Technabob » air

Bicycle Upgraded with Train Horns Sure to Clear the Way

Technabob — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 20:54:07 +0000

Ever find yourself on your bike, only to be cut off by some jerk who doesn’t think bikes belong on the road? Or maybe you’re slowed down by some peds hogging the bike path. While you could try and ring your little bicycle bell or squeeze your meek little horn, you’re much more likely to get their attention with the horns they use on a train or an 18-wheeler. That’s exactly what DIYer Chad Thoren (aka “The Chadster“) did with his bike.

The Chadster outfitted his bike with a large dual-trumpet horn from a train, connected up to a tank filled with compressed air. He says this produces much louder results than you get by just hooking up the horns to an air compressor, so I can only imagine how loud it really is. The video clip below gives you a sense of it, but I’m guessing that in person, it’s much more startling.

The rather simple build requires a cruiser in order to provide a large rack for holding the compressed air cylinder, along with some hose, bungee cords and duct tape. Chad provides instructions on how to build your own over on Instructables, but recommends that you only use it to give pedestrians a scare (and maybe a heart attack,) and not riding in vehicular traffic. Personally, the bigger problem I see is that the rider of the bike probably needs to wear earplugs when riding if they don’t want to go deaf.

Giant Inflatable Spider Puppet Requires Crop Dusting with Raid

Conner Flynn — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 22:00:56 +0000

This image looks pretty tame to me. Just some guy playing with his inflatable spider. But watch the video and be creeped out by how realistically this spider air puppet moves it’s legs. It is an amazing creation, but it must die before it kills someone.

It looks like it is about 10 feet high, with the legs about 30 feet in diameter at full extension. This huge insect puppet was created by Tim Davies, who makes all kinds of cool things, including puppets for carnivals. That’s him beneath the beast (and living to tell about it.)

There is no info on how this thing works – Tim just says it’s “air-powered.” All I know is that it is creepy as hell when it moves. Call in some F-17s to spray this thing with Raid before it reproduces. You can see more of Tim’s work here.

[via Propnomicon via SuperPunch via Neatorama]

Bassjump 2 Subwoofer: Adds Boom to MacBook Pro and Air

Range — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 15:00:22 +0000

The Bassjump 2 from Twelve South is a portable subwoofer that’s USB-powered, allowing you to tote it around almost anywhere. It’s designed to turn your MacBook into a digital boombox, improving the obviously the small, integrated speakers in Apple’s laptops.

It’s supposed to increase the bass capability of your MacBook significantly, picking up just the low-end, and still leaving mid-range and high frequencies to the MacBook’s internal speakers. A single USB cable delivers both power and sound, which cuts down on wires and clutter. The Bassjump 2 comes with software to customize the sound, including volume and crossover frequency – between 100Hz and 300Hz.

If you tend to use your MacBook Pro or Air as a way to share music with your friends, then this is definitely a good option to check out. The Bassjump 2 costs $69.99(USD) over at Twelve South.

Eole Concept Watch Needs to be Blown on to Work

Shane McGlaun — Mon, 16 May 2011 16:24:12 +0000

My son has a Nintendo DSi that he plays frequently. One of his favorite game is Mario Kart on the portable console and he plays some level where you have to blow on the DSi to inflate a balloon. I always hear him in there puffing away and think he has gone crazy until he reminds me its Mario Kart. I would imagine that people would have the same “what’s wrong with you” reaction if they saw you blowing on your wristwatch.

The Eole watch concept is designed by Julien Moïse and it’s pretty cool. The red section that looks like some sort of jet turbine is the wind power generator. Apparently when you want to tell what time it is you blow on that turbine and it will then power the watches digital face to show the time. The thing I wonder about though is how exactly the watch remembers the time.

