Sometimes I see a series of images of a design and instead of focusing on the spatiality of the project I get overwhelmed with the tactility of it all.
Self-Correcting Laser Rifle Sight Gives the Most Accurate Shot Yet [Weapons]
When you’re aiming at a target two miles away, the slightest perturbation could end up causing a catastrophic miss – not good enough for today’s military. Until guns can aim themselves, snipers need the most accurate weapons possible. Engineers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory came up with a laser-guided correction system that ensures a shooter’s crosshairs are always on the mark. More
Steampunk Iron Man
Toy modder Jonathan Kuriscak made an intricately detailed steampunk Iron Man figure, along with Tony Stark. You can view several more pictures at the link.
Really, giving Stark a big handlebar mustache was a great decision and should probably be used in the next Iron Man movie, regardless of time period.
Previously by Jonathan Kuriscak: Star Wars Bounty Hunters from World War II
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Steampunk Iron Man
GigaPan “Time Machine” Lets You Zoom In And Out In Space, Time
Here’s a cool little distraction that, while it really just amounts to a window onto a high-resolution video, is at least fun to play with. You’re probably familiar with GigaPan’s giant images — but by combining this with a timelapse feature, they’re able to make these great, zoomable videos.
I like the CMU Carnival one — the plants are interesting but don’t show a lot of detail. GigaPan just updated its firmware, by the way – details here.
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GigaPan “Time Machine” Lets You Zoom In And Out In Space, Time
T-Hawk UAV enters Fukushima danger zone, returns with video
We’d love to head on down to Fukushima with a DSLR and some iodide pills, but that’s obviously not going to happen. Sending in a flying robot seems to be the next best thing, though, and that’s exactly what Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) has done. T-Hawk, a US-made MAV (Micro Air Vehicle) commonly used to search for roadside bombs in Iraq, made its Japanese debut last week when it photographed the nuclear plant from above, providing a detailed look at the interior damage a month after iRobot’s visit. Small enough to fit in a (rather large) backpack, officially the T-Hawk is named for the tarantula hawk wasp species, but could just as easily have been named for the T. Hawk Street Fighter character, who also swoops in to attack his opponents from above. As expected, things look pretty nasty at ground zero, so head past the break for a video of the damage.
Continue reading T-Hawk UAV enters Fukushima danger zone, returns with video
T-Hawk UAV enters Fukushima danger zone, returns with video originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Apr 2011 18:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
How to Port Your Number to Google Voice Without Paying an Arm and a Leg [Video]
Google Voice is a great service, but changing your phone number can seem like pulling teeth. If you’ve been thinking about porting your existing number to Voice, here’s what you need to know to make it go as smoothly as possible. More
Apple Stores stocking Square credit card readers
Jack Dorsey’s über-popular credit card readers got a big thumbs-up from Cupertino this week. Square‘s devices are hitting Apple’s 235 US retail locations and Apple.com for $9.95 a pop — plus the 2.75 percent that the startup takes off the backend each time you use the reader — or you can always just sign up for a free one over on Square’s site. The iPhone / iPad / iPod touch plug-in accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and yes, even American Express. The CEO of VeriFone will no doubt have plenty to say about the matter.
Update: It turns out you get a $10 redemption code in the box when you buy a Square reader at an Apple store, so it is still technically free (just not, you know, when you buy it).
[Thanks, Michael]
Apple Stores stocking Square credit card readers originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Apr 2011 18:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Samson Meteor Mic review
Look at this guy! What a cutie! It’s like Elvis‘ microphone cross-bred with some sort of weird alien USB bumblebee. Samson’s Meteor Mic is unquestionably shiny, but its competition is an increasingly attractive bunch as well. Does Lil’ Samson’s beauty run only grill-deep? Read on to find out!
Gallery: Samson USB Meteor Mic review
Continue reading Samson Meteor Mic review
Samson Meteor Mic review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Apr 2011 17:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
The first three-parent babies could soon be born [Genetic Engineering]
The technology is now in place for three different parents to contribute DNA to an embryo – two of them providing the 98% of DNA in the cell nucleus, while another provides the crucial 2% that is mitochondrial DNA. More
One Man’s Nearly Impossible Quest to Make a Toaster From Scratch [Video]
In 2008, designer Thomas Thwaites decided to build a toaster from scratch-and not the “from scratch” that would land him in Home Depot for a couple of hours. He was interested in the seemingly magical process that turns what we pull out of the earth into the stuff that litters our houses. So Thwaites decided to take on the toaster, and what followed was an adventure that illuminated just how far removed our everyday items are from the raw materials that go into them. More