Jan 24 2010 Seizure Inducing: An Interactive LED Wall
This is a video of a movement-tracking interactive LED wall in Montreal, Canada. It was a joint project created by Moment Factory and PHOTONIC Dreams and utilizes the latest in seizure inducing technologies. Including, and virtually limited to: bright blinking lights. Still, it might be fun to mess around with if you're high as a weather balloon and convinced you're at a strip club. BUT WHERE ARE THE DANCING GIRLS?! In your dreams, GW, in your dreams. No, those are dinosaurs. And mermen What? They swam in uninvited!
Youtube
and
Youtube (longer video)
Thanks to Danny, who once entertained himself for 14 hours straight with a blanket and LED flashlight.
Jan 19 2010 Party Rat Finger Lights For Night Blogging
Party Rats are little light-emitting rings in the shape of rats you wear when you're high on ecstasy at a rave and want to impress the girl with the candy necklace on. Just remember: spirit fingers!!
What? You haven't heard of Party Rats! You're kidding, right? They're the best thing to happen to partying since the mirror ball. People of all ages are putting these colorful, plastic, rodent lights on their fingers and waving their hands in the air like they just don't care. Each 1-3/4" long rat sends out a different colored beam of light, allowing you to create your own personal light show! Also great for the latest computer craze, night blogging!
Ah, yes, night blogging. And a guy who's no stranger to sitting at his computer all hours of the night with his pants around his ankles....SHUT UP THAT'S HOW I DO IT, OKAY?! Don't question my creative process. Also, one time I bit through a glowstick and didn't know until the tube was empty. Yeah, my urine glowed.
Thanks to Nathan, who had actual lasers implanted in the tips of his fingers and is blind in one eye from rubbing it. You gotta think before you act, Nathan.
Dec 18 2009
'Tis The Season: For Makin' Love In Front Of The Fire A Christmas Light Covered Truck?
Iowan (someone from Iowa, that wasn't word wizardry) Kris Marshall covers his truck with around 3,000 Christmas lights and supplies them with power via gas powered generator in the bed. And let me tell you: if you've got a gas-powered generator in your bed, the sex toys are getting out of hand got out of hand a long time ago.
"It's totally illegal and almost all the cops are cool with that. Almost all... some of them don't get it. Last night I met two cops in four minutes and they just smiled. I think I've got most of them trained."
With the exception of a few tickets for illegal use of lights, the only other downside to The Christmas Truck is when one of his sons decides to use it for a date."If you're picking up your girlfriend in the Christmas truck and she's not expecting the Christmas Truck that can be a dealbreaker."
What in the -- what kind of woman wouldn't want to ride in the Christmas Truck? I mean, besides the ones with any taste or decency. Or teeth. Come on, we are talking Iowa here (do meat and potatoes rot teeth?).
Hit the jump for several more shots of the holiday spirit.
Dec 13 2009 Guitar Hero Inspired 'Christmas Light Hero' Actually Playable On The Side Of A House
This is a screenshot of some kid playing 'Christmas Light Hero' on the front of his (parents') house. And I thought I was a crazy Christmas decorator (I am, I wander around the front yard in my bathrobe cackling)!
According to the Daily What, Ric Turner, a former Disney 'imagineer' and special effects specialist, turned his yard into a game of Guitar Hero, built out of 21,268 lights and LEDs, that plays Eric Johnson's "Cliffs of Dover."
To program the show a video recording was made of a perfect round of Guitar Hero playing Eric Johnson's Cliffs of Dover. The timing of all the dots and the light show choreography follow that video.When you play, you watch only the Christmas lights, but the audio you hear is from the Wii, so your flubs are broadcast for all to hear (people in cars can tune 99.1 and crank it up as loud as they want.)
Wow, that's....impressive. Not as impressive as wiring up a homemade 'Rock Band, Holiday Edition' using EVERY HOUSE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, but it's not bad for an amateur effort. It is sooooo on, Ric! (I have all the giant inflatables, just sayin').
Hit the jump for the video of the lights in action.
Dec 11 2009 When Religions Collide: A Star Trek Menorah
I have no idea if Star Trek is actually a religion but I say yes and from now on you will too or I will punch you so hard you bruise before I even make First Contact. See what I did there? I'm so wicked. Anyway, this is a Star Trek themed LED menorah. Sacrilegious or not? I actually don't really know a whole lot about Judaism (despite dating a Jewish girl briefly in highschool), but I think it's actually kosher to have a themed menorah. Get it, kosher? I didn't say I didn't learn anything!