I can only assume such a watch concept ever came to be a real product, it would need a battery so it would know what time it was when the LCD fired up. Without some sort of continuous power you would have to blow on the watch and set the time every time you wanted to look at the face. Check out the video to see more about the concept.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

[via Yanko Design]

Ground-Effect Trains Floats on Air

Shane McGlaun — Sat, 14 May 2011 14:00:31 +0000

I think the coolest method of transportation in Asia and parts of Europe are the crazy fast bullet trains that blaze around those countries. Researchers in Japan are working on a new method of transportation that may one day replace those trains and go even faster.

The researchers have constructed a robotic machine that is a ground-effect train. The vehicle floats on a cushion of air, and the prototype is set for a demonstration soon to see how things work out for the design. The vehicle is sort of like a cross between a maglev train and a low flying aircraft.

When I say low, I mean really low, too. It will float only a few inches over the ground, but that is enough to eliminate friction allowing the vehicle to be more efficient and faster.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

The prototype unmanned vehicle will go around a “U” shaped track at up to 125 mph. One day trains might be replaced with vehicles using propellers and wings only meant to fly a few inches off the ground.

[via ieee Spectrum via PopSci]

Sleek-Looking Coway Air Purifier Keeps It Clean While Looking Good

Range — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 12:00:42 +0000

I don’t currently have an air purifier in my house, but I have to say that I’ve never seen an air purifier like this. The Coway AP-1008 is an elegant machine that sets itself apart from the rest with its unique design.

It comes in two models, a premium leather-finished one or a modern white one. Hmm, leather. Apparently, despite its overall slim shape, it’s supposed to be more powerful than conventional air purifiers, thanks to the ultra-thin filter.

This purifier is available from a variety of online retailers from $350-500 (USD). I found several over at Amazon. The price seems like a bit much for an air purifier, but if you’re looking for something that really looks good, you should check it out.

[via Appliancist]

Laptop Lilo: Inflatable Laptop Stand Looks Comfy, Hopefully Not Melty

Technabob — Wed, 26 May 2010 01:08:30 +0000

If you’re sick and tired of having your laptop actually burning a hole in your lap, check out this unique laptop stand, which features an unusual inflatable design.

The Laptop Lilo not only keeps your lap cool, but provides air pockets for circulation so your computer doesn’t overheat. Now when I first looked at this, I thought for sure that the Sahara-like temperatures that my laptop throws off would melt such a contraption. However, the makers of the Lilo insist that the PVC stand can handle temps all the way up to 176-degrees Farenheit (appx. 80 Celsius). If your computer is running that hot, you’ve got bigger problems.

You can grab the Laptop Lilo over at perpetual kid for $16.99 (USD). Air not included.

[via Random Good Stuff]

Rcx 4 Star Stryker Looks Nothing Like an X-Wing Fighter

Technabob — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 09:47:26 +0000

I was strolling down the aisles at the CES show today, when what did I see but a wondrous remote-controlled aircraft hovering in the sky. What was it that I spied?

Nope, as much as I want to believe this airborne beauty is an X-Wing Fighter, it’s actually an RCX 4 Star Stryker, I swear.

Whatever you call it, it’s a whole lot of awesome. The RCX 4 uses 3D gyroscopic technology to hover in a perfectly-balanced way – perfect for beginner R/C flyers. Not only can it be controlled from up to 1-mile away, it can fly for about 10 minutes on a single charge. Watch it fly through the air with the greatest of ease, doing its best to avoid Lucasfilm attorneys at every turn…

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

And the best part is, it comes in this nifty padded metal case, along with the controller.

The whole kit-and-kaboodle retails for $399 (USD) over at DigitTronics, but if you happen to be hanging out in the South Hall at CES this week, you can grab one for a show special price of $299.

