underpants
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Simavita's electronic underpants TXT you when they're wet
People like to joke about incontinence when it happens to someone else, but for nursing staff or those taking care of the elderly it's simply another duty that must be managed. The SIM cycle system from Australian company Simavita makes things a little easier with text messaging. The system, which is now being deployed at nursing homes following successful clinical trials, involves a replaceable pad with electronic leads that detect moisture. Those leads are run to the SIM box, which sends a text message to the resident nurse when it's, uh, changing time. This should enable the staff to spend less time peeking in unsightly places and more time helping those who need it. Meanwhile, reports can be generated from the system to keep track of incontinence problems -- which could also be useful for parents trying to monitor their kids' World of Warcraft marathons.
Pardo at GDC lunch: It's all about nailing the execution
Blizzard isn't making too much of an appearance at any of the gaming conventions this year (save for, of course, BlizzCon), but they are floating around the Game Developers Conference going on on San Francisco this week -- Rob Pardo showed up at a luncheon panel yesterday to talk with luminaries like Will Wright and Warren Spector about the latest trends in social gaming. He was actually introduced by Nolan Bushnell, the founder of Atari, who said that "social is buying someone a drink," not "sitting around in your underpants," but said that Pardo manages "maybe the largest group of people in their underpants in the world." Funny.Pardo defended the game, saying that what was once a hobby for outcasts has now become quite cool and that no matter what you're sitting around in, the people who play WoW are people with real relationships, responsibilities, and lives. And he says later in the chat that Blizzard doesn't necessarily aim for innovation, but for "nailing the execution." That's something Nintendo does as well, he said, and many times, that's the key in game development. You don't necessarily have to get it first, but you do have to get it right.The rest of the conversation wanders away from MMOs (and Pardo), but it is a fun look into what these gaming development greats are thinking about what's next. Stay tuned to both us and Massively for more coverage from GDC -- Jeff Kaplan is scheduled to be on a panel there today, and we'll bring you news of that soon.
J-ware odor-free underwear could hit Targets, midsections soon
Truthfully, there's just not enough work being done in the area of advanced underpants, so we're absolutely elated to hear that textile experts at Japan Women's University in Tokyo are picking up the slack and moving forward with an amazing development. Koichi Wakata, the first Japanese astronaut to live on the International Space Station, is current testing the "odor-free" clothing, and it's said that he can rock the same drawers without any pungent smells for a solid week. The garb is designed to "kill bacteria, absorb water, insulate the body and dry quickly," and as if that wasn't awesome enough, they're also flame-resistant and anti-static. The best news? There are already talks of bringing this stuff to the commercial realm. Don't deny it -- you're already thinking of how stellar it'd be to wash clothes just once per month.
Philips dreams up underwear-infused blood pressure monitoring system
Before long, hardware-laden undergarments will be a necessity in life. After all, we've already seen underwear that fends off cellphone radiation, and now Philips is looking to create a pair that actually monitors one's blood pressure continually. A recent patent application from the firm details a "wearable" system, but it does point out that "it is particularly suitable for implementation in a continuously wearable undergarment with integrated measuring sensors or electrodes, so as to be directly in contact with the subject's skin." We can only assume that if these actually make it beyond the drawing board that they'll have an integrated wireless module in order to beam out vitals at all hours of the day, but we're personally a little wary about having all this hardware so close to, um, our hardware.[Via NewScientistTech]
Isabodywear underwear fends off cellphone radiation
If you thought donning tin foil caps was excessive, Isabodywear is out to make those contraptions looks mighty mild. While the debate about just how dangerous (or not) cellphone radiation is still rages on, there's certainly a paranoid sect that will snap up anything that claims to "protect them," and this Swiss garb maker is latching onto said opportunity. The briefs are purportedly constructed with threads made of silver, which the company claims will fend off harmful cellphone radiation; moreover, in an effort to really prove just how effective these undergarments are, it suggests that phone calls originated within the confines of your new underwear simply won't connect. Reportedly, 4,000 pairs have been created so far, and for folks willing to give these a try and fill out a survey, the first 500 of you to email in and request one will seemingly have one sent out gratis. There's no word on when you can expect the Slipways to hit the market, but they should sell for CHF29.90 ($24) apiece when retailers start stocking.[Via Textually]
