107.9 The River » weird inventions

Want a Beer? You'll Have to Tackle the Machine to Get One

Shauna Wright — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 17:30:50 +0000

We’ve all whacked a vending machine a time or two to get an errant bag of M&Ms to drop into our greedy little hands but how about a beer vending machine that literally requires you to tackle it before it gives up the goods?

Steven Tyler and Roger Daltrey Funding Development of Vocal Cord Repair Gel

Amy Sciarretto — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 13:40:44 +0000

Scientists working at Boston’s Massachusetts Institute of Technology, with the funding help of hometown hero and Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler, are working on a special, almost magical gel that replicates the activity of a human vocal cord. It will be able to help the damaged voices of singers and, more importantly, cancer patients! The Who vocalist Roger Daltrey is also partly funding the endeavor.

Led Zeppelin Inspired Ladder Creates Safer Stairway to… Household Repairs

Joe Robinson — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 14:00:44 +0000

Ever thought about climbing a ‘Stairway to Heaven’ while searching for highly placed objects in your home? Finally, now is your chance. Inspired by Led Zeppelin‘s iconic logo, a student at the Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design has designed an innovative new ladder with jagged contours.

Whoa! Brilliant Scientists Demonstrate a Real Working Hoverboard [VIDEO]

alex staub — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 18:09:25 +0000

‘Back To The Future’ fans, rejoice! Not only has 2011 been the year of the Nike Air Mag, but thanks to a group of intrepid scientists, hoverboards may no longer be a crazy pipe dream. The scientists in this video may seem to be performing some form of wizardry, but what they are actually doing [...]

Paraplegic Woman Walks Again Thanks to Robotic Exoskeleton [VIDEO]

Don Deane — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 15:59:04 +0000

Usually when we hear the words “robot exoskeleton,” we think of science fiction. But for Amanda Boxtel, a woman who was paralyzed from the waist down in a skiing accident 20 years ago, an amazing powered exoskeleton has given her newfound mobility. After her skiing accident in 1992, Boxtel thought she would never walk again. [...]

Pancake Pillows Are Comfy, Good Enough to Eat

Dylan Schenker — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 16:15:27 +0000

What’s more comforting than a pancake-shaped pillow? A stack of pancakes, when done right, is soft, plump and fluffy. So of course it would make sense to transform the breakfast staple into a pile of comfy pillows. The relaxing flapjack stack even comes with two butter pillows to top off your breakfast-themed dreams. A pancake [...]

Scratch-and-Sniff Book Lets You Take a Whiff of New York City

Shauna Wright — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 15:00:53 +0000

Ah, New York City. The sights and smells are like nowhere on earth. Where else can you see the Statue of Liberty and take in the aroma of hot dogs? Or fish? Or, um, sewers?

Showcasing the Big Apple in all its olfactory glory is the goal of a new scratch-and-sniff book called ‘New York, Phew York,’ illustrated by artist Tim Probert and inspired by author Amber Jones’ experiences in the city.

Never Waste Another Cookie With the Oreo Crumb Case

Dylan Schenker — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 15:27:40 +0000

We all know, of course, that the best part about eating Oreos is twisting them open and dipping them in milk. So why not take it to the next level to better flavor your milk with all that Oreo goodness? Miami Ad School students Michael Malz, Jacob Gale, Kelly Saucier, and Michael Grosso have invented [...]

Portable 'Sleepbox' Lets You Doze Off Anywhere [VIDEO]

Jeremy Taylor — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 20:00:10 +0000

A Russian architectural firm has developed a climate-controlled sleeping capsule the size of a “small dumpster” that has three self cleaning beds, wi-fi connections and room for luggage storage. The ‘Sleepbox’ is designed to provide hotel-like comforts to travelers waiting in train stations or airplane terminals. However, when it comes living in dumpster-sized spaces, we’d [...]

1969 Mustang Coupe Made Entirely Out of Paper [PICTURES, VIDEO]

Dylan Schenker — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 12:42:36 +0000

Would you drive a car made out of paper? Brooklyn artist Jonathan Brand has combined his artistic talent with his love of cars to build a car entirely out of folded paper right down to the spark plugs. Brand began by creating a 3D replica on his computer and then printing out the pieces with [...]

TalkO'Clock Offers Wake-Up Calls From Strangers [VIDEO]

Jeremy Taylor — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 15:54:48 +0000

Social networking site TalkO’Clock is now offering up a service that allows strangers to provide wake-up calls for other strangers. To get a wake-up call, simply log in, provide your phone number and the time you’d like to be woken up, and specify the gender of your wake-up caller. Volunteers then chose times they can provide wake-up [...]

Flying Car Now One Step Closer to Reality [VIDEO]

Grace Niemitalo — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 14:56:40 +0000

Like the robot maid, the flying car is part of our 'Jetsons'-promised future that has yet to materialize.

But that could change soon. Last month, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration granted the Transition Roadable Aircraft a series of special exemptions, effectively making the plane-car hybrid street-legal.