Technabob » handy

Kandenchi Battery Mouse Feels Like You’re Using a Joystick

Hazel Chua — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 15:00:26 +0000

Computer mice come in a lot of forms nowadays. Gone are the days of the huge and bulky mouse with the humongous scroll balls that I’ve had the pleasure of using over a decade ago. Now there are wireless mice, Oppopets mice that come with adorable animal-themed dongles, and ring mice.

And then there’s Elecom’s Kandenchi Battery Mouse (JP). It’s tiny and compact and comes in the shape of a battery, albeit with a simpler look and no positive or negative nodes in sight. It’s also larger than your regular D cell, but not large enough to really resemble a joystick.

The Battery Mouse comes with two buttons (the one at the top is for right-clicking, while the top one at the side is for left clicks) while the bottom button is a scroll wheel. It’s definitely a computer mouse that’s handy and extremely portable, but I reckon people with large hands might have some difficulty using it.

If you’re interested, the Kandenchi Battery Mouse will be available in October and will retail at around $65 (USD).

[via The Red Ferret Journal via Oh Gizmo!]

Smart String Upstages Your Ordinary Measuring Tape

Hazel Chua — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 11:45:01 +0000

Who would think that the day would come that measuring tapes would be rendered, well, second rate or second class when it comes to measuring? After all, that was the only reason and purpose for which they were created.

They served their purpose well for the past few decades or so while they reigned supreme as the top measuring device for carpenters, furniture makers, and DIY enthusiasts.

Now Smart String, another measuring tool, might just be the one that can upstage it. No metal tape measures here that make it hard to measure the circumference of round or irregularly-shaped objects here, just pure string.

Just pull on the metal tab, use the string to measure whatever it is you want to measure, and read the length off the digital display on the Smart String unit. It’s small and handy, as you can see, and can measure objects up to 50″ in length and store up to three measurements in memory. And if you were wondering why it has keypads that look like that of a calculator’s, that’s because the Smart String doubles as a calculator, too. And if you need a longer version, they’re already working on the 12-foot, industrial-strength Smart String 2.

Smart String is available from ThinkGeek for $11.99 (USD). It’s a good deal, if you ask me.

[via 7Gadgets via Oh Gizmo!]

Handy Robotic Arm is a Helpful Extra Limb

Karen M. — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 12:00:10 +0000

The Handy robotic arm is meant to lend an extra hand for things like hammering, washing, painting, or kneading. It will be wireless capable and come with USB and midi ports, and employ “fuzzy AI logic” so it can learn your individual preferences.

It is expected to be released in the next couple of years and will be foldable for transport. The first model will be like this tabletop rendering but future models might have wheels and harnesses (really? harnesses?) for additional mobility.

This is a clean site so I don’t want to imply other less savory uses that folks might find for this item. I think this quote from the manufacturers, in conjunction with the above photo, will suffice: “Handy has a very, very firm but soft grip and its ability to oscillate up and down at select speeds is quite satisfying.” Mm-hmm.

[InventorSpot via UberGizmo]