Oct 16 2008 The Future Is Now, And Not What I Expected: Walking Powered Shoe Chargers

I hate walking. That's why I run. Or Hoveround (screw you Rascal!). But for those of you that don't mind, how about making the most out of your two legged transportation. NTT has developed a shoe that promises to charge your gadgetry while on the go.

Their soles are filled with water, displaced as the wearer walks and forced through a tiny turbine. Current prototypes generate 1.2 watts of electricity, enough to power your iPod as you strut, but by the time these things hit production in 2010 the hope is to more than double that to 3 watts so that you can charge up your mobile, too.

Sure, why not. But I'd still prefer to see the breast-powered charger instead. Literally, I want to see it in action. And, I dunno, maybe some light touching.

NTT says one of these days these boots are gonna charge your gadgets [engadget]

Thanks to Julian, who's currently out on the the hunt for the best damn burrito in NYC.

Jun 25 2008 Rotating Skyscraper To Be Built In Dubai

A rotating skyscraper is slated to be built in, wait for it -- Dubai! The structure, designed by Italian architect David Fisher, has floors that can each rotate independently of one another. Allegedly the building will be powered entirely by wind and solar energy via outer solar panels and wind turbines between the floors. I'm curious to see how that works out. I'm also curious how you and your neighbors decide who gets the ocean view and when. I'm guessing it involves threats and/or a good amount of weapon brandishing. Condos are currently going for about $3,000 per square foot but don't bother calling to ask -- I already did and the bastards aren't selling 1' x 1's.

Hit the jump for a VIDEO including some computer animations of the buildng and an interview with the architect.

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Nov 26 2007 New 'Kite' Used To Harvest Wind Energy

Architect Laurie Chetwood believes that kites will play a key roll in future "green" energy generation. Chetwood's brainchild, the Wind Dam, is scheduled to go up over Lake Lagoda (Russia) in the coming months. He is convinced the concept will be a hit, stating it's "highly effective at capturing the wind because it replicates the work of a dam and doesn't let the wind escape in the way it does using traditional propellers." Basically the Wind Dam is a "75-meter kite with multiple tethers used to funnel wind into a turbine, creating juice." Sounded good until then didn't it? I'm all about green technology, but I think this guy has got his head in the wrong place. Juice? Juice is easy to make -- you just squeeze some damn fruit. We need electricity damnit.

Nov 8 2007 CD Tesla Turbine Nutcase Is At It Again

"Mr. Fix It" Rick is at it again, this time attempting to carve a pumpkin with his CD Tesla Turbine. He uses compressed air to power the thing, and has modified the turbine from last time to ensure a bit more safety. The damn video is almost 9 minutes long so I recommend just jumping around -- you'll get the idea. And the idea is that you could carve a pumpkin better by throwing knives at it. As a matter of fact, my dog carved a better pumpkin for Halloween this year, and all he did was eat the damn thing when I wasn't looking.

Tesla CD Turbine vs. Pumpkin [boingboing]

Nov 1 2007 CD Turbine + Sawblade = Goodbye Fingers

"Mr. Fix It" Rick is some crazy guy on Youtube who builds things that are a lot more efficient (and safer) to just buy. In this segment he shows you how he put together his latest "Magnetic Tesla CD Turbine with Sawblade Attachment". It runs off of a garden hose, but I've seen others he's made using compressed air. I almost didn't post this, because he doesn't test it out and lose a finger, but I figured I would anyways. That way when he does lose a finger, arm, or eyeball I can link back to this entry and start the new one by saying "remember that crazy a-hole that made the CD turbine powered saw..."

UPDATE: Very weak demonstration of the thing in action after the jump.

Continue Reading " CD Turbine + Sawblade = Goodbye Fingers "

Aug 20 2007 Wind Powered Phone Charger

Orange, a U.K. based telecommunications firm is dropping the Orange Mobile Wind Charger. It, um, charges your cell phone with the power of the wind! Amazing. Reminds me of that time I developed a perpetual motion machine, the wind powered windmill. Brilliant really. I'm not totally sold yet, but maybe you are. Are you a hippie? Do you smell like patchouli? If so, get one of these bad boys, strap it to the basket on the front of your bike, and you'll be the talk of the commune. You may even get lucky with a chick that doesn't shave her legs or armpits. Go you!

Wind Powered Phone Charger [PC World]