There is a limit to how big the display of a smartphone can be and it’s always better if we can watch photos and videos on devices with bigger screens. But in the future, a new LED projector being developed by the researchers at Fraunhofer could be able to help.

A smartphone in the future, like an iPhone 5, could be equipped with this projector to project images onto a surface and you will be able to interact with the projection with your finger the same way you would do on the phone’s screen. The projector is based on an insect’s compound eye and it actually consists of small microprojectors.

Researcher Marcel Sieler says, “Our projector consists of hundreds of tiny microprojectors in an array, each of which generates a complete image. This technology, known as ‚array projection, is modeled on nature – on the compound eye found in some insects – and with it for the first time we can create very thin and bright LED projection systems with tremendous imaging properties”.

Each microprojector will project the same image onto a surface and all the individual images will overlap to result in a very sharp and bright overall image. And based on how far it is from the surface, each microprojector can also independently adjust the focus of its image. The necessary data for this could be provided by the phone’s position sensor and camera. The researchers made the projected screen touch sensitive via the use of infrared beams.

But the system needs more work to be done on it and it won’t be available in smartphones sometime soon. But they will be showing it off at the Optatec trade fair in Frankfurt later this month.

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You might have seen photographers framing photos with their hands before taking a snap. But with the new prototype shooter dubbed Ubi-Camera, you will be able to use your hands to frame the photo as well as shoot it at the same time. The miniature camera is currently under development at the Institute of Advanced Media Arts and Sciences.

According to the video, “When you draw a picture or take a photo, you sometimes form a rectangle with your hands to decide the composition. With this camera, you can take a photo using the exact same motion. You attach this device to your index finger, and form a rectangle with your finger like this (see above). You take the photo by using the rectangle as the viewfinder….When you push hard with your thumb, the shutter is pressed”.

The Ubi-Camera comes equipped with a range sensor, and it detects the distance between the camera and the photographer’s face, and determines the framing. “When you take a photo with your face close to the camera, you get a wide-angle shot….and if you move it further away, you can take a close up shot”. Its lens has a fixed focal length, and you will be able to zoom in on something on your PC.

Although you won’t get that great feeling of holding a real camera when you are using the Ubi-Camera (will also look a bit silly), there is no need for viewfinders and displays for the new system. So we are expecting it to arrive with a low price tag.

But the system is still in the development stage and needs much work to be done on it. “Here, the camera has a wired connection to a PC, but we’d like to make a stand-alone camera that can be freely used outside. Also, the range sensor currently uses infrared, so it sometimes doesn’t detect your face properly, or it can be affected by light from the surroundings. So we’d like to use the camera to measure the distance as well, through face recognition. That would enable the system to be used more precisely”.

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It appears like those of you out there who are fond of carrying a weapon are going to have a tough time doing that. The New York Police Department has just announced a new project which involves the developing of a portable scanner that can remotely detect a concealed weapon on a body.  As you know, frisking someone who is carrying a lethal weapon is certainly a dangerous duty for police officers, especially if that person is not happy about getting arrested. But officers from NYPD (and most probably other departments as well, later on) won’t have to worry about it for too long.  The NYPD started working on the portable scanner three years ago after teaming up with the United States Department of Defense.  The device makes use of infrared light rays to image radiation that is coming from a person’s body. If the person is carrying a metal object such as a gun, it will prevent the rays from reaching the part of the body where the object is. This will result in the appearance of an outline of that object on the scanner.  At the moment, the device is capable of detecting weapons from a distance of about one meter. But they are expecting to increase its range to at least 25 meters. They are planning to mount it on a police vehicle for using it on suspects, and frisking will be avoided.  One day in the future it will probably be in HUDs.

[ source ]

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Standing for Mobile Infrared Transmitter, the MIRT can be mounted to your windshield or dash and then, with the hitting of a button, your red light will turn into a green one. This will keep you going on your way with minimal delay.

As you may already know, there all sorts of legal ramifications to devices like these. In many jurisdictions, they may as well be illegal to use, because you are only allowed to use a MIRT under very specific circumstances. Thankfully, the seller’s website provides you with a list of these circumstances.

For the average Joe, the MIRT probably is far from being a requirement for the daily commute, but a minute saved waiting at the light can be better spend twiddling your thumbs in your office cubicle, right?

Source: Gadgetreview

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