Looftlighter: Flame on Without a Flame on

Lambert Varias — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 12:49:20 +0000

Instead of fire, or even sparks, the Looftlighter uses hot air – hot as in more than 1000°F – to light things up. The Looftlighter is named after its inventor, Richard Lighter. No wait: his real name is Richard Looft, a (former?) theater director who got tired of having his barbecued chicken taste like lighter fluid. So Looft did what any Swedish theater director in his right mind would do: “He poured coal into a toaster”. No-brainer right? Even a third grader can guess what Looft did next: “he turned the flow around in a vacuum cleaner and discovered that the coal got ready to use in just a few minutes!” I mean come on. I could’ve thought of that.

It’s not the quickest way to start a fire, and when you first fire it up it may seems like it’s not doing anything, but because it doesn’t use lighter fluid you’ll save a lot in the long run. That and your chicken barbecue won’t taste like lighter fluid anymore. Unless you actually put lighter fluid on it.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

You can order the Looftlighter at ThinkGeek for $80 (USD). I’d buy a low-powered version of this so I can use it for pranks.

[via Chip Chick]

Parajet Skycar Now Available for Pre-Order, Governments May Need to Prepare Driving-Flying Licences

Lambert Varias — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 14:59:58 +0000

Why have I not read about this before? The ParaJet SkyCar, invented by Giles Cardozo, is the world’s first street legal FLYING CAR.

As in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Flying Car, except that it uses a nylon “Paramenia Reflex” wing to control its flight. The car is able to fly thanks to its gigantic back-mounted propeller, kinda like Thunder in Thunder in Paradise, except that it’s a car and not a boat. Why is it that I forget a lot of the things that my girlfriend and I talk about, and yet I have neurons to spare to remember Thunder in Paradise? Dammit.

The SkyCar’s capabilities were put to the test earlier this year when Neil Laughton, who I bet has 4 sets of balls, rode/flew the SkyCar from London to Timbuktu in India, a 5,000-mi journey. On the road, the SkyCar can go up to 140 mph. In the air the SkyCar has a take off range of about 490 ft, a cruising speed of 82 mph and a maximum altitude of 15,ooo ft. Here’s CNN’s coverage of the SkyCar prior to Laughton’s epic journey:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

And now, thanks to ParaJet, any ordinary citizen on the planet can own a flying car, as long as that citizen has $82, 165 (USD) (£50,000) to spare. Check out ParaJet’s website for more details or to pre-order. A flying car. WOW.

[via LikeCool]

Laser Airzooka Gets Precision Aim

Technabob — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 12:50:56 +0000

If you’ve ever played with an Airzooka, you know how much fun it can be to blow away your office-mates without actually causing any real harm. Now you can have a much better shot at hitting your victims with a perfect blast of air, thanks to a built-in laser pointer.

Just flip on the red laser pointer, take aim, and fire a huge ball of air at your buddies, scattering their TPS reports everywhere. Lather, rinse, repeat. It never gets old. And when I say “never”, I mean “quickly”. Still, it looks like fun for at least a few minutes before your boss takes your toy away and puts it in his desk drawer until the end of the day.

Want your own Laser Airzooka? Just head on over to UK gadget shop I Want One Of Those, and plunk down £19.99 (about $33 USD). If you already invested $13 bucks in an original Airzooka, you can always just tape a cheap laser pointer to the top of it and save yourself a few bucks.

Touch Screens Could Get Bumpy Someday

Technabob — Fri, 15 May 2009 17:18:17 +0000

As much as I dig my iPhone and HP Touchsmart touchscreens, there’s something that I still miss about actually feeling buttons under my fingertips. And while I’ve gotten pretty good at typing without even looking at the screen anymore, I’ll never achieve the kind of touch typing speed I’ve hit on a traditional keyboard. So I was really intrigued when I came across this concept technology that eventually make touchscreens just as tactile as the real deal.

Carnegie Mellon University grad student Chris Harrison and CS professor Scott Hudson have developed a tactile interface that lets you actually feel and press virtual buttons that emerge from a touchscreen. The prototype uses a combination of rear-projected images, infrared sensors and a layer of flexible latex from which the buttons rise and fall.

