While we were visit NTT Docomo’s WHARF building we got to see a device that looked like a wrist watch. This device, however, was much more than a wrist watch. For the sake of simplicity I’m going to refer to the watch for the rest of this review as “The Tapper.”
By simply tapping forefinger against thumb, the user creates vibrations. The watch can sense these vibrations and transmits them back to a receiver. When the vibrations are in the correct rhythmic pattern, the receiver accepts the rythm as a sort of password and it activates the lights or the TV or opens your safe – anything that interfaces like a two option toggle. For example, do the rhythm once and the lights turn on, do it again and the lights turn off. In this case, the two options would be “lights on” or “lights off.”
Speaking of things that turn your lights on and off without using a light switch, this device almost reminded me of a much sleeker, more capable “Clapper.”
I say sleeker because you get a neat wrist watch-looking-thing with the NTT Docomo Tapper, but I say more capable because the Tapper could control at least three devices and turn them all on and off separately. The Clapper, on the other hand, can only control two devices and deals only in absolutes – either they’re both on or they’re both off.
Another difference in these two pieces of technology is that the Clapper requires loud sound and the Tapper is basically inaudible. This is a much better idea, I think, because it doesn’t disturb the people around you whenever you want to operate your switches remotely. Harmony plays a huge role in Japanese culture, as Dr. C. told us. I don’t know about you, but I would find it much easier to maintain harmony with my roommate if he was using the Tapper instead of the Clapper.
Sadly, though, the Tapper is just an R&D device – plans to put it into production do not exist. On some occasions big companies with advanced R&D departments will sell the inventions they have designed to other companies that are in that line of work. For those of us that want to be able to turn off the lights without getting out of the Lay-Z-Boy and also would like to avoid early 90′s pop culture: all we can do is hope that someone bids on NTT Docomo’s “Tapper.”
One Comment
The tapper really is unreal. Imagine incorporating into a phone as not only a means of unlocking doors, or turning on lights, but rather your phone becomes a universal remote for the home. Start the stove: Tap tap. Set the house alarm: Tap tap. Start the car: Tap tap. It’s an incredible idea. I really wish this would find it’s way into the mainstream.