We’ve seen artificial corneas that could replace damaged organic corneas, but how about a digital image sensor that adjusts itself like a human retina? That’s exactly what John Rogers at the University of Illinois is creating. An improved method of transferring silicon sensors onto a curved surface allowing for the sensor to capture wide-angle views with low distortion. Because it avoids using a conventional flat surface for image capturing, this digital retina is able to perform feats that ordinary cameras cannot. It’ll eventually lead to advancements in security surveillance and capturing wildlife footage.

Using conventional chip manufacturing technology, John Rogers and his colleagues have found a way to bend silicone without forming creases in it. The camera they built has only 256 pixels, making it a low-resolution camera, but they claim the same technique used to craft this camera could be used to craft a wide-angled megapixel camera.  The ladies dorm just got more accessible, Porky’s-style.

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This was huge news for both NASA and the world, until today. Yesterday, the Phoenix Mars Lander heated up a soil sample from the surface of Mars. Upon heating it, a sensor identified vapors of water, meaning there very well could be life on the Red Planet.

“We have water,” said William Boynton of the University of Arizona, lead scientist for the Thermal and Evolved-Gas Analyzer, or TEGA. “We’ve seen evidence for this water ice before in observations by the Mars Odyssey orbiter and in disappearing chunks observed by Phoenix last month, but this is the first time Martian water has been touched and tasted.”

NASA will continue to operate the Phoenix Mars Lander until September 30th, when the mission will come to an end. If there’s water on Mars, then I don’t see why there can’t be life-forms on the planet. Could we see men and women on Mars in the next 15 years? Quite possibly.

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Fancy the electronic duo  Justice? Why not wear tight black pants along with a leather jacket that just screams, “I swallow!” Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay of Justice have teamed up with French label Surface to Air of Paris to create their own limited edition clothing line, complete with a leather wallet. The line is supposed to reflect their hard “rock and roll” image.

Biker bars or gay bars, no matter where you go everyone will know you listen to music with no lyrics. Who needs lyrics anyways? When you’ve got hot beats and cool sounds, no one is paying any attention to the words.

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We’ve seen interactive projection walls before but none as artsy fartsy as Wowlab’s. A camera identifies the contours of a human body standing in front of a wall. The projection will then interact with the persons via rain drops splashing in reaction to shadow, water puddles are created, and in the water even constellations may appear.

Now if only I could make sense of all the lousy poetry riddled all over their website.

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For those of you who are unfamiliar with Microsoft Surface, it’s an iPhone-like touch interface for tables. You can play games, read menus and order food and beverages by interacting with a table. It’s been in prototype mode for awhile now but finally, Microsoft has launched Surface-enabled tables in Las Vegas.

Harrah’s is offering the sleek new tables at the Rio Hotel & Casino. Custom applications were built specifically for Harrah’s, allowing patrons to check out new concerts, order booze, watch YouTube videos, play games and even flirt. Yes, you can now flirt at the bar without making eye contact. Each table cost about $10,000 and has definitely upped the ante for Harrah’s competitors.

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TouchWall, a prototype device currently in development by Microsoft Research and Office Labs is a lot like Microsoft Surface, the tabletop computer with multi touch capabilities, except now it hangs from your wall. Some basic uses of TouchWall include dragging, scrolling, enlarging documents as well as viewing photos and videos.

At the CEO Summit, Bill Gates is expected to talk about his ideas on the future of user interface technology and will demonstrate TouchWall and its many practical uses, from giving simple, elegant business presentations to games like Missile Command.

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Even if it looks a little too much like a purse to be completely unisex, as the designers claim it to be, the idea is a snazzy one. The Urban Performer Unit is a handbag with slick crystallized controlling, allowing you to operate your iPod from the Swarovski crystal laced surface.

The crystals indicate the iPod’s functions, incorporating an emotional feel to a smart electronic handbag. The bag doesn’t only work with iPod’s, but with most any pieces of mobile gadgets, including your PDA or cellphone. The Urban Performer Unit will be available in Christmas 2008 for the price of about $517.80. (more…)

Back when there were new Wiimote hacks being released daily, we posted our fair share of note worthy Wii hacks, but understandably, it has been a while since a new one had popped up. This hack is one for the books though.

Using the Wiimote’s infrared camera beam, this dude has figured out a relatively simple way to make any surface or LCD display a multi-touch device. Pretty much making your very own Microsoft Surface device wherever you want for a fraction of the price it would cost to even demo the surface device. — Andrew Dobrow

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