! -Conceptual Gadgets- !

Giro Contact Goggles

2015-11-27T09:45:00.001-05:00

Never miss a thing with the Giro Contact Goggles for snow sports. Using expansion view technology (EXV), you get a wider range of peripheral vision to get the whole picture. These goggles also feature magnetic interchangeable lenses, a revolutionary feature for goggles in the industry. The Contact Goggles ergonomically rest on your face with triple layer foam finished with a fleece liner, giving you the ultimate all day comfort you need while providing unmatched protection from the harsh elements of the weather and temperature. The frameless design is finished off with an anti-fog coating, furthering your visual abilities no matter what the conditions. Great for skiers and snowboarders alike, the Giro Contact Goggles let you quickly adapt to lighting changes in just seconds.

Continuance Batteries – Give AND Take via USB

2013-11-28T07:00:00.000-05:00

We’ve all been there, completely immersed in a long involved phone call and you hear the dreaded battery-beep. “Are you getting another call?” asks the person on the other end. “No, my battery is going dead.” and then you look around frantically, hoping that by some stretch of luck an electrical outlet will magically appear… and more often than not, it never does. You inform the other party that you are going to lose them, defeated, and ashamed.

Well here is a concept that I really hope comes to pass, The Continuance Battery — designed by Haimo Bao, Hailong Piao, Yuancheng Liu and Xiameng Hu, this rather ordinary looking AA battery isn’t so ordinary after all. Not only is it an earth friendly rechargeable battery that can traditionally power any AA hungry device, but it is charged via USB AND has the ability to add some emergency power to any device that can be charged via USB as well!

“Can you hear me now?” Anyway, it’s only a concept at the moment, but it seems like one of those ideas that could change lots of things, and it would certainly be easy to rotate out a spare Continuance battery in my glove compartment or purse and always have an extra bit of juice when I need it. I don’t know how many times I’ve been searching for a free outlet in a restaurant or movie theater. I don’t often venture into the wilderness, but I guess it would be handy there too!

There has been some discussion about higher discharge rates and lower capacity due to the extra circutry, Blah blah blah, I’m not sure I understand most of it, my electronics knowledge barely extends past a rousing game of “Operation” but I sure hope these guys can figure it out, because I need a few dozen.

source

Ramos Alarm Clock – When Oversleeping is simply NOT an Option.

2013-11-26T07:00:00.000-05:00

I’m ashamed to admit it, but I’m a serial “alarm setter”. What this means is that if I have an important event, like catching a plane or a court appearance (never been to court, and I wasn’t speeding anyway) I not only set my regular alarm clock, but one or two backup alarms, just in case the regular one doesn’t wake me up. Its a horrible little obsessive habit, but I never saw my way around it, until now.

Welcome the Ramos Alarm Clock, possibly the most demanding (and therefore effective) alarm clocks available today. It looks gentle enough, with its lovely hardwood exterior, in a variety of finishes, but “set it and forget it” wont work here. Once it goes off, you’ll know what I mean. In order to disarm this alarm you must first memorize the specially generated code and enter it onto a panel, ideally located somewhere far away from the coziness of your soft, warm bed.

The developer, Paul Sammut, made this clock a Kickstater Project, an interesting concept in an of itself, by which developers require the support of interested parties, or backers in order to fufill orders, or complete projects.

Anyway, this clock, and its independent wireless touch panel will definitely prevent you from just hitting the snooze bar until your flight to who knows where is on the tarmac and ready for takeoff. Of course, now that I think about it, does it have a battery back-up? I mean, what if we have a power failure? Will it work if theres a power failure? The answer is.. YES!

The Ramos Alarm is available in a few different versions, including custom handmade units, with the basic design starting at around 150 bucks. Check out kickstarter.com for more information on the Ramos clock, or to better understand the mission of the kickstarter program.

