Daiwa House’ New Crawlspace Robot

Riding on the wave of robotic devices replacing human workers in high-stress or high-danger locations, Daiwa House Industry, a famous Japanese homebuilding company, announced a new crawlspace inspection robot to be pressed into service in April, 2011. The robot is called moogle (rhymes with goggle or mogul, not Google), weighs 13 kg (28.7 lbs) and measures 50x30x24 cm and is equipped with two cameras (a wide-angle CMOS camera for driving and a CCD camera for inspections), LED inspection lights in three levels of brightness, and four continuous-track crawlers – all of which can be controlled via wifi from a laptop placed in a less claustrophobic location. The third iteration of a joint project between the Chiba Institute of Technology, University of Tsukuba, and Mitsubishi Electric Tokki Systems that began in 2006, the moogle can clear obstacles under 15 cm high and crawl through spaces as small as 50cm wide and 30cm tall.

[Via Akihabaranews]

Chinese Vending Machine Sells Live Crabs

We have covered the one or the other obscure vending machine in the past, but this one’s a first: a vending machine that sells live crabs. This model is located in a subway station in Nanjing, China, and keeps the crabs at 5°C at all times. In other words, the crabs inside are alive, “hibernating” in a frozen state.

A sign in front of the machine promises 100% customer satisfaction: if buyers get a dead crab, the maker (a Chinese company based in Nanjing whose name I couldn’t decipher) promises they’ll get three crabs for free.

Each crab costs between $1.50 and $7.50, depending on the size. The machine’s producer says they currently sell around 100 crabs daily, resulting in about $500 sales.

[Via Crunchgear]

Apple 11.6-inch MacBook Air, Available for $999

Here are the specs. of the 2 new MacBook Air from their press release:

Faster-solid state flash storage is up to twice as fast as hard drive storage, more reliable-hard drive crashes are eliminated, lighter and smaller-solid state flash storage is up to 90 percent smaller and lighter than hard drives.

Available in 11-inch and 13-inch models and weighing as little as 2.3 pounds, the new MacBook Air is Apple's lightest and most portable notebook ever. MacBook Air uses the same solid state storage technology as iPad™ to deliver instant-on responsiveness, up to seven hours of battery life and up to 30 days of standby time. Starting at $999, the affordable MacBook Air defines the next generation of MacBooks.

HP Slate 500 Officially Launched

Hewlett-Packard officially launched its Windows 7-based tablet PC, HP Slate 500. This tablet comes with a 8.9-inch, 1024×600 resolution screen, a 1.86GHz Intel Atom Z540 processor, a Crystal HD accelerator that should ensure smooth playback for HD (1080p) videos, two gigabytes of RAM (recent rumors predicted 1 GB), and a 64GB SSD.

It has a USB port and two cameras: a 3-megapixel one on the back, and a VGA camera on the front for making video calls. It also has Wi-Fi but, quite disappointingly, no 3G connectivity.

These specifications make the Slate one of the most powerful tablets on the market, but its $799 price tag also makes it more expensive than its chief rival, the iPad. However, HP has envisioned the Slate as a device aimed at business customers.

[Via mashable]

See the list of comparison with other slate:

[Source]

EDGE Tech Serves Up USB 3.0-equipped DiskGO External HDDs

Edge Tech Corp. has finally adopted USB 3.0 and launched no less than four products that support the standard, two adapters (one PCIe, one ExpressCard) and two DiskGO hard drives - portable and external.

The portable DiskGO USB 3.0 drive measures 4.90" x 3.10" x 0.90", has a working speed of 5400 RPM, is bundled with the Dmailer Backup software and comes in 250GB ($84.95), 320GB ($89.95), 500GB ($104.95) and 750GB ($174.95) capacities.

The 500GB ($94.95), 1TB ($124.95), 1.5TB ($149.95) and 2TB ($199.95) external DiskGO SuperSpeed USB HDDs are 7.60 by 4.45 by 1.45 inches, works at 7200 RPM and also comes with the Dmailer Backup software. All DiskGO USB 3.0 drives are backed by a three-year warranty.

[Via tcmagazine]

M-Edge’s New Accessories for Kindle 3

M-Edge  offers accessories of more than 20 jackets, sleeves, stands, and lights for the new Kindle. Those include Cambridge Jacket, Classic Jacket, New Yorker Jacket, GO! Jacket, Executive Jacket, Platform Jacket, Capital Jacket, Latitude Jacket with TheaterStand, and many more.

