Mimi switch controls iPod with facials expression

A wink, a smile or a raised eyebrow could soon change the music on your iPod or control electronics
Osaka University inventor Kazuhiro Taniguchi chief researcher at Osaka University's Graduate School of Engineering Science in western Japan has just displayed a new way of controlling your earphones called the "Mimi Switch." The unit's infrared sensors detect the movements your face makes when smiling, winking or changing your facial expression and translates those movement into digital commands. The mechanism also collects facial movement data and can be programmed to initiate certain functions if the wearer is smiling too little or too much, such as modifying your playlist to suit your current mood.

"The machine can be programmed to run with various other facial expressions, such as a wriggle of the nose or a smile."

"It monitors natural movements of the face in everyday life and accumulates data," Taniguchi told AFP in an interview. "If it judges that you aren't smiling enough, it may play a cheerful song."

The Mimi Switch could also store and interpret data and get to know its user,
The device could also serve as a remote control for appliances for physically disabled people, from cameras and computers to air conditioners, or alert medical services if a person has a fit, he said.
The device has yet to be in the commercial market it may take around two three years more
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US Army Uses iPod Touch for Translation,

This week on the Pentagon Channel, a soldier demonstrates the Army's cutting-edge new translation tool: an iPod touch.

The demo iPod looks to have the stock Apple OS, running a custom translation application. It allows the user to select a language, then a situation, and finally a command or question, like "Get down!" in Arabic,it's very helpfull. The app will also show a video of a CGI soldier saying the selection



[The Pentagon Channel]

I-Station25 iPhone, iPod speakers by Logic3

The UK's Logic3 has recently launched its i-Station25 portable speakers meant to work with Apple's iPhone and iPod touch. The i-Station 25 includes an accelerometer that will adjust the output of the speakers to output at the correct left and right separation when users turn it 90 degrees to better view photos or videos stored on their connected Apple device. The four built-in speakers deliver a total of 8W RMS of power, and each is sized at nearly 1.6 inches. The buzzing noise heard in speakers right before an incoming call is suppressed with the use of TDMA noise distortion circuitry.

The i-Station25 also has a composite video output, allowing videos stored on the Apple device to play on a user's TV set as well. The included remote control will control the speaker system's operation, as well as basic functions of the iPhone or iPod. An auxiliary input lets users connect a wider range of portable audio players, including MP3 and CD players. Power for the i-Station25 comes either via an AC adapter or four AA batteries.

The i-Station25 is available in the UK market now, priced at the equivalent of about $102.
[via Macworld]

Lutron lets you dim your lights from your iPhone or IPod Touch

Lutron is a lighting company that has been around since the 60’s, and they developed the dimmer switch around that time.

Lutron has updated their services by offering a lighting system that is controlled by an iPhone or even an iPod Touch. It works by simply screwing wireless modules into the lamps themselves, and then you can take control.