August, 2007

Cup&Up By MIM

In the not-too-distant-future, you'll be able to have your sagging breasts lifted on your lunch hour! Well, just about.... An Israeli company, MIM (Minimally Invasive Mastopexy) has developed a two-hole breast lift procedure to insert what amounts to a permanent push-up bra under your breasts. How clever and how considerate!

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OK, face it.  You don't always love your job.  And many of us out there never love our job, but we do it because we have bills, right?  Well, if you need to vent about your boss, the constant lack of sustenance in your office, or the smelly IT guy, Disgruntled Workforce is the place to take your job woes and blog it out (did I just coin a new phrase?).  read more »

From Japan, the land that gave us living sushi, octopus balls and horsemeat ice cream comes a new taste sensation - of nausea! Crispy Wasp Rice Crackers made with real Digger Wasps... kinda like Honeycomb cereal with actual bees! read more »

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scientists have discovered a way to heal punctured lungs without the need for difficult invasive surgeries. Using a beam of ultrasound, doctors may be able to pinpoint the torn location, focus the hot rays, and cause blood cells to seal the wound. read more »

"Nanotechnology"--the very word sounds complicated to your average human being. But a 63-year-old leukemia patient from Florida who never earned a college degree recently designed a method using nanotechnology that may make chemotherapy an archaic treatment of the past. read more »

Equi-Spirit Soccer Ball

Stress can cause a variety of aggressive and fearful responses in animals. Think about zoo animals or "pets" that are captured in the wild and then confined to a courtyard or cage. Even domesticated animals have anxiety living in confined areas. Equine behaviorists have long recognized the negative effects of stable stress on horses, one of the most sensitive animals studied, and they have developed horse toys to help them reduce stress and have fun! read more »

A car-sized "flying saucer" has been developed by a company in Davis, California called Moller International. The saucer can carry 250 pounds, flies 10 feet high, and can be bought for $90,000. read more »

"The Internet is dead, long live the Internet!"... or something like that. The Japanese communications ministry is planning a new and improved post-Internet technology that will make today's spam & hacker infested web a thing of the past. The scary part? "Cooperating with other nations, including the United States, will be an option." read more »

 

 

 

 

 

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All of us out there have needed answers to our burning questions: How much does the Sun weigh? What's the proper usage of the word "palinode?" Exactly how many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop? (A question that is highly debatable I've found.) Many of the answers to these questions can be found on the extremely helpful Answerbag.com. Just type in your question, and then comb through the varied answers provided by the wonderful community that is the blogosphere.

tongue sucker

A first-aid device called the "tongue sucker" recently won first place in the prestigious INDEX award contest. The tongue sucker is used to easily open the airways in the throat of an unconscious person, allowing air to enter the lungs before paramedics arrive.

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Yoga is a system of physical and mental practices that originated in India more than three thousand years ago. Yoga's stated purpose is to help each one of us achieve our highest potential and to experience enduring health and happiness. With yoga, it is said that we can extend our healthy, productive years far beyond the accepted norm and, at the same time, improve the quality of our lives. (specialyoga.com )

Does yoga really offer all that or is it just the newest fad? read more »

In the picture above there is an innovative man's black outdoor jacket that not only looks nice but protects your body too. Come rain, bullets or a stabbing don't worry. With this jacket you will be protected because it is waterproof, bulletproof and stab proof all at the same time. read more »

Imagine a Sumo match from a science fiction nightmare and you've got Japan's IWBC... sharp thrusting horns, shining jet black carapaces and fiendishly spiky grasping legs - twelve of them - furiously locked into an epic struggle at the recent Insect World Battle Championships! read more »

Earlier this week, on August 23, Sony announced the development of a bio battery prototype that generates electricity from sugar. A bio battery is an electricity generation device that uses energy sources such as carbohydrates (ex: sugar), protein, amino acids and fat by digesting enzymes. The bio battery works by pouring sugar solution into the unit, where enzymes break it down to generate electricity. read more »

 

