Pretty Cool ↓

iRobot Packbot

“3,000 packbots have now been shipped around the world for use in military and law enforcement applications. The robot is small and very lightweight, perfect for navigating in tricky places, it maneuvers on two tank tread and has an articulated arm mounted on top. A camera is mounted on the arm allow the operator to see what the packbot sees from a safe distance. The user operates the bot using a video game-like controller, watching through a display. The packbot’s main mission is inspecting and disposing of explosives or suspected devices.” w/ photos

Light Trees

“The artificial tree is covered in solar cells that power ultra-bright LEDs at the base. The light diffuses thru water which fills the entire cavity of the tree for that glowy look. The upper extremities hold seeds to REAL PLANTS, like OMG! I was getting worried about the total artificiality of this concept but at least you’ve got some green shrubbery in there.” w/ photos

Terminator Theme Composer Interviewed

“Great interview with Brad Fiedel. The man who composed the theme for the Terminator! This is really my favorite interview ever about a film composer. And the Japanese interviewer is really hilarious. This is really epic!” — juggernoud1

Plastic Bottle Hangers

“Chinese designer Xuan Yu’s Rethink hanger caught our attention as a clever concept for storing your threads, but we’re not casting our vote just yet for this eco product. Touted as a green solution, this plastic bit requires empty bottles screwed into either side in order to function.” w/ photos

The Motorcycles Of WWII

“A World War is no place for half-ass machinery, and motorcycles are no exception. The bikes our grandfathers rode while in the service were not only incredibly functional, but also some of the most stylish vehicles around. Here is a look at the gnarly motorcycles of WWII.” w/ photos

RoboThespian: I Am A Machine

“RoboThespian demonstrates his acting skills – moving from robotic to fluid and emotional.”

Play Guitar By Flexing

“Since Microsoft Research is so into “natural user interfaces,” they showed off this one, called muscle-computer interface. It senses the movement of your extremities by tracing electrical activity within the muscles using a usually medical technique called electromyography. They’ve tried it in situations where users are engaged in physical exercise or have their hands full, like when bringing groceries to the car. They also connected it to Air Guitar Hero.” w/ photos + video

Smile Cookin’ Toaster

“Does your toast smile at you in the morning or is it a grumpy old man? Quirky as it may sound, I think small nuances (or gimmicks) like this can really make a difference in your day. Bring out your shiny smile for the Smile Cooking Toaster! Think hair straightening iron for a moment, similar to that clasp design is this appliance. Difference lies in the electric-heating nano-membrane and different smiley faces you can use to singe on the bread.” w/ photos

Knee Crutch On Wheels

“Ohh that is clever. This is a project whose main function is to get you around in two kinds of style. One prerequisite: your leg has to be broken. What the weird!? Or if you want to fake it just to use such a wild and wonderful design, well that’s your own business I suppose. What this design, the ‘Stryder,’ does, is act as both a one-legged crutch AND as a knee-standing scooter. It’s a transformer!” w/ photos

Alice In Wonderland (1903)

“The first-ever film version of Lewis Carroll’s tale has recently been restored by the BFI National Archive from severely damaged materials. Made just 37 years after Lewis Carroll wrote his novel and eight years after the birth of cinema, the adaptation was directed by Cecil Hepworth and Percy Stow, and was based on Sir John Tenniel’s original illustrations. In an act that was to echo more than 100 years later, Hepworth cast his wife as the Red Queen, and he himself appears as the Frog Footman. Even the Cheshire cat is played by a family pet.”