Anatomical Portraits Go Beyond Skin Deep

I’m sure you’ve seen anatomical models of the different human systems when you took biology in high school. There’s the good, old skeletal system and of course, the muscular system.

Maybe Koen Hauser had these lessons in mind when he came up with his recent series, because they’re creative, different, and probably all anatomically correct.

Anatomy Portrait

Dubbed the ‘Modische Atlas der Anatomie’ or the ‘Fashionable Atlas of Anatomy’ when translated, the series features digital manipulations that literally strip the skin off of the models to reveal the organs and muscles underneath.

The images exude contrasting elements, with models posing in a relaxed manner while their bones and tendons are revealed in the same image.

Anatomy Portrait1

Even more impressive is the fact that he came up with this series and published it over a decade ago.

With this series, Koen was able to masterfully and artistically combine both science and art into one neat package.

[via Designboom]


Mix Up Cosmic Cocktails with Gin, Tonic, and a Black Light

I love the occasional cocktail or two, but I’ve always had to keep it at a minimum. I’ve got my reasons, with the main one being the fact that I turn beet red once I consume even a drop (okay, several drops) of alcohol-laced fluids into my system.

But I doubt I’d be able to contain myself if I came across this cosmic concoction.

As some people claim, the above is a result of Photoshop and a bit of tweaking. But you really can mix up your own glowing cocktails, with the right recipe and  a black light.

Maybe you can even achieve something similar the otherworldly looking mix in the image if you mix it slowly and shine the black light while you do. This is called the Aurora Jungle-Juice cocktail, and once everything settles down, you’ll end up with something that looks like this:

Aurora Drink

It’s basically a mix of either gin or vodka, tonic water, and Rose’s Mojito Passion or Pink Lemonade concentrate. Then add in some ice, bring your black light, and voila! Awesomeness.

You can check out the recipe here.

[via Incredible Things]


Print Tidbits of Your Life Anytime, Anywhere with the mPrinter

Most people are already going the paperless route. It began with more personal stuff, like sending notes and messages digitally instead of through paper. It eventually expanded to the corporate world, where communications and memos are sent via email instead of through actual paper memos.

mPrinterBut bringing that printing mentality back to life, albeit in a small way, is the mPrinter. It’s a project by Andy Muldowney that’s currently up for funding on Kickstarter.

mPrinter1

Similar to the (much more expensive) Berg Little Printer, It’s basically a small analog printer that’ll print anything you command it to, from text and doodles to Sudoku grids and weather reports. USB-only mPrinters hook up to your computer via USB cable, while Wi-Fi-capable mPrinters contain built-in web servers that can connect to your network.

The mPrinter will also come with an iOS and Android app that will let you use the quick print option, manage your mPrints, and take advantage of the fun ‘doodle’ feature.

A minimum pledge of $80 will get you one USB-only mPrinter, while the Wi-Fi one requires a minimum pledge of $125. Back the project and find out more about it on the mPrinter Kickstarter page.


Now You Can Smoke Your Beverages Instead of Drink Them with Le Whaf

Why do people drink? Usually it’s because they’re thirsty. But sometimes, it’s just to taste whatever it is they’re drinking – and appreciating that taste. And what better way to do that than by taking whiffs of it so you’ll keep wanting more? Le Whaf has come up with a totally unusual yet awesome way to enjoy your drinks: by turning them into vapors that you’re supposed to sip through straws.

Here’s a video showing the Le Whaf and some of their awesome smokey beverages:

The people look a bit strange, drinking “smoke” and all that, but it seems like a pretty neat idea, plus it cuts down on the calories big time. Extremely novel too, although it’s a bit pricey at €129 (~$160 USD).

[via Gadget Review]


Stab-Resistant Prison Pens: So People at the Office Can’t Stab You in the Back

Almost everything can be turned into a weapon. I think that much is clear if you’ve seen footage of prison brawls, where anything from spoons to toothbrushes can be deadly objects. How much more if prisoners somehow manage to grab an officer’s pen?

Of course, they came prepared: with these Stab-Resistant Prison Pens.

Stab PensI’m not sure if these are the exact same ones that they use in prisons, but I’m pretty sure their pens have the same ‘stab-resistant’ feature. Which is, they bend this way and that when someone tries to use them to stab somebody.

Stab Pens1

So if you have some sort of phobia that has something to do with getting stabbed by a pen, then you’d better carry only these types of pens in your home and in your office.

A pack of five Stab-Resistant Prison Pens are available from ThinkGeek for $5.99(USD).