"Celebrating color, customization and personal expression, adidas presents adicolor Podcasts, an inspired collection of short films conceived specifically for iPod, PSP or online viewing from seven of the most exciting and culturally relevant directors working today." (Ads of the World) read more »

The "Stork's Cradle", an insulated drop box for babies in Japan's southern city of Kumamoto, has already saved 6 newborn babies from an uncertain fate. read more »

Today, there are hundreds of websites for kids. Kids can go online and play games, learn about space, discover how-to crafts, dress up there virtual dolls, learn how to read with their favorite cartoon characters or just chat online with pen pals from all over the world. As many websites as there are for children, there are few environmentally focused websites specially made for kids, that is until The Greens came along. read more »

The overriding need for a computer mouse to be functional and comfortable doesn't leave much room for fun, but with the USB Optical Liquid Mouse, the clever folks at Thanko - as usual - have managed to make your humble mouse both comfy AND cute! read more »

Christian Wohlmuther, who owns a clothing business that sells traditional Austrian attire based in Bad Mitterndorf, Austria, sold his first pair of luxury lederhosen — decorated with 166 diamonds — to a German buyer who lives in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, earlier this summer for $114,000. read more »

Cutting-edge virtual reality has demonstrated that a "multi-sensory" conflict is the underlying mechanism of out-of-body experiences. With this understanding, researchers have succeeded in "tricking" subjects into thinking they are separate from their bodies. read more »

Innovative Asian Michael Chen finds inspiration in Asia and designs illuminating activewear. read more »

 

The Bobcat™ by Total Diva Pets

Several of the poshist "pet lifestylists" were featured in the 2007 Second Annual Pet Fashion Week last week in New York City. Designers of bedding, clothing, carriers, jewelry, hairstyles, and even fragrance for pets were represented, but the only pets on the catwalk were dogs. Reportedly, the dogs wearing wigs by Total Diva Pets (shown above) were the absolute show stoppers! read more »

A Japanese construction company's detailed plans for the X-Seed 4000, a city-sized building 2.5 miles high, show that dreams of the future may be closer to reality then you think! read more »

Basedon observations of an opponent's past behavior, a new software system is trying to predict what the opponent will do next. DARPA, the US government's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, is funding the project in hopes that it may be useful in future battles. read more »

Disposable chopsticks are ubiquitous in Japan, where they're given out at restaurants, convenience stores and roadside stands. Now Japan's Agriculture Ministry is proposing to make biofuel out of the estimated 90,000 tons of wood wasted each year when disposable chopsticks are discarded. read more »

Korea and Japan are leading the way in the number of inventors' patents filed each year. They are also quickly becoming known as the worldwide leaders of the technology and innovation industries. read more »

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the latest version of Google Earth, Google has recently announced that it will include a new update: Google Sky, an image gallery of the night sky. read more »

Molly Sims, model and actor (she was on the TV show Las Vegas), wore this $30 million diamond-studded bikini for the centerfold of the 2006 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue.

The $30 million diamond bikini was created by Susan Rosen with Steinmetz Diamonds. The bikini contains no fabric. The bikini features over 150 carats of D Flawless diamonds, including a 51 carat D Flawless Pear Shape, a 30 carat D Flawless Emerald Cut, a pair of 15 carat D Flawless Rounds and a pair of 8 carat D Flawless Pear Shapes all set in platinum. read more »

A few days ago, I had posted some of the nontraditional advertising and marketing programs created  to inform women about the importance of  breast cancer screening. Here are some more traditional, yet still very creative,  means of advertising being used to support the cause. read more »

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With EyePassword, a gaze-based interface, users need only to look at the numbers on the keyboard to enter their password. Researchers say that this technique makes it much more difficult for spies to determine passwords from over your shoulder. read more »

Crowded subway trains really bite... but now researchers in Japan have come up with a neat new "hands free" way to operate music players that puts the bite on overcrowding by letting the user control his or her iPod with their teeth! read more »

