Wearables -- Engadget

Wearable iRes uCorder keeps the voyeur working hard

by Darren Murph posted Jul 31st 2009 at 3:48AM

Mind you, this ain't the first wearable camcorder we've come across, but it's definitely amongst the first that isn't meant to be seen by anyone. iRes Technologies isn't going so far as to call this a peeping Tom's dream, but the uCorder definitely fits the bill. Measuring in at just 3.5-inches high, 1-inch wide and 0.5-inches thick, the IRDC150 (1GB of built-in memory) and IRDC250 (2GB) are both designed to sit slyly within the casual shirt pocket, sleeve or fifth pocket™. Amazingly, the camera can shoot VGA quality clips as well as capture audio in WAV, with the big fellow capable of storing up to seven hours of Erin Andrews, er, undercover drug bust footage. Get your peep on for $80 (1GB) or $100 (2GB).

[Via Wired]

Wink Glasses fog up if you start dozing, keep you occupied during those graveyard shifts

by Darren Murph posted Jul 29th 2009 at 8:41AM

If you've never pulled your weight during the wee hours of the morning (like, right now), you simply can't understand what a godsend these things really are. The so-called Wink Glasses are little more than a USB peripheral that clips onto one's spectacles when using the computer; if the wearer doesn't blink every five seconds, the device begins to fog up your shades until you snap back into it. In theory, anyway, this acts to keep you awake and alert while computing for hours on end, but everything goes to waste if you simply detach it or remove your eyeglasses entirely. At any rate, it'll ship in Japan (where else, right?) early next month for an undisclosed sum, and we're already betting it'll have great success in the gag gift market if nothing else.

[Thanks, Chris]

DIY wearable computer: now you don't have to go to MIT to look like a total nerd in public

by Paul Miller posted Jul 25th 2009 at 7:55PM

We admit it: despite our general disregard for the benefits of higher education, we've always harbored deep jealousy for those incredibly intelligent jerks at MIT's Media Lab, traipsing around Massachusetts in their incredibly great wearable computers. Well, now that a MicroPCTalk forum member has built his very own wearable computer from a few spare parts lying around the house, we can finally put aside those futile dreams and get to work on our very own nerd-badge-of-honor. Mr. Fiveseven808 took a VAIO UX, Myvu Crystal wearable display, a bevy of Bluetooth peripherals and a iDEN i425 handset for connectivity. Sadly, his UX has since died, but there's more UMPC where that can, and those elitist MIT types can't keep us down forever.

[Via SlashGear]

Monkeys and scientists develop persistent "plug and play" control over brain-to-computer interface

by Paul Miller posted Jul 25th 2009 at 4:07PM

While we've seen some pretty amazing things so far with computers jacked into human and monkey brains, systems so far have had to be re-learned each session by their subjects. In a new development, researchers at Berkeley have managed to get their monkeys to develop a "memory" for the controls, and recall them instantly each day. To do this, the scientists kept track of specific neurons from day to day -- a little tough to do, but obviously worth the hassle. It's good news for future brain-to-computer interfaces that will enable the disabled and the truly lazy to perform tasks and kick ass through the mere power of thought, but we're a little afraid of giving these monkeys too much in the way of internet access: the world doesn't need another 4chan.

Samsung's S9110 touchscreen watchphone syncs with Outlook, on sale this month (updated)

by Thomas Ricker posted Jul 22nd 2009 at 3:24AM

€450; that's what'll cost to take home the world's thinnest (11.98mm) touchscreen cellphone fashioned into an tempting wristwatch. Although details are few and we're relying upon machine translated text of the press release, we can tell you that Samsung's watchphone -- first seen as a prototype at CES -- brings a 1.76-inch glass, scratch-proof touchscreen and stainless steel body that plays host to features such as Bluetooth 2.1, Outlook email sync, MP3 player, speakerphone, and voice recognition when it goes on sale this month in France. Hear that LG, Samsung just beat you to market by a calendar month.

Update: English press release is out with the following new specs: 176 x 220 pixel, 262k color TFT TSP display, 40MB of internal memory, 630mAh battery, and 57.5 x 41.1 x 11.98mm / 91g footprint. Gallery updated with better quality images.

