Way back at the end of March 2007, a couple of MAKE interns sealed the lid on a ghost shrimp and a few snail friends on what the staff thought would be a three-hour tour. Err, I mean a 90-day biosphere odyssey. Yesterday at 16:35:56 marked the end of the third year of our little […]
Details about the device itself are scanty, other than that the clam-sized machine shown in the photo “is supported by a large apparatus of pressure regulators, pistons and more that control such things as how hard the robot is pushed in each direction.” Which leads me to speculate that the prototype, as shown, is unpowered and operated remotely by pneumatics or hydraulics. They’re envisioning applications as a lightweight anchor that could burrow into or out of a sea- or lakebed on command.
Cast in urethane by Dutch designer Eelko Moorer. White and black versions also exist. [via designboom]
Bored with those die-cut plywood dinosaur kits? Try building one with tweezers! Maybe in a bottle, like a model ship, for added challenge? Seller Everything Tiny wants to send you one of these awesome little stegosaurus model kits in a mint tin:
It’s not, unfortunately, actually made of wood. Details are scanty, but I suspect wrought iron. It’s the work of Florida metalsmiths Imagination in Metals. [via Design You Trust]
Thingiverse user themauxfaux, who does seem to enjoy his word-play, just posted these plans for a laser-cut bangle that incorporates a hollow passage, complete with air-holes, so you can display your favorite live insect specimens on your wrist.
He calls it “Putrefashion,” which I think is a tactical error. I mean, I understand: I have a hard time resisting a good pun myself, but the whole point here is to keep the critter alive. And if you were to, you know, keep wearing it after it died and started to rot, well…just…ew. Even moreso “ew” than wearing bugs around on your wrist in the first place.
Now, apart from the name, there’s still plenty to criticize here, if I were inclined to do so. But I prefer to focus on the positive, and in spite of all my little quibbles with the design, I say this still counts as a win on the basis of originality alone.
ASPEX, a company that makes desktop scanning electron microscopes (SEMs), is running a promotional campaign under which anyone can mail them a sample, which they will then image under one of their SEMs. The results will be posted on their webpage, and all for free! Challenge: Take advantage of their offer to produce publishable data. [via Boing Boing]
