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animal posts

Penguin USB drive is infinitely cute, hilarious

by Darren Murph, posted Jun 10th 2009 at 11:02AM

It's not like we haven't seen slightly funny / interesting / unorthodox USB flash drives before, but there's just something about a headless penguin hanging from a USB port that gets us chuckling. Available in 2/4/8/16GB capacities, the simply titled Penguin drive even gives a portion of its proceeds to the World Wildlife Fund, providing you with even more reason to cave to the urge and pick one up. This little fellow's up on Amazon right now for $12.95 to $42.95.

Gallery: Penguin USB drive is infinitely cute, hilarious

Remote Pet Feeder feeds your pet, encourages your animal voyeurism habit

by Laura June, posted Jun 9th 2009 at 9:52AM

The last time we saw a computerized internet-controlled pet feeder, it had been lovingly, creatively cobbled together by a child. Well, it seems the idea's really got legs, as they now seem to be available on a mass-scale, in a nearly identical (albeit slightly more polished) form. Yes, just like the one designed by a boy somewhere in the 8-years-old-range, the Remote Pet Feeder comes with a webcam, a slightly modded bulk kibble feeder / bowl combo, and a 24-hour programmable timer. It's available now for about $290.

[Via Coolest Gadgets]

Intelligent cat door utilizes Twitter, RFID masterfully

by Darren Murph, posted Apr 9th 2009 at 12:21AM

What goes well with a communication-enabled water dish? Why, a Twitter / RFID-enabled kitty door, of course! The so-called Tweeting Cat Door is undoubtedly the most hilarious, insightful and useful DIY contraption we've ever seen to wed RFID, social networking and computer programming. Essentially, this homegrown cat door was crafted to only open when Gus or Penny walks up with their super special RFID tags; once they approach, a mounted camera snaps a picture and uploads it (along with a quip) to Twitter. Don't deny it -- your feline is steaming with envy from the corner of your desk right now.

[Via Switched]

Jacketed hamsters demonstrate movement-powered nanogenerators

by Darren Murph, posted Feb 27th 2009 at 12:33AM

Imagine this -- one day, with enough steroids, your pet hamster actually could power your home by just running on its wheel. Georgia Tech researchers have discovered ways to "convert even irregular biomechanical energy into electricity," and it's demonstrating the finding by showing off jacket-wearing rodents that are game to run. According to the institution's Zhong Lin Wang, the minuscule nanogenerators "can convert any mechanical disturbance into electrical energy," which theoretically means that power can be driven by simple, irregular mechanical motion such as the vibration of vocal cords, flapping of a flag or the tapping of fingers. As with most of these university discoveries, there's no telling how soon this stuff will be pushed out to the commercial realm, but at least they've found something to keep the rats busy during the off hours.

[Via news:lite, thanks Charles]

Continue reading Jacketed hamsters demonstrate movement-powered nanogenerators

Geolocator-equipped backpacks to track bird migrations

by Darren Murph, posted Feb 13th 2009 at 10:26AM

We've seen birds tasked with carrying around sensors in order to provide data about external happenings, but up until now, tracking birds' migration patterns from start to finish has been a tedious, if not impossible task. Gurus from York University in Toronto have apparently figured out the solution, and it all sounds much simpler than you might imagine. By equipping birds with minuscule "backpacks" -- which weigh less than a dime and use geolocators to collect all sorts of information about flight times, patterns, stopovers and speed -- scientists can get an accurate look at where the animals were and when they were there. In a recent test involving 34 birds, researchers were able to retrieve the packs from 7, and while that may not be a majority, biologist J. M. Stutchbury noted that this "was 7 more than anybody else." Right you are, Doc.

[Via New York Times, image courtesy of PaulNoll]

iBone chew toy gives sneak peek at dog-centric App Store

by Darren Murph, posted Oct 24th 2008 at 10:48AM

We're going out on a limb here and assuming that the Haute Diggity Dog iBone comes jailbroken and ready to rock, or at least that's the impression we get from checking out that heretofore unseen bevy of icons. Customized for the "tech savvy dog on the go," this here iPhone chew toy gives dear Fido access to bark / hand-shake training, posture lessons, Washington Huskies sports updates (it's the Clemson Tigers in all honesty, but work with us here), a mysterious fitness app and a bone application for times when supper just seems too far away. You know your pup's worth the $11.95, you just know it.

[Via textually]

Vladimir Putin finally acquires satellite collar for his dog

by Darren Murph, posted Oct 18th 2008 at 2:46AM

Just under a year ago, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin announced his hopes that one day he could pinpoint the location of his black Labrador, Koni, at any time of the day. Today, a dream has been realized. Mr. Putin has finally procured a satellite collar that will enable him to track the lab regardless of which of the eleven times zones she may be in while waltzing through Russia. Once the collar was slipped on, Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov immediately said "she looks sad, her free life is over." Putin didn't miss a beat when snapping back: "In Soviet Russia, GLONASS track you!"

[Image courtesy of Picasa, thanks MJ]

Speakal's iPig speaker system rolls in the mud with your iPod

by Darren Murph, posted Aug 13th 2008 at 9:02PM

For those of you (we know, pretty much everyone in existence) who already picked up a set of Pink Pig PC speakers a few years back, you can carry on with your daily routine. For everyone else that owns an iPod, hold it right there. Speakal is delivering the iPod docking iPig, a unique speaker system that packs five total drivers (including a 4-inch subwoofer), adjustable bass controls, 360-degree sound distribution and a very debatable design. You'll also find a 3.5-millimeter auxiliary jack for hooking up every other source, and the bundled remote makes it easy to switch tracks and such from your sofa. The only problem? That $139.99 price tag. Check the full release after the jump.

