Inventor Spot - Inventions, Innovations, and Interesting Ideas for the Inventor in All of Us

Chinese RoboCop Keeps An Electric Eye On Crime

China.new — Tue, 15 May 2012 21:00:01 -0700

A robot policeman equipped with a CCTV cyclops eye and a navel-mounted panic button is the new face of crimefighting in China. Though fixed to the pavement and unable to chase feeling suspects, the ersatz RoboCop nonetheless has brought peace to the mean streets of Kunming.

Apple To Replace Google Maps With C3 Tech In iOS 6

Rey M.L. — Mon, 14 May 2012 03:00:00 -0700

Though the default Google Maps software that comes loaded on Apple's iDevices is enough for most people, the company is still looking to replace it with advanced, 3D-accelerated goodness from C3 Technologies.

Japan's First Police Cat Rats Out Criminals

Steve Levenstein — Sun, 13 May 2012 13:00:01 -0700

Beware the long paw of the law! Potential lawbreakers in Kyoto, Japan had better think twice before engaging in criminal acts because Iemon, Japan's first police cat, is on patrol... when he's not curled up asleep at the station, that is.

iPhone 'Mug Case' Helps You Get A Grip On Your Calls

China.new — Sat, 12 May 2012 08:34:05 -0700

Tired of being put on hold? Get a handle on your mobile conversations and hold ALL your calls, all the time, with the self-standing silicone Mug Case for the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S.

To Hood Or Not To Hood, That's The $100 Billion Dollar Question?

Ron Callari — Sat, 12 May 2012 05:58:45 -0700

With Facebook heading into it's historic IPO this week, and valuations some have estimated as high as $100 billion, one's hard pressed to figure out how fashion (or lack thereof) figures into the equation. Even the NY Times' editorial gave ink to the question, "Who could have thought a hoodie could mean so much?" Of course, we're talking about the "Zuck" and his signature apparel.

Google's Anonymous Car Gets Its License To Drive In Nevada

Myra Per-Lee — Fri, 11 May 2012 10:10:21 -0700

You can talk on your cell phone, even text, check your email, eat your lunch, tun-in your radio, change a CD.... You can even take in all of the distractions along the Strip in Las Vegas... if you hop a cab. Or, you can take the Google autonomous car, currently a Toyota Prius, without a driver.

Remote Control USB Cockroach Will Infest Your Desktop

Steve Levenstein — Fri, 11 May 2012 08:48:35 -0700

Just in time for Mother's Day, it's the Remote Control USB Cockroach from Japan's JTT Online Shop! You won't want to stomp this robotic pest into insect oblivion, however: they're 3 inches long and cost $20 each.

Do You Have Enough Klout To Fly The Friendly Skies Or Land The Perfect Job?

Ron Callari — Thu, 10 May 2012 09:28:22 -0700

Klout is to 'personal influence' what Google is to 'page ranking.' While the Big G's algorithms determine the relevance of the Internet's every web page, Klout supposedly ranks the influence of every person online. As a 3-year old start-up, it's raison d'être is to measure influence based on the digerati's ability to drive action.

Coffee Jitters Keeping You Awake At Night? Take A Chill Pill

Toby — Wed, 09 May 2012 12:15:24 -0700

The folks at Think Geek know about caffeine, believe me. How do you think they're able to test the hundreds of weird products they receive every day and then write-up all the clever things to say about them? CAFFEINE! There had been a fast turnover of employees at Think Geek just because of caffeine - the employees, you see, couldn't sleep - at night, at least....

How Many "Dumb F*cks" Will Rock Facebook's IPO Like It's 1999?

Ron Callari — Tue, 08 May 2012 12:26:24 -0700

The term "Dumb F*cks" has hung over Mark Zuckerberg like a dark cloud during the course of the last 8 years. Not because his nickname "Zuck" rhymes with the expletive, but because the CEO of today's largest social network derided his early FB users as such. In 2004, when first percolating the idea of FB in a Harvard dorm room and asked how he attracted so many followers so quickly, he off-handedly responded they were following him blindly, like "Dumb F*cks."

Time to Read? Amazon Japan Limited Edition Analog Alarm Clock

Steve Levenstein — Tue, 08 May 2012 09:40:34 -0700

Amazon Japan is offering a simple yet stylish analog alarm clock for a limited time only. The clock comes in black or orange, sports the Amazon Japan website URL on its face, and wakes up loyal Amazon customers with an electronic beeping chime and complementary flashing lights.

Top 50 Best Quotes About Success

Spencer Lanoue — Mon, 07 May 2012 14:45:59 -0700

Here's a compilation of 50 amazing quotes about success and entrepreneurship meant to inspire and motivate you. Contributing authors include Edison, Einstein, Picasso, Twain, Mandela, and other greats.

Panda on a Plane Eats Shoots and Leaves

China.new — Thu, 03 May 2012 21:00:01 -0700

Did a Giant Panda and his carer recently enjoy their flight to the United States comfortably seated side by side on a China Airlines jet, or are we just being (ahem) bamboozled?

