April, 2010

It's the season where prospective college students are anxiously awaiting their acceptances letters from the colleges they applied to (if they haven't heard back already) to find out where they'll be living in the fall. A lot of planning can go into dorm living, especially when students will be living away from home for the first time, and food can be an issue which is why one business decided to tap into the niche.

It's hard to choose a gift for Mother's Day that will make your mom feel truly special. For children young or grown, it's a great time to recognize all of those things that your mom has done for you throughout your life, starting with bringing you onto this earth. For those looking for jewelry ideas, here are some great finds that can be personalized and will become sentimental, not just for the materials they're made with, but because of their meaning.

The Smithsonian’s Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation today launched a collaborative design project with The Tech Virtual at the The Tech Museum in San Jose, Calif. With a series of design challenges hosted by The Tech Virtual, the Lemelson Center invites the public to develop and prototype design concepts for the center’s next exhibition, tentatively titled "Places of Invention."

There were more gold, silver, and bronze honors awarded at the Edison Best New Product Awards than ever before.  It must have been tough for the judges, who included Thomas A's own grand niece, Sarah Miller Caldicot, to decide on which new products would receive the Gold Awards, but they did - in 15 product categories. In addition, the committee awarded two Golds in a 16th category: The Green Awards. 

I can't tell you what a welcome sight the Perfect Position Pet Bowls are, and how long overdue... Not just because dogs come in different sizes, but because dogs differ in their abilities to reach higher or lower for their food and water.

Before I knew that you weren't supposed to sleep in your contact lenses, I did.  And boy, did it feel fantastic to open my moist eyes in the morning and see clearly without having to search for my specs. Now, a Spanish optometrist has patented a contact lense that can correct your vision problems. And he wants you to wear his lenses overnight!

Everyone wants to get their dream vacation, but finding everything they want for a price they like can be easier said than done. Not anymore with OfferMeATrip, a company sets up a bidding war amongst travel agencies to help get travellers what they want, and what better than competition to encourage it?

For a man who's created perfect designs all his professional life, Rolf Sachs seems to have become bored with beauty and more focused on a conceptual approach, perhaps one where art imitates life and all its imperfections.  That's cool, because he's clearly having so much fun conceptualizing furniture, he has even actualized a Smart ForTwo car, and he exhibited both in Milan.

Researchers at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine have discovered that the real culprit in Alzheimer's disease is the Amyloid-Beta (Abeta) oligomers in the brain, and not the Amyloid-Beta plaques as many believed.  Though this is not the first finding that supports Abeta oligomers as the cause of Alzheimer's, the Mount Sinai results are hard to dispute because of the methodology used.

Just yesterday Ben Millett and Alan Harrison, inventors of the Kug, were recipients of the Arthritis Ireland Easy To Use Design Contest for their invention.  As it happens, the pair did design the Kug for persons with arthritis, but in fact, the Kug has a much wider audience.

Danish design studio Swanique, has designed a most compact workspace, perfect for part-timers or workers on the run, who just need a place to plug into when they're off the road.  Called Four Works, it also makes a great home office for apartment dwellers, or others who lack the space for a full home office.

It's not unusual for clothing to be repurposed for use in a second life as a different type of object, whether one that falls under the fashion category or not. But often, it's the material that's reused and it's uncommon that the original form remains distinguishable. A recent design takes advantage of the original garment's look and feel to create a fun and funky new fashion.

Poodle skirts went out in the 50's!  Or, so I thought.  Whether women are wearing retro or not, dogs are, and you clearly don't have to be a Poodle to wear a Poodle skirt!  Some of the 10 dogs shown in Poodle skirts look just like they were born to wear these skirts - like real 1950's dogs, and others... well, let's just say they're from another generation....

If you've ever had this thought: "hey, I really wish that had a wearable rubber band that would fit all of my family members at once" then there's a good chance you need to talk to someone..you know that "someone" called a psychotherapist. Yes, the kind with drugs, you need it. But, besides that, there's good news because there is someone out there crazier than you who has not only dreamed about giant rubber bands, but dreamed them up into reality.

This past weekend at the new Newseum in Washington, DC, Microsoft sponsored the finals of its eighth U.S. Imagine Cup, one of the nation's toughest student software competitions.  After three days of demonstrating their new technologies, a few dozen team finalists were pared down to one grand prize winner....

