We haven’t heard of Dutch design outfit Crealev before, but the company says it’s developed a “new levitation concept which is able to produce a very high levitation height combined with a low power dissipation and excellent stability” — and apparently the best way to show that off is this series of levitating lamps. Unveiled at last week’s Dutch Design Week event, the lamps are the product of designer Angela Jansen. We’re assuming they’re magnetic in some way, but Crealev’s website is pretty cagey with the details, only saying that it’s a “proprietary technology.” Either way, we want one.

Read — Crealev website
Read — Video of the lamps in action
from engadget

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]
more info
from engadget

Sega Toys looks to have dialed back the creepiness factor with its latest product: a desktop device filled with sea creatures ready to do your bidding. Dubbed the “Private Ocean,” the device packs low res representations of some 100 different critters, which can swim into formation to display the time if you tap the top of the unit or scatter if you touch the bottom. If that’s not enough entertainment for you (which seems hard to believe), you can hook the device up to any audio source and have the little critters dance along to your favorite tunes. No word on what it’ll cost, but you’ll apparently be able to get one this October (though we’re guessing not here).

More info
from engadget

Sure, you could blow a cool million on a bed you’d never sleep on, but why not grab one that actually provides some relief (and won’t run you $5k a month… forever) after a hard day in the blazing sun? Enter Kuchofuku, who certainly has the right idea with its air conditioned sleeper and clothing line. The makeshift bed, which only weighs 5.3-pounds, utilizes dual fans to pull air in and circulate it through the cushion beneath you. Of course, it’d be a modern tragedy to have to rise and leave such a pleasant scenario, but you can solve that dilemma as well care of the air conditioned shirt. The button-up garb touts an integrated fan that is purportedly powered via USB, which means that your armpits can now remain fresh regardless of how infrequent the AC kicks on at the office. A cooler night’s sleep is but $399 away, while the new threads (seen after the jump) will run you a staggering $159 apiece.

[Via CScout, thanks Mike]
from engadget
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More LED goodness for ya, this time in the form of a desk lamp, not a backlit LCD. The Z-Bar won I.D. Magazine’s “best of category” award which is pretty sweet considering the category wasn’t just lamps, it was furniture. The Z-Bar’s 66, long-livin’ LEDs pump 100 lumens in pretty much any direction you want thanks to that 47-inch, finger-thin neck loaded with hinges and rotational joints. Sure, 100 lumens doesn’t seem like much when compared to an incandescent’s 500–800 lumens. The Z-Bar’s trick is to focus the light in a 50-degree viewing angle instead of the 360-degrees of waste emitted by standard light bulbs. The lamp can stand alone on its weighted base or clamped to a table edge — your choice after forking over $130.

[Via Inhabitat]
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from engadget

Created by Julian Appelius and Fabien Dumas, this high-tech dinner table boasts LEDs that light up only when items are placed on top of it.

When an object—usually transparent—interrupts the path of the light through the table, the light gets transferred into the object and lights it up all pretty-like

[via Gizmodo]
from techeblog

Considering that the smokers in the house have probably already set up an import to get one of Golden Dragon’s e-cigarettes shipped over, why not do yet another good deed and rid yourself of that fossil fuel-wasting lighter? All jesting aside, it seems that a Portuguese webstore is stocking a rather vivid new way to start fires (and open bottles, too) using the sun, and thankfully, it doesn’t involve a magnifying glass and days of patience. The device is equipped with a built-in solar panel that reportedly utilizes sunlight or artificial light to charge up internal Li-ions, and with the presumed flick of a switch, the device flings out a “continuous series of sparks” that should get that pilot light going. Apparently, this thing isn’t meant to be a flamethrower of any sort, but if you’re out of matches and have tons of dry lint, you can snag one of these uber-green fire starters for €13.90 ($19).

[Via UberReview]
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from engadget

These days, a lamp needs to be more than just a lighting instrument, and while the 8AM task lamp doesn’t sport integrated speakers, an FM radio, or solar panels, it does go a long way in cleaning up clutter and reaching hard-to-light areas. Constructed from braided electric wire and an aluminum clamping system, this design-centric light allows users to create their own lighting scenario by bending and folding the post, and the rigid structure enables some fairly eye-catching poses to be struck. Furthermore, the device brightens your day more and more each time you touch the clamp, but we’re sure a clap-sensitive setup could be installed if that’s your thing. Apparently, this creation is still in the prototype stage, but the commercial appeal on this one is pretty glaring.

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from engadget

Termites be warned: Australian outfit Termicam is bringing the noise Predator-style with the Termibot, a dual-tread thermal imaging robot designed to eliminate insects. The bot scoots around inside walls and under houses relaying information from its thermal camera and moisture sensors back to an operator, and when termite (or other insect) activity is detected, it uses a probe to smash the nest and inject pesticides directly where they’re needed. While we’re not certain we need to help robots perfect the techniques they’ll use to ferret out the last remnants of the human resistance, we’re not too worried yet — the Termibot is currently tethered to its operator with a long cable. The designer says a fully wireless version is in the works and will be brought to market later this year, however — it’s being held up while the business experiences some growing pains. Termicam also says they’re also looking to expand the uses for the bot to other applications where that thermal camera might come in handy, like bomb disposal and search and rescue — looks like the PackBot’s got some competition.

[Via Crave]
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from engadget

Hey, we can’t all live in the pimped out mansions or nicely appointed lodges, but an NYU graduate student is making it her personal mission to do something substantial about it. The living portable project has yielded a cardboard-based Shell House contraption that requires just $35 worth of material, a bit of time, and a hearty dose of generosity. The DIY project allows interested citizens to build collapsible houses for homeless individuals, and moreover, gives them an opportunity to experience ubiquitous computing by way of an integrated radio network. Moreover, you can couple this with a homegrown solar heater, and you’ve got yourself a date with nature.

[Via Core77]
Read – Instructions on building a Shell House
Read – Shell House homepage

From engadget

From techeblog:
This annoying Flying Clock won’t turn off until you return the propeller-driven key to its base. Video demonstration after the break.

The propeller flies the key high into the air and off into some dusty corner. You have to force your sleep addled brain into wakefulness, move your stiff legs and retrieve the key before the alarm goes off. By the time you’ve done so, you’re awake enough at least to go make a pot of coffee

[Via BoingBoing]
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from engadget

[Via CNET]
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from engadget

Designed by Sun Liang, the “Ring Faucet” “visually frames flowing water in a circular fashion, giving you a full view of the water just as it falls over the edge.” No word yet on if this concept will go into production. One more picture after the jump.

The opening orifice at the spout end lets in natural light which illuminates the flowing water for a striking view. Water is ‘reinstated’ as a precious element, like a fine diamond

[via Gizmodo - YankoDesign]
from techeblog