Plusgain VOLX Palette U-MP3

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Plusgain, from Japan, announced the new VOLX Palette U-MP3 music player with 4GB internal memory. Available in 7 colors, the VOLX Palette U-MP3 supports both MP3 and WMA audio files. It uses USB interface and works with Windows. The integrated rechargeable battery offers up to three hours of play time.

PURASUGEIN Inc., capacity 4GB audio player with built-in flash memory "VOLX Palette U-MP3 Player 4GB" the 12 to start the sale from late Monday. Two shipments in 2009 and since mid-October. Direct selling price is 2,980 yen.

Weight 7g, dimensions 46 × 15.5 × 9 (vertical × side × thickness) and lightweight, 4GB flash memory built-in audio player. Black, blue, candy red, pink, TAKOIZUBURU, white, green apple for a seven-color variations. Supported OS is Windows Me/2000/XP/Vista.

Playback Formats MP3 (8 ~ 320kbps) and WMA (32 ~ 384kbps) support. The cap of the unit features USB 2.0 connectors, and can charge and transfer music directly to a PC slot. USB mass storage class support, transfer of music is performed in drag and drop. Charging time is approximately three hours and can play up to three hours.

Resume function. Earphone lanyard type of accessories is that you can use a player put on his neck.

[impress]

Source: http://www.itechnews.net/2008/12/23/plusgain-volx-palette-u-mp3-player/

Bula Stereohead

BULA presents the STEREOHEAD earphone and hat combos. There are three models available, the Sound Master, the Power Up and the Intro. They have different styles of hats such as beanie, lex cap, and Peruvian.

The Sound Master has a max input of 150MW, 20Hz frequency response, 32ohm and 40mm driver diameter. The Power Up and the Intro both accpet max input of 100MW. The Intro has a 30mm driver.

Warm head, top shredding tunes and well tasty headwear, what more could you want? (Apart from endless days of champagne powder and bluebird skies, but money can't buy the weather). Bula Stereo head hats are an all-in-one package for music-filled days on the hill.

[BULA]

Source: http://www.itechnews.net/2008/

Maid Robot From Japan

Scientists in Japan have created a maid robot that mops, does the laundry and cleans the kitchen. Officially called the ‘Assistant Robot’ or “AR”, the robot was created by Tokyo University’s Information and Robot Technology (IRT) and Japanese technology and robotics companies including Toyota Corp, Sega, Panasonic and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

The maid robot is 1.5m tall and weighs 130kg. The maid robot can “see” three dimensional objects and locate them as well as recognizing when a job has not been completed properly and move to complete it. Doing laundry is said to be one the robot’s strongest assets. It can find a dirty shirt, throw it into a washing machine and push the buttons to wash and rinse and spin dry clothes.

But those who think this might be the answer to their cleaning woes can't rejoice just yet. The research centre says it will be another decade or two before the robot can be mass-produced.

The robot is being designed to assist Japan’s aging population to do main household chores.

The scientists say they are still more than 10 years away from mass producing these robots so until then, otaku can still visit Akihabara and visit their favorite maids in their cafes.

Source: http://japansugoi.com/wordpress/category/japan-technology/

LED on the walls, floor… ubiquitously!

Light up your life! Light keeps on illuminating our life in surprising ways. Light emitting diodes, commonly called LEDs, are real unsung heroes in the electronics world. Illustrious designer Ingo Maurer at the Spazio Krizia 2006 in Milan presented his bright LED creations which included Wallpaper, Carpet, and Table with adjustable colored LED's. Wall and floor décor choice has never been so diverse. Identifying the need to move with the changing demands of the consumer, from lighting prospective, the future seems to be bright. Says Ingo, “New technologies and materials constantly spark my interest and imagination. We work with highly innovative technology – as well as simple materials – to give form to my aesthetical ideas, sometimes called poetic.”

Here is LED magic carpet of green circuit boards and LEDs suspended from the ceiling.

Take a close up look at this Luminous table.

Source: http://www.luxurylaunches.com/

See Details in: http://mocoloco.com/archives/002534.php

Music Mug

Not a whole lot to say about the MusicMug from Idea International that you can't guess from the pictures. Or the name, for that matter.

