Can balloons be used as an input device? Even though currently they cannot serve as functionally as keyboards or touchscreens, the system invented by a research group from Osaka University indicates that a balloon is really able to input and send your messages. With a pressure sensor and a microphone built inside the balloon, it can detect the distinctive sounds of stroking, striking the balloon or feel the change the pressure when it is squeezes, so as to recognize your actions.

Designer: Osaka University

Ever imagined to use your hand as a touchscreen? Turn your idea come true with Kei Nakatsuma’s wrist sensor then. Based on infrared detection, the device can figure out where the user’s finger is and detects the finger’s “tap” or “click” motions to accomplish certain tasks. As it turns users’ back of hand into a trackpad, you no longer need to bring touchscreens around next time you prepare for a talking show.

Designer: Kei Nakatsuma

Researchers from the University of Illinois have exhibited their latest achievement – the Electronic Skin via the Internet. It is hair-thin, constructed with sensors, antenna, LED and other parts and powered by built-in solar batteries to monitor a person’s heartbeat, brain activity, muscle contractions and so on. If you put it besides your throat, the device can even “hear” your words so as to accomplish certain tasks. It can be easily applied to anything, without need for glue. When such amazing things used in the medical field, we bet we humans can benefit more from the advanced technology.

A clinic test is no longer needed, as Nyx Devices’s Somnus Sleep Shirt is an easy-to-operate T-shirt that allows users to do some diagnostics when wearing it in sleep. It is embedded with two sensors, based on which the T-shirt tracks a person’s overnight breathing and transmits relevant information to a small data recorder for people to check out. The shirt is promised comfortable to wear, avoiding contact with people’s skins. Nyx is now planning to launch the shirt to market soon, with a price less than 100 dollars.

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Paintbrushes help you to draw beautiful pictures and instruments assist you to create celestial music. But the pencil we’re to argue today, however, also creates sound as you paint with it. How? Well, the secret is the sensor built inside the tip, which could detect the movements and therefore produce various sounds.

Video after the jump.

Announced during Samsung’s CES press conference, the TicToc is believed a perfect alternative to Apple’s iPod Shuffle. Based on a built-in motion sensor, TicToc allows the users to change tunes by shaking the player slowly or quickly. The more slowly you shake the player, a much gentler music will be chosen, and vice versa. There’s a big button on one end to control the volume and a headphone port on the other. Turn the button to face the ground when you want to decrease the volume and make sure the button faces up if you’d like to increase the volume. The Samsung TicToc could support MP3, WMA, OGG, and FLAC audio formats with 12 hours of battery life. It will soon be available in two versions (2GB and 4GB capacities) but still no price has been announced.

The ‘Safeguard’ concept is mainly about preventing possible accidents that may happen during the process of moving or shifting heavy loads using a crane. Coming with an infrared sensor on its bottom, the device beams a laser graphic onto the ground as alarm signals to warn people of the danger. And on the other hand, with the help of infrared technology, ‘Safeguard’ also ensures the crane to unload cargoes accurately to the floor so as to improve working efficiency.

Controlling the cursor with a ball? That’s really an interesting idea. But the ball is not an ordinary ball, but a ball-shaped mouse that has 14 built-in pressure sensors, including a three-way acceleration sensor. As a result, the mouse would always control the cursor whenever you roll, squeeze or throw it. Yes, the ‘Puyocon’ mouse has completely changed the traditional way we use a mouse and make it more interesting. I love the idea!

It is connected to the computer via Bluetooth devices.

Via

Based on the Holographic Laser Projection technology, Light Touch is an interactive projector that can create bright images on flat surfaces like the wall, the table and therefore allow the users to enjoy movies or play the game all the time. And the device takes the very name from that act. But why could the user interact with the machine? That largely attributes to the built-in infrared sensors, which can detect the users’ motion and change the projected image into a virtual touch screen.

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We’ve seen pretty high-tech clothes in our day, like the ‘Protective Coat’ if you remember, but few are as utilitarian as this. Using a new clothing technology called as e-Press, the shirt is built with bio sensors to check out the wearer’s stress levels in different parts including the chest, the back and both shoulders. If stress levels are high, the bio sensors will send signals to corresponding LEDs, which will then indicate that by blinking fast. On the contrary, if those parts are given a massage, the LEDs will blink slowly as the stress levels go down.

