Chinese Man Sells Canned Air to Raise Smog Awareness in Beijing

Beijing isn’t doing so hot right now. I don’t mean their weather, and I’m not talking about their economy either. Rather, I’m talking about the alarming reports regarding the state of their smog-laden atmosphere, which news agencies have been covering non-stop since a week ago.

As if that isn’t enough to raise awareness on the situation, entrepreneur-slash-activist Chen Guangbiao is now marketing canned air to fellow citizens with the hopes of creating a bigger buzz about the situation.

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Hopefully, the Chinese government will take action – and soon. People have already been advised to stay indoors and wear masks to protect their lungs from the smog. The air won’t clear up on its own if the people don’t do something about it, and from the looks of it, it’s high time they take matters into their own hands.

beijing smog

Going back to Chen and his canned air, it would seem like what he’s selling is more of a novelty than an actual product. I say this because of the variety of canned air he currently has up for sale, like post-industrial Taiwan, revolutionary Yan’an, and pristine Tibet.

Canned Air

Aside from that, Chen claims that his cans of air come with a chip that detects the concentration of negative oxygen ions; when it reaches a certain concentration level, the can’s lid automatically shuts. But at 80 cents a piece, I doubt he’ll be making much of a profit.

But still, the idea and the goal behind the entire project is a commendable one. I just hope it helps drive the point home and that something good and substantial comes out of it.

[via Dvice and Los Angeles Times]

Gamers Will Love the Tokyoflash Loading… Concept Watch. Or not.

There may come a time when the ubiquitous loading screen that shows up in many games and computer software may no longer be needed, but if Tokyoflash approves this watch concept by a clever fellow named Max, we’ll always remember how we never cared for it at all.

tokyoflash loading watch by max

Like other Tokyoflash watches and concepts, the Loading… concept significantly abstracts its function. In this case the watch displays what looks like a loading screen from an old computer. There’s a lot going on here but it’s actually waaaaay simpler than some other Tokyoflash watches.

tokyoflash loading watch by max 2

Each segment in the upper bar corresponds to one hour, while the lower bar displays thinner segments to depict seconds. The first number beside the lower bar displays the minutes – i.e. 07/60 = 7 minutes – and finally the percentage beside the upper bar indicates which half of the day it is. If the percentage displays a value between 1 and 50, it’s a.m. It follows that any percentage value from 51 onwards means that the time is in p.m., except for two values: 99% and 100%.

tokyoflash loading watch by max 3

Max set it up so that 12:00 am will have a percentage value of 99%. This also means that there is no 100%. That sounds like a gamer’s nightmare, but if you think about it, time doesn’t really finish loading does it? Besides, would you want it to?

tokyoflash loading watch by max 5

As of this writing, there are still more than 12 days left for people to vote for the concept to become an actual watch. Head to the Tokyoflash blog if you also want to vote for it. I just had a better idea: a Progress Quest watch. You’re welcome, Internet.

[via Gajitz]

3D Print Your Own Android

There are plenty of robots around, but if you could ever 3D-print your own robot at home, that would be taking it to another level. Most of today’s robots tend to look quite machine-like, but humanoid robots are the future. Now, a French artist wants to give everyone plans to make their own androids.

inmoov 3d printed robot 1

Gael Langevin, the artist in question, is posting 3D printer files for a humanoid robot he’s building, called InMoov. He’s posting these as he completes the various parts, allowing people with a 3D printer to DIY print their own robot. You’ll need some ABS plastic, a few Arduino boards, some servos, a power supply and plenty of wire to build your own ‘bot.

The robot is completely open source and the plans will be free to download as they become available. You can currently get the plans for the hands, shoulders, biceps and other parts on Thingiverse.

inmoov 3d printed robot 2

Most of the parts can be printed on a 3D printer, but some of the bigger ones might prove challenging. Needless to say, I’m awaiting my android friend impatiently.

[via TechCrunch]

Bubble Wrap Bikini: Eyes Won’t Be the Only Thing That’ll Pop

You have to wonder: if that girl who was wearing the itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polkadot bikini was afraid to come out in the open, how would she feel if she were wearing this bubble wrap bikini instead?

Bubble Wrap Bikini1I know that there’s some sort of craze involving bubble wrap these days, but I never imagined that it would come to this. It’s not that it’s bad; it’s actually pretty cool in a very strange and offbeat way. It also kind of reminds me about that story about the emperor and his new clothes; while it’s definitely something to be awestruck about, it’ll leave the wearer exposed and out in the open, in the figurative and very literal sense.

As you can see, the bikini leaves nothing to the imagination. The bubbles on the bikini aren’t the only thing that’ll go pop when you wear it to the beach, that’s for sure.

Bubble Wrap Bikini

Apparently, this extremely daring bikini was an actual product from the early 1990s and was kept in storage (with minimal bubbles popped!) by Etsy seller BlackBettyVintage. The bubble wrap bikini is up for sale for $25 NZD (~$22 USD).

[via GizmoDiva via Incredible Things]

World’s First Official Barbie Cafe Dolls up Taiwan

Well, Mattel finally went out and did it. Open a Barbie-themed cafe, I mean. It’s located in Taiwan and is, as expected, fitted with furniture in various shades of pink that’ll drive any man crazy and any Barbie-loving girl equally nuts.

