Made On Earth

Volpin Props Bioshock “Big Daddy” on eBay

The amazing “Big Daddy” costume build from Volpin Props that we covered back in September is up for auction on eBay. The listing closes just after 9:00 PM PST on December 3rd which, incidentally, is my birthday (hint hint hint). The image shown above is actually a photograph of the costume (admittedly one that’s been run through a PhotoShop filter or two) taken at the Georgia Aquarium. You can view the entire photo-set here. [Thanks, Phil!]

Custom branding irons clip onto lighter

Custom branding irons clip onto lighter

I branded myself, about 8 years ago, with a cookie cutter and a blowtorch. The first time my dad saw it, he asked if someone had held me down and mutilated me in some kind of gangland reprisal. Dad thinks my life is a lot more exciting than it actually is.

Anyhoo, Cory just boinged this link to the Shapeways blog, wherein is described a nifty little 3D-printed metal branding iron they’ve developed, which clicks onto a standard disposable butane lighter and is fully customizable with your own logo/gang sign/frat house letters. Click the iron in place, flick the Bic for 30 seconds, and you’re ready to burn some skin!

If you don’t enjoy the smell of your own curdled flesh, this could be a great tool for hallmarking those little handmade wooden widgets you sell on Etsy, or whatever.

[via Boing Boing]

Universal doorknob opening robot for the disabled

Universal doorknob opening robot for the disabled

Interesting article over on New Scientist about Erin Rapacki’s design for a “low-cost” robot that can be used by the wheelchair-bound to grip, turn, and push or pull on most kinds of doorknobs. Maybe my sense of how much this sort of thing should cost is way off, but $2000 still seems pricey to me, although I guess at the prototype stage it’s pretty impressive. [via Popular Science]