Wireless

Scientists from the Georgia Institute of Technology recently reported the development of what they say is the world’s “first self-powered nano-device that can transmit data wirelessly over long distances.” The tiny device is able to operate battery-free, using a piezoelectric nanogenerator to create electricity from naturally-occurring mechanical vibrations.  Read More

An assassin waits for his target to walk into range, then presses a button on a radio transmitter, causing the target’s pacemaker to deliver a lethal dose of electricity. Such a scenario may be fictional for now, but as more and more medical implants are designed to wirelessly send and receive data, it becomes increasingly possible. Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) are certainly aware of the dangers of wireless attacks on implants, so they’ve developed a countermeasure – a wearable signal jamming device.  Read More

Taking on the idea that daily smartphone use can create automatic touch recall, just like touch typing on a keyboard, students at the Hasso Plattner Institute in Potsdam, Germany, have created the "imaginary phone" concept that turns the palm of a hand into a smartphone touch interface. Using spatial memory built up while operating the physical device to remember gestures and the relative position of icons on the phone, users can perform simple smartphone tasks without even taking it out of your pocket.  Read More

Elgato has just released – or to be technically correct, re-released – the latest addition to its line of digital TV tuners for PCs and Macs. The HDHomeRun is a rebranded dual tuner that has been sold by SiliconDust for nearly five years now and also sold in its previous incarnation by Elgato since mid-2007. The device has however received an update and is a little smaller and sexier than the original model, but still offers PC and Mac users the same ability to watch and record HDTV over a local wireless network.  Read More

Genius has announced the release of its Wireless Thumb Cursor Controller, or ring mouse for short. The clicking and scrolling action of the lightweight mouse replacement is thumb-controlled, its proprietary optical touch technology offers users 1000 dpi sensitivity and it's said to last a month between charges.  Read More

By throwing a whole lot of camera wants into a pot, Seattle design house the Artefact Group has come up with a groundbreaking concept that combines all the connected usefulness of a smartphone with the interchangeable lens capabilities of a digital SLR. There's also a novel approach to using wireless technology for communication between the combined lens and sensor and the main body.  Read More

Eye-Fi’s range of wireless memory cards have been giving photographers the ability to send photos from a digital camera to a computer over an existing Wi-Fi network for a few years now. That’s great if you’re close to your home network but what when you’re out and about and want to offload some of those captured pics and vids from your camera? The company’s latest Eye-Fi Mobile X2 Card answers the call with a new Direct Mode that allows the card to create its own Wi-Fi network so it can establish a direct connection and upload photos and videos directly to mobile devices such as a smartphone or tablet.  Read More

There are now hundreds of dedicated music apps available for the iPhone and iPad, but these digital devices are not musical instruments in the traditional sense. Over a year ago, designer Massimo Battaglia set about bringing the electric guitar and the multi-touch interface even closer. His Hyper Touch Guitar concept is the result. It features a capacitive touchscreen neck with 24 fret positions, and either a small touchscreen pick zone or a version where the multi-touch interface continues down into the body from the neck. The guitar will also feature wireless technology that will communicate with equipment such as amplifiers and computer systems, and allow the player full freedom of movement.  Read More

Earlier this month we featured some novel building blocks that help teach robotics to kids, and grew from a project at Carnegie Mellon University. Now it's MIT's turn, with the Sifteo Cubes – 1.5-inch gaming blocks sporting full color screens that respond to motion, and interact with the player and each other as they are moved around. Games and apps can be bought online and wirelessly transferred onto the cubes via an internet-connected computer or laptop. The current title catalog includes adult games, puzzles for kids, and challenges and games that people can play together.  Read More