Transparent smartphone

2013-11-25T20:43:00.000-05:00

Transparent anything is cool. Seriously, things that are see through automatically scream ‘futuristic’ based on all the sci-fi shows and movies that used transparent props. They sort of defy all logic, especially when technology is involved. Yet liquid crystal technology and its constant switching open and closed are being put to use to make a transparent phone possible. Which makes me wonder, will we someday lose our phones because we literally can’t see it?

A few companies, including, Polytron Technologies are working to produce a transparent smartphone. Their Smart Glass technology looks cloudy white. But when powered on the switching molecules open up and the device becomes opaque. Obviously other technology in the phone (SIM card, SD card, battery, speaker, camera) are not transparent. Polytron anticipates having an opaque filter to cover those less sexy spots. Working prototypes are expected this year and with any luck Polytron will find some interested phone manufacturers and become an OEM partner. So keep an eye out (if you can see them) for transparent phones in the near future.

BW1 Hovercraft

2013-11-23T16:41:00.001-05:00

The game of golf has not had many transportation revelations in its history. The pull cart helped get the bag off the back. And of course the golf cart made the game even easier for lazy people and made long, hilly courses more bearable. But even those have limitations like not driving on the green or not being able to get across water. Hard to imagine that anything else could really change how we get around the course. Until now.

Masters champion Bubba Watson teamed up with Oakley to come up with the next generation golf cart – Bubba’s Hover – the first hovercraft golf cart. Designers took the principles of a cart and the levitation-like technology that a hovercraft uses and combined them to come up with a wacky-looking but functional vehicle. It travels on land and water and even through trees. The footprint pressure of the cart is less than of a human, meaning it could traverse greens. OK, so it may not be the most convenient looking thing to get in and out of, but you have to admit that it does work. There are no plans to manufacture the cart now but boy, wouldn’t greens keepers love it if they did!

Augmented Reality Tattoos work well with the Nintendo 3DS

2011-05-04T18:41:00.000-04:00

About one year ago, I did an article about augmented reality tattoos. It was a Beunos Aries-based software producer who had the AR marker on their flesh, thanks to a company known as ThinkAnApp.

A YouTube user name Cranberryzero realized that the 3DS is a terrific excuse to get his own AR tattoo, and he posted his work and the results on I Heart Chaos. You can see the video after the jump, and the results are quite impressive.

I’m not certain what kind of game he is playing on his arm, but you notice the shakiness of it. What is really interesting is the effect of creating a pit on his arm, and it almost looks like you can look through his wrist.

Still, it is pretty impressive to play a game on your arm with graphics floating over it, and this is the appeal of augmented reality. Granted, you might not want a permanent mark there. I don’t know how long augmented reality will be around, and I wouldn’t want to be the grandpa that has to explain to his grandkids why there is a strange tattoo on my arm.

Perhaps this effect could be done with a temporary tattoo. By the way, the video doesn’t show a Mii character on the wrist. I think this is a doctored photo from my Source.

TiGr Bike Lock

2011-05-01T01:13:00.000-04:00

I have seen a lot of bike locks in the past, but most of them are pretty tricky when it comes to storing on the bicycle.

The TiGr is a titanium “bow” that its extremely flexible, and it has “lock claims flexibility, hack-proof strength, and a sexy design worthy of your ride”. It can stretch out to about five foot five inches, and then both ends lock together.

As you can see, it is one of those bikes that locks the wheels together so that no one can ride off with it. Personally, I like the type that lock up against something like a tree or a bar, but that is just me.

What is really interesting is how the lock is stored on the bike. It can go around the frame along the crossbar when not in use. I guess that’s better than most of the horseshoe locks that need a special holster, and some of those thick wire locks can get tangled around the frame.

Granted, this is a Kickstarter project, which means there is going to need some funds to get it going. It could also use a new name, as I can only understand part of its current one. “Ti” as the elemental symbol for titanium, but I checked the symbol for “Gr”, and it’s not on the periodic table. Don’t just make up a “Gr” element just so you can have a name.

Pepsi unveils its new Social Vending program

2011-04-29T14:42:00.000-04:00

Pepsi has figured out a way to tie-in social networking with their product once again with their Social Vending program.

