5 Kinds of Creative Recycled Architecture: Bottles, Cans and Other Unusual Building Materials

Have you ever thought of recycling as a creative act? To recycle something doesn’t necessarily mean just hauling used bottles, cans and cardboard to the curbside for pickup. Some creative people, either out of need or personal interest have taken the notion of recycling to the next level, using products that would be melted or shredded as whole objects in the construction of creative new buildings.




Bottle walls sounds like something a quirky eccentric would construct just for fun. In point of fact, the oldest surviving bottle house was constructed out of over 50,000 beer bottles in 1907, due to the lack of lumber available in the deeserts of Nevada. Though many bottle buildings are decades old, recent structures around the world have been built out of necessity in places where both building supplies are scarce and other recycling methods are unavailable.


The now-famous Texas beer can house, however, was indeed the result of one man’s eccentricity. What began as one man’s bored urge in the 1960s resulted in a 2-decade, 40,000-can creation that truly is a strange wonder of the world. John, the house’s creator, is survived by his wife Mary, who still invites the public to come and see his amazing creation. John was just an ordinary man who saved beer bottles for years, until he finally came up with a clever way to use them. The latter two images above come via The Beer Can House dot Org.

A cardboard house may seem even more implausible than one constructed of beer cans. With the right water-proofing, however, just such a house would be not only sustainable but also exceedingly affordable. This so-called house of the future is designed with exterior waterproofing and water storage under the floor to protect it from the water and from blowing over in the wind. Of course, cardboard is also a highly collapsible building material, making the shipment of the house also more environmentally friendly, efficient and inexpensive.

Tire houses are arguably more practical and ultimately realistic than cardboard buildings. Used tires are abundant in our oil-driven world where vehicles are common and changing tires is a fact of life. The thermal mass of a tire wall works well in summer or winter, mitigating the exterior and interior temperatures so the house is never too cold or too hot inside. Construction can also be accomplished by the home owner with relative ease.


Straw bale houses also make use of a common and regularly sized material that is relatively available and inexpensive. This regularity makes working with the building blocks relatively easy. Many such houses, once they are completed and covered outside and in, do not even look to be made of straw.

Virtual Reality: Futuristic Tools for Virtual Worlds

Virtual reality,  much like the hovercar and living on the moon, is progressing slower than expected. Despite the fact that video game consoles don’t come with a full body suit yet, the technology has made some giant leaps in the past few years. Maybe it will just have to wait a few generations to catch up to our imagination. Here are 11 tools and ways that virtual reality is no longer virtual:

(Images via reversedreality, gazette.unc, edibleapple, technabob, smallbizaffinity)

Augmented reality is the baby brother of virtual reality, as it takes a half step in the right direction by combining the virtual world with the real one. Typically, augmented reality involves wearing a head set or using a mobile device that registers one’s location via GPS and visually matches landmarks to provide information. You may look at the Roman coliseum and see facts appear about gladiators, or see the names of all the restaurants on the street. This is the most immediately practical version of virtual reality, and a real step in the integration between man and machine.

(Images via wholesalelandparts, iowa, artslibrary, dbforums)

Visualizing data with technology has advanced an incredible amount in the last few decades. We no longer have to stare at grainy computer screens or hand drawn graphs. With the advancement of computer processing power has come the ability to visualize data in three dimensions. Whether it’s filling a giant screen with blazing graphs and three dimensional models, or a fully virtual experience that requires a headset, we’ve taken large steps towards making the fiction in television and film, a reality.

(Images via slashgear, gadgettastic, karennutton, newscientist)

Virtual reality chairs used to be a gamer’s dream, only a step below full fledged virtual reality. Sitting in a chair with two joysticks and a screen is a far cry from the 360 degree virtual environment we hope for, but it’s leagues better than the black and white pong of only a few decades ago.

(Images via escience, dailygalaxy, itclimasd)

Ever since the cult classic film The Wizard, which featured the premier of the Nintendo glove (a flop), an entire generation has felt the desire to own a glove that allows one to manipulate objects on a screen. Current technology is now advanced enough to allow tactile feedback in addition to allowing the manipulation of virtual objects. I’m sure a lot of readers are thinking “wake me up when they have a full suit that does this” but be patient! We’re getting there.

(Images via destructoid, dental.upenn, fredazar, medoto)

Virtual reality is a reality in many hospitals, just not in the way we typically imagine. Medical students are able to run simulations on virtual patients that are physically present in the form of a human-shaped doll (though the word “doll” doesn’t give these incredibly advanced, and expensive, tools much credit). Medical students are even able to practice procedures through physical and on-screen manipulations.

