Ever wondered what you would look like as a different race? Now you can with The Human Race Machine. Invented in 2000, by Nancy Burson, the machine looks like one of those carnival photo booths — you enter the machine, sit down, and take an image. Here’s how it works. After taking your picture, the machine requires you to mark certain facial features (like the edge of your eyes, nose, and mouth) using the joystick. Then, you are prompted to select which race you’d like to see your image transform into. Currently, there are six options: Asian, Black, White, Hispanic, Indian, and Middle Eastern. The machine’s computer will then morph your image into your selected race.
The Human Race Machine is an education tool designed to bring forward the message that each race’s features are superficial. The point? That there is only ONE race, the Human Race.
The Human Race Machine is available for either lease or purchase. Each leasing term lasts a little over a week: 9-10 days. The machine arrives in a custom made case and weighs about 650 pounds. Set up time is less than 15 minutes. You can book the machine for workshops or seminars, and each booking comes with promotional posters, a DVD copy of the PBS series “Race — The Power of an Illusion” and various handouts, including “10 Things Everyone Should Know About Race” and “The Race Literacy Quiz.”
Canon has unveiled three new point and shoot digital cameras: PowerShot SD890 IS, SD790 IS, and SD770 IS Digital ELPH. All three cameras sport a 10 megapixel CCD and Canon’s “easy-to-use” features: Motion Detection Technology, Optical Image Stabilization, Genuine Canon Face Detection Technology, and Canon’s DIGIC III imaging processor — which provides improved image quality and faster boot, shutter, and auto-focus response times. Each come with a 32MB memory card, USB cable, wrist strap, rechargeable battery, and AV cable.
PowerShot SD890 IS Digital ELPH Camera
* 2.5 inch PureColor II LCD display
* 5x optical zoom (37mm - 185mm lens)
* $399.99 - released in April
PowerShot SD790 IS Digital ELPH Camera
* 3 inch PureColor II LCD display
* 3x optical zoom (35mm - 105mm lens)
* $349.99 - released in end of March
PowerShot SD770 IS Digital ELPH Camera
* 2.5 inch PureColor II LCD display
* 3x optical zoom
* $299.99 - released in mid-April
This Tyvek wallet from Dynomighty, called the Dinero Tri-fold, is made from thousands of plastic fibers that is hard to tear. The Dinero wallet is lightweight, waterproof, and long-lasting. The wallet, sporting a “money theme”, is seamless in design and features enough pockets to hold your credit cards, money, photos, and IDs.
Even though the Dinero Tri-fold is made from tear resistant Tyvek, the wallet is still vulnerable to cutting, say from scissors. It costs $15 via Dynomighty’s website.
Got too many alcoholic friends? You may end their habit with the “Don’t Break the Bottle” puzzle. Simply attach the puzzle to any wine bottle and watch your friend (or family member) express their frustration as they try to “unlock” the wine bottle. The product page ensures that the puzzle is harder than it seems. Made out of wood, the Don’t Break the Bottle uses a linking cable to tie the entire piece together. The object is to figure out to “unloop” the cable and wooden pieces to free the bottle. When you’ve had your fun laughing at your friends, the puzzle comes with instructions on how to untie everything.
“Don’t Break the Bottle” puzzle costs £19.95 ($40 USD) at I Want One of Those. It works with standard wine, herb vinegar, olive oil, and pop bottles.
Watch the i-SOBOT practice its putting skills. It can even display its emotions when it misses or makes a putt. It shakes its head when it misses and dances when it makes the putt. It doesn’t even look at the ball when it swings. The i-SOBOT is that pro.
Here’s an interesting story. The Boston Herald is reporting that second-hand cigarette smoke causes the laser in the Wii, that reads the game discs, to malfunction. Apparently, the smoke dirties the lens preventing the Wii from loading certain game discs properly. Nintendo has offered to clean up any affected Wii’s at no extra charge.
Nintendo is saying that the problem is more prominent when reading large capacity, dual layered discs, like the newly released “Super Smash Bros. Brawl“. A cleaned lens should fix the issue.
Not only is smoking bad for your health, it also kills your Nintendo Wii. Who knew?
Designed by two Irish inventors, Ian Walton and Eoin McNally, the glo Pillow utilizes light embedded in the pillow to wake up sleepers. By gradually increasing the light intensity, the designers were aiming it to be similar to waking up by natural sunlight. Using LED fabric substrates, the glo Pillow activates its gentle light 40 minutes before the set alarm time. The foam pillow is programmable via the interface located on the side of the pillow. An embedded LED screen displays the set time.
At this time, the pillow is purely a concept. However, it has been featured in Time Magazine’s ‘Best Inventions of 2007‘.
The glo Pillow doesn’t seem like it would work for deep sleepers like me. I need something screaming loud me to wake me up.