It's a ceramic mug with an integrated (passive) speaker on the bottom. Plug the cable into your iPod or other portable audio device, put it in the cup, and you've got a portable audio system fit for even the most spartan of living environments. As for why the mug doesn't have a handle, Idea International's Chief Designer, Masato Tokuno, stated in the below interview with ITmedia that he didn't want people mistaking the MusicMug for a coffee mug, pouring coffee all over their music player. Likewise, he didn't want people to have to worry about where to grab the MusicMug when transporting it. Retails for 3,990 yen.

source:http://www.techjapan.com/

MUSIC THAT COMES WHEN YOU CALL

MUSIC THAT COMES WHEN YOU CALL
Robot Takes Music Where You Want to Hear It (December 15, 2006)
source: http://web-japan.org/

The robot can play a particular track at a set time. (c) 2006 ZMP INC.

There is now a robot that will come over to you and play music with just the push of a button on a remote control. ZMP Inc., a startup company that develops and sells humanoid robots, released the "miuro" in December 2006. It is the first such product capable of autonomous movement to go on sale anywhere in the world.

Mobile-Phone Controlled
The small robot "miuro," which contains a music player, is essentially a moving stereo. It measures 35 cm across and 22 cm high, it weighs 5 kg, and it moves on two wheels. Priced at an affordable ¥108,800 ($907 at ¥120 to the dollar), with the purchase of an add-on package for ¥19,800 ($165) users with a computer and wireless LAN can enjoy having the robot autonomously navigate their house using onboard cameras and sensors, finding its own way to the living room and other preprogrammed locations. For example, it could be used in place of an alarm clock, moving into your bedroom and waking you up with the song of your choice in the morning.

Miuro blends into your living room. (c) 2006 ZMP INC.

The miuro uses a lithium battery that allows up to four hours of use on a single two-hour charge. It is operated by means of an infrared remote control, but it is also possible to give it instructions using a mobile phone. Using the remote control, the user can select and play music taken from an mp3 player, a computer, or Internet radio. On top of that, when users are away, they can keep tabs on what is happening at home by instructing the miuro go to a preprogrammed location, take a photo, and email it to them.

A yellow miuro. (c) 2006 ZMP INC.

An Integral Part of Life
Industrial robots account for most of Japan's robot market at present. When Sony Corp. released the dog-like robot AIBO in 1999 for home use, sales were not as good as expected, and the company later halted production. Robots that feature human-like intelligence and those that can walk on two legs are still in the development stages, and those that are available remain too expensive for ordinary consumers to purchase.

The miuro, however, is priced affordably enough for most households. A company spokesperson explains: "Robots had previously attracted attention just for being able to move. What we're trying to do is make this kind of robot a part of everyday life, showing people a new kind of lifestyle."

source: http://web-japan.org/

Sugar Powered Batteries from Sony

Now Sony has developed a bio carbohydrate battery that generates power from sugar. The eco friendly battery generates electricity by mixing enzymes with a sugar solution which is capable of generating up to 50mW of power.

Creating the energy is similar to the process of converting food into energy in the human body. The enzyme’s action on the sugar pumps hydrogen ions and electrons into the solution. The ions pass through a membrane establishing the potential difference that drives the connected device where they combine with oxygen from the air and electrons through the circuit to form water as a by-product.

There are no plans from Sony yet on commercial development of the battery so we’ll have to use our standard non eco friendly batteries a little while longer.

source: http://japansugoi.com/wordpress/

Surfing in the Rain

Science & Technology
SURFING IN THE RAIN
Internet Umbrella Lets Users Browse in Any Weather (October 4, 2007)

The umbrella projects images on to its underside. ©Pileus LLC / Keio University

Gray, rainy days may be about to get more colorful thanks to a new umbrella invented by Japanese researchers. The Internet Umbrella, conceived by a team at Keio University, acts as a photo browser by displaying images from the Internet as the user walks along. The handle of the umbrella contains a projector that displays images on the underside of the umbrella.

Student Inventors
The Internet umbrella, named Pileus (meaning the head of a mushroom) was created by two young graduate students. Second-year doctoral student Matsumoto Takashi, 27, and first-year master’s student Hashimoto Sho, 22, of Keio University’s Graduate School of Media and Governance were motivated by a desire to make walking on rainy days more enjoyable. Both belong to a research lab led by Professor Okude Naohito that is renowned for its interaction design research based on the concept of ubiquitous computing.

