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Snake-Like Rescue Robot Will Scare the Sh*t Out Of You, Then Pull You From the Rubble
Posted by John Mahoney at 11:00 PM on August 16, 2008
If I was trapped in a pile of earthquake rubble, I'd do just about anything to get the hell out as soon as possible. But if this cilia-covered rescue snakebot squirmed it's way up my leg, I think the chances of heart failure might need to be factored in. It's called the Active Scope Camera, and it was conceived by researchers at Japan's Tohoku University, all of whom are clearly fans of War of the Worlds. It's a fibre-optic camera wrapped in a layer of tiny cilia bristles, which allow for millipede-like locomotion that's creepy, creepy, creepy in this video.
Inspired by high-end Italian sports cars, designer Tadahito Ishibashi came up with the Brunopasso PD-1--an espresso machine that looks like it should be hauling arse down the highway. Outside of its sleek curves, the illusion is enhanced with dashboard-style gauges and a beechwood lever. But that is not where the similarities end--much like a sports car, the Brunopasso does not come cheap at US$850. With Ferrari putting their brand on everything from 
It may not sound much different that a weed-whacker, but I can assure you that if this 1/6 scale replica of the 1964 Corvette L76 327 cubic-inch V8 was put into a tiny car, it would give a Leprechaun the ride of its life. The mini four-stroke engine was fabricated from scratch by a guy named Jim Moyer, and it can hit a staggering 11,000 RPM when opened up. Impressive.
As if you didn't already feel fat enough, how does sitting on a chair that doubles as a scale sound? Indeed, the Weighing Seat concept from the design team at Atypyk reminds you of how fat you are getting every time you sit down to eat. It could very well be the most effective diet you have ever been on. Either that, or it will force you to start eating your meals standing up. But look on the bright side, you can finally start weighing your farts. Ever been curious about that? What, just Jason and I? Come on guys, admit it. [
No, high speed photography is by no means a new idea; we just very much enjoyed this Flickr collection by user nebarnix. A large gallery of objects frozen in motion with a 500-nanosecond flash, a visual cacophony of exploding eggs and firecrackers captured mid-pop await those who hit the link. Oh, and there's a great shot of a Pabst Blue Ribbon eating a hollow-point bullet:
Reviewing gadgets on a normal basis, you really come to realise how incredible wasteful all the packaging is. Something is shipped to you in a box that's packed with styrofoam. Inside it, you find another box packed with more styrofoam and whatever good you ordered. But this Package Lamp is different. It has no extra packaging because it is the packaging.
If you're rolling with the Instinct, you might have already noticed your applications prompting you for 
The cat is out of the bag--Darth Vader is a sick, perverted voyeur. First 
Rohos Logon Key is a bit of software that can convert any USB key you have into an actual "USB key" to unlock your Mac. The software sits in your login screen and detects the serial number of your USB key (which is unique, but might not be too easy to duplicate) as the identifier to log you in. Quite cool if you need a convenient way to secure your files from friends and relatives, but probably isn't strong enough to deter any professional data thieves. [
Microsoft's prepping a "Storage 1.0" feature pack for Windows XP, Vista, Server 2003 and Server 2008 that adds a few useful storage options for people who really love storing things. None of these are groundbreaking, but they are fundamental to those of you who would like to master Blu-ray discs natively, or read/write ICCD/CCID smart cards. It's one of Microsoft's "feature packs", which are more than just updates in that it pushes new features out inbetween major Service Packs or even Windows iterations. [
Lenovo is following up on their solid 
A big, bright, beautiful screen is a great thing--but keeping it smudge and dust free can be annoying to say the least. This is especially true with touchscreen phones and other portable media devices. With that in mind, I came up with a two section poll that involves larger screens like monitors and televisions on one side and smaller screens like mobile phones and handheld game systems on the other. But both ask the same question: how do you clean your screens?
Once again, we revisit our old friend 
Not only is this second generation USB Pole Dancer actually 
Tens year ago today, the original Bondi blue iMac went on sale. In more ways than one, it marked the rebirth of Apple into the one we know today and the dawn of the Jobs + Ive era. Not a bad legacy. To celebrate, here's a visual history of the iMac through ads, starting with one of the original Jeff Goldblum-narrated commercials, which somehow even seems smarmier in retrospect. Which design was your favourite?
There are literally thousands of apps in the iPhone App Store, with hundreds being added each week. It's hard to keep track. In the same vein as our "iPhone Apps We Like" posts, take a look here at what stood out this week--notable for usefulness, novelty, birthing a child, whatever. Let's spend some iTunes credit.
Look around. You probably have soda cans, pizza boxes and take out containers lying all over the place. Come on man, just because you are a lazy bachelor doesn't mean you can't enjoy a little home cooking every once in awhile. So, with that in mind, check out the following list of gadgets. You too can eat like a king at home--and save a little money while you are at it.
A few weeks ago we 
The 
I know people 
Furukawa, a Tokyo-based tech company, has developed a thermoelectric conversion material that's said to be able to boost the fuel efficiency of cars by 2% by converting about 7% of exhaust heat into electricity. Unlike conventional thermoelectric conversion materials, which warm up as a whole when one side is exposed to heat, this new material generates energy via the difference in temperature between its two sides. Apparently, that makes it much more efficient. They're currently working to improve the system, but they hope to have it ready for mass production by 2011, at which point that 2% will solve the petrol crisis single-handedly. Just hang in there for a few more years! [
Continuing in its tradition of offering up 
The criminal of the week award goes to a man who held up an EB Games at gunpoint and demanded a PS3. Why only a PS3 and not, you know, money? Because according to him, his family was being held hostage and the only way he could save them was with a PS3. He then followed it up by running out of the store, but not before he half-heartedly told the clerk to call 911 because his family needed help. [
Archos used to (and to some extent still does) represent the biggest, baddest personal media players on the block. I mean, they 
EA's version of Tetris was fine. There was 
Netflix's 
So, golf isn't manly enough for you? The stupid pants and old man gladhanding don't bring enough excitement to the table? Well, the Bad Arse Golf Cart aims to change that with a little help from some gigantic tires. There are a wide number of Bad Arse Golf Carts available, from the off-roading type to the luxurious. The above model is the 24hp Super Jumper, and it'll set you back a hefty US$12,800. Sure, you'll still be playing golf, but at least you'll feel a little bit cooler while you're doing it. Maybe. [
Yesterday's 
Nikon Rumors' D90-toting tipster sent them this juicy shot, which appears to confirm the rumoured video recording mode on the D90. By the looks of the display there might even be full exposure control plus ISO settings for video, which is awesome if true, and audio recording too. No word on resolution yet, but let's hope Nikon's leading the charge with DSLR movie capture modes here. [
Star Wars: The Clone Wars is a lot of firsts. It's the first new Star Wars film since Emperor George Lucas wrapped up the canonical series three years ago. It's the opening salvo of a wave of Expanded Universe TV series—the film launches The Clone Wars animated series, and meanwhile a live-action one set between the prequels and the original trilogy is deep in development. It's the first animated Star Wars feature film. And most importantly, it's the first Star Wars movie you will truly loathe.
Hot-wiring a car isn't really on the list of things every boy should get handed down from their pappies, but when you find yourself in the Sahara and your Land Cruiser keys just got eaten by a lioness, you'll be happy you checked out this informative step-by-step guide. Yes, it's super illegal, so don't be an idiot; use only in case of safari disasters. [
Maybe it's real. Maybe it's a Photoshop. Either way, here's a red