Nuts and bolts

(JENNA BODNAR/GETTY IMAGES/FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE)

LAS VEGAS -- The massive booths were tiled with flat-panel television screens, the aisles were crammed with the slimmest cellphones, and the air vibrated with the bass of the latest booming audio systems at this year's Consumer Electronics Show.

After a few days amid the sensory overload at the world's annual gadget mecca, all the latest, greatest devices seemed to blur together.

But beyond the major companies jockeying to dominate the high-definition television marketplace, the cellphone makers vying to create the next Razr, and the tricked-out cars filled with screens and subwoofers, there were some strange ideas. We went beyond the moody blue lighting and the mesmerizing rows of screens last week to search out the edgiest -- or nuttiest -- gizmos.

R2-D2 DVD projector

The droid that helped save the galaxy can now be a force in home entertainment. The R2-D2 robot, soon to be offered by Nikko Home Electronics, can project an 80-inch screen, play DVDs, dock an iPod, and rotate and move around -- with a safety sensor that prevents it from falling off tables or stairs. Don't forget the Millennium Falcon remote control!

Digital Hero 3 sports wrist camera

For true action photography, strap the waterproof, 3-megapixel Digital Hero 3 to a kayak paddle, the handlebars of your bike, or your wrist. The camera is waterproof to 100 feet deep, and can take up to 54 minutes of video. It locks flat during activity, then pivots up to catch the shot, said its creator, Nicholas Woodman , who says he uses it surfing, mountain biking, snowboarding, and racing cars.

TASER C2

It's purse-sized, it's pink, it's your own personal TASER. The next generation in personal protection shoots two electrified darts, stunning an attacker from up to 15 feet away. The ergonomic grip fits all hand sizes, the laser sight allows for precision tasing, and it also comes in black pearl, titanium silver, and electric blue. "We reduced the size dramatically, we reduced the gun-shape," said Stephen D. Tuttle , vice president of communications for TASER International. "Personal protection can be fashionable."

EGO waterproof soundcase for iPod

Listen to your iPod in the pool or even in the ocean with this new waterproof, shatterproof case that floats and blasts out your favorite tunes with its built-in speakers. Whether you're swimming laps, watching video in the shower, or just need to transform your music player into a weather-resistant boombox, the EGO system will keep your music player safe and dry.

Autonet Mobile wireless broadband network

As if driving wasn't already dangerous enough, with people talking on their cellphones, juggling their iPods, and changing DVDs while stopped in traffic. Now Autonet Mobile will turn your car into a WiFi hot spot with a gadget that plugs into the cigarette lighter, allowing passengers to surf the Internet, e-mail, or even play games anytime and literally anywhere.

SmartShopper

It's a state-of-the-art grocery list. The SmartShopper sticks to the fridge or can be mounted on the wall, and when you're out of eggs, you just press the record button, say what you need to get at the grocery store, and the device stores the list and organizes the items by category. When you're done, press "print." At $149, it's a step up from a pen and pad.

HEADPLAY personal cinema

Turn your iPod into a virtual 52-inch screen and look like a Star Trek extra with this personal cinema system. The HEADPLAY's black visor and video goggles is only the latest pair of silly-looking electronic sunglasses that turn s today's small, portable screens into something big enough to watch. But is it worth being seen wearing it?