Tag Archives: silver

Princeton crafts a 3D printed bionic ear with super hearing, creepy looks

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Princeton crafts a 3D printed bionic ear with super hearing, creepy looks

Scientists have toyed with printing ear implants for ages, but they've usually been more cosmetic than functional. Princeton has just developed a bionic ear that could transcend those mere replacements to offer a full-on upgrade. Rather than seed hydrogel with cells and call it a day, the researchers 3D printed a blend of calf cells, hydrogel and an integrated, coiled antenna made from silver nanoparticles. The frankly spooky project doesn't resemble a natural ear all that closely, but it merges organic and synthetic more gracefully than inserting a chip into an existing implant. It can also expand hearing beyond normal human levels: the experimental version picks up radio waves, for example. Although the ear is just the first step on a long path toward natural-feeling bionics, it already has us wondering if we'll be actively seeking out replacement body parts in the future... not that we're about to go all Van Gogh to get them.

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Via: Phys.org

Source: Nano Letters

Xbox 360 Controller Wedding Band: At Least It’s Not a Red Ring

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When I got married, most wedding rings were pretty ordinary. Sure, they might have some extra diamonds here and there, or some sort of ornate engraving, but thanks to the wide-world of online customization, we have so many more choices these days. For example, here’s a wedding band that was  made to look like a set of Xbox 360 controllers.

xbox 360 controller ring

This ring was handcrafted by jewelry artist Brittany Foster, and is made from sterling silver with precious gems for the ABXY buttons, including ruby, emerald and sapphire stones. And there’s not just one controller on this ring – there are four, so its proud owner will be able to play a multiplayer game with the flick of their ring finger. Though you’d need some pretty tiny hands to actually be able to mash these jeweled buttons.

Check out more pictures of the Xbox 360 ring over on Custom Made. Brittany can make you a similar game controller ring for somewhere between $700 to $1000(USD). I want one that looks like a Kinect.

[via When Geeks Wed via Neatorama]

PlayStation Vita arrives in Ice Silver for Asia, starting on February 28th

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PlayStation Vita reaching Asia in Ice Silver from February 28th

Good news: Sony has revealed a new PlayStation console! But it's not what you think. Instead, there's an Ice Silver edition PlayStation Vita reaching Asian countries from February 28th onwards. The new hue is attached to a WiFi model and marks the fourth special color we've seen in just over a year since the Vita hit shops, joining the more ostentatious blue, red and white shades from 2012. Hong Kong residents will pay HK$2,280 (US$294) to stand out from the crowd on the 28th, with launches also known to be coming later to Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. There's no word on if or when silver might reach other parts of the world, although Sony might not want to wait too long for any further expansion -- it's likely that a color addition will be the last thing on gamers' minds in a few weeks' time.

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Via: Joystiq

Source: PlayStation Asia (1), (2), (3)

Zelda Wedding Rings: A Link to Your Soulmate

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If you’re thinking about getting married, and both you and your significant other are into classic video games, then I can’t think of anything better than these Zelda wedding bands as a symbol of your undying commitment to love, honor, and cherish one another (and occasionally dust off the old NES console together.)

zelda wedding rings

Even if your names aren’t Link and Zelda, you’ll still want to wear these rings. They’re actually quite elegant from the outside, and only those in the know will realize the meaning of the Triforce on them. One of them is inscribed with “It’s Dangerous” and the other with “To Go Alone.” Awwwwww. That’s so sweet, I think I just threw up a little bit in my mouth. But seriously, these rings are pretty swell.

These were custom made by Toronto jewelry artist Zsolt Székely. They don’t list the pricing for these exact rings on their website, but says that their rings range from $295 for sterling silver designs up to $5000 and beyond for precious metals and diamonds. That’s a whole lot of rupees if you ask me, but well worth the price for something you’ll both cherish for years to come.

[via ThinkGeek on Facebook]

Klingon Bat’leth Necklace Perfect for Taking Down Tiny Romulans

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The Klingon Bat’leth is a formidable weapon in the hands of a true warrior. It will slice and dice your enemies with honor. Now you can wear a miniature version on your neck.
batleth
I hear ya. If it can’t kill, why would I want that? Well, if you are in a fight and lose your Bat’leth and your opponent and you are rolling around on the ground in hand to hand combat, just rip this small version off your neck and take his eye out. Aside from that, you can give this small version to your action figure and let him disembowel some other figure.

Sadly it has already sold on Etsy, but if you ask its creator, Starbright Silver, maybe she can make you another one. It seems like it would come in pretty handy as a weapon of last resort.

[via Fashionably Geek]


GoPro’s new Hero3 is lighter, faster, higher res and has WiFi, comes in three flavors starting at $199

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GoPro's new Hero3 Black Edition is lighter, faster, higher res and has builtn WiFi

At a San Francisco launch event GoPro has just revealed the next addition to its line of action cameras, the Hero3. The Hero3 claims specs that are 30 percent smaller and 25 percent lighter than its predecessor, with a resolution that's up to 4x higher and it has WiFi included. The top of the line Black Edition (pictured above) is capable of capturing video at up to 4K res -- if you're willing to drop the framerate down to 15fps -- however thanks to a processor it says is 2x faster, it has also doubled frame rates at lower resolutions. That means 1080p60, 1440p48 and 720p120 modes are supported for your super slow and still-HD capture needs. The Silver Edition maxes out at 11MP stills and 1080p30 video, while the White Edition drops down to 5MP stills. All three versions include WiFi (no BacPac necessary for remote control via the just-released-on-iOS app) however the Black edition includes a remote that can control up to 50 cameras at once with a 600ft range and is waterproof to 10 feet deep. It will also be available as a $79 accessory for the lesser versions.

