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Design Inspiration for the Inventive Mind..

October 10, 2009 By Zog

The Human Body Used as a Conduit for Data

alps-human-data-transferrance

The ALPS device pictured above creates a modulated electric field capable of traveling through the human body, using it like a wire. They have it set up to transfer a photo from the unit, through your body, and into a handheld device.

It has obvious potential for things like having your cellphone pick up data from things you touch, ID cards, and in implanted devices.

(Via CrunchGear)

Filed Under: Design Inspiration, Electronics, Ideas, Innovation Tagged With: Design Inspiration, Electromagnetism, Electronics, Idea, Innovation, Interface

April 23, 2009 By Zog

How to Levitate Objects With Your Mind (open Thread)

A few things I took note of recently:

Upon going through my logs, I was amused note how highly I ranked for the search term “how to levitate objects with your mind”. I’ve never written about any such thing, but it reminded me of a couple of recent products. For all of you aspiring psichokinetics out there, here are a few tools to help with your brain exercises:

  • Neural impulse actuators are an emerging technology which begins to the gap between electronics and the mind. The first consumer versions are geared towards games, but can be hacked to do other things.  is a new (out soon) video game controller headset that reads brain waves in order to perform game functions. It isn’t going to replace your old controller in the short term, but may be handy for things like switching weapons and function keys. If I were severely handicapped, I would be filled with a lot of hope by these devices. I bet Stephen Hawking  would dominate with this (get well soon man).
  • The Mind Flex (made by Mattell) Is a new game with a sensor that reads your brain waves and uses them to control a fan that flies a ball around an obstacle course. I’m not sure how much this gives you for those ‘real’ telekinesis skills, but it looks like a good party game after a few drinks. You can find the the Mind Flex on amazon.
  • The Force Trainer works along the same lines, levitating a ping pong ball in a tube.
  • On the levitation front, we have already posted the FunFlyStick, and the Levitating Coaster, which can levitate objects up to two pounds.


Develop your powers of concentration, you will.

On another note:

Rubik’s pepper mill.

This guy built an awesome mousetrap out of delicately balanced kitchen items and a strobe shutter camera to capture the whole escapade on film. Cute pictures.

Is someone always one step ahead of me? I plotted here to build a portable pathway out of moss to follow me around, but this guy did it.

Please consider this to be an open post as well. Feel free to post a link to your blog, throw up a link to something you think should be featured on this site, or talk about what is on your mind. All comments will be moderated, so don’t be spammy.

Filed Under: Design Inspiration, Electronics Tagged With: Compilation, Design Inspiration, Electromagnetism, Electronics, Interface

February 16, 2009 By Zog

Electromagnetic Levitation

SimerLab Physicist Janick Simeray (Ph.D. degrees in electronics and mechanical engineering ) has created the worlds most awesome coaster. The coaster will levitate objects up to two pounds!

 

It doesn’t just push an object up, it holds an object in place like a tractor beam.

This has huge potential for product placement. Notice too how the laces are lifted by the device.

(Via GeeksAreSexy)

Similar posts:

Levotate Objects with Static Electricity (FunFlyStick)

Filed Under: Design Inspiration, Electronics, Ideas, Innovation Tagged With: Design Inspiration, Electromagnetism, Electronics, Innovation, Video

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