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Tetris played on 6-foot LED matrix, controlled by DDR mat
Watching two people play Tetris against each other is only slightly more entertaining than watching your stoner friends duke it in marathon Tekken sessions (read: not entertaining at all). But, we guarantee the video after the break is more interesting than it sounds. A trio of MIT students recreated the classic falling block game with six-foot tall arrays of LEDs (no cutesy Russia-inspired graphics here) and passed control duties off to a pair of Dance Dance Revolution mats. Look, just check out the video below and, if you're the ambitious type, you can get the code to create your own Tetris installation at the more source link. [Thanks, Russell]
Audi announces A2 electric concept car, uses lasers to ensure safety of future humans
Lasers make everything better, including (but not limited to): microphones, kidneys and Audi's electric A2 concept. This newest flight of fancy uses a laser diode as the rear fog lamp, which projects a red triangle onto the road to let other drivers know you're there. The German car-maker has tricked out the rest of the EV's lighting system as well by implementing matrix beam technology using LEDs and microreflectors -- giving it high resolution, non-glaring beams and intelligent tail lights that change in intensity based on weather conditions. Claiming other state-of-the-art features like gesture controls instead of keys, and brake lights that glow brighter the harder you press, it sounds like this would be a pretty sweet ride -- if it ever makes it to market. No word on the other, insignificant details (ya know, like what actually powers the thing) but there's plenty more about the car's lighting system in the PR after the break.
Sharp's energy-efficient LED ceiling lights are hip to be square
If you live in Japan and are looking to lower your household electricity bill, you might have to empty your bank account first. Sharp recently introduced its new line of ELM-branded LED ceiling lights and the highly energy-efficient, square-shaped bulbs won't come cheap -- retailing between 35,000 yen (about $456) and 55,000 yen (about $717). Pulling inspiration from the LEDs used in LCD televisions, the company was able to achieve an industry-leading 81.3 lumens per watt for the smallest of its three designs, and an average life of 40,000 hours for the entire lot . The energy-sipping set of overhead bulbs come housed in an insectproof shell, offering over 100-plus ambient light settings, controllable via remote. You can snag these utility-friendly lights on August 27th, just don't complain at the checkout when you see the price -- we warned you. Peep the video explanation after the break.
Rich Decibels Brainwave Disruptor scrambles your head, not your eggs
Child of the '80s? Then you'll most likely remember those notorious PSAs about your brain and eggs, and the dangers of turning yourself into an omelette. Yeah, well turn off your inner Nancy Reagan for a second because we've got an Arduino hack that should have you just saying yes. New Zealand artist Rich Decibels created a homebrew brain entrainment device that uses low frequency sound and light to induce different mental states. The mod pieces together an Arduino Uno with two separate interface boards -- one for pitch and separation controls, the other for LED and volume -- to deliver a combo of binaural beats (two slightly out of sync tones) and flashing headset-mounted lights that'll slow down those cerebral hertz cycles. If you happen to live in the land made famous by Frodo's Shire, you can check out the brain-slowing goods at Thistle Hall's Project Briefcase exhibition. Not a Kiwi? Then be sure to hit the source for an audio taste of this hacked head experience.
Sharp's Molecular Beam Epitaxy machine births components in its space-like womb (video)
A machine that builds other machines? Sounds like robot apocalypse time -- except it's not. This component-building, space-mimicking chamber of liquid nitrogen-cooled sterility gives birth to LEDs, not that kid from A.I. Housed in Sharp's Oxford Laboratory, the Molecular Beam Epitaxy machine moves atoms "almost individually...to build the basis of high tech electronics." Through the use of magnetic poles on the contraption's exterior (kind of like in foosball), researchers can virtually manipulate substrates and elements, allowing for precise control and untainted crystal growth. While this MBE isn't exactly new tech -- larger commercial-grade versions already exist -- it is noteworthy for its innovative petri-vacuum abilities. After all, progress has to start somewhere. Click past the break for the ominously toned video explanation.
