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Remote Control
Retrofit kit allows cars to drive themselves
By Alan Brandon
18:32 November 23, 2009 PST
Let’s say you want to go for a ride in your car, but you don’t feel like driving it. Or perhaps you want to drive your car, but you don’t want to go for a ride in it. These two seemingly contradictory scenarios are probably not what Kairos Autonomi had in mind when it developed the Pronto4 Agnostic Autonomy System. The Pronto4 is a drive-by-wire system that when installed in a vehicle, provides self-driving capability as well as remote control. The system is “agnostic” because it is a retrofit kit that the manufacturer claims can be installed in any steering-wheel based vehicle. Read More
The GlideTV Navigator is a mouse, keyboard and AV remote that fits in the palm of your hand
By Darren Quick
03:54 October 14, 2009 PDT
TVs are no longer dumb receivers sitting in the corner of the lounge, displaying whatever trash the networks have decided to cram down our throats. Nowadays, a TV is just as likely to be hooked up to a home theater PC (HTPC) for playing games, accessing media content stored on a hard disk, or surfing the Internet. For more complex tasks like that, the humble remote starts to look a little underdone. That's where remote controls on steroids, such as the GlideTV Navigator, come in. It combines the functionality of a keyboard, mouse and AV remote control in one distinctive-looking unit that fits in the palm of your hand. Read More
Household robots – a burglar's man on the inside?
By Darren Quick
19:34 October 11, 2009 PDT
Until robots rise up and overthrow their puny human creators, one of the main risks comes from the people using the robots. A new study warns that the current crop of household robots presents a serious safety and privacy risk. They make it all too easy for nefarious types to hijack control of the robots and access valuable data - even giving them the ability to watch and listen in on private conversations, and perform remote reconnaissance on a house. Read More
Pure Sensia DAB/WiFi touchscreen radio
By Jeff Salton
00:08 September 22, 2009 PDT
Not long ago, radio manufacturers had only to worry about the basic look of their devices. Rarely were new stations added, reception methods hadn’t changed in a long time and, generally, smaller was better. Sure, they had to combine an alarm clock in some models, but that wasn’t too difficult. Now a radio has to be a veritable Swiss army knife of appliances, and this is where the new Sensia from Pure excels. Its list of features includes a large color touch screen display, DAB, FM stereo and digital radio with full Band III, wireless media streaming, input from iPods/iPhones and MP3 players, and Pure Apps that let you connect with Facebook, Twitter, Picasa and thousands of podcasts. Read More
Cast a spell on electronic wizardry with the Kymera Magic Wand universal remote
By Darren Quick
00:05 September 15, 2009 PDT
If you’re looking for a universal remote to complement any Harry Potter marathons screening on the tube, you might want to consider the Magic Wand universal remote control from Kymera. Sure to raise the eyebrows of any nearby muggles, the remote allows budding magicians to control their magical picture box or other piece of remote controllable electronic wizardry with a flick of the wrist - 'Abracadabra' optional. Read More
Metz mecaHome+ home automation from the TV for USD$270
By Gizmag Team
03:49 September 6, 2009 PDT
Metz demonstrated its new home automation management system at IFA in Berlin this week and there are some highly enticing aspects to its mecaHome+ methodology, most notably that it uses the Xcomfort wireless system from electrical engineering specialist Moeller (hence no wires) and it allows control of the home’s electrical functions to be managed centrally by a Metz television. Read More
Sony DPF-D72N/BQ photo frame features Swarovski crystal bling
By Karen Sprey
08:41 September 3, 2009 PDT
Sony's new limited edition digital photo frame ticks the boxes for looks and functionality. The DPF-D72N/BQ features an elegant and understated black frame with Crystallized Swarovski Elements and stores up to 2,000 images courtesy of 1GB internal storage. It also has a nifty auto-resizing feature. Other functions include clock and calendar modes, and an Auto Orientation sensor that automatically rotates your photos into portrait or landscape format according to the placement of the frame. Read More
Robotic gaming gets on a roll
By Darren Quick
00:42 August 26, 2009 PDT
Robots have uses beyond packaging, production lines and the imminent overthrowing of humanity - or at least South African/U.S. start up Robonica thinks so. It’s aiming to ‘redefine the entertainment robotics market’ with a line of robotic gaming products that fuse elements of robotics, remote controlled vehicles and electronic gaming. The core of the Robonica’s introductory product, Roboni-i Action Games, is a fully programmable remote controlled robot with sensors that make it aware of its environment and that enable it to interact with other robots. Read More
The remote-controlled kitchen arrives
By Jeff Salton
17:27 August 6, 2009 PDT
