Hasta La Gadget!

Wires or rods are integral parts of many structures or products. While we’ve seen early versions of 3D printers that can work with metals, many times all that a tinkerer or an artist needs is a way to bend existing wire to his will. That’s where Pensa Labs’ DIWire comes in. It’s a machine that bends wires based on curves drawn in a computer.

DIWire’s complementary software accepts SVG images of continuous curves. The machine itself connects to your computer via USB and can typically finish bending a piece of wire in minutes. DIWire can bend wires between .040″ – .125″ in diameter, depending on the wire’s composition. It can bend steel, stainless steel, aluminum, copper, brass and more. To help users put their bent wires together, Pensa Labs also came up with a series of plastic clips that can be used to hold wires together without having to permanently solder or weld them outright.

Pledge at least $2,950 (USD) on Kickstarter to receive a DIWire as a reward.

[via Core77]

The touchscreen and app combo of today’s mobile devices makes one gadget act as many. Different apps display different interfaces, and the touchscreen lets you interact with those interfaces in a natural manner. But what if, aside from changing what you can see, your gadget’s display could also change its shape? That’s what MIT’s Tangible Media Group wants to realize.

What you’re looking at is Tangible Media Group’s inFORM. It’s made of a Kinect, a projector, a computer, pins, linkages and actuators. inFORM can mimic the shape and motion of 3D objects in real time. For example, a monitor can show a two-dimensional replica of your arm, but with inFORM you can have a tangible, 3D replica of your arm. And since it’s 3D you can use that replica arm to carry or move objects just by moving your own arms.

Equally important is inFORM’s ability to act as a collection of 3D pixels, a way of giving physical manifestation to digital information. For instance, it can make actual 3D charts, give you a tangible version of a 3D model in an instant and present even more intuitive user interfaces.

inFORM is a step towards the Tangible Media Group’s dream that it calls Radical Atoms, a “hypothetical generation of materials that can change form and appearance dynamically, becoming as reconfigurable as pixels on a screen… so that dynamic changes of physical form can be reflected in digital states in real time, and vice versa.”

Imagine watching horror films on a Radical Atom TV.  Imagine “holding” your loved ones as you chat with them on Radical Atom walls and floors. Imagine controlling a giant mech made of Radical Atoms. Imagine visualizing mind-boggling equations and predictions on a Radical Atom spreadsheet. Imagine having a physical keyboard or game buttons on your Radical Atom mobile device. Aww yiss.

[MIT Tangible Media Group via Colossal]

The rest of the country might think of Dallas as an ultra-conservative town. And as some one who spends a lot of time there, I can tell you that… It sort of is. But it’s also home to great art, food, and increasingly, a progressive take on the future of cars. To wit: A proposal to permanently demolish an important freeway that runs through the city.

Read more…

Sadly, there are a ton of thieves in this world. That’s just the way it is. And those who ride bikes are constant targets. While there are a ton of ways to lock up your bike, unless you remove and chain them up, they won’t stop thieves from stealing your detachable wheels. Well, now you can protect them too.

Sphyke is basically a simple combination lock that allows you to remove the wheel when you need to, but it makes it harder for a thief to steal it. The device acts as a locking nut, which can only be removed if you know the combination.

It’s just an extra added bit of security. Not infallible, but it ups the odds that you will have a ride home. The company also makes locks for the seat and seat pole, as well as the stem, so they have your whole bike covered.

Prices for the Sphyke range from about $30 to $66(USD), depending on which parts of your bike you want to secure.

[via Werd via OhGizmo!]

You may or may not be familiar with the art form called quilling. Quilling is created using strips of paper rolled up or curved to create images. An artist named Alia Syed has taken the art of quilling to a very geeky next level. Syed has used quilling to create art in the form of Marvel and Star Wars characters.

If you look at the artworks up close you’ll see strips of paper and rolled up pieces that work in conjunction to create very cool and detailed pieces of art. Among the creations are Darth Vader, Boba Fett and a stormtrooper.

There also Batman and Iron Man artworks as well as the Decepticon and Autobot logos and Master Chief’s helmet from Halo. I wonder how long it took to do each of these paper sculptures – it looks like it must have taken a lot of work.

If you’re interested in owning one of these for your own wall, head on over to Alia’s Etsy shop. Each one sells for $200(USD).

[via Lustik via Nerd Approved]