Colorado Inventor Showcase 2008 - November 10, 2008 - DaVinci Institute

Currently browsing posts found in May2008


Robotic Lawn Mowing Guy

May 21st, 2008 at 6:16 pm » Comments (0)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv61MzF1n7k

 Robot slaves are all the rage in Japan
Isn’t this how we all envisioned the future? People just sitting around laughing it up, while your robot slave is busy doing all the gruntwork, like mowing the lawn. This little guy is working his metal ass off, never complaining.



World’s First Megawatt-Scale Tidal Turbine Installed

May 21st, 2008 at 11:25 am » Comments (0)

 The power of the ocean without the smell of the sea
Marine Current Turbines Ltd, the global leader in tidal stream technology, has successfully completed the installation of its 1.2MW SeaGen tidal energy system in Strangford Narrows in Northern Ireland. There will now be a 12-week period of commissioning and testing before it starts regularly feeding […]



Six Micronations You Can Join (Petoria, anyone?)

May 21st, 2008 at 8:04 am » Comments (0)

Admit it - you’ve thought about what life would be like if you ruled your own country. I would make an awesome Queen, just for the record. Diet Coke would flow from kitchen faucets, scientists would put all of the vitamins and minerals you need into low-calorie mint-chocolate chip ice cream and the Killers would […]



The Grand Pug of Determination

May 21st, 2008 at 7:51 am » Comments (0)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nm8_HRelHcQ

 This Pug has determination written all over her face
This 10 month old pug puppy is going to get every last treat if it kills her.  She finally figured out how to get them all in the end, even though she takes a bit of a beating from the cat. While the cat has no claws […]



Fake TV Scares Off Intruders, Saves Power

May 21st, 2008 at 7:48 am » Comments (0)

But Can You Party To It?

 
Ever felt the need to leave a television on to make it look like somebody is home while you’re out of town? This quirky little invention does just one thing - simulate the effect of having left your TV turned on.



Man + Animal = “Manimals” = Eerie Portraits

May 21st, 2008 at 7:43 am » Comments (0)

1964 - Year of the Dragon

Artist Daniel Lee draws on the Chinese Zodiac to manipulate these images through the computer. His series, titled “Manimals”, exhibits portraits showing the animal signs of these people. The 12 Chinese Zodiac signs are: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, cock, dog and boar.



Wii Fit Reviewed

May 21st, 2008 at 7:31 am » Comments (0)

Always Stretch Out Before Playing Video Games or You Might Blow A Dipthong

Making exercise fun is something that Nintendo has tried before. In 1986, they licensed Bandai’s Family Trainer peripheral for the NES and launched it worldwide as the Power Pad. In the 90’s, they created the Exertainment system - essentially an exercise bike with […]



Building the World’s Largest Wind Farm

May 21st, 2008 at 7:26 am » Comments (0)

 T. Boone Pickens - Putting his money where his hot air is

Dallas oilman and investor Boone Pickens wants to build the world’s largest wind farm in the Texas Panhandle, a project that would put as many as 2,000 turbines on nearly 200,000 acres in four counties. Pickens’ Mesa Power presented its plans to about 250 […]



Introducing the New and Improved “Good for You” Napster

May 21st, 2008 at 7:26 am » Comments (0)

The “New” Napster is Ready For Serious Action

Remember Napster, the totally illegal file-sharing program turned legal music subscription site? Yeah, neither did we (or at least we chose not to), until today, when it it launched a music store with 6 million DRM-free tracks for sale at competitive prices (i.e. MP3s at $1 per song). […]



Video: “Music Vest” Commercial

May 21st, 2008 at 7:17 am » Comments (0)

Wearable Music Made Fashionable?

I like to use mine when I breakdance on my left ear…



Toyota’s Robot Band

May 21st, 2008 at 3:40 am » Comments (0)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQSe4Z1cH4E

As soon as they learn how to compose, punk rockers will be out of a job
Toyota recently unveiled a new, musically-inclined Partner Robot that can play violin. A total of 17 computer-controlled joints in its flexible arms and agile fingers allow the robot to hold the violin and correctly press the strings against the fingerboard […]



The Older Brain may be a Wiser Brain

May 21st, 2008 at 3:19 am » Comments (0)

 Harvard’s Shelley H. Carson often stops random old people to do a”brain check”
When older people can no longer remember names at a cocktail party, they tend to think that their brainpower is declining. But a growing number of studies suggest that this assumption is often wrong.
Instead, the research finds, the aging brain is simply taking […]



‘City’ of Life on an Underwater Mountain

May 21st, 2008 at 3:08 am » Comments (0)

 NZ scientists have discovered a vast colony of brittlestars - noiseless little creatures that taste good in garlic butter

New Zealand researchers investigating an underwater mountain range known as the Macquarie Ridge have discovered a massive sea mountain covered in starfish-like creatures known as brittlestars.
The swirling waters of the top of the sea mountain south […]



Bad Economy Not Hurting Video Games

May 21st, 2008 at 2:54 am » Comments (0)

Warriors who are battling the empire overloads can’t be bothered
by the petty economic concerns of you mortals
Video game sales in the US were up 31% through April over 2007, according to NPD Group. “Grand Theft Auto IV,” which made $500 million in its opening week, was not released until April 29. NPD said […]