Barbie CafeThe Barbie Cafe serves up dainty little crustless finger sandwiches with tiny pink flags stuck into each one of them. The waiters wear pink aprons, while waitresses flit about in pink tutus like the ones that the Barbie dolls on the table have on.

Barbie Cafe1

So why Taiwan? A rep from Mattel explained that theme restaurants have been very popular and successful in the state.

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Just looking at everything – from the sticky sweet food and decor to the people and ambiance – is enough to make me go into a diabetic coma. To push that point further, here’s a video featuring the Barbie Cafe in all its pink splendor. Boys, avert your eyes.

[via Eater]

Body Language as an Art Form

You can tell a lot about a person’s mood or disposition by observing his or her body language. For example, when a person’s pissed off or annoyed at you, then their arms are most likely crossed over their chest.

Aside from their moods, you can also surmise a few things about the person based on how they move. For example, dancers are usually more graceful in their movement and poses, like the dainty hand position you see below.

Wearable SculptureOf course, their hands get into position without the metal guide that you see above. That metallic thing you see, however, is a part of artist Jennifer Crupi’s series of wearable sculptures and it’s called “Ornamental Hands.” This and the other pieces in the series explore human nature and highlight communication by looking at a person’s body language and gestures.

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Wearable Sculpture 300x250

My favorite would have to be the “Empathy Table.” It’s basically a table with indentations on the surface where two people sitting across each other would have to put their hands and arms in, to assume a position of empathy.

Which one’s your favorite?

[via designboom via Laughing Squid]

Russian Guy Builds Creepy Walking BirdBots – Run for Your Lives!

An engineer in Russia has decided that building humanoid robots has been done enough, so he decided to go and build his own two-legged ‘bots to take on Honda’s Asimo and other bipedal machines. Despite being built in Russia, what you’re looking at here is something I like to call “TurkeyBot.”

turkeybot

If I’m understanding the specs correctly, creator Konstantin Ivanov claims this 180kg (~396 lb.) birdbot can walk at speeds up to 5km/h (~3MPH) while carrying a passenger on its back. He also calls it the “Robot Ostrich of Jurassic Period,” so I was completely wrong about that turkey thing. I love how its feet look like the bases of office swivel chairs. Here, check it out in action:

As you noticed in the video, there’s also another birdbot which appears to be much skinnier, and capable of pulling a carriage. In fact, the skinny ostrichbot supposedly hits speeds up to 70km/h (~43mph)! If that’s really true, it could even outrun a cheetah (robot.) Though until I see the ostrichbot running at full speed, I’ll reserve judgment. Still, I wouldn’t want to run into these things in a dark alleyway.

The Blanket Chair: Who Needs Snuggies?

There’s something awesome about comfortable chairs, in which you can spend hours reading, working or simply chilling. This concept chair integrates a blanket into an all-in-one comfy package, allowing you to take advantage of its cuddliness.

blanket chair cozy armchair aga brzostek

The Autumn/Winter Chair was created by Polish fashion designer Aga Brzostek. The cover of this chair is like a big jumper, which is one of the reasons why it has sweater-like functions. It’s perfect to use as a cozy place during chilly winter nights. Hard foam was used for the structure of the chair. The seat and backrest were covered in softer foam for even more comfort.The cover is made from reclaimed wool to help keep you warm and toasty.

blanket chair cozy armchair aga brzostek reading

The cover is adjustable and removable, allowing users to change the look of the chair to their own preferences. It’s even got a handy pocket for holding magazines or books.

blanket chair cozy armchair aga brzostek wrapped

While this is still just a one-off concept piece, I suppose you could always ask your grandma to knit a similar cover for your favorite chair, but that could be quite the undertaking.

[via dezeen]

Flip Flop Mary Jane with Inverted Platform Pumps: The Schizophrenic Shoe

Some people try to do so many things and juggle so many relationships at once that they end up failing horribly at most of the things they’re attempting to do. The same thing applies to shoes – at least, to this particular pair by Dolce Vita called the ‘Gypsy Pump.’

Flip Flop Mary Jane PumpsIndeed, it’s a gypsy in every sense of the word because it doesn’t have any one specific heritage. I think it looks particularly confused because it’s trying to be so many different kinds of shoes at once: flip flops, Mary Jane pumps, and wedges with an inverted platform.

It’s just a shoe hybrid that most women I know wouldn’t be caught dead or alive wearing.

Flip Flop Mary Jane Pumps1

In case you’re wondering, Gypsy Pumps actually exist, and retail for $169 (USD). Yeah, go figure that these things aren’t just a concept like so many of the other more practical items we feature here.

[via Incredible Things]

Bicycle Barometer Tells You When It’s Time to Ride a Bike or the Train

Gov.UK Product Manager Richard J. Pope hacked an old clock and turned it into an odd sort of barometer. But instead of measuring and displaying the pressure, Richard’s device tells him if it’s better to take the train or ride his bike to work.

bicycle barometer by richard pope

Although it would make Richard’s life a bit more exciting if the Bicycle Barometer dictated his mornings on a whim, Richard chose the safe route and hooked it up to look for three pieces of data. Using a webapp, the device looks at the latest weather forecast, the status of the train line that Richard takes to work and the status of the station where he waits for the train. The device itself is powered by a Nanode microprocessor along with a servo to move the clock hand.

Head to Richard’s blog for more on his hack. I wonder if Richard could fill out the scale with other modes of transportation, like walking, taking a cab, or swimming (if the weather ever gets that bad).

[via PSFK via Freshness]