Prompted to start this project by the everyday act of using an umbrella, Matsumoto and Hashimoto combined numerous technologies to make the Internet umbrella a reality. The handle of their creation contains a camera, a motion sensor, GPS, and a digital compass. The device is controlled by rotating the grip.

The Internet Umbrella, Pileus ©Pileus LLC / Keio University

Pileus has been presented or displayed in several countries, including the United States, France, and Austria, and won the Innovation Prize at Laval Virtual 2007, Europe’s biggest virtual reality convention.

Future Vision
The Internet Umbrella has two main functions. One is browsing the online photo-sharing site Flickr. Not only can the umbrella display photos from the site; using the camera in the handle it can also take pictures and upload them to the Internet via a wireless connection. Pileus users can thus view each other’s photo streams. The umbrella can also display movies from the video-sharing site YouTube.

The other key function of the device is to help users find their way around by displaying 3D maps using Google Earth. The umbrella “knows” the user’s location (thanks to GPS) and direction (thanks to the digital compass), so it can show a bird’s-eye map of the surrounding area, enabling the user to navigate streets with ease. Both functions are easily controlled by rotating the grip of the umbrella. The team is currently working on enabling photos taken with the umbrella to be displayed on the map, along with their location.

©Pileus LLC / Keio University

Predicting continued growth in the quantities of tagged photos and consumer-generated media on the Internet, the developers imagine a time when Pileus users will be able to view social information generated by other users anywhere in real time. On their website they stated, “This product aims to enhance people’s everyday lives by synchronizing information on the Internet and in real places.”

source: http://web-japan.org/trends/science/sci071003.html

World's Smallest Humanoid Robot

Science & Technology
WORLD'S SMALLEST HUMANOID ROBOT
i-SOBOT Can Dance and Mimic Animals (August 31, 2007)

i-SOBOT poses with its programmable remote control. (©2007 TOMY Company, Ltd.)

A new humanoid robot, certified as the world's smallest, will be released this autumn by Japanese toy manufacturer Tomy Company. On October 25, 2007, the Omnibot 17µ i-SOBOT is scheduled to hit the market—as well as the 2008 edition of Guinness World Records, which will list the product as "the smallest humanoid robot in production." Robotics fans look forward to i-SOBOT as a fun toy to add to their collections, but also as a leap forward in miniaturization of the advanced parts that go into these high-tech tools.

Surprising Size and Price
i-SOBOT stands just 16.5 centimeters tall, and weighs only around 350 grams. While the robot fits in the palm of your hand, it remains a fully outfitted bipedal machine, with 17 moving joints. Used throughout the body are tiny, custom servomotors developed by Tomy. The robot's onboard gyro-sensor allows it to maintain its balance automatically as it goes smoothly through its programmed motions. i-SOBOT comes with an infrared remote-control unit, but users can also use voice commands to control it.

Tomy's i-SOBOT architecture, the control system developed to operate this new robot, makes use of 19 integrated circuit chips that work in tandem to enable the toy's complex actions.

The miniaturized robot fits comfortably in the palm of the hand. (©2007 TOMY Company, Ltd.)

i-SOBOT will be sold for ¥29,800 before tax ($248 at ¥120 to the dollar) in fully assembled form, complete with rechargeable batteries and its remote control, which features twin joysticks, programmable buttons, and an LCD screen. According to the manufacturer, this price is quite affordable for a robot of this complexity. In addition to its release in Japan, the robot will make its way to markets in the United States and elsewhere in Asia. In 2008 Tomy intends to extend sales to Europe as well. To reach its global sales target of 300,000 units, the company is localizing i-SOBOT's software in English and Chinese in addition to Japanese.

Four Modes for Action
An attractive feature of this versatile robot is its four separate modes for controlling the action. In Remote Control Mode, the user manages the robot's movements directly with the command buttons and joysticks on the wireless remote. In Programming Mode, the user has the option to easily choose commands from a list of available actions—182 in all— or to use the controller to create original actions, or use a combination of the two to program complex sequences that can be up to 240 steps long, with 80 steps stored in each of the robot's three memory slots. Special Action Mode, meanwhile, includes 18 more complex preprogrammed actions, such as "hula dance" and "air drumming." And Voice Control Mode lets the user give the robot one of 10 commands, to which the i-SOBOT can respond with a range of actions.

