Nissan's ECO Pedal drives you to fuel efficiency

Nissan Motor Company on Monday announced a new system that calculates the most fuel efficient rate of acceleration and pushes the gas pedal back against the driver's lead foot, according to the Associated Press. This new system, dubbed "ECO Pedal," will be available next year and, according to Nissan, can help drivers improve fuel efficiency by 5 to 10 percent, according to AP story.

If you're thinking what we're thinking, that the ECO Pedal has potential to compromise safety in the name of fuel efficiency, you'll be glad to know that Nissan is giving the system an off switch, according to the AP story.

Via CNET Crave

Cushion yourself from the heat with the Suzukaze

Just when we were wondering how to keep cool in this infernal heat in the tropics, enter the Suzukaze (Japanese for "cool breeze"). This Air-Conditioned Cushion keeps your rear end well-aired, thanks to a built-in fan that delivers over 170 liters of air per minute through the pillow. Since there's already a heated pad for your posterior, it stands to reason that there should be an air-conditioned version.

Kuchofuku has considerately provided three sizes: The Standard, battery-powered basic model with Super Spacer material inside; the High Grade model which uses more durable dual-layer Super Spacer and sports a touch-sensitive switch; and one for the car. Though unless you have a very sweaty behind, most cars are airconditioned anyway.

The Suzukaze tries to keep things eco-friendly with an 8-hour running time on rechargeable Eneloop batteries. And it's all good. As the Web site states, the cushion "dissipates the heat and moisture around your buttocks that causes discomfort and sweating". Really, can one ask for more?
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Toilet paper-dispensing robot mouth

If you apply a geekiness scale to individual rooms in your home, the bathroom will most likely rank quite low. If you want that to change, you may want to consider getting the Airyusha Robotan Toilet Paper Holder. This contraption is shaped like a robot's head with toilet paper dispensed from the mouth.

That's it. It may not do any more than a regular toilet paper dispenser, but it sure looks cool. You can purchase one at US$50 from Audio Cubes. Before you balk at the price, know that this product isn't made of cheap sheet metal. It's completely ceramic and, with the price, you get one full roll of toilet paper free, too. What a deal!

Via Shiny Shiny

Segway, meet the Toyota Winglet

Toyota Motor on Friday showed off a new standup scooter that could one day be seen zipping alongside the Segway on the personal-transporter superhighway.

The "Winglet" has a body the size of an A3 sheet of paper that houses an electric motor, two wheels, and internal sensors that constantly monitor the rider's position and make adjustments in power to ensure stability.

A parallel link mechanism lets riders go forward, backward, and turn by shifting body weight, making the Winglet potentially useful for maneuvering in tight spaces or crowded urban environments.

Riders can cruise around at a leisurely 3.7mph--not ideal for rushing to a meeting, but nice for scooting around a shopping mall, perhaps. (The Segway, by comparison, can hit 12.5mph.)
Read more »

Device could prevent baggage carousel hell

I wish I'd had the Easy-2-Pick electronic luggage tag in hand Sunday night. I was just off a long-delayed flight that appeared to transport the entire population of Southern California to San Francisco. And wouldn't you know it? Ninety percent of the seemingly millions of passengers jostling for their suitcases seemed to have the same black bag.

The Easy-2-Pick, expected out this fall for US$15 to US$20, is a handheld device that lights up, beeps, and vibrates once your suitcase makes it onto the carousel and within 40 to 50ft of where you're standing. The heads-up gives you a chance to stand away from the crowd, possibly avoiding an elbow in the gut as you try to locate your lookalike bag.

The gadget comes courtesy of Israeli developer Yoav Ben-David and his partner, Zvi Kanor of American Express Travel in Tel Aviv. It consists of a circular receiver on a keychain and a credit card-size transmitter that goes around the handle of your baggage.

The pair also developed a less sophisticated, less expensive gizmo--a US$4 strip that fits onto a suitcase and flashes LEDS in four different colors once it hits the carousel. The owner of the baggage sets the light combination.

Via CNET Crave

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