The lovely dog doll is not merely an ordinary toy for babies. Named as Sniff, the bionic dog, with a sensor built inside, can identify and react to anything labeled with a RFID tag. Accompanied by such a cute doll, even your only child will no longer feel lonely. And that’s just the main concept of the stuffed animal.

Yea billiards is of great fun but you may have expected it to be more exciting, right? So why not have a look at the Obscura Cue-light? Based on sensors and an overhead projector, the pool table has come to astonish you with brilliant images when the balls bang around. Check for more with the video if you’re interested.

If you’re someone who likes novelty, you’re sure to love the Mint-pass Rubbish Can by Jongchul Kim. Base on a built-in ultrasonic sensor, the new product could detect the size of trash and open its mouse correspondingly. Still using an infrared sensor, the trash can also allows you to observe its residual capacity simply through the change in color, which turns redder as the bin goes fuller.

Designer: Jongchul Kim

Measuring 1.96 feet long and weighing 8.2 pounds, the remote control chum-dumping boat is not a toy but a new creation designed to dump about 4.5 pounds chum into narrow places through a remote control of 984 feet or so. Equipped with a sonar sensor, the boat can be used to search for fish under water and transmit the information back through the LCD display. But those are not enough, because the boat also allows you to get more fish in the night with a LED light.

Price: ￡435
Buy it here

In this high-tech era, every thing can have some intelligence. Blocks is not an exception. This so-called Siftable is actually a block shaped tiny computer with a singular display and motion sensor. Thanks to its intelligent natural, you can get many amazing functions.

Video after the break

What is this cute girl doing? Just making face? Not exactly. As a matter of fact, she is controlling her MP3 player with facial expression. This process is relying on infrared sensors that measure the inner ear movements resulting from various facial expressions. For example, you can start or stop the music when you stick your tongue out. It’s very simple and funny.

This showerheads has a sensor which could detect the temperature of the water and when the water reaches a comfortable 95 degrees it will stop the flow. You can save more hot water.

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If you want cultivate flowers at home but lack of necessary experience, you will need this USB sensor. Just stuck it in soil for 24 hours, the sensor can analyze important data which can be read via computer via USB port. Then you will know whether this soil is good for you expected flowers. In addition, it can also provide a recommended list of which plants would be suitable for your environment.

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This device is silicon plug can indicate the water temperature with the help of the built-in sensor. Different color will be showed according to the water temperature. Red means hot, while blue indicates cold water and green for the appropriate temperature.

Designer: Kai Yi Chen

Some human like robot can walk like a real person or even clime stairs, but jumping stairs seems impossible for them.

Dong Han Kim and his team at the Seoul National University of Technology in South Korea have designed a robot that can jump up stairs using two empty plastic soda bottles. With the built-in sensor, it can detect the upcoming obstacles and then calculate the jump height.

Video after the break

Hiding faucet in the wall is a good idea. Although not so new, we can still add other innovations to keep it attractive. This hidden tap designed by Jelmer Moorman uses a sensor to detect the motion of your hand and dispense water. Left means warm and right menas cold, so you can adjust the water temperature by moving your hands.

RiSe is a new robot developed by Boston Dynamics with funding from DARPA in conjunction with several universities. It has six legs, each of which is powered by two electric motors. The variety built-in sensors can detect the surroundings based on which the onboard computer control the legs to fit for different vertical terrains, just like a real gecko, except for the number of the legs.

Video after the break

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Therefore, you said, just forget about it. What a pity！ So, I bet you need a series of sensors and switches like these ones from Enocean, a Germany based company. You wanna know why? Just check out the video by yourself.

Computer is absolutely one of the most important things for us. If you have a computer connecting to internet, you can get almost every knowledge and information you want. But knowledge sometimes comes with such negative aspects as improper positions. This design is said to be the world’s first anti-slouch shirt. It can remind you when you sit hunched for a long time with the help of the built-in sensors. It’s as if there is someone who would constantly remind you to correct your position.

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Because of the four force sensor built in the case, you can control the handheld by twsting.

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The inside touch screen of this MP3 player is similar to the iPhone’s , it also has a built-in tilt sensor to achieve unique function. Moreover, the headphones are designed to roll up into the case, making them easy to store.