Continue reading Speakal's iPig speaker system rolls in the mud with your iPod

Ear-A-Round headsets keep tabs on cows, make farming easier

by Darren Murph, posted Aug 6th 2008 at 8:02AM

In no way are we insinuating that farming is ever "easy," but a new headset designed for cows could make cattle herding a much less stressful experience. The Ear-A-Round headsets are the product of a project involving the USDA and MIT, and essentially, the GPS-infused devices would transmit stereo sounds directly in a bovine's ears in order to guide and direct his / her movements. Strange though the head-worn gizmos may look, the built-in solar panel should keep it juiced up and ready to dictate on command, giving farmers the ability to track and herd from the comfort of their computer desks. The overriding goal here is to "improve animal distribution on the landscape," though we can think of quite a few other positives to having such a robust virtual fencing system.

[Via Core77]

Video: pigeon learns to "play" Tap Tap Revenge

by Darren Murph, posted Aug 3rd 2008 at 10:52AM

It's hard to say if the pigeon you see above actually understood what he / she was doing, but apparently these birds can be taught to at least play App Store games in a very poor manner. The creature's owner does note that Mr. Pigeon was pretty awful at racking up high scores on Tap Tap Revenge, but the important thing to realize here is that pigeon pecks do register as presses on the screen. Now that this is all out in the open, we fully expect a follow-up video next week of someone teaching their bird to dial a number on command. Vid's after the break.

Continue reading Video: pigeon learns to "play" Tap Tap Revenge

WowWee's Alive White Tiger Cub gets unboxed, showcased on video

by Darren Murph, posted Jul 22nd 2008 at 9:21AM

It has been a hot minute since WowWee let the Alive animals out of the zoo, but this particular White Tiger Cub has just recently been loosed from its cage. Although it's just dying for an I Can Has Cheezburger? caption (feel free to drop your best in comments below), this cute cat looks to be the perfect play toy for small children or adults hoping to rekindle some of that youthful innocence. We're also told that the eyebrow and mouth movements are "quite realistic," but its the individual personality that really makes it worth coming back to. Check out the unboxing and a brief review in the read link, and peek a video of the feline in action after the cut.

Continue reading WowWee's Alive White Tiger Cub gets unboxed, showcased on video

DIY Automatic Fish Feeder is outstandingly simple, rewarding

by Darren Murph, posted Jul 21st 2008 at 4:25AM

Look, that USB-powered fish tank was fine during your teenage years of irresponsibility, but it's really about time you started acting your age. Of course, we're not suggesting you actually work harder -- just smarter, is all. The DIY Automatic Fish Feeder is an exceptionally cheap, easy and almost life-changing creation that will never, ever forget to keep your fishes well fed and well lit. By attaching a makeshift pill bottle dispenser to a timer, Baha Tanju was able to create an automatic feeder that barely requires any attention. We know fish have a way of forgetting everything they ever knew every three seconds or so, but they'll love you three seconds at a time for never leaving 'em hungry.

[Via Hack-A-Day]

Robofish communicate with each other, engage in synchronized swimming

by Darren Murph, posted Jun 9th 2008 at 10:23PM

Traditional fish should definitely start keeping their guard up, as we've seen a noticeable influx of robotic alternatives flapping around here recently. Joining the school today is the Robofish, a robotic swimming creature developed at the University of Washington. Reportedly, a trio of the units have been built, and during a recent workshop, the bots were able to communicate with one another and successfully swim in either one direction or in different directions. Eventually, researchers hope that these mechanical animals could explore underwater caves, track moving targets or plunge beneath ice sheets, but there's still work to be done before the creature's coordination ability is up to the challenge. Just keep swimming, just keep swimming...

[Via Slashdot]

WowWee's Wrex the Dawg reviewed: puts real canines to shame

by Darren Murph, posted Jun 4th 2008 at 12:24PM

Unless you've specifically been lookin' out, you may have very well forgotten about WowWee's crazed robotic dog that was uncaged at CES. After lasting through its first few days of training (which we'll call a review for our purposes), we're led to believe that this pup is "the silliest robot you'll ever love." Reviewers weren't shy in calling it like it saw it, as Wrex was hailed as "absolutely terrible at being a dog and even worse at being a robot." Of course, it's fairly easy to see this bugger was meant to provide comedic relief and not sophisticated companionship, so those pointers aren't exactly negative. Overall, Wrex is almost guaranteed to make you chuckle on a daily basis, and if you don't believe that, just check out the video waiting after the break.

[Via MAKE]

Sparky the robodog reacts accordingly to surroundings

by Darren Murph, posted Jun 1st 2008 at 5:47AM

Hate to say it, but Pleo ain't got nothing on Sparky. Created by five interaction design master students, this robodog actually responds in sensible ways to positive / negative scenarios going on around it. For instance, the creature will drop its head, whimper and collapse down if faced with "carbon monoxide, cigarette smoke, alcohol, too much dark lighting, hitting and yelling." Consequently, he'll perk up and show signs of excitement when standing in broad daylight or going on walks. All the pluses of having your own pet, minus the excrement and doggy daycare costs -- brilliant! Peep Sparky's day out on the town after the jump.

Continue reading Sparky the robodog reacts accordingly to surroundings