Pioneer’s latest Raku Navi GPS units take commands from hand gestures

Posted on 07/10/2012 by Alexis Santos

An AR heads-up display wasn't the only navigation hardware Pioneer showed off at CEATEC 2012. The firm also took the opportunity to tear the wraps off a new line of gesture-controlled Raku Navi GPS units. With the infrared-powered Air Gesture feature, drivers can wave their hand in front of a device to pull up a menu with commands such as setting their home or a personal haunt as a destination or skipping to the next tune on a playlist. Once a hand is retracted, the menu will be replaced with the usual map interface. Though the solution isn't completely hands-free, horizontal hand waves can be assigned one of ten different functions. Japanese store shelves will be lined with two dashboard-embeddable units by mid-October, while four console-independent models will join them in early November. As of now, there's no word if the hardware will make the pilgrimage stateside.

Filed under: GPS, Transportation

Pioneer's latest Raku Navi GPS units take commands from hand gestures originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 07 Oct 2012 04:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharp ‘Moth Eye’ LCD Panel demo shows off future HDTVs with less glare

Posted on 07/10/2012 by Richard Lawler

While its high pixel density mobile displays stole much of the attention at CEATEC 2012, Sharp also has tech destined for bigger screens like this "Moth Eye Panel" that Engadget Japanese took a look at during the show. Thanks to nanoscale irregularities on its surface similar to the eye of a moth it claims to give bright colors and high contrast while cutting down glare as seen above (moth eye panel on the left) The technology isn't in use yet, but Sharp says the film has been produced in 60-, 70- and 80-inch sizes already, so if you thought the company's extra large and Elite HDTVs couldn't get any better, next year's model will probably have at least one way to prove you wrong.

Continue reading Sharp 'Moth Eye' LCD Panel demo shows off future HDTVs with less glare

Filed under: Displays, Home Entertainment, HD

Sharp 'Moth Eye' LCD Panel demo shows off future HDTVs with less glare originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 07 Oct 2012 02:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mitsumi exhibits micro-vibration power generator and batteryless RF switch (video)

Posted on 04/10/2012 by Richard Lai

This picture from Mitsumi's CEATEC booth may not seem to say much, but it's certainly showing the future. The silver cylinder at the top is actually a small power generating device that converts micro-vibrations into usable energy, so stick one of these on, say, a ventilation duct and you should just about get enough juice to power a calculator or even an LED. In fact, Mitsumi says these can be integrated into the RF sensor network of large air conditioning facilities, as an RF transmitter can run on very little power these days -- even less than a calculator. Alas, a company rep said this product won't be available until 2014.

Speaking of RF, Mitsumi does have something even more awesome that will be launched sooner. You see that black stick on the left? Embedded inside it is a batteryless RF switch, and the way it works is that upon the release of the spring mechanism inside, a tiny bit of power is generated for the 2.4GHz RF transmission (ZigBee compatible), and whatever device is connected to the RF control outlet on the other end will receive the on or off signal. So yes, you basically get a switch that requires no wiring nor power (except for the receiving end)! Expect this to hit the shelves in March 2013. For now, we have a hands-on video after the break.

Gallery: Mitsumi demos micro-vibration power generator and batteryless RF switch

Continue reading Mitsumi exhibits micro-vibration power generator and batteryless RF switch (video)

Filed under: Misc

Mitsumi exhibits micro-vibration power generator and batteryless RF switch (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Oct 2012 06:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nippon Electric Glass demos liquid crystal lens and ‘invisible glass’ at CEATEC (video)

Posted on 04/10/2012 by Richard Lai

How about some glass from CEATEC, eh? The folks at Nippon Electric Glass were showing off its still-in-development liquid lens technology, as well as its already-available "invisible glass." The latter, as pictured above, is very much what it says on the tin albeit with some exaggeration, obviously, but we were still very impressed by how little reflection we saw on it. While it's already being used in art galleries and inside cameras (as sensor covers), Nippon Electric Glass is pushing hard to get its invisible glass featured on mobile devices -- the selling point here is simply to achieve the effect of somewhere in between glossy glass and matte glass, so that you'd get the best color vibrancy with minimal reflection. Do check out the video after the break.

