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Japan’s SunShine Company has announced that it is releasing its EQGuard, an earthquake alarm system. With the help of JAMA (Japan Meteorological Agency) and the Internet, the small gadget sounds out a countdown of twenty seconds at the time the tremor begins or even a few seconds before then. We suppose this means you also get 20 seconds to panic, find the nearest doorway or bathtub, or simply run out of your house hysterically while kissing your assets goodbye. The JAMA alarm will also be broadcast on TV and radio to cell phones that are equipped to receive them. At a size of 145 x 55 x 175 mm, the EQGuard will become available October 1.
Read More 
| MSNBC
Gallery: EQGuard Counts Down to Earthquake
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IBM to Plug In World’s Fastest Computer - Blue Gene/P
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Corporate News, PC / Laptop, Science,
IBM has just launched the planet’s fastest computer. Bought by the U.S. government, the Blue Gene/P is capable of “petaflop” speeds, equal to 1,000 trillion calculations per second, which makes it 100,000 more powerful than an ordinary PC. Blue Gene/P will be installed at the DOE Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois and its purpose is to study simulation in various areas, from particle physics to nanotechnology. This new computer is three times faster than the Blue Gene/L, which is now in charge of our nuclear weapons. We just wonder if they could make a Blue Gene/W to watch over the other two occasionally.
Read More | BBC
Gallery: IBM to Plug In World’s Fastest Computer - Blue Gene/P
Israeli scientists from Techion University have teamed with the College of Judea and Samaria to create a one millimeter bot that can be inserted into a patient’s bloodstream, with no miniature Rachel Welch or Stephen Boyd needed. The mini-robot is composed of a hub and tiny arms that can hold on to vessel walls even upstream, and is controllable by its operators almost indefinitely. A similar bot has been created by Kyoto University but its size is one centimeter, too large to get into the smaller spaces. What a pity that Isaac Asimov couldn’t be here to see him novelization come to fruition.
Read More | Haaretz
Gallery: “Fantastic Voyage” Becomes a Reality
Was This Nuclear Generator a Genuine Household Product?
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Smart Home, Misc. Tech, Science,
It’s tough to distinguish if this 80’s print ad actually appeared touting the benefits of the Household Nuclear Generator. Although there is no exact date on the piece, it’s difficult to read whether this was created as a viable product or simply a cruel joke after Chernobyl. Claiming to be user-friendly even by children, it says it is a “gentle source of unlimited energy for the home” that can save you up to 80% of your electric bill with its use. We shudder at the concept anyway, and will pass on this one, thank you very much.
Read More | Pink Tentacle
Gallery: Was This Nuclear Generator a Genuine Household Product?
Tomy Goes Solar With Sunshine Buddies
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Smart Home, Misc. Tech, Science,
Tomy, our favorite maker of all things wind-up, tiny, and cute, has come up with a line of solar powered creatures based on their Sunshine Buddies (Hidamari No Tami) that we hear are beloved in Japan for their pleasing expressions. The Kotori Dayori-Solar Relaxation Hummingbird doesn’t fly or hum or even look like one, but chirps its way into your heart for $17.50. The 4.3-inch baby lucky cat (Maneki Neko) smiles and waves to you for good luck at a price of $19.50. Finally, who could resist the ringleader, the Feng Shui Hidamari, which nods its head for a mere $13.50, and will reportedly bring you better health when placed in the southern part of a room. These three and more can can be found at JBox.com.
Read More | <3 yen
Gallery: Tomy Goes Solar With Sunshine Buddies
Pleo has finally decided to come out of his shell this October. Those who have been on the mailing list can now be the first to pre-order our fave dinosaur, since there is a Limited Edition of only 2000 “First Hatched.” If you are not one of the chosen few, it might be a good idea to get on ugobe’s mailing list now. The company recently updated their demo, so we decided we just had to share one more time. The offer is first come, first serve until June 27 or when they sell out, and come with an adoption fee of $349.00.
(Thanks, Caleb)
Read More | ugobe
Gallery: Pleo Hatching Date Set
Last Chance to Select Your Wonder of the World
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Misc. Tech, Science,
Perhaps you have heard rumors of the selection of seven new Wonders of The World, which was probably implemented because most of the the original ones are either falling apart or no longer exist. Only the Great Pyramids are still upright and they could definitely use an overhaul. An international panel has narrowed the field to 21 and results will be announced July 7th in a globally televised event. If you would like to choose your own favorites, you can still do so by phone or registering online. Half of the campaign profits will help restore cultural monuments.
The original Seven Wonders were selected by the Greeks, who really didn’t get around much back then, so places like Stonehenge and the Great Wall of China were not chosen. We would have liked to have nominated Jimmy Hoffa’s gravesite, just in case it is ever discovered.
Read More | Live Science
Gallery: Last Chance to Select Your Wonder of the World
Power Pedal Legs Walk Away from Disaster
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Misc. Tech, Science, Transportation,
Talk about power-walking! Matsushita, in cooperation with Ritsumeikan University, has devised a robotic rescue exoskeleton just in time for the upcoming hurricane season. The Power Pedal Legs can lift and separate someone who cannot walk for her/himself at a power of up to 7 times that of a human and carry them to the closest rescue point in one of 6 directions. They can also be used for those who have trouble getting around on their own because of medical reasons. Available in August in Japan, the legs will set you back ¥20 million (~$162,000.00.)
Read More | Daily Tech
Gallery: Power Pedal Legs Walk Away from Disaster
Now’s your chance to experience a trip to Mars without actually going there. The ESA (European Space Agency) is calling for applications from European volunteers to spend 17 months in a simulated isolation tank in Moscow. Interlocking modules create the faux spaceship which consists of only 19,250 cubic feet (9 truck containers.) Participants will be cut off from outside contact except by a delayed radio link.
The study is being conducted to learn about such psychological effects as isolation, boredom, and interaction between the 6 volunteers, who will be paid about $158.00 a day. Set for late 2008 or early 2009, if you think you have the “right stuff” and come from Russia or can figure out a way to quickly join the ESA, you can apply online. Viktor Baranov of Russia’s Institute of Biomedical Problems, the site of the experiment, says he has received about 150 application so far.
Read More | Seed Magazine
Gallery: ESA Wants You
While checking out Guy Hoffman’s AUD Lamp,we found another bot that is part of the Robotic Life Group at MIT. Leonardo was obviously inspired by the movie Gremlins but named after Da Vinci. Their creators refer to him as “the Stradivarius of expressive robots” by attempting to make him a combination of an animatronic figure with the intelligence of a robot. This includes facial feature tracking and stereo depth estimation. Instead of teaching the robot outright, the team uses learning by tutelage, imitation, and social referencing.
At this point Leo is still under control of its keepers and as such can only move 16º at a time, although plans are in the works to make him completely autonomous. Watch this video clip and hope they remember not to feed Leonardo after midnight.
Read More | MIT
