Tech Industry

WIRED NextFest 2006

By // October 10, 2006, 2:17 AM PST // billdetwiler

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  • WIRED NextFest 2006

    The WIRED NextFest is a four-day event that showcases innovative products and technologies. This year's NextFest, held at the Javits Center in New York, featured more than 130 exhibits from leading scientists and researchers.

    © Webshots - brittleskittle2

  • Holographic projector through fog



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  • A moon robot!



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  • Mockup of the water filtration system on the moon



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  • Half man half robot

    ..used for moon exploration because of its manual dexterity

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  • Cool robot hand

    ..controlled by motion-sensitive glove on dude's hand

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  • DJ Robot

    ..switches vinyl, picks tracks, spins and scratches itself.. wicked awesome

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  • FIRST Robot competition

    ..high school kids from across the nation build robots and compete in a basketball-like game

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  • Intel, Baby..

    ..Dell XPS's with Core2Duo Extreme Processors and Dual nVidia 7900GT's playing HL2:Lost Coast... god love SLI

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  • Robo-Bar!!!

    You punch in your drink order and Robo-Bar serves it to you!!!

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  • I Heart T3H Geek Squad!



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  • Test your knowledge...



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  • Can you handle the Hot Seat?!?



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  • I wish The Precinct looked like this..



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  • Ads Projected on side of new fuel-efficient Saturn



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  • Dodgeball anyone?

    ..you stand in front of the camera and sort the blocks based on color by moving your hands..

    © Webshots - brittleskittle2

  • Sound-oriented DJ'ing

    ..you set the needle on this plastic stuff, then draw on the plastic "record" and it makes sounds depending on how you move the markers..

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  • BrainBall..

    ..you put on biofeedback headbands and relax and clear your mind.. Whoever's mind is the clearest with the least activity due to brain stress will roll the ball across and win!

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  • Laptop Symphony

    ..15 Qosmio laptops that emit sound and color when you control them with touch-sensitive wands..

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  • Touch-sensitive wands..

    ..that control the laptop symphony..

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  • Volleyball, baby!

    .. the picture is projected on the screen and you use your hands to smack it around..

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  • Climbing Wall Orchestra..

    Kids climb the wall and different sounds emit from the different hand and footholds.

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  • Sound Flakes

    turn the faucets, different colored shapes are projected in light onto the bottom of the tub, and each has a different sound. You can use the ladle to "stir" the sound and isolate different "flakes"

    © Webshots - brittleskittle2

  • Virtual Kung Fu Fighter

    ..Flip, punch, kick, duck, somersault.. you control your actions in this fighting game not unlike Mortal Kombat...

    © Webshots - brittleskittle2

  • Tall shoes

    Video, Bases, and all kinds of other safety feautures..

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  • Hug Shirts!

    for people in long distance relationships...you hug yourself and it transmits signals to the other shirts based on your "hug"

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  • Weird mirrorish wall

    ..I forget what this was...

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  • Eco Doors!

    ..it senses your size and only opens far enough for you to get through

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  • Kitchen of the Future..

    ..completely computerized.. tells you what you need, how long it needs to be cooked/chilled, regulates temperature seperately for different foods and wines and all that

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  • Ballroom Dancing Robots!

    They dance with each other, they dance with people.. sense the beat of the music and such.

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  • ROBOT SEALS!

    for people that don't get enough affection.. Why can't i have one?

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  • Android receptionist

    She speaks and responds to English and Japanese, and actually can respond to jokes.

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  • Military Stuff!

    Heat-sensitive binoculars that have audio and video remote capabilities and night vision and all kinds of other good stuff.

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  • BomBot

    ..currently used by the military and metropolitan police departments to defuse bombs..designed and built by high schoolers

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  • F.I.R.E.

    Forget what it stands for but breathing apparatus for firefighters..measures and reports smoke and fire conditions for rooms/floors/etc. of burning buildings, and downloads and stores digital floor plans.

    © Webshots - brittleskittle2

  • Hydraulic lifting apparatus

    ..designed for hospital patients who are unable to move, makes nurses' lives easier by allowing them to clean sheets, etc... also helps blood flow and mobility in bedridden patients

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  • US Army Biosuit

    Biosuit designed by US Army Research Center in Natick, MA.. fabric adjusts to impact and is completely bulletproof yet allows soldier to run, jump, etc.. but becomes iron-hard upon any impact...

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  • US Army Biosuit



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  • Various other Army stuff



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  • Normal pack..



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  • Ever wondered how much power you're using?

    This surge protector's cord lights up based on how much power is being used by devices at any given time. It also regulates flow of electricity to the devices.

    © Webshots - brittleskittle2

  • Dandelion Fuzz..

    You aim a hairdryer at the screen and the change in air currents "blows" the dandelion fuzz off the screen.

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  • Astronauts!

    ..but i forget who.. bigwigs at NASA, too.

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  • 3D LED Cubes

    100's of suspended LED's in the 12 in. square cubes, programmed to broadcast rotating 360-degree messages.

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  • VeinViewer!

    One of the technologies on display that's actually currently being used... those are my veins in my hand.. no more getting stuck multiple times at the hospital!

    © Webshots - brittleskittle2

  • All of Us..

    L-R: Dad, Mom, Pennie, Me, Mike, Heidi, Bob, Fiona, Victor.. Julie's taking the pic

    © Webshots - brittleskittle2

WIRED NextFest 2006

The WIRED NextFest is a four-day event that showcases innovative products and technologies. This year's NextFest, held at the Javits Center in New York, featured more than 130 exhibits from leading scientists and researchers.

© Webshots - brittleskittle2

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By Bill Detwiler

Bill Detwiler is Editor in Chief of TechRepublic and Tech Pro Research and the host of Cracking Open, CNET and TechRepublic's popular online show. Prior to joining TechRepublic in 2000, Bill was an IT manager, database administrator, and desktop supp...