Ever since home automation systems were invented, manufacturers have been looking at ways to integrate the technology into the busiest room of the house – the kitchen. But apart from the original Internet fridge (with its frightening price tag and lack of functionality) useful products have been few and far between. Not to be deterred, Anvil Motion has created a kitchen where, by choosing say, the ‘baking’ scene on a touch panel remote control, the cupboard doors slide vertically to reveal the oven, the utensils, the ingredients and the recipe books … all in unison. Read More
Nissan’s 2010 EV in detail
By Jeff Salton
07:34 July 29, 2009 PDT
Nissan has showcased its electric vehicle (EV) platform on a Tiida-based hatchback model. The Nissan EV-11 prototype seats four-five adults, has a top speed of around 87mph (140kmh), a cruising range of 100 miles (160km) between charges and, being a full EV, produces zero local CO2 emissions. The in-house developed electric motor delivers 80kW (107hp) for “high response and powerful acceleration”. Nissan has also plans some clever IT for its EV platform, like remote ON/OFF charging via a cell phone or the Internet, useful mapping features including automatic updates on the nearest charging stations, a global data center providing 24/7 support and a scheme that could even see non-contact charging introduced in carparks. Read More
Bang & Olufsen's magical Beotime flute alarm
By Paul Ridden
07:19 July 20, 2009 PDT
Inspired by Mozart's famous Opera, the new Beotime alarm clock will, according to its creator Bang & Olufsen, turn the chore of waking up in the morning into an "extraordinary experience". As well as finding all the usual functionality of a standard alarm clock onboard, the elegant flute-like tube of aluminum can help you control all of your (compatible) audio/video gadgetry and even your room lights. As the suggested price tag of USD$375 indicates, this is no run-of-the-mill alarm clock. Read More
Fragrance abuse - the next internet phenomenon
By Paul Ridden
17:26 July 7, 2009 PDT
Japanese telecommunications company NTT Com is currently seeking volunteers to test a pungent bit of kit which produces different smells at the request of programs downloaded from the Internet. There will be two separate trials of the i-Aroma conducted in Japan from mid-July to the end of August. One course will send out smells matching "the rhythm of daily life" while the other will release odors based on an ancient astrological system. Read More
Tiny reconnaissance aircraft has industry in a flap
By Jeff Salton
17:04 July 2, 2009 PDT
A tiny nano air vehicle (NAV) that hovers by flapping its wings has impressed its developers – and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) - with AeroVironment receiving a Phase II contract extension worth $2.1 million for its NAV program. Since its initial 20-second flight in December 2008, the tiny 10 gram craft, which carries its own power supply, has progressed towards achieving AV's goals of a creating a machine that can hover for extended periods and fly at forward speeds up to 10 meters per second. Read More
‘Go anywhere’ amphibious vehicle might go under
By Jeff Salton
00:38 June 30, 2009 PDT
Fed up with your Ferrari? Lamborghini a bit lame? Rarely get a reason to take your dinghy out of the shed? Haven’t scared the neighbors for a while? If you've answered yes to at least three of these questions, then the Scamander RRV could be just what you’re looking for. Before his death in June this year, former-TVR owner Peter Wheeler built the Scamander RRV (rapid response vehicle), a car that could drive on track, off-road or even on the water, all while carrying four people. Read More
Maingear Axess-HD Gamer: Get your game on in the living room
By Darren Quick
21:34 June 21, 2009 PDT
Maingear has added some gaming grunt to its line of high end Home Theater PCs (HTPCs) in the form the Axess-HD Gamer. Just like its stable mates, the Axess-HD and HD PRO, the HD Gamer sports a low profile design with aluminum case and optional OLED Front Panel Display that is designed to blend in with other home theater components. However, behind that stylish exterior lies a system built for gaming, an intention made more obvious by the inclusion of the Phantom Lapboard as standard. Read More
Hillcrest motion sensing mouse keeps you in the Loop
By Jude Garvey
20:27 June 21, 2009 PDT
Almost three years after we first encountered the Loop pointer, Hillcrest Labs has announced that its uniquely designed motion sensing mouse is available direct to consumers. Read More
Gesture controlled entertainment system lets the TV watch you
By Gizmag Team
01:52 June 4, 2009 PDT
In the past few years there has been an increasing effort toward creating 3D computer interfaces and televisions. Now, it’s the television’s turn to see us.....in 3D! Since its foundation in 1999, Canesta has been working on a family of low-cost, chip-based 3-D sensors that can be built into virtually anything – from TVs and PCs to cars and industrial equipment - and now the technology is filtering through to real-world applications like Kicker Studio's gesture control entertainment system. Dr. Peter Puya Abolfathi - Biomedical Engineer, co-inventor of the Rehabilitation Glove and now a member of the Gizmag Team - takes a closer look at how this technology works and what it's bringing to our living rooms. Read More
