Above are a couple results courtesy of Tokyo's Omote 3D, a "photo booth" that creates 3D printed figurines instead of a strip of film. Users step into a small studio where they are required to stand still for 15 minutes while they are scanned. While I imagine those 15 minutes get pretty uncomfortable, the final product looks to be worth it... of course, it will still cost you more than just a few moments of your time. 10cm figurines go for $265 and 20cm figurines go for $530. Definitely a cool gift or conversation starter. Just make sure to remember where you put your little you.
This was too cool to pass up... partially because its super awesome science in action, but mostly because I love watching the part where chocolate syrup just shoots off of this shoe (magic!). Anyway, this video showcases the abilities of a superhydrophobic spray developed by Ross Nanotechnology that would allow you to jump into a pool fully dressed and come out already wearing dry clothes... y'know, in case you ever wanted to do that.
These are some designs and models of a conceptual earthscraper, an upside-down skyscraper. Its purpose is to offer additional work and living space in the center of Mexico City without hogging up the skyline. Needless to say: it's an insanely cool idea. The areas of space from top to bottom would go Aztec museum (first ten floors), retail, apartments and then businesses. Now, the glass floor (see also: ceiling) is made to allow light from the outside to filter throughout the structure, but somehow I doubt those businesses at the bottom are getting much sunlight. I think I'll stick to living and working aboveground, thanks. The museum and retail spaces, on the other hand, do look like they'd make for a fantastic tourist attraction. For now, though, its only a concept.
Yes, the glass is designed to be walked on. Not good for those afraid of heights... or of falling the 50+ stories below. I hope its sturdy.
Researchers at the University of California Berkeley have figured out a way to translate brain activity into visuals. I'll try to sum it up the best I can. With the aid of a functional magentic resonance imaging machine (fMRI) and what sounds like a very complicated algorithm, a computer is able to create what it believes to be images that the mind "sees." The computer is programmed to recognize visual patterns in videos and to associate those patterns with brain activity from the subjects. Then, when only given brain activity information, the computer pieces together what it believes the viewer is seeing in the form of a mishmash of various combinations of 18 million seconds of YouTube clips. Got it?
Are we living in the future? Because, its discoveries and crazy innovations like these that make me think we're living in the future. After this kind of technology is developed, no more trying desperately to remember that dream you had last night. Just a click of the rewind button and there it is, clear as can be, on your TV screen.
On a more bettering-of-society kind of level, this technology could do a lot of good for people with severe speech issues. Sufferers of strokes, neurological disease, and maybe even comas could have a new way of communicating. Of course, there's still a lot of development, research, and many many years before any mind-reading tech will be readily available. This does seem to be an impressive first step, though.
Why dissect an animal when you can just look through its skin? Iori Tomita of Japan has founded New World Transparent Specimens, a project that he hopes will bring the fields of Science, Art, and Philosophy together.
The dying technique used by Tomita is usually reserved for purely scientific reasons, such as the examination of skeletal and biological systems. He makes sure to inject different colors into different areas of the creatures' anatomies in order to accurately display the makeups. Bright red dye is injected into harder bones while blue dye is injected into softer cartilage. To get the flesh see-through, Tomita uses an enzyme designed to dissolve the skin's natural proteins. The end result is kept in a jar of glycerin and is ready for viewing.
While many of the larger specimens are kept in exhibits, they are still often for sale (although, they are very expensive). Smaller, more affordable versions can be purchased in certain Japanese department stores.
