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many bags do not look alike: self-propelled suitcase can drive itself through the airport

self_propelled_suitcase

Now I’m not one to pack a ton of stuff when I travel. As a matter of fact, if it doesn’t fit in the overhead bin or under the seat in front of me, it’s not going with me. On the other hand, I certainly know my share of people who would like to bring…

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April 24th, 2009 comments stumble it! digg it! author: technabob

filed under: gadgets strange + wonderful

persistence of vision led clock gets a major upgrade

This amazing wall clock can display intricate animations thanks to the optical phenomenon known as persistence of vision (POV). Using a small spinning “blade” covered in red, green and blue LEDs, along with sophisticated microcontroller circuit, this clock can dynamically change its look with just the push of a button.

The clock comes with a…

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November 16th, 2008 comments (1) stumble it! digg it! author: technabob

filed under: just plain fun timepieces

altered electric skateboards for real speed demons

Back when I was a kid, I tried to get on a skateboard a couple of times. But just about every time I did, I couldn’t manage to build up enough momentum to ride for more than a few seconds without wiping out. Up until now, there was no other choice for me but to…

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October 21st, 2008 comments (3) stumble it! digg it! author: technabob

filed under: just plain fun

robophilo: humanoid robot for under $500

RoboPhilo

RoboPhilo is a compact personal robot that offers a level of sophistication you usually don’t find in robots for under $1000, let alone in one that costs less than 500 clams.

 
The humanoid ‘bot comes “ready to walk,” which means you won’t have to spend hours putting together the intricate servos and wiring that…

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December 8th, 2007 comments (6) stumble it! digg it! author: technabob

filed under: robots

annoying neighbors? take ‘em out with this paintball tank

Mini Paintball Tank

(Sub)urban warfare has a new face, and it goes by the name of Paintball Panzer. The pint-sized tank has a turret-mounted paintball gun which lets you fire rounds of paint ammo while keeping you safe and sound from the tomatoes and eggs which may be thrown at you in return.

The Funtrak Mini Paintball Tank…

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September 25th, 2007 comments (14) stumble it! digg it! author: technabob

filed under: gadgets just plain fun

mirror answers the question: is that a weave?

Daniel Rozin’s Weave Mirror

I first told you about artist Daniel Rozin’s cool interactive mirrors about a year ago. He’s now showing off his latest creations at New York’s Bitforms gallery. Here are a couple of my favorites:

The Weave Mirror uses 768 individual strips which are woven together into a grid. As passersby walk in front of the…

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September 17th, 2007 comments (2) stumble it! digg it! author: technabob

filed under: design digital imaging interactive

best hard disk clock ever

Harddisc Uhr Mod

In my travels, I’ve seen a few clocks made from old hard drives. They’re typically made by stripping out the guts of an old hard drive, slapping a cheap $2 clock mechanism through the platters, then call it a day. On the other hand, here’s a hard disk based clock hack that really is an…

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September 16th, 2007 comments (2) stumble it! digg it! author: technabob

filed under: computing hacks + mods timepieces

daniel rozin’s circles mirror reflects, distorts reality

Daniel Rozin Circles Mirror

Artist Daniel Rozin has been creating mind-blowing interactive artworks, combining computers, video cameras and mixed media since 1999. One of his more recent works was this hybrid digital/analog mirror which reflects images from passers-by using a huge grid of rotating circles.

Daniel’s Circles Mirror is an amazing combination of mechanical and digital technologies. By using…

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July 9th, 2007 comments (1) stumble it! digg it! author: technabob

filed under: design digital imaging interactive just plain fun

technorobot: the paper automaton

TechnoRobot

Sure, you could go spend hundreds of dollars on one of those fancy robot kits, or you could be a cheap bastard like me, and pick up one of these.

At just 12 bucks, you can’t expect much. The TechnoRobot kit is a do-it-yourself robot that’s made mostly out of cardboard and held together by…

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May 3rd, 2007 comments (3) stumble it! digg it! author: technabob

filed under: just plain fun robots