Sony Smartphone-Mount "Lens Cameras" Leak

We’ve previously covered the recent rumours of the 20 Megapixel Sony Wifi ‘smart lens’ which will attach to Android and iOS smartphones and connect to the phone via Wifi. Theoretically, you’ll be able to take much better pictures with the bigger CMOS sensor and Zeiss glass.



A new rumored gold iPhone now has a rumored gold lens attachment from Sony, according to a report from SonyAlphaRumors which has also posted an image. Until now we’d only seen leaks of a black device, and while a white version was perhaps to be expected, how about gold? Would be a perfect match for that rumored gold iPhone 5S.

“For the first time you can shoot top quality images with your smartphone. Forget these iPhone or Android lens kits!” said SonyAlphaRumors.com, which posted images of the new devices.


But the lenses won’t have screens or camera controls, and can be attached magnetically to the smartphone, from which they can be controlled, it added.

The two new ‘lens-camera’ devices will launch as the DSC-QX10 and DSC-QX100, the idea being that they mount onto a smartphone and contain a built-in imaging sensor, Bionz processor, Wi-Fi/NFC, SD card slot and battery.

The QX10 is rumoured to have a 1/2.3 inch 18MP CMOS sensor and f/3.3-5.9 lens. In terms of pricing, the more expensive QX100 is expected to be priced around the $450 mark. The lenses will be able to capture HD video at 1080/30p.

Does this interest you shutterbugs?
Tejas Thakker

Transparent gel speaker plays music through the magic of ionic conduction (video)

It may be hard to believe, but that transparent disk in the photo above is actually a fully functioning speaker. A team of researchers at Harvard's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences have pioneered a never before seen application of ionic conductivity by creating a see-through artificial muscle that can produce sounds spanning the entire audible spectrum. While ionic conduction isn't a novel idea, it's been considered impractical due to the fact that ionic materials react poorly to high voltage. The team, which included postdoctoral research fellows Jeong-Yun Sun and Christoph Keplinger (pictured above), circumvented that obstacle by placing a layer of rubber between two sheets of transparent conductive gel, allowing the system to work with both high voltage and high actuation, two qualities necessary for sound reproduction. Theoretically, soft machine technology such as this can be used to do much more than play Grieg's Peer Gynt, particularly in the fields of robotics, mobile computing and adaptive optics. To watch it in action, check out the video after the break. 

                                  


Tejas Thakker