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As if celebrities don't say some really stupid things already, now The Bubble Project--the brainchild of artist and activist Ji Lee--gives you the opportunity to make the famous say what you've always wanted to hear them say on his website. Lee's scope isn't limited to just the net, though. If you are a New Yorker, you've likely seen his bubbles popping up all over. If you haven't, then express yourself and put up your own. read more »

What do you get when you combine a unicycle with a skateboard and a scooter? You get a new innovative form of transportation for the young and the young at heart. It's called The Magic Wheel and was invented by a "bored" Swiss designer whose name is never mentioned. read more »

Tragedies like the Columbine Massacre and this years killing spree by a crazed gunman at Virginia Tech are proving to be more than isolated incidents. Worried parents are turning to the bulletproof My Child's Pack, an innovative accessory that provides children with an added layer of protection from the increasingly violent world. read more »

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scientist Dickson Despommier has designed a scheme to grow crops inside 30-story skyscrapers. This urban farm concept could help feed a rapidly growing population, leave space for forests, and supply potable water for entire cities. read more »

Cellphone charms are a dime a dozen - it's an expression, don't quote me on that - but this particular one caught my eye. It's a tiny figurine of Korean TV drama heartthrob Bae Yong-Joon, complete with trademark fluffy scarf! read more »

A Barcelona-based space tourism company plans to open the Galactic Suite, the first space hotel, in 2012 (yes, I said space). Tickets should go on sale in 2008 for $4 million. That price includes 18 weeks preparation on a Caribbean island, the journey into space and three nights' accommodation in the orbital hotel. Could you imagine how expensive your trip would be if it didn't include the airfare?

The Galactic Suite would allow guests to travel around the world in 80 minutes. During a guests' stay, they would see the sun rise 15 times a day and use Velcro suits to crawl around their pod rooms by sticking themselves to the walls like Spiderman.

 

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Ever looked at your bowl of Jell-O, sitting there jiggling and jostling, and thought "wouldn't it be cool if my Jell-O came to life and started fighting a grueling right on my kitchen table?" No? OK, probably not. But, JellyBattle (designed by Logitech) gives you the chance to take control of your jelly-made-man and battle other gelatinous foes for confectionery domination. read more »

Close your eyes and imagine a neighborhood without loud lawn mowers in the morning or the afternoon or the evening. Imagine a yard where your garden waters itself and saves water too. Imagine a yard that is so green even the tiles and the lighting are environmentally friendly. Now open your eyes and meet the alternative eco-friendly design, the Verdi Lawnscaping System. read more »

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It sounds too good to be true: a machine that can get rid of almost any kind of waste at a fraction of the cost of today's disposal techniques, eliminate existing landfills, and produce an excess of clean energy to be sold back to the grid. This very realistic process is called plasma gasification. read more »

Yamaha boasts a long and proud tradition in the motorcycle world, and the company aims to continue setting the pace with models like the glow in the dark, iPod ready EC-02 electric bike. read more »

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For some people, taking high-quality pictures is the main feature they'd use on their cell phone (after talking, of course). Sony Ericsson's new K770 Cyber-shot phone may offer the best in this category so far. read more »

It appears that some of the most creative and inventive advertising is coming from nonprofits these days.

This week, I've been taking a look at the nonprofits and "for a good cause" marketing techniques. Earlier this week, we looked at the Anti-Smoking Campaigns. and Saving Our Environment Campaigns . Today, we turn to the the advertising campaigns being used to increase awareness about AIDS.

How would you promote awareness about a deadly sexually transmitted disease? read more »

With more and more women welcoming technology into their comfort zone, electronics manufacturers like Sony are openly catering to feminine tastes by introducing a "Women's Walkman" dressed to the nines. Some call it sexist, others say it's just targeted marketing. read more »

According to the Eco-Libris website, about 20 million trees are cut down every year to produce books in United States alone. So, how can we keep reading without leaving behind a heavy carbon footprint in the process? We can print books on recycled paper, buy used books and we can also offset the environmental damage we've already made through Eco-Libris . read more »

This is being considered the world’s biggest attempt to align computer technology and police forces together to nab criminals who have fallen through the cracks and have yet to meet the consequence for their crimes. read more »