Ratinan Thaijareorn, a young Thai freelance painter and illustrator, was commissioned by Adidas to apply her artistic skills to a pair of library chairs for the Adidas Originals store in Bangkok.... And boy what a difference they made to the interior of the store!  Now, we're not talking about just painting the wooden frames of the chairs; Thaijareorn used the upholstery of the chairs as her canvass!

Architect Robert Stone is not shy about pushing the envelope, or in this case, about designing a hotel that does not look or feel like any other hotel in the world.  He's designed and built the Acido Durado out of gold, inside and out.  And he's built it at the end of a dirt road in Joshua Tree, CA, where it appears in its dramatic desert surroundings as a glittering mirage.

Americans have forever wished for liquor store drive thrus, but the closest you get are the drive thru daiquiri bars of New Orleans. Since beer is a drinker's best friend, a new franchisor has decided it's a great idea to introduce a similar convenience.

Obama might not be the most popular in the United States or online with some individuals right now who are supporting an inappropriate Facebook campaign, but he's well-loved overseas. So much so that there are businesses being created in his honor.

Five years after a man accidentally blew off most of his face with a gun, 30 doctors at the Vall d'Hebron University Hospital in Barcelona, Spain provided him with a new face.  The 24-hour surgery that involved removing the entire face of a deceased donor and transferring it to the recipient, was the first entire face transplant ever attempted and it has been, so far, successful.

The same minds that brought us the fully iPhone-controlled Dodge Caravan called the “Spirit of Berlin” are at it again, and on April 23, 2010 unveiled a video of an elaborate camera system that can track the eye movements of a driver and steer the vehicle accordingly.

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), launched in February, is sending back high-resolution image details of the sun and its activities that have never been seen before.  NASA's expectations are that the SDO will have a huge impact on science, similar to the impact of the Hubble Space Telescope on modern astrophysics.

Snidely dog is here... or he will be with this Humunga Stache from Think Geek.  And doubtless, if you play with this Stache at the park, there will be many a Dudley Do Right chasing your dog around.

Where do all of your small spent batteries go?  You know; the AAs and the Ds and the Cs and the watch, camera, yada yada yada batteries.  Tell me you don't put them in the trash!  Well, now you don't have to feel guilty, if you do, because new water or liquid power technologies are already available in some small gadgets and, no doubt, the trend will continue.  (One of these will even run on beer!)

Hoodies have typically been made to wear during the cooler seasons; sweaters that immediately offer head warmth with very little effort. They're also a nice, cozy fashion item to throw on for a cooler summer evening on the beach. This might be what you've come to expect from a hoodie, but that's all about to change with a unique and unusual fashion design.

Every parent with twins or two children close in age has dressed their children in coordinating outfits. Be it in the identical thing, the same male and female versions of matching attire, or garments the same in style but different in color. Sure, the clothing choices look awfully cute; but a decade or two later you child will look back at the pictures and feel awful for not having their own identity. Enter Tot-A-Lot to move that melodrama.

Inventors Digest has partnered with the National Collegiate Inventors & Innovators Alliance (NCIIA) to host the the 2010 Collegiate Alt-Energy Challenge: Help Save The World One Kilowatt at a Time.  The challenge is seeking ideas for innovative low-cost, alternative energy technologies, products, solutions, and services that will help assuage the cycle of poverty, malnutrition, disease and death among peoples of the world that live without electricity.

Back in the old days, it was the U.S. Treasury that issued new currency designs, but yesterday three government agencies - the U.S. Treasury, the Federal Reserve Board, and the Secret Service - unveiled their design of a $100 U.S. note.  As with recent releases of our new currency, the new $100 note is keeping up with design trends in general, adding more bold colors to the bills.

Even the teaching of speech to hearing impaired kids has become robotized in Japan.  But though the Talking Robot, first prototyped in 2007, has had a more recent nose job and its lips plumped up, it still sounds really creepy.

There's a new freaky fashion fad that we just might see making an appearance for spring, at least if runway shows that took place earlier in the year have anything to show for it. This will definitely be a love it or hate it kind of trend, and I think it's obvious exactly which one more people will lean towards.

In many parts of Africa and other developing countries around the world, it's essential for kids to have sharp, clean and complete uniforms to attend schools. For families that can barely afford to put food on the table, purchasing uniforms for one or more children is easier said than done, which is why there's a new buy-one, get-one for charity business that's in operation.