I believe that this idea actually requires some special soda vending machines that have touchscreens and have to be connected to the Internet or a phone line of some type. Not only will these new machines let you buy a Pepsi product, but you will be able to send one to another location.

All you need to do is enter in your friend’s cell phone number, and soon a text message will appear on your friend’s mobile device that will contain a redeemable code to be used at one of the aforementioned special Pepsi machines. You can even send a 10-second video message, or even send a Pepsi product to a complete stranger at random. I’m not sure precisely how all this works or is supposed to work, but you can see Pepsi’s video presentation of this service after the jump.

Something tells me it will take a long time to get these special machines to every place where non-connected Pepsi machines are, but prototypes are planned on being on display from April 27 to the 29 at the National Automatic Merchandising Association’s One Show in Chicago. If there are enough people on this service, I would imagine that we are looking at the future of soda sales.

Alienware unveils M18x gaming machine

2011-04-22T17:06:00.000-04:00

Dell, when they bought over the Alienware brand some years back, had many people wondering whether this is going to be the start of the brand going downhill since Dell doesn’t really know much about dedicated gaming notebooks as their lineup had been more of the casual user types. Well, we’re rather pleased to say that Dell has done a pretty good job thus far, leaving Alienware intact in terms of branding without really interfering on what’s going on, so most users would not really be able to tell the difference in the newer Alienware offerings.

Well, Alienware is proud to attempt to redefine mobile gaming yet again with the M18x gaming notebook, and is proud to announce that said machine is the “most powerful 18-inch gaming laptop in the universe”. We’ll see about that in the extended post as we pore over its specifications, so make sure you’ve got a tub of chips ready just in case there is more than a pinch of salt in that claim that you might want to season those chips with.

The M18x is touted to deliver dual-graphics technology, making it the industry’s only Intel Core i7 Extreme CPU option that has been factory overclocked to 4GHz. With optional wireless HD audio and video that delivers latency-free streaming to larger displays, you will also find that HDMI 1.4 connectivity will be able to send over 3D images and video – over to 3D-capable HDTVs, of course.

Apart from that, SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports ensure you will be able to enjoy up to 10x the speed of USB 2.0 connections, making data transfer a snap even for super large files. Some of the features and specifications of the M18x include :

An 18.4-inch FHD WLED 1080p display for the best visuals possible

Powerful Dual GPU options with the fastest graphics memory (GDDR5) on all graphics options

Both AMD and NVIDIA graphics options, in Crossfire X and SLI, respectively

New Intel “Huron River” Architecture with a new factory overclocked Intel Core i7 Extreme Quad Core processor up to 4GHz

Upgradeable to up to 32GB 1333MHz memory

HDMI/Display Port output & HDMI-in

Wireless HD & 3D output options, delivering low-latency high-def content wirelessly or output to 3D displays

9 Tools to Help You Stay Green on Earth Day

2011-04-20T17:19:00.000-04:00

Earth Day is this Friday. And it's always good to take a moment to think about ways to screw up this planet a little less. Realistically, we're not going to give up our gadgets (which aren't always environmentally friendly), but we can at least come up with ways to make them less destructive, ya know?

Belkin Conserve Socket: Belkin's Conserve line has an array of eco-friendly surge protectors and power strips, but our favorite is the Conserve Socket. Some devices will continue to suck power, even if they're not turned on. The Conserve Socket will cut power to any plugged-in device after a set interval of time. $10.

Naturemill XE Compost Bin: Often thought of as an outdoor activity, composting is a frequently overlooked way to deal with waste. However, Naturemill makes indoor composting units which will take your biodegradable trash (up to 120 pounds a month) and break it down into nutrient-rich soil in as quick as two weeks without making your house smell foul. $300.

Nissan Leaf Electric Car: The Chevy Volt may have come out first sponged up the early accolades, but the Nissan Leaf is actually the greener car of the two. With an equivalent fuel efficiency rating of 99 miles per gallon, the Leaf bests the Volt by 6 mpg. Plus it has an awesome dashboard which pits your own efficiency stats against fellow Leaf owners. It's currently only up for pre-order, but will be eligible for a $7500 tax credit, bringing the sticker price down to the $25,000 range.

