Gadgets to take us into the 21st Century

WONDERING what the next ‘must have’ gadget will be? Experts believe a keyboard without any keys, a solar charger for your Gameboy, a talking smoke detector and a digital electric guitar are the next trend-setting products.

While sci-fi enthusiasts like Douglas Adams casting a jaundiced eye over the entrants might have been tempted to describe a keyboard without keys as just a board, this year’s panel of journalists, designers and engineers at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas believe it is one of the most innovative items on display.

The orbiTouch Keyless Keyboard came topped the judges’ list for accessibility as a person uses their hand and arm to type, instead of their fingers. And instead of keys, it uses a pair of sculpted domes to ‘type’ characters by moving the domes.

The company behind the product, Keybowl, says its keyboard will help prevent repetitive stress injuries. The Innovations Awards recognise the best designed and engineered products in a range of categories, from accessibility and audio, to video and wireless.

One product that is sure to please those addicted to computer games is the Solar Pak for Nintendo’s Gameboy Advance.

The gadget by US company Gemini Industries encloses the Gameboy in a futuristic looking case. On the outside are solar panels so keen gamers need never have to worry about batteries dying just as they reach the last stage of a game

Perhaps the one honoured product that will have purists up in arms is a digital electric instrument by the legendary guitar maker Gibson. It has developed what it says is the world’s first digital guitar. On the outside it looks much like an ordinary guitar, the difference is that it uses digital technology called MaGIC, so that the sound from each string can be picked up individually.