ZeroTouch 'optical multi-touch force field' makes a touchscreen out of just about anything
The rise of tablets and smartphones has made the touchscreen a rather ubiquitous interface, but they aren't everywhere quite yet. A group of students from Texas A&M intend to change that, however, with the invention of ZeroTouch: a seemingly empty picture frame that lets you turn any surface into an interactive touchscreen. It might not look like much, but ZeroTouch is packing a series of pulsing LEDs and infrared sensors that turn that blank space into a highly sensitive surface. Basically, the strategically placed LEDs cover the open area in a sheet of invisible light. When a hand or stylus enters the picture (or lack there of), those beams are interrupted, providing cues to a piece of software that tracks the object's movement -- and boom! You've got a touchscreen. Of course, this isn't the sort of thing that's going to make it to market anytime soon, but you can check out ZeroTouch rocking the rippling water effect in the video below.
Arbonata Light Table classes up LEDs and dining rooms
Here's a solution for adding a little techno-flare to your furniture that's a bit more subtle than cramming computer parts into a coffee table. The Arbonata Light Table, available from nKcharms at the source link, impregnates stylish slabs of wood with over 1,700 LEDs arranged in the shape of a tree. According to designer Dennis Vetu, it's some sort of metaphor for the circle of life -- as he explains on the Arbonata site, "tree becomes wood, becomes light." Artsy prattle aside, we couldn't imagine sitting down to a ramen dinner on a classier surface. If you're not partial to branches and leaves though, nKcharms will work with customers to create unique designs. We might just order one emblazoned with a glowing Engadget logo. Sadly, there's no price listed, but then again, if you have to ask.... Don't miss the gallery below. %Gallery-121968%
Keyport ships Mini-LED, offers Slide in four splendiferous new hues
It ain't a mind-bending concept, but the Keyport Slide solves a problem that far too many humans have. Put simply, this multi-key tool allows users to store both key imprints and digital files in a single device, and for those on the hunt for something to match their Sunday best... well, look no further. The outfit has just introduced a foursome of new Slide colors: Gunmetal, Zircon Gold, Copper, and Champagne. Starter bundles are still listed at $79, and if you believe the outfit's CEO, there's "much more on the horizon." You know, like the initial shipments of its $10 Mini-LED, which was also revealed today. Tap that source link if you're gushing with joy (and we know you are).
Bridgelux silicon LED could mean bright future for solid state lighting
While Democrats and Republicans squabble over the future of the incandescent light bulb, a Livermore-based company has produced an LED that they claim could lead to brighter, more affordable solid state lighting. By growing gallium nitride on low-cost silicon wafers, as opposed to the typical sapphire and silicon carbide substrates, the company has achieved an output of 135lm/W (lumens per watt) with a color correlated temperature of 4730K-- brighter than any affordable LED lighting solution we've ever seen. Of course, this isn't the first time efficacy of this level has been achieved, and we've yet to see a practical application, but if Bridgelux's numbers are right, this could mean a 75 percent cut in LED production costs. The company expects the technology to make its way to real world lights in the next two to three years -- perhaps by then the furor over pigtail light bulbs will have settled a bit. Enlightening PR after the break.
Let there be light! Keyport Slide gets a LED insert
Okay, so maybe it's just the natural evolution of things, but it seems as if the purveyors of the Keyport Slide have finally given owners of the $80 key vault a LED-tipped insert so they can more easily unlock poorly lit keyholes everywhere. For those wishing to obtain such convenient luminescence, its up for preorder on the company's website for $9.99 (for the LED only of course), and if all goes well, it'll ship on March 18th. Ten bucks is steep for a couple of measly LEDs, but it sure beats the flashlight-in-mouth method (on a number of fronts).
