Smartfish Engage Keyboard Ergonomically Efficient

An on-going two year production from manufacturers Smartfish has finally been completed and is soon ready to be unveiled. The keyboard, previously known as the Pro Motion and Ergomotion, has been revamped with an elegant all-black finish and boasting a 150 dollar price tag.

The keyboard exhibits an internal motor which adjusts the two halves of the keyboard based on the individuals typing frequency. The adjustments made help combat fatigue, an effort developed in collaboration with The Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.

The keyboard looks impressive, and the ideas behind the self-adjustement mechanism sound very sophisticated. Until the keyboard is officially released, we're not sure how it feels to use - but stay tuned for more information when it becomes available.

Hasbros My3d Transform Iphones Into Viewmasters

This piece of kit looks extremely similar to a ViewMaster, but with a more up-to-date look and feel. The Hasbro My3D goes on sale exclusively at Target on April 3rd, and hits the shelves at other retailers in June. Hasbro's introduction into the 3D phenomenon arrives in the shape of My3D, which connects to your iPhone or iPod bringing your own entertainment choices to 3D life.

This viewer will retail at $35 and offers a good look at 3D technology, for minimal cost.

Armstar Bodyguard 9xi Hd01

This looks like someone has amputated Batman's arm and stuffed an i-Phone inside, but it is actually the Armstar BodyGuard 9XI-HD01, a harmless version of Batman's weapon arm. The arm is made of cotton, Kevlar, as well as Nomax, a flame resistant fiber. It comes with an indentation to allow an iPhone to slot in neatly, and also charges the phone whilst it's sitting in there. Pretty neat.

The Bodyguard also comes with a 720p video camera, flashlight and a 300,000-volt stun gun for firing at any unwelcome intruders, making you feel a little more like a superhero. It can also charge other electronic devices through its Li-Ion battery pack.

The invention is not meant to be used in superhero situations, but was an idea thought up by Dave Brown after a string of mountain lion attacks around his Californian home. The arm can be bought in bulks of ten or more by contacting Armstar directly, but the price is yet to be disclosed publically. Batman beware, you have a worthy opponent!

Trikke Mobility Scooter

Step aside Segway, there's a new mobility gadget in town. The Trikke functions using three wheels as opposed to two wheels like the majority of scooters available today, setting it apart from the rest.

The Trikke takes a little getting used to, but once you feel comfortable on it, you can up the pace, and start making sharper turns, converting the gadget into a fun and imaginative way to get around.

While its maximum speed is a modest 17mph, the device will usually travel at an average of 12mph, relying entirely on electric power with zero emissions. The Trikke can operate for 24 miles per charge so don't go planning any long journeys without packing the charger first. The battery plugs directly into the wall, and is easily interchangeable.

The Trikke can fold inside itself to save space when you take it with you. The experience does not come cheap though, with the 36 Volt lite costing $1,299 and the 3G Volt costing $1,899. The top end of the range comes in the form of the 48 Volt, which will set you back $2,199. More information can be obtained from their official website.

                                                                      

MakiBox A6 aims to bring affordable 3D printing to the desktop

Over the past few years, the price of desktop 3D printers has been falling thanks to devices such as the uPrint, MakerBot, Printrbot and Cubify ). But designer Jon Buford's thoughtfully-conceived MakiBox looks to be the least expensive yet. He and his team have now pre-sold enough of the device to make the move from prototype to market and the result looks rather promising. If all goes well, the US$300 printers (plus US$50 for global shipping) could be available for delivery as soon as the end of the month.

The 280 mm x 210 mm x 210 mm (11 x 8.27 x 8.27 in) self-contained MakiBox has a footprint about the size of a piece of standard letter paper, yet can build objects up to 150 mm x 110 mm x 110 mm (5.9 x 4.3 x 4.3 in) in size - about a quarter of the printer's overall volume. Replicator G, an open source 3D printing software application compatible with Windows, Mac and Linux, drives the printing process during which spooled 1 mm (0.04 in) diameter polylactide (PLA) plastic filament is melted and extruded in thin layers at 60-80 mm (2.36-3.15 in) per second.

The MakiBox will ship as a relatively easy-to-assemble kit that Buford says is "no more difficult than IKEA furniture." That means the the most difficult parts will come pre-assembled - no soldering iron needed. It comes with 1 kg (2.2 lb) of 1 mm PLA stock on two 0.5 kg (1.1 lb) spools. Extra plastic, also available in 3 mm (0.12 in) and 1.75 mm (0.07 in) diameters will sell for $20 per kilogram, a significant saving over the price currently charged for competitor 3D printers.

By Randolph Jonsson

20:27 March 5, 2012

                                                                      

Review: PlayStation Vita

Whether you consider it progress or a race to the bottom, Apple's iOS platform is gobbling up the gaming market. Nintendo's 3DS was far from perfect (read our review), leaving many looking to the Vita for gaming on the go. But is there a future for dedicated gaming devices? After a week with the Vita, Gizmag's Tim Hanlon hopes so. Read More

By Tim Hanlon

21:53 March 5, 2012

                                                                  

Kinect grocery cart follows shoppers around the store

When Chaotic Moon Labs debuted the Kinect-powered Board of Awesomeness - and its mind-reading offspring, the Board of Imagination - that was apparently just a preview of a more practical product the company had in the works. Grocery store chain, Whole Foods, recently gave a demonstration of Chaotic Moon's latest device, which uses the same technology in a self-propelled shopping cart. The "Smarter Cart," as it's been named, can detect what items are placed in it, match those to a shopping list, and even follow shoppers around the store on its own.

Like Chaotic Moon's Board of Awesomeness project, the Smarter Cart uses a Kinect sensor synced with a Windows 8 tablet to control its motion, but with one key difference. Instead of having someone actively directing where the device moves, the cart monitors the user and follows them like a lost puppy as they move about the store and pick out their items. The Kinect's voice recognition is also implemented this time around, so a user can ask the cart for more information - like where specific items are located in the store - or tell it when they are done shopping.

The cart can also track the items placed in it by scanning their bar codes, match them to a pre-made shopping list, and give the total cost of all the items in the basket. It can even detect if the wrong type of item is grabbed and verbally inform the shopper. In a demonstration, a rep placed a box of spaghetti in the cart and was instantly told that it was not gluten-free, which has been specified on the shopping list. With some voice commands, the cart could then tell the rep in what aisle and section the gluten-free spaghetti was located. A shopper could also link the cart to a billing account to pay for everything instantly, and then bag up their groceries and walk right out of the store.

By Jonathan Fincher

21:30 March 5, 2012