Solar Joos Portable Charger: Like its name implies, the tablet-sized, polycarbonate forged Solar Joos will catch a few rays, and turn that into battery life for personal gadgets, like your phone and laptop. For every hour you let the Joos sit in the sun, it will give you two hours of 3G talk time. Plus you can plug it into your computer and keep track of how much energy you've generated. $100.

Smart Faucet: The Smart Faucet may look simple, but this little on/off mechanism for sinks could save you upwards of 5000 gallons of water a year. The time it takes for you to turn a sink faucet on, fill a glass or rinse a dish, then turn the faucet off will always result in wasted water. The Smart Faucet only turns on when you hold an object against it, and immediately kicks off when you move that object away. $29.

Eco Media Player: The Eco Media Player lives up to its name by using a hand-crank for power. Spin the dynamo for a minute and it yields 45 minutes of playback time (you can also charge it via USB for 55 hours of playback time). And it works nice with all the major file formats including MP3, WAV, WMA, AAC and OGG, storing files on SD card or on the 4 gigs of internal memory. ~$165.

PolarMax TransDry Cotton Shirt: LED and CFL bulbs are cool and more environmentally friendly, but they don't offer the same warmth of light as a traditional incadescent bulb...except one. The 12.5W Philips AmbientLED last 25 times longer (around six years) than standard bulbs and uses 80% less power, while giving off that beautiful warm glow. And it's dimmable! $40.

Samsung Reclaim Cellphone: We all switch cellphones so often (relatively speaking), that components and batteries are just piled up into unrecyclable waste. The Samsung Reclaim is made entirely from recycled components, attempting to put those parts to good use. Plus, Sprint tosses a couple of bucks from every phone purchased to an environmentally-focused charity. Free (with 2 yr. contract).

Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard: In the age of living room PCs, and tablet devices, we're beginning to love the wireless keyboard more and more. But Earth hates the endless flow of disposable and lithium-ion batteries that these devices use. That's why Logitech's solar-powered wireless keyboard is a happy compromise. $60

Check out this the HECTOR spider robot

2011-04-19T17:37:00.005-04:00

This spidery looking robot is designed by the University of Bielefeld’s Department of Biological Cybernetics, and it is the HECTOR, which is a weird quasi-acronym meaning the HExapod Cognitive auTonmously Operating Robot.

This mechanical arachnid is about a meter long, and weighs in at 12 kilograms, with 13 percent of it being the exoskeleton. I’m not certain what percentage of a real spider’s weight is its exoskeleton, but it does have joints on its legs that allow for 20 degrees, just like a real spider.

This is one of those robots that I would like to see made, if it didn’t creep me out so much. I think that there is something about spiders that tend to freak people out. Perhaps that is why there were these mechanical spiders hunting Tom Selleck in the movie Runaway. Man, going back in time for that reference!

Here’s a more recent reference, as HECTOR looks a little like the IC Hexapod that we reported on three years ago, which bore a strong resemblance to the probe droid from The Empire Strikes Back.

I wonder what is the use of this mechanical arachnid. Perhaps it could be used to take pictures.

If You're Not On Facebook, It's Time To Get Over Yourself

2011-04-18T16:59:00.023-04:00

Oh, yeah, I'm not on Facebook. Like, it's so invasive. If you've said anything like this, I feel bad for you.

Facebook has over half a billion users. Almost everyone I know uses it. I use it. You probably use it. But ubiquity isn't equal to universality. Everyone knows one of those self righteous Facebook abstainers. Social media luddites. Pushing aside modern society in favor of a purer lifestyle, devoid of pokes, tags, and feeds. Defenders of something more natural and independent than Zuckerberg's friendship hive

Except really, these people aren't defending anything except antisocial, extremely annoying behavior. And if you're one of them—you need to stop.

