If artist James Sooy's pierced eyeglasses aren't enough to make a spectacle of yourself, check out Amsterdam-based designer Eric Klarenbeek's eye jewelry. Presumably safer than the fashion trend which caught the eye of Dutch women last year, in which surgeons implanted tiny pieces of jewelry called Eye Jewel into the eye's mucous membrane, fellow countryman Klarenbeek has opted for a less invasive option. His eye jewelry uses contact lenses to hang funky stuff from, and claims to have no effect whatsoever on your sight. Nor do you even feel it. Seeing, of course, is believing.
Doc Brown from Back to the Future would probably love to add this to his garbage-powered time-traveling DeLorean. Incredibly, scientists at the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology in Singapore have produced what could be the first paper battery to be powered by biofluids. Yes, we're talking urine and blood. For now, it's unlikely to power a DeLorean or even an iPod, but as Marty would know, the future could bring anything. Meanwhile, the credit card-sized unit is good enough as an emergency power source to juice up cheap healthcare test kits and even your cell phone. One drop of pee (about 0.2ml) is said to generate about 1.5 volts with a corresponding power of 1.5 micro-watts. A second droplet added after 15 hours will replenish the charge. Talk about an unlimited supply here, though hopefully someone's thought to build in an odor eliminator.
Via New Scientist; unfortunately no images were available of the prototype cell
Price: N.A. Availability: In development Device: Battery Basic specs: N.A.
Just when you thought you had recovered from its earlier gold-plated home AV system, targeted for the Middle East market, LG pops up yet another surprise. And this one's just as ostentatious. Aimed at the Taiwan market--though one wonders why--the three-door fridge (R-U719GWN) is blinged out, likely with Swarovski crystals, in both the handle and logo. Only tai-tais and Mercedes Benz tycoons need apply.
That fact that more kitchen appliances are going the way of 3-in-1 shampoo conditioners and hybrid handhelds reflects the world's obsession with all things multifunctional. So why not a toaster which not only browns your bread, it can also cook an egg and warm up a slice of ham? In short, a complete Egg McMuffin right in your own kitchen, ready to eat in just 4 minutes. Now who can resist that?
Those of us who grew up on a diet of comics featuring the inimitable Xiao Ding Dang or Doraemon will remember being awed by the numerous secret devices he pulls out of his belly pouch, including the take-koputaa, a simple child's propeller toy that both the bot and his pals don to gain the ability to fly. Now that an actual flying Doraemon (using an R/C helicopter) has gone on sale, collectors will surely want to add this to their wish list. Reality bites, though, as the blades don't allow for any right or left turns. For the record, this Gadget Cat from the Future (minus ears) emerged far earlier than the other Japanese feline (the one minus lips).