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June 27, 2012
Lumia

Tech Today



Here we go again! This is the middle of the week, already or almost, and Tech Today is back with great bits of tech from all around the web. Featuring a kit to build a phone out of wood, a party robot and space-pods taxis…

Via David Mellis

IT Media Lab’s High-Low Tech Group has created a kit that lets anyone build their own phone for $150! In other words, it’s a DIY cellphone. Isn’t this a dream come true?! The phone accepts a standard SIM card and works with any GSM provider. Freed from the constraints of mass production, they plan to explore diverse materials, shapes, and functions. They hope that the project will help them explore and expand the limits of do-it-yourself (DIY) practice… Inspiring isn’t it…?

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Ever experienced this feeling of loneliness on a Saturday night when you really feel like dancing but none of your friends is up for it? Yes you know what I’m talking about… Well, some guys at Georgia Tech created an amazing robot, just for you! Its name is Shimi. It’s an “interactive musical buddy” or more technically speaking, a one-foot-tall smartphone-enabled “docking station with a brain.” It use the phone’s face-detection to track listeners and better position its speakers, users can also clap out a beat, which the ‘bot will use to pull a matching song from the phone’s playlist and it will dance with you! Check out the video, it’s simply awesome!


Via TovbotShimi

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You all know that long commutes or even short trips across the city can be strenuous as people become cramped on traditional public transit. Well the Vectus Personal Rapid Transit system provides passengers a comfortable ride as they head to their intended destination. It’s a hybrid between traditional subway lines and inner city taxis which allows up to six travelers to traverse at a time inside a spacious, cozy cabin. You can call for a shuttle to come pick you up if one is not already there at the station and you simply need to tell the system where you’d like to go, hop in and let the roadster do the work!

Via MartinPemberton

That’s it for today! Seen anything that you think we should feature in our next “Today Tech”? Don’t hesitate to share it with us in the comments section or drop us a tweet.