Posts by Engadget Staff at Switched

Rideable Robotic Triceratops Yours for Only $300

by Engadget Staff, posted Oct 11th 2008 at 3:22PM

Playskool's Kota the Triceratops is a robot dinosaur that uses 11 sensors to respond to touch and sound by wiggling its horns, wagging its tail and turning its head. It also plays a few "adventure themed songs." Best of all, it can't stampede or impale anyone; like the animatronic Triceratops in 'Jurassic Park,' Kota can't get up and move around. That won't stop kids from adoring it though. Like Pleo before it, Kota's cuteness overpowers all. Don't believe us? Shipments have begun, so you can buy the cuddly robot and see for yourself. All you need is 300 bucks. Or you could just check out the video beyond the cut.

Continue reading Rideable Robotic Triceratops Yours for Only $300

London Restaurant Serves With Touch-Sensitive Tables, Menu Projectors

by Engadget Staff, posted Oct 8th 2008 at 9:19AM

A chic London restaurant and bar called Inamo is making patrons' dining experiences digital by projecting colorful menus and aesthetic patterns onto touch-sensitive tabletops. When browsing, patrons can preview the food as if it were on the plate in front of them -- only flatter, we suppose. They can also order their meals, look up neighborhood services, and select one of seven visual vibes without ever interacting with carbon-based lifeforms. Inamo isn't the first automated establishment we've seen, and this sort of table menu tech isn't new -- but the futuristic panache is hard to beat. Hit the read link for more pics.

[Thanks, Nvyseal]

V2G Technology Will Turn Suburbs Into Power Plants

by Engadget Staff, posted Oct 7th 2008 at 10:54AM

We've been hearing about vehicle-to-grid (V2G) for quite a while, and now a team at the University of Michigan is conducting an extensive study on the technology as part of a national sustainable energy solution. While current electric plants are good at generating power, they often fall short when it comes to storage -- which can be a problem when there's a power surge or when demand increases. V2G will let hybrid-electric owners sell the power their car generates to the electrical power grid whenever the car is not in use.

The research team envisions a time when millions of hybrid vehicle owners will come together to create one large battery, allowing us all to play a small part in building our nation's energy independence. And sure, this all sounds good in theory. But wouldn't that mean relying on the neighbors to provide a key piece of the nation's infrastructure? Have you met the neighbors? Doesn't that seem a little... iffy? [From: Physorg.com]

Toshiba Powers Cell Phone With Methanol Fuel Cell

by Engadget Staff, posted Oct 5th 2008 at 1:02PM

Toshiba continues to tease us with its prototype liquid fuel cell-powered gadgets: last year it was a Gigabeat media player, and at this year's CEATEC you can check out a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) that's been crammed inside a cell phone, lending it a robust six hours of talk time (compared to the paltry three or four hours of a traditional battery). Toshiba won't reveal the capacity of the DMFC, but they have said that a 50ml cartridge is good for about 15 refills. No release date yet, but the phone "might" be available "as early as next year." In the meantime, enjoy this picture of a woman holding a flip phone with "DMFC" clearly visible on the display.

Robotic Fly Will Go to Mars for Research Missions

by Engadget Staff, posted Oct 4th 2008 at 6:01PM

You know those insect-like micro air vehicles (MAV) we've been seeing? Well, the ExoFly aerobot is based on that camera-equipped DelFly design, only this time it's gearing up for a trip to Mars -- maybe even Titan or Venus. Turns out flapping-wing flight is perfect for the low-density viscous Martian atmosphere. The current prototype -- weighing 17g with a wingspan of 350mm and flight time of twelve minutes -- is being tweaked for use in future missions to Mars.

The folks at Delft University of Technology and Wageningen University, who've teamed up with Ursa Minor Space & Navigation, plan on increasing the weight to 20g and adding an on-board solar cell, which they reckon should extend the flight distance to 15km. There's also talk of using the digital terrain and image data gathered to simulate a 3D immersive environment for detailed analysis of extraterrestrial destinations -- hopefully viewable by those of us who don't have the billions to drop on a flight to Mars. [Via New Scientist Space]

Continue reading Robotic Fly Will Go to Mars for Research Missions

Toshiba Shows Off Die-Shaped Media Server

by Engadget Staff, posted Oct 4th 2008 at 11:31AM

Here's another mouth-watering concept on display at CEATEC today: Toshiba's Media Server -- not to be confused with some kind of nefarious explosive device from an early episode of Doctor Who. It uses NFC to download files from your cell phone, which in turn can be displayed on a TV via WirelessHD. But best of all, it's shiny and looks nothing like some of the mundane media servers we've seen in the past, which is reason enough for us to want one, or perhaps a pair to make 2d12. Here's hoping it gets past the concept stage.

