OLYMPUS TECHNOZONE

Elegant ways to enjoy memories through photographs and music

As more and more new products emerge in the digital camera market, i:robe technology offers new ways to enjoy the photographs that you take.

The m:robe portable music player has a built-in hard disk and a remix function that allows you to mix photographs with music. This new brand represents a dazzling new challenge to the world of imaging solutions.Wearable digital technology - an unobtrusive key to enjoyment

	From left: Yuji Daijo , Tatsuyuki Uemura , Hiroshi Takisawa , Keito Fukushima

At OTF85, every part of the i:robe and m:robe display area, including the floor, walls, ceiling and fixtures, was uniformly finished in white, the signature color for the product range. Visitors who saw the display were immediately aware that Olympus was introducing a new brand. The use of the word "robe" in the product names symbolizes the fact that the products are worn like clothing, allowing users to "robe" themselves in enjoyment as easily as they wear clothes. As befits a new brand, the products incorporate numerous ambitious design features, including a movable LCD control panel for the i:robe system and a touch panel for the m:robe system. There are also aspects of the products that were developed on the basis of visual design concepts. At the launch venue in Tokyo's Roppongi Hills, the designers themselves were able to explain their ideas to visitors. Visitors at OTF85 showed keen interest in i:robe and m:robe, in part because the new products appeared in stores just before the opening. There was an endless stream of people wanting to touch and try the products.

	The i:robe IR-500 digital camera features a multi-swing display capable of 360-degree rotation. Photographs can be stored simply by connecting the camera to a storage unit with a built-in 40GB HDD. A simple one-touch action turns the pictures that you choose into prints, without having to use a computer. The i:robe concept offers an entirely new way to enjoy and relate to digital photography.

The i:robe system is a new total photographic solution offered by Olympus. The system integrates a digital camera, storage and printer, all finished in matching white. The concept is summed up in the phrase "Dock & Done!" Simply dock the digital camera on the cradle to store the photographs automatically to the hard disk, and print your favorite shots without having to start up a computer. The system is easy enough for a child to use.

With the shift from film cameras to digital cameras, it is now possible to take photographs without the expense of film. However, the developers were concerned that most images were not properly organized, and they wanted to find ways to expand the potential of digital photography, which has tended to stop at the shooting stage. The content of photographs is closely linked to personal memories. This remains the same, even after we move from film to digital photography. With the i:robe system, an expanding day-to-day record can be maintained without any special effort. Eventually this will grow into a life record. The system includes the "Olympus Master" image management package, which organizes digital photographs by date for easy retrieval. "Photographs are a precious path back to the past. We began this project with the idea of building a time machine."

The m:robe is a music player with a built-in HDD. The market reacted with surprise and interest when Olympus launched a music player. Visitors wondered why a camera manufacturer would want to move into this extremely competitive market, in which numerous other manufacturers are struggling for market share. However, the m:robe is based on knowledge built up by Olympus through its involvement in IC recorder audio technology, MO drive storage technology, and USB data transfer technology, and when we explained that Olympus had combined these technologies into a new form, people were able to understand that this was a genuinely new idea based on existing Olympus technologies.

The MR-100, which is configured specifically for music functions, is entirely black. The design, which includes a flat front panel that displays information in red when the power is switched on, has been very popular. Another new concept for Olympus was the use of touch panel controls instead of buttons. The exciting MR-500i, which features a large, color LCD screen, also offers musical functions but is also a digital camera and photo viewer. You can take your favorite music and photographs with you anywhere. The MR-500i also has a graphic user interface (GUI), which allows various functions to be accessed simply by touching icons on the LCD screen. "Visitors to OTF85 were surprised to learn that they could take photographs by touching the LCD screen. We wanted users to discover how to use the MR-500i by holding it in their hands."

The MR-500i has its own special m:trip software with remixing capabilities that allow photographs and music to be played back in any desired combination. The continual appearance of images on the screen in step with the music is an art form in its own right. This system is not limited just to listening to music or viewing photographs. The m:robe system offers an entirely new way to enjoy music and photographs.

The large 3.7-inch VGA (640x480 dots) TFT LCD monitor can produce approx. 260,000 colors. In addition to its use as a photo viewer, the monitor also functions as a touchpad control screen.	With their distinctive black and white body colors, the m:robe systems are Olympus' first music players with built-in HDDs. The MR-500i, which incorporates a digital camera (right), has a 20GB HDD. A 5GB HDD has been built into the compact, lightweight body of the 100-gram MR-100 (left)

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