The “I heart NY” shirt may be iconic, but a Japanese company wants to bring souvenirs into the 21st century. Tokyo-based iJet is using 3D printing to make impressive 3D Map replicas of its city. The entire city is segmented into 100 tiles, each of which are incredibly detailed and fit in the palm of …

In the future, women will be able to use augmented reality to beautify themselves without makeup. A Japanese company is working to bring that future to the present. TeleBeauty is an app developed by Shiseido, Microsoft Japan and Skype for Business. It’s aiming to bring cosmetics to telecommunication, using technology to apply augmented reality makeup to women’s faces who work …

Need to get somewhere and don’t want to use your legs like a sucker? Move over Hoverboard, Walkcar’s got this. The WalkCar is a laptop-sized transporter similar to the Segway, as you’ll use body control to operate the powerful yet compact platform. Tilt left and it’ll turn left, tilt right and it’ll turn right, and so on. If you lose …

Japanese high school student Saya has flawless skin, shiny hair and her uniform is always clean. That’s not surprising since her parents are computer graphics artists who worked together to design their own virtual child. When Saya was first unveiled around October last year by creators Teruyuki and Yuka Ishikawa, she blew viewers away. She’s so realistic — from her …

While VR might be the hot new thing, wearing headsets may not be for everyone — especially those who want to enjoy it together in the same room. Panoworks aims to reduce the need for head-mounted displays by merging projection technology with 3D imaging to create a VR experience without the bulk of an Oculus Rift or HTC Vive. The …

VR may be the big thing in gaming, but one company thinks virtual reality isn’t quite real enough. Futuretown is aiming to fix that with Totalmotion, a peripheral-based 5D platform. It takes cues from body movement to control the VR world and comes in three distinct modules to match each simulation. Related stories This VR headset is designed to let …

Virtual reality as of late has been closely linked with the phone and video game industries. However, a Japanese tech startup is using the platform for something different: stress management. Part VR headset, part brain monitor, DG Lab’s Brainwave VR headset comes equipped with built-in electroencephalogram (EEG) sensors, which measure the brain’s electrical activity. The headset monitors users’ mental states …

VR is exploding, but if there’s one thing it lacks, it’s mobility. Both the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive require reams of cables connected to a (powerful) PC or laptop, meaning the immersive worlds they offer are still just that little bit confining. The Idealens K2 aims to release you from those confines, providing wireless mobility and a built-in …

Many of you have been there: deliberating for long stretches of time over which shoes to buy. Eventually you settle on a pair that seems to fit — only to find they rub your heels or mash your toes. A device from Tokyo-based Flickfit seeks to do away with the pain and frustration that comes with finding the right shoes. …

Do you hate having to look up lyrics online so you can sing along to your favourite tracks? Do you hate it enough to spend thousands of dollars on a music visualiser? Six Inc. is hoping so, as it’s releasing the Lyric Speaker in mid-September. Costing 324,000 yen (roughly $3,200, AU$4,200 or £2,400), it’s a stylish Japanese gadget that includes …