Measuring in at a measly 2.3 ounces and 1.6 square inches in size, Toshiba’s IK-HD1 gets the honor of being the world’s tiniest HDTV camera.

The camera is truly, unbelievably tiny and looks more like a kids’ toy than something that can capture stunning high-resolution video.

Of course, the unit comes at a price. It’s only aimed at the pro market for now, for uses such as a hidden camera on a reality show. We’re sure someone will think of other creative uses for this as well.

The company will be showing off its creation at the National Association of Broadcasters convention in Las Vegas this month. Hopefully they can find a way to shrink the cost as small as the camera’s size so we can all be shooting high-def video from tiny camcorders. [via DVICE]

The Kitchen Sync concept by Noah Balmer combines computers and online recipes with old-fashioned cookbooks for the perfect way to cook in the 21^st century.

It features a small, flexible, washable screen with a dock. The Kitchen Sync allows you to view recipes online and follow links to buy whatever products you may need to concoct your favorite dishes. It eliminates the need to print out recipes or bring your expensive laptop into the kitchen only to get it covered with food.

Kitchen Sync takes full advantage of its wireless internet connection -besides downloading recipes, you can also chat with other users cooking the same dishes for a richer cooking experience.

Balmer received an International Housewares Association design award for his concept. We hope to see the Kitchen Sync make it to production as it would be an instant favorite of cooks worldwide. More pictures after the jump. Read more »

Sure, touchscreen phones look great, but when it comes to typing on the touchscreen most of the phones are lacking. Without having the feedback that a keypad provides, users often have to type slowly and frequently make errors on devices such as the iPhone.

Researchers at the University of Glasgow are trying to solve those problems by using actuators (the things that make your phone vibrate when a call comes in) to replicate the feel of a keypad.

Using existing haptic feedback software, the scientists are trying to squeeze more out of the actuators already present in cell phones. Their modifications provide a single pulse for the feeling of a button being clicked, a longer buzz to provide a “rough” feeling when the user has moved to a different key, and a buzz that ramps up and down when sliding a finger across a button to give that button a rounded feel.

The researchers found that users’ typing speed and accuracy were much closer to a standard keypad when using their haptic feedback software. The team will present their findings at the Computer Human Interaction conference in Italy next month, and hopefully we’ll see cell phone manufacturers picking up this software to make their touchscreen phones that much more usable. [via New Scientist]

We’ve seen some wild concept phones before, but this is probably one of the more unique designs of that bunch. The Caps concept cell phone looks like a little tube and features a tiny projector to let you view images and video at a larger scale.

Designed by Jean-Jacques Chanut, Caps features a small, rounded screen with a simple menu that should be easy to navigate via the touchscreen. A pico projector (perhaps this or this one) can show images and movies from one end of the phone, and a headphone jack is on the other side to listen to tunes and movies.

Obviously we’re a ways away from such a small phone, but sometime in the future a little tube like this might be what we’re all using to chat to each other. We do have one question though: how do you talk on the phone? Perhaps sticking it in your ear might do the trick, or maybe it’s only intended to be used with a headset. Another picture after the jump.

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A Dutch design student has dreamed up a simple remote that can control a TV without being touched at all – perfect for sitting in a kitchen where the cook’s hands may be covered with food.

The remote adjusts volume when you move your hand over or under it, tilting itself at the same time. It changes channels when you flick a finger through the cavity in the middle of the remote. Finally, it turns the TV off when two fingers meet in the middle of the cavity, and turns it back on when two fingers spread apart from the middle.

Of course, we’re years away from such a remote. Nevertheless, it looks like a great idea for the time when we can finally create such a gadget. Check out a video of the concept remote in action after the jump. Read more »

3M has announced a partnership with a yet unnamed leading consumer electronics company to bring its ultra-portable projector to the market.

The company is hoping to become the first to release such a product, ahead of big names like Texas Instruments and Microvision.

This tiny projector will be able to attach to cell phones, cameras, and laptops to display an image up to 50 inches, diagonally. Although its not exactly a built-in pico projector, it’s capable of displaying a fairly large image and will work with other devices – not just a cell phone. It also looks portable enough, as we don’t know many people who would complain about carrying that tiny thing in their pockets.

The device is estimated to sell between $300 and $400, with prices dropping to $150 within five years. Count us in, we want one of these!

[About Projectors via Gizmodo]

OCZ, following in the footsteps of Emotiv, is set to launch its $300 Neural Impulse Actuator (fancy for “brain mouse”) in the near future.

The device uses Electroencephalogram (EEG) readings of the brain’s alpha and beta waves, along with muscle and eye movement readings, to let users control a computer without touching anything.

The NIA is geared toward gaming. OCZ demoed the device in a game of Unreal Tournament 3 running smooth as silk with no framerate slowdowns.

Users first learning to use the NIA will certainly have difficulty. However, once accustomed to the gadget, OCZ claims a 60 percent reduction in reaction times. The company is promising that average users will be able to begin using the device after only a few hours of initial practice.

It looks like 2008 will turn out to be the year of the “brain mouse,” although no one yet knows how effective these devices will be. Hopefully the competition between companies will bring us some great products so we can finally use our computers hands-off.

[Via DailyTech]

Japanese researchers are working on a device that will let you control all sorts of gadgets by simply blinking your eyes.

The system, called the Kome Kami Switch (or “Temple Switch”), monitors movements of the temple using a single-chip computer and two infrared sensors. It is so tiny that it could be built into the side of a pair of eyeglasses.

Controlling an iPod is the most prominent use right now. Deliberately closing both eyes for a second turns the iPod on, and doing it again turns it off. Winking the right eye skips to the next song, while winking with the left eye skips back a song. Read more »