A concept design by Peter Fletcher, the Turbine LED watch would tell the current time using a spinning turbine-like blade, with flashing LEDs on one of the blades. As the blades spin rapidly, the time would be revealed.

When I first saw this idea, I thought that building a motor into a watch to spin the turbine would eat up battery like mad. However, Peter’s concept incorporates a clever mechanical “pull cord” on the side of the watch, which provides its spinning energy instead of a motor.

At this point, the Turbine watch is only a concept, but if it manages to get enough votes over on the TokyoFlash design blog, it might someday become a real watch.

[Thanks for the tip, Peter!]

The Strobeshnik hard drive clock uses a stroboscopic effect to make it look like the numbers of the clock are persistent on the face of the drive platter – which Svofski galvanically etched to make the cool cutout numbers.

A set of LEDs is positioned behind the platter, and a custom controller circuit automatically coordinates the rapidly blinking LEDs to illuminate precisely when the appropriate number window in the platter is lined up in the right location.

Here’s a video clip of the Strobeshnik clock in action. When it’s first spinning up, it just looks like a bunch of jibbrerish. But wait for it… wait for it… when the drive hits the right speed, the time is there – just as perfect as any other clock.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

For a full build log, schematics and source code for the Strobeshnik, head on over to Svofski’s website.

[via Hacked Gadgets]

Just flip open the collapsing handle on the Bandai Luminodisc and give it a spin. As it goes round and round, a persistence-of-vision LED display tells you how many rotations your spin made. If you hit a certain threshold, you’ll see secret hidden messages and animations. There are a couple of game modes, like trying to hit 150 rotations in 10 seconds, and a really tricky mode called “Just 100″ in which you need to stop the spinning at exactly 100 revolutions. And then there’s “Biggest Challenge” in which you shoot for 300, 400 or 500 revs without the top stopping.

In addition to the game modes, the Luminodisc works as a handy magnetic compass too. Just put it in directional mode, and a N-S-E-W directional indicator flips on the LED display when you spin it up to speed.

While these are available over in Japan for just ¥1999 ($20 USD), the folks over at Gizmine are selling these worldwide for $34.99 (USD).

Awwww. The fan’s packaging also provides some extra Engrish fun:

You can get this at dealextreme for $6.60 (USD). Just plug it into a USB port and it’ll starting in working.