Hold the mayo? Never at Tokyo's Mayonnaise Kitchen, where the topping takes top billing and the king of condiments is rich, calorie-laden mayonnaise! read more »

Love it or hate it, the Japan's Hello Kitty has become a global icon. Why has Hello Kitty succeeded while more appealing and refreshing characters like Afro Ken have failed? And who or what is "Afro Ken" anyway? read more »

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With participants coming from approximately 59 different countries, the Imagine Cup was an array of diversity as much as it was a unified setting for the growth of technology. read more »

Return of the "Zero"? Shut out of the bidding for America's high tech F-22 Raptor stealth fighter, Japan's military planners are considering a home-grown solution to the problem of replacing the nation's fleet of aging jet fighters. read more »

If you think about an episode of the Jetsons when you think about the future, chances are your predictions may be right on. This is especially true in the nation of Korea, where South Korea specifically has made it a goal to have a robot in every home by the year 2013. read more »

Stairway To Cat Heaven
If I were a cat, I would have a refrigerator full of paté and caviar, a cartoon-only video monitor, and a steady stream of innocent dogs to tease when I get bored. My playground would be "The Stairway to Cat Heaven" or "The Cat Castle" or "The Super Cat Hotel" so I could have plenty of cat parties. Hmm... read more »

So I would say that iPods are kind of popular right now. Everyone seems to have one of the many different iPods out there. I even see little kids with them.

Why not stand out a little and get the "golden" iPod shuffle. A German company called Xecoo has made an iPod shuffle from 18 carat gold. In order to pick one of these gold iPod shuffles, you need to have $20,000. That's right for a mere, $19,921 more than the cost of a regular iPod shuffle, you can have one made from gold (and yes, I said its the iPod shuffle, not the regular iPod or the iPod nano). read more »

 

 

 

 

 

Can you say enough to this cake? If not, you may have a deficiency in a hormone prominent in the reward center of the brain that also controls appetite. read more »

Who says alcohol and driving don't mix? A new cooperative venture between five Japanese shochu liquor producers is yielding ethanol fuel and livestock feed from waste that was previously dumped in the ocean. read more »

ConocoPhillips and Tyson Foods, the two companies partnering in initiative, say fat from pigs, cows, and chickens will offer a cleaner fuel and provide about 3% of ConocoPhillips' diesel requirements. Critics have fears over animal rights, food supply, ethics, and environmental benefits. read more »

The Chocolate Bar Compact Stand Mirror from Strapya World looks amazingly like a Meiji brand milk chocolate bar, but don't take a bite - it's actually a folding make-up mirror! read more »

The original design. The new design.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Somewhere along the line, the three guys who came up with the "Michael Vick Dog Chew Toy" got busted by copyright law and had to change the design and the name of the toy, because Michael Vick's likeness and name really belongs to the NFL.

Not to worry. The new "Vick's Dog Chew Toy" is on its way. The only thing you'll have to do is decide what price you'll pay for it. read more »

Kameraflage is a new type of display technology that takes advantage of digital cameras' ability to see a broader spectrum of light than the human eye. Objects, designs, words, and pictures that are invisible in the real world may be viewed with a digital camera equipped with kameraflage. read more »

It appears that some of the most creative and inventive advertising is coming from nonprofits these days.

This week,I've been taking a look at the nonprofits and "for a good cause" marketing techniques. Earlier this week, we looked at the Anti-Smoking Campaigns. Today, we turn to the the advertising campaigns being used to Help Save Our Environment:

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Chinese designer Tao Ma has come up with what may be the coolest USB device yet: the E-Lighter, a sleekly designed USB lighter that uses your PC or laptop's power to light your cigarette. read more »

buoyBy using buoys to capture energy from the ocean's waves, researchers are developing an alternative energy technology that researchers say could provide 10% of the required power for the US. read more »

Here's super-cool new option for frustrated parents whose obstinate kiddos refuse to sit in a special seat or booster chair during mealtime... read more »