I will grant you this: Facebook, much like Twitter, has a lot that sucks about it. A tremendous amount. You're exposed to inane human behavior on a scope and volume unprecedented in the history of mankind. And yes, there are privacy eyebrow-raises that are warranted—it's a little weird that people I barely know anymore see where I work, where I live, and who I'm talking to. And there's plenty of crap. Pokes from creepy people. Photos of idiots. Moronic comments. Racism. All the worst parts about our species, sandwiched between poorly-targeted banner ads.

And yet, Facebook is a spectacular tool.

Facebook is the most important way we touch our friends online, period. Birthdays, parties, Passover seders, graduations—they're all organized on Facebook. Wedding photos, baby photos, stupid college parties photos you're nostalgic about already—they're all on Facebook. Everyone you might still care about in your life, despite distance, work, stress, money, and time—they're (mostly) all on Facebook. And all there to grasp, with the most minimal of effort. Really. Just click a bunch. If you care about any of these things—socializing, memories, friendships—you should be using Facebook, in spite of all its sour, vexing flaws.

Basically, if you don't like Facebook, it sounds to me like you don't like your friends. And what kind of terrible person doesn't like friends? Even Hitler had friends.

If you don't believe me, believe history. Remember those self righteous morons who took such groundless pride in not having a cell phone? Ten years ago, those people were left behind. Sure, we liked them. But they became annoying to get a hold of, forcing you to go out of your way to be friends with them because they labelled some new technology as beneath them without even taking the time to understand it. They didn't want to learn how modern friendship had evolved. They choose to look at a brand new social tool as a hindrance rather than a convenience. This is all happening again, but with Facebook.

So, don't be that grouch in 2011 who misses out on connecting with the rest of the world because you'd rather sound like a 21st century rebel; some sort of obnoxious pseudo-Thoreau, whose Walden is just an empty computer and a lonely life.

Use Facebook. Even sparingly. And not because Facebook doesn't suck. But because your friends are completely awesome.

Illustration by Gizmodo Illustrator Sam Spratt. Become a fan of his Facebook Artist's Page and follow Sam on Twitter.

To Kick Ass at Video Games Just Zap Your Brain with a 9V Battery

2011-04-17T17:18:00.002-04:00

Scientists, already adept at using magnets to screw with the brain's ability to generate speech, are now sending direct current into people's brain matter to help them master video games.

Neuroscientists at the University of New Mexico asked volunteers to play a video game called "DARWARS Ambush!", developed to help train American military personnel. Half of the players received 2 milliamps of electricity to the scalp, using a device powered by a simple 9-volt battery, and they played twice as well as those receiving a much tinier jolt. The DARPA-funded study suggests direct current applied to the brain could improve learning.

DARPA! Of course! What aren't they doing in the mind control field these days, amiright?

While controversial and even a bit dangerous, this manipulation, called transcranial direct current stimulation, could actually be used to treat certain neurological disorders in the future, should it prove safe over long periods of time.

[Source]

T3 Motion three-wheeled vehicle, the R3

2011-04-16T16:05:00.001-04:00

What you see here is the R3 from T3 Motion, and it is a three-wheeled vehicle that is not a car, but a motorcycle. At least, that is its classification.

The R3 is a full electric vehicle that has a range of 80 to 100 miles after a full charge, and a top speed of 70 miles per hour. You can see a video of it after the jump, but there isn’t any sound.

It has another feature that makes it very interesting, which it has a place to mount a Galaxy Tab. In all honesty, I believe that most models of cars in this decade should have something like this. Most newer cars are already iPad compatible, and if there is a place to put a tablet PC, then the tablet can be charged as well as running apps that will help you as you drive, like a GPS.

I’m sure that we all once thought that cars of the future would look like the R3. They look like smaller version of the cars seen in Steven Spielberg’s A.I. Artificial Intelligence. Whatever the case, it doesn’t look like this would be a mode of transportation for a long distance trip.

The cost of this will be about $25,000, which is pretty expensive for a two-seater motorcycle.