As for the liquid lens, Nippon Electric Glass' version uses low-power electric field to control its liquid crystal molecular orientation, thus changing the focal point. You'll also see that the lens is also small enough to be integrated into phones and webcams. While the demo response was pretty quick, we were told that it'll be at least another year before the technology becomes available for us mere mortals. For now, you can see our hands-on demo after the break.

Gallery: Nippon Electric Glass demos liquid crystal lens and 'invisible glass' at CEATEC

Continue reading Nippon Electric Glass demos liquid crystal lens and 'invisible glass' at CEATEC (video)

Filed under: Misc

Nippon Electric Glass demos liquid crystal lens and 'invisible glass' at CEATEC (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Oct 2012 03:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Panasonic’s 7.5mm-thick, 100-lumen laser projector module claims world’s thinnest title

Posted on 04/10/2012 by Richard Lai

While scanning through Panasonic's booth at CEATEC 2012, we couldn't help but notice a prototype of its world's slimmest 100-lumen laser projector module (or OIU aka optical imaging unit, as the company prefers), which can beam out an 800 x 480 picture. It's not clear when exactly we'll see this 7.5mm-thick device getting into consumers' hands, but there's certainly room for improvement for the image quality. Likewise, the scan-type OIU (resolution at about 400 x 300) next to the slim projector is far from ready for mass consumption, as the company is hoping to actually shrink it down and integrate it into mobile phones. That said, the fact that this technology doesn't require focusing makes it worth the wait -- the light doesn't go through an LCD filter like ordinary projectors do, and instead, it's a single laser beam scanning out the picture, hence the name.

Also shown along side were the optical bay drive pico projector that's already being offered by Fujitsu, as well as the PJ-SJ25U 854 × 480 DLP pico projector which was released in August this year. While the latter's image quality was rather impressive even under the strong ambient lighting, we struggle to appreciate the ¥56,800 or $730 price tag. Anyhow, pricing is just a matter time, as always.

Update: The thickness of the slim laser OIU was originally mistyped as "75mm." This has now been corrected. Many apologies.

Gallery: Panasonic's range of pico projectors at CEATEC 2012

Filed under: Displays

Panasonic's 7.5mm-thick, 100-lumen laser projector module claims world's thinnest title originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Oct 2012 02:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Murata Walking Measurement System hands-on

Posted on 03/10/2012 by Tim Stevens

Sure, Nike+ will track your gait and help you tell your friends just how that couch-to-2K training is working for ya, but wouldn't it be nice if it your shoes were smarter? That's partly what Murata is enabling with its Walking Measurement System, on display at CEATEC 2012. It's a piezoelectric sensor that sits in the sole of your shoe and detects pressure at different points. The readings from this sensor, transmitted over low-power Bluetooth 4.0, could enable a number of applications including precise shoe fitting for runners, posture detection for dancers and even golf swing analysis for duffers. Murata had this built into a lovely pink Asics sneaker that was a bit too small for us to try on, but we did try squeezing another sensor that fed its data in real-time to an app running on iPhone. Cool concept? For sure, but for now it's just that and nothing more.

Gallery: Murata walking measurement system at CEATEC 2012

Mat Smith contributed to this report.

Filed under: Wearables

Murata Walking Measurement System hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Oct 2012 14:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CEATEC 2012 wrap-up: concept cars, eye-tracking tech and motion sensors galore

Posted on 03/10/2012 by Sarah Silbert

CEATEC, Japan's largest annual electronics show, is winding down here on the outskirts of Tokyo. We've spent the past two days scouring the halls of the Makuhari Messe, digging up no shortage of concept cars, eye-tracking technologies and even the odd Windows 8 device. The star of the show may have been Japanese carrier NTT DoCoMo, with its gaze-controlled prototypes and real-time translation app, but there were plenty of other gadgets on hand to peak our interest -- even if many of them won't make it to market anytime soon. Have a look for yourself by browsing our complete CEATEC 2012 coverage past the break.

