bender
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The exquisite art and subculture of Def Con’s (unofficial) badges
A series of tweets sent me and other Def Con attendees scrambling to get to the Caesers Palace pool as quickly as possible. I cut short a conversation, shoved my gear in my bag and ran out of the press room without an explanation. I was after a piece of art. A piece of tech. But mostly I was excited about adding to my growing collection. I was on the hunt for Puffy, one of dozens of unofficial Def Con badges available for sale at the annual hacker conference from build-teams from all over the world. It's a piece of electronics shaped like a fish, and I decided I must have it.
Japan builds a better robot bender, still doesn't run on beer
Futurama may have set an unreasonably high bar for the next-generation bending unit, but Opton's T-WIN20 KDM inches slightly closer to the perfect drinking buddy of tomorrow. Unlike traditional robot benders, the T-WIN20 KDM can process and bend objects without the need for human assistance. It won't run off (or brew) Beer like MomCorp's premier bending unit, but forgoing meatbag assistance is a start. Check out the ¥15,500,000 ($194,000) pipe mangler after the break.
World's smallest Donkey Kong cabinet delivers authentic arcade experience for tiny fingers (video)
This, friends, is a work of art. Above is a stunning, fully-functional recreation of the original Donkey Kong arcade cabinet -- and it's only 8.25 inches tall. The accomplished modder Bender posted his handiwork on the Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum and it's sure to wow even the most cynical of folks. At the heart of this build is a hacked up GamePark GP2X Wiz running MAME, but it's the attention to detail, including the printed vinyl decals and light-up marquee, that really pull this (supposedly world's smallest) 1/8 scale project together. Check out the gallery below and the pair of lengthy demo videos after the break. En garde Mr. Heck! %Gallery-122811% [Thanks, Brian]
Video: Riken and BSI-Toyota robot goes on a neural bender
You're looking at a very Futurama like man-robot from the latest mashup to hit the industry. This one has a brain. It's the result of research from Riken and BSI-Toyota whose goal is to develop robots and automotive systems driven by neurotechnology akin to that of our carbon-based brains. The research is expected to result in more sophisticated auto-safety technology, mind-controlled machinery, and a new breed of baby-shoe wearing robots for domestic friendship and health care. Fortunately, this wobbly tyke has a long way to go before he begins bending the steel girders required to produce the forced-suicide booths of our doom. First steps after the break.[Via Impress]
Venturesome DIY'er building Futurama's Bender
Futurama fans (and Bender freaks in particular) may need to be sitting down when viewing this one, as we're fairly certain you'll be at least somewhat blown away by what lies ahead. On a whimsical request from a friend, a pioneering lad set out to not only create a lifelike rendition of Bender, but to "give it a brain" and make it brew beer (saywha?). Judging by his other endeavors, this won't go down as the first alcohol-related project he's undertaken, but he's well on his way to creating what's sure to be a fanboy's dream. The creature is being constructed with an assortment of MDF, glue, polystyrene balls, fiberglass, paint, and all sorts of electronic internals, and while it's not quite complete as of this writing, feel free to bookmark the read link and tag along as the process unfolds.
Marcus Fenix is Bender, Bender is Marcus Fenix
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/Marcus_Fenix_is_Bender_Bender_is_Marcus_Fenix'; Gears of War's protagonist Marcus Fenix is voiced by John Di Maggio, the same actor who voiced Bender in the television series Futurama. Aside from the hilarity of the two characters sounding completely different, it's great when an actor can pull off the "I would have never guessed that unless I read the credits" situation. Some readers may be old enough to remember the shock when you found out that Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker in Star Wars) was the voice of The Joker on Batman: The Animated Series. Some other random trivia is Courtenay Taylor, who played lesbian Jedi Juhani in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, was also the voice of those naughty twins from the beginning of God of War, numerous female characters in Everquest II and the voice of Wonder Woman in Justice League Heroes.Searching through IMDB.com for your favorite games will unleash a treasure trove of voice actors you recognize from many different games and shows. If you are an anime fan, put in your favorite show and most of those actors are recognizable for their voice talents in many video games as well.
The Leela case mod
We don't cover that many case mods 'round here, but once in a while one comes along that's just impossible for us to ignore. After completing his Bender case last year, would-be Zapp Brannigan here decided to tackle a member of the Futurama crew a little closer to his heart for his next project, crafting this likeness of Leela out of nothing more than a store mannequin and pressure foam. Like the best case mods, it also incorporates some added functionality with Leela's eye serving as a webcam, LCD displays fitted into her arm bands, and a removable thumb that doubles as a literal thumb drive (we must have missed that episode). Alright, now who's gonna be the first to put Richard Nixon's head on their desk?
