Hasta La Gadget!

We’ve seen lots of cool parents making cool stuff for their kids, and here’s another Dad who made something truly special for his daughter to geek out on. While most parents just settle for ordinary sized LEGO minifigs, Instructables contributor ChampX made a ginormous minifig for his household.

This oversize LEGO “maxifig” is exactly 10 times the size of an ordinary minifig, but it’s at least 100 times more awesome. It’s made from PVC pipe and plexiglas. It’s almost as big as his 10-month-old daughter, though she will continue to get bigger and the LEGO maxifig won’t. Sounds like the plot to the sequel to Ted.

Champx made this massive minifig to look like the classic LEGO space figure, and it’s a perfect match. He even made it out of separate pieces, so everything moves just like a regular minifig. The helmet can even be removed and turn like the real deal.

You can check out more pics of the build over on Instructables. Amazing job, Champx!

Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve been a fan of the Star Wars saga – so I was pretty excited to hear that with the Disney LucasFilm acquisition, new movies would be on the way. Of course, with J.J. Abrams behind the camera of Episode VII, the franchise could definitely go in a different direction, with more mysteries and unanswered questions as J.J. has been known for. One thing is for certain, there will be plenty of lens flare.

In celebration of the marriage between J.J. and Star Wars, designer Crackerbox came up with this hilarious mashup…

The design perfectly melds the logo from J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot production company with the little droid that couldn’t, R5-D4, as he peeps out from some tall blades of grass.

If you want it, you’d better motivate yourself on over to ShirtPunch! today, as the t-shirt only available until 11:59pm Eastern time tonight. The design is also available in hoodies, long sleeve shirts, posters, buttons, magnets, and skins for your gadgets.

[via Shirtoid]

You know that expression that people say when they’re really good at something? The one that goes, “Oh, I can do [insert action here] in my sleep.”

Most people who make that claim obviously can’t back it up. But there’s an app called Sleep Art that will help you create works of art while you’re asleep – and you don’t have to be a really good artist to begin with. Heck, you don’t even have to know how to draw!

The Sleep Art app uses your iPhone’s gyroscope to monitor your movements and the microphone to listen to your breathing in order to create unique and personalized pieces of art – all while you’re sound asleep.

It was developed by Europe’s Ibis hotel chain, which held a contest where winners slept on a sensor-equipped bed and had a robot artist create special paintings of their sleeping patterns.

You can download the Sleep Art app from the iTunes App Store for free.

[via Dvice]

This beautiful ceramic teapot was handmade by Etsy seller/Zelda fan/punk potter Lauren Russell. She made it lovingly using white earthenware clay then carefully glazed it with non-toxic glazes. And Link wouldn’t think twice about breaking it open for a chance of scoring a rupee.

Aside from the cool green color, it also a golden Triforce on one side and the red logo found on Link’s Hylian Shield in Twilight Princess on the other side. It can hold about 5 cups of liquid and is dishwasher safe.

This teapot has already been bought, and it won’t respawn even if you leave the room and come back. But maybe you can contact Lauren and commission her to make you one.

[The Punk-n-patch via Insanely Gaming]

Back in my college days, I took microbiology and spent plenty of time in the lab culturing various bacteria. My microbiology professor hated it if we drew patterns or other than random circles or zigzags in our petri dishes. I once made the mistake of growing a nice E. coli “S” and had to start over.

Zachary Copfer, a microbiologist with a penchant for art has developed a new process of making actual pictures using bacteria and petri dishes that he calls Bacteriography.

The artist isn’t saying exactly how he makes these pictures with bacteria, but I’d wager he’s using some sort of screen printing method on top of the traditional growth medium. My personal favorite artwork that he has created is the velociraptor wearing bunny rabbit ears using E. coli.

He has also created some cool prints of Einstein and other scientists using bacteria. Now if you’re wondering if his works are dangerous, Zachary says that he’s got a process that actually kills the bacteria after the work is created, then preserves them inside of resin.

Now that he’s out of graduate school and doesn’t have access to the lab, Zachary has taken to Kickstarter seeking to raise enough money to continue his artwork.

He’s hoping to start his own exhibit in an actual art studio and wants to raise $8000 by April 24. By contributing to his project, you can get photographic copies of some of his petri dish artwork for pledges of $100(USD) and under. To own an actual petri dish artwork requires a pledge of $500, while larger Bacteriographs cost as much as $10,000.