Category: Gadgets

Do you remember the Thingmaker toy from ages past? Back then you could build creepy things and flowers by squirting gooey ooze into special molds and then assembling the parts. I didn’t have one, but I do remember that it looked pretty cool.

But now Mattel has introduced a new Thingmaker, and it blows the other one out of the water as far as creativity goes. This new Thingmaker is basically a 3D printer, and an app for iOS or Android provides the input.

One the custom design is complete, the app instructs the Thingmaker to, well, start making things. As the parts roll off the extruder line, the aspiring builder can assemble the parts into the final creation. The app cleverly designs the parts to assemble similar to a Lego Bionicle, so the end product can be an articulated masterpiece.

Just imagine the wild and imaginative creations that could be built using such a system. And I doubt that the fun is limited to just kids, Once again, I am reminded about something that a wise man once told me: it is never too late to have a happy childhood.

via

Have you ever been on one of those interactive movie rides, where your seat tilts, moves, and shakes in response to the action up on the big screen? Well, Immersit, a project now on Kickstarter, wants to bring that interactive experience home to your couch.

 

 

Immersit uses four small articulated bases to provide the motion, all connected by a central bridge unit. The kit will currently cost between $565 and $904 dollars, not bad if you consider the cost of the movie ride equivalent.

Since the interactive programming for a given movie has to be done up front, the system is designed to detect (maybe through the use an audio footprint) the current feature playing and download the script on demand. This would allow for some fine tuned mechanical experiences, no doubt.

The product is slated to ship December 2016. This would probably be perfect timing for grabbing the latest Star Wars and Star Trek features for that quality interactive home cinema experience. And if you want to get really creative, you could probably use any four-legged furniture as the interactive platform. But as to exactly which item I will leave up to your imagination.

via

Let’s face it – sometimes the task at hand requires you to stand, and often for long stretches. But wouldn’t it be great if you could stand and sit at the same time? Impossible, you say? Not any longer, thanks to the rather futuristic looking “wearable chair” under development from Archelis.

The unit is designed to wrap your lower body, providing support when needed. By bending your needs and shifting your weight to the upper sections, the device supports your weight as if you were sitting. This can provide much needed rest for hard-working but tired legs and feet.

The device is still under development, and it was originally designed for medical workers. But I can imagine many great applications for such a device where people need to stay mobile for extended periods of time. No price or release date is currently available, but more information will be released as available from the Archelis website.