Cell-phone-powered robot Rubik’s Cube solver

Can we just agree that unless you’re my friend Eric, solving a Rubik’s Cube is hard?  Until now!  All you need is a Rubik’s Cube, a cell phone, and this robot guy.  It uses Lego Mindstorms parts, a Lego programmable robotics kit and a Nokia N95 mobile phone.  Then it just takes it and scans it and…solves it.  Seriously cool (and surprisingly meditative).

(Thanks to Steve for the submission!)

The deepest look into space ever

The Hubble telescope pointed at “nothing” and found nearly 10,000 galaxies, some as old as 13 billion years. Perspective restored.

(Thanks to Betty for the submission!)

Synchronized dancing robots

Nothing like light-up dancing robots to get you in the holiday spirit–and they even make a Christmas tree…kinda. Watch for the little guy that falls over halfway through. Part of the choreography, or too much robot eggnog?

(Thanks to Steve for the submission!)

Who gave Darth Vader the remote?

This one just plain made me laugh…

(Thanks to Eric for the submission!)

Piano stairs & the world’s deepest bin

Volkswagen has a “fun theory”–that people will change their behavior for the better if it’s more fun to do it the better way.  Their website, Thefuntheory.com, proves this by presenting ideas from all over the world–like a bike that plays music when you pedal and a book return box that rewards you with a sweet mint.  My favorites, though, are the ones with video proof.  Enjoy, and submit your own ideas to their website by December 15 for the chance to win 2,500 Euros (about $3,700).

(Thanks to Betty for the submission!)

Pop-up Lego Kinkaku-ji Buddhist temple

HEY! Did you miss us? The Day Improver snuck away to the wild Pacific Northwest for a few days of hiking in the rain forest and on the rocky beaches. And…get this…it was sunny. No, I’m not kidding.

But now we’re back and sorting through all your day-improving submissions. First up, this awesome pop-up project featured on the always-entertaining Lego site, The Brothers Brick (be sure to watch the whole video so you can see how it works):

(Thanks to Steve for the submission!)

Office camouflage techniques

Bonus points if you speak Russian (does anybody know what the guys says around 40 seconds in?), but it’s not necessary to enjoy these office workers’ disappearing act:

(Thanks to Steve for the submission!)

LEGO mania

Seriously super cool, especially if you’re a 1980’s-LEGO-loving geek like I was…OK…am:

(Thanks to Steve for the submission!)

Tranforming Bumblebee costume

(Good to see you again! We’ve been away for a few fabulous day-improving days in the mountains with friends. More on that next time.)

For all you “Transformers” fans out there, check this out.  Looks like a car dealership promotional mascot could easily become THE cool costume for Halloween 2009–if only you could get your hands/wheels on it. The fun starts around 30 seconds in…

Demon possessed singing trout

What can I say? Just watch…

(Thanks to Nick for the submission!)