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Latest Gear Live Videos
Cooper-Hewitt Sponsors Planet-Saving Gadget Show
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Design, Misc. Tech, Science,
From now until September, the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum is presenting “Design for the Other 90%.” Created to encourage others to find new gadgets that will aid those who are less fortunate, the show features the LifeStraw, a mobile water purification tool, the Big Boda Load Carrying Bicycle which can carry hundreds of pounds of cargo, and the Pot-In-Cooker, a storage container that can double the amount of produce while extending shelf life. Again, Gear Live offers kudos to companies that have enough sense to round up those with techno-knowledge and help them to save the planet.
Read More 
| HULIQ
Gallery: Cooper-Hewitt Sponsors Planet-Saving Gadget Show
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Electronic noses have been utilized for several years in the food and beverage industries. Even NASA has developed one to detect pollutants in spacecrafts to predict a possibly lethal concentration. Now University of Warwick and Leicester teams in the UK have developed a new nose that they are hoping to use for selecting odors that are disease specific. The sensors are coated with a synthetic mucus which gives it “improved odor discrimination” and controls the rate detection. The scientists predict that the nose will become available in the next couple of years. Pass the artificial Kleenex.
Read More | BBC
Gallery: Electronic Nose Features Phlegm
Web Cam Concept Also Marks the Time
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Cameras, Design, Misc. Tech,
These diminutive guys are just too cute to be only a concept. Designed by Eric Zhang, the Bubble head Web Cam comes with its own ladder to attach it to a nearby shelf or monitor top. It has a flexible copper skeleton and skin of thermoplastic polyurethane so you can play with it between viewings. When it is idle, it displays a LED clock so you know when it is time to muss up your hair, contact your mum, and beg for a little extra stipend this month. Eric told Gear Live that the cam is now in development by his own company and should be out in about a month. Eric, we are just too jazzed and hope you save one for us.
Read More | Eric Zhang
Gallery: Web Cam Concept Also Marks the Time
The next time you hear the catchy tune of “A Thousand Miles” and feel impelled to run to the nearest Zales this Mother’s Day, think again. Friends from India tell us that if you want to buy cheaply, seek out Indian jewelers because they charge you by weight as opposed to worth. Case in point is this site we found when looking for Mom’s Day gifts. Their Swizz Designer Watch features a mother of pearl dial and Czech crystals. The original watch was a water-resistant Japanese Citizen which has been obviously improved upon. It comes in your choice of 6 colors and is even packed in a steel box. That alone is worth the mere $15.34.
Read More | Indian Gifts Portal
Gallery: Get Mom a Less Expensive Watch
Mediterranean Home Theater Feeds Your Head
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Design, Home Entertainment, Movies, Music,
We’ve shown you how to take your home theater outside or make it look like the Titanic, but if what goes in your stomach is as important is whats on the screen, then this Mediterranean-style theater may be more to your liking. Designed by Sound Components of Florida, the room features burgundy drapes and carpeting, with toast-shaded chairs and woodwork. It also contains a 73-inch rear-projection screen, a 110-inch dropdown filmscreen, and a Maranz DLP projector.
The real fun begins before you even reach the cozy retreat. On the way there, the alley allows you access to a huge DVD/CD collection, popcorn, coffee, a candy counter, and an entire wine collection. We say salut to that one.
Read More | Electronic House
Gallery: Mediterranean Home Theater Feeds Your Head
Trees Receive Punishment for Energy Efficient Sins
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Design, Microsoft, PC / Laptop,
Microsoft StartSomething PC Design competition brought in plenty of new concepts, but we found this one particularly odd. Finalist Ben Arent’s EnergyTree actually contains a living tree. If the owner is especially energy efficient, the tree with be allowed nutrients and water. If not, the device poisons and malnourishes the tree until its demise. The winners of this contest are to be released this month.
Mr. Arent, couldn’t you just be content to design something that would just help us become more energy efficient instead of punishing those that are not? And while you are at it, please take that poor EnergyTree and plant it in a decent outdoor environment.
Read More | Ben Arent via StartSomething Finalists
Gallery: Trees Receive Punishment for Energy Efficient Sins
How to Be a Success at Your Kid’s Next Birthday Party
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Design, Smart Home, Misc. Tech, Videos,
Dave Spencer is such a good dad that he decided to create a super volcano cake for his son’s fifth birtday. Spencer said that he wanted the cake to produce smoke, erupt with “lava,” vibrate, and make volcanic noises. Four months later, having combined items such as a chocolate fountain, an iPod nano, and some speakers, with about $200 worth of supplies that included 7 cake mixes, 11 cans of frosting, cocoa powder, and frozen strawberries, this is the finished product. We’re sure that Dave would be glad to share his design with you and might even be convinced to rent you his contraption, as long as you don’t offer him dessert with the deal.
Read More | Instructables
Gallery: How to Be a Success at Your Kid’s Next Birthday Party
Belt Buckles Display Your Inner Passion
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Wearables, Design, Toys,
Another day, another use for retro Nintendo byproducts and cool Transformer and Star Wars replicas. The belt buckles come in three designs:
- Transformer Optimus Prime, 2.75 x 2.5-inches wide and will fit a belt up to 1.5-inches wide - $14.99.
- Nintendo, 2 x 4.5-inches wide and will fit a belt up to 1.75-inches wide - $14.99.
- Darth Vader 3.5 x 3.5-inches and will fit a belt up to 1.5-inches wide - $24.99.
All three are available online at ThinkGeek.
Read More | ThinkGeek
Gallery: Belt Buckles Display Your Inner Passion
Scientist Creates Clone Bot
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Design, Misc. Tech, Science, Videos,
Hiroshi Ishiguro has a twin, in an odd kind of way. Meet Geminoid, the scientist’s own Frankenstein’s monster created in his own image. In his research at the Intelligent Robotics Laboratory at Osaka University, Hiroshi replicated his own posture and lip movements in the clever bot, then covered him with silicone skin. He even has the capability to add little twitches to make him seem a little more lifelike. We are trying to consider the possibilities of what this application could mean if used in public office to protect some of our higher ups, but then we think that probably just one of those is sufficient.
Read More | Intelligent Robotics Laboratory
Gallery: Scientist Creates Clone Bot
Researchers at MIT have created their own version of the “Jetsons’” Rosy the Robot named Domo. Designed for the elderly or infirm, the bot can grasp dishes out of your dishwasher and put them away or assist in other simple clean up chores. Domo is the next generation of robots built at MIT, a combination of Kismet, who can interact with humans, and Cog, who can manipulate objects.
“The real potential of robots in the future is going to be realized when they can do many types of manual tasks, including those that require interaction with humans,” said Aaron Edsinger, one of Domo’s creators.
Although many such robots are already out in the world in such areas as assembly lines, they cannot adapt to new situations the way that Domo can. They are hoping to make robots capable of ignoring the clutter when performing menial tasks. We just want MIT and funders NASA to know that we would be willing to test drive the bot if it can overlook that large pile of junk mail in the corner and just head straight for the empty pizza boxes.
Read More | Space Daily
