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Posts with tag invention

Former professor creates vibrating Braille handset

Braille phones in and of themselves aren't all that unique, but a former professor (who just so happens to be completely blind) from Tsukuba University of Technology has crafted a variant that jumps and jives. Dubbed the world's first vibrating Braille cellphone, the device is programmed to emit pulses depending on which key is pressed; more specifically, a pair of terminals attached to the handset "vibrate at a specific rate to create a message." Those currently involved with the project are now toiling to make the keypad-to-vibration converters smaller, but there's no word just yet on whether the technology will be picked up commercially.

[Via FarEastGizmos]

GPS-enabled helmet calls for help post-accident

We've seen some pretty well equipped helmets in our day, but UMass Amherst student Brycen Spencer seems a touch more interested in safety advancements than integrated speakers. His concoction, dubbed the Wireless Impact Guardian (WIG), looks like your average helmet at first glance, but a quick look inside reveals electronics designed to sense an impact, judge if you're conscious and dial for help if necessary. Essentially, an alarm is triggered upon impact, and if you're not cohesive enough to disable it after 60 seconds, it automatically rings up 911 and beams out your location via GPS so that medical personnel can get moving. Currently, the device is quite a ways from going commercial, but considering that Mr. Spencer has already invested in a provisional patent, we'd say it's well on its way.

[Via textually]

Dual-screen cellphone prototype: two great tastes that taste great together

Dual-screen cellphones are nothing new, after all, flips have long offered anemic external displays for caller ID and the like with a bigger, higher resolution screen on the inside for taking care of business. Still, two folding screens emerging as one bigazz display a la the 701 ThinkPad's butterfly keyboard would be a welcome addition, right? Seok Hong Jeong thinks so and is presenting his "dual LCD mobile phone" prototype at the Seoul International Invention Fair 2006 in Korea. He's already applied for patents in "overseas markets" which we presume means the USPTO among other freewheelin' entities. Godspeed sir, and please get Sammy on the horn for a couple of those 0.82-mm slim LCD's they like to brag about -- let's keep the bulk down, eh?

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