Besides all the physiological monitoring tools, the MedEx 1000 also has a data storage and transmission system, a control-and-display unit, hot-swappable batteries, ethernet connectivity and the ability to connect to other devices. Initial deliveries are coming the first quarter of 2009. Prices weren't immediately available, but I'm assuming it'll be pretty cost prohibitive for anyone who wants one “just in case.” [LStat via Oh Gizmo]

The same system can be turned into a dueling game: you and your worst enemy put on shirts with barcodes or distinct images on the front and back. At 10 paces, you both draw your digital Elphs and start snapping. He who snaps the most shots of the other guy's sensitive areas—or maybe a iconic flag your enemy was meant to protect—wins. (I assume the tally happens later on, because even with cameraphones, there'd surely be an annoying lag as Spellbinder performed shot-by-shot analysis.)

The freakiest application is a photo-database version of GPS, where you take a picture of, say, the Chrysler Building, and Spellbinder tells you, or your Facebook amigos, where you are.

Since it was just announced at Siggraph in San Diego this week, we don't have any particulars on if, how or when ordinary folks will get to use it, but we've got our fingers crossed. [BBC News]