Singaporean researchers have developed a credit card-sized battery that is powered by urine. Made of copper chloride paper sandwiched between strips of copper and magnesium, that battery only requires a simple drop of urine to create a chemical reaction that produces the charge. The battery can generate power equivalent to that of one AA battery, and it's targeted to become a power source for electronic urine testers or as an emergency power source for mobile phones. Although the potential is large, in its current condition it should only be able to power a "digital watch" or "calculator." That's what "physicists" say. I say that it won't be long before you're powering your television with these batteries, so you might as well start preparing now. Take a cue from that coworker who lives in his car and start making the most of your empty Ziploc bags.
Philips recently held a show displaying prototypes and potential future products. Some of the featured products included ambient MRI lighting, lamps that change color depending on the color placed near a sensor, garden lights that change color as the wind blows, remote control wands for television mirrors, touch-based mirror message boards, "albino cactus" air purifiers, and a self-watering and self-lighting herb garden. Pictured is a prototype for a futuristic memento that displays random video clips after it's lightly shaken. When asked about the inspiration for this last product, a spokesperson said the design came from the enchantment and randomness of a snow glove and the satisfaction one gets from furiously shaking puppies.
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With summer fast approaching, it's probably time to shed that extra weight with some standard virtual horseback riding exercises. Panasonic has released the "JOBA horse riding fitness equipment," which uses "3-D virtual reality technology" to imitate horseback riding and increase physical strength. This fitness program will tone those flabby abdominal, side, thigh and back muscles all from the comfort of an included electronic saddle. For the competitive virtual horse riders, you'll be comforted to know that the bridle bar and stirrups are indeed included. My guess is that this idea developed when a designer's mom stumbled upon her son's hidden saddle collection. It's safe to say that an exercise system based around a leather mask with a ton of zippers is not that far off.
Researchers in San Antonio have developed a new non-lethal weapon to help break up mobs, riots, and those bothersome peaceful demonstrations. The weapon dispenses a "super-slimy" substance that causes rioters and vehicles to lose traction and slip wildly about. The weapon uses an airbrush-like dispensing nozzle and a backpack with cylinders that contain compressed air, water, and a finely ground polyacrylamide powder. The dispensing nozzle fires individual streams of water and powder at the crowd, which mix in the air and douse the crowd in the slimy substance. Unfortunately, this device will only add to the effectiveness of the far too common oil wrestling sit-ins and Slip 'N Slide-based protests.
South Korean scientists have unleashed their first android upon an unsuspecting populace. EverR-1 is a humanoid robot that can understand speech, speak responses that are synchronized with the movement of her lips, blink with her eyes, and move her arms and hands. Ever-1 can also make detailed facial expressions ranging from joy to sorrow and happiness to anger, an emotion Korean robot manufacturers seem to enjoy. The lower half of her body is currently immobile, but her creators are planning to give her the ability to sit and stand by the end of the year. Other improvements will be to continue to up her creepiness level until not even innocent kids care to caress her lifeless face.
Sensatex, a leading electronic textile company, has initiated a Beta launch of its flagship SmartShirt System. The SmartShirt measures and transmits a wearer's heart rate, movement, and respiration rate using a conductive fiber grid that is knit into the material of the shirt. The shirt could eventually be used to remotely monitor the health of senior citizens, outpatients, training athletes, truck drivers, and soldiers. An additional idea would be to make a little SmartShirt sweater for your cat. That way, when you leave your cat alone for a few weeks, you can remotely check on him to make sure he's still doing okay. Swap out the word 'cat' with 'neglected toddler,' and the concept still applies.