This robot is entertaining to the ear as well as the eye. As it goes through its actions it plays sounds from its library of nearly 100 sound effects and songs. The speaker can be turned off, too, when silent action is preferable. The toy is humanoid in form, but the designers have included playful actions in its repertoire that have it imitate the adorable movements of animals.

Tomy has taken steps to make i-SOBOT eco-friendly. The toy manufacturer is shipping the robot with three rechargeable AAA batteries from Sanyo Electric Co., whose Eneloop nickel metal hydride batteries let users keep the robot running for months without sending dead batteries to landfills. Tomy is also collaborating in Sanyo's Energy Evolution Project by making i-SOBOT part of the programs carried out at Japanese elementary schools. The companies hope to boost children's awareness of environmental issues by powering the fun robot with rechargeable cells.

source: http://web-japan.org/trends/science/index.html

Skype phone built into Keyboard

Are you using Skype (the free VOIP) service? It’s a great communication service but it still drops out once in while for me when I am calling China and sometimes running video and audio together crashes the application.

Still, I cannot complain, its free! With Skype you can talk via headset connected to your pc or through a special Skype phone connected to your pc.

In Japan, IT company Buffalo will launch a Skype phone next month that is already integrated into your keyboard so you don’t need to install anything (except the application of course!). Saves a bit on space which you can always use for another computer peripheral!

source: http://japansugoi.com/wordpress

Waterproof Headphones

Morito's Audio Bone Aqua Waterproof Headphones

Japanese manufacturer Morito last month introduced a cool waterproof headphone called the Audio Bone Aqua. So even when its raining or your relaxing in the pool, the Audio Bone Aqua can play your music without fear of getting your headphones wet.

The headphone uses bone conduction in which sound is transmitted to the brain through vibrations in the bones and skin tissues and not through the eardrum. The sound vibrations are sent directly to the cochlea through the skull.

Currently the Audio Bone Aqua headphone connects to your music player or mobile phone via wires though the company is working on a bluetooth edition that will allow users more freedom. Cost of the headphone is about US$80.

Source: K-tai Impress

from : http://japansugoi.com/wordpress/

Sega EMA robot

Sega EMA robot, female robot appeals to Otaku




If you are an otaku who has trouble finding a cute Japanese girlfriend, then you may need to build up your confidence with Sega’s sexy E.M.A エマ female robot.

The female shaped humanoid robot was unveiled at the International Tokyo Toy Show this June. E.M.A エマ stands for Eternal, Maiden, Actualization and is 38 centimeters tall, has a curvaceous body, sings and dances and using infrared sensors the robot will kiss nearby otaku when it goes into “Love Mode”.



The target consumers are otaku guys over 20 and Sega hopes to sell 10,000 of
the adult-oriented androids within a year. EMA is expected to be in stores in Japan this month and will cost about U$175.

sumber: http://japansugoi.com/wordpress/segas-sexy-ema-female-robot-appeals-to-otaku/

High-Tech Japan

by Richard Donovan, June 2003

The Matrix

Japan is like the shadow of The Matrix, stretching out elusively behind it as a kind of history, more than as a directly illuminating reference such as the obvious nods (should that be bows?) to Hong Kong action movies in the many fight scenes, and the genuflections to Christian themes such as sacrifice and redemption. Nevertheless, like a shadow, things Japanese are responsible for lending a certain depth to the proceedings.

The Matrix series' directors the Wachowski brothers have a pedigree that would perhaps find more widespread respect in Japan than the west. They began their narrative work as comic-book artists, working on Marvel Comics' Ectokid. In Japan, manga are seen as an alternate form of storytelling rather than the poor cousin of the novel, something with which the Wachowskis clearly concur. They are on record as big fans of anime, the animated version of manga, citing in particular their love of SF cult classics Akira (1988) and Ghost in the Shell (1996/98), which both began life as manga. In fact, the online Wikipedia contends that The Matrix contains direct allusions to both films:

Both a scene almost at the end of the movie, where Neo's breathing seems to buckle the fabric of reality in a corridor he is standing in, as well as the "psychic children" scene in the Oracle's waiting room, are evocative of similar scenes from the 1980s anime classic Akira. The title sequence, the rooftop chase scene where an agent breaks a concrete tile on the roof when landing after a jump, the scene late in the movie where a character hides behind a column while pieces of it are blown away by bullets, and a chase scene in a fruit market where shots hit watermelons, are practically identical to shots in another anime science fiction classic, Ghost in the Shell.

(http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Matrix)