As far as pricing, the Black Edition is $399, the Silver is $299 and the White $199. Pre-orders are scheduled to start at 12:01AM PT (3:01AM ET), and there's a handy counter on the GoPro site if you otherwise might forget. The variety of models and ubiquitous WiFi may help fight off competition at the pricing low end like the new ContourROAM2, among others. Naturally we were in the house and will have hands-on pics and impressions soon, check the gallery for pics of the box and detailed specs.

Update: Our hands-on is live! Check out how tiny the Hero3 really is right here.

Gallery: GoPro Hero3



[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading GoPro's new Hero3 is lighter, faster, higher res and has WiFi, comes in three flavors starting at $199

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GoPro's new Hero3 is lighter, faster, higher res and has WiFi, comes in three flavors starting at $199 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Oct 2012 23:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceGoPro (Twitter), GoPro (Facebook), GoPro.com  | Email this | Comments

Premium Collection hot shoe covers are cufflinks for your cam, let you dazzle up that DSLR

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Premium Collection hot shoe covers are cufflinks for your cam, let you dazzle up that DSLR

You love the focus speed, image quality is top-notch and even videos turn out just as expected -- still, there's something missing with your latest DSLR, though it's just a tad hard to place. What your camera needs is some bona fide bling. Not using that hot shoe for a flash or EVF? It's time to tuck in a beautiful raised floral cover, elegantly outfitted in a shiny silver finish. It's sure to stand out against the contrast of an all-black body, though it'll feel equally at home on your silver Leica. Designed by Jay Tsujimura in Tokyo, Premium Collection includes matching hot shoe and shutter release covers, letting your camera stay coordinated just like your cuffs. They're priced to fly off store shelves at a mere ¥24,150 (about $300) each -- get an up-close look in our gallery and at the source link below.

Gallery: Premium Collection Hot Shoe Covers

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Premium Collection hot shoe covers are cufflinks for your cam, let you dazzle up that DSLR originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 19 Aug 2012 02:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Imaging Resource  |  sourceJay Tsujimura (translated)  | Email this | Comments

NCSU creates stretchable conductors from silver nanowires, lets gadgets go the extra inch

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NCSU creates stretchable conudctors from silver nanowires, lets gadgets go the extra inchAs often as we've seen flexible electronics, there haven't been many examples that could stretch -- a definite problem for wearables as well as any gadget that could afford to take a pull or squeeze. North Carolina State University's Yong Zhu and Feng Xu may have covered this gap through a form of silver nanowire conductor that keeps the energy flowing, even if the wire is stretched as much as 50 percent beyond its original length. By coating the nanowires with a polymer that traps the silver when solid, the researchers create an elastic material that can crumple and let the nanowire take the strain without interruption. Although the stretchy conductor's nature as a research project could put any practical use years into the future, Zhu notes that it can take loads of abuse, making it a perfect fit for rugged mobile devices. It should also allow for robots with a gentler touch and a more natural look... although we'll admit we're skittish about the creepy androids likely to follow.

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NCSU creates stretchable conductors from silver nanowires, lets gadgets go the extra inch originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Jul 2012 17:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink NCSU  |  sourceAdvanced Materials (Wiley)  | Email this | Comments

Stunning Sterling Silver Star Trek Engagement Ring

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Star Trek is probably the most successful American science fiction entertainment franchise ever created. While its core resides in those six TV series, the franchise has spread across several games, toy lines, novels and even a themed attraction in Las Vegas.

Generations of geeks have watched and been impressed by the ...
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R2-D2 USB Cufflinks Maintain Your Cuffs (and Data) Like a Maintenance Droid Should

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We were just saying how R2-D2 gets all the good merchandise and how C-3PO gets none of it, and along comes another case in point. Check out these awesome R2-D2 cufflinks – perfect for adding a touch of droid to your nicest dress shirts.

r2 d2 cufflinks

The cufflinks are officially licensed by Lucasfilm, and offer a tiny 3/4″ x 5/8″ enamel rendering of everyone’s favorite R2 unit, set into a silver-plated body – minus his head and legs. But that’s okay – I think it makes the cufflinks look even cooler. Heck, they almost look like tiny cigarette lighters, but they’re actually USB drives. Each cufflink stores 2GB of files, but it’s up to you to remember which files you stored on which sleeve.

r2 d2 cufflinks 2

At $200(USD) for the pair, they’re not exactly cheap. I’d love to see more storage for that price, but they still look awesome. You can pre-order a pair over at CuffLinks.com now. If you don’t need the storage and would rather that R2 keeps his head and legs, check out this set, which is currently on sale for just $80.

…and yet again C-3PO is nowhere to be found. Why can’t he have some flashy gold cufflinks?