(Images via devorak.org, gearmoda, noobcake, warwick)

The virtual reality headset is typically what pops into mind when we think of virtual reality. Giant, clunky, and claustrophobic, the helmet tackles several of our senses at once by fully surrounding our head with a virtual display. Current headsets are able to produce sights, sounds, and smells. The ridiculously giant headset is slowly working its way down to a sleeker, more mobile style, but there’s still a long way to go.

(Images via neatorama, internet3d, huehueteoti, explainthatstuff)

Any fan of Star Trek is familiar with the holodeck, a room devoted to creating virtual environments that seem as real as anything in daily life. The virtual reality room is not quite to that level of sophistication, but they do allow one to be fully immersed in a simulation. Whether the room is for training purposes (such as a flight simulator), or as a tool to display data, they’re the closest we’ve come to our television counterparts.

(Images via virtualreality, doolwind)

Mobility in virtual worlds was a difficulty originally solved by simply not letting one move. You would either coast in-game, or use leaning to control direction. As silly and outdated as this appears today, we’ve come up with an arguably more silly looking solution that’s a thousand times more effective:

(Images via nushakor, impactlab, nanoflix, technovelgy)

Mobility has always been an issue when trying to make virtual reality functional.  Unless all virtual reality takes place on an empty football field, someone with a giant helmet on their head is bound to crash into walls. Enter the sphere: Basically a giant hamster ball that allows one to feel movement while remaining stationary. This could very well be a fixture in your grandchildren’s living room one day.

(Images via foxnews, localstranger, washington, geekiegadgets)

Virtual reality is already being used to great effect in several therapeutic and rehabilitative ways. Soldiers are calmed after their return from war by showing them war-like scenes in a safe environment. People with phobias are able to confront their fears with the safety net of not having to physically approach the situation that scares them. People are even able to train on new wheelchairs before they’ve sat in one, or tackle complicated body issues after an amputation.

(Images via masternewmedia, io9, usm, camillamediasecondlife)

Some people are already experiencing the freedom and creativity of the virtual life through games like Second Life, which allow one to design and use an avatar in a virtual world to move about and express oneself. Free of the constraints of their normal lives, these people are able to let loose in an anonymous environment. Not everyone uses this new tool simply for entertainment, however, as many businesses use it to hold virtual events, and some schools even conduct academic lectures that can be attended from anywhere in the world. Right now this is all conducted via a computer screen, but at the current rate, it won’t be long before we’re able to experience virtual worlds in a full 360 degree environment.

Gadgets n Techno Gadgets n Techno Gadgets n Techno

Rotary Style Faucet

Earth Hour was started in Sydney, Australia to save energy in an effort to delay the degradation of the environment. While many theorists say that the Earth has been damaged too great to be immediately healed, there is still a little bit hope for improvement. Solving the global warming problem is the key issue, but water conservation is also another thing to tackle. There is only so much of clean water that using it indiscriminately is very wasteful. You’ll be lucky to have clean water running from your faucet as there are a lot around the world who have to walk miles just to get something to drink.

While we cannot ignore the fact that we have been spoiled by the modern society, steps have been taken to conserve water. You see water free urinals (for men at least) and those push button taps that only spurts enough water and nothing else! The solution? This creatively designed rotary dial style faucet.

Much like your grandmother’s old rotary telephone, this has 3 dials that indicate the duration of the water flow. You have 5 seconds for a quick rinse, 10 seconds if your hands has lots of soap suds, or 15 seconds when you have a dirty set of hands. Another plus is the waterfall type of outflow which looks good by the way.
The per second based water flow isn’t sure to really reduce water consumption. However, it is still good to think that there are designers out there who brainstorm on how current technologies can be implemented in a variety of ways.

