Sep 23 2009 R2-D2, Gaming Droid Has Eight Consoles Packed Inside His Tummy, Head Projector

Popular Science reader Brian De Vitis (truth in Brian) went and stuffed eight different gaming consoles into a life-size model of R2-D2. Can you name all of them? Because I can. I'm just not going to because I don't feel like it. SO THERE. I love wire tangles!

Hit the jump for a shot of R2's insides. Also, first one to name all eight systems doesn't win a prize. These are not the consoles you're looking for!

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Sep 22 2009 Crazy $80,000 Projection Pool Table System

This is a projection system designed to work with a pool table that creates all sorts of crazy animations while you're trying to sink your balls. I want one pretty badly, but not $80K badly. It doesn't even come with a table!

In addition to this setup, where the balls reveal an image hidden underneath, you can also set it up to have flames track behind the balls, or water that ripples as the balls pass over it. It's a pretty awesome trick, one that works surprisingly smoothly.

They're working on new software that will make it more useful than flashy, too. Imagine playing pool and having the lines where you should shoot projected down on the table, with a computer doing all the math necessary to show you just where to aim and how hard to hit.

Hell yeah, doing all the math necessary. Where the hell was this system when I was taking geometry? Because my calculator watch didn't do shit. I've been in 11th grade for 13 years!

Obscura CueLight Pool Table Is $200,000 Worth of Fancy [gizmodo]

Thanks trail mix, I love your butterscotch chips!

Sep 15 2009 Eye Candy: Video Mapped Projections

This is a recording of a wicked video projection show perfectly mapped to the front of a mansion in England. You've just got to see it to believe it. It's sort of long, but I recommend watching at least the first minute and then skipping around (there's even some Pac-Man action around 4:00). And speaking of skipping around, I don't do that shit -- I gallop. What? CLIPPITY CLOP, BITCHES!

Youtube

Thanks to Gilllllll, who once projected his love into a sock. And to whoever sent this earlier: I'm a jackass.

Jul 20 2009 I Would Never Leave: The Hi-Can Luxury Bed

The Hi-Can luxury bed has everything you've ever wanted in a bed minus a bathroom and snack bar. Oh, and dancing pole. I like to strip myself to sleep.

A theater screen pulls down at the foot of the bed for viewing television or movies. An integrated personal computer system means you can work or surf the web in bed as well. Game consoles are built in for added entertainment value. Lights for reading and shades for sleeping are also fully integrated.

Eh, it's a little too weird looking for my taste. Besides, I've been sleeping on a pile of clothes for the past two years and, quite frankly, I think your mom likes it just fine. BU-BU-BU-BURN! But seriously, wonderful lady.

Hit the jump for a couple more shots and a brief video.

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Feb 9 2009 'Sixth Sense' Device Created, Sadly Doesn't Capture The Ghost That Lives In My Closet

The brainiacs at MIT have gone and created a 'sixth sense' device, which is basically a smart phone/camera/projector combo small enough to be worn on your face like my fist. KA-POW! Also, it does stuff, and won't leave you bruised.

The device...can turn any surface into a touch-screen for computing, controlled by simple hand gestures. The gadget can even take photographs if a user frames a scene with his or her hands, or project a watch face with the proper time on a wrist if the user makes a circle there with a finger. The device can recognize items on store shelves, retrieving and projecting information about products or even providing quick signals to let users know which choices suit their tastes.

Other than letting some of you live out your fantasy of looking as cool as Tom Cruise in 'Minority Report' it can really let you connect as a sixth sense device with whatever is in front of you," said MIT researcher Patty Maes.

"It is very much a work in progress. Maybe in ten years we will be here with the ultimate sixth-sense brain implant."

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Brain implants -- that's where I draw the line. There may be nothing but cobwebs, The Golden Girls theme song, and a candy bar wrapper up there, but, damnit, this is my brain we're talking about here. That said, I'll saw my own skull open if it gives me x-ray vision.

MIT researchers make 'sixth sense' gadget [physorg]

Thanks to Ain and Icehawg, who created a 7th sense device but their research was muffled because it was too far ahead of its time.

