Casio and AU will release in Japan a new EXILIM powered mobile phone W63CA featuring an 8.1 camera with a 9 Point autofocus and a wide angle lens to accompany the dual LED flash. The new Exilim Keitai W63CA clamshell handset looks pretty much like a digital camera from the back. Other features include a rather generous 3.1″ WVGA display and a microSD memory card slot. (more…)

Toyota Motor Corp and a research body of the University of Tokyo have created a robot prototype that handles household chores. The robots measures 155cm, and weighs 130kg. It has two arms, five recognition cameras and laser sensors and gets around on wheels. The research team have said they will keep improving the robot and hope to start marketing it in around seven years’ time. (more…)

NEC LCD Technologies has announced the successful development of multiple sizes (A3 and A4 equivalent) of electronic paper (e-paper) modules using the microcapsule electrophoresis system. Both new e-paper modules will be showcased in NEC LCD Technologies’ booth #4801 at “FPD International 2008,” which is being held from October 29 to 31 in Pacifico Yokohama, Japan. NEC LCD Technologies recognized the potential of e-paper from an early stage and has long promoted the development, design and fabrication of its various prototypes, in addition to considering a wide variety of marketing and technical aspects. A3 and A4 modules have drawn particular attention due to consumer’s existing daily use of similarly sized paper. (more…)

Tessera Technologies has announced its new FotoNation(R) BlinkCheck technology, which improves image-taking capabilities of digital still cameras (DSCs), cell phones and other camera-enabled devices by ensuring all human subjects in a photo have their eyes open. FotoNation BlinkCheck technology is the latest addition to the comprehensive FotoNation FaceTracker solution. The FotoNation FaceTracker solution identifies and tracks, in real time, more than 10 faces in one image in as little as 0.1 seconds. It provides in-camera face detection and tracking for digital still and cell phone cameras, and other camera-enabled devices. The solution also includes FotoNation SmileCheck technology, which detects smiles and enables the smile shutter mode, in which photographs are automatically captured only when all the detected faces in the picture are smiling. (more…)

LG has introduced the new LG-KC780 8-megapixel digital camera phone, ideal for shooting portraits. The LG-KC780 will go on sale in November 2008, in Europe, then India, Thailand, Hong Kong and China. The LG-KC780 can capture DVD-resolution video and has “Motion Sensor Games”. LG-KC780 is a slim slider phone at 13.9mm thick, the phone boasts a 2.4-inch widescreen LCD while on the photography side of things, there’s a Schneider-Kreuznach certified lens, ISO up to 1600, a SmartLight setting for bright conditions and a built-in image stabiliser. (more…)