This cube contains a 3 dimensional array of 16 x 16 x 16 (that comes to 4,096) multicolor, variable intensity LEDs. Each LED is independently controllable in both color and brightness, and the entire array can update itself 30 times per second, allowing for fairly smooth (albeit low res) animations:
This version is only a prototype; the production model should have a resolution of 48 x 48 x 48, which comes to a staggering 110,592 LEDs.
Sure, emergency mobile phone chargers are useful for camping and the occasional blackout, but what about those times when you’re surrounded by power outlets and there’s plenty of electricity to go around? During those times they just sit in a drawer, unused and taking up space. That’s why this emergency mobile phone charger strives to do more by also serving as an LED flashlight. It’s powered by a single AA battery making it relatively small, and it’s able to provide you with a steady beam of white LED light for hours and hours. It even comes with a handy wrist lanyard minimizing your risk of accidentally dropping it.
It’s available from Gadget4all.com for $21.50. Happy April 1.
Sure, flashlights are useful for camping and the occasional blackout, but what about when the sun’s out or when there’s plenty of electricity to go around? During those times they just sit in a drawer, unused and taking up space. That’s why this LED flashlight strives to do more by also serving as an emergency mobile phone charger. It’s powered by a single AA battery making it relatively small, and it’s able to provide your phone with enough power for 2 hours of talk time. It even comes with a set of 5 different charging adapters for Nokia, Samsung, Sony Ericsson and other phones.
It’s available from Gadget4all.com for $21.50. Happy April 1.
One of the annoying things about getting in the shower is making sure that the water is the right temperature. This is especially annoying if your shower takes a minute or two to get warm. Sure, you could just stick your hand in and feel the temperature, but surely there’s a geekier way to do it, right? Of course there is, just get a shower head that emits light based on how warm the water is.
The LED Shower Head will change color from blue to red when the water gets over 89° F/32° C. Sure, you’ll probably still need to do a bit of tweaking to get it just right, but at least you’ll know when it is warm. My favorite part of this is that the LEDs are powered by the water flowing through the shower head. The water pressure builds up energy by passing through small turbines contained within. You can pick one up for $45.
I’m not sure if these light up salt and pepper shakers are really “exceptionally clever” as the website claims, but they could come in handy if you’re enjoying a night time barbecue or find yourself suffering through a rolling blackout. They’re made of long-lasting ABS plastic, have an easy to fill spice reservoir and feature a standard flow-selector that adjusts from sprinkle to pour.
They each require 4 AA batteries to power the LEDs but that coupled with the built-in reflectors should provide more than enough light to tell when your food has been properly seasoned. A set of two shakers is available from HomeWetBar.com for $24.99
Last January was a trying time for our great nation. Apparently a couple of terrorists went around placing false bombs all over major cities in an attempt to scare us into submission. Of course, the citizens of these cities were too smart, and quickly realized that these were merely LED signs flipping the bird. Well, except for the people of Boston, they feared for their lives.
We of course all know that this was merely a promotion for the Aqua Teen Hunger Force movie, and not some terrorist plot to instill fear in the masses. In apparent celebration of the one year anniversary of this amusing day, the folks over at Evil Mad Scientist have put together a DIY guide to make your own scary LED sign. Think of it as a really cool Lite Bright.
Skateboarding is quite popular where I’m from. I’ve never really been interested in it, and I’m not just saying that because I can’t stay on one for more than a minute or so. It’s just that I see people skating all the time, and they don’t seem to be having much fun. Granted, they’re practicing, it’s just that they seem to practice on every public place that has stairs or something they can jump off of. But watching someone (unsuccessfully) attempt to flip their board over half a dozen times while I’m waiting on the light to turn green doesn’t make me want to run out and pick one up.
I do admit that if I came across some guy skating on a board with neon lights, I’d probably stop and watch him, at least for a few minutes. There’s just something about neon LEDs that just seems hypnotic in certain situations. These Photon Light Boards would definitely create that atmosphere. Each board is highly customizable with around 30 LED lights. The boards themselves will cost you between $110 and $120, while the whole setup is around $200.
To be more accurate, this LightPoints system from SCHOTT actually uses LEDs that are sandwiched between two pieces of laminated glass to create the effect they’re floating in space. The system also uses a Polyvinyl Butyral Foil (PVB) laminate which is a pre-structured clear conductive coating that allows electricity to reach the LEDs without the use of visible wiring, which would take away from the effect.
In fact the power can be delivered through conductive circuits on top of the glass which allows any necessary wiring to be built into the framework or supports surrounding the panels. What’s even cooler is the fact that the LEDs can all be triggered individually, allowing specific sequences to be played. If the glass (which is all custom made to order) had a dense enough pattern of LEDs, it could probably be used to play back messages or other more complex animations.
Urban living is just another way to say you live in a small, cramped apartment in a big city. But if you furnish your pad correctly, you can actually make it seem a lot bigger than it really is. The Little Lamp designed by Sam Hurt and Jude Biddulph looks like a classic table lamp and comes complete with a clip-on shade and a pull-chain to turn it on or off. But the base of the lamp is actually a single D-cell battery, which of course also powers the LED bulb.
So not only is it saving you precious space, but it also won’t add anything to your monthly power bill. Just couple this with a 2-inch Sony Watchman TV in the living room, and an Easy Bake Oven in the kitchen and I guarantee your small apartment will seem like a spacious penthouse. (Note: Guarantee not guaranteed.)
You can find the Little Lamp at the MoMA Store for $19.95, and the LED bulb and battery are included.
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By Andrew Liszewski
