Guy Walks on Ceiling with Homemade Magneto Boots, Laughs Maniacally

Check out this video of Colin Furze (the maniac who gave us those cool Wolverine claws) walking on the ceiling using his newly-completed, homemade Magneto boots. I question his sanity after seeing him laughing hysterically over the feat. Magneto never got that excited. This is proof that you respect a super power more if you have to earn it, rather than being born with it.

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He did have the good sense to try it on a low ceiling though. That’s several small steps on the ceiling for man, one giant leap for nerdkind who have spare electromagnets at home.

Here’s some behind-the-scenes videos of how Colin made the boots and how he learned to walk in them:

Not to be mean or anything, but it would have been funny if he got stuck and had to hang there until help arrived.

Whoa, Watch Magnetic Putty Completely Swallow a Rare-Earth Magnet Like a Mutant Monster

Think Silly Putty is just fun and games? Not always! Just watch this magnetic putty completely devour a rare-earth magnet. It’s not as instantaneous as this time-lapse video makes it seem but it still ends up engulfing the entire magnet. More »

Magnetically lifted graphite moves by laser, may lead to light-based maglev vehicles (video)

Magnetically lifted graphite can move by laser, might lead to lightguided maglev vehicles

Magnetic levitation is central to the fastest trains we know today, but it’s that dependence on electromagnets and rails that limits how and where it’s used for transportation. Aoyama Gakuin University has a unique alternative: changing the material properties themselves. By floating graphite over a bed of circular magnets, taking advantage of its tendency to generate an opposing magnetic field, researchers can move the graphite just by blasting its edge with a laser. The heat skews the magnetic behavior of that area enough to unbalance the graphite, either in a specific direction or a spin. The research team believes it could lead to maglev transportation or even energy converting turbines that are steered solely by light, with no contact or outside guides: maglev vehicle pilots could have much more control over where they go. Getting to that point will require a much larger scale, but successful development could give technology a very literal lift.

Continue reading Magnetically lifted graphite moves by laser, may lead to light-based maglev vehicles (video)

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Via: Phys.org

Source: JACS

IndoorAtlas uses disturbances in the (geomagnetic) force to map interiors, plot a path to aisle 3 (video)

IndoorAtlas uses disturbances in the geomagnetic force to map interiors, keep us on track in aisle 3 video

Interior navigation is only just coming into its own, but IndoorAtlas has developed a technology that could make it just as natural as breathing — or at least, firing up a smartphone’s mapping software. Developed by a team at Finland’s University of Oulu, the method relies on identifying the unique geomagnetic field of every location on Earth to get positioning through a mobile device. It’s not just accurate, to less than 6.6 feet, but can work without help from wireless signals and at depths that would scare off mere mortal technologies: IndoorAtlas has already conducted tests in a mine 4,593 feet deep. Geomagnetic location-finding is already available through an Android API, with hints of more platforms in the future. It will still need some tender loving care from app developers before we’re using our smartphones to navigate through the grocery store as well as IndoorAtlas does in a video after the break.

Continue reading IndoorAtlas uses disturbances in the (geomagnetic) force to map interiors, plot a path to aisle 3 (video)

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IndoorAtlas uses disturbances in the (geomagnetic) force to map interiors, plot a path to aisle 3 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Jul 2012 15:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Levitating Light Bulb: Duck and Cover When There’s No Power

How many engineering students does it take to build a floating light bulb? Just one. University of Queensland student Chris Rieger combined magnetic levitation and wireless power transfer like peanut butter and jelly to create a fancy floating sandwich. And by sandwich I mean light bulb.

levitating light bulb

Watch the magic happen in the video below:

Rieger says he’s working on a much better version of the bulb, one that will have a built-in dimmer and height control. Drop a comment on YouTube if you’re interested in buying that improved model to help Rieger decide if it’s worth making multiple units.

[via Chris Rieger via Hack A Day]


Scientist Finds Hidden Portals in Earth’s Magnetic Field [Video]

According to NASA, Jack Scudder—a researcher at the University of Iowa—has found “hidden portals on Earth’s magnetic field [that] open and close dozens of times each day.” Some of them are open for long periods of time. More »