Using a pair of 1,400-watt vacuums he purchased at UK retailer Tesco, Hibiki Kono hooked them up to a couple of large suction pads, and proceeded to ascend a vertical surface with the contraption strapped to his back and arms.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

As you can see from the video clip, Hibiki didn’t get too far up the wall, but we’re sure with a little persistence, he could climb anything he set his mind to – assuming there’s a long-enough power cord.

[via The Sun via PopSci]

Contrary to its name, the Air Hog Zero Gravity Micro R/C car does not defy gravity. However, the car does turn the world on its side by driving not only on floors, but on your walls too. Just flip the switch, place the car on the wall, and you can drive up, down, left and right all without falling off. You can even drive on the underside of a table if the surface is smooth enough.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

So how does this little car work it’s magic? The vehicles contain a special system that works like a mini vacuum cleaner. A powerful fan creates suction to hold the car to the wall, and a special skirt around the perimeter of the car keeps the vacuum seal.

The cars come in a variety of colors and measure about 4.75″ long. They run on rechargeable batteries and should run for about 10 minutes on a single charge. Keep in mind that the remote control is infrared, so it will only work when you have line-of-sight access to the car.

You can get your grubby little mitts from UK gadget retailer Firebox for £29.95, or in the US from Amazon for about $47 USD.

Just stick the little 4-inch tall ‘bot on your window, switch it on, and it’ll automatically walk towards the ceiling (or whatever direction you point it in).

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

It also looks cool ascending the outside of your fish tank, a bathroom mirror or even a metal file cabinet. Climb@tron can be found over on ThinkGeek for just about $8 USD.

The disappearing staircase is the brainchild of industrial designer Aaron Tang. His wall-mounted stair concept uses a series of hinges and pistons to retract flush to the wall, making way when you need a little extra room. Adding to the dramatic design is the fact that the entire staircase unfurls and retracts in a graceful, step-by-step motion.

Hopefully the design includes some sort of failsafe to prevent them from being shut when someone is walking on them. Of course, if you happen to have a mean streak, I guess you’d want that feature disabled.

[via Treehugger via Inventor Spot]

The robot’s maker, Elbit Systems, Ltd., claims that the rugged, dual-treaded robot can climb stairs and challenging surfaces like rubble without a problem. In addition to its fighting duties, the robot can be used for bomb detection and disposal.

I certainly wouldn’t want to run into one of these in a dark alley.

[via Reuters]

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

You’ll need to have mastered your driving skills with a four-star rating before it’ll work, so get racing! The stuff you can do in this game is clearly the #1 argument against realistic physics in games.

[via Xbox360Fanboy]

According to Autonomous, Chaos is made for challenging jobs like explosive disposal, search and rescue, hauling gear and “other dull, dirty or dangerous tasks.” The robots self-correcting track system allow it to cover environments ranging from stairs, to gravel and rubble piles, to steep piles of debris.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Since the robot also may be used for surveillance and reconnaissance missions, it’s designed to produce virtually no motor or gear noise. The compact ‘bot weighs in at 120 pounds, and is designed for quick, modular repair and assembly in the field. The robot is designed to be able to carry additional payloads such as sensors and robotic arms.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Chaos is designed to be controlled by a remote operator using their customizable Mobi remote control unit. The remote is a sophisticated, tablet PC-based device, with interchangeable controllers, such as joysticks, switches or scroll wheels. It’s designed to handle adverse environmental conditions such as wind, rain, dust and extreme temperatures.