Category:
Inventions

Self-Lighting, Dimmable Candle

Candles go high tech!

Switch Candle from Zelf Koelman on Vimeo.

Posted By: Alex - Fri May 17, 2013 - Comments (11)
Category: Inventions

Universal Translator Already Here

It doesn't have Klingon yet, but this demonstration shows the technology exists to make your own Universal Translator, ala Star Trek.



I barely understand all the pieces used in the assembly, much less how it is done.

A version for all of us could be just around the corner.

What language would you want translated?

Posted By: gdanea - Wed Apr 24, 2013 - Comments (9)
Category: Inventions

The Lice-Anator

It's good to see that the spirit of invention is alive and well among the nation's youth, as evidenced by the "Lice-Anator," the winning invention of this year's Toshiba/National Science Teachers Association ExploraVision program. The invention (or rather, sketch of an invention... no working prototype was required) was submitted by first graders Maggie Huerta, Mackenzie Greco, and Nina Kaiser. The gadget is "a computerized hairbrush that uses special bristles and processors that not only detect the presence of the creepy crawlers [lice], but also kills them with tiny on-board lasers." Cool! [chicagoparent.com]

Posted By: Alex - Sun Mar 31, 2013 - Comments (6)
Category: Inventions, Children

Fritz von Opel



Fritz von Opel was one of those early-20th-century rocket-besotted guys who pioneered this exotic means of propulsion. Just look at his rocket car go in the film clip above! (Narration in German, but not necessary to comprehension.)

But von Opel's innocent excitement had its darker side. I give you the 1929 newspaper article below. Specifically, the enlarged sentence.

image

image

Posted By: Paul - Fri Mar 29, 2013 - Comments (7)
Category: Inventions, War, Space Travel, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, Europe, Cars

Tongue-Mounted Toothbrush

Adel Elseri and Said Fayad hope that the tongue-mounted toothbrush, which is their invention, will make them rich. You slip the device over your tongue and scrub away. Apparently it's one-time use only. Check out their facebook page for more info. [edmonton journal]

Posted By: Alex - Sun Mar 17, 2013 - Comments (5)
Category: Inventions, Baths, Showers and Other Cleansing Methods

Early Solar-Powered Car

A 1912 Baker Electric car that was retrofitted with a solar panel by Charles Escoffery for the International Rectifier Corp. back in 1960. The panel cost $20,000. (I don't know what that would be in present-day money, but it wouldn't be cheap.) With the panel, the Baker could run at 20 mph for three hours. International Rectifier hoped to soon be churning out "noiseless, smogless" solar cars for $5000 each. It's 53 years later now, and we're still waiting. Source: Newsweek (Mar 7, 1960) & M3GA.



Posted By: Alex - Sat Feb 16, 2013 - Comments (4)
Category: Inventions, 1960s, Cars

Horse Odometer


From Munsey's Magazine, 1895. (via Paul Collins)

Posted By: Alex - Tue Feb 05, 2013 - Comments (9)
Category: Inventions, Travel, Nineteenth Century

The Anti-Collision Train

Imagine you're riding in a train, when you see another train hurtling toward you on the same track. No problem. You're on the "anti-collision train," designed by P.K. Stern of New York. It was a bold idea for improving travel safety, but it never caught on. The Strand magazine (1904) explained the concept:

A single track is used, on which railway-cars are caused to travel. Two cars are rushing towards each other at a speed of twenty-five miles an hour, so that a collision would, under ordinary conditions, be inevitable, when suddenly one of the cars runs, not into, but over the top of the other and lands on the track on the other side, where it continues in perfect safety to its destination. The underneath car has proceeded as if nothing had happened.

The cars, although they run upon wheels, are really travelling bridges, with overhanging compartments for the accommodation of passengers. Over the framed structure of the cars thus constituted an arched track is carried, securely fastened to the car and serving the purpose of providing a road-bed for the colliding car. This superimposed track is built in accordance with well-understood principles of bridge construction.

Posted By: Alex - Fri Feb 01, 2013 - Comments (9)
Category: Inventions, Travel, Transportation, Trains

CowCows

Your challenge is to guess whether this product is real or imaginary. The answer is below in extended.

Product Description: CowCows (aka VACHEMENT VACHE). Created by designer Cyprien Côté.

Completely 'fed up' with seeing cows unsuccessfully wipe flies from their eyes, [Côté] came up with an ear extender that could be used by the cow to fully remove any pest that was bothering them. They were made out of a super-soft material and cost about fifty cents (Canadian) per set.





More in extended >>

Posted By: Alex - Sun Jan 27, 2013 - Comments (2)
Category: Inventions, Cows

Slow Down—You Move Too Fast Decelerator Helmet

With the Decelerator Helmet, you can slow time down to enjoy the view.

The Decelerator Helmet - A slow motion for Real Life from Lorenz Potthast on Vimeo.



Look at the slo-mo and stop-motion skateboard example at around 2:30.

The description of how the technology works is also cool.

It makes me wonder if someone wearing the helmet would bump into people if they weren't in real-time. In the video, the subject walks through the crowd but the video is delayed.

As I bump my way through this crowded world, I may be wearing one of these and not know it.

Posted By: gdanea - Fri Dec 07, 2012 - Comments (4)
Category: Inventions

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Alex Boese
Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes.

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Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1.

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