mPowerpad Solar Charger

A solar charger like no other? That’s the mPowerpad by Third Wave Power which, according to a recent news release, is described as “the world’s first all-in-one solar charger with gesture-based control.” This gee-whiz device is on display for all the world to see from November 1-3 at the Clean Energy Expo Asia (CEEA) 2011 in Singapore. Like all solar chargers, the mPowerpad captures and stores solar power to charge mobile phones, tablets, cameras and many other devices. (The specs on this one state that the device can completely an iPhone on six hours of direct sunlight.) Unlike other solar chargers, this one comes with a built-in reading light, flashlight, radio, and even a built-in ultrasonic insect repellent, increasing its utility for...

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50 feet Snake Robot

Robotic snakes are - perhaps surprisingly - nothing all that new. In the past several years, we've seen ones designed to swim through debris, help out at construction sites, perform surveillance, and inspect the inside of pipes. People seem to be captivated by the little guys, which begs the question: has an artist ever made one? If they did, it would have to stand out from its more utilitarian counterparts, perhaps by being enormous and incorporating colored lights. Evoking prehistory wouldn't hurt, either. Well, it turns out that there is a creation that ticks all those boxes. It's time to meet Titanoboa. The original Titanoboa was a species of snake that lived 60 million years ago, reaching a length of 50 feet (15 meters) and an...

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