I know I can't be the only one thinking that this device, dubbed Sense, would be used in combination with some not-so-safe-for-work websites, but it's absolutely brilliant even if you skip those applications.

Basically the device would recreate temperature, roughness, softness, hardness, and pressure in order to let you "touch" whatever's on your screen, while a special "smell and flavor-ink micro-printer" would print out lil' wax strips which melt on your tongue for a flavor and scent-filled finish.

I don't think I could see myself using this thing on a regular basis, if it ever gets made, but there would definitely be some potential for a few hours of amusement and virtual boob-squeezing. And maybe something less productive, too. [Design Blog]

Using this interactive app, you can virtually explore the sleigh and learn more about the gadgetry GE has built-in. They have thought of everything—including a wireless medical sensor that keeps tabs on the old man's breathing and heartrate. I mean he is like 200 years old. You never know when he will have a heart attack, fall from the sleigh and crash land in some kids living room. Haha...traumatic. [GE]

I wish it was real, however. The Ikkar allows for 50 passengers, with suites that have terraces facing the ocean. Stationary or at low speed, the Ikkar can open its hull sideways, deploying two large dock surfaces that allow people to walk and enjoy the sun. On the top, a solar sail—equipped with photovoltaic cells—grabs energy to help power the ship. Inside, a teleporting machine can transport you anywhere in the planet, while an anti-matter cannon could evaporate any enemies out of the water.

I'm just making this thing even better, ok? [Luxury Issues via Born Rich]

For coolness factor, I'd put this tandem unicycle somewhere between Bi-Cycle tandem bike and the Face-to-Face, while for pure crazy it's just shy of the Uno bike in single-wheel formation. Unfortunately, Corbin forgot to save his "great post about the construction details," so you're on your own for now building a tandem unicycle for you and your sweetheart. I'm pretty sure that step one was "lose all rational sense of physical limitations," so feel free to get a head start on that until the full instruction list is up.

UPDATE: Full instructions, if you've got sufficient wild abandon, can be found here. [Corbin's Treehouse via LikeCool via OhGizmo!]

This 'Silence Amplified' concept follows the UltraSilencer model which is on sale now, but I think we all know which model we'd spring for. As it's a completely silent vacuum cleaner, you'd be able to hear the music played via the inbuilt iPod dock (guess that's a concept iPod in the dock, too?) and integrated speakers, with Electrolux claiming:

"One of the results is that vacuuming to music gets the job done faster, with less stress, and it can even result in some more calories burned."

Sure, we'll take what exercise we can get, especially if it picks up all that cat hair from the tiles. [Electrolux]

Othmar Mühlebach's design won second prize at the Berner Design Awards, and certainly would have won first prize if it had a built in a butter and jam printer. It's probably for the best, though. I don't want to have to buy overpriced Smuckers refill cartridges. [Polaine via Core77 via Likecool]

The idea is that customers will buy the handset, but also buy into a lifestyle—and for a change, one that doesn't revolve around apps. Instead, owners of the UNIK would buy little colored squares made from various materials (metal, rubber and transparent beads are mentioned), which can then be stuck together to form covers for the slinky-looking handset.

It's a fun idea, and it reminds me of being a kid in the schoolyard, trading cards or marbles—though hopefully children wouldn't be trading these UNIK squares. They're a choking hazard, surely. [The Design Blog]

Your cat/dog/ferret may get peeved if it detects their thermal temperature and follows it about playing drum 'n bass, but I would love a roving music tank that I could control using any Wi-Fi or Bluetooth enabled device. Mint claims its Mintpad is the perfect partner for the Music Tank, but you can control it with your PC if you so desire.

If it ever comes up against the effeminate Sony Rolly, our money is on the Mint Robot Music Tank. Just look at those tracks! [Mint Pass via DVICE]

A floating speaker that would play theme music when you entered a room, WWE-style. Movie protagonist style.

