12-18-2003, 04:00 PM
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Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,228
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Talk To The Hand!
http://www.geekzone.co.nz/content.asp?contentid=1969
"NTT DoCoMo is doing some R&D into different techniques to make mobile an always present technology. The FingerWhisper is currently being developed at the NTT DoCoMo Yokosuka R&D center is a new kind of wearable telephone handset that utilizes the human hand as part of the receiver. Worn on the wrist, this watch-like terminal converts voice to vibration through an actuator and channels this vibration through the bones to the tip of the index finger. By inserting this finger into the ear canal, the vibration can be heard as voice. We call this process the bone conduction receiving mechanism. "
In other words, talk to the hand!  I'm not sure how I feel about using body parts as communication tools. First person to joke about needing to go the bathroom to print out a fax though may be taking a vacation for a few days. :lol:
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12-18-2003, 04:19 PM
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Magi
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,386
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I don't think this will take off but I can almost see this being useful for noisy areas where it would be difficult to hear people directly through speaker of a cellphone or through a hands-free set.
Leave it to the Japanese to come up with this... they have a lot of technologies over there that get hot in Japan but never see the light of day elsewhere.
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12-18-2003, 04:28 PM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 5
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It just doesn't seem very sanitary... especially during the Flu season. And then... you could just be talking to someone and then have to hand the phone off to someone else... "Hold on one second, Hey buddy... lemme stick my finger in your ear and get real close so our Bones vibrate" 8O :mrgreen:
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12-18-2003, 04:29 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 144
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I bet is has negative long term health effects, similar to the rumble feature of video game controllers. Besides, if you answer your 'hand' on the subway or another place full of people, do you really want to stick your finger in your ear after you've touched the handbar that a thousand other people have touched recently? Disgusting.
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12-18-2003, 04:44 PM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 8
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c'mon guys, if you count the number of times you put your hands on your face, touch your eyes, rub your nose, scratch your years, touch your lips in a single day you'll see that this idea won't be so unsanitary after all. You all make it sound like you are the most sanitary people on this earth. I don't think you actually stick your finger ALL the way into your ear canal, probably just barely touching the outside of it.
Now, if y'all just wash your hands often like you're supposed to, you'll be fine.
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12-18-2003, 04:53 PM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 2
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No more long nails for the ladies!
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12-18-2003, 05:04 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 717
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I was thinking more along the lines of sharing the phone. It will be like this, hey buddy you want to talk to him, let me stick my finger in your ear.
8O
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12-18-2003, 05:10 PM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,329
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*shrugs* Medical gloves or more accurately someone will sell index finger covers. I'd be more concerned with people thinking your digging in your ear. :worried: 
This is really cool. The next step will be directional audio. Forget about putting your finger in your ear. The audio encompasses your head. Don�t know how they will do it but it�ll happen at some point. Bring on the star trek com badge!! :rock on dude!:
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12-18-2003, 05:10 PM
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12-18-2003, 05:20 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 119
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I'm curious, though... if the sound is via bone conduction and the mike is in the watch, why is there a cord coming out of the watch? What does it lead to... the battery?
--Welmoed
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