FEPY

Moonbell is an automated music generator that plays musical scores based on lunar topographical data obtained by Japan’s Kaguya (SELENE) explorer during its orbit around the moon from late 2007 to June 2009.

[Launch Moonbell in a new window]

Moonbell, which was developed in cooperation with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), has two playback modes: “Orbit Play” and “Free Scratch.” Click the buttons on the bottom right of the screen to switch modes.

In Orbit Play mode, Kaguya traverses the moon in a circular orbit and music is generated based on the topography below. This screen displays Kaguya’s orbital path, an altitude graph of the topography, and the corresponding musical notation map. Use your mouse to change Kaguya’s location and orbit.

In Free Scratch mode, you can use your mouse to chart a path across the moon’s surface. The corresponding music plays in a loop, regardless of how long the path is. The notes are visualized as different colors and patterns on the screen.

To tweak the audio output, click the “Preference” button on the bottom left of the screen. This opens the settings panel, where you can choose from 128 musical instruments for each track, change the playback speed, set the volume for each instrument, and more.

See the “About” page for a complete description of all of Moonbell’s functions and controls.

[Link: Moonbell]

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The annual Good Design Expo — billed as one of the biggest design events in Asia — showcases thousands of well-designed products under consideration for the year’s Good Design Awards. Over 2,000 items ranging consumer electronics, automobiles and furniture to office equipment, building designs and sporting goods were exhibited at this year’s event, which was held at Tokyo Big Sight this weekend (Aug 28-30). Here are just a few of the many eye-catching designs on display.

Freshness label [+]

One the most interesting items was this hourglass-shaped freshness label for meat products (designed by TO-GENKYO). The label contains special ink that changes color based on the amount of ammonia emitted by the meat (the older the meat, the more ammonia it releases).

Freshness label [+]

Like an hourglass, the bottom half of the label “fills up” as the meat ages. Consumers can judge the product’s freshness at a glance.

Freshness label (with 1/2 price tag) [+]

When the meat is no longer suitable for sale, the ink blocks the barcode at the bottom so that it cannot be scanned at the cash register.

Hana-Akari [+]

These stylish Hana-Akari interior lamp shades by Sony are actually dye-sensitized solar cells that mimic photosynthesis by storing energy in a thin membrane. The shades collect sunlight during the day and power the lamp at night.

“Concent” USB hub that looks like wall outlet (by ELECOM) [+]

Lotte “Fit’s” gum package [+]

LED desk lamp [+]

Kissing Octopus Couple USB drives [+]

Kissing Octopus Couple USB drives (by A-Data) have magnets inside, allowing them to function as magnetic stickers when not in use.

Kissing Octopus Couple USB flash drives [+]

When two are placed face to face, they lock together in a magnetic kiss (making them an ideal gift for Valentine’s Day).

Restroom Item 01 urinals by Toto [+]

Balsa Max fishing lure [+]

The eye-catching Balsa Max fishing lures by Megabass are built using cutting-edge technology and natural materials.

D-Clips (animal-shaped paperclips by Designphil) [+]

Animal rubber bands (by +d.) [+]

Honda Walking Assist Device [+] [+]

Honda’s experimental Walking Assist Device helps support the wearer’s body weight, reducing the load on the legs while walking, going up and down stairs, and crouching.

“Palook” spiral fluorescent bulbs by Panasonic [+]

Rice spoons that stand on end [+]

Disposable AED pads [+]

These disposable pads are designed for use with automated external defibrillators (AEDs) placed in public areas. The imprinted design shows where to attach the pads to the body — helpful information for the first-time user.

Candy-colored portable hard drives (by A-Data) [+]

QLD-101 table lamp [+]

The QLD-101 table lamp (designed by Qisda Corporation) is a modular LED light fixture composed of crystal-like units that connect together with magnets. The polyhedral units can be easily configured into a variety of shapes, and the low-temperature LEDs prevent them from becoming hot to the touch.

QLD-101 table lamp [+]

The interactive lamp, whose design was inspired by natural crystals, gently cycles through a spectrum of colors.

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Meet RIBA, a robot nurse that resembles a friendly bear.

RIBA — short for “Robot for Interactive Body Assistance” — was developed by researchers at Japan’s Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN) and Tokai Rubber Industries, Ltd. (TRI). Designed primarily to assist nurses by lifting patients in and out of their beds and wheelchairs (as well as on and off the toilet), the 180-kilogram (400-lb) robot can safely pick up and carry people weighing as much as 61 kilograms (135 lbs).

+ Video

The friendly-looking machine has long, flexible arms embedded with an array of tactile sensors that help it optimize the lifting and carrying of humans. For safety purposes, RIBA’s entire body is covered in a soft skin molded from an advanced lightweight urethane foam developed by TRI. The soft skin is designed to ensure the comfort of patients while they are being carried. In addition, the arm joints yield slightly under pressure — much like human arms do — further increasing the level of comfort and safety.

The robotic bear can also recognize faces and voices, as well as respond to spoken commands. Using visual and audio data from its surroundings, RIBA can identify co-workers, determine the position of those nearby, and respond flexibly to changes in the immediate environment. The motors operate silently, and a set of omni-directional wheels allow the robot to navigate tight spaces inside hospitals and nursing facilities.

Japan, which faces an impending shortage of nurses as the population grows older, is looking at ways to offset the inevitable challenges that medical institutions will encounter in the coming years. Technology is regarded by some as the solution to this problem, so a considerable amount of government and private research is geared toward developing robots capable of working in the healthcare field.