Saddle Leather Computer Mouse for Skin to Skin Luxury

Steve Levenstein — Wed, 02 May 2012 21:00:01 -0700

Desktop computer users tired of caressing a bland, boring, cold plastic mouse all day can click up to some luxury thanks to Japanese specialty retailer Atelier Wazakura. The so-called Kawanezumi (Leather Mouse) features our favorite handy peripheral swathed in soft, supple Saddle Leather. Giddyup!

Heat Conducting Designer Ice Cream Spoon Softens the Hardest Häagen-Dazs

Steve Levenstein — Tue, 01 May 2012 21:00:01 -0700

So your ice cream's too hard but waiting for it to soften at room temperature can be agonizing. “If you wait, you might wait too long and it turns into liquid,” explains Japanese architect and designer Naoki Terada. “All this frustration, all this calculating. It had to stop somewhere!” Now thanks to Terada, our long national nightmare is over.

Anti-Psychotic Drugs Overused In Nursing Homes

Boomer Babe — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 13:34:12 -0700

....The Globe study found that more than one in five U.S. nursing homes are using anti-psychotic drugs for those suffering from Alzheimer's disease or other ailments associated with dementia - approximately 185,000 people who have not been diagnosed with a psychosis.

Ramos Alarm Clock: Get Up Or Get Up!

Must Love Gadgets — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 01:00:59 -0700

Alarm clocks are a pain in the butt. No one wants to get up in the morning, or they wouldn't need an alarm clock, would they? That's why we all have snooze buttons on our alarm clocks, because we need one more chance to be late. Ineffective as snooze alarms are for many, engineer Paul Sammut has created a new version of the alarm clock, one that never shuts up!

KDDI's Concept IIDA Smartphone Features a Manual Analog Clock

Steve Levenstein — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 21:00:01 -0700

Look Ma, hands! Japan's KDDI is showcasing a curiously retro smartphone that's a real blast from the past. The phone's bezel features a manually-wound analog clock, thus creating a fusion of elegance and technology.

How To Make A Picnic Anything But Romantic

Jill Harness — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 17:01:00 -0700

Looking for a great way to ensure all your picnics are solo affairs from here on out, then try these great Picnic pants that make eating easier and dating impossible.

KFC Japan Serves Beer & Booze Beside the Bucket

Steve Levenstein — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 09:06:01 -0700

Forget that Happy Meal, at KFC Japan it's Happy Hour! Want a double with that Double Down? Perhaps a cocktail with your cock-a-doodle-doo? Tokyo's newly opened KFC Route 25 restaurant has begun serving beer & booze by (or at least, beside) the bucket.

From "This Land Is Your Land" To "99 Percenter Song" OWS Guitarists March On NYC (Music Video)

Ron Callari — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 07:29:11 -0700

Legions of guitarists, string players, troubadours, and DIY-shaker makers will converge on Bryant Park May 1, 2012 for Occupy Guitarmy, as part of the Occupy Wall Street May Day initiatives for social and economic justice. And you're all invited. Just show up at the Gertrude Stein statue at 12 Noon on that date and get ready to jam all the way down to Union Square.

China's Taobao Internet Mall Offers Beautiful Girl Delivery Service

China.new — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 21:00:01 -0700

Special delivery indeed: China's Taobao internet mall is boosting their business with the aid of “beautiful girls” who personally deliver customers' orders for a small extra fee.

Singapore Coke Machines Give Out Cold Drinks for Warm Hugs

China.new — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 21:00:01 -0700

If you think machines have no compassion, you've either been watching too many Terminator movies or you haven't visited Singapore lately. The Southeast Asian city-state is where you'll find The Coca-Cola Hug Machine: you supply the hugs, it provides the Coke.

Tsunami Soccer Ball and Volleyball Kicked 3,100 Miles to Alaska

Steve Levenstein — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 07:56:08 -0700

Now ain't that a kick: signed soccer and volleyballs found washed up on an island off Alaska several weeks apart are to be returned to their surprised but grateful owners. The balls may be the first identifiable pieces of debris from Japan's devastating March 11th, 2011 earthquake and tsunami to reach North American shores.

Starbucks To Phase Out Crushed Bugs From Pink Drinks & Pastries

Toby — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 11:45:59 -0700

Just as I was introduced to Starbucks coffee-free Strawberries and Creme Frappachino, I learn that its lovely ballet pink color is not from the mix of deep ripe strawberries and luscious thick cream. Darn that I had to find out that a cactus feeding bug found in Central and South America is the mother of the color in Starbuck's pink drinks and desserts. Yum. Chopped cochineals.

Helen Keller Sunglasses: Insensitive Insult or Respectful Tribute?

China.new — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 21:00:01 -0700

When you wear Helen Keller sunglasses, “You see the world, the world sees you.” One wonders what the real Helen Keller, blinded by illness at an early age, would think of the Chinese company who came up with that jarringly inappropriate motto.