Gallery: Samsung's S9110 touchscreen watchphone syncs with Outlook, on sale this month

[Thanks, Young]

LG's GD910 watch phone clears the FCC, makes beeline for American wrists

by Darren Murph posted Jul 17th 2009 at 7:46PM

It's about time, wouldn't you agree? After finding that Orange would become Europe's first carrier to sell LG's luscious GD910 watch phone, every closet Dick Tracy fan in America began wondering when (and if) LG would make a similar announcement here on US soil. Regrettably, we're still waiting for the official line from the company, but this will certainly suffice for now. The image you see above is being provided courtesy of a freshly released FCC filing, which means precisely one thing: this here watch phone is destined for America. Of course, we suppose LG could have just made the filing for kicks and giggles, but our optimistic imagination simply won't let us believe such a tragedy could ever occur. Hang tight, Yanks -- your dream device just got a lot closer to clearing customs.

Engadget's recession antidote: win a Phosphor E-Ink watch!

by Chris Ziegler posted Jul 15th 2009 at 12:00PM

This whole global economic crisis, and its resulting massive loss of jobs got us thinking. We here at Engadget didn't want to stand helplessly by, announcing every new round of misery without giving anything back -- so we decided to take the opportunity to spread a little positivity. We'll be handing out a new gadget every day (except for weekends) to lucky readers until we run out of stuff / companies stop sending things. Today we've got a curved E-Ink wristwatch from Phosphor up for grabs. Read the rules below (no skimming -- we're omniscient and can tell when you've skimmed) and get commenting! Hooray for free stuff!

Special thanks to Phosphor Watches for providing the gear!

The rules:

Leave a comment below. Any comment will do, but if you want to share your proposal for "fixing" the world economy, that'd be sweet too.
You may only enter this specific giveaway once. If you enter this giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.)
If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you'll be fine.
Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
Winner will be chosen randomly. One (1) winner will receive one (1) E-Ink Digital Hour Clock Watch with Stainless Steel Band. Approximate retail value is $195.
If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen.
Entries can be submitted until Wednesday, July 15th, at 11:59PM ET. Good luck!

Full rules can be found here.

iKey's AK-39 wearable keyboard is about as weapon-like as it sounds

by Donald Melanson posted Jul 14th 2009 at 5:42PM

iKey's churned out plenty of rugged keyboards in its day, but it looks to have really stepped up its game with its new AK-39 wearable keyboard intended specifically for military use. Among other things, this one conforms to full MIL-461 standards, is able to be used in environments with harsh electromagnetic interference and, of particular importance, it's designed to be used with a glove, and in either left or right-hand configurations. As for the keyboard itself, you'll get a basic 39-key layout, an integrated pointing device that uses Force Sensing Resistor (or FSR) technology, and some adjustable green backlighting that is, naturally, also available with night vision compatibility. No word on pricing just yet, nor is there any indication that iKey will actually sell these to the general public.

[Via Test Freaks, thanks Nicholas R]

Nike announces updated Nike+ SportBand

by Donald Melanson posted Jul 14th 2009 at 4:16AM

The original Nike+ SportBand was pretty well received when it rolled out last year, but time marches on, and Nike's now back for another go 'round with a slightly updated model, plus a few other bonuses for the runners and walkers out there. In addition to some new two-tone color schemes, the updated Nike+ SportBand packs an improved screen with a white background for better visibility, along with a welded seal for water resistance and, of course, all the usual Nike+ features that can be used in conjunction with iPod nano, iPod touch, or iPhone (though you can also just use the device on its own). According to Boing Boing Gadgets' just-published review of the device (linked below), all of that is "pretty rad" and, at just $59, is certainly affordable, especially considering that it can also double as a watch. What's more, Nike's also announced that it has merged its existing nikeplus.com and nikerunning.com sites into one site, and it's dropped word that an iPhone / iPod touch-specific website is also in the works, although there's no word on a launch date for it just yet.

Read - Nike+ SportBand Press Release
Read - Boing Boing Gadgets Review

[Via ipodnn]

$500 Acceleglove promises to finally bring Rad Racer to life

by Donald Melanson posted Jul 13th 2009 at 2:16PM

Data gloves may have come a long way since the days of the Power Glove, but they've also tended to get pretty expensive as more and more tech found their way into 'em. The folks at AnthroTronix look to be doing their small part to change that with their new Acceleglove, however, which packs a not too crazy price tag of $500 and, according to the company, all the features you'd expect to find on a $5,000 glove. Chief among those features are accelerometers on each finger, which can track precise gestures like pinching and, as you can see in the video after the break, are more than up to all-important the task of controlling a robotic arm. Best of all, the glove comes complete with an open source SDK to let you get as much out of the glove as you're willing to put into it.