Control your cell phone with a ring with the Nokia Nenya

2011-04-15T16:13:00.011-04:00

When I saw this particular concept product from Finnish cell phone giant Nokia, I thought I was looking at some delayed April Fool’s Joke like the Google Motion. That, or someone really can’t wait for the Green Lantern movie (coming this summer).

Nokia’s Nenya ring allows the user to control their cell phone with a twist of the ring, like a magician. Speaking of magic, the name Nenya apparently is derived from a ring of power that was wielded by Galadriel from The Lord of the Rings.

Of course, there is no magic involved. In fact, the technology is as simple as mounting a magnet inside the ring. The ring can be twisted at 45 degree angles, which allow commands for about 8 different functions. So if you want to change tracks on your music program, or pause them, just give it a twist.

You might notice that ugly thing that goes on your wrist. That is actually a part of the Nenya setup, and it is a Bluetooth bracelet that somehow picks up the orientation of the ring and transmits it to the phone. I wonder if there was a way to put the phone on the bracelet. If nothing else, put a watch on the thing.

As I have mentioned before, this is a concept product for now, and I just don’t know whether or not this will catch on. Leave a comment if you love or hate it.

Holocube HC70, 70-inch holographic projector

2011-04-14T16:39:00.000-04:00

Sometimes, I have a video of the product that I am writing about, and I usually put it after the jump. It’s put there in case you the reader want to know see it in action, and I highly recommend you hit the jump and check it out now.

This a display of the Belgacom Holocube HC70, and it is a bigger version of the Holocube that we have reported on before.

The HC70 has a 70-inch transparent screen that can be viewed from both sides. It is powered by a Windows 7 Embedded machine with 40 GB of flash storage which allows it to loop eight to eighteen hours worth of three-dimensional footage with a 1080p projector.

The video shows some interesting things in 3D. These are things that I usually see before in these holographic displays like a cell phone, and a cute little kid that looks like she is in free-fall. They never seem to have what I would like to see in hologram mode, like the entire Star Wars trilogy, for example.

I wish I was at this place where they had this cool hologram on display. Does anyone know why they have this weird creepy music going on in the background? I think that holograms are pretty inspirational, and I would rather hear some more dynamic and not macabre music to accompany it.

DARPA augmented reality goggles

2011-04-13T13:31:00.000-04:00

For some reason, whenever I hear DARPA, I always associate it with some nifty technology that may or may not exist.

DARPA is now working on some holographic augmented reality goggles for soldiers. It is apparently designed for those who need constant air support. Apparently, if soldiers need to get that, they have to go through all sorts of radio links, and then some sort of bureaucratic nightmare until it actually comes.

Imagine if a solider could wear this special helmet and see a triangle that represents an F-16. The soldier can then just contact the plane directly, and, depending on the ordnance that the plane is carrying, air support might be given right away. Other information might be given with the help of augmented reality.

DARPA is working with several companies like Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, and Vuzix to make these goggles. I don’t know if you have heard of Vuzix, but they make these viewing goggles like the VR920. Vuzix plans on making these goggles about 3mm thick.

I wonder if there is any way that Vuzix could make some of these hologoggles for the civilians. I have seen a lot of augmented reality Apps before, so why not something like this?

Stealth.com Introduces a Mini PC

2011-04-11T16:48:00.000-04:00

Stealth Computer, a leading manufacturer of specialized computers and peripherals, just released their most powerful and advanced mini PC ever. Please meet the very tiny, LPC-670 LittlePC. This brand new Stealth small form factor PC offers tremendous power in a teeny package that measures around 6.5″ x 6″ and less than 2″ in height. Heck, thats smaller than my checkbook. This micro machine has the power and performance of computers that are a whole lot bigger.

The LPC-670 mini PC features a multitude of I/O connectivity built into its impressively small design such as; Gigabit LAN, Wi-Fi 802.11g, 4-USB 2.0, Serial, DVI-I, Audio and HDMI ports. The LPC-670 supports up to 8GB in DDR3 memory and has a built-in 2.5″ mobile hard drive with up to 750GB’s of storage space for archived data. Not too bad for a mini!