Burger King Japan's Bakin' Up a Big Bacon Bargain

Steve Levenstein — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 13:00:01 -0700

Got a yen for bacon? Got a hundred yen? Then get your appetite to Burger King Japan! For a limited time only, the popular fast food chain is offering customers a whopper of a deal: 15 strips of bacon on almost any Burger King Whopper for just 100 yen.

Bioengineered Stem Cells Produce Hair On Bald Mice

T Goodman — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 01:00:59 -0700

A recent experiment by the department of organ technologies at the Tokyo University of Science was successful at bioengineering hair follicle growth in bald mice. Though these images may look small in the scheme of bioengineering organs, the development is very important, both for those who would like to replace their 'rugs' with something more credible, and for the future of other bioengineered organ replacements.

Music Keeps "Occupy" Movement Humming Along (Videos)

Ron Callari — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 09:41:36 -0700

On March 17th, the 6th month anniversary of Occupy Wall Street, hundreds of 99 Percenters chose to return to their original stomping grounds on Wall Street. But this time they were pushed back by NY City cops, and as tensions rose, one activist was actually punched in the head by officers several times, while others were subdued and arrested.

Dice Dumpling Soup Gives Good Luck to Hungry Chinese Gamers

China.new — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 21:00:01 -0700

Eat a bowl of dice? You bet! Chinese gamers are said to enjoy this lucky snack served at an unnamed casino. From the looks of it, though, I'd say it tastes like craps.

The Split Stick – Two USB Flash Drives In One!

Rey M.L. — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 20:12:29 -0700

With two flash drives shoehorned into a single USB key, the Split Stick reduces the number of drives hanging on our lanyards while keeping personal and professional data conveniently separate.

Social Media's Dark Side "Is Anyone Up" Is No Longer Up!

Ron Callari — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 07:54:45 -0700

The number of followers who had joined "Is Anyone Up" might not have been in the hundreds of millions like some of the more popular social networks, but it sure was capitalizing on the profiles that were registered on Facebook and Twitter, nonetheless. Entrepreneur Hunter Moore had taken Chatroulette to a whole 'nother level to what some were defining as "revenge" or "identity" porn.

Icon Watch Design Echoes Early Computer Graphics

Steve Levenstein — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 13:35:04 -0700

With the Icon Watch the time's always eight... eight-bit, that is. This ultra-minimalist, battery powered wristwatch was inspired by a computer icon and as such, is a true sign of the times.

Nerdy Keyboard Sandals Show Off Your Geek Sole

China.new — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 21:00:01 -0700

Nerdy “types” out there will want to step into these keyboard sandals, artfully imprinted to soothe the geek sole... er, soul. Even the skinniest 98-pound weakling will get a kick out of these cheap flip-flops as they're ideal for a trip to the beach - sand kicking by bullies optional but likely inevitable.

Japanese Robot Rings Redefine the Face Palm

Steve Levenstein — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 09:43:42 -0700

A bizarre set of robotic rings developed by Japanese researchers puts the concept of wearable robots in – actually, “on” – the palm of your hand. Consisting of spherical, movable, electrically-powered eyes and mouth, the rings could someday enhance communication through non-verbal means.

FDA Approves Radioactive Dye In Brain Scan For Alzheimer's

T Goodman — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 01:00:59 -0700

It was a great Friday for those folks waiting for the radioactive dye Amyvid to be approved. The dye, which allows doctors to see the toxic protein amyloid plague in the brain via a PET scan, has been waiting for approval since it was turned down by the FDA one year ago. On Friday, April 6, 2012 the FDA approved the use of Eli Lilly's Amyvid, and Lilly announced that the dye will be available for use this summer, in small supply.

Lenovo's IdeaTab S2109 Android Tablet Unveiled

Rey M.L. — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:29:43 -0700

Lenovo's Youtube channel has unveiled the company's upcoming tablet, loaded with Android 4.0 “Ice Cream Sandwich” and a few other interesting features.

Melty Chocolate USB Lamp Pours Out Calorie-free Illumination

Steve Levenstein — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 21:00:01 -0700

Hot chocolate just got hotter... and lighter, too! The Melty Chocolate USB Sweets Light pours out warm, comforting, calorie-free light while avoiding what would appear to be a sticky mess in the making.

Android Espresso Cup Jump-Starts Your Personal Operating System

China.new — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 21:00:01 -0700

Google's Android is a Linux-based operating system run by mobile devices like smartphones and tablet computers. Espresso is a concentrated, caffeinated beverage prized for its effect on sluggish organic digestive and cognitive systems. The limited edition "Robopresso" delivers the latter in a cup inspired by the former.

ThinkGeek Launches K-Cup Meals and game of Thrones Perfume

Jill Harness — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 01:16:00 -0700

Meals from Keurig Machines and a perfume based on Game of Thrones, ThinkGeek has done it again with another amazing product line launch.