2008 Woodie Awards
DEMO Technology Conference
Dan Weinberger
Issue date: 3/29/05 Section: Science & Technology
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Innovation is more than beating your competitors with more unusual and exclusive gadgets, it's about being practical. The DEMO Technology Conference, an annual exhibition of novel technology, celebrated its 15th anniversary this year. Unlike other years where exhibitors displayed exotic and thrilling gadgets, the theme of this years show was practicality. As DEMO executive producer Chris Shipley said, "I wanted to find some products that had broader implications than just our ability to send e-mail faster or share photographs."
For the typical guy who just can't stand being in a department store or shopping mall, a new gadget called "Smart Shopper" brings a whole new dimension to Internet shopping. The Smart Shopper is a device that scans ones entire body in just 10 seconds using 196 antennas, capturing 200 different body measurements. The device then synchronizes ones exact sizes and measurements clothing websites so that whatever clothing one orders is the correct size. This makes shopping for your favorite brand name simple, regardless of how the sizes are marked on the clothes.
Another interesting device was a virtual keyboard named VKB. The VKB is a device that projects an infrared image of a full sized keyboard on any sort of flat surface. A detection system then senses your fingers as they strike the invisible keys on the red-lighted virtual keyboard. The system then sends a signal using bluetooth technology to your cell or pda. This device can be useful for anyone from college students on the move to surgeons in the operating room. Hospitals would find this particularly practical because they would not need to disinfect the keyboard between each surgery.
In sum, this years DEMO conference exhibited novel and practical technologies, which may soon find their way into life.
For the typical guy who just can't stand being in a department store or shopping mall, a new gadget called "Smart Shopper" brings a whole new dimension to Internet shopping. The Smart Shopper is a device that scans ones entire body in just 10 seconds using 196 antennas, capturing 200 different body measurements. The device then synchronizes ones exact sizes and measurements clothing websites so that whatever clothing one orders is the correct size. This makes shopping for your favorite brand name simple, regardless of how the sizes are marked on the clothes.
Another interesting device was a virtual keyboard named VKB. The VKB is a device that projects an infrared image of a full sized keyboard on any sort of flat surface. A detection system then senses your fingers as they strike the invisible keys on the red-lighted virtual keyboard. The system then sends a signal using bluetooth technology to your cell or pda. This device can be useful for anyone from college students on the move to surgeons in the operating room. Hospitals would find this particularly practical because they would not need to disinfect the keyboard between each surgery.
In sum, this years DEMO conference exhibited novel and practical technologies, which may soon find their way into life.