Star Trek LED Menorah Design is Nine Times as Geeky [walyou]
Dec 9 2009 Mysterious Portal Opens In Sky Above Norway
A mysterious light appeared in the sky above Norway last night, causing many citizens to call the Meteorological Institute and others to go back to bed. Me? Suspecting it was a time portal, I would have strapped on a rocketpack and flown right into the middle of it. DINOSAURS HERE I COOOOOOOME!
Witnesses from Trøndelag to Finnmark compared the amazing sight to anything from a Russian rocket to a meteor or a shock wave - although no one appears to have mentioned UFOs yet.
The phenomenon began when what appeared to be a blue light seemed to soar up from behind a mountain. It stopped mid-air, then began to circulate.Within seconds a giant spiral had covered the entire sky. Then a green-blue beam of light shot out from its centre - lasting for ten to twelve minutes before disappearing completely.
Many are claiming the lights were caused by a Russian missile launch gone wrong, but I think there's a simpler, must more logical explanation: evil wizard mad scientist.
Hit the jump for a bunch more pictures and two videos of the laser light show (mystery solved) in action.
Continue Reading " Mysterious Portal Opens In Sky Above Norway "
Nov 24 2009 Mashed Peas, You Are Cleared For Landing
The $25 Illuminated JetBib from ThinkGeek is by far the greatest advance in baby-feeding technology since the tit. The bib and wing tips feature flashing LEDs to ensure a smooth flight and that all food aboard Gerber flight B4BY makes it safely to the hanger. Plus, the spoon end is removable for easy cleaning. That's just smart product design right there. WW2 flight helmet and goggles optional, but highly recommended. Uh-oh -- bogeys at nine o'clock! Dinner's at seven. AND DON'T BE LATE. BARREL ROLL, BARREL ROLL! Little help over here, Fox McCloud! RAT-A-TAT-A-TAT! BOOM! I've been hit -- eject, EJECT! WHEEEEEEEEEEE!! Great, now the baby's crying. But seriously, I think you can tell I'd make a great father.
ThinkGeek Product Site
via
JetBib: Baby food, you're cleared for landing [dvice]
Nov 16 2009 Glowing Booze!: Electroluminescent Bottles
Apparently battery-powered illuminated liquor bottles are becoming all the rage. They're supposed to grab your attention when you're trying to decide what to order at the bar. Yeah, TOO BAD I ALREADY KNOW WHAT I WANT (one of everything -- and keep the cherries coming).
Ballantine's new "Listen to Your Beat" campaign includes an electroluminescent label with graphic equalizer display. Designed by London-based "The Core," this label is more evidence of a trend towards animated, self-illuminating liquor labels. Similar to these battery-powered T-shirts, audio references seem to occur frequently in youth-oriented liquor packaging. (The J&B bottle above is another example.)
You know if you really want to sell liquor you don't need ridiculous gimmicks like light-up bottles. No, what you need is me. I could sell firewater to a teetotaler AND get him to drink it. CHUG! CHUG! CHUG! Aaaaaand you're vomiting on my shoes. Now wipe your mouth, we're doing it again.
Hit the jump for several videos of light-up bottles in action.
Continue Reading " Glowing Booze!: Electroluminescent Bottles "
Nov 13 2009 I'll Be The Prettiest Girl At The Ball And Everyone Will Notice Me!: LED Dress
Just to let this chick know that her LED wedding dress doesn't hold a lumen to a REAL LED dress, somebody went and created the GalaxyDress, which is being touted as the world's biggest LED-covered dress. Yay? Hip hop hooray? Ho -- hey -- ho. I'M NAUGHTY BY NATURE!
The GalaxyDress was constructed using 24,000 LED lights and, to add an extra bit of glitter, another 4,000 Swarovski crystals were included in the silk garment's design.
The dress is currently on display at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry as part of the FastForward: Inventing the Future exhibit.
Funny story about inventing the future: God did it. There used to only be past and present when he thought to himself, "God, you know what would be super sweet? Flying cars". POOF!: the future. This is the word of the Geekologie Writer. Boomshackalacka.
