Dancing robots, wireless iPod sound
Some innovative products on display at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week included:
Littleton-based Clark Synthesis Tactile Sound underwater speaker, Aquasonic ($599) is the only product in the world that allows people to listen to music above and below water, said general manager Bill Phillips. In addition to pool owners purchasing Aquasonics and mounting them in swimming pool lights, the speakers are being used by performance group Cirque du Soleil for “O” playing at the Bellagio and at a show at the Wynn Hotel, also in Vegas.
For 30 years, Golden-based Pentax made the camera most popular among student photographers. Now the company has come out with a digital version of its SLR camera, called the DL, for just under $700. Although Pentax admits it was “a little late getting into the digital camera space” in 2003, the company now has 11 different models of digital cameras. Its A10 camera ($350) has an anti-shake function and will be available in stores as early as next month.
You can toss out those white iPod headphones and replace them with a pair of wireless headphones. Bluetooth technology advocates showed off a variety of new solutions for audio players and cellphones, including the Plantronics Pulsar 590 ($189). Plug a small Bluetooth adapter into the headphone jack of your iPod or portable player and the headset lets you wander more than 10 feet away with perfect sound reception. The Pulsar also doubles as a headset for your Bluetooth-enabled cellphone. When a call comes in, the stereo sounds lower and wearers press a button on the headset to answer the phone.
Legos are making a comeback – a robotic one. With Lego Mindstorms ($249), you get a complete kit to build your very own working robot. The computer software and hardware included allows you to program the robot to do a variety of things from walking to dancing. You also control how you want to interact with the robot: by hand motions – wave your hand in front of the robot to make it stop – or by voice – sing faster and the robot dances faster.