For applications that require extra high shock, vibration and wider temperature ranges, you know, like when you’re sufing the web from your dune buggy in the desert, optional SSD (Solid State Hard Drives) are available. A slim DVD/CD-RW optical drive comes standard, with an optional Blu-ray burner available. The LPC-670 operates from an (included) external 20VDC power adapter or it can be connected to an external DC source of 12 to 20VDC, ideal for mobile and in-vehicle applications.

Systems are compatible with Microsoft Windows 7/XP, Linux etc and can be custom configured to meet the needs of the customer.

Stealth’s new LPC-670 Small Form PC is can just about fit wherever you used to keep your checkbook, which is fine, because at a base price starting at around $1,650.00 bucks… you won’t have a need for your checks anymore.

Hexapod Robot Manages to Make Innocent Little Waves Looks Six Times More Creepy

2011-04-10T16:26:00.000-04:00

New for Spring! Creepy pseudo-arachnid robots—great for going into even creepier, crawlier places so you don't have to! Also, check out that cute little wave it does in the video! Aww.

I say "pseudo" of course because this beastie boasts but six legs. As all arachnologists worth their salt know, spiders have eight wonderful legs, of which all eight are used in tandem to crawl into your mouth while you sleep.

But this big guy won't do that. Instead, he'll use his six legs and realistic spider walking motion to explore treacherous terrain or school desktops. For now this is aimed at hobbyist and educational markets, but it's only a matter of time before DARPA or some other agency weaponizes this for the inevitable Moon Wars of 2043. Won't those be fun.

The sound of this thing "navigating a table" is pretty creepy as well, but that could just be the irrational fear of spiders that my dad's DNA graciously passed down through a generation.

Sticky Light is the coolest thing you will see all day

2011-04-09T16:25:00.014-04:00

You know how cats like to play with the ball from the laser pointer? This is Sticky Light is a laser ball that people can play with.

The Sticky Light is designed by people at the University of Tokyo’s Ishikawa Hasimoto Laboratory, and it uses a laser diode, steering mirrors, and a non-imaging photodetector in order to perform its amazing ability that you have to see.

If you want to skip whatever I want to write about the Sticky Light and go to the video clip after the jump, I would not blame you at all.

I might as well spoil it for you. The Sticky Light is so named as it can somehow attach itself to whatever it is pointing to. You will note how it goes around the heart, and a Sharpie marker makes it go in different directions.

You will notice that there seems to be some sort of sound effects going on. I’m not certain what is up with that. However, I like how someone can hold the light in the palms of their hands. I also like seeing light go through a maze as well.

I am not certain what you can use the sticky light for, other than entertainment, but if there is a laser involved, then there is scanning. This is where an advancement like this could get practical.

Skataz motorized skates

2011-04-08T16:21:00.000-04:00

It seems like I have written on a lot of motorized skateboards and skates, and I suppose I might as well add to the mix with the Skataz.

Anyone know how to pronounce this? Is it just like “skates”, “ska-tazz” or “skate-azz”. I believe there is a video below that has the answer.

Anyway, it is powered by a 350 watt motor, which is good for about 13.5 miles per hour. The user controls the speed with a wired remote.

The thing about Skataz is that it is not an electric skate, but it is a culture. Skataz is trying to sell their skates, and they are also looking for investors for creating skate parks for the Skataz. I guess that would be Skataz parks.

I’m sort of wondering if we are looking at a future where all skateboards, skates, and any other wheels that go on the feet will all be motorized. Isn’t that going to be a strange time? I wonder if there will be diehards that will insist on going around without any motors.

Yes, the future is looking bright for Skataz, especially when it looks very easy to learn with the two wheels in front, so it is easier to balance.

BrainDriver allows you to drive with your mind

2011-04-07T17:15:00.000-04:00

Imagine getting behind the wheel of your car, and no hands were required on the wheel.

