This week on WDD’s HotSpot, brought to you by Components Corporation:

• Ukraine-based, Concepter, is giving phone cases a make-over. The Lunecase uses innovative eco-friendly technology harvests the electromagnetic energy from a smartphone, and uses it to power the case’s electronics. The smartcase does not need any batteries or other bulky components and works everywhere and anytime, detecting activity emitted by your smartphone. According to Concepter, the case knows and identifies when you receive a message or a phone call before it is even displayed on the iPhone’s screen. The notifications are shown on the back of your smartphone with the use of free energy that is emitted by the device. This way, the Lunecase is elegant, smart and self-powered next generation accessory.
• SanDisk Corporation has announced the Optimus MAX Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) solid state drive (SSD), which offers an alternative to traditional hard-disk drives (HDDs) that fail to meet today’s application demands. Delivering cost effective, high-density storage with SSD-class performance, the Optimus MAX allows enterprises to replace under-performing HDDs while leveraging their current SAS storage infrastructures. With the Optimus MAX SSD, customers experience cost savings in infrastructure expenses (i.e., fewer racks, power supplies, HBAs, etc.), resulting in a lower capital acquisition cost, lower power and footprint requirements, and cost reductions that are realized in TCO.
• According to the Naval Air Systems Command, the X-47B unmanned combat air system is gearing up for shore-based flight test activities in preparation for the next round of sea trials this summer. The program’s test team will conduct various test events in an effort to mature air traffic control and ground support standard operating procedures for co-use of airspace between unmanned and manned aircraft during day and nighttime operations.
• If you thought putting a computer on you face was cool to access a virtual reality, then you’re going to love this skit. Researchers at MDH are developing a virtual keyboard that is constituted by two bracelets which are placed around the wrists or over the hands… I would hate that. Through sensors it feels the position of the fingertips, the surface and the movements of the user and can therefore ascertain which key is touched, while the user can see it for instance in a pair of Google Glasses. The two units will also function as a computer mouse and above all as a unit for gesture input.
• Nokia has announced a Connected Car fund to be managed by Nokia Growth Partners (NGP) that will identify and invest in companies whose innovations will be important for a world of connected and intelligent vehicles. Nokia is already a major player in the automotive industry providing location intelligence for connected vehicles through HERE. According to Nokia, the NGP fund will work closely with HERE to make investments that also support the growth of the ecosystem around HERE’s mapping and location products and services.

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