Small But Terrible: Tiny Copters on their Way

Everything seems to be small nowadays. More and more cellular phones are out in the market, and all of them are compact in size. There are also a myriad of choices when it comes to computers, DVD players and music players, and all of them are small, but their features are extraordinary. They may be small, but their size speaks little of their functions.
The Palmsize R/C Helicopter is one gadget will interest almost anyone who would use it. This helicopter works on infrared remote control technology, and its compact size will surely amaze anyone who would intend to play with it. Due to its small size, this gadget can be played indoors. You do not have to worry about this toy nudging a vase or two, because its compact size will allow it to fly freely around the room.
One admirable feature of this hi-tech gadget includes a multi-colored LED, if ever you want to play it at night. The body is also very sturdy, since it is made of molded plastic and carbon fiber, both of which are quite more durable than other materials. The Palmsize R/C Helicopter also has an internal battery which can be charged at only about 15 minutes. The average flight time of the toy is about 5 or 7 minutes, and you may charge the gadget using the remote control.
If you are keen on having something to do when you are bored at home, then this toy is just right for you.

 

Virtual Reality of the Future – Look like Anyone You Want To!

It is called “Body Swapping”, this new Virtual Reality program allows for the user to have the perception of another body. The Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden concocted the idea of utilizing duel cameras and simple mind trickery to accomplish this great feat. Tests have shown that the user perceives its own body to be that of the person wearing the other rig. Also they can feel movements and touches made to that body as well as their own. This technology is not only entertaining but it gives us a deeper look into the connection between the physical and mental self.

This illusion is created with CCTV cameras mounted on the heads of the subject and the perceptual subject. The use of small screens in front of the subjects eyes reacting to the view the camera has on the perceived image is how they are able to fool the mind.

There are practical applications for this technology. Kynan Eng, a researcher in neuroinformatics at the University of Zurich, Switzerland, suspects that after a stimulus of an appropriate duration it could “produce measureable ownership responses to any virtual or real object, such as an often-used tool”. As of yet tests have shown that gender doesn’t affect the “Body Swapping” but one can not identify with an inanimate object.

Health professors from the University are beginning to look into this technology for assistance with rehab patients, such as; stroke victims, limb amputees, and mental body image disorders. Tests are being conducted that incorporate virtual limbs onto amputees to assist them with the use of prosthetics.

This technology may prove to be extremely useful in the health field as well as aide us in gaining insight into our own minds. But if it doesn’t, it sure would be fun to feel like you have Cindy Crawford’s or Brad Pitt’s body for the day.

The World’s Smallest Quad-Band Cell Phone Dress Watch

Kempler and Strauss, one of world’s leaders in designing and manufacturing innovative mobile devices and wireless technology products, has announced the arrival of the much-awaited gold version of the W PhoneWatch, the smallest GSM quad-band cell phone dress watch today. This limited-edition gold W Phone Watch will provide users the functionality and convenience of a cell phone in a form of wearable and stylish wristwatch. This device comes with a wide range of features such as wrist watch, GSM quad-band phone, MP3 player, touchscreen interface, still and video cameras and a lot more. It also offers helpful applications like address book, calendar, as well as the ability to create and send text messages easily.
To solve the issue presented beta testers, Kempler and Strauss also equipped the W PhoneWatch with a 2GB Micro SD memory card plus several feature enhancements which enables you to synchronize your contacts with Outlook, and use the PhoneWatch as a webcam and USB mass storage device when it is connected to your PC through the USB cable. With its micro-touch user interface, which can be activated via your fingertips, you no longer need to use a stylus whenever you need to create text messages or to dial a phone number.

Virtual Laser Keyboard

Who doesn’t love cool gadgets? Anyone who is a fan of unique gifts will definitely admire the Bluetooth Wireless Laser Keyboard. Very tiny and thin, this keyboard can slip inside of a pocket or purse as you take it with you, no matter where you go. The virtual laser keyboard uses infrared technology to display an entire QWERTY keyboard image onto any smooth/flat surface
This virtual laser keyboard is a awesome gadget for people who travel a lot and cannot live without there wireless toys. The virtual laser keyboard works with computers, PDAs and is even cell phone compatible for those long, enduring text messages.
The keyboard is very tiny, coming in at 3.5 inches high. It is smaller than a stick of butter. Although small, most people will find it very useful for everyday email typing and so forth. It does not suffer from big hand syndrome. The keys are large enough to type on.
The Bluetooth wireless keyboard recognizes every tap and touch of the keys. It has the ability to make the sounds of typing that you would normally hear on a regular keyboard or typewriter. This could offer some a level of comfort.
The wireless virtual keyboard is compatible with MAC, PC’s and a variety of wireless gadgets that are using Bluetooth technology these days. Cool, useful, and high tech……it can’t get any better than this.