Timescape Sci-Fi watch makes you work for the time of day, looks good doing it (video)
If you're like us, you don't mind working that grey matter to tell the time, especially if the watch your wearing looks and acts like something ripped from the U.S.S. Enterprise. The Timescape Sci-Fi watch, thus named for its cryptic time telling interface, sports a chrome exterior and uses a series of blue LEDs to illuminate a rectangular grid, giving you unique temporal readouts. Each line contains a series of dots representing minutes or hours, with the vertical lines displaying hours, the first three horizontal lines showing five-minute increments, and the last row offering exact minutes. Sound complicated? Well it is, but sometimes looking good takes a little work -- you think Uhura rolls out of bed looking like that? The Timescape Sci-Fi watch is now on sale exclusively from Gadgets and Gear for $70, but if you just like staring at shiny flashy things, we've got a video of the timepiece after the jump.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: of space elevators, floating cities and solar sheltered drinking machines
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. This week Inhabitat showcased several incredible examples of futuristic architecture, starting with an epic floating ark that houses a self-sustaining city at sea. We also saw a plan to harness carbon nanotubes to create the world's first space elevator, and we brought you an ingenious solar-powered shelter that harvests and purifies rainwater for drinking. In other news, Asia revved up the world of eco transportation as South Korea unveiled the world's first commercial electric bus, and Beijing launched a plan to cut eliminate gridlock by cutting vehicle registration by 2/3. We also checked in on the electric Bluebird supercar, which is gearing up to break the UK land speed record next year, and we took an in-depth look at the year's best electric vehicles. Finally, welcome to 2011! As the final countdown rang out we took a look at Times Square's dazzling 2011 eco ball, which is studded with 32,256 LEDs. We also looked back on Inhabitat's top green energy, transportation, and tech stories of 2010, and we rounded up the year's best green products and wearable technology concepts that stand to change the way we get dressed for the day. And if you're running errands this week to return any unwanted holiday gifts, check out Amazon's new preemptive return tool - it could save you a trip next year.
LVX System launches visible light communication in the US, finally
Ever wonder what happened to LEDs as a WiFi alternative? Well, wonder no more, because visible light communication is here -- in the municipal offices of St. Cloud Minnesota, at least. Starting tomorrow, LVX System, a Minnesota start-up, is installing the first of a series of LED fixtures that will use flashing lights to connect office workers to the internet, while saving big on the electric bill. The fixtures also function as regular overhead lights, using 36 watts of energy where 100 watts were once necessary. The setup consists of clusters of LEDs that switch on and off thousands of times per second at intervals undetectable to the human eye. The flashes emit binary code data -- off equals zero and on equals one -- that is received by special patented modems. Lights on these modems then transmit data back to the fixtures, and voila, you've got internet. According to LVX, light-powered networks are far less crowded and far more secure than their predecessors. Unfortunately, LVX's current incarnation transmits data at about 3Mbps -- a mere pittance compared to standard WiFi or Ethernet. Then again, 3Mbps is certainly fast enough for a city employee to perform really important tasks like keeping track of their favorite gadget blog, so we'll take it. [Thanks, Andrew]
DIY LED place cards are necessary -- if your wedding must be nerdy and work intensive
Weddings are stressful, but if you out your mind to it, they can really reflect who you are as a couple. That's what the above DIY LED place cards could do, should you choose to follow the instructions and make some for your special day... or whatever. Using acrylic sheeting, binder clips, lithium batteries and LEDs, a Dremel tool and a little gumption and you'll have special, super nerdy place cards whipped up in no time. As long as you're sure this project won't be a relationship-ender, hit up the source link to get in on the fun yourself.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: of mirror cubes and urban icebergs
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. With summer in full swing, this week Inhabitat watched the mercury rise as the world's largest thermostat burst forth with an array of 72,000 building-mounted LEDs. We also kept things cool with a remarkable plan to transform frozen construction sites into event-hosting urban icebergs. And if you haven't made plans for a summer vacation yet, might we recommend this stunning Swedish "Treehotel" housed within a silvery mirror cube in the sky? Heartening news rang forth from the renewable energy sector this week as a UN-backed study reported that the building of new renewable energy plants has officially overtaken fossil fuel plants in Europe and the US. We also took a look at two brand new types of power plants -- the world's first hydrogen-driven power plant in Italy and the first hybrid coal-solar power plant in Colorado. The past week also saw several remarkable advances in clean tech, starting with MIT's latest innovation, a new type of high-tech fiber that can transmit sound, light, and generate electricity. We also paid homage to one of our all-time favorite sources of (surprisingly green) home entertainment - the Roku Box.
Chinese scientists demonstrate 2Mbps internet connection over LED
LED data transmission used to be all the rage -- we fondly remember beaming Palm Pilot contacts via IrDA. Then we got omni-directional Bluetooth and building-penetrating WiFi, and put all that caveman stuff behind us. But now, scientists the world over are looking to bring back line-of-sight networking, and the latest demonstration has Chinese researchers streaming video to a laptop with naught but ceiling-mounted blue LEDs. The Chinese Academy of Sciences claims to have realized a 2Mbit per second internet connection that transmits data simply by modulating the flicker of the little diodes, and imperceptibly enough to have them serve as room lighting as well. Like Boston University before them, the Chinese scholars see short-range LED networks controlling smart appliances. It's not quite the gigabit speed you'd get from laser diodes, but this way you'll get more mileage out of those expensive new bulbs, eh?
