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Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Unfortunately for you budding energy stars out there, the Pentagon’s latest contest is over, so you’ve no choice here but to grit your teeth and applaud both DuPont and Germany’s Smart Fuel Cell. Out of the 170 teams vying for the $1 million prize, these two managed to impress the most; the winning gizmo was the M-25 portable power system, which is already being sold to the US Army for “limited use in the field.” Contestants were tasked with creating a new wearable power solution to juice up energy-hungry military gear (GPS units, night-vision goggles, head-mounted PMPs, etc.) without weighing soldiers down, and the winning device combined “DuPont’s direct-methanol fuel cell technology with SFC’s fuel cell and battery system.” Yeah, we’re totally expecting a PSP / DS compatible version of this before the holidays.

[Via FuelCellWorks, thanks Adam]

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Source: Darren Murph

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Filed under: Household

It’s one thing to exemplify laziness; it’s another to buck the habit just long enough to invent something to keep you idler, longer. Enter Enrico Berruti, an everyday fellow who has created something that almost anyone with a bed could see as useful. His Selfy bed, quite simply, uses a variety of moving parts, bars and linens to make itself at the push of a button. To be fair, Mr. Berruti was thinking of disabled individuals who would have a difficult time making their own traditional bed when conjuring this thing up, but he didn’t hesitate to mention his own indolence as motivation. Hopefully there’s some kind of safety feature to prevent users from accidentally activating the thing while they’re still snoozing — can’t imagine that being any fun.

[Via Physorg, image courtesy of AFP / Getty Images]

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Source: Darren Murph

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Filed under: Household

You know, it’d be quite nice for toaster manufacturers to actually grab hold of one of the numerous concepts floating around out there and give the tried and true machine a facelift, but until then, conceptualizers are keepin’ the ideas a-coming. On deck is the Transparent Toaster, which hopes to utilize clear panes of “heating glass” that allow you to clearly see precisely how burnt your bread is becoming. Of course, we’d certainly hope some sort of self-cleaning apparatus would be added if this thing were to go commercial, but it ain’t a half bad idea as it is.

[Via ShinyShiny]

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Source: Darren Murph

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Filed under: Wearables

Just three days ago, we saw the nifty GlucoPhone receive the FDA’s coveted stamp of approval, and now Adaptive Path has conjured up a conceptual device of its own that could transform the way diabetics are forced to live out their lives. The Charmr itself is a small wirelessly-enabled thumb drive (of sorts) that can be worn anywhere you prefer, and boasts a display that continuously shows glucose levels and stores trend data for future PC analysis. The unit would purportedly interface with a waterproof patch that includes an insulin reservoir, a glucose sensor, an insertion needle, and a wireless transmitter to speak to the Charmr. Currently, the design is still waiting for a pharmaceutical company to pick it up and actually bring it to market, but be sure and check out the demonstrative video after the jump.

[Via DiabetesMine, thanks Allison B.]Continue reading Charmr concept transforms glucose monitoring

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Source: Darren Murph

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Filed under: Transportation

Just a day after a clever Jetta owner figured out how to chart his joyrides with a Wiimote, it looks like Volkswagen has a trick up its own sleeve, too. Reportedly, the automaker is developing an “adaptive sun visor” that recognizes the position of the sun and darkens the areas that require it in order to make your drive a less squint-filled one. The technology supposedly works around curves and elevation changes, meaning that leaving your sunglasses behind may not ruin your afternoon commute. As expected, further details are few and far between at the moment, and while there’s no set date (nor vehicle) for the innovative sunshade to be launched on, the sun-lovin’ Eos wouldn’t be a bad guinea pig.

[Via Foursprung]

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Source: Darren Murph

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Filed under: Wireless

Although we’re sure you’ve had your fill of soccer thanks to the recent onslaught at RoboCup 2007, Aleksei Stevens’ SoundBall was just too good to let roll by. This Bluetooth-enabled, sensor-laden soccer ball may not look all that paranormal, but giving it a swift boot triggers communication between the ball and a nearby computer, which then converts the signals into beeps, boops, and other far out katzenjammer. As expected, different blows, rolls, and turns send out varying notes, and while talking about sound can only convey so much of the story, why not take a listen for yourself after the jump?

[Via CNET]Continue reading Bluetooth SoundBall makes a racket when kicked

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Source: Darren Murph

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