Intelligent Robot Vacuum Cleaner with Wireless IP Camera

Do you often use the computer like I do? I mean, like 16 hours a day, on which at least 4 hours of it are spent on video call. If you are in the same boat as mine, then you must have experienced feeling so lazy to do house chores, like vacuuming, whenever you’re glued on the computer, having a nice video call with a friend or a loved one. Nothing to worry about if there are other people inside the house to do it, like in my case. But if none, then you must equip yourself with a gadget that can allow you to communicate with friends and loved ones while keeping your floors clean – a gadget like the Intelligent Robot Vacuum Cleaner with Wireless IP Camera.
The robot vacuum cleaner with IP WiFi enabled camera is an intelligently designed vacuum cleaner that does more than just cleaning. It actually enables you to see who’s there and speak and be seen when talking to family and friends with its IP WiFi enable camera with mic. It comes with a 360 degree pan, an IP camera that can be tilted, onboard mic, software CD, and user-friendly instructions manual. It’s very easy to use; just like in doing other tasks, preparation is the key to be able to use this product correctly. Just a piece of reminder though: this robot vacuum cleaner does not empty itself, so you must clean its dust bin after every cleaning cycle.

Solar Backpack: A Techy’s Best Friend

If you’re a techy who’s always on the go, chances are your laptop and iPod are both low bat, your PSP has no charge, and worst of all, you’re in danger of being out of reach because your cellphone is about to die.
The Solar Backpack is the new best friend of the jetsetter techy today.
Imagine this. You are walking on the streets, going to work and your laptop is charging. You are on your way to the mall to do your shopping and your cellphone is charging.
How?
The Solar Backpack has a built in monocrystalline solar panel attached to the front of the bag which absorbs the sun’s energy and converts this energy into an electrical charge stored in a power pack inconspicuously hidden inside in the bag.
Huwhaat?
Ahem, this backpack has a solar panel. That’s all you need to know. Just connect your gadget to the charger and you’ll never be in danger of losing batt again. Well, not unless there’s a solar eclipse or something. (I’m sure you get what I mean!)
Equipped with a rechargeable battery pack, a headphones access slot, a variety of adapters including Nokia, Motorola, Ericsson, Siemens mobile phones and a mini USB connector, your solar backpack is the complete get up and go bag. With a number of compartments to store your belongings, it protects your gadgets with ultra soft padding to cushion any accidental travel bumps and blows. It has a number of buckles to safely strap the bag close to your body away from envious predators.
Rain or shine, you can use this bag because it has built-in water proof sleeves and storage pouch. So turn up the volume of your iPod and enjoy the music while travelling because this solar backpack has got you covered!

Solar briefcase recharges your phone on the go

 

Reware released the Juice Bags ProFolio this week. The Juice Bag Profolio has all the functions and compartments that you would expect in a quality briefcase. But this briefcase is equipped with a revolutionary thin and flexible solar charging system that charges all your iPods, Cell Phones, GPS, Cameras, etc. It’s as easy as charging your phone in the car!
The Juice Bag Profolio uses a high efficiency, flexible and waterproof solar panel. The solar panel is 100 times thinner and lighter than the silicon solar cells. Using this new technology, a lot less material is needed to produce the same or even better energy conversion. This emerging technology is new in the consumer market due to the complexity of the process to produce this breakthrough solar panel.
With unique SolarSistem design for easy panel removal, the waterproof high efficiency flexible solar panel harnesses the sun’s energy during normal conditions but can easily be removed for cleaning. The heavy duty zippers and hardware with SuperStitch reinforced for strength and durability ensures longer useful life of the bag.

Do you need a voice change?

Admit it, sometimes you just wish you could change the way your voice sounds so you could play tricks on people over the phone or answer the phones that are intended for you and still say that you’re not home. It’s amazing what a voice scrambler can do for you and the things you could get away from using this small yet useful and fun spy gadget.
A voice scrambler and recorder lets you record your voice and play it as is or change the way it sounds to your liking. It’s great for playing pranks on your friends or if you want to fool your parents into thinking that you are still in your room when in fact you already climbed down through your window and are already out partying with friends. Just record your voice, you could play it back with your normal voice or you could scramble it to sound totally different.
It’s a spy gadget that is perfect for disguising most especially through phone calls. It may be a spy gadget to some but for kids, it’s an awesome toy that they simply can’t get enough of. See how it amazes the little ones when they start to hear their voice transform into a scary-sounding voice!

Bike and Carry

I used to have my own car when I was still in college. However, once I graduated and started working for slave drivers (I hope my boss doesn’t read this), my dad took away my beloved car and sold it to open up their small business.

