Photos: Inside NEC's NECXT life showcase
Pictured here is one of NEC's HD LCD displays. On the left of the screen, lit with the blue light, you can see an NEC media centre.
NEC is here displaying a possible application of one of its commercial displays: using tranquil images to calm people before the unique pain only dentists can bring.
Pictured here displaying a fashion mock-up is the eduBOARD, one of NEC's latest technologies. The eduBOARD is an interactive digital whiteboard that allows teachers to produce richer educational content.
The whiteboard features mouse functionality that allows teachers to control the desktop from the board using a stylus pen.
The whiteboard will be shipping in April, with an RRP of AU$2,199 and a two year warranty.
NEC offers a range of digital signs. Displayed here are NEC's largest offerings, the 55- and 65-inch vertical displays.
ZDNet.com.au was told that such displays principally find their application in airports and shopping centres.
The displays feature a 1,920x1,080 Full HD resolution with a 2000:1 contrast ratio, a 6-millisecond response time and have extra cooling to allow them to run 24/7.
Along with competitors such as IBM, NEC develops technology for doctors and medical research.
In the centre of this image you can see a VoIP phone that NEC is developing for the hotel market. It features a large, simple to use touchscreen that gives access to services such as wake up calls and local tourist information.
This CCTV camera is connected to a local network via broadband-over-power, with NEC's modem featuring in the bottom of this shot. This allows businesses to install digital CCTV without additional wiring. Such systems are limited to a range of approximately 300 metres.
NEC is also developing software for behavioural analysis to argument such set-ups.
Shown here is the NEC Shield Pro, a laptop design for rugged and outdoor professions such as mining and construction, along with field data collection.
The displays shows the Shield Pro being sprayed with a light water flow, to simulate rain. It is fan-less in operation, meaning it's resistant to dust and completely silent. NEC claims it can be dropped from 900mm without side effect, but since the HDD isn't solid state, we wouldn't recommend it.
The Shield Pro features a 12.1-inch display, an Intel Core Solo U1400 processor, a 60GB hard disk and an impressive eight hours of claimed battery life. At 2.5kg, it's also lighter than you would expect.
AXES is a concept product from NEC. It has six knobs for user input rather than a keyboard, and is Wi-Fi enabled. Frankly we had a tough time figuring it out, so we'll leave it to NEC to explain:
"AXES is an idea for interface that makes easier information searching. It has a round display and six knobs. When we search for different information, arranging several search words freely can facilitate the search. AXES can display the keywords like a spider chart. Using knobs, the user can adjust the parameters of each axis to narrow down the information. The search engine will become a more and more important tool but its possibilities are limited using only a keyboard and mouse as we do now. This is an alternative measure. We made the assumption that one would carry it and connect it to a public wireless LAN and the Internet through broadband connection of 3.5 to 4G."
RFID devices, in partnership Aeroscout. NEC/Aeroscout RFID devices are already being used in a hospital in Japan in conjunction with Wi-Fi to track medical devices, patients and staff.
NEC's new P Series is a new entrant into the burgeoning panel PC market, and seems to do more than just channel the iMac. Unlike Sony's competitor, the keyboard tucks in neatly under the screen.
NEC's concept phone, the Vial, acts as a media player and phone. NEC describes it as a "wearable gadget to enjoy music via a network".
Why not put a telecommunications base station in your living room?
Displayed here is NEC's femtocell, which does exactly that. By boosting mobile signals, NEC suggests that femtocells could be used to allow mobiles to act as landlines within the home.