[Insert random object] in a can is a staple of tacky souvenir stores, and in addition to t-shirts, boxers, and stuffed animals you can now get yourself a refreshing can of humidity thanks to this bizarre product mashup. It looks like a can of tea (which is probably something that’s far more common outside of North America) but instead of being full of disgusting leaf brew, inside there’s a ultrasonic transducer which turns liquid into an incredibly fine mist.
Since the can doesn’t use a heating element to boil water and create steam, it can be powered from a USB port (or an AC adapter) and is always cool to the touch. Its reservoir holds 140ml of water and while I have no idea how long that will last, apparently the device turns itself off after 2 hours anyways. ~$34(¥2,800) from Rakuten.
It’s a ridiculously simple idea, and one that seems totally obvious now, but for some reason it’s taken until the year 2011 for mankind to come up with the Toepener. It’s nothing more than an extra handle that sits at ground level allowing you to open a door with your feet. Besides the obvious health benefits of being installed on a public bathroom door saving you from having to touch a germ-ridden handle with your bare hands, the Toepener looks like it would also make doors easier to open when your hands are full. And it’s just $49.95, so really no public facility has an excuse not to install these.
Most chemical-based pimple treatments are designed with a ‘use overnight’ mentality when no one can see your face covered in dots of cream. But this no!no! Skin alternative just uses heat and light delivered via a handheld device that can be used anywhere and anytime you’ve got about 30 seconds to spare. You just place the pointed end against a pimple, push the button, and wait 10 seconds for it to do its thing. After you hear 2 beeps you remove it, wait 5 seconds, and then treat it again for another 10. The ‘how it works’ and what it’s actually doing unfortunately sounds a little snake oil-esque, but I’ll admit I’m not a dermatologist, and these treatment techniques could actually be quite effective.
As P.acnes (Propionibacterium) reproduce, colonies form and release the seeds of their own destruction, a chemical known as porphyrin. no!no! Skin pin points the pimple with flashes of a broad-spectrum light and gentle waves of heat that penetrate into the blocked pore. Optimal light wavelengths, especially green and red, penetrate deep into the follicle to target the P.acnes. Green light makes the porphyrin molecules release a lone oxygen molecule called a radical. The oxygen radicals attack the P.acnes and destroy the bacterium. Red light produces anti-inflammatory results and reduces the painful, unsightly swelling. Additional heat intensifies the process and gently opens the pores to release the clog and further soothe the inflammation.
At $180 though I’d like to know for sure if the no!no! Skin delivered on its claims before dropping that much money.
Of everything the internet has done for me, like helping me get into, and then out of, that wacky cult, this discovery is by far the best thing it’s ever brought into my life. For years I’ve grimaced, gagged and shuddered every time I’ve accidentally touched my feet when putting on socks, but those sad, sad days are over. Once again a useful gadget designed to make life easier for the injured, disabled and elderly will help me overcome another bizarre fear and/or phobia.
Once you’ve slid your sock onto the wire rack support, you just stick your foot in as usual and then use the generous extension handles on either side to pull it all the way up your leg. I’ve just realized it will even reduce the amount of bending I have to do every day, which is a whole other phobia we won’t get into right now. What’s most amazing is that this miracle contraption is just $14.98. Little do they know I’d happily pay up to $18 for something as life changing as this, but don’t tell them that!
I’ve often thought about trying one of these sleep phase alarm clocks, like the aXbo, that promises to only wake you up when your body is ready by tracking your sleep phases. But I just don’t think I’ll ever be ready to immediately get out of bed when the alarm goes off, which is what you’re supposed to do with these. In fact until recently the aXbo didn’t even have a snooze button, but thanks to a recent firmware upgrade it now comes with what they call the iSnooze feature (sigh…) which will let you catch a few more Z’s waking you again at the next optimal point in your sleep cycle.
And if you’re not already familiar with the aXbo, it looks like one of the better solutions if you’re into the whole sleep phase tracking thing. Of course while that technique supposedly makes it easier to get up in the morning, the downside is that you have to wear a special wrist band all night which allows the alarm clock to track your movements and tossing and turning so it can accurately predict when the optimal time in the morning is to wake you. I’m also awarding extra points for the mouse-like scroll wheel it uses for navigating menus or adjusting the time and alarms. Much better than repeatedly hitting an up or down button and having it overshoot the mark when holding it down for too long. I just wish it wasn’t ~$275 (€199) which is pretty steep.