Now I’m just like everyone else who walks and takes public transportation to get to their destination. It’s all good and everything but what I hate most about it is the continuous increase of fare prices and the non-stop disappearance of money in my purse.

If your problems are the same as mine, stand back and be amazed at the wonder that is “One”. No, you dummy, it’s not Neo, the “One” is a modish bicycle that can be carried around after usage for a quick and gas-free journey. Travel in style and wave goodbye to traffic as this modern bike eases your worry about gas price hikes plus it’s environment friendly too. No need to worry about locks and where to park your bike, simply fold it and tote it along with you. No fuss, no mess and you’ll definitely save more while keeping your body healthy. 

“The Operating System of the Future”

Microsoft is again at the cutting edge of technology with their new operating system Windows 7 with Touch capability. The touch screen system has been integrated into almost everything. Cell phones, remote controls, cash registers, vending machines and many others use touch screens. It was only a matter of time before it became a part of our personal computing systems.

Windows 7 operating system combined with a touch screen will enable the user to play piano in music applications, paint pictures in paint applications, and open and close programs with a touch of the finger. Mapping application software makes it possible to rotate a globe and zoom in and out with the slight of the hand. It is obvious that touch and movement automation is the wave of the future.

The possibility of a touch operating system comes from the technology ThinSight. This is a thin LCD monitor that has infrared sensors mounted inside the display that detects objects that come near the screen. By using this infrared technology there is also the possibility of operating your system by remote. Imagine having a remote for the TV, the cable, the DVD player, the TIVO, and now the PC.

Microsoft has announced the release of Windows 7 in late 2009 or early 2010. They assure everyone that it will support the same devices and applications that are supported by Windows Vista. Of course everything is spiced up, the new DirectX will support the highest-end graphics, new networking API will allow better developments, and new energy efficiency features will make your PC more eco-friendly.

Touch technology should be embraced; it speeds up a lot of processes that need to be handled quickly. In the medical field nurses are now using touch notebooks to record the patients and place medical orders in half the time it took before this technology. But even in light of this great change we shouldn’t forget to learn the complexities of the keyboard and mouse, because they will always be the fallback if the touch screen goes out.

15 Fantastic New Futuristic Tech & Gadget Designs

Invisible speakers, wireless electricity and games you can control with your brain: all of these things may sound like science fiction, but thanks to recent technological innovation, they’re officially within the realm of possibility – or even already available. Some improve quality of life while others are just plain fun, but all of these futuristic gadgets and technologies will knock your socks off with their brilliance.

Bionic Vision with Cybernetic Contact Lenses

What if contact lenses could not only help you see better, but deliver directions, news, email and weather reports directly to your eyes? The technology is already here, according to a report by Babak A. Parviz, a bionanotechnology expert at the University of Washington. Tiny components like LED lights, tiny antennae and special circuits can be embedded into the polymer of a typical contact lens. A small portable device would process the information, and the lenses could even be used to measure and process information about the user’s health.

Miniscule Adjustick Cell Phone

Cell phones are getting smaller and smaller, almost to the point of absurdity – but though this concept takes small size to the extreme, it’s also functional. The Adjustick was one of many futuristic cell phone concepts shown at Japan’s CEATEC technology convention. The stick-like device projects a usable keyboard and screen when placed on its side.

Games You Control with Your Brain

This alien-looking headset looks capable of doing some insidious things to your brain, but it’s actually a gaming headset by Emotiv that allows you to play a variety of concentration-based games on a Windows PC. That’s right, it actually uses your brain waves to play the games in which you can push and pull boulders, levitate objects and perform other telekinesis-like actions. It works by matching certain brain activities – like concentrating or thinking about something in particular – with certain actions during a calibration that you perform before starting the game.

Portable Gadget That Shoots You to Rooftops

Anyone who has ever admired Batman’s ability to go from street level to the rooftop of a skyscraper in seconds will love the Atlas Rope Ascender, an awesome reverse-rappelling portable gadget that can lift a fully-outfitted soldier up to 600 feet at 10 ft/second on a single battery charge. The device has been tested by military, police and rescue organizations, who might have felt cool while using it, but probably lamented the lack of a cape.