A custom cut acrylic layer behind the buttons gives them their shapes, and air is pumped into and out of the chambers behind the buttons to automatically change the button states as the images change.

The system is capable of detecting more than one simultaneous press using readily available infrared multi-touch technology, and can even figure out how hard you’re pressing on the buttons by monitoring air pressure. To see the system in action, check out this video clip:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

While the prototype version is clearly not practical or cost-effective for real-world use, the overall concept is really cool, and I’d love to see them figure out a way to miniaturize the technology so it could be crammed into a mobile device some day.

[via Technology Review]

Airheads Let You Make Music in the Air

Technabob — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 12:45:29 +0000

These new devices let you create music by waving your hands in the air. The sensor sticks can detect the position and velocity of your hands as they move in front of them.

Airheads work as a standard MIDI controller, you can connect them to most synthesizers or even a drum machine, so you can play some serious air drums. (Assuming you don’t mind gesticulating wildly when you’re playing your tunes.)

Each Airheads controller uses an array of LEDs paired up with infrared sensors to work its auditory magic.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

A starter kit (soldering and assembly required), including a single Airheads controller and all necessary parts and cables is available from MakerSHED for $99.95 (USD). You can check out more videos of Airheads in action over on Flickr.

Draganflyer X6 Aerial Camera Copter Nearly Flies Itself

Technabob — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 11:35:49 +0000

Need to shoot some videos or images from way up in the sky? This sophisticated remote-controlled flying machine might be just what you’re looking for.

The Draganflyer X6 is an unmanned, miniature helicopter which can carry wireless video or still digital cameras up, up in the air. Interchangeable modules let you swap between high-def video, still images, low light and thermal imaging cameras.

The craft uses a sophisticated 6-rotor design to maintain smooth, balanced flight, and has an embedded GPS system so you can keep track of the exact location of your copter.

11 on-board sensors and custom application code automatically stabilize the flyer, and if it loses the remote signal, it can automatically land itself and transmit its position via the GPS module.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Check out this video clip in which the operator does everything he can to try and crash the X6, and it just won’t give in.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Draganflyer’s remote control is no slouch either. It features a schmancy OLED display which relays back video, images, and real-time statistics on the helicopter’s flight data and GPS coordinates.

Designed for use in video production, military, emergency management and educational uses, the X6 is certainly no toy. Although I’d love to have one to play with (hint hint, Draganfly guys). And with a starting price tag of $14,995, you’ll be mighty glad it can land itself safely.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

You can check out all the pertinent stats, and many more videos of the X6 in action over on the Draganfly website.

Takaratomy Qfo Flying Objects Get Ready to Land on Earth

Technabob — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 11:30:35 +0000

Imagine an army of tiny little UFOs whizzing around your head. Now imagine that you could be the one controlling them.

TakaraTomy’s mysterious looking QFOs are pint-sized remote controlled hovering spacecraft which spin through the sky. A little propeller mounted on the bottom of a lightweight foam body gives the QFO its flight.

Each one comes with a rechargeable battery which provides up to 4 minutes of continuous flight on a 30 minute charge.

In addition to the yellow, blue, red and silver versions, it looks like there’s a retro UFO-style version that’s in the works too.

QFOs are expected to hit stores in Japan this September. I managed to find them available for pre-order over on Amazon JP for just ¥3520 (appx. $32 USD) but it’s doubtful you’ll be able to get these outside of Japan for a while.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

While the QFO homepage isn’t particularly helpful in explaining anything about how these work, it is worth a look for the goofy UFO investigation marketing campaign.

[various tidbits via Digital Gadgets Freak, CScout Japan and Gizmodo Japan]

Web Gun Catches Thieves Just Like Flies

Technabob — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 22:17:43 +0000

Why should cops need to zap suspects with dangerous Tazers when they could just catch fleeing criminals using a powerful Spiderman-like web-slinging device instead?