Imagine, you walk into the office, Every Rose Has Its Thorn deafens a whole room of cubicles. Pumped (and possibly greased), you march through the office in slow motion (or just very slowly, no one can quite tell). And it's all thanks to your little Melody Balloon, a concept that is now 1% less plausible but 10000000% more incredible. I mean, as long as we're making stuff up, it might as well include at least one 80s meme. [Yanko via UberGizmo]

A group of German companies with expertise in parachute systems have joined forces to create the Gryphon Next Generation Parachute System. Designed for high altitude jumps, the Gryphon has a 6-foot wingspan and a glide ratio of 5:1, meaning that a solider can glide up to 30 miles in the air—60 if they go ahead with plans to add a small engine like the one used by Yves Rossy to cross the English Channel.

"All equipment is hidden in a lifting body optimized for stealth, the radar-signature is extremely low," says the Gryphon data sheet (PDF). "Detection of incoming Gryphon soldiers by airborne or ground radar will be extremely difficult."

Gryphon would also include a guidance system and heads up display navigation, which is all well and good, but it seems that the problem of landing still has to be worked out. Skydivers and daredevils using similar technology must deploy a traditional parachute in order to return to Earth in one piece. In order to get the most out of the stealth capability, it would be necessary to develop a way for soldiers to return safely to the ground using the wings alone. So far, there hasn't been any details on who might be interested in funding such a project, but this seems like too good of an idea to ignore. [ Danger Room via The Raw Feed]

It's just a concept for now, thanks to Russian designer Mikhail Stawsky, who has also created a crank-ended handset. Twist the end until you've got enough juice to place a call on the glossy touchscreen phone, and develop a new OCD habit whilst at it. [Mikhail Stawsky via Yanko Design]

Designer Erin Fong came up with this crazy "NOVA DSLR" design, and truth be told I like it. The folding handle idea seems especially useful for one-handed shots. Looks like it would work better than balancing the camera's weight off-center like with traditional DSLRs.

But again, I'm no photographer. I'll leave it to you shutter junkies out there to cry foul. [Erin Fong via Gizmo Watch via Geeky Gadgets]

The Mood Chair is designed by a company called Aether & Hemera and while it doesn't look too comfortable, it's pretty fun because it changes color based on its environment and users. The only trouble is that there doesn't appear to be a chart explaining which color corresponds to which mood.

I really want one of these chairs. Not just because I think they're pretty, but because I want to see if they would stick on the same color like my mood rings did. What does an orange-ish red mean anyway? [Aether & Hemera via Generate via Technabob]

But if I'm forced to use it, I won't complain. Designed by Florian Schärfer, the Melted Clock bed has integrated speakers, touch-sensitive buttons to snooze and control playback, and a haptic, touch sensitive alarm clock. Not a bad concept.

Still, the hammock and cocktails sound a lot better. [Yanko Design via Unplggd]

Only a concept now, but this charger-that's-also-a-iPhone-stand is easy enough that some Chinese company could quickly put out a solution in a few months. [Petit Invention via Into Mobile]

As Unplgged noted, it's kind of like "an audio version of a lava lamp," which seems like a good way to describe a speaker that utilizes light and water. It's only a concept at the moment, but I like the visual approach to music. [Yuki Yamamoto via Designboom via MocoLoco via Unplgged]

[Henrik Amberla via The Design Blog via Unplggd]

[DesignYearbook via TDB]

The idea is that the phone's keypad is projected onto your hand and the "buttons" separated by knuckles. Once you dial, you would hold your hand to your head a la the international "call me" pose. It's a neat concept, but somehow it just wouldn't fit into the Bionic Body Shop. Maybe the Cyborgism QVC Channel. [Yango Design]

As great as it seems, this concept is seriously creepy because it powers itself by converting the glucose and oxygen found in blood into electricity. Though somehow getting your blood sucked by a gadget is worth it for the endless potential applications. I'd probably just end up using it to moderate comments, but what would you do first with your implant? [Core77 via Geekologie]

This week, Gizmodo is exploring the enhanced human future in a segment we call This Cyborg Life. It's about what happens when we treat our body less as a sacred object and more as what it is: Nature's ultimate machine.