Flexible Customizable Laptop Concept

An eBook reader, full-size tablet, tabletop presentation screen, desktop computer and conventional laptop all in one… it might sound impossible, but designer Tommaso Gecchelin’s MacBook Touch does it all. Theoretically, that is – the integral part of the design that allows such flexibility, called the iSpine, relies on technology that doesn’t exist yet. But the idea has potential, and it’s a tantalizing possibility for anyone who has ever daydreamed about such an achievement in multi-functionality.

18-Button Computer Mouse

If you wonder why on earth a computer mouse would need 18 buttons, perhaps the Warmouse OOMouse isn’t for you. But those who see the potential of this customizable little gadget will be able to save a whole lot of time by packing tons of functions into the press of a button. It’s designed to be used with Open Office, but could also be used with other applications.

Get Directions from a Rainwater-Powered Manhole

Wouldn’t it be nice if, when visiting a new city, you could simply get directions from a nearby urban object instead of unfolding and puzzling over a map? A concept called the EcoSign would turn ubiquitous manhole covers into rainwater-powered information centers that can give you directions. The only problem is, manhole covers tend to be in the middle of busy streets – not exactly safe places for tourists to congregate.

Amoeba Cell Phone

This strange little hunk of ergonomic plastic doesn’t resemble any cell phones currently in mainstream use, but its unusual design isn’t all about aesthetics. The Amoeba Phone contours to the user’s face while in use, and its entire surface is a touch screen.

Invisible Speakers

new type of speaker is virtually invisible, pouring surprisingly decent sound forth from a clear membrane across your television screen. Edge Motion invisible speakers work by using piezoelectric actuators to cause sound vibrations in the membrane, which don’t affect the picture quality. The technology is set to be included in a range of upcoming consumer products like hand-held games and portable DVD players.

Prosthetic Limbs Powered by the Mind

Stiff plastic prosthetic limbs may help amputees feel whole again, but they don’t offer much in the way of independence. Luckily for Christian Kandlbauer, who lost both of his arms in a work accident in 2005, amazing new advances in prosthesis technology have enabled him to do things for himself again – through the power of his mind. Kandlbauer is equipped with incredible new prosthetic arms that are wired to his nerves, a procedure that only three surgeons in the world can perform. Now, Kandlbauer can activate his “muscle” movement with impulses from his brain.

Virtual Reality Treadmill

One of the biggest challenges to making virtual reality a – well – reality, is locomotion. Anyone trying to navigate a VR environment needs to be able to walk in any direction, but treadmills only move in one direction. Until now. CyberCarpet is an omni-directional treadmill that densely packs small balls under a walking surface, letting the friction of the user’s shoes to do the moving. The CyberCarpet’s usefulness doesn’t end at gaming, though – it can be used for therapy, training and other applications as well.

Alarm Clock Grades Your Sleep Quality

When it comes to your health, few things are quite as important as getting plenty of sleep. But the quality of your sleep is just as vital as the length of time that you spend in bed each night. A futuristic new alarm clock design called the Zeo alarm clock tracks how much time you spend in each stage of sleep through a thin headband worn by the user, reporting your ‘sleep score’ in the morning. It even has a function that can wake you up at the ideal point in your sleep cycle, so you feel more refreshed.

Bed with Built-In TV, Movie Screen & Video Games

Not only is the slick HiCan bed super cozy and modern, it’s also equipped with everything you need to spend the rest of your life as a media-consuming blob – or at least, be extremely entertained on sick days. This all-in-one bed and entertainment center has a pull-down projection screen, integrated gaming system, built-in lights, and even a control panel that allows you to control your home’s window shades and lighting. The price tag of 42,000 Euro puts this amazing piece of furniture firmly in daydream territory for most.

No Longer Sci-Fi: Wireless Electricity

Imagine being able to place your electronics anywhere you want, with no regard to whether there’s a power outlet nearby. It would cut a whole lot of clutter and eliminate hazards to children, pets and clumsy adults. Somehow it seems like wireless electricity should already be a reality, but there have always been obstacles in the way. However, engineers at MIT  have worked out the kinks and wireless power could be in our homes as early as 2011.

Cybernetic Reading Through Implanted Device

When you come across a word you aren’t familiar with, perhaps you just skip it over or go through the trouble of looking it up in a dictionary or online. Wouldn’t it be so much easier if you could just place your finger over the word and magically hear its definition and pronunciation in your ear? Incredible as it seems, the Touch Hear concept would do just that, minus the magic part. An implanted device in the fingertip recognizes the characters while another device in the ear relays the information. It’s still just a concept, but it could be a viable future option – particularly for blind readers.