Horseriding exercise machine

 

Since we’ve all said to ourselves, “I wish there was some way to go horseback riding without the horse and actually inside my own living room watching TV” at some point (what you haven’t, what’s wrong with you?), we present the Joba Horseriding Exercise Machine. Yes, you can now feign exercise on a gyrating metal saddle designed by Japanese co. Matsushita. We’re thinking Japanese customers have a slightly different response to the product than a customer in, say, Lubbock, Texas. When in use you must outstretch you’re arms to look as awkward as possible and while staring forward with a grin. Come on, don’t you want one? — It’s even got cute little metal stirrups. Chaps not included. [via Engadget]

The Moody Aquarium Washbasin

The Moody Aquarium Washbasin: definitely the perfect thing to go along with that Aquariass aquarium toilet we just ordered (plus they’ve even tested it to make sure that the fish won’t die if you fill the sink with hot water). Only $4,900.[Via bookofjoe][via Engadget]

Printing skin

 

That old HP inkjet we used to use for college essays may soon go on to loftier achievements—like saving the lives of burn victims. Researchers at Wake Forest, Clemson Universities, and the Medical University of South Carolina have found that skin cells can safely pass through the larger nozzles of older Canon and HP inkjet printers. After harvesting skin cells from healthy skin biopsies (sounds pleasant), the cells are printed on a gauze scaffolding, which form into sheets of tissue over a few weeks’ time. The printed skin grafts are sturdier than conventional skin grafts (and more valuable than a senior thesis). Researchers believe printed skin may be clinically tested in a few years.

[Via Roland Piquepaille’s Technology Trends][via Engadget]

The OKO Trike, an illusion of freedom for your kids

 

It’s a sad day when trikes for young children have to come accompanied with a woman minder in Matrix leathers—it’s not, after all, as if your three-year-old is particularly likely to rev up and roar off to join a biker gang—but the OKO Trike at least manages to outdo the pram in providing an illusion of involvement in the whole propulsion and route-choosing. [via Engadget]

Koko the Gorilla uses sign language to request dental work

 

Scott sez: "About a month ago, Koko, the 300-plus-pound ape who became famous for mastering more than 1,000 signs, began telling her handlers at the Gorilla Foundation in Woodside she was in pain. They quickly constructed a pain chart, offering Koko a scale from one to 10. When Koko started pointing to nine or 10, a dental appointment was made. And because anesthesia would be involved, her handlers used the opportunity to give Koko a head-to-toe exam [via Boing Boing]

Mystery sea monster

 

Wired News reports on a deep-sea probe mission to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge where several possible new species were discovered, including this mystery animal scurrying around the ocean floor at 6,500 feet. The scientists were unable to capture the foot-long create for closer study.

"Although the unknown animal is "kind of a sensation," (researcher Olav Rune) Godoe said in an interview, finding new and strange creatures wasn't surprising given that researchers collected more than 80,000 specimens. Moreover, little is known about the deep ocean. "It's much easier to observe the surface of the moon or Mars," said Godoe."

Link [via Boing Boing]

The Hotspot Bloom wearable WiFi detector

You can’t honestly expect everyone to look around for WiFi with some dull plastic widget, so for her final thesis project at Parsons School of Design Karen Lee created the Hotspot Bloom, a wearable plastic flower that lights up whenever you’re close to a wireless hotspot.

[Via [Engadget]

The Retro-Encabulator

This was so unintelligible to me I just laughed through the end of it…geoffy

Absolutely demented, um, “enhancement” of some promotional video for Rockwell Automation that twists it until it gradually descends into incomprehensibility.

[Via StreetTech]

Watch

[via Engadget]

Talk to US

 

The US election in November affects everyone, everywhere. Talk to US, a global video forum, invites people around the world to speak directly to the American public.

They can upload their video to the website or mail the video to the US.

Via [Smart Mobs]