We’re Doomed: Wall-climbing Robots Spin Giant Spiderwebs

Wall-climbing robots have been around for a while, but wall-climbing robots that can actually spin spiderwebs? Did I mention they were made of carbon fiber? Yeah, that exists now. We’re all going to wind up suspended from some cave ceiling in cocoons. Great.

wall_climbing_spider_robots_1zoom in

This project from the University of Stuttgart’s Institute for Computational Design called the “Mobile Robotic Fabrication System for Filament Structures” is just a fancy way of saying “spider robot that spins webs.” It was created by grad student Maria Yablonina. Her robots work in tandem to weave carbon fiber filaments into Spirograph-like forms.

Two robots pass carbon fiber threads back and forth to create the pattern, then attach it to wall anchors. The web-like structures can be built on up to four walls just by adding more robots. The robots use powerful vacuum fans to stick to the walls. The idea is that they can create unique architectural elements. Think of it as taking string art to the next level.

[via Techcrunch via Engadget]

Spongeworthy: This Sponge Holder Looks Like a Tiny Bed

We’re always looking for ways to make ugly household stuff look appealing. Household sponges are pretty unattractive. They don’t go with your decor. They just sit there waiting for the next dish to wash, and eventually start to get nasty over time. Well, Clean Dreams is a sponge holder that looks like a bed, in an attempt to make your kitchen counter cuter.

sponge_holder_2zoom in

It’s a little plastic bed with integrated pillows and a lattice bottom so that your sponge can catch some much needed zzzzzzs. It will also help your sponge to dry, which means less bacteria.

sponge_holder_1zoom in

Cute or crazy? You make the call. It was created by Tel Aviv design firm Wishlist, and is available for pre-order from Ototo Design if you’re okay with a sponge crashing in your kitchen, and not paying you rent.

sponge_holder_4zoom in

sponge_holder_6zoom in

[via Bored Panda via Geekologie]

CityGo Urban scooter folds up, lights up, and pushes off

scootAn electric scooter by the name of CityGo Urban has been revealed in a crowdfunding campaign that’s subsequently met its goal – and surpassed it. This scooter is interesting in both its form and its method of propulsion. Users will be able to fold the scooter up and carry it with them while heading into the office or on to … Continue reading

Pikachu Statue Appears Overnight in New Orleans

You know how those Pikachu characters randomly appear in parks around the world, and Pokémon GO players can run catch them if you are fast? Well a Pikachu has just popped up in park earlier this week in New Orleans, Louisiana but this one is real. The statue was apparently erected by fans of Pokémon GO.

pikachu-statue-1zoom in

The statue looks as if it has been sitting in place for decades, but it was erected over an old defunct fountain on Terpsichore, between Prytania and Coliseum streets. It looks as if it’s made from bronze, but I rather doubt it is. Word is that it’s actually made from wood and fiberglass.

Who exactly made it and put it there remains a mystery. All we have is the inscription which reads #pokemonument. It was installed without permission, but I hope the city leaves it there. It’s certainly an improvement from what was previously there:

terpsichore_12zoom in

[via Reddit via C|Net]

Average US internet speeds make significant rise in first half of 2016

internetsyayWith the rise of fiber internet and the amount of recognition companies like Google Fiber are getting, you’d be forgiven for feeling a little disappointed in your broadband connection. However, a new report from Ookla is showing us that the wider availability of fiber options may just be a good thing for those with fixed broadband connections, as average broadband … Continue reading

Alleged OnePlus 3 Mini Spotted On GFXBench

oneplus_3_002Earlier this year OnePlus launched their flagship smartphone, the OnePlus 3. However could there be a smaller version of the OnePlus 3 in the works? Assuming a recent GFXBench sighting is any accurate, it certainly sounds like a OnePlus 3 Mini could be in the works, although that would be rather interesting given the company’s stance.

Now a couple of months ago, OnePlus stated that they would no longer be creating OnePlus X handsets. The company stated that instead, they planned on focusing on their “true flagship” line, which would be the OnePlus # series. Now this could be interpreted in a couple of ways, one of which is that they will  create one device per year and that’s it, nothing more, nothing less, kind of like Apple did with the iPhone 5s.

An alternative interpretation could mean that OnePlus plans on creating multiple devices from the OnePlus # lineup, meaning that they could be following the modern Apple like when the company released the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, in which both phones more or less had the same specs but came in different sizes.

In this case, the GFXBench listing revealed that we can expect a 4.6-inch Full HD display, but other than that, the Snapdragon 820 chipset and 6GB of RAM will be maintained. Needless to say you should take this with a grain of salt for now, but if you wanted a smaller OnePlus 3 handset, this “mini” variant could be it.

Alleged OnePlus 3 Mini Spotted On GFXBench , original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.

Yuneec's SkyView drone goggles double as a private home theater

The world of “first person view” (FPV) flying — where pilots don video specs to see what the drone sees — isn’t new, but consumer-friendly headsets like Yuneec’s SkyView goggles might make it more accessible. Stick SkyView on your noggin’ (pulled-u…

Iris Scanning Will Comes To Samsung’s Mid-Range Phones

galaxy-note-7-design_29-ear-speakerThe Samsung Galaxy Note 7 was recently launched and one of the handset’s features is its iris scanner. So far fingerprint scanning has been the standard for the past few years, but it looks like Samsung has plans to introduce alternative methods and the iris scanner is one of those ways, and it also looks like it will be making its way to non-flagships as well.

According to Samsung Mobile’s president DJ Koh, he revealed that Samsung’s future mid-rangers could be getting the feature as well. He was quoted as saying, “Through continued cost cutting, iris scanning can trickle down to mid-end models. There is a view that Android is weak in security compared to its competitor and we want to expand software security that can overcome this image.”

He also adds that while right now the iris scanning technology is a way to secure your phone from prying eyes (see what we did there), the company has bigger plans for the technology. “We did not put iris scanning in the flagship model just to do ‘unlock’. In the long run, through third parties and API, we want to connect it with apps. For mobile banking, we are thinking of applying iris scanning for large transactions, and are already talking with banks in some countries.”

Koh also revealed that the iris scanning tech in the Note 7 was the result of 3 years of R&D. Samsung is definitely not the first to the scene with the technology, but with their reputation and reach, they could help popularize it for phones in the future.

Iris Scanning Will Comes To Samsung’s Mid-Range Phones , original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.

Disney 16-bit classics including 'Aladdin' coming to GOG.com

Nothing says ’90s gaming like the Sega Genesis and 16-bit Disney classics like Aladdin. You can bathe in that nostalgia again thanks to GOG.com and Disney’s re-release of Aladdin, The Lion King and Jungle Book. Those titles, originally developed for…

ICYMI: One Pen to rule all and video you can manipulate

Today on In Case You Missed It: Researchers from MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab formulated a way to interact with existing videos, so they can prod and move objects within the frame. The Cronzy Pen samples colors from anyt…