The NET-2000 Shooting Net Rod uses a charge of highly compressed air to fire a net at fleeing suspects from as far as 49 feet away.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

While it doesn’t spin a web of just any old size, it does fire a huge 52 square foot net made of high strength Nylon fiber. While the device may look like an innocuous flashlight when not in use, it sure packs a wallop when fired up.

In addition to law enforcement use, its designed for animal catchers to use in place of traditional manual nets. Importer Chinagrabber is selling the devices for just $419 a piece, but I’d suggest that you check with your local police department before you try to catch stray alley cats with one of these.

Blow Up: Amplifies Breath Into a Windstorm

Technabob — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 12:42:32 +0000

This incredible art installation records the tiniest human breathing patterns and magnifies them into a room-filling blast of wind.

Created by interactive artist Scott Snibbe, Blow Up is comprised of two main pieces. On one side of the room is an array of 12 small impellers which act as a breath-controlled input device. On the other side of the room is a wall with a dozen powerful electric fans.

The impellers are electronically synchronized with the fans, which automatically adjust to match the direction and velocity input on the tiny controller. In addition to playing real-time “amplified” wind patterns, the system stores the most recently captured breath patterns and replays them in a loop until someone breathes a different pattern.

To really understand how it all works, be sure to check out this cool video clip Snibbe recently posted.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Blow Up was commissioned by Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco back in 2005. Even though it’s no longer on exhibit, this is the first time we can all see it in action, all thanks to the magic of YouTube.

Hundreds of Box Fans as Interactive Art

Technabob — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 12:45:44 +0000

This unusual art installation took hundreds and hundreds of individual cooling fans, and tied them together with sensors that detect the movements of passersby to produce an amazing visual and sensory experience.

Dutch artist Daan Roosegaarde worked with a team of technical wizards to create this mammoth interactive work entitled Flow 5.0. The display dynamically adjusts the speed and direction of the fans, reacting to visitors’ movements. The installation was constructed as two 10-meter-long walls which immerse visitors in the center of the artwork (and gives them a nice cool breeze while they’re at it).

Flow 5.0 is on display through January 3, 2008 at the Kapelica Gallery in Ljubljana, Slovenia. In other words, you probably won’t be seeing it up close and personal, so you’ll just have to live with this video clip instead.

[via dezeen]

Mini R/C Helicopters Take to the Skies

Technabob — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 12:45:34 +0000

These radio-controlled helicopters are small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. The choppers come in a matched pair that can run on different frequencies, so you can have mini-dogfights with your friends.

Pressing a button on the remote can fire an invisible IR beam at your opponent’s helicopter, making it start to spin out of control. A second shot makes your enemy lose some power, and one more deadly shot kills power altogether, sending their copter plummeting to the ground.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

You can grab a pair of the dueling mini helicopters from ThinkGeek for $49.99.

Force Feedback Gaming Vest Lets You Feel Real Impact

Technabob — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 04:07:20 +0000

By now, we’re all pretty used to game controllers that can provide rumble feedback, but how’d you like to actually feel the impact of every gunshot and punch when playing your favorite video game?

A device originally created for remote medical investigation is now being transformed into a gaming vest that can provide its wearer with sensory feedback. Physician Mark Ombrellaro designed the TN Games 3rd Space vest, which uses air pressure to produce thumping sensations wherever impact should be felt. The vest has eight zones which can simulate the direction and forces of bullet fire, explosions, and even the sensation of fingers tapping on you (great for scary horror games).

The vest will ship this November for $189, and is bundled with a game called 3rd Space Incursion and a special version of Call of Duty II which showcase the force feedback technology. For a limited time, you can pre-order one for $169.99 from the TN Games online shop. The company is also offering patches for Quake 3, Quake 4 and Doom 3 which enable the vest in those games. An SDK allows developers to easily add support to their games.

The company is working on another version of the vest which will emulate the G-force sensations in racing and flight games in early 2008.

[AFP via MaxConsole]