Aug 12 2008 Olympic's Blue Screen Of Death Moment

Apparently a computer went blue screen of death during the opening ceremonies at the Olympics a few days ago. Yep, right when a flying Li Ning was about to wrap up the torch-lighting ceremony too. No idea what the screen was actually supposed to be displaying, but if I had to guess, I'd say definitely not that. Does this count as an epic fail? I was gonna put it in the title, but I know some of you are sensitive about what counts and what doesn't. So, what's the ruling? And how about, instead of a blue screen of death, it was somebody farming gold in World of Warcraft. Would that count?

Hit the jump for a couple more pictures.

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Aug 5 2008 Eh: Multi-Touch 3D Hologram Display Is Here

This is a video of Obscura Digital demonstrating their multi-touch software with Musion's Eyeliner 3D holographic projector. It's pretty neat. But you know what? I'm getting sick and tired of all these multi-touch demos where it seems the extent of what you can so is shuffle through photos and resize them. BORING. Show me somebody building a LEGO castle or something. Anything -- anything besides "look, you can toss Polaroids around in space!" I mean I can do that in real life, and it would still suck. I want to see some VR applications. I need an escape damnit, and the drugs aren't working.

Obscura Digital projects multi-touch "hologram", blows all sorts of minds [engadget]

Thanks to Julian, who's anxiously awaiting holographic skin flicks.

May 16 2008 Lonely No More: Bed A Virtual 2-D Girlfriend

INBED is the brainchild of NYU student Drew Burrows. Drew is a really lonely guy that decided a 2-D virtual girlfriend would be way easier to bed than a real 3-D one. And he was right. The girl is projected onto your bed from the ceiling and interacts via "infrared-sensitive" light. If you curl up on your side she spoons with you, and if you lie on your back she stretches out beside you. Plus, if you're feeling amorous and try to kiss her she raises her rear into the air and beckons you to "tap that". Just kidding, no chick would ever do that -- she just buries her head in a pillow and ignores you like your girlfriend does whenever you're feeling procreational.

UPDATE: Okay, I know I said there was no woman that would ever do that, but I got to thinking and figured in the off chance that one of you lady readers out there might do that, could you please contact me?

NYU Student Creates Virtual Girlfriend - Shame She's Only 2-D [gizmodo]

May 14 2008 jDome Gives You 180° View While Gaming

The jDome is the brainchild of John Nilsson and allows a player 180° field of vision. "All you do is put the jDome in front of a projector, mirror the image in the projector, change the Field of View and you're good to go." Simple as that. Nilsson estimates the domes will go for $125-$200 as soon as he procures the necessary fundage to get them made. If you're really interested you can provide a donation at his website or make one yourself out of your little brother's bedsheet and sister's hula-hoops.

UPDATE: No, your audio isn't screwed up, John just has trouble pronouncing the name of his product (0:59).

JDome Gives First-Person Gamers 180-Degree Vision, Gives Me Headaches [gizmodo]

Thanks to Pork Musket, who games the old fashioned way -- with a real gun.

May 1 2008 Video Of The R2-D2 Home Theater System

Remember the R2-D2 home entertainment system we posted a while ago? Well here he comes again, this time with a video to prove his existence and functionality. In case you're too lazy to click the old post's link (or is convinced I was trying to send you to a porn site), I've included the system's features here.

R2-D2, an icon of cinema and a comfortable fixture in any home theater, actually uses a projector in the films -- so of course he'd make the perfect DVD projector at home! Able to project from a distance of over 16 feet with an 260-inch image, this is one R2 unit that will soon be playing back the entire message in homes across the country. Check out these features:

* Picture by DLP from Texas Instruments
* Project to ceilings and walls up to a 260-inch picture
* Resolution: 1024x768
* Contrast Ratio: 1800:1
* Lumens: 1500
* Built-in CD/DVD player. Also plays MP3/MP4 video
* iPod docking station, memory card and USB slots
* Built-in 20 watt stereo speaker system
* FM wireless audio out (channels 1 through 7)
* Full-function: forward, reverse turn 360 degrees and recline
* Millennium Falcon remote control with removable stand
* Head turns using Millennium Falcon remote control
* Plays the most popular R2-D2 sound effects

Unfortunately it appears R2's cost has increased from $2,800 to $2,995. WTF? I mean, what's it look like, I'm made of money? That's ridiculous. Like my mother told me when I was a child, I'm made from snips and snails and puppy dog tails. And, as my best guess, my girlfriend is made from a giant pie-hole that only stops talking about nonsense long enough to jam a carton of Oreos into. I don't care about what color the freaking window treatments are, just buy some!

