You look angry...

Seems the US Department of Homeland Security is working on a new technology they call 'FAST' for 'Future Attribute Screening Technologies'. The combination of sensors and software can recognize people with hostile intent, just by looking at them. Seems like that would be particularly difficult in a long line at the airport. They're currently claiming a fairly high success rate, along with being able to detect deception. Hopefully they won't teach the system to play cards.



Read a bit more via 'The New Scientist' blog:
www.newscientist.com

Around the corner...

Shooting around corners can be a bit tricky. Heavy handed techniques tend to have a lot of collateral damage. The US Army is dusting off the XM25 Individual Air Burst Weapon. This bit of SciFi weaponry includes a variety of exotic air burst projectiles that can effectively take out targets around corners or below horizons. Prototypes are to be delivered next month.



Read a bit more about it via DefenseTech:
www.defensetech.org

Saving time...

If you have a large collection of watches, you might like somewhere special to keep them. Piaget has an answer: The Piage Collector's Trunk. The Swiss Jeweler has teamed up with the French trunk makers Pinel and Pinel to make customizable storage with features like automatic winders, remote control lighting, and a small table with mirrors for admiring your collection.




Details and design from the Piaget Microsite:
www.piaget.com

That's impossible...

It would seem the Chinese government is working away on something that shouldn't work -- the 'EM Drive'. The 'EM Drive' is short for the 'Electro Magnetic Drive' - a space engine that uses microwaves as a propulsion method. Normally, one would dismiss that sort of thing as 'unlikely', but the gent helping them has some serious credentials. If this works, it's a very big deal.



Read a bit more via Wired's DangerRoom:
blog.wired.com

Two Wheeler...

What if Ferrari made a motorcycle? What would it be like? Industrial designer Amir Glinik has a few ideas about that. The 'V4' concept bike is a concept using a modified engine from an Enzo, hand controls from an F-16 fighter jet, and button controls adapted from a formula 1 racecar. It doesn't look half bad.





Pictures and links via Motorbiker.org:
news.motorbiker.org

Being there...

Before the end of the year, the Rovio telepresence device will be shipping. This new little three wheel toy will allow you to access your home or office via the web. Using it's 'NorthStar' technology, it will wander through a space to pinpointed locations. You can send it back to dock at it's recharge base when it needs to refuel. It uses standard wifi for communications. Cost: about 300 USD.
The dogs will really enjoy this.


Read a bit more from Robots Rule:
www.robotsrule.com



3 Minute video from the CES show:

On location...

Have you ever wondered about all those exotic locations from James Bond movies? Dutch author and 007 connoisseur Martjin Mulder has. He and his co-author (the late Dirk Kloosterboer) spent many years and holidays hunting down the locations of many of the locations. Their new book 'On The Tracks of 007' chronicles 30 stories of tracking these exotic locales.




Details and order via the Book's homepage:
www.onthetracksof007.com

Modern Manhattan...

Brunswick has been making billiard tables for a long time - since the 1800's. Here's a very modern table, 'The Manhattan'. Crafted of maple and stainless steel, it'll be around for a very long time. Cost: about 17,000 USD.




Press release from Trendir:
www.trendir.com

Diversify...

With all the financial mischief going on these days, it really pays to diversify. That might be what the folks at the 'Wall Street Journal' are thinking - they just started a service selling wine via the Web. Or it could be a strategy that works cooperatively with delivering bad financial news. Either way, it's a new service available. It's all rather strange.



Wine from the Wall Street Journal:
www.wsjwine.com

Well built panels...

There are a lot of solar panels making their way to the market, but the new 'Solar Stik' is a very sturdy option. Built on a heavy duty tripod, it can be used in remote areas to run your popcorn popper or iPod indefinitely. The Solar Stik ships in a marine variation, also a combination wind and solar generator.




Details and videos from Solar Stik:
www.solarstik.com

Now in digital...

Minox, maker of the old school favorite spy cam, is getting ready to launch an updated version. The Minox DSC makes it's debut at the Photokina show this month. The new digital Minox measures 86x29x20mm (3.5x1.25x0.75 inches) and has many features a private eye might be interested in.




Read all the specs and details via Photography Blog:
www.photographyblog.com

Stylish cat...

Once again, Porsche Design is teaming up with a marine construction company. Plans have been announced for a joint project with Royal Falcon to build the RFF135 - a high tech 135 foot motor catamaran. The top speed is expected to be about 35 knots.
Other collaborators include the Swedish engineering firm Kockums and Australian catamaran builder Incat Crowther. Cost: TBD



Model and links from Luxury Insider:
www.luxury-insider.com

That hard drive is toast...

There are many ways to remove data from a hard drive. There are plenty of 'industrial strength' data scrubbers that will use software to ripple ones and zeros across the hard drive platters. But where's the fun in that? One word: Thermite. Smelting the hard drive can happen very quickly and dramatically using a chemical compound that generates a lot of heat.


Videos and Read all about it via Hackaday:
hackaday.com

Lairs...

Considering an underground lair? You might want to take a look at this: 'The 50 Dollar and Up Underground House Book' by Mike Oehler. Lots of details, Illustrations, and thoughtful commentary on why it's not that kooky of an idea. Cost: About 20 USD.




Available from Amazon.com (US Site):
www.amazon.com

Under my skin...

Wealthy folks in Mexico have been a bit concerned about the local kidnap rates these days. The situation has spawned a new trend: embedded RFID tags underneath their skin capable of being tracked by a GPS satellite.





Read a bit more about it via Reuters:
www.reuters.com