Clearing clogged arteries usually involves complicated and dangerous surgery. Even looking at the arteries involves complex cross-sectional ultrasounds which only allow a view from outside of the arteries. Thanks to a team at the Georgia Institute of Technology, this tiny probe could give a clearer look at clogged arteries by actually going inside them. A single computer chip measuring just 1.4 millimeters wide holds over a hundred elements that transmit data to doctors via 13 minuscule cables.

The device will be guided through arteries by the attached cables which transmit images at a rate of 60 frames per second. According to one of the researchers on the project, the probe is the equivalent of a flashlight, allowing a much clearer view of blocked arteries than has ever before been possible. The ability to get a closer look at blockages can reduce the amount of surgeries needed to unblock arteries.

When the sensors on the probe are not needed, they shut down to save power. This lets the device use less power and therefore generate less heat when it’s inside the heart. The researchers plan to conduct animal trials to test the device’s possible applications. If the trials go well, human testing and FDA approval won’t be far behind. Future heart patients could very well have fewer surgeries to endure.

The post Tiny Probe Will Swim Through Arteries to Provide 3D Images first appeared on Gajitz.

Ah, the good old days – when your ancient great-aunt would sit the whole family down for a two-hour slideshow on her most recent Florida vacation. The slideshow has since gone out of style, what with the ready availability of computers and phones to do the same things for us, but Benjamin Redford is bringing it back…small time.

The Projecteo is an itty-bitty projector that fits in the palm of your hand. It links with your Instagram account for access to your most treasured photos. With your initial order of a projector, you also pick nine of your favorite Instagram photos. The Projecteo team develops those nine pics on a single frame of 9mm film in a circular formation.

The slide is inserted into a black plastic wheel which fits neatly into the Projecteo. Then you just have to find a light-colored expanse of space on which to project your pictures. The pictures are surprisingly sharp for a device that looks a lot like a Barbie doll-sized toy. You can order new wheels (currently $8.99 each) any time you have some more memories worth preserving on tiny photo wheels.

The post Palm-Sized Projector Turns Instagram Snapshots Physical first appeared on Gajitz.

Cellular phones being marketed as the “world’s smallest” are causing trouble in the UK, according to the BBC. These itty-bitty phones are meant to look like key fobs – those little devices you use to lock and unlock your car from a distance. They even feature real car company logos, further obscuring their real purpose.

The problem is that the phones are apparently being marketed toward prisoners. The sellers even point out the phones’ low metal content, implying that they will be easy to get through metal detectors. Because having a cell phone in a UK prison is a major violation, all kinds of government agencies are jumping into the issue and trying to ban the phones, which are made in China. The car companies whose logos are used on the phones say they are being used without permission.

The phones only perform the most bare-bones of features: sending and receiving calls and texts. But from inside a prison, even these simple features can facilitate crimes as prisoners call contacts on the outside to give orders. While the criminal aspect of these little phones is off-putting, they are kind of adorable – and since they fit on your key ring, they might even be handy as emergency phones.

The post Branded Car Key Remotes Are Tiny Cell Phones in Disguise first appeared on Gajitz.

Does anyone else think the “tiny gadgets” trend has been taken a little too far lately? When you can lose your digital camera in your shirt pocket, maybe it’s time to re-think the miniaturization of everything. Tiny and probably-impractical though it may be, the Chobi Miniature Digital Camera is sort of cute – and honestly, we love anything that lets us pretend to be giants. Believe it or not, it takes actual pictures at a resolution of around three megapixels, and video at 1280 X 960 (30FPS).

Needless to say, this tiny camera would be perfect for living out all of your spy fantasies. It also includes a voice recording function so you can sneakily record conversations. At just 4.4 X 2.9 X 1.2 cm (1.73″ X 1.14″ X 0.47″) and 14 grams, no one will ever know you’re carrying it.

Given the camera’s extremely small size, you probably wouldn’t be able to see much through the viewfinder, so framing shots would be left up to luck. But it stores images on a MicroSD card, so all you have to do is plug the card in when you get back to your computer and edit all of the poorly-shot pics. At around $150 (US), it’s probably out of the “gag gift” price range, but whether you want to pay that much for an itty-bitty camera depends on how much you enjoy pretending to be a giant. Just be sure to attach it to your keyring or a wrist strap, or you’ll lose it as soon as you take it out of the package.

The post Mini Memories: Tiny Digital Camera Smaller than a Matchbox first appeared on Gajitz.