[via The Green Head]


Little Free Library is the Book Drive that Everyone Can Join

Some people think that books are slowly going ‘obsolete’ because of Nooks, Kindles, and iPads. To them, I say: think again. While I have nothing against these digital readers, I think that there’s just something different and special about reading a physical book with pages you can actually turn and feel in your hands.

Now it’s time to cue the Little Free Library, which is a movement that aims to make books more accessible in neighborhoods all over the world.

Little Free LibraryBasically, people build tiny ‘libraries’ and put the structures on their front lawns. Most of the Little Libraries I’ve seen look like bird houses, but you can put your own unique (and creative) spin on it and come up with one that looks like a miniature phone booth or double-decker bus.

Here’s how it works: you put your own Little Free Library up, stock it up with books, and tack on a sign that tells people take a book – but come one to leave one of their own the next day. It’s kind of like paying it forward to random people who all love to read.

Little Free Library1

It’s also fun and totally random too, because you never know what books your little library will end up with the next day.

Find out more about the movement and how to build your own little library by checking out the Little Free Library website.

[via Instructables]


This is What Happens When 100 Artists Get Their Hands on 100 Phone Booths

You won’t see phone booths as creative or as colorful as the ones you’ll find in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Typically, phone booths are made to look plain so they’ll blend in with the surroundings, and only the people actually looking for them will be able to really “see” them.

Well, not anymore.

Call Parade

Brazilian telco Vivo decided it was time to cast these telephone booths into the spotlight once and for all. To do so, they launched the Call Parade public art project, where they paired off 100 phone booths with a hundred artists.

brain phone booth

The result is crazy amazing, and the phone booths are literally transformed into public displays of art.

phone booths

Personally, I like the one with the pencil the best. Check out the full gallery of phone booths here (along with maps of their locations,) and tell me, which one’s your favorite?

[via This is Colossal]


Would You Like a Nyan Cat Running on Your T-Shirt? You Can Do that With tshirtOS

So this won’t be the first time that you’ll see an interactive shirt (remember the fully playable electric guitar t-shirt and the drum machine shirt?), but this is the first shirt of its kind to actually be able to do all that it promises to do. The tshirtOS. A t-shirt with its own operating system. The name already sounds cool, but just wait until you see the actual thing.

tshirtOSThe tshirtOS is the result of a joint venture between Ballantine’s and CuteCircuit. The shirt is described as a wearable (obviously), sharable, and programmable piece of clothing that you can use to display random stuff like tweets, animation, and photos, and even play music and videos.

The shirt features a large multi-color, flexible LED grid, connected to a controller circuit and battery pack. It’ll also have a camera, accelerometer, microphone and speakers for truly interactive displays. It’s controlled by an app that’s to be installed on your smartphone. Because of its programmable nature, the sky’s the limit with this baby.

Make a fashion statement, share your thoughts by displaying your tweets as you go along, and make a nyan cat run around your shirt to give everyone around you a dose of geeky randomness.

Want it? Head on over to tshirtOS.com to find out more.

[via Dvice]


Slow But Steady: This LEGO Motorized Wheelchair Actually Works!

Being confined to a wheelchair is a bummer. But while this LEGO wheelchair won’t necessarily take the frustration at having to use one away, it will make the entire thing a bit more bearable.

LEGO WheelchairThey say a positive attitude helps a lot with the healing process, so maybe this wheelchair is what most people need. At least, the ones who love LEGO, anyway.

This chair was built by master builder Simon “Burf” Burfield. It weighs 44 pounds, which isn’t heavy compared to most standard wheelchairs, and is downright lightweight compared to most motorized chairs. To build it, Burf used six Mindstorms NXTs, 12 Mindstorms motors, 12 Mindstorms touch sensors, 12 Rotacaster multi-directional wheels, and ‘a whole load’ of LEGO Technic.

See the chair in action in the video below:

Sure, it doesn’t move quickly, but it’s still impressive that it’s entirely built out of LEGO components.

[via TecheBlog]


Banana Chair: Seating with a Peel

Monkeys. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, they’ll always be the one animal species that’s closest to the human race. So what could be more fitting than sitting in a chair that’s made with the monkey’s favorite food in mind?

Banana ChairIt looks all sorts of comfortable, too. The banana meat serves as the cushion to seat your in comfort, while the banana peel lets you rest your weary elbows on them after a long, tiring day.

banana chair 2

Designed by WamHouse, the banana-inspired seat is actually called the Zjedzony, which is Polish for ‘eaten.’ Makes sense, considering a huge chunk of the banana (chair) has been eaten away.

Banana Chair1

Looks awesome, doesn’t it? I’d kill to have one of these for my living room.

[via +MOOD via Chair Blog]