[Amazon]

The Diamond-clad iPhone 4 that Costs £5 Million

The British jeweler, Stuart Hughes, known for his expensive remakes of popular gadgets is at it again, this time with a diamond-clad iPhone 4 with a price tag of £5 million.

The handmade bezel contains approximately 500 individual flawless diamonds that total more than 100 carats; there’s 53 additional diamonds in the back, and the main navigation button is made of platinum, holding a single cut 7.4 carat pink diamond. Hughes already has two customers lined up, both of whom are Australian businessmen. 

[Via tech.blorge]

Designer USB Flash Drive and Collectibe Art

Now USB Flash Drive caqn be more than just a flash drive. This USB flash drive from Mimobot double as collectible art.

The distinctive character-based Mimobot line offers from 2GB to 16GB of flash memory storage and transport for all your most precious music, docs, pics and other personal data bits and bytes. The Mimobot range is available in several crossover flavors, such as Star Wars, Hello Kitty, Halo, and Japan’s Domo and Mimobot Artist Series has functioned as a canvas for pop-artists like Gary Baseman, Jon Burgerman, and Simone Legno amongst other fresh designer toy, street art, and urban cultured talent.

[via mimobot]

SelectaDNA Anti-Intruder Spray

SelectaDNA Anti-Intruder Spray is commercial burglary deterrent to criminals, and an ideal way for retail outlets, warehouses, schools and other premises to protect their valuable stock and assets.

SelectaDNA Anti-Intruder Spray can be linked to intruder alarm systems, or installed as a stand alone system activated by a panic button. Once triggered, SelectaDNA Anti-Intruder Spray will soak intruders in a solution containing a unique DNA code and UV tracer. Once sprayed, the solution is almost impossible to remove from clothing and skin, and cannot be transferred, and is invivisble to the naked eye.

The DNA fear-factor amongst criminals is high, which increases the likelihood of sprayed intruders fleeing the crime scene before stealing any goods.

The Police routinely scan for traces of SelectaDNA, and if found criminals are irrefutably linked to a crime scene

[Source selecdna and newyorktimes ]

Vigor Evo HD - A Rugged Workstation from Next Computing

Next Computing's Vigor Evo HD is an innovative ruggedized external chassis, portable, enterprise-class performance in harsh conditions computer. Weighing in at under 35 lbs. and equipped with a durable handle and optional shoulder strap, one can carry the Vigor Evo anywhere they need it.

NextComputing's Vigor Evo HD combines the highest-performance mobile server, based on the dual-core and quad-core Intel Xeon and the Dual-Core AMD Opteron processor, with a high performance graphics workstation, ruggedized in one briefcase-like form factor.The Vigor Evo HD supports up to (2) Single-, Dual-, or Quad-Core AMD Opteron™ processors or up to (2) Dual- or Quad-Core Intel® Xeon® processors for a total of up to 8 processor cores to handle all of your intensive processing needs.

The Vigor Evo HD also features:

• An integrated 17" LCD display w/ hard coated protective screen
• Optional fold-out HD monitors
• NextComputing's Vigor Evo HD offers a Dust Filtration System.Optional replaceable protective screen with various anti-glare and hardening/anti-scratch coatings
• Enhanced I/O functionality
• Hot-swappable "quick-time" hard drives (click here to view video)
• Internal rubber shock absorbers create a floating internal chassis for added protection
• Powerful, small form-factor processing architecture

The Vigor Evo HD is ideal for:

• Field- and ship-based 3D and 4D visualization
• Harsh environment
• In-theater command and control operations and target acquisition

[Read more > nextcomputing]

Scarab Digital Camera, Take 2 Pictures at Once

The Scarab is a new type of digital camera that addresses a number of design issues related to traditional point and shoot digital cameras which evolved from the 35mm film format.
The design features two movable lenses that can be used independently for conventional pictures or for accurate self-portrait shots. Alternatively both lenses can be used together to capture panoramic images or unique 'front and back' Duo-Shot photographs.

Seeing the pictures, it seems that this camera is made by Canon. There is no information available on Canon's website.

[Via industrialdesignserved]