Art Lebedev's traffic light chic

Remember Art Lebedev Studio, the guys behind the overpriced but intriguing Optimax Maximus keyboard? These Russian-based guys certainly have ideas, and this latest industrial design of a traffic light is anything but industrial.

The Art Lebedev creation breaks the rules, if not traffic ones, on how a law-enforcing device can look--by going with edgey lines, which we heartily approve. If we're going to be staring at these red-amber-green alerts everyday of our lives, give us something good-looking to rest our eyes on. For now, the Luxofor is more stop than go as this concept awaits an enthusiastic authority to give it the green light.

Via Design Launch

Machine applauds you when no one else will

Everyone's had the experience of toiling away on a project, only to have the hard work go unrecognized. For those times when co-workers or family members fail to acknowledge your genius, there's the Applause Machine from Laikingland.

Designed by UK artist Martin Smith, the Applause Machine is a kinetic sculpture that measures about 18 inches high. When you press a button on the wood base, the motor kicks into gear and the machine "enthusiastically claps its hands for you"--well, as much as a machine can express enthusiasm. As this video shows, the clapping seems to be easily drowned out by the sound of the motor.

Made of powder-coated steel, brass, plastic, and walnut, the Applause Machine runs on two AAA batteries (included). You can choose from among five colors--red, green, orange, black, and white; the collective will manufacture 250 machines in each color.

Of course, US buyers will have to be either independently wealthy or especially desperate for an ego boost. Thanks to the still-unfavorable exchange rate, the Applause Machine prices out to US$301.83.

Via CNET Blogs | Source: Dezeen

Europe to get cybercrime alert system

Europe is getting a cybercrime alert system as part of a European Union drive to fight online criminals.

According to plans, European law enforcement body Europol will receive 300,000 euros (US$386,430) to build an alert system that pools reports of cybercrime, such as online identification and financial theft, from across the 27 member states.

Police will launch more remote searches of suspects' hard drives over the Internet, as well as cyberpatrols to spot and track illegal activity, under the strategy adopted by the European Union's council of ministers Thursday.

The strategy, a blueprint for fighting cybercrime in the EU over the next five years, also introduces measures to encourage businesses and police to share information on investigations and cybercrime trends.
Read more »

Yamanote Train Piggy Bank that toots platform music

More kitsch collectibles for fans of Tokyo's busiest subway line. If you thought it a pity that the overpriced tacky Yamanote Line Watch didn't toot some tunes, the Yamanote Train Piggy Bank is likelier to get people reaching for their wallets with its medley of platform music that replays each station's signature tune. There's even a Web site dedicated to the list of the melodies. Apparently, this little quirk has a more noble purpose of guiding blind passengers as well.

But anytime you feel nostalgic for a bit of Japan railway culture, particularly since the expensive yen has made vacations in the country costly, just drop in a coin. The headlights will flash and the music will play, though you get a selection of only six Yamanote tunes (Shibuya Station, Shinjuku Station, Tokyo Station, Shin-Okubo Station and Ueno Station). If you're willing to fork out the 5,198 yen (US$54.52) for this, stop by DIY department store Tokyu Hands on your next visit, or pay double online. Or if you're on an austerity drive in the new year, just hit the YouTube video below for some free virtual platform music.
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A longer delay for the Large Hadron Collider

The Large Hadron Collider will come back online in late summer 2009 at the earliest, and not in June as previously expected.

The LHC was shut down in September, nine days after it was first fully powered up, following a helium leak caused by an electrical fault. The world's most powerful particle accelerator is designed to smash beams of protons into each other, test fundamental physics theories, and help understand the nature of matter.

The machine is located at the European Center for Nuclear Research (CERN), where it straddles the Swiss-French border.

CERN director Robert Aymar said in October that the LHC would come back online at the beginning of April 2009, following CERN's annual maintenance period. Earlier this month, that date was revised to June 2009.
Read more »

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