Image via Hal Lasko
Watch this video now. This 98-year-old man used to be a typographer back in the day, you know, when each letter was drawn by hand. When he was introduced to Microsoft Paint in his retirement, he decided to create art by moving one pixel at a time.
Talk about patience. Pixel by pixel, Hal Lasko spends ten hours per day in front of his computer even though his vision and hearing are declining. The “zoom in” feature is his friend. Hal’s style is a unique blend of beautiful pointillism – check out “Looking Up” – and nostalgic eight-bit artwork – like “Houses on a Hill.” His prints are available right now for $98.
Read more about the Pixel Painter at Adafruit.
Image via nfcring.com
We’re all used to holding our smartphones in our hands – it’s our key to the world. But what if we actually had a key on our hand? Like right on our finger?
That’s the idea behind the NFC Ring, a Kickstarter campaign that’s already more than tripled its funding goal. In short, the ring can unlock doors, phones, and can transfer information between two people all with a single gesture. No updates. No charging. An open-source software platform means the possibilities are endless – pedometer? Heartrate monitor? This little ring could eventually do it all.
Apple may need to put that smart watch aside and get started on the smart ring….
What if you could turn your hand into a mouse? Now you can! That’s the premise of this project. It’s titled “The Point Shooter Cyborg Mouse” – how could you resist?
For about $40, you can become a cyborg too. All it takes is (a lot of supplies) plus a Wii Nunchuk and a mini Altoids tin. Basically the guts of the Nunchuk get sliced in half and placed perfectly into the mini tin. From there, you’ll have to build up the board, burn and test the code, build the case – with buttons! – and lastly, “ascend to transhumanity.” Because, really, your PowerPoint presentations just got one hundred times better.
Read the full directions by Instructables user zackfreedman.
Image via Designboom.com
It’s no magic trick. You really can turn something out of nothing.
One designer took apart one non-functioning appliance – a washing machine – and transformed it into two functional pieces of furniture – adorable retro yet futuristic chairs. Watch the awesome stop-motion video on how the project came together, or rather, how it all came apart.
What’s your greatest something-out-of-nothing endeavor? Tweet us @WIREDInsider then get the step-by-step on how to make your own custom chairs over at DVICE.
Image via Marcus Ramburg
These kinds of apps might seem like a dime a dozen these days, but I still can’t help but getting excited for any kind of app that has to do with a map. Because let’s be honest, the perfect navigation app has yet to be found.
Citymaps, a new free iOS app, is less about the navigation and more about the discovery. (Although it does have fully functioning walking, driving, and public transit directions.) This app prioritizes its social features. Create maps of your favorite places then search and follow others who have created maps of their favorite places. Or collaborate and make maps with friends then blast them out to your social network.
Read more about it at Lifehacker.
Image via Yankodesign.com
This might be the coolest thing I’ve seen around lately. Behold: what happens when you combine a tablet, a smartphone, a backpack, and a bike.
The iBackpack is a concept by designer Soohun Jung with one goal in mind – to keep cyclists safe. Imagine this: cyclists wear a backpack with a clear panel that displays their tablet’s screen. The smartphone sits on the bicycle handlebars and acts as a rearview mirror – displaying the view the tablet is capturing from behind. When the rider wants to turn, he swipes his phone and the motion is blasted on his tablet screen, notifying drivers of his next move. When a biker breaks, the tablet displays, “Slow down.”
It can even display a message like “Have a nice day” on the back of the biker – although I’m sure serious cyclists have a few more choice words for road warriors. Read more about it at PSFK.
Image via Behance
There is definitely a lot of improvement to be made on the treadmill, a staple of any sweaty gym or spare bedroom. In fact, it’s kind of sad how excited we get when a flat-screen TV hovers just inches from our face as we run like a hamster. Well, that all might change in the future – the near future.
The Voyager is just a concept, but oh is it a good one. With three different modes and a full-body screen, the treadmill allows you to run through the streets of New York, challenge a friend to a friendly jog (complete with a real-time image of their full body), or take part in a game complete with avatar.
As a runner who often hits the treadmill in the winter, I’m really, really, really excited about this. Pray to the technology gods for this concept to come to life! Read more about it at dvice.
Image via Kickstarter.com
Coming to a subway station near you. That is, if you live in Queens. Under the elevated 7 train that connects Time Square to Flushing, a Kickstarter project is on display through July 2014.
“Flexible” is a three-piece public art sculpture in a pedestrian plaza. The goal of the simple pieces is more than just looking interesting – the goal is to encourage passerby to use the structures to stretch or incorporate into a workout routine. (Or just to observe and think if you’re into exercising your mind.) The purpose of the structures is not obvious – we’re not talking about your typical monkey bar and chin-up bar here – so the installation truly serves a dual purpose of art and exercise.
Read more about “Flexible” at Kickstarter.
Image via nytimes.com
We trust the New York Times Dining section to bring us all the necessary information to function successfully in a culinary world – right? Well, if that’s the assumption, then get ready for some tequila-laden knowledge bombs, kids.
In a new article by the ever-talented Eric Asimov, he breaks down in great detail what is great about certain tequila, why, and just how they stack up against one another. Asimov also offers a list-like summary of his findings, with a collection of his opinions on the “Best Value” purchases in the genre. We’re into the Astral, simply because he describes it as, “Powerful and elemental, with rich, floral, spice and saline flavors.” Let’s all admit it, the man can sell a drink.
Image via cnet.com
Thanks again, cNet, for introducing us to the most amazingly innovative – and at the same time, obviously genius – invention we’ve seen in a while (complete with video display of just how great this little thing is).
Literally, it’s this simple – this coffee maker is activated solely by the yawn of the patron, owner or curious passerby in front of it. In other words, it only makes coffee for those really in need of a good shot of caffeine.
I mean, could it get any more logically intelligent? I submit that it could not.
