This week in gadget news, we check out a bizarre-but-cool toothbrush helmet, a keyring-sized molecular scanner and Samsung’s monitor that’s also a wireless phone charger.
Toothbrush helmet
What happens when you find yourself slightly obsessed with robotics, but live a rather busy life?
Well, if you are 24-year-old Simone Giertz, you get a lot of attention on Reddit for your toothbrush helmet creation.
Speaking to Vice, Giertz, who works with Arduino boards in a maker company called Punch Through, decided for fun to write up some basic code and rig up some servo motors.
Sadly, she has no intentions of actually making a commercial toothbrush helmet given it was designed to work with her head only and the fact it’s a ludicrous idea, but pretty fun!
SCiO handheld spectrometer
Ever wanted to know the molecular make-up of an apple you’re about to buy? No? Well then, you’re missing out on something pretty cool.
Called, the SCiO handheld spectrometer, the tiny molecular reader developed by Israeli start-up Consumer Physics has the potential to actually be quite revolutionary for the way we buy food in shops as you can use it as a device to ‘Google’ a particular food.
For example, if you were to buy said apple, you could scan it using the SCiO and discover that in its molecular structure lie hidden minute bacteria that could make you sick.
The technology is relatively simple, using established scientific measurements already achieved in the lab and used by scientists, but miniaturised for the commercial market.
The first few beta models are now being shipped out to people who had funded its Kickstarter campaign from the beginning and are selling for US$300.
Samsung SE370 monitor/wireless phone charger
A pretty smart and basic concept from Samsung this time around as its latest SE370 monitors will come with the Qi wireless charging capability, which not only works with Samsung’s latest range of phones, but many other Android devices too, as well as the Apple Watch.
The move comes as the market for wireless charging devices has been slow to take off, with many not being swept up by the idea of purchasing an expensive charging mat, but could be tempted by getting it built-in with their new TV.
As for the screen, it’s expected to offer all you’d want from a high-spec TV, including 1080p resolution and a 178-degree viewing angle to offer a better view to those in a room. Availability should be made clear this September.
New SkyQ box to give 4K TV to the masses
Sky appears to be finally looking to bring 4K to the masses (or at least to those who can afford Sky’s services) with the help of its new SkyQ box, which is believed to be capable of supporting 4K broadcasts.
Until now it’s largely been limited to online sources like Netflix, but this marks Sky’s second attempt to bring in what appeared to be a ‘TV revolution’ with 3D broadcasting, which, frankly, failed miserably.
The SkyQ box will also incorporate machine learning to remember what a person has watched and recommend other shows.
The only question remains is when we will actually see it becoming available? So far, it’s understood to be a case of ASAP, with no defined date.
Jewelbots
To end on an uplifting note, we turn to Jewelbots, a new line of bracelets aimed at teenage girls that are much more than just dumb jewellery, but offer them a chance to learn code, too.
The concept is relatively simple, in that you purchase the bracelet containing a series of LED lights, and then it’s up to the user to do whatever they want it to do, whether that’s flash when they receive a Facebook message, or let them know their phone is ringing.
The Kickstarter project has its eyes firmly set on bridging the coding divide between boys and girls by encouraging them to learn in a fun way, all while using Arduino and controlled through a person’s phone or, for more detailed tasks, their computer.
With just a few days to go before the funding for the project closes, the Jewelbots team has quadrupled their original target and now plan to ship the first Jewelbots kits to teenagers in March 2016.
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Dog getting its teeth cleaned image via Shutterstock
