41144003
submission
fangmcgee writes:
A Canadian camouflage-design company claims to be developing a real-life invisibility cloak that causes its wearer to vanish in plain sight. Likening its “Quantum Stealth” technology to Harry Potter’s magical coverup, the British Columbia-based Hyperstealth Biotechnology says the material tricks the human eye by bending light around a person or object. Although the firm has provided only “mockups” in lieu of proof of concept—CEO Guy Cramer says he cannot show the actual technology for security reasons—the company insists it has the backing of both the U.S. Pentagon and the Canadian military.
40520623
submission
fangmcgee writes:
A dystopian city populated by mindless drones, a mustache-twirling dictator, and a Katniss-like heroine leading a ragtag band of rebels. The ingredients for next summer’s blockbuster? Not quite. Greenpeace created the mock anime trailer as part of its “Detox” campaign to clean up the toxic fashion industry.
40329353
submission
fangmcgee writes:
If you’ve ever suspected store mannequins of knowing more than they let on, it might not be just your imagination. An Italian company known as Almax has developed a $5,000 bionic mannequin that employs the same type of facial-recognition software used to identify criminals in a crowd. Equipped with cameras in their eye sockets, the “EyeSee” dummies are designed to profile shoppers by age, gender, and race in much the same way online merchants do. The data, according to Almax, can help stores tailor their offerings, window displays, and even store layouts to appeal to their customer base and help boost sales. Our take? It’s more than a little creepy to have robots watch—not to mention record—your every move.
40187789
submission
fangmcgee writes:
If Marc Ecko’s “Chewbacca” hoodie isn’t the coolest faux-fur jacket in the galaxy, then it’s certainly the geekiest. Part of larger lineup of Star Wars-inspired threads, the chocolate-fleece number even includes our favorite Wookie’s signature bandoleer utility belt. The best part? On the off, off chance you tire of looking like a big walking carpet—why would you?—the hairy topper reverses into a Rebel Alliance bomber toasty enough for a trip to Hoth. (We’d keep a Tauntaun close-by just in case, though.)
39953447
submission
fangmcgee writes:
Think of Deo Perfume Candy as a breath mint for your entire body. The fragrance-releasing “edible deodorant,” a collaboration between Beneo, an American nutrition company and Alpi, a candy-maker from Bulgaria, is a rose-scented boiled sweet that claims to leave you smelling like a floral arrangement. The source of the scent? Geraniol, a natural substance found rose, geranium, lemon, and other essential oils. Like garlic, geraniol contains chemicals that cannot be digested. Instead, it’s secreted through the skin’s pores, resulting in a light, rosy aroma that is said to last for hours.
39924271
submission
fangmcgee writes:
Clothes that "talk" to Facebook aren't just fun and games. They could also provide first responders with critical, real-time information in times of emergency. With this in mind, a group of students at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology developed a jacket that uses a Bluetooth-enabled cellphone to communicate with the Internet, particularly social networks that can help large groups coordinate their efforts. Designed to be worn by firefighters and rescue workers, who typically don't have time to fuss with additional gear, the jacket features a built-in screen on its sleeve and a vibrating collar that alerts the wearer of incoming messages.
39797055
submission
fangmcgee writes:
The defensive slime of the hagfish, an eel-like marine animal, could provide a natural alternative to oil-based polymers that rivals spider silk in strength.
38832279
submission
fangmcgee writes:
Reno-based First Warning Systems is working on a new bra that could detect if you are developing breast cancer. Integrated sensors and a data controller regularly monitor your breasts and can watch for irregularities which may signal the growth of tumors. Tests so far are showing that the bra is far superior and may be able to detect cancerous growth up to 6 years sooner than self-exams or mammograms.
38099157
submission
fangmcgee writes:
A swathe of woven fabric could soon give pricy anti-burglary systems a run for their money. Don’t be fooled by its nondescript appearance, however. Developed by researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZM in Berlin, the material contains a fine lattice of conductive threads interspersed among the polyester fibers. When the fabric is cut or penetrated, a built-in microcontroller springs into action, triggering an alarm that alerts authorities to the precise location of the break-in. While the smart textile could provide useful coverage for home and office safes, precious artwork, or cargo in the back of a trailer or truck, IZM has its sights on a far loftier prize: protecting entire buildings.
37999285
submission
fangmcgee writes:
Lab-grown leather apparel could hit the runways in as little as five years—all without harming a hair on a single animal’s head, according to Andras Forgacs, co-founder and CEO of Modern Meadow, a Missouri-based startup that’s approaching meat-and-leather production from an tissue-bioengineering, rather than farming, point of view. Backed by Breakout Labs, the grant-awarding foundation headed by PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel, Modern Meadow seeks to combine regenerative medicine with three-dimensional printing to synthesize leather and ultimately meat. Just one question: Will animal-rights advocates bite?
37562175
submission
fangmcgee writes:
Diane von Furstenberg wants you to experience her Spring/Summer 2013 show at New York Fashion Week through the eyes of the folks who made it happen: the stylists, the models, and the grande dame of American fashion herself. A short film released on YouTube features footage captured entirely using Google’s micro-camera-equipped “Glass” eyeglasses. Is this the future of fashion on film? More important, who’s watching whom?
37515283
submission
fangmcgee writes:
Diane von Furstenberg shared her New York Fashion Week spotlight on Sunday with an unlikely collaborator: Google. The legendary designer and Council of Fashion Designers of America president sent Google’s much-vaunted augmented-reality goggles down the Lincoln Center catwalk with her Spring/Summer 2013 collection. Von Furstenberg even had Google founder Sergey Brin join her and her creative director, Yvan Mispelaere, on the runway for her victory lap. Each sported a pair of the futuristic frames with a different colored accent: von Fursteberg in orange, Brin in blue, and Mispelaere in black.
37430635
submission
fangmcgee writes:
Diane von Furstenberg shared her New York Fashion Week spotlight on Sunday with an unlikely collaborator: Google. The legendary designer and Council of Fashion Designers of America president sent Google’s much-vaunted augmented-reality goggles down the Lincoln Center catwalk with her Spring/Summer 2013 collection. Von Furstenberg even had Google founder Sergey Brin join her and her creative director, Yvan Mispelaere, on the runway for her victory lap. Each sported a pair of the futuristic frames with a different colored accent: von Fursteberg in orange, Brin in blue, and Mispelaere in black.
36465857
submission
fangmcgee writes:
It’s been seven years in the making, but the world’s first “invisible” bike helmet is now available for purchase. The brainchild of Anna Haupt and Terese Alstin, two industrial designers from Sweden, the Hövding—Swedish for “chieftain”—is essentially a collar that deploys an airbag-like hood in case of an impact. Unlike regular hard-hat helmets, which the duo deride as “bulky, like a hard mushroom on your head,” the Hövding is designed to be unobtrusive. But the device is more than an expression of vanity. “An invisible bicycle helmet is a symbol of the ‘impossible,’” Haupt and Alstin say in the video. “If people say it’s impossible, we have to prove them wrong.”
36323189
submission
fangmcgee writes:
Your T-shirt has always doubled as your personal billboard, but why settle for just one static statement per wear? Leave it to the wizards at CuteCircuit to pioneer the world’s first programmable T-shirt. An unlikely collaboration with Ballantine’s, a producer of blended Scotch whisky, “TshirtOS” allows you to display virtually anything you want, whether it’s your Facebook status, Mindy Kaling’s latest tweet, a screed on global warming, or a picture of Maru the cat.
