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!)
Psychiatric hotline typography animation
Typography animation is a cool computer arts technique that creates animated video art using primarily typographic characters.
OK, not sure that really made sense, so let me show you. Here’s a fave:
(Thanks to Betty 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!)
Toy Fair Roundup: The 10 Best (including Star Wars mind control)
Gizmodo picked their 10 best toys for adult kids (“AKA Geeks”) from this year’s Toy Fair. Some reeeeeealllly fun stuff, including my personal favorite, the Star Wars Force Trainer. Guided by Yoda, use your mind to make a ball float up in the air. Seriously. Your MIND. Don’t believe me? Check out this story from National Public Radio. Scroll down a bit to see the video of host Jaki Lynden making the thing work.
There’s also another mind control toy coming soon, Mattel’s Mind Flex, which requires you to put a ball through a hoop. Much more difficult and headache-inducing, apparently, so my money’s on the Force Trainer. Probably literally, since I bet it’s a pretty cool way to spend Friday night with our friends. From the NPR story:
Both toys use a modified form of electroencephalography — or EEG — technology to measure electrical signals emitted by the brain, says Jim Sullivan of NeuroSky, the company that created the technology that makes the toys work.
The signals are applied to algorithms that were developed by researchers after careful study of people in various states of attention, Sullivan says. With the right focus, the signals trigger a fan. The harder the player concentrates, the stronger the fan blows — and the higher the ball elevates.
(I know, right?)
