Off Light Switch Hook

by Jenni Chasteen

 

Sometimes in order to save the world tough choices have to be made. You’ll have to choose between leaving the light on or hanging your jacket with the OFF Light Switch Hook. While in the off position you can hang something around the attached hook, reminding you to conserve energy by leaving the lights off. Even if it never persuades you to turn the light off more often it might make you at least aware of your bad habits.

Why EReaders Make More Sense For The Developing World

This article titled “E-readers: the best way to get the world’s children reading” was written by James Bridle, for The Observer on Sunday 8th September 2013 13.30 UTC

In a dusty schoolroom in Kade, a small town 75 miles from Accra, the capital of Ghana, 40-odd children sit on rickety wooden benches, in front of equally rickety desks. Kade has a population of 16,500, and its main business is the local mine: a rich source of gold and diamonds. These children don’t see a lot of the mine’s produce, but in front of them , on those rickety desks, sits something unexpected and of potentially greater value in the long term: brand new e-readers.

Since 2010, Worldreader.org, a not-for-profit organisation, has been distributing e-readers to schools in Africa and Europe. The project was born out of a 2009 family holiday. Seeing a locked library building in a small town, founder David Risher realised it was cheaper and more effective to supply e-readers than paper books in the sort of quantities that are required for education. Once the gadgets have reached their destination, it costs almost nothing to keep them stocked with educational materials, and teachers consider them less distracting than laptops or tablet computers. They can also be used to display local material, including newspapers, health and voting information.

In October 2010, Worldreader delivered 550 3G and Wi-Fi Kindles to primary- and high-school children in the Kade region – one for every child in six schools. They trained the teachers to use the devices, and the teachers trained the kids. Pre-installed on the e-readers were public domain study books, as well as novels provided free by local and international publishers. And as of this summer, Worldreader has put over 662,008 ebooks into the hands of 4,300 children in sub-Saharan Africa – and research shows they now read more, and read better. As one teacher in Kade noted: “Before, it was difficult to get books. Now we will have as many as we want.”

Source:psfk.com

ANTI-CHEATING WEDDING RING BRANDS MARITAL STATUS ON WEARER’S FINGER

How do you keep married folks from taking off their wedding rings so they can pretend to be single? For the creator of the Anti-Cheating Ring, branding their marital status on the finger is the answer.

The Anti-Cheating Ring is a titanium wedding ring that has a negative engraving on the inside. After wearing the ring for a while, it leaves a mark that reads ‘I’m Married’ on the user’s ring finger. With that brand on their ring finger, married people may become hesitant to simply slip the ring off to pretend they’re single.

The ring is currently selling on The Cheeky for $550.

Source:  http://www.psfk.com/2013/06/anti-cheating-wedding-ring.html

Inkless Pen Never Needs To Be Replaced

German engineering brings back a long forgotten and more sustainable method for making writing implements.

The Beta Inkless Pen is a revolutionary new example of German precision engineering, this particular pen does away with the need for ink completely and is a shining example of function and form.

Instead of having to sharpen your pencil all the time, or refill your pen with ink, and or discard it for a new one – all of which have negative connotations for the environment – the inkless pen provides an eco-friendly option. Bringing back an age-old technique of writing with metal, the pen’s tip is made of lead and leaves a grey line in it’s wake that won’t smudge or erase.

The pen can be used on most paper surfaces, at any temperature  and in any weather condition, making it a durable and versatile option for a pen that is ready to use in any circumstance. There is also a keychain version available, giving you peace of mind that you have the tool to document your best ideas as and whenever and wherever they happen.

               Continue Reading...http://www.jzpen.com/products/the-beta-inkless-pen

TEAR OFF FLASH DRIVES-VERY INNOVATIVE

GIGS2GO is a small set of ‘Tear and Share’ USB drives, about the same size as a credit card, that can be torn off and used or handed out to others. Yanko Design notes that the four-pack of thumb drives is made from 100% post-consumer molded paper pulp with no plastic.

