Lego-Style Consumer Electronics

Bug Labs showcased its Lego-style products in the current 2008 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. The said system evolved around a BUGbase system which was essentially a programmable/hackable Linux based computer with the CPU, Ram, built-in WiFi, a rechargeable battery pack to provide power, USB Interface, Ethernet and a small lcd to show the status of the system. This would be a fun gadget for those adventurous developers or school-going teens who need something to pour their energy into. There are currently four modules like a separate GPS Transceiver, Digital Camera/Video Camera, Touch Screen, LCD Screen and an Accelerometer with motion sensors. These modules, when combined can be made into something like a GPS-tagging Digital Camera or as they call it “Geo-Cam” which has the exact geographical coordinates of the picture when it was taken.

Some other major manufacturers have been offering similar devices like “SONY” which has a dongle you attach to your digital camera or HD Camera that records positional data alongside the images allowing a digital map or history of when and where they were taken. The data is included with the time-stamp and date-stamp which can be used with proprietary software to create a digital timeline which can also be saved along with the video.

There is already a BUGcommunity that has been hard at work on the functionality and combination aspects of the said BUG system which is a good source of code and programs for developing other modules. This is similar to most open-sourced developing platforms which is fun for the sky is the limit when it comes to the ways the modules can be combined and how a program can utilize all of the said modules to provide useful information the user desires. More modules are being developed and are to be released in the second quarter of 2008. and one more thing, you need to get hold of Bud System SDK which can be downloaded fro their site.

Posted by Nick at 9:56 am under Cameras, Cellphones, Computer Accessories, PCs, PDA's, Portable Media, Robots, Software, Toys, Wireless