This is the technology of BrainDriver which is under development at Freie Universität Berlin by professor Raul Rojas. BrainDriver uses a head cap with 16 sensors that allow the driver to have control over the wheel.

This is electroencephalography in action, and it is technology that is getting better every day. We have reported on computers that can do this, and all BrainDriver does is create a system for guiding the steering wheel. There’s a video after the jump so you can see how it works. You will note that they aren’t testing this on the real road with real traffic yet.

You’ll also notice that the driver seems quite young. The first thing I thought was “I am surprised he has his license”. Speaking of thoughts, I’m not certain whether or not thought driving is such a good idea. I mean, when I drive, I think an action and then I do it. This Braindriver had better be able to discern when I am thinking about making a turn and when I definitely want to make a turn.

However, if this young guy can figure it out, then I think I could probably figure it out. I guess it would be like having a limo with my brain as a driver. Perhaps this is just one stepping stone in our goal of completely autonomous vehicles.

LockCracker picks any combination lock!

2011-04-06T16:36:00.001-04:00

Have you ever been blocked from something by a combination lock that you didn’t know the combination for? I once had a locker in junior high school that someone put a combo lock on. Not one of my better days.

I’m guessing that something similar happened to this team of students at the Olin College of Engineering. They have created the LockCracker, which has the ability to pick any combination lock if one, two, or three of the numbers have been forgotten or not known.

You can watch a video of how it works after the jump. You will see that a clamp holds the lock in place while a solenoid yanks the loop. There is a stepper motor that turns all possible combinations, and I believe that the process takes a few hours before it will pop, assuming that the first few tries don’t do the trick.

That is something that we all might need at one point in time, but I am wondering if the LockCracker setup can accommodate a real-world situation where it would be needed. In other words, they might have to make a version of a LockCracker that works on that aforementioned situation when someone puts an unwanted combination lock on a locker. As of now, it looks like an apparatus that only works on singular combination locks

H2O Water Powered Shower Radio

2011-04-05T16:19:00.003-04:00

This shower radio's making a wave

It is what it says it is – a water-powered radio that you can listen to in the shower. And it's the first of its kind in the world!

The shower radio that runs on water

Shower radios are popular – problem is, you need to keep replacing the batteries. Well, not with the H2O Water Powered Shower Radio… this ingenious contraption uses water to power it, enabling you to listen to your favourite radio stations while you shower.

The shower radio is easy to use and it can be installed by anyone, so you can put that dusty toolbox away again. Simply fit the radio in line with your shower hose to allow water to flow through the H2O micro turbine. This then drives a generator that produces energy, giving life to your radio while you shower.

You can even carry on listening once you've finished showering – the radio stores energy, enabling it to carry on emitting your favourite sounds, as well as remembering the station you were last on for your next shower. Shower radios don't come more energy-efficient or elegantly-designed than this!

H2O Water Powered Shower Radio Best Bits

- Listen to music, news and information in the shower

- Energy-efficient – no batteries required

- Easy to install

- Economical, ecological and convenient

You have got to like the SWITL spatula

2011-04-04T16:56:00.000-04:00

Sometimes it is the simple things in life that you appreciate the most. For example, something that can clean up a ketchup or mayonnaise stain without leaving any trace evidence (for lack of a better word).

This is the Furukawa Kikou SWITL robot hand, and I have a video of it after the jump removing an ugly stain. What makes it really interesting is how that it is able to put the stain back, as if the stain was never removed in the first place.

Yes, I don’t really see the value of a robotic hand spatula that can move a stain. Especially when I couldn’t help but notice that it looks like the stain was put on some Teflon coated surface. If this is just your ordinary kitchen counter, then it is worth building the rest of this robot’s body to go with the hand if it can do these speedy clean-ups. This is assuming that the robot hasn’t already been built just yet.

Apparently, the purpose of this robot arm is to create a robot arm for bakeries who want to handle soft substances that are too gooey for ordinary human hands. Honestly, I can think of a few places in my own kitchen where this would come in handy.