Gallery: CEATEC 2012 wrap-up

Continue reading CEATEC 2012 wrap-up: concept cars, eye-tracking tech and motion sensors galore

Filed under: Announcements, Misc, Robots, Transportation

CEATEC 2012 wrap-up: concept cars, eye-tracking tech and motion sensors galore originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Oct 2012 11:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan NSC-2015 self-driving car with LTE and smartphone connectivity (test-ride with video)

Posted on 03/10/2012 by Tim Stevens

Nissan NSC2015 selfdriving car with LTE and smartphone connectivity testride with video

NCC-1701 is the machine that took the world's imaginations to strange new worlds in the '60s. If Nissan has its way, NSC-2015 will be the machine that keeps us out of strange new parking lots. It's a concept car from Nissan, part of the CEATEC 2012 Smart Mobility Zero exhibit that has half the show floor covered by crazy electric-powered cars of all shapes and sizes. Nissan's Leaf is one of the more conventional looking ones, but the technology that lets it drive itself down the road is far from standard. We just took it for a spin, so please cruise down past the break to read how it went.

Gallery: Nissan NSC-2015 self-driving car with LTE and smartphone connectivity

Continue reading Nissan NSC-2015 self-driving car with LTE and smartphone connectivity (test-ride with video)

Filed under: Transportation, Software

Nissan NSC-2015 self-driving car with LTE and smartphone connectivity (test-ride with video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Oct 2012 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Panasonic shows off foldable Windows 8 Ultrabook hybrid, launches October 26 (hands-on)

Posted on 03/10/2012 by Mat Smith

Found along the sidelines of Panasonic's CEATEC booth, the AX series Ultrabook is a foldable hybrid that will be arriving in Japanese stores later this month. Ready to launch with Windows 8 (both standard or Pro) built-in, the Ultrabook houses a 11.6-inch touch display at the ever-popular 1,366 x 768 resolution, although it feels a little on the thick side, and is unmistakably Panasonic in its styling. Connectivity options are legion, with two USB 3.0 ports on the right edge, accompanied by HDMI socket. On the other side, there's an SD card reader, ethernet, power, mic and headphone ports. The hinge seems suitably solid, and while that touchscreen isn't the most attractive we've seen on Windows 8 hardware, the keyboard felt pretty similar to existing business laptops and our fingertips had plenty of space. Otherwise, we were left to play with a Japanese iteration of Windows 8, which seemed nice and responsive in both tablet and notebook setups, although our playtime was limited.

The AX series will launch in Japan on October 26th in three different permutations, starting with an Intel Core i5 processor clocked at 1.7GHz or 1.8GHz, and a Core i7 at 1.9GHz. There's 4GB of memory and a 128GB SDD in all three, while the hybrid bucks the trend by offering a removable battery, with both the faster Core i5 and the Core i7 models coming with an extra cell bundled in. That top-end processor will also arrive with connectable projector for business types. Check out our brief hands-on after the break, or hit the source for the full list of specs.

Gallery: Panasonic AX series hybrid Ultrabook at CEATEC 2012

Continue reading Panasonic shows off foldable Windows 8 Ultrabook hybrid, launches October 26 (hands-on)

Filed under: Laptops, Tablets

Panasonic shows off foldable Windows 8 Ultrabook hybrid, launches October 26 (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Oct 2012 08:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHK demonstrates 8K 3D digital binoculars: 16x ‘lossless’ zoom at 1080p (hands-on)

Posted on 03/10/2012 by Mat Smith

Alongside its Super Hi-Vision TV demonstrations, Japan's national broadcaster had some 3D goggles also taking advantage of that 8K resolution. With 16 times the pixels of typical 1080p content, these prototype binoculars provide the same multiple of zoom from an 8K feed -- that is 16x zoom without losing any of original data. We got to grips with a the master model here at CEATEC, and were able to pan up and down, as well as manipulate a lever to close in on views of both Mount Fuji and Tokyo's very recent Skytree tower. NHK mentions that it could see the devices being used to show off other sightseeing spots in the future, but we don't expect home installations any time soon.

Gallery: NHK Super Hi-Vision 8K binoculars at CEATEC 2012