Nissan's Curvy Electric Nuvu Debuts in Paris

by Engadget Staff, posted Oct 3rd 2008 at 8:20AM

Nissan's Nuvu is making its debut this week at the Paris motor show, and while it isn't the all-electric vehicle that the company has promised for 2010, it's a step in the right direction. Resembling something from a Pixar movie, the Nuvu has that special mix of "vaguely futuristic" and "somewhat impractical" that we look for in a concept car: it's less than ten feet long, seats three (un)comfortably and the space behind the driver is claimed by what looks like an end table with a conduit extending to the ceiling. Many of the cabin materials are either recycled or made from organic materials and since the vehicle is electric, it should be whisper quiet -- offering maximum clarity for your Medeski, Martin and Wood CDs. More photos at the read link.

Watermill Pulls Drinking Water From Thin Air

by Engadget Staff, posted Oct 2nd 2008 at 1:01PM

Sure we've seen glorified dehumidifiers like this before, but we're a sucker for any aquatic wonder which claims to solve the world's drinking water shortage. The wall-mounted Watermill from Element Four is the latest "water from thin air" contraption and produces up to 3.2 gallons of water a day, pumped through a trusty ultraviolet sterilizer. But more importantly, it offers to hydrate your family of 6 for a mere thirty-five cents a day in power, not including whatever price Element Four decides to sell it for. Or you could just stick a bucket on your roof and be done with it -- we hear it rains occasionally. [Via Gadget Review]

Mac Pros Emitting Toxic Gas?

by Engadget Staff, posted Oct 2nd 2008 at 9:05AM

Just when Apple has started to make some friends at Greenpeace, it looks like another one of its fine products might be a wee bit toxic. According to the French newspaper Liberation, that mysterious stench emanating from your Mac Pro contains benzene -- which can irritate the eyes, skin and respiratory tract. Instead of being a mere inconvenience, that smell could be a cloud of poison gas that threatens to dizzy up, nauseate and migraine-ify you and everyone you care for. Apple has yet to issue a statement on any of this, but until it's all straightened out, those of you with the stinky Macs might want to seriously consider wearing a hazmat suit when checking your email.

[Via the Guardian]

MIT's RealNose Project Makes Artificial Nose Breakthrough

by Engadget Staff, posted Oct 1st 2008 at 10:23AM

The quest for the ultimate artificial nose is still underway, and thanks to a major breakthrough by the folks over at MIT, it might be sooner than later that we're all unwrapping stylish sniffers under the Christmas tree. More importantly, the fruits of MIT's RealNose project could replace drug and explosive-sniffing dogs as well as detect certain medical conditions via the odors emitted.

Up to now, the tricky part of studying the sense of smell has been in isolating proteins (olfactory receptors) to get a good look at how they work. But in this latest development, researchers are now able to produce specific receptors using wheat germ, through a process referred to as PNAS. Engineered mammalian cells can be used to the same effect. What makes this so great is, while the human nose is relatively limited in what it can detect, this discovery could unlock the potential to detect an almost infinite range of odors. G.I. Joe with "action nose" here we come. [Via PhysOrg]

Solar-Powered Motorcycle Now an Impractical Reality

by Engadget Staff, posted Sep 30th 2008 at 9:10AM

Why is this guy smiling? Unlike your Zero, his electric motorcycle is solar powered. To build the bike, Jim Corning started with his wife's Ninja 250, adding a front wheel cover and extending the back end for aerodynamics. The motor is powered by lithium-ion phosphate batteries, which are recharged by four 800-watt solar panels mounted to the roof of his house (so it's not like you can just sit out in a field somewhere and charge up). The current design gets up to 70 mph and a range of about 50 miles: no power cord required. Want to make one yourself? Hit the read link for more details, and don't forget to be super rich and totally insane.

