The idea that your house could ever be completely childproof is a bit of a pipe dream.  Sure, you can make it a whole lot safer, but there are always things you never would have thought could cause an injury.  The idea is to keep those injuries minimal and try to make them happen as little as possible.  One area that hasn’t been taken care of is when a metal plug slightly slips from a socket, leaving the metal exposed to curious fingers.

I have never been worried that I’d shock myself on those metal pieces, but then I’m a full grown adult that knows to grab the plastic part.  Little kids haven’t always learned that and until they do, you might want something to make you worry less.  This blue cover will keep the metal covered whether it’s plugged in or not.  If the plug slips a little, the plastic will shift to cover it.  It’s just a concept right now by Luofang Jun, but I could easily see these hitting stores as just simple little adapter for your current plugs.

Source: Ubergizmo

Related Posts:

• Say No to 4-Way Adapters
• Tab The Power Strip
• Raise Me Up is great for removing plugs in tight spaces
• Build on your iPhone with LEGO Touch
• Dancing Fingers Makes Touchscreen a Whole Lot Easier

It is called the ApriPoco, and I’m not sure what the translates to. If you ask me, it sounds like Acapulco, which I’ve heard is a very nice place to go. Okay, I’m clearly getting off-topic.

Anyway, this 8.4 inch tall robot is apparently an interesting universal remote control. In fact, there is a video of it after the jump, and you can see the lady speaking to the robot to make it do things.

That is, I think that this is what is happening. The video is a little sketchy as it is in a language that I do not know, but you can watch the ApriPoco’s beady little eyes (which have cameras on them) as it takes commands from its master. Or, in the video’s case, the mistress. Note how the display behind them switches to a different image on command.

For some reason, the video shows furniture that seems to move on command from its user. Is this Toshiba’s way of showing how they intend to give customers control over their entire place?

I’m not certain if this is available at all, but it certainly looks like something that could be pretty popular at some point. Could you customize the ApriPoco so it looks like something else?

Source

Related Posts:

• Gadget Thumbnails for 06-Sep-2010
• Toshiba offers next generation of portable hard drives
• Toshiba announces Portégé A600 notebook
• Toshiba MKxx29GSG series announced
• Toshiba unveils new 2.5" 500GB hard drive

Power going out is just a part of life.  Storms hit and power lines sometimes go down and it’s even worse if you’re living outside of town.  This rechargeable LED bulb may function as a normal bulb most of the time, but it has extra features that’ll keep you feeling safe and secure even during bad storms.

These were created by a Chinese company called Magic Bulb that decided to show off their creation at IFA.  These bulbs use all of 4 watts of power while shining as brightly as a 50W bulb.  Within each bulb is a rechargeable battery that’ll keep the light running for up to 3 hours in the event of a power outage.  If you need to run around and inspect the source of your power troubles these bulbs also have a handle that can be extended to turn the bulb into a flashlight.  They’ll live for up to 20,000 hours.  They’re hoping to sell these for $30-$40.  That may seem like a lot for an ordinary light bulb, but you don’t really need to absolutely fill your home with these versatile bulbs.

Source: OhGizmo

Related Posts:

• Shakeable Flashlight
• The USB Hub with a built-in flashlight
• The Wooden Flashlight from Areaware
• The USB Rechargeable Torch with Card Reader
• Gadget Thumbnails for 06-Sep-2010

This one is under development at Carnegie Mellon’s Biorobotics Lab, and it bears a resemblance to the Omnitread. That was a snake-like robot with treads on it like a train, designed to slip into small places.

This robot lacks the treads, but looks like it could creep into small places. In other words, it really is like a snake, and it can even climb trees. It is able to climb a tree with a specific trunk width of 1 meter off the ground. I have a video of it climbing a tree, and it looks kind of creepy.

Apparently, they want to make robots that can climb thicker and taller trees. This is, of course, there is a market for robots like this.

In addition to the Omnitread, this also reminds me of the Tentacle Robot that is under development by the U.S. Military.

I guess one day we will see a day when a building collapses, and these robot snakes will be all over the wreckage, searching for survivors. Man, that is just a weird image from a weird science-fiction movie. Still, I can’t help but think that robot snakes are just pretty cool.

Source

Related Posts:

• RC Snake
• Finally, good cheap robot brains for sale QWERK
• Handsfree Snake
• Robot that Can Walk on Water
• e-Snake Scooter that Tilts

EZFace is powered by IBM technology. Simply put, EZFace allows customers to see what makeup looks like, without having to try it on for themselves.

It begins when a customer has their picture taken in a virtual mirror, which looks like nothing more than an ordinary webcam. The customer can then scan the barcode of the specific make-up product such as foundation, mascara, and eye shadow. The program takes into account the user’s eye color, skin tone, and lighting to make an image of what the product might look when put on the face.

No more having product samplers in front of a mirror. Granted, that is probably the best way to see if make-up really works, and I don’t know what kind of margin for error this program has. After all, the program might make the cosmetics look better than they actually do. The proof, as they say, is in the pudding.

Still, it is a step in the right direction for digital makeovers. EZFace is currently working on expanding this idea for hair. So now you can see what the style is going to look like before it is on your head for the next month or so.

