Hasta La Gadget!

This 15 foot-tall steel brain sculpture can be controlled by your brain waves. It is called Mens Amplio (that means “mind expanding” in Latin). The interactive brain and head has been embedded with LEDs in the branching structures that represent neurons. Those are made from clear light-diffusing acrylic. The built-in LEDs show a sequence of light displays, which are controlled by an EEG reader placed on your head.

Raspberry Pi and Arduino processors are used to translate your brain waves into light patterns in real time. The huge brain also has flames on the outside, triggered only when the participant can successfully meditate.

It will show up at Burning Man this year, and then they want to take the giant head to schools in California to demonstrate it to kids and get them excited about science. technology and fabrication. The video below shows a 3D rendering of what you the finished sculpture will look like (without the flames.)

The Mens Amplio project is seeking additional funds on Indiegogo, if you want to take part.

[via Boing Boing via Damn Geeky]

Sleeping eye masks can only do so much. Because while they black out the real world from sight, they don’t block out the sounds that might cause you to toss and turn in bed.

If you really want to drown out the world, then you need to block out the sounds and the sights. Luckily, the Hibermate can help you out with both.

It’s an odd-looking contraption but it’s extremely effective, so much so that you wouldn’t mind looking like some alien because of the peace it brings.

The Hibermate eye mask features removable ear muffs, so you can use it just like any other traditional sleeping mask, if you prefer. The ear muffs in themselves are designed for comfort, as its made from soft, medical-grade silicon and lined with memory foam.

The Hibermate is currently up for funding on Kickstarter, where a minimum pledge of $40(USD) will get you one of your very own.

[via The Awesomer]

The researchers behind Shape-It-Up call it a “Hand Gesture Based Creative Expression of 3D Shapes Using Intelligent Generalized Cylinders”, but it’s totally a pottery simulator. Decades from now, if – when? – Paramount Pictures decides to remake Ghost, the characters will be using Shape-It-Up while a dubstep remix of Unchained Melody plays in the background. Oh, my WUB WUB WUB WUUUUUB…

Shape-It-Up is a project by Purdue University Engineering students Vinayak, Sundar Murugappan, HaiRong Liu and Karthik Ramanilets. It lets users manipulate a virtual cylinder by using simple hand gestures, which are tracked using a Kinect. Skip to around 1:28 in the video below to see it in action.

I guess you could say that was… righteous. YEEEEA- I’m old. The researchers think of Shape-It-Up as a way for designers to start their sketches in an easier and more intuitive manner, not as a way to create a polished model. But if you pair it with a 3D printer, I think it can also be used as a way to teach kids about the basics of CAD and 3D printing. Now get off my lawn and head to Purdue University’s website for the project’s abstract.

[via Gajitz]

So you’re doing your groceries or are out for a run, when you suddenly get a call – and then your phone dies because it’s out of power. What’s a desperate person supposed to do at that point, especially when the call is an important one?

Consider yourself lucky if you’re in New York, though, since you could probably just set off for the nearest Street Charging station to give your phone some much-needed power.

These solar-powered charging stations are thanks to the collaboration between AT&T, portable solar power systems developer Goal Zero, and Brooklyn design studio Pensa. The Street Charge stations were rolled out in various areas of New York.

Each station has PV panels installed on top and an internal battery that stores power gathered from the sun. Just plug your phone in and wait a few minutes to give your phone enough power to make that call or to charge it up because you have nothing better to do but stand and enjoy a sunny day. And also because you want to knock a couple of bucks off of your electric bill.

The concept for the Street Charge charging stations were done in early 2012 by Pensa. Marco Perry, one of the members of the studio’s team, described it as “an elegant all-in-one community solution for solar charging of mobile devices.”

From the looks of it, we agree.

[via Gizmag]

I’m not a golf fan, so I had no idea who Rory Mcilroy was before seeing this video, but even if the only time you’ve ever seen a golf ball is at Putt-Putt, it’s still a fun watch. This robot trash talks Rory on the golf course while the pair of them hit balls at washing machines. Apparently, Rory is famous for doing this since he was a kid – not the robot part – the washing machine part.

It’s pretty entertaining to watch this robot crack wise throughout the video. Is this how Golf is nowadays? Hell, I should be playing. I didn’t know you got to pair up with a smartass robot and hit household appliances with balls.

The video comes from The European Tour and is a great way to promote the event. The robot is the Golf Laboratory Computer Controlled Hitting Machine (aka “Geoff”), and he should be a permanent fixture on the golf circuit.

[via SportsGrid via Geekosystem]