A team of engineers at Ohio State University want to change the way cars work. Not only do they want to build a more efficient, environmentally-friendly vehicle, but they also want to build a car with better parts—in fact, so much better that you can do away with major components… like the engine.
     |
Coffee shops make it easier to grab some of your favorite brew on the go by setting up drive-thru windows. But why should you go there to get your coffee, when you can make the coffee (sort of) come to you ? The answer is, you shouldn’t.
Velopresso is a mobile coffee-making machine that’s driven by pedal power. I think you can say that it is basically a coffee shop on wheels. Think of them as baristas on bikes – or more accurately, baristas on trikes. Velopresso won’t be able to serve you any waffles or sandwiches at this point, but it’s all geared up to serve you a hot cup of latte, espresso, or cappuccino, thanks to its gas-powered espresso machine and pedal-driven burr grinder.
It was designed by Royal College of Art graduates Amos Field Reid and Lasse Oiva, and has been honored with a design award from the Deutsche Bank and has placed second in a competition hosted by prestigious Italian design house Pininfarina.
Since Velopresso is still on its prototype stages, you might have to wait a while for your cup of Joe. Its makers expect to start taking pre-orders for the production version in early Summer 2013.
A group of researchers at the Chiba Institute of Technology in Japan have figured out how to make an off-road wheelchair. They created a robotic wheelchair that can use its wheels as legs, thanks to its four-wheel drive and its two axles.
The wheelchair has built-in sensors that determine how to navigate the surrounding terrain. All the rider needs to do is point the joystick in the direction he wants to go and the wheelchair will figure out how to get there. It’s also kind enough to keep the seat level at all times even when moving on uneven ground. Finally, the wheelchair also has stabilizers that it can use to rotate in place, meaning it can easily turn 180º even in tight spaces.
I foresee a future X-Games division for walking wheelchair tricks.
[via DigInfo.TV via Ubergizmo]
A bicycle is already pretty damn simple. Two wheels, a frame, a seat, pedals and a chain. What happens if you remove the chains though? That would give you the Bicymple—a bicycle that’s even more simple than you could ever imagine. More »
Whether you’re a frequent flier, an avid outdoorsman or a kid who was a prime target for bullies back in grade school, when you were so thin you might as well have been two-dimensional, your packed lunch a bait for your physically endowed peers – wait where was I? Right. We’ve all lost a bag at some point in our lives. So it’s fun to see a concept for a suitcase that hates being lost as much as you hate losing it.
Conceptualized by Rodrigo Garcia, the Hop! suitcase has three Bluetooth sensors and a microcontroller. The sensors are meant to be paired with a Bluetooth-enabled phone. A pair of treads running on compressed air help the Hop! follow its owner – or whoever has his phone. If the Hop! loses track of the phone that it’s paired to, it will lock itself down and make the phone vibrate. It will try its best not to cry, because it’s a big boy.
Head to Garcia’s website to see more details and pictures of the Hop! Forget about following me, what I want is a suitcase that can carry me around.
[via Slash Gear]
Telepresence robots let you remotely interact with others and their environments using a robotic avatar. Sadly, for most geeks telepresence robots are typically far from cheap. A company called Double Robotics has unveiled a new telepresence robot that is relatively inexpensive for the market, even if it still costs nearly $2000. The robot is aimed at companies who utilize video conferencing frequently, and could even be used by museums to allow remote visitors to explore exhibits.
The 15 pound Double robot has two wheels and a battery-powered and uses an iPad as the display and camera on the robot itself. An adjustable arm that holds the iPad so the remote operator can look other people in the eye. The system is controlled by an app running on a second iPad held by the remote operator.
The robot will sell at a pre-order price of $1999(USD). The standard MSRP for the Double robot will be $2499. Keep in mind, that price doesn’t include an iPad.
[via DigitalTrends]
Walking iPads aside, usable telepresence remains one of geekdom’s purest goals. Being able to attend meetings, without the minor irritation of actually being there, has been a motivator for professionals and hobbyists alike. Double Robotics, on the other hand, feel that they’ve spotted an opportunity. By leveraging the computing power of the iPad, coupled with some smart design, it has created the “Double,” a self-balancing motorized iPad stand. You’ll need a pair of Apple slates to get going, one to peer into and use as a controller (via an app), another to project your face, and act as the seeing eye (via the front-facing camera). Best of all, this is much more affordable than many existing options, rolling in at $1,999 if you pre-order ($2,499 otherwise), shipping in December — iPads not included. Facetime on wheels? Why didn’t we think of that? Roll past the break for the video.
Continue reading Double Robotics gives your iPad wheels, brings telepresence to the masses (video)
Double Robotics gives your iPad wheels, brings telepresence to the masses (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Aug 2012 15:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink 
The Verge | 
Double Robotics | Email this | Comments
Grinding down flights of stairs isn’t always easy when you are on a skateboard, so Po-Chih Lai decided that skateboards could be improved so that they would have no problem going down steps.
The Stair Rover skateboard uses extra pivoting trucks with two wheels on each side to follow the contour of stairs, allowing the board to ride down smoothly. While the video shows a skateboarder using the Stair Rover successfully, I wonder if it has enough ground clearance for all kinds of stairs. Nevertheless, it looks like it works well on a variety of bumpy surfaces.
For now, the Stair Rover is just a working prototype. There’s no word if it will ever be mass produced, but I can think of people who wouldn’t mind having the extra wheels that they can thrash down stairs.
[via Dezeen]
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
