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Mariko Mori’s Wave UFO combines real-time computer graphics and brainwave sensory technology to produce and audio/visual show like no other. Three viewers enter the contraption and are fitted with electrodes to monitor their brain waves. The data gathered is used to produce a one of a kind show:
This information is transformed into visual imagery and projected onto the screen: six undulating bio-amorphous cells represent the left and right lobes of each of the participants’ brains, and a waving line moves in correspondence with blinks and other facial movements. The forms change shape and color in response to three types of brainwaves. Alpha (blue) waves indicate wakeful relaxation, Beta (pink) waves indicate alertness or agitation, and Theta (yellow) waves indicate a dreamlike state. Two cells coming together demonstrate “coherence” between the two lobes of the brain. Mental functions such as thinking in other languages or doing math problems immediately transform the characteristics of the graphics.
Read More 
| Venice Art Biennale via WMMNA
Linksys WRTP54G VOIP Wireless Router
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Hot Deals, Misc. Tech, Wireless / WiFi,
Linksys (Cisco) and Vonage have announced a deal that allows those who currently own a router of any type to get a new WRTP54G combo 802.11g router/switch/hub/TA if they sign up for a new Vonage VOIP account. The router drops the black and blue Linksys look in exchange for the more modern silver style seen in the WRT54GX Pre-N MIMO router. While it looks good on paper, there are a couple of things you should know. First, this only works on Vonage for now - so if you get this router, you shouldn’t expect the ability to switch VOIP providers and maintain its usability. The other thing is that it can take up to three mail in rebates before the router is actually considered free.
Read More | Linksys Trade In
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When you have a bunch of mustard yellow LEGO bricks and a bunch of time on your hands, what do you get? Apparently, life-size statues of two of America’s pop culture favorites - Bart Simpson and Milhouse Van Houten. The artist says that the statues weigh about 30 pounds - that’s a lot of LEGO. Milhouse even got a change of clothes since “Milhouse Blue” was unavailable. These things are so cool that they refuse to even look at the camera.
Read More | Bart and Milhouse LEGO Statues
Latest Gear Live Videos
Scientists have developed a microscopic toothbrush that is so small that it can clean the inside of a cappilary. The brush is made of carbon nanotubes, and can even paint the internals of a cappilary. Most paintbrushes are made of thin metal or animal hair, but carbon nanotubes provide the best of both worlds:
Carbon nanotubes, on the other hand, are 30 times stronger than steel, yet five times less dense. They are highly elastic, resistant to heat, have large surface areas and even conduct electricity. The latter property makes them highly suitable for the contact brushes used in electric motors, says Ajayan.
Read More | New Scientist
Electronic boards in the classrooms are becoming more popular now. Using fingers as a stylus, teachers and students are able to share assignments, surf the web, and view video all where chalkboards used to rule. Most classrooms today use a whiteboard and a projection screen for any of the fun computer stuff. Are these new boards really a great thing? In my experience, many professors prefer to ditch the projector in favor of the whiteboard since it allows them to write and draw their thoughts faster.
Read More | Wired News
No, it won’t give you gills, but a new breakthrough in SCUBA (Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus) technology could allow divers to ditch heavy compressed air tanks and bulky breathing apparatus in favor of a lightweight, less-obtrusive setup inspired by Mother Nature.
Fish “breathe” by using the dissolved oxygen in water, and until recently the best approximation that us land-lubbers could come up with was separating oxygen from water using electrolysis, which is extremely energy consumptive and not usable by all but the largest nuclear submarines and the International Space Station. However, an Israeli inventor’s vision and application of “Henry’s Law” which governs the behaviors of dissolved gases in liquid, has captured the attention of major diving companies and the Israeli military.
[Henry’s law] states that the amount of gas that can be dissolved in a liquid body is proportional to the pressure on the liquid body. The law works in both directions – lowering the pressure will release more gas out of the liquid. This is done by a centrifuge which rotates rapidly thus creating under pressure inside a small sealed chamber containing sea water. The system will be powered by rechargeable batteries. Calculations showed that a one kilo Lithium battery can provide a diver with about one hour of diving time.
This could be promising new technology to keep an eye on, for diving enthusiasts and science/technology enthusiasts alike.
Read More | IsraCast Tech News
For those of you living on the equivalent of a Gear Live editors budget, there is hope for keeping cool in the summer. Home Trends has come up with the brilliant idea of combining a standard fan with those cold packs used to keep sandwiches cool during the workday. The Frosty Fun Pack runs for about $15 USD - a lot cheaper than the more expensive alternative of actual air conditioning.
(Thanks Phil!)
Read More | Home Trends
Here comes the ultimate summer must have item. Forget about the fact that you may plow head first into the back of a speedboat, this thing rocks. It is a gigantic inflatable suit that you put on to keep you afloat while you are towed along at high speeds. It is even ribbed for your floating pleasure, allowing you to maneuver a bit while you look like a fool in the water. Does it suit your fancy? Pick one up for $120 USD.
Read More | Sportstuff via Gizmag
What the hell? Johnny Swing is one crazy fella. This man constructed a chair out of quarters, after all. If that doesn’t suit your fancy, he also has a sofa made of nickels as well as another made completely out of empty jars. Am I missing something here? There are going to be a lot of unhappy vending machines out there by the time this man is done - and good luck finding any change you happen to lose in this one.
Read More | Johnny Swing Furniture
PC World Gives High Marks to Apple’s Latest Lineup
Posted by Kristin Wenzel Categories: Misc. Tech, Software,
PC users were in for a shock when they read PC World Magazine’s Top 100 Products of 2005 list this year, for sure. After Mozilla Firefox and Google Gmail, Apple’s Mac OS X Tiger took a respectable third place out of 100, making it the de facto “Best Operating System” for 2005. To take third on the list in a PC magazine was unexpected, especially when so many of the top choices are free services.
Apple gave a good show with their new product line placing all over the list in many categories. The company’s iTunes software took 35th, 12 points ahead of Microsoft’s Windows Media Player 10, which came in 47th. The Mac Mini showed up at 75th, showing incredible popularity after its release in January 2005. The iPod Photo was also on the list at 78th, and iTunes Music Store showed up at 86th. Comparatively speaking, that’s five products that placed in the top 100 for this year – the second most “wins” after Dell’s six. That’s impressive for a company that has traditionally been ignored by PC users and companies. Perhaps it’s about time people took another look at Apple — PC World obviously did, and liked what they saw.
Read More | PCWorld’s Top 100 Products of 2005
Read More | MacNN.com