RIBA is an upgraded version of RIKEN’s RI-MAN, a robot nurse assistant developed in 2006 that was only able to lift dolls weighing 18.5 kilograms (40 lbs). In addition to better strength and perception, RIBA’s improved information processing technology allows it to crunch data at least 15 times faster than RI-MAN. This allows RIBA to move faster and with more confidence than its predecessor.

RIBA’s creators say they chose the friendly teddy bear appearance in order to convey a favorable image to patients. Attempting to make the robot look human would only frighten the patients, they claimed in their press release.

RIKEN and TRI plan to put RIBA to work in hospitals within the next five years.

[Source: RIKEN]

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Graphic artist Aquirax Uno, a prominent figure in the Japanese underground art scene of the 1960s-1970s, is famous for creating psychedelic posters featuring strange (and occasionally grotesque) eroticism, bright colors, and elements of collage.

First Love Inferno, 1968 [+]

Keiko’s at Marubutsu Department Store, 1967 [+]

Michelangelo’s Expression, 1968 [+]

Display Exhibition, 1969 [+]

Untitled, from “Mono Aquirax” [+]

Sailor 21 Gold Fountain Pen, 1968 [+]

“Aquirax Uno Collection” Exhibition Poster, 1968 [+]

Mini Books, 1967 [+]

The images here (and more like them) are from the website of Tara Sinn, who has also posted a 2007 interview with Uno.

A selection of Uno’s original posters can also viewed at Kawasaki City Museum as part of the “Graphic Design in the 60s and 70s” exhibit that runs until October 4 (free).

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Maywa Denki president Nobumichi Tosa has created a video detailing the inner workings of the manually-operated WAHHA GO GO laughing machine.

+ Video

According to the video, WAHHA GO GO is activated by spinning the torso-mounted metal disk (an optional crank arm can be used for greater speed). The disk’s rotational energy is transferred to the machine’s left and right arms via a gear assembly in the lower back. As the arms rotate, the accordion-like lungs expand upward, drawing in air that is then exhaled through the machine’s artificial vocal cords.

Another set of gear wheels in the spine transfers some of the spinning disk’s rotational energy to the head assembly, which includes a pair of tiny arms that stretch and relax WAHHA GO GO’s artificial vocal cords (thus regulating the pitch), as well as an arm connected to a valve that controls the flow of air from the lungs. This arm also opens and closes the mouth, which alters the so-called “formant characteristics” (resonant frequency) of the laugh, producing the “wa” and “ha” sounds.

By incorporating a series of mechanisms that work together to control the pitch, resonant frequency, and amount of air supplied to the artificial vocal cords, WAHHA GO GO is able to produce an uncanny human-like laugh.

[Link: YouTube]

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+ Video

Phasma, a six-legged remote-controlled robot by takram design engineering, is built to run rapidly and dynamically like an insect.

Described as an attempt to mimic a living organism purely through its motion, rather than its shape, the mechanical bug employs a design that reproduces some of the physics at work when an insect runs.

Using components such as sliding cables, stainless steel springs and rubber joints, the designers were able to reproduce the smooth and efficient locomotion seen in insects.

Particularly interesting is Phasma’s use of the so-called alternating tripod gait, a highly stable walking pattern commonly used by insects in the natural world.

The video embedded above shows the Phasma at a recent demonstration at 21_21 Design Sight at Tokyo Midtown.

[Link: takram design engineering]

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What exactly this place is, apart from probably being Buddhist-based, is a mystery, at least to me.

But it does have a sort of dated science fiction-like demeanour. Or even, at a push, it could be deemed as almost Dalek-like.

Dalek-like devotion?

Originally from Tokyo Times

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If you`ve been to Japan you`ll recognise lots of these images, if you haven`t then this is a great video showing many different facets of Japan.

This is Japan! from Eric Testroete on Vimeo.

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Post from: Neil Duckett

This Is Japan!

This Is Japan!

Originally from Neil Duckett

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My cousin sent me this link on the weekend, some pretty unbelievable skills with a sword i`m sure you`ll agree.

Didn`t see it on Japanese TV at the time but glad i was able to check it out … the clip has subtitles too. Cheers Cuz!

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Post from: Neil Duckett

Modern Samurai

Modern Samurai

Originally from Neil Duckett

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Due to a defect, I had to send in my Etymotic hf2s for repair. In the meantime, I wanted to try out the Future Sonics Atrio earbuds. After a few weeks of use, I find the Future Sonics offer compelling performance. Is it enough to replace the Etymotics? Read on to find out.

Build quality is a step above the standard iPod earbuds. Cables feel a bit stouter and the earbud assemblies look like they’ll last for a while. As with most third party earbuds, they come with a good selection of eartips that should satisfy 99% of the human population.

The sound is noticeably different when compared to the Etymotics. I almost consider it to be a polar opposite. The Future Sonics are able to present bass with a high level of fullness and clarity. It’s able to pick up the low frequencies in tracks that most earbuds will simply skip over. I include the Etymotics in this bass skipping category.

The Etymotics present bass in it’s neutral/natural form. The Future Sonics embrace the bass, and push it out to the user in a way that’s easy to consume. Think of it as sonic chocolate.

With this level of focus, there are going to downsides. Mids sound good but not as good as the Etymotics. With the highs the gap starts to widen. They just don’t have the signature Etymotic level of precision. They’re not bad by any means. It simply comes down to the fact that the Etymotics are better optimized for this particular sound range.

If you love deep, rumbling bass with decent mids and ok highs, the Future Sonics should be your number one choice. Startling highs and accurate mids and lows are where the Etymotics shine.

[Image from Future Sonics]

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