Sound at your Fingertips

Technology from Disney Research, Pittsburgh has come out with a device which transmits sound through human touch. It is a new invention that enables you to record messages to friends that can be heard with a touch of your finger to the earlobes. With the help of your finger and another person’s ear, together forms a speaker that helps the other person to hear your message. Ishin-Den-Shin so called is named after a Japanese mantra which represents unspoken understanding and speaks into a standard microphone which is then converted into an inaudible signal which tends to get audible when the speaker touches another person’s earlobes. The sound can be transmitted from body to body with the help of any physical contact though it can only be heard by the person whose earlobe is touched and this technology won the honors at Ars Electronica Festival in Linz, Austria. This system depends on a special microphone created by Disney Research engineers, wherein the sound is recorded and rendered into a high voltage, low current and in an inaudible signal. The sound can only be heard when someone holding the microphone touches the fingers to another person’s ears. The sound can also move through multiple bodies if the person A holding the microphone touches person B’s shoulder while at the same time person C’s ear for the sound to be transmitted to the person C.

 Human bodies are capable of transmitting sound as electrical signals and using the human body to conduct sound is becoming common in the recent years. One of the most popular methods is the bone conduction which brings sound directly to the inner ear through bones in the skull and which is found in some head phones enabling hearing aids and in Google’s Glass. The system used by Disney Research is an electrostatic field which forms around the speaker’s skin and creates a vibration when it comes in contact with the person’s earlobe. The Ishin-Den-Shin system, which includes a hand held microphone, is connected to a computer. It operates when the speaker speaks into the microphone and the computer changes the sound into looped recording. This recording is then converted into high voltage, low current inaudible signal, which flows into the thin wires connected to the interior of the microphone. The looped inaudible signal then creates a modulated electrostatic field thus producing a tiny vibration as the fingers touch the ear, forming a speaker. The Ishin-Den-Shin system can be used for everyday activities for interactive sound devices without the need of any special instrument. It could help to explore new avenues for inter personal communication and can be used to transfer sound from one person to another with the use of our bodies which has the capabilities of a conductor of sound

Philips PicoPix

Do you want a projector in your pocket then you have to go far Philips PicoPix. You can watch your own photos or watch movies anytime in larger screen. Philips released three new Pocket Projector models. Each of the three small PicoPix pocket projector fits easily in your hand. Philips introduces three new PicoPix pocket projectors, extending its large assortment of mini projectors. The wall or any surface can serve as a projection screen according to the manufacturer. You can enjoy viewing your own photos and videos in large format at any time and any place. The Philips PicoPix PPX 3407 and PPX 3410 are easily portable and about hand size. The resolution is 854x480 pixels and up to 100 lumens. According to the manufacturer it should be possible to realize a screen size of 305 centimeters (120 inches). Your Smartphone, tablet, camera or game console can be connected to it via both HDMI.

Small speakers make a  slideshows with with good background music. For everyday use in the office it is very comfortable. And it also works to play files from a USB stick or from 4 gigabytes of internal memory. The small PicoPix PPX 2340 can be worn on the wrist with a strap. The highlight is the loop; it is a USB Quick Link so that connecting and charging cable are always with you. Also there is a MP4 player which has a streaming function and a built-in speaker of one watt. The smaller model provides a resolution of 640x360 pixels and 40 lumens. The PPX 3407 will be available in white, bronze and in black and white; all three models will go on sale in October 2013.

Travel on Magnetic Levitation (MagLev) Train over 500km / h

Are you dreamed of boarding a floating train, then you have to go to Japan now! Yes, The Japanese have done it! Known as JR Maglev, the magnetic levitation vehicle has successful in their last test, the attain an impressive speed of 500 km / h! The Central Japan Railway Company has revived their test maglev train. Currently, the longest and fastest in the world, JR Maglev (abbreviation for magnetic levitation) was tested on a line for about 42 kilometers. The machine has reached a speed of nearly 500 kilometers per hour. After five successive test stops and some project years, Japanese finally begin to build a magnetic line connecting the two cities Nogoya and Tokyo. A journey of about 285 kilometers, which normally lasts 95 minutes and with this high-speed train, will be reduced to 40 minutes by 2027. For comparison, the Amtraks Acela Express makes the journey from Boston to New York takes about 3 hours and 40 minutes to cover the 338 kilometers. A distance that can be traveled less than an hour by JR Maglev. By 2045, JR Central hopes to expand the line to Osaka, which will reduce the number of passengers who frequently take flights between the two cities. When it is built, the magnetic line reread Tokyo airport to train at low speed Nagoya. The latter part of other rail systems that use magnetic rails to reduce friction problems but also offer more stability.

While the Japanese magnetic process promises an impressive technology, it still reins some concern on the part of the Japanese people who think that the machine is not large enough to support its weight. By itself, the extension of the line up to Nagoya will cost between 52 and 90 billion, mainly because of the mountainous landscape and towns that make it difficult to achieve straight rails. According to the Bloomberg financial group, there is a good chance that the building faces significant delays. Fortunately, JR Central is a highly profitable business with a history that allowed making big profits and thanks to its current high-speed trains. The company had cash of $ 2.95 billion according to their latest financial report. With a number of loan and bond that can easily allow the financing of an infrastructure project of this magnitude. It will take a little longer to appear before the floating trains that could change the way we travel and allow us to move much faster.

Outlook.com now compatible with OAuth and IMAP

The webmail Microsoft Outlook.com takes now supports the IMAP protocol, which will expand its compatibility with other third party applications and services. A little over a year after launching the new version of its webmail Outlook.com, Microsoft announced recently that he now supported IMAP and the OAuth authentication protocol. Of course, the Redmond Company always puts forward the Exchange ActiveSync protocol, which remains the best solution to synchronize emails in near real time. But recognizes IMAP is still widespread on "feature phones" mobile standards as well as some e-mail clients, including Mac. The IMAP support and will allow developers to adapt their applications to Outlook.com. And Microsoft has also delivered a first list of third-party services that are updated to add Outlook.com accounts.

GoPro Studio 2.0

GoPro has just put online the second version of its video editing software Studio 2.0. This version offers "model fitting” with soundtrack, combos and special effects already set, you just have to insert your videos. Good news is that even without a GoPro you can enjoy. It has been almost a year since GoPro launched its new range of cameras: HD Hero 3. The basic principle remains the same, a small box with a small control panel, but the specifications were revised upwards, including the Black Edition which can record 4K video at 12 fps and 120 fps in 720p. A first application was already available, GoPro CineForm Studio, but with GoPro Studio 2.0 the company wants to simplify the often tedious step of installation. "We have selected our most popular videos and we transformed into models of GoPro mounts to help you design a great mount very quickly. Music, mount points, the slow-motion effects and more are already set, so you only have to replace this video clip with your own. " For the moment, only four models are available, each representing a viral video, which also serves as advertising for the brand, which was performed using a GoPro Dubstep Baby, Laser Cats, Ocotillo Desert Lines and Pool Party etc. GoPro states that new models will be added regularly. Whatever it may be, you selected the one you want, then just replace the pieces videos by yours and, if necessary, add text. It seems against not change the length of the shots, but for this you can use a blank template and fill as desired. As we have noted, there is no obligation to have a GoPro or videos captured on a GoPro to use Studio 2.0, perform editing and finally export your achievement. A good practice that allows everyone to enjoy.