Nissan's little robot car: Quick like a bee
Wayne Cunningham | Sep 30, 2008
Nissan's BR23C avoids obstacles like a bee.
With the admirable goal of cutting accident rates in half by 2015, Nissan released details of an accident-avoiding robot, the BR23C. This moniker somehow stands for Biomimetic Car Robot Drive. Nissan patterned the robot's behavior after bees, which apparently don't get in accidents. Bees, according to the press release, maintain an oval-shaped personal space, using their compound eyes, which can see 300 degrees around them.
The BR23C seems like a perfect companion to Honda's Asimo.
Nissan engineers describe the programming of the BR23C as instinctual, not requiring heavy processing power or maintaining a history of where the car has previously traveled. We're not sure if these engineers have ever seen a Roomba, but it sounds kind of similar. Also, with only a 6-foot detection range, we assume the BR23C isn't barreling along at 80 mph.
Nissan describes the avoidance technology used by this robot as just the final layer in a series of safety technologies. We've previously seen the company's lane departure prevention technology in the Infiniti EX35. That feature seems like the precursor to a raft of accident-avoidance technology.
Via CNET Crave
Photo credit: Nissan
A 50mm F1.4 lens for Four Thirds from Sigma
Matthew Fitzgerald | Sep 30, 2008
Sigma 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM
Picture credit: Sigma
Sigma has announced a 50mm f1.4 lens for Four Thirds system dSLRs, the Sigma 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM. The 50mm lens, long considered the standard in 35mm SLR photography, will have a 35mm equivalent of 100mm on a Four Thirds camera, making it a 100mm F1.4 lens effectively. That is a very fast medium telephoto lens, great for low-light shooting, or portraits with a very shallow depth of field. The lens features Sigma's Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) for faster and quieter autofocusing; it also has full-time manual focus override. Pricing and availability information were not available yet.
Via CNET Crave
SanDisk's microSD card hits 16GB
Dong Ngo | Sep 30, 2008
If recent blog posts about the increase in capacity of CompactFlash cards and small-size hard drives make you wonder what's in store for your mobile phones, then I have some good news.
On Monday, SanDisk announced its new microSD high-capacity (microSDHC) card that offers up to 16GB in storage space. While 16GB doesn't sound like a huge deal compared with other media that offer hundreds of gigabytes, this is actually very significant for two reasons. First, microSD cards are by far the smallest in size among consumer storage devices--about the size of your little finger's nail. Second, it's also the most popular media for smartphones and PDAs, and it is becoming more popular thanks to its tiny size.
The introduction of the new size lets cell phone and PDA owners really use their devices for storage-intensive purposes, including music and video playback, high-definition digital camera functions, gaming, and GPS applications. The new card also works with other devices that have a microSDHC reader, such as digital cameras, GPS receivers, or MP3 players.
Together with the new microSDHC, SanDisk also introduced its new 16GB Memory Stick Micro (M2) mobile memory, which is the micro version of Sony's Memory Stick card.
SanDisk's new 16GB microSDHC and M2 cards will be available in October and cost about US$100 and US$130, respectively. They will also be available in 4GB and 8GB versions. The new microSDHC might not be compatible with all devices that support the legacy microSD cards (that caps at 2GB). Make sure to check your devices' compatibility or update them to newer and supporting firmware before purchasing.
Via CNET Crave
ZTE U990 unveiled
Nicole Lee | Sep 30, 2008
ZTE on Monday announced the U990, the world's first HSDPA TD-SCDMA mobile handset (TD-SCDMA is a 3G mobile standard in China). It claims seamless transition between EDGE/HSDPA and TD-SCDMA, which is a good thing for those who do business in China. The U990 is a touch-screen phone with GPS/AGPS technology, Windows Mobile 6.0, and a high-speed transmission rate of up to 2.8 Mbps.
Via CNET Crave
Multi-function crutch for safety
John Chan | Sep 29, 2008
We are suckers for gadgets that do many things in one package. This is why the Multi-function appeals to us--even though we have absolutely no use for one. This walking stick is meant for hiking, but aside from helping you get a firm footing, it also comes with an LED flashlight in the handle, an alarm and even shock absorption for reducing strain on the wrist.
Aside from helping trekking hikers, this should be great for the elderly. If met with a mugger in a dark alley, someone using this can first blind the attacker with the light, followed by a swift blow to the head with the stick. Don't mess with gramps, he's armed and dangerous. You can order one online from Gadget4all at US$31.
Click for a closer look at the handle:
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