Golden-i Bluetooth headset with virtual PC display
By Darren Quick
23:04 May 11, 2009 PDT
Mobile phones and laptop computers have made traditional 9-to-5 workdays a thing of the past for many workers. That ability to work from any location, however, can be a double-edged sword. The flexibility to be freed from the office also means that work is increasingly encroaching on people’s recreation time, as they find they are never really off the clock. That situation looks set to worsen, or improve, depending on your perspective, with the introduction of the Golden-i from Kopin Corporation. The Golden-i is a Bluetooth headset that provides a 15-inch virtual display with a hands-free, natural-speech-recognition interface for wireless remote control over a range of devices including mobile phones, PCs, company networks and wireless systems. Read More
Toy Amphibious Tank packs water cannon and 4WD
By Darren Quick
05:53 May 6, 2009 PDT
May 6, 2009 If there’s one thing besides the retreat of my hairline and expansion of my waist that makes me wish I was a kid again, it’s the seemingly endless supply of cool toys that today’s youngsters have to entertain them. While I was forced to make do with a stick and a piece of string growing up, the children of today get to enjoy toys like the transforming Amphibious Tank – a remote controlled tank that is as happy on land is it is in the bathtub and comes complete with a water cannon to smite your enemies. Read More
UKP20,000 robotic fish to act as water pollution police
By Mike Hanlon
15:52 March 19, 2009 PDT
March 20, 2009 A number of robotic fish are to be trialled into the port of Gijon in Spain to evaluate how effectively and cost-efficiently they can detect water pollution. The 1.5 meter carp-shaped robots are part of a three-year research project funded by the European Commission and if successful, the fish could be used in rivers, lakes and seas across the world. The life-like creatures, which will mimic the undulating movement of real fish, will be equipped with tiny chemical sensors to find the source of potentially hazardous pollutants in the water, such as leaks from vessels in the port or underwater pipelines. Read More
Black & Decker previews high-tech locking system
By Darren Quick
21:24 March 11, 2009 PDT
Black and Decker is giving homeowners a way to lock up their daughters when they aren’t even home. The company's new motorized locks are designed to complement the emerging electronic ‘smart homes’. They can be activated remotely and can even directly control home security and automation systems, and vice versa. Read More
The Schlage LiNK remotely-controllable door lock (and the demise of the key)
By Mike Hanlon
12:25 January 19, 2009 PST
January 20, 2009 Locksmithing, one of man’s oldest and most venerable professions, appears set to join the digital convergence mix with the first wirelessly-controlled door lock now on the market. It's also further proof that the device formerly known as the mobile phone will one day become the remote control for much of our lives. Schlage LiNK deadbolts and locks offer consumers the ability to remotely control and monitor access to their home 24/7 with any web-enabled mobile phone or computer. The locks provide keyless entry through 4-digit access codes that can be entered, activated, deleted or disabled on the lock's 11-digit push button keypad or via the Schlage LiNK web portal. This means never having to circulate multiple sets of keys, never needing to stay home to meet the handyman, and the peace of mind of having a listing of which codes (i.e. who?) opened each lock and when for the last 90 days. The $300 starter kits (and subsequently $200 locks) might also be suitable for real estate agents wishing to streamline their ability to show properties. Read More
WowWee 's Wi-Fi Spyball
By Emily Clark
20:29 January 13, 2009 PST
A scaled back version of the Rovio Wi-Fi robot webcam, the Spyball from WowWee is a remote controlled, Wi-Fi enabled, transforming robotic ball that allows kids to see what their brother or sister is up to, as well as checking out what’s for dinner in the kitchen – all undetected. Read More
The MechRC Megatron-esque robot
By Kyle Sherer
14:52 November 11, 2008 PST
Is this Megatron's love-child? The MechRC is a programmable, remote controlled robot with 17 independently controllable servos (points of articulation), each capable of up to 180 degrees of movement. This provides the bot with an extremely wide range of actions – and the database of 100 pre-programmed motions and sound can be expanded by using the included software to create new manoeuvres. Read More
Belkin's FlyWire provides wireless HD AV
By Kyle Sherer
16:53 October 31, 2008 PDT
Available from January 2009, Belkin’s FlyWire wirelessly delivers uncompressed 1080p True Cinema HD content from Blu-ray players, receivers, video-game consoles, and set-top boxes to HDTVs and projectors. FlyWire operates in the open 5GHz band, and intelligently manages its own connection, adjusting frequency and power to avoid interference. Read More
rob yates
- November 26, 2009 @ 12:49 UTC
