Breakthrough Thinking – Page 122

Art, Breakthrough Thinking, DIY, Entertainment, Great Videos, New Discoveries, New Viewpoints

A 33 Foot Touchscreen Built Using Off-The-Shelf Hardware and Public Domain Software

February 13, 2011

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlWFtF06RFo&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

The University of Groningen in the Netherlands made this 32.8 ft. by 9.2 ft. touchscreen interface from six expensive cameras… and some “cheap” infrared emitters, 1000 LEDs, some old computers that were sitting around, and some free software.

The result is a positively enormous curved screen with a resolution of 4900 by 1700 that can track 100 different touches at a time… and that’s just at optimum speeds. Latency is between 30 and 50 ms.

Anyone up for a game of Pong?

Continue reading… “A 33 Foot Touchscreen Built Using Off-The-Shelf Hardware and Public Domain Software”

Art, Breakthrough Thinking, Education, New Viewpoints

Book Uses Colored Thread Between Pages To Make Hyperlinks

February 13, 2011

Hyperlinks on paper.

Maria Fischer’s “Traumgedanken” book is a collection of “literary, philosophical, psychological and scientifical texts” about dreams. The book uses threads pierced through the pages and affixed to other pages to make physical hyperlinks between ideas.

On five pages there are illustrations made out of thread. Their shape and colour relies on the key words on the opposite page. This way an abstract image of the dream about dreaming is generated…

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Animals, Art, Breakthrough Thinking, DIY, Green Friendly, New Inventions

Flypaper Clock Eats Flies, Uses Their Bodies for Energy

February 12, 2011

Carcasses Create Energy For Clock

Design student James Auger was inspired by carnivorous plants to make a clock that is powered by converting the bodies of dead insects into electricity. A roll of flypaper catches the flies, which are in turn scraped off and dumped into a fuel cell…

Continue reading… “Flypaper Clock Eats Flies, Uses Their Bodies for Energy”

Breakthrough Thinking, Culture, Current Events, Health & Fitness, Historical Perspectives, Latest Trend, New Discoveries

Anti-Crime DNA Sprays

February 12, 2011

New Ways To Use DNA

Jantine sez, “January 10th I received this letter from my district officials saying they;ve installed DNA spray in the area I live in. I’ve posted the letter, pic of the sign and some translated excerpts on my blog for the time being.”

Dear resident, to reduce the number of hold ups, the shopping streeds in West will be equipped with DNA-sprays from january 2011 onwards. The DNA-spray is an extra means beside the camera surveillance which district West in our effort to improve the safety in the shopping area…

Continue reading… “Anti-Crime DNA Sprays”

Breakthrough Thinking, Globalism, Historical Perspectives, Hot Issues, Human Behavior, Latest News, New Discoveries, People Making a Difference, Science & Technology News

Chinese Develop Gait-Biometrics Surveillance

February 12, 2011

Another way to be under surveillance.

A confidential United States embassy dispatch released by Wikileaks provides details about a new technology developed by the Chinese Academy of Science to identify people by their gait.

The technology is designed to be deployed beneath existent flooring. From there it measures pedestrian pace and walking pressure to create a unique biometrics profile which can be used to identify and track the movements of individuals without their knowledge…

Continue reading… “Chinese Develop Gait-Biometrics Surveillance”

Architecture, Art, Breakthrough Thinking, Globalism, New Viewpoints

The Water-Scraper Habitat

February 12, 2011

Visions of water dwellings.

Taking advantage of the 71% of the Earth covered in water, the “Water-Scraper” is a partially submerged, self-contained habitat. A combination of tidal, solar and wind sources generate power for the floating behemoth while garden acreage just above the water line produces food for the structure’s inhabitants.

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Art, Breakthrough Thinking, Crazy Stuff, Health & Fitness, Human Behavior, New Discoveries, New Inventions

Electric Beauty Lift High Nose

February 11, 2011

Am I beautiful yet?

Want to lift your nose? Now you can with the Electric Beauty Lift High Nose.

Push up that nose of yours to create the perfect profile with this handy Beauty Lift High Nose, a beauty gadget that applies gentle electric vibrations from the bottom, side and front. Just slip it on and turn on the switch on the front of the frame…

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Animals, Breakthrough Thinking, Fashion, Food, Historical Perspectives, Human Behavior

Restaurant Makes Handbags From The Cow You Eat

February 11, 2011

Fashion Directly From Your Food

Forget about plunking down thousands of dollars and putting your name on a yearlong waiting list – to score New York’s latest “it” bag, you’re encouraged to eat the cow it comes from first. Sold exclusively at the Williamsburg restaurant Marlow & Sons, Breton tote bags boast supple leather and a price tag that ranges from $300 to $400.

But buying one isn’t so easy…

Continue reading… “Restaurant Makes Handbags From The Cow You Eat”

Breakthrough Thinking, Food, Great New Product, Latest Trend, New Discoveries, New Inventions

Beer Marshmallows

February 11, 2011

What could be better than beer flavored marshmallows?

Mmm… beer marshmallows. My inner Homer Simpson is doing cartwheels right now. You know, while he can. Before I get my hands on these things of beauty, spawned by some mad food genius, and just totally let myself go. I mean I have will power and everything, but come on!

The question is, why hasn’t someone thought of this before now?

Continue reading… “Beer Marshmallows”

Big Problems, Breakthrough Thinking, Current Events, government, Historical Perspectives, Hot Issues, Human Behavior, People Making a Difference

Sex Ban Suggested for Belgian Coalition Negotiators

February 10, 2011

Sex bans have helped form governments in the past.

The partners of Belgian politicians are being urged to go on a sex strike until a government is formed. The country had general elections last June but parties have so far been unable to form a governing coalition.

Socialist senator Marleen Temmerman said after a week of a similar sex ban in Kenya in 2009, a government was formed. Previous attempts to pressure Belgian negotiators into agreement have included a “grow a beard” campaign.

Continue reading… “Sex Ban Suggested for Belgian Coalition Negotiators”

Art, Breakthrough Thinking, Crazy Stuff, Humor, New Viewpoints, Recycling

Phantom of the Floppera

February 10, 2011

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmoDLyiQYKw&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

YouTube user FunToTheHead has created a working organ that uses finely tuned wheezing floppy drives to play rather impressive renditions of music. It’s not easy to sequence for four-note floppy-drive organs, but FunToTheHead has done a rather good job with Toccata and Fugue — a solid choice for any mad-science organ! I love that he’s got the blinkenlights synched with the music…

Continue reading… “Phantom of the Floppera”

Art, Breakthrough Thinking, Culture, Health & Fitness, New Viewpoints

Bacteria Creates Google Logo

February 10, 2011

Scientifically Google-fied.

I find it fascinating that scientists can express their creativity through such awesome means. I’m no science major, and the last time I had the opportunity to work with cells was in high school. Where art applies, I typically think of a pencil and pen, or paintbrush. When I saw the video of the Johnson and Wright creating a Google logo by literally growing bacteria, I was awed. It was really quite fascinating.

The process itself is not too difficult: simply color the bacteria, make sure it grows according to a mold, and then let them replicate into the shape of the mold…

Continue reading… “Bacteria Creates Google Logo”