Salvador DaBot: Robot Portraitist Extraordinaire

by Engadget Staff, posted Sep 29th 2008 at 2:06PM

Leaps and bounds have been made with Sylvain Calinon's robotic portrait artist since we first caught a glimpse of this amazing AI being -- and no, we're not just referring to the stylish beret and mustache. Now dubbed "Salvador DaBot", the portraitist has developed far more advanced conversation skills, along with a voice that sounds a lot less like Steven Hawking. We kinda miss that feather pen he was sporting before, but his movement's a lot more natural now and his new marker seems to have helped his drawing style -- similar to old-school comic art. See this awesome little guy in action after the break. [Via Sylvain Calinon]

Continue reading Salvador DaBot: Robot Portraitist Extraordinaire

Minox Cameras Nurture the Spy in All of Us

by Engadget Staff, posted Sep 29th 2008 at 7:03AM

Minox, we knew you wouldn't let us down. We've seen a few bland cameras released by you over the years, but it warms our hearts to see you haven't forgotten why we love you. This latest line of miniature cameras comes in three flavors: yuck, meh, and totally badass. The DC 1033 looks like every other camera known to man, with the slight improvement of being a mere 94 x 55 x 24mm with 10-megapixels of firepower. The DCC Leica M3 Gold Edition is nothing more than a rerelease of the silvery edition - tiny, cute, but no match for the classic 30s style DSC (Digital Spy Camera) -- 86 x 29 x 20mm, 5-megapixels -- to be showcased this week at Photokina in Germany.

[Via Studio Lighting]

Read - Minox DCC Leica M3 Gold Edition
Read - Minox License to shoot

Ditch the Air Guitar: Piano Hands Takes the Stage

by Engadget Staff, posted Sep 28th 2008 at 1:15PM

For all you OCD desk tappers out there, I Want One Of Those is offering up -- ta da -- Piano Hands. These electronic gloves with built-in sensors at the fingertips emulate musical notes upon tapping any flat surface. With eight different instruments to choose from, we can't think of a better way to be endlessly annoying on elevators, airplanes, trains and other cramped enclosed spaces -- assuming you can find a place to plug in your Marshall Stack. Pick up your ticket to stardom for just £49.99 ($92) from IWOOT. No word yet on a release date. [Via Popgadget]

Nintendo Fights Breast Cancer With Pink Ribbon DS

by Engadget Staff, posted Sep 27th 2008 at 12:01PM

In keeping with a time-honored gadget tradition, a new paint job for the Nintendo DS Lite has surfaced: the Limited Edition Pink Ribbon -- not just for girls mind you, breast cancer affects us all. While the polar white console doesn't include any games or nifty carrying case, five dollars of your $129.99 purchase will be donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, with Nintendo promising a minimum donation of $100,000.

[Via DS Fanboy]

Older Posts →

Confirmed: Girls and booze at Tecmo TGS party EA store reveal Spore Creepy & Cute Parts Pack Spider-Man: Web of Shadows launch trailer is symbio-tastic	Firefox for Windows Mobile images surface CBS begins adding full length TV shows to YouTube Ubuntu tip: Use Startup Manager to edit your boot menu
First Look: macVCR 2.0 Sprint SmartView for Macs bricks broadband cards Apple Stores welcome kids via Field Trip	Is the market always right? SEC inspector says agency messed up on Bear Stearns regulation Obama stock: Alternative profits from 'New Energy' policy
Soulja Boy calls out Xbox Live gamers Activision calls in the budget Secret Service TGS 08: Street Fighter IV extended trailer	Farboud's Latest: Arash reveals final form of AF10 supercar Australia's Eflin debuts Type 5 Clubman in Sydney Top Gear Series 12 officially starts November 2nd
New Starcraft 2 screenshots emerge from BlizzCon Infogrames purchase of Atari completed New Star Trek Online screenshots show character options	Falcons May Be Without Ryan's Security Blanket Sunday Eric Mangini Named Son After Brett Favre Tony Could Be Gonzo to New York if the Rumors Are True

Mac vs. PC

World's Weirdest New Phones

Top 25 Optical Illusions

Download This: Launchy

iPhone 3G Essentials

Worst Game-to-Movie Translations Ever

Embarrassing Online Mishaps

Buying a GPS? Read This

90210's Kellan Lutz Loves PCs?