Geek culture

Chatty Japanese robot to be astronaut's space buddy

Astronauts and robot sidekicks go together like Dave and HAL 9000, like Will Robinson and B9, like Doctor Who and K9. Soon, that illustrious list will grow longer with the addition of a Japanese astronaut and Kirobo, a conversational robot companion.

Kirobo looks like a cross between Astro Boy and a Power Ranger, all rendered in miniature. Since the bot's job is to be a companion, not a worker. It's very compact in size, just 13 inches tall and a little over 2 pounds in weight.… Read more

This is what happens when a jet engine explodes during takeoff

Not all the airport excitement is happening in Moscow.

Please imagine that you were one of the 325 happy passengers leaving Manchester, England, on Monday on your way to the Dominican Republic.

You are cheery because the weather in the Dominican is likely to be rather more divine than the weather in Manchester.

Your Airbus 330 (operated by vacation airline Thomas Cook) is picking up speed in order to take you skyward. … Read more

The 404 1,291: Where we paddle out to North Brother island (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- What happens when you install every adware, toolbar, and plug-in offered for download on the Internet?

- Great comments on YouTube for Jeff.

- Cheap vacation: An abandoned island in the middle of NYC.

- You can now buy a spray at Home Depot that makes anything wateproof.

- I usually don't get excited about iPad cases, but this one takes me back.… Read more

'Game of Thrones' Legos spice up the toy box

My bet is that somewhere out there in the Crave audience, some dedicated "Game of Thrones" fan has constructed a scale version of The Wall and Castle Black, if not the entirety of Westeros, out of nothing but Legos.

I admire such dedication to both the universe of George R.R. Martin and to brickcraft, so here's a tip to add a bit more realism to your project.… Read more

Dresses writhe and glow only when someone is looking

Most dresses are made by fashion designers. It takes a special dress to also require the efforts of a robotic designer. Fashion designer Ying Gao brought in robotics designer Simon Laroche to help create (No)where (Now)here, two dresses that activate when someone looks at them.

The gaze-activated dresses incorporate eye-tracking technology. When the dress detects a person's gaze, it moves and lights up in the dark. The undulating dresses are mesmerizing to look at. The fabric moves like gentle waves, making them look alive, like some strange ocean denizens.… Read more

Latte printer puts portraits on your cup of joe

It takes a steady hand and creative sensibilities to craft great coffee art. Still, there are certain limitations to the medium. It's hard, for example, to create a somewhat photo-realistic image. Unless you have a latte printer that can do it for you.

Taiwan coffee chain Let's Cafe has a series of kiosk-like locations. It's in competition with chains that run full stores. To separate itself, the company introduced a marketing gimmick that combines portraits, printing, mobile, and a steaming hot cup of coffee.

The Let's Cafe latte printer works when customers upload an image from their mobile phone to the machine. Put a cup of joe under it and the machine sprinkles the image onto the top of the latte in the form of cocoa powder. Text can also be added, so conceivably you could make your own drinkable LOLcats.… Read more

Cardboard bicycle starts $2 million crowdfunding campaign

Izhar Gafni has created a bicycle out of $9 worth of cardboard that feels sturdy, rides well, and looks pretty nifty. A lot of people have wanted to know when they can get one of their own.

A new Indiegogo campaign aims to launch the unusual bike to the world.

The bike may be made of cardboard, but it can hold up to 400 pounds and is both fire and water resistant. It uses recycled cardboard, plastic, and rubber.… Read more

Play Pac-Man as a first-person horror game

You are caught in a dark maze full of glowing orbs. You're hungry and only the orbs can feed your insatiable appetite. But at each turn, danger lurks. Merciless ghosts haunt your every move. This is the story of Pac-Man.

Freelance game developer Tom Davies has converted Pac-Man into a first-person shooter gaming experience that mines the darker side of the classic. FPS-Man is free to play on gaming site Kongregate.… Read more

iFetch: Ball launcher keeps dog drool off you

Dog ownership is full of delight and responsibiltiy. Dogs require a long-term commitment to love and play with them. For those days when you don't feel like tossing a drool-slathered ball, there will soon be a machine to do it for you.

The iFetch on Kickstarter has already more than doubled its funding goal.

Automatic ball-tossing machines aren't new. Intrepid dog-loving makers have been crafting their own devices and sharing them on YouTube for some time. For those who don't have the inclination or skills to DIY it, the iFetch could fill a need.… Read more