Out of sight, out of mind? Camera for the blind

It's a common perception that someone who couldn't see probably won't be able to take a picture. But Chueh Lee, a designer with Samsung China, thought that the visually impaired should be able to snap pictures, too.

Lee then set out to design a camera called Touch Sight that the blind can use by holding it to their forehead and pressing the shutter button. A picture would be captured as well as a three-second sound clip, which can be used when "reviewing" the image. Instead of a LCD on the rear, he incorporated a flexible Braille sheet, which "displays" a 3D image by raising dots on the media and letting the users "feel" what they had just captured. The images can also be transferred to other Touch Sights for sharing.

Lee's idea may not appeal to the general public, but it's nice to see that his innovation could possibly open up more areas of creativity for those who aren't as fortunate and cannot see the world in the same way as the rest of us.

Via Yanko Design

Kingston shipping its new 32GB Elite Pro SDHC Flash memory card

Kingston Technology has notified us that it's shipping its 32GB Elite Pro SDHC Flash memory card, the largest capacity in Kingston's Elite Pro line of SDHC cards, which currently includes 4-, 8- and 16GB capacities. According to Kingston, its new fast 32GB card can "capture more than 6,000 still images with a 10MP camera and over 8 hours of video (for 6Mbps HD Extended recording.."

The latest and greatest high-capacity cards don't come cheap and this one has a suggested retail price of US$308. Kingston's standard 32GB SDHC cards run about US$200 and 16GB SDHC cards can be had in the US$60-to-US$100 range, depending on the brand. Of course, wait a year, and the price for this 32GB card will be cut in half. That's the way memory's been going.

Anybody buying?

Via CNET Crave

Polaroid planning camera with built-in printer

Since Polaroid announced its decision to stop production for its instant film, many artists and fanboys have sent out petitions to persuade the company to revive its production line. However, with more and more shutterbugs adopting digital cameras, instant film clearly doesn't have a place in the industry now.

In what looks like a desperate attempt to stay afloat, Polaroid announced that it is engineering a new shooter with an onboard PoGo instant photo printer. But instead of using the conventional 2 x 3-inch photo paper, the company has decided that it will adopt the more traditional and familiar 4 x 3-inch media. Tentatively, the camera is slated to be unveiled in 2009.

The company is open to suggestions from photographers on how the new camera should be designed and what features are to be incorporated. This is part of a competition that Polaroid is organizing with Amateur Photographer, and the grand prize is a trip to New York and VIP pass to the Museum of Modern Art.

I am pretty sure the winner will also receive a set of the camera-printer hydrid device, if it ever makes it past the commercial launch.

Via Amateur Photographer

Researchers focus on electronic eye camera

Researchers at the University of Illinois and Northwestern University have created a camera with a layout similar in size and shape to the human eye. The eye camera is based on "single-crystalline silicon detectors and electronics, configured in a stretchable, interconnected mesh", according to the University of Illinois.

The curved technology will put an entire image in focus, in contrast to today's cameras, which take images that are sharper in the center than near the edges, according to researchers. Plus, the technology could be a big step toward the development of a bionic eye similar to the one worn by the Terminator.

Click on the image at the top of this post for more.

Via CNET Crave

Canon's fuel cell patent powers any device attached to camera

The last time we reported on Canon's fuel cell technology in May, the details were sketchy but we do know that this new power source is greener than the current Lithium-based juice packs used.

The people over at Photography Bay have dug up more information regarding this patent, and it seems Canon has more up its sleeves than just being friendly to Mother Nature.

The new technology is reported to be an all-in-one power source, and any accessories attached to the camera can be powered by it. This means that external flashlights, GPS modules and Wi-Fi transmitters can potentially all draw power from a single source in the shooter, thereby reducing the weight of the entire package significantly. This, however, brings up the question of how powerful the cells have to be in order to power everything at once and remain long-lasting at the same time.

On another note, the Japanese company may have to create a whole new format (like the Micro Four Thirds System) to accommodate the new power standard. Ideally, it should be backward-compatible, and hopefully, Canon is engineering the new products in that aspect.

Via Photography Bay

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