[Via OhGizmo!]

Continue reading $500 Acceleglove promises to finally bring Rad Racer to life

"Bionic" goose happy to have new leg, disappointed by lack of retractable laser cannon

by Ross Miller posted Jul 11th 2009 at 9:02PM

Not wanting to let Betty the gosling goose meet an untimely fate, a UK vet outfitted the anatidae with a bionic leg, allegedly the first operation of its kind in the world (not counting Robot Chicken, of course). She's currently learning to walk again at nearby Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital at Buckinghamshire. Does she now possess super speed, the ability to make large vaults without using her wings, or a super powerful kick? All signs point to no, but a new lease on life has gotta count for something, right?

Liquid Image video camera goggles get upgraded specs, Japanese release

by Vladislav Savov posted Jul 9th 2009 at 7:15AM

Aloha, friends! Are you finding your beach holiday experience is missing that certain bit of techno je ne sais quoi? Maybe it's because your snorkeling exploits are going undocumented, in which case you may look to Liquid Image's newly unveiled UDCM310. An evolutionary improvement on the previous model, the new goggles feature a 5 megapixel CMOS sensor, software-free USB connectivity and the ability to record 720 x 480 video at 30 fps to a microSD card. Sure, it's not exactly overwhelming you with shooting options, but it also keeps your hands free for whatever underwater heroics you want to film.

[Via Akihabara News]

DSS surveillance tech from Japan makes George Orwell upset

by Vladislav Savov posted Jul 5th 2009 at 1:31AM

We take a break from reporting on the impending doom of the human race to bring you news of the latest innovation designed specifically for making our pre-apocalypse lives miserable. Japanese firm DSS is now offering to snap video cameras and ankle sensors -- yes, the same kind that convicts under home arrest have to wear -- onto your employees for the ultimate in workplace surveillance. Sure, you might find out Bob in accounting takes a really long lunch, but do you really need to spend $20,000 and piss off your entire workforce to prove that? Just stalk his Tweets and Facebook status updates like a good old-fashioned employer would do.

Pool-Mate watch packs built-in accelerometer to track laps

by Donald Melanson posted Jul 1st 2009 at 9:41PM

It may not monitor your heart rate or double as a media player like some other devices for swimmers, but this new Pool-Mate watch from Swimovate looks like it should appeal to quite a few folks nonetheless, with it packing a built-in accelerometer to help you keep track of lap counts. That's apparently done by detecting the glide portion of your swim after each turn, which Swmovate says it's able to do with 99.75 percent accuracy in all pools longer than 10 meters. You'll also be able to use it to keep track of your overall time, average strokes per lap, speed, distance, and calories burned. Somewhat strangely, however, Swimovate says that the watch will only last for about twelve months, after which you'll actually have to send it back to the company to get the battery replaced. A bit of a drawback, to be sure, but the $114 price tag isn't too out of line, and you won't have to wait long to get your hands on one, with it set to ship later this month. Head on past the break for a quick video overview.

Continue reading Pool-Mate watch packs built-in accelerometer to track laps

Engadget's recession antidote: win an Ecogear Genus backpack!

by Darren Murph posted Jun 29th 2009 at 12:00PM

This whole global economic crisis, and its resulting massive loss of jobs got us thinking. We here at Engadget didn't want to stand helplessly by, announcing every new round of misery without giving anything back -- so we decided to take the opportunity to spread a little positivity. We'll be handing out a new gadget every day (except for weekends) to lucky readers until we run out of stuff / companies stop sending things. Today we've got an Ecogear Genus 'Black Rhino' pack on offer, perfect for those of you stuck in summer school or gearing up to backpack through Europe (and never return). Read the rules below (no skimming -- we're omniscient and can tell when you've skimmed) and get commenting! Check after the break for some photos of the prize!

Major thanks to Ecogear for providing the gear!

The rules:

Leave a comment below. Any comment will do, but if you want to share your proposal for "fixing" the world economy, that'd be sweet too.
You may only enter this specific giveaway once. If you enter this giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.)
If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you'll be fine.
Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
Winner will be chosen randomly. The winner will receive an Ecogear Genus 'Black Rhino' pack. Approximate retail value is $59.99
If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen.
Entries can be submitted until Monday, June 29th, 11:59PM ET. Good luck!
Full rules can be found here.