What's the main royal pain in your morning and evening bathroom regimens?  Never mind, I'll answer that for you.  It's the gunking up of toothpaste on top of the toothpaste tube so you can't squeeze any more of the stuff out until you cut off the top of the tube!   Here we are in the 21st century performing all kinds of technical wizardry and we still can't get the darn toothpaste out of the tube!

Porta-potties are those things that everyone has a love/hate relationship with. You sure love them when you're in the middle of nothing and really need to seek a little bit of relief, but you hate the way they look, smell and those lines that can surround them. One company is trying to address the porta-potty hatred with a unique, futuristic design.

British researchers surveyed 1,000 persons who suffered TIAs or minor strokes and found that a majority of the patients were unaware of the symptoms of stroke or what to do about them.  Most surprisingly, people of all demographics - age, gender, education, and socioeconomic status - were equally unaware of how to recognize a stroke.

Ever wonder what happens to bullets after they've done their job with all that shoot ‘em up stuff? We've found a way to reuse practically every form of waste, so don't let it come as a surprise that bullets are the next thing to be converted into recycled fashion.

Who doesn't love Jello? It's jiggly, it's delicious, and it's pretty much free of fat and calories - it doesn't get much better than that. So why then is it that that good ol' J-E-L-L-O just doesn't get the recognition it deserves? Perhaps because there's yet to be a business that specializes in providing it exclusively...until now.

Really.  This contest is literally for garage inventors. This August, Whiting, Indiana will host the first annual alternative-powered five-mile car race through the town.  The contest is called the Alternate Power Initiative, and its sponsors, the city of Whiting and British Petroleum (BP) Whiting Business Unit want independent American inventors to design the vehicles.

The Salone Internazionale del Mobile 2010, the largest and one of the most prestigious yearly modern furniture fairs, will open tomorrow in Milan.  Every year even more exciting designs are unveiled, so you know this one will be hot!  One of the many reasons is that Walt Disney Signature, the company's adult lifestyle brand, and Cappellini, one of Italy's most spirited furniture and accessory manufacturers, have collaborated to produce four limited-edition Signature chairs, designed by four internationally-renowned designers!

How much time do you spend online each and every day social networking, chatting, reading blogs and news sites? Justify it as you'd like, it might be to market your business, save your sanity, whatever. But total it up and you might be shocked. A new site helps you take the time you spent and turn it into something good.

We are always finding new and exciting ways to harness solar energy and it seems like that will trend will continue for quite a while. The most recent addition the solar powered dream machine list is the aptly named PlanetSolar mega-yacht, which is being prepared for a trip around the globe starting next year.

We all know that in fashion sometimes it's simply about the look that generates hype. Not all fashion items are designed to hit the streets, and some will not even appear on any runway because their artistic and innovative designs are strictly for show. The latest has a unique function which may not be practical, but it sure is worth talking about.

Whatever you previously imagined about living underground in a survival shelter... it's not what the Vivos Group has in mind.  Vivos has thought of every aspect of survival and your comfort, with supplies and food for up to a year, in case doomsday happens.  It's the 'modern day Noah's Ark.'

Two separate studies released today suggest that hospitals may not be the place to be if you are sick, especially if you are seriously ill and/or elderly.  And it's not just the the racket hospital staff makes trying to raise the roosters, or the insertion of a new IV catheter in your wrist....

Fog was the affective environment chosen by California Polytechnical Institute (Cal Poly) architecture students Patrick Delorey and Keith Houchin for their Senior Thesis Design.  Their intriguing and very affective Fog Bank installation explores the many properties of fog as it interacts with light, texture, and movement as effects.

Hands up if you hate your nose! You can't turn around these days without hearing someone at the coffee shop or seeing some celebrity in a magazine talking about their desire for plastic surgery, and often, their nose is an area of concern. Surgery hurts physically and financially, so fix your flaws in a cheap and painless way.

Spring is here, and that whole April shower thing is happening for those who are lucky or unlucky enough to experience the climate that brings rain, rain and more rain. It's fun for a while with the opportunity to break out the fun rain coats, boots and umbrellas. But while umbrellas can act as a great fashion accessory, they can be impossible to navigate with when walking, so here is a must-have this season.

