GPS-based ToyToyota app lets kids 'drive' from the backseat

GPS-based ToyToyota app lets kids 'drive' from the backseat: "Backseat Driver is the first 'toy' by ToyToyota, a new brand from the Japanese automotive company. It's in the form of a simple GPS-based app for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad, and allows kids to take a virtual drive linked by GPS to the current driving route in the real world."

Steampunk Plasma Speaker produces electrifying sound

Steampunk Plasma Speaker produces electrifying sound: "So, you've downloaded some songs by Abney Park (one of the world's few steampunk bands) onto your Datamancer laptop or your Old Time Computers-accessorized PC ... do you just listen to them through the built-in speakers? Not if you're Polish tinkerer Conscious Flesh."

HipDisk - bending over backwards for music

HipDisk - bending over backwards for music: "We've seen a number of weird and wonderful musical creations here at Gizmag but we have to agree with the creator of the hipDisk when she describes it as possibly the most undignified musical instrument ever."

Victorinox Slim Flash bladeless Swiss Army tool is now available

Victorinox Slim Flash bladeless Swiss Army tool is now available: "A quality Swiss Army multi-tool with a knife used to be in every boy's wishlist in the past, but with the modern day road warrior's kit now taking a decidedly digital bent Victorinox Swiss Army is now offering tools that don't feature any kind of blade at all."

Hydrogen found to be essential to creating better graphene

Hydrogen found to be essential to creating better graphene: "Graphene, the 'wonder material' composed of single-atom-thick carbon sheets, is currently finding its way into a variety of electronic devices including computer chips, capacitors, transistors and batteries, just to name a few. It is typically created using a chemical vapor deposition process, in which carbon-containing gases are made to decompose on a copper foil substrate."

Graphene coating harvests energy from flowing water

Graphene coating harvests energy from flowing water: "Hydroelectricity is the most widely used form of renewable energy, supplying around 20 percent of the world's electricity in 2006, which accounted for about 88 percent of electricity from renewable sources. Now researchers at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have developed a new method to harvest energy from flowing water using a nanoengineered graphene coating."

Ideum introduces new MT55 Platform multitouch table

Ideum introduces new MT55 Platform multitouch table: "Ideum has unveiled a new addition to its series of 55-inch, high definition LCD multitouch tables. Billed as the thinnest commercially-available multitouch table top on the market, the new MT55 Platform sports an optical touch system capable of handling 32 touch points simultaneously and comes with SSD storage."

Ship-based system designed to harness energy from waves

Ship-based system designed to harness energy from waves: "Why don't we have stationary commercial fishing platforms that are anchored offshore, where they sweep the waters with their nets, sending the captured fish back to shore through a pipeline?"

New fluorescent protein allows scientists to see living organs

New fluorescent protein allows scientists to see living organs: "There are several techniques used by researchers and physicians to image the internal organs of people and animals, but each of these techniques have their shortcomings."

Study shows why human-like robots give people the creeps

Study shows why human-like robots give people the creeps: "People seem to enjoy watching robots and cartoon characters move about, and usually don't mind seeing other humans going through their daily motions, but when it comes to artificial creations that are made to look very human ... they're not always so popular."

Home-built LEGO PC donates its computing power to medical research

Home-built LEGO PC donates its computing power to medical research: "Most of the custom-built DIY PCs featuring unusual case mods are made just for fun or fashion. The LEGO-bodied PC by Mike Schropp is quite different, however, despite the fact it looks really impressive. It's a 12-core PC setup consisting of three systems in a single box made of LEGO, with its computing power being donated to medical research and humanitarian projects via IBM's World Community Grid project."

The Model 367 “BiPod” hybrid flying car designed by Burt Rutan

The Model 367 “BiPod” hybrid flying car designed by Burt Rutan: "The team at Scaled Composites pulled out all the stops to realize the final design of the company's founder and former CTO, Burt Rutan, ahead of his retirement in April earlier this year. In just four months, the Scaled Composites team went from beginning the preliminary design to the first flight of the 'BiPod', a hybrid gasoline-electric flying car that grew out of a program to develop a rapid, low-cost electric test bed using as many off-the-shelf components as possible."