Designer: Smith Newman

Often monitors and air conditioners do not need running when no one is in the room. It is not the case, however, in reality. And a good solution is needed to cut off power when necessary.

This new product with a built-in sensor can detect whether there is anybody in the room, if not, it will automatically cutoff six of the eight sockets in 30 seconds to a half-hour. The other two sockets are normal ones to fit for chargers which need longer plugging.

Price: $90

Buy it here

With a unique stand featuring projected keyboard and a sensor, this stand can transform your iPhone into a desktop computer.

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Ladies always take many gadgets with them, and so a handbag is necessary. However, they always forget to take some gadgets after taking them out of bag. Thanks to the RFID, which has been a common technology, this handbag will remind you when you left something.

The LED surface will show the very thing you just forgot if you have attached special RFID tag on it. In addition, to make you really happy, this bag also has a built-in sensor which can react special caress and show them on the display.

Designer: Ginny Mesina, Sherry Li, Nasrin Roya, Huma Zaidi, Lillian Tam & Jenny Vi

With a built-in tilt sensor, this wood made mouse could be controlled by tilting gesture. The magnitude of the tilt determines the pointer’s speed.

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Different from conventional wands for the blind, this innovative design instructs the environment through vibrating rather than directly touch objects with long pole. With the help of the built-in sensor, it could detect the distance between objects and users and offer feedback on just how far away the object is with varying levels of vibration.

Designer: Jin Woo Han

This is a gorgeous design, it comes with a frosted ripple surface which could indicate the water temperature by color-changing. Not only this, because of the built-in electromagnetic sensor detecting the ball’s position, you could control water pressure by moving the ball in or out. And temperature is controlled by moving it around.

Designer: Smith Newnam & Touch 360 Studio

As is known, dog is man’s best friend. However, not everyone has so much time to care a dog. So, you gonna like this dog lamp.

Because of the built-in touch sensor, you could express your love just by patting on his head. Dog Lamp’s light has 3 brightness settings which are controlled by the number of pats you give him.

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Similar to the Color-changing LED coffee table we mentioned before, this portable LED could also detecting the color of the object underneath and then change its own color into the object’s.

Video demonstration after the jump

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http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/31/mongoose-studios-rgby3-0-gets-all-chameleon-on-us/

This sensor developed by researchers from MIT and other research organization could be a cheap alternative. It uses microphones worn on the torso pick up beeps from the emitters, rather than special camera, to locate your limbs as you flail about.

Video after the jump

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This robotic sheep of Edogawa Kyotei boat race course in Tokyo is actually a ticket eater. With the built-in ticket-detecting sensors, it could devours about 500 tickets per day.

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You still wanna hug your lovers although not staying with her/him? This Hug Shirt gonna be a good gadget for you. With the built-in sensor and actuator, it could translate hug data by cellphone via Bluetooth. You could hug your partner anytime anywhere.

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This rainbow projector made from LEDs could give you fantastic feeling although in your room without raining. The motion-activated sensor let you to turn on and off the rainbow with the wave of your hand.It’s magic

Price: $30

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Wanna turn on the lamp? You should flip it upside down. This lamp is equipped with a small sensor to detecting its state.,

Designer: Sylvie van de Loo

Thanks to the sensor, we can walk in any direction rather than one way on this treadmill. Although you don’t think this kind of treadmill is necessary for practice, it still a good system in virtual reality.

Video after the jump

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This little dinosaurs could act like a a pet. With the help of 30 sensors, it will be vivid.

Price: $349.99

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With the help of two touch sensors and a light sensor, this robot could solve the Rubik’s cube automatically. Video demonstration after the jump.

Shadow Robot Company from UK unveiled a tactile robot fingertips that can feel. The fingertip sensors are in shaped of both finger and thumb. With the help of 34 or 22 individual tactile elements, it could receive touch feeling.

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Although you’re happy to have a party at home, please remember don’t be toooooo noisy, or your neighbors will call police to warn you.

This party timer could tell you how noisy you are by the different kinds of party types. The secret is that it has a sound sensor in it to detect the current noise level.

It has 9 different types, which are “No Party”, “Romantic Party”, “Talking Party”, “Lite Party”, “Music Party”, “Dance Party”, “Club Party”, “Mega Party”, and “Atom Party”.

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