquakes, such disasters are labeled "acts of god" because we generally feel helpless to in the face of nature's wrath. But recently an ambitious Japanese manufacturing firm Ise Kogyo has boldly claimed that they can help weaken the impact of typhoons. And even more surprising, the company's weapon of choice is the submarine. Read More If you would like to refer this newsletter to a friend or colleague, please point them at our free subscription page. Please don't try to forward this email, as the formatting is unlikely to remain intact. And don't worry, we don't share email addresses. Please read our privacy policy if you are concerned. Watch for more of the best new innovations, ideas and practical technologies in your inbox. You are receiving this email because you signed up for our daily newsletter at http://www.gizmag.com. If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter please click here to unsubscribe. 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