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On the trail of Tokyo's trailblazers

While traditional and artisanal crafts are still very much alive in Japan, the country prides itself on cutting-edge innovation as well

Tay Suan Chiang

Published Fri, Dec 5, 2014 · 09:50 PM

Japan

SnapLite

SAY "scanners" and bulky and aesthetically challenging equipment comes to mind. But that is set to change with SnapLite - a scanner, desk light and USB charger all rolled into one.

According to a spokesman from Snaplite's developer, PFU, a company under Fujitsu, scanners are usually used for businesses. "With SnapLite, we hope more people will use scanners," he says.

When not used as a scanner, SnapLite works as a desk lamp, and comes with two LED lights, one in yellow much like a light bulb and the other in white, similar to a fluorescent lamp. Controlling the brightness and colours of the lights can be done through the SnapLite app on the iPhone.

Using SnapLite as a scanner only requires the push of a button. Items to be scanned are placed within a designated area marked by a red laser. SnapLite can scan both 2D objects, such as photographs, as well a…