Japanese gadget controls iPod in blink of an eye

TOKYO (AFP) — A wink, a smile or a raised eyebrow could soon change the music on your iPod or start up the washing machine, thanks to a new Japanese gadget.

The device looks like a normal set of headphones but is fitted with a set of infrared sensors that measure tiny movements inside the ear that result from different facial expressions.

The gizmo -- called the "Mimi Switch" or "Ear Switch" -- is connected to a micro-computer that can control electronic devices, essentially making it a hands-free remote control for anything.

"You will be able to turn on room lights or swing your washing machine into action with a quick twitch of your mouth," said its inventor, Kazuhiro Taniguchi of Osaka University.

"An iPod can start or stop music when the wearer sticks his tongue out, like in the famous Einstein picture. If he opens his eyes wide, the machine skips to the next tune. A wink with the right eye makes it go back.

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

The Mimi Switch could also store and interpret data and get to know its user, said Taniguchi, chief researcher at Osaka University's Graduate School of Engineering Science in western Japan.

"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."

Some may use the device for relaxation -- perhaps by changing music hands-free while reading a book -- but Taniguchi said it could also have more serious applications to make people's lives safer and easier.

"If the system is mounted on a hearing aid for elderly people, it could tell how often they sneeze or whether they are eating regularly," he said.

"If it believes they are not well, it could send a warning message to relatives."

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 Ear Switch follows on from an earlier device called the Temple Switch that was small enough to fit inside a pair of eyeglasses and also read the flick of an eyelid.

"As the ear switch is put in the ears, its optical sensors are unaffected by sunlight," Taniguchi said.

He said he was planning to patent his new device in Japan and abroad, work on a wireless version, and seek corporate funding to market it for practical uses -- something he expected might take two or three years.

Apple introduces $79 in-ear headphones

In case you missed 'em among all the iPod hubbub, Apple also introduced some new in-ear headphones today, which should go some way to improving its reputation among more discerning listeners. These boast two drivers each -- a woofer and a tweeter -- and come with three earbuds to ensure a proper fit. They sure are running up against some stiff competition at the $79 mark though -- but hey, they're white.

Mind over mouse: Thought-controlled computing on the way

While motion-controlled gaming with systems like the Nintendo Wii are all the rage, new technology heading for consumers this year goes further, sensing facial expressions, emotions and even thoughts.

Focus your mind to cast a magic spell. Smile or wink and your on-screen avatar does the same. Get mellow and background music matches your mood.

These are some of the possibilities promised by Emotiv Systems, which plans to sell its wireless "neuroheadset" late this year.

The 0 device for PCs uses 16 sensors that press lightly against the scalp to monitor electrical activity from the brain and face. A built-in gyroscope tracks head movements to control a cursor or viewing angles.

The brain-sensing technology -- electroencephalography, or EEG -- has been around for decades, mainly as a medical and research tool. Feedback based on EEG has been used by athletes to improve concentration and as therapy for people with attention deficit disorders.

Until recently, it has been too expensive or cumbersome for broad consumer use, said Steve Prentice, a vice president at Gartner Inc., a technology research firm.

Wearing the equipment with its wires and electrodes, "you ended up looking a bit like a laboratory rat," he said. "What Emotiv appears to have done is bring that laboratory environment out into the real world."

Prentice said brain-computer interface technology has many applications, but Emotiv is smart to start with the video game market.

"In gaming, people are looking for any additional sort of edge or cool technological advantage," he said. "It’s a short move from gaming to things like virtual worlds and from there into the mainstream computing environment."

Emotiv has already piqued the interest of IBM Corp., which is testing how the headset, called EPOC, may work with virtual environments.

"As interactions in the virtual world are becoming more complex, mouse and keyboard alone could soon not be enough," IBM spokesman Steven Tomasco said.

He said Armonk, N.Y.-based IBM has no business partnership with Emotiv, but sees the headset as "a very exciting development in human-machine interface."

Others also see the potential of mind over mouse.

OCZ Technology Group Inc. began offering its Neural Impulse Actuator for gamers this year. The device, selling for about 0, is a headband with three sensors that rest on the forehead, detecting electrical signals from movements like a furrowed brow or a blinking eye to control on-screen action in PC games.

NeuroSky Inc. makes "bio-sensors" for consumer products, including toys, and earlier this year demonstrated a prototype headset with gaming applications that detects brain waves and tracks head and eye movement.

These interfaces are among a host of new technologies seeking to enhance or displace the traditional mouse, keyboard and joystick.

Vibration feedback and motion sensing are increasingly common in mobile devices and, led by the Nintendo Wii, in game systems.

New sets of Headset Launch by Jabra in RP

GN Netcom, the global leader in wireless headsets, has launched four new products aimed at the fast-growing Philippine market.

Shaz Khan, GN Netcom president and managing director for Asia Pacific, led the unveiling of the four headsets, namely the M5390, GN9120, BT8040 and T5330. All working by Bluetooth technology, the headsets promise freedom to Filipino executives performing multiple tasks.

"Jabra is committed to providing high-quality, modestly-priced wireless headset in the Philippines. Our four new headsets will give Filipino business executives, office personnel and mobile workers the freedom they crave for," said Khan.

The four Jabra headsets are targeted towards executives who need to answer landline calls away from their desks.

This is especially true with the GN9120 which sets new standards for professional communication in noisy office environments. With up to 150 meter of range and up to 12 hours of talk time, the GN9120 will allow Filipino executives and office personnel to get more things done.

"Conference calls have become a way of life in today’s business world," said Khan. "The GN9120’s multi-unit conferencing capability lets up to four headsets join in on a call. You can enjoy fully mobile conference calls without the hassle of crackling speakerphones."

The GN9120 is designed for demanding environments. It eliminates overly loud sounds and is compatible with virtually any telephone.

The M5390 and BT 8040, meanwhile, belong to Jabra’s family of multiuse headsets.

The M5390 can turn a desk phone into a mobile phone and is so versatile that it can be paired with two different devices at once. Designed for comfort, the M5390 is so small and light (only 15 grams) that you will hardly even know that you are wearing a headset.

The BT8040, on the other hand, is the king of Jabra’s multiuse headsets. Capable of being paired to up to eight devices, it can allow you to take calls from various mobile phones, desk phones, a computer, or even listen to a music player. It even provides acoustic shock protection to shield your ear from sudden loud noises.

The fourth headset that Jabra introduced is the T5330. Very affordable and stylish, this headset allows you to connect to your office landline and answer calls from 30 feet.

Jabra products are distributed locally by Comlan Incorporated. For more information, log on to www.jabra.com.