Source

Related Posts:

• Japanese customers' augmented reality mirror to see what makeup looks like without trying it on
• Gadget Thumbnails for 02-Sep-2010
• Augmented Reality Pop-Up Books
• Nooka's ad campaign uses augmented reality
• Vuzix releases Augmented Reality Video Eyewear at GDC 2009

There’s some technology that would save us a lot of parking space, wouldn’t it? Unfortunately, this X-Frame folding vehicle is not at that level, but it does have some of the folding thing down.

I couldn’t find a good picture of the X-Frame completely folded, but if you look closely on the photo of the X-Frame on display, you can see smaller pictures of what it looks like when it is folded. It certainly takes up a lot less space width-wise than your regular automobile. For those who are looking for more room in the garage, this is probably the way to go.

The vehicle is also eco-friendly as it has an electric battery in the rear wheel. The X-Frame appeared at the Good Design Expo of 2010, and it has the potential to replace the motorcycle as far as free-wheeling transportation goes.

This was developed by researchers at the Nagoya Institute of Technology, there doesn’t seem to be any word as far as if this going to be mass-produced or anything.

Source

Related Posts:

• Gadget Thumbnails for 02-Sep-2010
• Digital Fridge Photo Frame
• SwissBike Folding System
• Mini Folding Fan for notebooks
• Folding helmet

Granted, we are closer to a hoverboard than we were before, and someone is working on “Power Laces”. Hopefully, you remember the scene in the movie when Michael J. Fox is dressing in future attire and puts his feet into some Nikes. The shoes tied themselves, by tightening the laces automatically, and the Nike logo glowed. (Clearly some obvious product placement by Nike.)

The Power Laces trick was actually done with a motor that was behind the shoe itself. However, Blake Bevin is working on a way to make Power Laces a reality.

Her first “proof of concept” designs had and obvious motor in the back, which would not fly in the real world. You can see it in the picture with the shoe that looks like it has overdosed on 80’s pastel colors. Her latest design has the motor for the laces safely in the sole. You can see that design on the left, and it looks more like the shoe from the classic film.

You can support Blake by sending her some money, and you can get some Power Laces merchandise with high donations. You will also be sent info when the shoe goes up for sale.

Source

Related Posts:

• Faster than Velcro - Speed Laces
• Gadget Thumbnails for 02-Sep-2010
• Get your own Flux Capacitor
• The YEE Flying concept car: So this is love
• POWERleap Tiles: Walking and Charging are the same thing

I’m sure that the hearing impaired would most benefit from speech to text technology, and this is what the Babel Fisk is supposed to do.

Designed by Mads Hindhede, the Babel Fisk has microphones built into the frame in order to pick up the voice of a person in the line of sight, and then an embedded speech-to-text program will create the text that is projected inside of the lenses.

You can even program it to record the text to a flash memory card for later use. So you can literally record everything that you hear as a text file.

The name of Babel Fisk is clearly a tip of the hat to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. In that classic science-fiction satire, the characters had this tiny fish that they stuck in their ear known as a babel fish that could somehow miraculously translate any language spoken. Fisk apparently means “fish” in Danish.

Of course, this just has to be concept technology, and I’m not certain how well this would work, honestly. I mean, if you are with someone who is talking to much, would you literally be blinded by words?

Source

Related Posts:

• Gadget Thumbnails for 01-Sep-2010
• Solar Powered Hearing Aid
• Lip-reading Computers
• Phonak Group designs great looking hearing aids
• Deafinite Style concept

Every so often you come across something online that just sets off a few red flags.  You’re constantly having small facts thrown at you in articles and through random research that you do online to settle silly debates.  Yet every so often, you get that inkling of a hint that something seems fishy.  Although I’m all about this concept design, I really doubt parts of their facts.  Either way though, having something to keep your kitchen sanitary could be handy.

“The research” showed 10 areas that were bad as far as bacteria goes, such as a sponge, dishcloth, chopping board and refrigerator.  They then go on to say that the dishcloth and cutting board are difficult to sanitize and I’d have to disagree there.  A cutting board you just have to know the right chemical to use and a dishcloth just gets thrown in the laundry.  It’s entirely possible though that they know something I don’t, but none of my quick google runs have revealed any red flags over dishcloths.    However, if you just want a different way to clean flat objects, then this is a perfectly reasonable choice.  When it’s working it feeds the object through the machine and cleans as well as dries it.  Being still a concept from Chang Shin Gwak, this isn’t up for purchase just yet though.

Source: Yanko

Related Posts:

• Gadget Thumbnails for 31-Aug-2010
• DAB Micro System with MP3 playback
• Kitchen Scale Wall Clock
• Pure PocketDAB 2000
• O Kitchen designed for portability, small spaces

It never fails, no matter where I go I am always the one that’s frozen.  Everyone else could be almost sweating and I’m resisting the urge to shiver.   If you’re also cold natured, then this is definitely the table for you.  This Japanese design will keep you warm while you sit in that drafty dining room.  Of course if you’re the only one cold, you’re going to end up roasting whoever else is stuck at the table.

The table is from Hidakagu and has a 360 watt infrared heater underneath of the table itself.  It is designed to keep your legs and lower torso warm.  The table was actually inspired by the traditional Kotatsu, which is a low table/blanket/heater combination that wasn’t designed for dining.  This table takes the two and combines them.  Unfortunately, I don’t see a whole lot of information on purchasing these just yet.

Source: OhGizmo

Related Posts:

• Luminous Glass makes your tabletops glow
• Gadget Thumbnails for 30-Aug-2010
• Dine on your pool table
• Picture Table folds up, grants more space
• Heated Footrest for toasty feet