Pioneer offering safer car navigation system.

Pioneer on May 8 unveiled a car navigation system that displays instructions and maps on a translucent plastic board between the windshield and the driver's seat.

The electronics maker said Cyber Navi is the first product of its kind and will improve traffic safety because conventional devices require drivers to look away from the road for longer periods.

“We believe consumers who favor the spirit of innovation will embrace it,” said Masanori Kurosaki, a Pioneer director.

The company plans to release the product in July for around 320,000 yen.

The information displayed on the 7.5-centimeter-long, 26-cm-wide translucent board will appear to the driver as 30-cm-long, 90-cm-wide images 3 meters away, the company said.

Only a few letters will be shown to prevent the driver from becoming too distracted.

The Cyber Navi is capable of showing a large image of the speed limit when a camera catches speed-limit signs on the road. The system also sounds an alarm when the car continues to straddle two lanes on a highway.

The Art of Sony PS Vita Gravity Daze

With "Gravity Daze" releasing on June 12th in the US, I wanted to share how the artwork of this game came together as well as how the style of “Bande Dessinee” influenced the title’s art direction. Gravity Daze incorporates the theme of Bande Dessinee (BD), a popular Franco-Belgian comic book art style.

There are various types of BD style and they can be perceived in many ways. We first approached an element of BD we thought would fit well into the pre-existing game art. One of the differences between realistic expression and schematic expression represented by BD is that BD exaggerates the information that author wants to convey to the audience. By doing so, it conveys more of the accurate information that the author wants to be recognized. While considering the gravity mechanic in the game, we brainstormed with these elements in mind. If a player can move around freely, the level should not only be big horizontally, but also vertically. Therefore, we designed the city with multiple levels of layers and structures.

Additionally, the line drawing method was used to exaggerate buildings and allow them to be more easily recognized. We also enhanced the color of the sky in order to give additional sensory information to the players.

The direction we chose to use for the game’s graphics conveys the necessary information with exaggeration that matches the player’s sensation. Taking that into consideration, we also wanted to use line drawings, the characteristic of BD and the simulation of beautiful air effects. I think the broader the game art expression becomes, the more interactive a game becomes. Another important factor is the concept of a “living background.” This is the idea of bringing the game world itself to life so that users can actually ‘feel’ it. Basically, players can interact with certain objects in the game and they can actually get into the scenery within the remote background. Environmental background is not a piece of a picture, but it actually exists within the game, and we can use that background with our gameplay. That was our ultimate goal. By combining the unique art style of BD and the idea of living background, we created a sensation that could only be brought to life with a video game.

What do you think? Leave your thoughts in the comments!

Nintendo expanding eShop offerings for Wii U & 3DS.

Satoru Iwata dropped the proverbial bomb today in an investor presentation, announcing plans to distribute certain retail 3DS games on the eShop download service, where they will be stored on the SD card. The first game to receive this dual release treatment is New Super Mario Bros. 2, due worldwide in August. In addition, the "Onitore" Brain Training game will be sold in this manner.

As consumers transition to downloads, the company will keep its brick-and-mortar partners on-side by allowing them to sell "activation codes" to the digital titles -- although that does mean you'll have to drive down to Gamestop and back.

Canon adds broadcast quality cameras to its Network Camera solutions.

Canon, world leader in imaging solutions, has added two full HD Pan Tilt Zoom cameras to its range of network cameras for security solutions; the broadcast quality remote controlled Pan Tilt Zoom XU-80 and the BU-46H broadcast camera. The XU-80 will be unveiled on Canon’s stand (Hall 4, E40) at the IFSEC International security show, 14-17 May 2012.

Benefiting from Canon’s 70-year heritage at the forefront of lens design, the XU-80 includes 20x optical HD zoom, helping security teams to closely monitor large areas. It has a wide pan and tilt range (180 degrees to the left and right, 220 degrees up and 40 degrees downwards) and produces high quality Full HD (1920×1080) video, using a single 1/3 inch single-CMOS image sensor with 2.1 Megapixels. Its compact size, precision control and waterproof and dustproof design make it a versatile indoor/outdoor camera system.

The Canon XU-80’s waterproof and dustproof design has an IP55 enclosure rating. It can be installed in challenging locations without any additional housing and is not affected by environmental conditions. The XU-80W version of the camera is for permanent outdoor locations and comes with a servo ND filter and wiper unit. This version can also be equipped with a washer as an option. The BU-46H is a broadcast quality 1/3 inch 3 CCD image sensor HD camera with an 20x optical zoom HD lens. The BU-46H offers exceptional control by incorporating features such as an Auto Focus Function and a sophisticated Image Stabilizer. The camera features a wider panning range (340 degrees and a Tilt range of 30 degrees to -50° degrees) together with a smooth and precise pan-tilt motion which makes it ideal for monitoring larger spaces. The camera is weatherproof and dustproof to IP45 rating. Both cameras come complete with HD-SDI video and H.264 video over network for remote control and monitoring, via a third party video server. The server means that any networked PC can view the HD video from a camera and access all of its control features using the supplied Recording Platform Software. This is particularly suitable for users that need to record and view footage remotely, such as for public space surveillance, border security and traffic monitoring.

Both cameras offer the best image quality available during day and night. Canon’s Dynamic Range Compensation feature in the XU-80 allows for shooting in extremes of light by automatically correcting the video contrast. When shooting under low light conditions, the XU-80 gains extra brightness through its slow shutter function. Shooting at night or in near dark conditions is supported by the black and white mode without the IR cut filter.

Joe White, Channel Development Manager for Network Cameras, Canon Europe, said: “The XU-80 and BU-46H cameras bring together expertise from both our award-winning broadcast and our network camera divisions, delivering broadcast-quality images combined with video server capabilities. They meet end user demand for HD CCTV - cameras that excel in the most demanding security challenges such as homeland security or crowd control, offering both exceptional image breadth and depth.”

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Roland Unveils RH-A7 Headphones

Roland is pleased to introduce the RH-A7 Monitor Headphones, a high-fidelity monitoring solution for digital pianos and other audio listening applications. Featuring a lightweight, open-air design and wide-ranging sound, the RH-A7 is ideal for enjoying the rich tonal quality and superior dynamic response of Roland's fine digital pianos.

As compared to closed headphones and earbuds, the open-air RH-A7 produces a more balanced and natural sound, with a wide soundstage and smooth bass response. When used with a Roland digital piano, the RH-A7 delivers a truly organic listening experience, with an openness that is much more like hearing the instrument through its own speaker system. From delicate pianissimo to forceful fortissimo, these headphones accurately reproduce all the subtle nuances of the player's performance.

In addition to superior sound quality, the RH-A7's open-air design brings other benefits. The headphones are light in weight, so they're easy to wear for long practice sessions without fatigue. Their design also allows the sound and air to flow freely for a natural and comfortable listening environment.

The RH-A7 comes standard in black with handsome red earpiece covers. The RH-A7-WH offers a different look with an elegant, all-white finish.

The RH-A7 and RH-A7-WH will be available in late spring.