GalaxyDress: The biggest LED dress in the world debuts [dvice]
Nov 11 2009 Classy: A Starship Enterprise Chandelier
This Star Ship chandelier was designed by ELK Lighting to resemble the Starship Enterprise but they only call it the Star Ship because they don't want to actually pay royalties. Nice, ELK, I like your style. If you're interested, the classy fixture is available for $189. Plus bulbs. It does not come with the bulbs. You're going to have to boldly go to the hardware store and buy those separately. And, God willing, not break any in your ass. Don't even act like I'm the only one that's tried!
to boldly go where no lighting has gone before [technabob]
Oct 23 2009 LED Eyelashes: No, That's Not Weird At All
LED eyelashes are exactly what they sound like: LEDs that attach to your eyelashes and light up to freak everybody out. I would wear them but my eyes are perfect the way they are. Read: eyepatched. YAAAAARR! Now, somebody put my cutlass in my hand and point me toward the liquor store: I'm feeling plunder-y.
Hit the jump for one more shot of the ridiculousness.
Continue Reading " LED Eyelashes: No, That's Not Weird At All "
Sep 14 2009
Starry Nights Baths: Nirvana LED Bathtub
I haven't taken a bath since I was too short to see over the side of the tub, so I don't need a fancy bath fixture. But maybe you do. I heard women take a lot of baths because it makes shaving easier. Speaking of which, what do women shave anyways? I suspect it's their chests!
The Nirvana Bathtub is basically an normal tub that's been outfitted with 360 LED lights on the surface. Touch controls allow you to adjust the lights as well as the water, and a hand shower is motion activated.
Pfft, screw a LED tub -- I'm holding out for a laser bath! I'm gonna get all prune-y and blind at the same time. Just sayin', vision is for the weak and I can benchpress the bar plus 45lbs on each side!
Nirvana bathtub combines a bathtub and a planetarium [dvice]
Aug 29 2009 Bokeh Filter Turns Light Blurs Into Shapes
The Bokeh filter is a $10 physical filter for your camera that turns out of focus light blurs in the background into shapes like hearts and stars and spirals (separate filter required for each). It works by magic. But not black magic, because you don't want to eff with that shit unless you absolutely have to.
One of the fastest growing fads in modern photography is bokeh shapes. Bokeh shapes are shapes of light in the blurred background of photos. These shapes are achieved by using a bokeh filter over the camera lens. Bokeh is a photography term derived from the Japanese word for blurred. Bokeh refers to the unfocused background in a photo.
The Bokeh Filter is a simple filter that clips onto the end of your lens. This filter blocks out pieces of light that cause the bokeh (blur) in your images to take the shape of the filter.
Neato. Now if they could just create a camera filter that makes my face look like Brad Pitt's, maybe I wouldn't be losing so many Facebook friends. I'M A MONSTER! Truck, monster truck. VROOM VROOM, I AM CRUSHING YOUR CAR!
Hit the jump for a video of the filter in action, directly from a camera.
Continue Reading " Bokeh Filter Turns Light Blurs Into Shapes "
Aug 8 2009 Light Graffiti: The LED Spraypaint Can
Halo is an LED spraypaint can by French designer Aissa Logerot. Basically, instead of spraying paint (which, kids, you shouldn't huff), it has an LED that sprays light!
the LED light can change colors and brightness on the fly and while it's powered by an internal battery that can be charged by shaking of the can.
"Graffiti artists can conserve their own gesture they have with an aerosol spray. It is possible to change the color and the brightness of the led to change the graffiti's styles. If the light doesn't have enough battery, the user must shake it to have energy again."
Sure you could do the same thing with any LED, but I like the can form factor. Plus, I like shaking things. So, what should I spray first? I'm leaning towards A WAY TO YOUR HEART. Then, once you're mine, a dinosaur eating an airplane.
halo - LED Spray Paint [likecool]
Thanks to naas, who once sprayedpainted the side of an entire building with urine.
Jul 15 2009 Good Enough To Eat: These GummiLights
GummiLights are expensive rubber lamps designed to look like Gummi Bears. Unsurprisingly, I tried to eat one. Shocked? I was. I'll be here all week folks, make sure to tip your waitstaff.