I didn't mean that honey. I think we should go with a light brown shade like wheat or sand so they'll coordinate with the love seat and my dignity.

R2-D2 Projector In Action Video (Verdict: A Must Have) [gizmodo]

Mar 26 2008 It's About Time: Apple Files Patent For 3-D Display, See You Soon Princess Leia *wink*

This is a diagram from the patent Apple filed on the 20th for a 3-D Holographic Display.

The patent application goes on to assert that two-dimensional projections of 3-D scenes are inadequate. "Without the benefit of 3-D rendering, even high quality images that have excellent perspective depictions still appear unrealistic and flat," it says. "No headgear needs to be worn by the observer. "In one embodiment, the system of the present invention provides a stereoscopic 3-D display and viewing experience; in another, it delivers a realistic holographic 3-D display experience."

Sweet, 3-D. Not to brag or anything, but I see real life in 3-D. Does that make me better than everyone else? Yes. It's a scientific fact that most people only see in 3-C. Unless I've got things backwards and 3-C is actually an improvement over 3-D. In that case I see in 3-A, which is practically x-ray vision. That's right folks, boobs.

Apple files patent for holographic 3-D display [eetimes]

Thanks to Dan, who can see in 5-A because he's from the future, for the tip

Mar 25 2008 Robot Watches Kids While Parents Shop

This scary little bastard is a robotic babysitter developed by Tmsuk and currently being utilized by a retailer in Fukuoka, Japan. It looks like a cross between a cat, the devil, a shitty digital camera, and a bumper car. The unit packs an integrated projector and can communicate with annoying little kids through the use of a special tags the rugrats have to wear. No word on how much the robots cost, but I bet they're expensive. And ridiculous. My dad didn't need a babysitter for me when we went shopping. No sir, he just lashed me to the front of the shopping cart. Plus, whenever I misbehaved he'd teach me "valuable life lessons" about how long scars take to heal by running me into displays and other people's carts. *sniffle* Love ya, dad.

Robot babysitter keeps kids occupied in Japanese store [engadget]

Thanks to Shawn, who can destroy robots with just a stare, for the tip

Dec 26 2007 3D Projector System Is Wicked, Scary

The Musion high definition projector system "uses unique HD video projection, producing three dimensional moving images within a stage setting." It looks like it involves some sort of strange glass pyramid. And magic. A lot of magic. And not the fake shit that ass-clown Criss Angel is into, oh no. I'm talking legitimate 'sell your soul to Slavin the evil warlock' magic here. The real deal. The videos are from Toyota promoting their Auris vehicle at a shopping center in Europe. So yeah. I'm not sure what the first video of the ghost woman has to do with selling cars, but I think it has something to do with harnessing the power of the dead. Wait a minute -- that's my great aunt Gertrude! She says she's going to kill me if I buy domestic. I knew it!

Another video showing the Auris after the jump.

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Dec 14 2007 Make Huge Multi-Touch Screen With Wiimote

In the video above Johnny Chung Lee (from such videos as Spirit Fingers: Tracking Your Fingers With A Wiimote) shows you how to make a huge multi-touch display using a Wiimote and some infra-red LEDs. It's pretty impressive. And you know what else is impressive? The size of the pancakes I had for breakfast, those things were monsters! Just kidding, I didn't eat breakfast. Unless a cigar and a pint of gin counts. Oh and glue, I huffed some glue.

Johnny Lee's Wii Projects Page

thanks to Jab, a man who multi-touches hot chicks all the time, for the tip

Dec 13 2007 Home Theater Features Terminator Theme

We've seen Star Wars and Star Trek themed home theaters in the past, and now comes a Terminator one. Darren Mortenson put this all together himself, and allegedly on "a reasonable budget". The picture there shows a television, but there's also a projector so he can watch movies at a cool 159" (see other pictures). Doing all the work himself even scored him CEDIA installer certification. Not too bad Darren, now come over and hook my basement up. I want a damn home theater down there, right now it's just empty. Well, except for my wife chained between a washing machine and a stove. But maybe we could incorporate her into the theater if we went for a Star Wars "chained up Princess Leia and Jabba the Hutt" theme. She'd make a great Jabba. Now I just need an attractive chick to play Leia. Any takers ladies? *wink*

Check out more pictures and a full list of specs after the jump.

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