Vertical treadmill that's up, up and away

Fancy climbing walls that never end? Well, I don't. But for rock climbers who can't get enough of sheer vertical wall workouts, Brewer's Ledge has a solution for even those holed up in land-strapped public flats. Enter the Treadwall.

Exactly as its name implies, it's a vertical treadmill that comes with knobs for climbing, adjustable angles and a Polar heart-rate monitor for safety. There's no better way to illustrate how this works than to watch the video.

What we like even more is that this is motor-less, using the weight of the climber to pull the wall down. The only catch for mountain goats (of the human variant): You won't get any vertigo-charged moments to get your adrenaline peaking, since this stands at only a couple of feet above ground. In fact, the only thing height-challenged is a sticker price that starts from US$10,000.

Via Uncrate

Cuckoo for cacao? You might like the Chococlock

Pavlov would have been proud.

You've got your head down, diligently working on a big project (or schooling one of your Facebook pals on a word game). The world around you is a blur; you're in your own world. And then, the clock strikes 1, and you instinctively turn to get your reward.

You, too, can set your internal clock to pause at hourly intervals with the help of the Chococlock. Every hour on the hour, this clock plays Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy and opens the tiny doors on its front to reveal a small chocolate treat.

And before you say: "Hey, wait a minute; what's to stop me from just eating chocolate whenever I want," keep in mind that this is a novelty clock. We know it's easier to just stash a Three Musketeers in your desk drawer and gnaw on it at opportune moments.

But if everyone in the office knows that you have a hoard of candy in your drawer, how long do you think it's going to stay there before it magically disappears?

This clock keeps your chocolate secure because only you (and, um, anyone who happens to read this) know there's a magic cheat button that lets you get a snack whenever you want. It's like a hamster feeder for people!
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Bitumen: The unsung hero of the F1 night race in Singapore

Much has been written about the upcoming F1 night race in Singapore, including a shaver (of all things), the Digiflag, the Philips projectors that will turn night into day and the Grid Girls. But we are missing out one of the most important components of the race: The track itself.

Unlike the conventional paved roads for normal traffic usage, race tracks have to be specially treated to withstand abuse from extreme heat, horizontal forces when a race car accelerates or brakes and varied weather conditions while remaining constant.

Enter the Shell Cariphalte--a specially formulated polymer-modified Bitumen.

According to Shell's Web site, there are several grades of Shell Cariphalte and the one that has been used to resurface the roads for the September night race is the Shell Cariphalte Race Track version--the same one that has been used on the Bahrain F1 and Malaysia Sepang tracks.

For the record, one of the products in the Shell Cariphalte range was also used for the airport runway in Singapore to accommodate the Airbus A380.

Not bad, for something with such an uninspiring name.

Picture credit: Shell

Flower Fire Extinguisher for gentle extinguishing

You can fault the Japanese for their excesses (think cosplay and Chindogu/unuseless inventions, to mention a few), but you can't fault them for trying. Like this made-in-Japan Flower Fire Extinguisher (US$39). Whether it's to calm you down with pretty images while you're desperately putting out a stove fire, or an attempt to blend in with the home décor, you'll never know with the Japanese.
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Science Centre steps on accelerator for F1

Here's a little detour for those planning to get into the spirit of F1's first-ever night race in Singapore. With the entire island state gearing up for the F1 Grand Prix come September 26, even the Science Centre is getting into the driver's seat. Not literally, but with a showcase titled "The Science of F1". This will feature behind-the-scene stories on the history of motor racing, targeting families, and flag off this Thursday till end October.

Held at the i-Space Nexus hall, an exhibition engineer will be onsite to take audiences through a tour of four aspects of the sports. Its spin on this will comprise:

• F1 background: Where interactive quizzes will test your knowledge of the sport and its history.
• Science of F1: In which science and technology secrets will be revealed through displays
• F1 challenge: Where a mockup of a Pit Stop will allow a family of four to challenge themselves changing a tire, as well as an F1 simulator to gauge racing skills
• Motorsports in Singapore: A showcase that will track where Singapore stands in the world of motorsports

Those interested in all things fast and furious should take note that there is an admission fee of S$6 for adults, S$3.60 for senior citizens and S$3 for children. The centre is open from Tuesdays to Sundays, 10am-6pm, and close on Mondays, unless this happens to be a school or public holiday for the country.

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