Have you heard of Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon? No? Well, if you haven't, it's a trivia game from the 1990's that works like this: a group of players tries to connect any film actor in history to Kevin Bacon as quickly as possible and in as few links as possible. Kevin Bacon was smart enough to take advantage of this game and use it for his career in commercials, TV show appearance, etc. This year Kevin has gone a degree further and is using the six degrees concept for a greater good. read more »

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the Human Salivary Proteome Project, researchers are developing saliva tests that will take the place of routine blood tests and even do more, such as detect cancer at early stages. The researchers predict that saliva tests will replace needle pricks and detect multiple types of cancer by 2011. read more »

Sweltering through a typical Japanese summer is no fun, and the summer of 2007 is proving to be hotter than most. The trendy, well-off crowd in Tokyo is chilling out with Champagne Kakigori, a cooling concoction which features sparkling bubbly over shaved ice! read more »

Body beauty is "everything" in our society. We're caught up more on our body beauty than anything else. But in today's inventive world why get any ordinary facial or go to any ordinary spa when gold facials, wine spas and caviar shampoo can do so much more for you. Below are several of the most extravagant body beauty fixes to rejuvenate your body from head to toe. That is, if you can afford it. read more »

It appears that some of the most creative and inventive advertising is coming from nonprofits these days.

This month, I will be taking a look at the nonprofits and "for a good cause" marketing techniques. Today, we turn to the the advertising campaigns being used to increase awareness about the bad effects of smoking.

How would you urge people to stop smoking?

Here's my picks for some of the most interesting and effective: read more »

Dog-e-Tag®

Now you know those cute little bone and heart-shaped dog ID tags hardly have enough space for your little guy's name on them, never mind his address and phone number!

Ta dum-de-de-dum-de-de-dum-tum-tum... Dog-e-Tag® to the rescue! Dog-e-Tag has enough space for Fido's biography, if he's interested in publishing it! read more »

The self-destruct button mobile charm or keychain is the latest product from the creative minds at Strapya World. Release your own stress or create stress for others - how perfect is that? read more »

Leah Dizon breaks the mold of so-called Japanese Idols: she's multi-talented, multi-ethnic and has universal appeal that makes a mockery of national borders. Signed by toy maker Bandai to represent their new clothing line, the 20-year old singer, model and TV star is poised for mega-stardom. Today Japan, tomorrow the world! read more »

Can you believe we are already at the end of the second season of ABC's American Inventor? It feels like only yesterday we were marveling at the ingenuity of The Cougar! Well, maybe not. Anyhow, it has certainly been an interesting season and, after all the attempts (feeble and no so feeble), we have arrived at our 3 finalists, one of whom will walk away tonight with $1,000,000 and the title of the next American Inventor. Just to remind you, here are the contenders:

-Elaine Cato and the 6-in-1 Backless Bra

- Ricky DeRennaux and HT Racers

-Gregg Chavez and The Guardian Angel

So who do you think America voted for? Well, the show is about to begin, so tune in and I guess we'll all find out the winner of American Inventor. read more »

Find One, Find All® (FOFA®) Locator

There I go! Can't find my keys again. Just when I think I'm ready to hop in the car for another day's commute, my car keys, mobile phone, wallet, purse, reading glasses, and/or sunglasses can't be found. Whoops, where did I leave my coffee thermos? read more »

The disappearing act those slylies pull every day has been a source of needless frustration in my life, and I finally decided I had to stop them. I checked into several locating devices and found two locators I'd like to share with you, as each has appealing but different features for different needs... the FOFA® and the Loc8tor.

Scientists have discovered a method for making instant steam without electricity. Instant steam could have many applications, including killing superbugs such as staph infections, providing mobile power generation and powering rockets and cars. But it's first application? Cleaning gum from sidewalks. read more »

Just wanted to remind our readers that Episode 8 (the Season Finale) of the reality television show American Inventor will be showing tomorrow night ( Wednesday, August 1, 2007) at 9 pm est and 8 pm central time on ABC. read more »