You can tear off an individual 1GB drive like a phone number on a flyer for a cat-sitter. Designed by Kurt Rampton and BOLTgroup, the drives allow for quick, on-the-go data transfer of large files that can’t be emailed.

Source. PSFK.COM

Nike Vapor Laser Talon with a revolutionary 3D printed plate

The quest for acceleration and speed has long been the north star for athletes across sport, and in order to excel in the game of football, the mastery of these skills is seen in the 40-yard dash. Played out on a national stage in Indianapolis, pro scouts clock 40-yard dash times in order to assess and translate these measurements to a football athlete’s game-time ability. 

Today, Nike Football debuted the Nike Vapor Laser Talon with a revolutionary 3D printed plate that will help football athletes perform at their best. In a version built to master the 40, the Nike Vapor Laser Talon weighs a mere 5.6 oz. and is specifically designed to provide optimal traction on football turf and to help athletes maintain their “drive stance” longer. 

With more than 40 years of athlete insights and innovation across sport, Nike designers worked with elite trainers within Nike SPARQ as well as long time partner and gold medal sprinter Michael Johnson to understand how he and his team at Michael Johnson Performance train football athletes for the 40. According to MJP Performance Director, Lance Walker, an athlete’s “Zero Step” is a pivotal point that can make or break an athlete’s 40 time. In the moments before that first step hits the turf, his propulsion and acceleration speed are determined. At that point, it’s all about geometry.

“Nike’s new 3D printed plate is contoured to allow football athletes to maintain their drive position longer and more efficiently, helping them accelerate faster through the critical first 10 yards of the 40,” said Johnson. “Translated to the game of football, mastering the Zero Step can mean the difference between a defensive lineman sacking the quarterback or getting blocked.”

The plate of the cleat is crafted using Selective Laser Sintering technology (SLS). It is the sport’s first 3D-printed plate. SLS is a manufacturing technique that uses high-powered lasers to fuse small particles of materials into a three-dimentional shape. Through proprietary material selection, Nike was able to prototype a fully functional plate and traction system within a fraction of the traditional timeframe and at a fraction of the weight. The SLS process allows for the engineering and creation of shapes not possible in traditional manufacturing processes. It also provides the ability to make design updates within hours instead of months to truly accelerate the innovation process to never seen speeds.  

“SLS technology has revolutionized the way we design cleat plates – even beyond football – and gives Nike the ability to create solutions that were not possible within the constraints of traditional manufacturing processes,” said Shane Kohatsu, Director of Nike Footwear Innovation.

The way athletes train continues to evolve, and Nike continues to push the boundaries of innovation even further. By listening to the voice of the athlete, Nike is able to evolve footwear, apparel and equipment to help athletes achieve their highest potential.

Source:psfk.com

AUDI CONCEPT REPLACES TRADITIONAL TAILLIGHTS WITH MINI TV SCREENS

A vehicle’s rear tail light indicates to other road users that the driver is braking or turning, but what if it could signal more? Audi‘s ‘Swarm’ concept proposes turning the rear of a vehicle into an OLED display, capable of communicating more information.

The external light design could react to the approaching driver, following his or her movements and highlighting the main contours of the vehicle or the door handle. When the driver has entered, restrained OLED lighting would become active inside.

A vehicle’s rear end could be turned into a large, continuous light surface, with innumerable small points of flickering light. Their movements follow the movements of the vehicle, so when a right turn is made, they flow to the right, when the car brakes, they flow rapidly forwards, and the faster the car goes, the faster they move. This would enable the following driver to always see right away what the car in front is doing.

Gizmag notes that ‘Swarm’ could potentially be a hazard by distracting other drivers and reports that a spokesperson for the UK’s Automobile Association said: “The Swarm is a delightful concept design but under current lighting regulations it is probably best saved for aquariums or art galleries.” You can check out the OLED technology in the video using the link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=cnQRTvwuE8k

Source:psfk.com