The Home Depot takes LED lighting mainstream with $20 bulbs
Slowly but surely, LED light bulbs have been getting brighter and more efficient, but price has always been a major factor staying their adoption. Back in 2007, a single 308 lumen bulb cost $65, and the more things changed, the more they've stayed the same. Now, out of the blue, The Home Depot has stepped forward with a cost-effective alternative. For $20, the new EcoSmart LED bulb promises a 429 lumen, 40W equivalent with a 50,000 hour expected lifetime, making it cheaper and nearly as powerful as the 450 lumen, $40-50 design industry heavyweight GE unveiled last month. Best of all, it's already available for purchase (though backordered) at our source link. Honestly, we're starting to wonder what the catch is. PR after the break.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: salad spinners, diapers, and solutions to the Deepwater catastrophe
The Week in Green is a new item from our friends at Inhabitat, recapping the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us. This week renewable energy received a giant jolt forward as Google unveiled plans to invest $40 million in North Dakota wind farms. Solar power is also having a moment in the sun as MIT unveiled the world's first solar cells printed on paper - we can't wait to see a post-it version that we can stick to our walls! Meanwhile a team of Swiss researchers are harnessing rays of light for an entirely different purpose -- they've figured out a way to create rain clouds by shooting laser beams into the sky. With the Deepwater Horizon oil spill still saturating the sea weeks after the leak sprung, we also looked at an array of innovative solutions for cleaning up the catastrophe. The first step to stemming the spill's damage is predicting its spread, which is why scientists are harnessing advanced virtual reality models to aid in cleanup efforts. We also took a look at the BP's first massive oil containment dome, which the company plans to lower 5,000 feet below the sea to plug up the leak. This week we also looked at several ingenious inventions that find incredible new uses for everyday items. Two students at Rice University have transformed a simple salad spinner into a centrifuge that can save lives by diagnosing diseases, and a Japanese company called Super Faith has invented a machine that can transform used adult diapers into an energy source. Finally, we were dazzled by two high-tech garments that harness LEDs to light up the night. Katy Perry recently took to the red carpet wearing a shimmering gown studded with thousands of blinking rainbow lights, and we were impressed by this LED-laden coat that keeps bicyclists safe when they hit the streets at night.
Another optical wireless experiment shows us that LEDs will beam your future downloads
Beaming data with light is hardly a new thing, but lately we've seen a number of attempts at making it rather more usable and, more interesting, rather more speedy. We're starting to get the feeling that those maybe/maybe not dangerous microwave-based systems have had their days numbered. The latest to beam bits with blinkenlights is a team at the Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications in Germany, which will be showing its stuff at the always happenin' Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exposition in two weeks. The team was able to use a commercial LED and get an impressive 230Mb/s transfer rate, which doesn't compare to the gigabit Penn State managed or 500mb/s Siemens pulled off, but those were done using rather more specialized hardware (like the Siemens rig pictured above). It's interesting stuff, and we're looking forward to see the commercial applications for this tech, but we do have one nagging question: what if you want to surf in the dark?
Cold Feet wedding bouquet responds to your nerves on the big day
When geeks get married, there's always room for some nerdy insanity. This new take on the bouquet comes to us via just that route -- a couple of geeks getting hitched decided to DIY themselves an LED bouquet which responds to changes in Galvanic skin response (GSR). So, when the LEDs are blue, the person holding the flowers is essentially calm, whereas white LEDs indicate excitement. Now, the bouquet cannot actually tell us if the excitement stems from being overjoyed or horrified to find out that your intended owns a fully realized and accurate Quark costume, but at least it'll give you some clues to start with. Regardless, this awesome contraption is also capable of recording heartbeat rates for both bride and groom and makes use of a 1GB SD card to store the data, and other features like infrared proximity sensors to record how many times a day the bride and groom are near each other. Check out the video of the bouquet after the break. [Photo credit: Jonas Eriksson]
