Siemens Working On All-Purpose Sensor GadgetSiemens Working On All-Purpose Sensor Gadget

Your favorite rodent has learned that Siemens is working on an all-purpose gadget that simply pays attention to what's happening nearby, and notifies you by SMS when something is strange.

Called the MyAy, the experimental device has a keypad but no display. It monitors its environment with a microphone, an infrared sensor, a temperature sensor, and an acceleration sensor (to tell if the MyAy itself is being moved).

MyAy will feature different applications you can tell it to run. For example, it can be left in a hotel room and notify you if someone enters. It can listen for a baby crying or car alarm, tell you if there's a fire or if someone moves your cheese.

You can program the MyAy via SMS, as well as via a web site, Java application or WAP-enabled phone.

Siemens plans to work with a few mobile telecoms to test the MyAy early next year, and may develop a version -- possibly with a built-in camera and GPS support -- for sale to consumers.

Click here for a big picture of the MyAy.