Begging is such an unseemly behavior for a house dog, don't you think?  They sit at your feet, erect, ears alert, panting, just waiting for a sign. And if you happen to inadvertently look slightly to the right, or slightly to the left, depending on where they are sitting, they think you've given them the sign and get all shaky and antsy and whiny, waiting for you to drop the food - into their mouths, on the floor, they don't really care how they get it.  But you promised!

A danish, a yogurt, lunch... to go.  They all come with plastic knives, spoons, and forks. We accept them, but always with that little nudge in our minds and that pang of guilt.  I've actually been saving the plastic throw-aways, washing them, and re-using them.  No more guilt for me though - I just received a set of RePEaT To-Go Ware Utensils as a thank you gift, and I'm never going to set my teeth on another throw-away-and-destroy-the-earth plastic utensil again.

Though copper, iron, and other metals in your blood can be beneficial when you are young, a new study finds they are detrimental to those over 50 years old.  So detrimental, that the study warns persons over 50 to actively reduce sources of copper and iron in their diets and in their environments, because they can lead to Alzheimer's disease, heart disease, and other age-related disorders.

The Earth Awards 2010 is searching for sustainable innovations that will change the way we live in the 21st century.  It is a global competition with internationally renowned judges from architectural, design, environmental, fashion, and philanthropic communities. It's looking for invention, innovation, entrepreneurial, but above all, transformational, ideas that meet six criteria...

Writers today may not work too often with a pen and paper, especially not with netbooks available smaller and smaller to keep the creative juices flowing electronically while on the go. But for those who want to hang onto the more old-fashioned methods, there's a fun novelty item that they're sure to appreciate.

Getting a tattoo is one of the biggest decisions you'll make in your life. A tattoo can make a big statement about your design aesthetics and about other personal values. You might think that a tattoo is a decision that can't compare to getting married or buying a house, but both of those things can be walked away from without permanent burn marks (I hope); so it shouldn't be taken lightly.

Many women love their heels, and just can't get enough of them. The higher the better has been the trend that transcends all ages, but now there's a new one that takes things to a new level, but it's also a little unusual, so will it catch on?

A freshman studying industrial design at the College For Creative Studies in Detroit undertook an ecological revamp of Coca Cola bottles and packaging for his mid-term project.  Funny thing happened on the way to handing it in;  Andrew Kim's design fans started blogging it and Kim is getting rave reviews internationally for the design. The Eco Coke Bottle is brilliant!

I'm always on the hunt for animal lover gifts, so naturally I was wooed by these animal clocks made by Mark Feldstein Products.  Each clock represents an array of 12 breeds of dogs, cats, or birds and every time the big hand hits 12, you get the bark, meow, or song of the breed of the hour.  These clocks are sure to surprise and please kids and adults alike.

“You have a disaster,” says Leonov. “Airport closed, port closed. The devices that exist in a modern medical clinic can be miniaturized and fit in a suitcase. The devices can be self powered, without the doctor needing batteries or to plug anything in.”

In 6 days, 13 hours, 3 minutes, and 7 seconds, 5,200 KFC restaurants will release its new heart attack sandwich, the Double Down.  Already, folks are betting their hearts and both kidneys that their organs can survive the new sandwich's bucket of grease.  You would think the Double Down was a new Apple product, the way the fat-crazies are lining up at KFC's fast food doors.  Another 5 minutes has passed.

These ad specs have nothing to do with the size of an ad you are placing with Google.  These Adspecs are self-adjusting lenses that an Oxford University physics professor, Josh Silver, invented to bring sight to millions of people in the third world, where there are few eye care professionals to meet the needs of those with refractive vision problems.

One thing we know about cats is that they always want more of a good thing.  Unlike dogs, who are pretty un-demanding when it come to play things, cats are always bored with what they have.  And when cats get bored... watch out for your house.  Welcome to HUGE - the jungle gym cat tree that satisfies a cat's inner beast.

If you didn't know better, you might say that Secret North designs fireplaces, but what it designs are places for fire.  Its aim is to integrate fire into interior design - much like water has been integrated with water walls and bubbling indoor ponds - not for its heat, but for its beauty. Because Secret North uses bio-ethanol to burn, its fires don't spark, they are clean burning (smokeless!), easy to operate, and very low maintenance. 

You can put bacon, eggs, and sausage back into your diet, according to a new study published in the International Journal of Obesity... as long as you eat them for breakfast. No, really; this is not an April Fool's joke.