Hasta La Ideas

Lovable geeks that we are, we’ve always got a watchful eye on developments in 3D printing technology. Its amazing to see interest spreading through a whole host of disciplines. Core77’s very own Matt Brown has even speculated on how such technologies might influence food production in his design fiction work.

Well, according to a report that appeared on CNN Money yesterday, Matt’s fantasies may not be so far-fetched. Working alongside the opensource Fab@Home project, students and researchers at Cornell have been experimenting with printing quite a variety of edibles.

The team are seemingly looking to get these babies out into mass production—aiming for a price point comparable to that of an iPad.

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Gadgets to keep granny safe, healthy and connected

No matter how patiently explained, it’s tough for older people to keep up with today’s complex technologies. At the same time, user-friendly connectivity—as an increasingly important part of safety and health—is becoming more common. Two companies catering to the needs of seniors are Swedish brand Doro, specializing in simplified home and mobile phones, and Sonamba, a company in North Carolina that created the ultimate well-being monitoring system.

Doro’s phones are great for just making calls, and some models even have pictures of who to call instead of a dial pad, such as the Doro MemoryPlus corded phone pictured above. This model and most of the others (including the mobiles) are hearing aid compatible and feature large keypad buttons. Nominated for a Red Dot Award, the PhoneEasy mobile phone (pictured top right) also comes with security functions like pre-recorded SMS alerts, an automatic “man down” alarm and an easily-activated emergency dialing button.

Designed to look inexpensive for price-conscious seniors, the Sonamba monitoring system is actually packed with advanced technology. The device is an interactive digital photo frame when not in use, but actually serves as a serious watchdog for the elderly person in your life.

With a user-friendly interface, the device keeps track of medication times, monitors motion and sound (and will notify you if there is lack of extended activity), allows seniors to send and receive text messages, and features a personal emergency response system with both a button on the unit and a wearable pendant. The Sonamba also connects to an iPhone app, so that a caregiver or relative can stay in the loop remotely. To see a full illustration on how the device works, take the tour of its many capabilities.

Une installation interactive avec le dispositif “Perspective Lyrique” interagissant avec les voix et chants du public. Un mapping et des déformations sur la façade du théatre des Célestins à l’occasion de la Fête des Lumières de Lyon, par la branche d’Exyzt : 1024 Architecture.

Previously on Fubiz

• Interactive Window Concept
• Seat : Projection Mapping
• Bend Desk

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TankBot, debuting at this month’s New York International Gift Fair, is a desktop toy that can be controlled by just a tilt of your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch. The toy’s three modes allow it to navigate mazes using IR sensors, roam and race in multi-player challenges. And best of all, its priced under $20 for some mid-afternoon office fun.

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Get more out of your gadgets with these tech add-ons

If there’s any theme to the newsworthy items found at CES this year, it’s the concept of the add-on gadget. From tweeting from a camera to printing mobile pictures and avoiding speeding tickets with phones, here are a few new things you can do when devices start talking to each other.

Polaroid Grey Label Printer

The lesser-hyped product from Polaroid’s new Gaga designed line, the GL10Grey Label printer uses a new Zink (zero ink) printing technology to print quality 3″x4″ shots sent to the device via Bluetooth from a Blackberry or Android app. It gives the option of printing border-less or with an old-school white frame, and offers a variety of special effects. With its chic leather carrying case, it makes a great accessory for taking out to a party. Due out this May, the printer will run $150.

Olympus PP1 Penpal

To trick out their new E-PL2 micro four-thirds camera, Olympus’ PP1 Penpal fits into the flash hotshoe. When in place, a “share” option appears on the playback screen to transfer that picture to Blackberry or Android devices via Bluetooth. The pic lands in your photo library so it can be easily posted to Twitter, Facebook, Flickr or anywhere else you share photos from your phone. It’s available from Olympus retailers now for $80.

Surc Univeral Remote iPhone Case

Not the first but potentially the most powerful, this iPhone case and accompanying software turns phones into universal remotes. You can easily add devices and rooms to be able to use it anywhere in your home, or launch a “Surc attack” in your favorite bar and change the TV station so that you never miss an episode of Real Housewives. It comes out this spring and will retail for $70 from Surc.

Cobra iRadar

With Cobra iRadar a simple radar detector becomes more powerful by pairing with your iPhone. The app tracks driving information, avoids red light cameras and notes speed traps. It’s available from
several retailers now for $130.

Parrot Astroid

The Parrot Astroid is a single-plug in-dash receiver with a simple interface and a high-res color screen featuring web apps, voice recognition, music playback and hands-free telephony—all by communicating with your mobile phone over Bluetooth.