Gearfuse

Here’s an idea I seriously can’t believe hasn’t been implemented yet: generating electricity through solar cells on sunglasses. It makes sense. When it’s very sunny out, you pop on shades and you’re good to go. Why can’t we mount panels to them to generate small bits of energy? You could then use said energy to power an MP3 player or recharge a cellphone.

That’s the idea with these Self-Energy Converting Glasses from designers Hyun-Joong Jim and Kwang-Seok Jeong.

The dye solar cell is described by the designers of the SIG as “cheap organic dye [used with] nano technology [providing] cheap but high energy efficiency.” Inexpensive, light, and visible-ray penetrable. The lens turns sunlight rays, (rays that would otherwise harm the eye,) into electrical energy.

I think we’ll be there by 2010. What do you think?

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Check out this USB “hand warmer” stick. It doesn’t have the finger grips that the other USB hand warmer has, but it costs a dollar more. Strange.

Oh, who am I kidding. This thing is as much for your hands as a monitor is for your head. In truth, this is a covert dildo for pleasuring either yourself, a loved one or maybe even a one night stand. The fact of the matter is, you never know when a heated dildo will come in handy.

C’mon, this isn’t exactly a beanbag-looking hand warmer. This is a stick. Not just any regular stick, either. It’s curiously shaped to fit every orifice of the human body. It’s great for vagina, too. I don’t know about you, but a $12 dollar heated dildo is as cheap as they come. I would know – I own two.

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This clock burns with the power of lemons. No, really. This is a digital clock that is powered by citric acid. The wood plank has two spikes of copper and zinc built into it. Put half of a lemon on each spike and be amazed at how it runs on a single lemon for an entire week. It’s magic.

Looking for an ideal project for your school’s next science fair? This is one that will surely have you taking home first prize. It’s not available for purchase but you could always make one. That’s what science fairs are all about.

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When one thinks of a submarine, solar energy is the furthest thing from their mind. After all, submarines dive down deep below the ocean’s surface where the sun does not shine. The Swiss energy company, BKW is a little more optimistic than myself. It’s unveiled the GOLDFISH project, which will feature the world’s first solar powered submarine.

How will they do it? How could they possibly get the sun to energize solar panels underneath the sea? The answer is quite simple: bring the solar panels to the surface. Duh! A floating solar array that takes on the appearance of a water lily will be capable of producing 30 kilowatts of electricity. Currently, BKW is still looking for investors for this project so that it may begin building it. The project is estimated to cost about $8.85 million. If you’ve got more money than you know what to do with, here’s an investment that could help save the planet and make you look good while doing it.

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This is just hilarious. Even more so than the World Of Warcraft treadmill race across Azeroth. It’s a human-powered mobile treadmill by Alex Astilean. Technically the equivalent of a large hamster wheel for humans, this mobile treadmill will have everyone in the park giving you funny looks. Just be careful not to hit anyone. With the momentum this thing could potentially build up, who knows what kind of damage it could do?

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Earlier, Ryan spotted some DIY speakers made from paper cups and a pair of headphones. Now Arms22 is one-upping designer Dimitry Zagga with speakers made from Starbucks cups. They actually use a power amplifier, meaning they’ll crank your tunes out at a respectable volume. If you want to make your own, go for it, as the instructions are available online. The caveat? They’re in Japanese.

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We don’t get the chance to see many snakebots. There’s the Japanese M-Tran, a shape shifting robot, but that hardly counts as a snakebot. Anna Konda, however, is very much a snakebot. Despite looking and acting very similarly to a penis, Anna is really a firefighter.

Anna has 20 joints, each with 33 degrees of freedom, giving it an extensive range of movement. What makes Anna such a stalwart firefighter is not only does it shoot water, it’s powered by water. Each joint module contains hydraulic valves and cylinders capable of handling up to 1450 PSI of water pressure. The downside is, Anna will never go wireless. Fire hoses aren’t wireless, are they?

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In light of this coming Sunday’s Handcar Regatta, a race of human-powered rail-track creations, the team over at Almost Scientific have created a ginormous 10 feet tall 10 feet wide hamster wheel they’re calling the Lumbering Contraption. What purpose does it serve? Well, it controls a slew of doohickeys that mobilize a giant nose picking machine. Weird, right?  If only we could use human-sized hamster wheels.

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My father had a water-powered calculator once. I remember specifically when I was little, he’d go over to his magic water bottle, uncork it, pour the magic water into his glass and would go out to the porch for hours. I’d pull on his shirt and ask for ice cream and he’d reply “Go away. I’m calculating.” Now it all makes sense. Take the calculator, remove the battery, add a little magic water and voila! Up to three months of power before you have to add more. It’s a steal at $25, especially when magic water goes for $20 per 750ml these days.

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We enjoy the idea of concept cars. Whether they be gas-guzzling, budget crippling powerhouses or eco-friendly, self sufficient carts, we support car design ingenuity. However, the Peugeot+ is a design as goofy as its name. There is nothing “plus” about a car missing one wheel. This cicada-esque design is said to be a combination between scooter and car.

So, why is it plus and not minus? Well, it’s environmentally friendly so that’s a plus, but it’s powered by a smaller electric engine that has about as much kick as your lawnmower. That’s a minus.

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