Gadgets, Gizmos, and Games for Geeks

Because every garage deserves an appropriately themed kegerator, Etsy shop AutomotiveDesignM5 has built one featuring a tap made from a real moped engine that’s been cleaned and polished (complete with piston pour handle!). I imagine somewhere out there, at least one diehard moped and beer fan is ecstatic their dream kegerator has finally been made a reality.

Because our scientists were so preoccupied with whether they could, they never stopped to think if they should; researchers at the University of Tokyo have developed a giant flying robotic spider. Named SPIDAR (the all-too-obvious acronym for ‘SPherIcally vectorable and Distributed rotors assisted Air-ground amphibious quadruped Robot’), the four-legged beast can take to the skies thanks to a total of 16 thrusters on its legs.

Because dream it, and with enough bins of random LEGO pieces, you can achieve it, this is a replica LEGO Star Destroyer that Redditor Ben581 built using only pieces he already had on hand. Because why spend $560 on LEGO’s official set (now more like $800+ in the secondary market since it’s been retired) if you don’t have to?

Because plants occasionally like to get down and party just like the rest of us, Firebox is selling these Disco Ball Hanging Planters. Covered with a traditional disco ball mosaic of mirrored tiles, your plants are sure to thank you for the new digs.

Inspired by a giant functional keyboard that Razer had on display at the Consumer Electronics Show back in 2018, engineer and keyboard collector Glarses decided to build his own after the computer accessory maker refused to sell him theirs.

In what’s sure to become an all too common occurrence in the future, this is a video of YouTuber Robot Circus having a knife fight with a little robot he built. Wow, training robots to wield weapons in battle – what could possibly go wrong?

Because it’s important that your footwear expresses your video game fandom (wait, what?), Crocs has teamed up with Minecraft to produce a collection inspired by the game. Releasing February 16th, the collection includes five different styles: adult-sized classic clog, elevated clog, and slide, and kid’s size classic and elevated clog.

Presumably, in an attempt to prove Spider-Man is actually a highly advanced artificial intelligence robot developed by Doctor Octopus that went rogue, YouTuber b2studios took it upon himself to see if he could get a basic AI Spider-Man to swing like the superhero.

Because screen real estate is one of the most affordable forms of real estate these days, YouTuber DIY Perks took it upon himself to build a triple-screen laptop display that combines both form AND function, nearly doubling his viewable area in the process.

Developed by researchers at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the waterproof Mirs-X autonomous drone is capable of both flying AND swimming underwater using its same four rotors for propulsion. It positions itself vertically to swim up or down and tilts itself horizontally to swim side to side or at an angle.

Inspired by a plastic dragon model he found at an antique store (not sure that qualifies as an antique, but I’ll look past it), woodcarver and artist Bobby Duke decided to try his skilled hands at creating an even better version using a 3D drawing pen.

Inspired by nature and designed by Robert van Embricqs, the Flow Wall Desk is a wooden desk that folds out from the wall when you need to write an angry email but folds up flat to the wall when you don’t.

Appropriately piloted by a man dressed as Elvis, the Ryse Recon electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) craft was recently flown over the old Las Vegas strip. And, because the hexacopter is classified as an ultralight aircraft, it doesn’t require a pilot’s license to fly.

Because the future nears (and it’s weirder than you expected), researchers at The University of Chicago have developed a smartwatch with a heart monitor that’s powered by slime mold. And you have to nurture that slime mold in order for its heart monitor functionality to work.

Because bigger is always better (except in the case of a tax bill, and a million other things now that I think about it), Sony recently had an absolutely massive replica of Kratos’ Leviathan Axe from God of War Ragnarök on display along London’s Southbank.

Want to really stand out at the next masquerade ball? How about donning one of these food-inspired masks from Archie McPhee instead of a traditional mask? Currently available in pancake, ham, and pizza varieties, they’re sure to get the other guests chatting!