The thought of even having to dial a public payphone sends shivers down my spine, let along picking up the receiver and holding it against my face. But it’s not always safe to assume your smartphone is clean just because you’re the only one using it. Most of you will diligently wash your hands before a meal, but don’t forget you probably spend all day swiping those same fingers across your phone’s screen. So what makes you think it’s any cleaner than a payphone? Because you clean it with your sleeve every once in a while?
I’m not implying everyone needs to be paranoid about germs or anything, but every once in a while giving your phone a good cleaning is probably not a bad idea, and these UV-based sanitizers seem like the easiest and least messy approach. The CellBlaster looks like a miniature tanning bed for your phone, but it blasts it with short-wave ultraviolet light which “kills or eliminates 99.9% of germs, viruses and bacteria…” And while the CellBlaster does its thing in just 30 seconds, it also features a small gap for multi-taskers who want to sanitize their phone while it’s being charged. ‘Coming Soon!’ for a yet to be disclosed price.
Way back in 2007 we brought you news of the Mercedes-Benz Museum’s 34 meter tall man-made tornado that was designed to quickly and effectively remove smoke from the building in the event of a fire, so as to protect the exhibits from smoke damage. The Tornex system is basically the same idea, though on a much smaller scale.
It’s instead designed to deal with the smoke from deliberate man-made fires, cigarettes, using a series of perforated silver poles that all blow air in the same direction, creating a miniature vortex. The air is then drawn into a charcoal filter system which removes about 95% of the smoke and odor before it’s returned to the smoking area. The silver poles also serve to create an air curtain keeping the smoke inside a designated, though not necessarily enclosed, smoking area. The cost? A totally reasonable $30,000+ (¥2,500,000) given the system makes freakin’ tornados!
I’ve yet to enjoy the ‘blessing’ of having a newborn infant in my household, but lack-of-rest assured, I will use every single electronic solution to my advantage when it comes to helping them sleep through the night. And I don’t care if this Easidream system is only available in the UK at the moment, I will re-wire my home to make it work.
The idea is pretty simple. The infant has just spent 9 months in the cozy confines of a womb, and suddenly they’re thrust into the real world. I’m pretty sure I’d spend all my time crying too. (Not just my usual 3 hours a day.) So the Easidream provides them with some of the comforts they’re accustomed to. First there’s a special mat connected to a control unit/air pump that sits under their mattress and recreates a gentle womb-like rocking motion with adjustable speeds and motions. It can even be controlled with timers so you can gradually ease off the thrill ride until your young’n is used to sleeping on a regular mattress.
The Easidream system also comes with Ewan, a plush sheep you hang on the crib which has a pink ambient glow and plays one of four womb-familiar sound effects like a mother’s beating heart. Both components are sold separately, and while Ewan is ~$50(£30.63) the Easidream rocking mat is a touch more pricey at ~$412(£255.31).
Exercise is less effective when you’re not properly going through the motions, and there’s even the risk of causing bodily harm when dealing with things like weights if you don’t have the proper technique. But at the same time, not everyone can afford a personal trainer to monitor and provide feedback on their exercise routines. So as part of the ‘FitForAge’ initiative sponsored by the Bavarian Research Foundation, researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute have developed an Electronic Fitness Trainer that’s available to anyone with access to a smartphone, computer or even just a TV.
The system is a combination of a customizable app and a sensor equipped suit that’s able to track the wearer’s position and movements while they’re exercising. The routine they follow is initially setup by a trainer or a physical therapist who ensures that it’s tailored to their needs and capabilities, and that they’re performing the various exercises properly. After that the app takes over, showing a virtual 3D avatar of the person in the suit and providing feedback when their motions or position don’t quite match up with what the trainer had specified. The system allows for trainers to be of assistance to more clients, while not requiring them to always be around during their actual routines, and ensures that the exercises they’re doing are as beneficial and effective as they can be.
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