‘Magic’ Megaphone Automatically Translates Speech into Various Languages
To help Japanese companies better deal with the increasing number of foreigners visiting the country, Panasonic has created an innovative megaphone capable of automatically translating Japanese into English, Chinese and Korean. Remember that cool universal translator the crew of the Enterprise used to break down language barriers with alien species? Such technology is not yet available in […]
Nearly All Phones in Japan Are Waterproof Because People Need to Use Them in the Shower
Waterproof smartphones are becoming more common in Western markets, but they are hardly the norm. In Japan however, almost all phones are waterproof, and have been for nearly a decade now. According to statistics, 90% to 95% of phones in Japan are waterproof, because people need to be able to use them while they are showering. […]
This Little Flashlight Is So Powerful It can Start a Fire and Cook Breakfast
The FlashTorch Mini flashlight is about as close as you can get to a real-life, commercially-available lightsaber. Its 2300-lumens halogen light output is enough to start a fire or cook an egg. Created by Wicked Laser, the FlashTorch Mini is made of anodized, machined aircraft-grade aluminum and features a highly efficient, heat-resistant lens and reflector. That already sounds very impressive, but […]
This Levitating Indoor Cloud Is the Coolest Bluetooth Speaker Ever
American designer Richard Clarkson has recently teamed up with Crealev, a company specializing in levitation technology, to create ‘Making Weather’ – a Bluetooth speaker disguised as a realistic-looking levitating cloud. This wonder of design and technology is a continuation of Clarkson’s 2014 ‘Smart Cloud’ project. Originally unveiled as a hanging lamp, his indoor cloud has recently […]
Russian Programmer “Ressurects” Deceased Best Friend as an AI Chatbot
It’s hard to let go of loved ones, especially when they pass away suddenly. But thanks to rapidly evolving artificial intelligence, you soon may not have to let go. Well, not completely, anyway. Case in point, Eugenia Kuyda, the co-founder and CEO of a Russian artificial intelligence startup called Luka Inc, who recently brought her best friend […]
This Device Lets You wake Up Inside Your Dreams
Lucid Dreamer is an ingenious device programmed to detect REM sleep, the time when people dream more vividly, and emit low electrical impulses to help you realize that you are dreaming, allowing you to take control of your dreams and go on lucid adventures. Lucid dreams are dreams in which you realize that you are […]
Turkish Company Creates Real-Life Car-Morphing Transformers
Thirty-some years after making their debut as cartoon characters, vehicle-morphing Transformers have finally become a reality, thanks to the efforts of a Turkish company out of Ankara. The R&D-focused company, called Letvision, recently wowed the internet with a presentation video for their prototype car-transforming robot, ANTIMON. The recently-released footage shows a red BMW M3 being unveiled […]
App Gives Japanese Drivers Free Coffee for Not Checking Their Phones at The Wheel
In a bid to convince drivers in Aichi Prefecture to keep their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road, a new Japanese smartphone app offers free coffee coupons to drivers who don’t check their phones for at least 100 km. For the last 13 years, Aichi Prefecture has recorded the highest rate of traffic […]
Smart Box Combats Smartphone Addiction by Allowing You to Lock Away Your Phone for a Set Period of Time
Smartphone addiction is a growing problem that often interferes with our personal and professional lives. DistractaGone is an ingenious solution that allows you to lock up your phone in a box that only opens after a set period of time, offering you a period without constant distraction. Trying to get some work done, enjoying dinner […]
Smart Strap Turns Your Hand into a Mobile Phone
Signl is an innovative gadget that allows users to take phone calls by simply touching their ear with their fingertip. It then transmits the sound through the body, essentially turning their hand into a phone. Signl, formerly “TipTalk”, was developed by South Korean company Innomdle Lab, a new startup founded in 2015 by three ex-Samsung employees. It’s a […]
This USB Stick Can Kill Your Computer Almost Instantly
The USB Killer is a commercially available USB stick that can fry almost any computer in seconds by rapidly collecting power from the USB power lines and then repeatedly discharging 240V into the host device until it dies. The whole process only takes a few seconds. USB sticks have long been used infect unsuspecting users’ […]
Indian Engineering Student Builds Functional Ironman Suit
Vimal Govind Manikandan, an engineering student from Kerala, recently made international headlines after building a fully-functional exosuit inspired by Marvel superhero, Ironman. People have been building their own Ironman suits for years, but while those are all just good-looking replicas, Vimal’s version actually works. The 100-kg-heavy suit doesn’t fly, or shoot energy beams like that […]
HB Rings Let You Feel Your Loved One’s Heartbeat in Real Time
Described as “the most sophisticated ring in the world”, the Touch HB Ring is a smart wedding band that lets you feel the rhythm of your partner’s heartbeat in real time. Phone calls and apps like Facetime or Skype are great in long-distance relationships, but they can only do so much. The internet may connect the world like never before, […]
This $3,000 Wireless Speaker Is as Loud as a Rock Concert
With a power output of 4,500 watts and 108 decibels, the Phantom Gold wireless speaker can literally blow you away. Its creators at French audio company Devialet say that at max volume, the Phantom Gold is the equivalent of a live rock concert. The Devialet Phantom Gold is latest and most powerful entry in the company’s Phantom […]
Electronics Enthusiast Spends $53,000 Building a Supercomputer That Only Plays Tetris
Computer geeks spend ridiculous amounts of money on high-end rigs all the time, but one digital electronics engineer from Cambridge, England, poured a small fortune into building a giant computer that he only uses to play Tetris. James Newman’s supercomputer took five years to build, cost over $53,000 and takes up an entire room, yet […]