These GummiLights are made of a translucent rubber and measure in at 7-inches tall. They're illuminated by brightly glowing LEDs and come in a variety of candy-like colors, including red, orange, yellow, clear, blue, purple and pink. Each one is powered by rechargeable lithium batteries, and can run for about 20 hours on a charge.
A single bear will set you back $125 or you can get a set of 5 for $500. But, if you want something that'll really light up the night, you're gonna need me. I'm so bright my parents call me son (I'm on a roll today, folks!). Also, "little shit" and "a terrible, terrible mistake". Anybody want to adopt a GW? I spoon.
gummi bear lamps are unfortunately not edible [technabob]
Jun 19 2009 Dress Lights Up To Incoming Cell Phone Calls
This is tennis star Mario Maria Sharpova showing off a new dress that lights up whenever you receive a cell phone call. Pfft, the deaf have had this technology for years.
It's the work of British fashion student Georgie Davies, who worked with Sony Ericsson on ways to merge technology and chic threads. "When you're in a pub or a bar, you can never, ever hear your phone," Davies to Reuters. The solution? A short-sleeved, knee-length white dress that's covered shoulder-to-hip with translucent scales that move and blink. Davies plans for the dress to incorporate Bluetooth technology so that it can wirelessly interact with phones.
Yes, light up cell phone clothes, that's just what we need. Because your novelty ringtone isn't bad enough. Mine's straight though. Zelda theme, baby.
Tennis star Maria Sharpova dons geeky light-up phone dress [dvice]
Thanks to FDSY, who once played in Wimbledon and hit a home run.
Jun 14 2009 Ooooh, He's Light Up: Gundam At Night
Thought the Japanese Gundam statue looked good during the day? Well check it out at night! The statue is chock-full of blinky blinks and other lighting effects to help assure the citizens of Japan they're safe from attack. Unless it's an inside job. *ahem* I'm looking at you, RX-78.
Hit the jump for a bunch more and a link to the HQ versions in case you want to print em out and make love to them. Sicko.
Jun 8 2009 Pimp Out Your Bike Wheels With Monkeylectric
Looking to add some flashy flair to your bicycle but already have a sweet horn? How about some LEDs for your wheels? Monkeylectric bike LEDs are capable of producing cool designs, including, and not just limited to: stars and shit.
It's essentially a AA battery-powered 256 RGB system that straps to a bike's spokes and has a sweet spot of between 8 and 20 mph: At 8, you'll just start to see the patterns in the center, and at 20 the light show will have taken over your entire wheel. It's customizable, but only to a point, as you have to use the on-board buttons to alter the patterns rather than loading images via USB or whatever.
A kit costs $60, which really isn't too bad considering all the seizures you'll cause. I just ordered two. Are you thinking what I'm thinking? If you answered, "a pot leaf on the front wheel and skull & crossbones on the back", you're not. I'm going dual mudflap chicks, baby!
Hit the jump for a picture of the device and a worthwhile video of them in action.
Continue Reading " Pimp Out Your Bike Wheels With Monkeylectric "
May 15 2009 What A Princess: Bride's LED Wedding Dress
Some bride, in a bid to be the classiest bride of all classy times, had a dress made with 300 LEDs sewn into the bottom poofy part. And let me tell you, the applause when she turns it on during her first dance is deafening. And how about that song from Armageddon? I'm not sure if you've seen the movie BUT THEY ALL DIE IN THE END. I'm just sayin', you can't put a price on looking like a Christmas tree at your own wedding.
Apr 13 2009 It's Trippy Time!: The Bulbdial Clock
The Bulbdial clock is like a sundial except, instead of the sun, it uses little LEDs to cast shadows from the timepiece's center spoke. Impressively, it casts three different shadows to correspond to the hours, minutes and seconds. It achieves this feat by having three tiers of LEDs, with the highest casting the (red) hour hand (explanatory pictures after the jump).
Additionally, for fun and clarity, we used red, green, and blue LEDs for the three rings, making each shadow hand of the clock a different color. Each ring has 12 LEDs, and the 36 LEDs are efficiently multiplexed by an AVR microcontroller that also handles the timekeeping part of the project.
So it's a a sundial for inside -- awesome! I swear, what will they come up with next? Interactive adult DVDs? Haha, already been done. And not to brag or anything, but I did crack the disk. Ladies?
Hit the jump for a couple more shots and a link to the build page.
