Gizmodo: machine

Japanese Oral Grip Machine Tortures, Improves Smiles

Jason Chen — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 13:00:29 EDT

The Japanese are not unfamiliar with using gadgets to improve their appearance, but this Oral Grip Machine just looks and sounds too painful to be used while not inundated with sake. It's a couple pieces of plastic you shove in your mouth to work your oral muscles out with for four minutes at a time, three times a day. Now, we've seen plenty of Japanese people, and their smiles being sub-par is probably pretty far down the list of things I thought about. However, maybe this is less for smiles, and more for the Japanese adult industry where oral strength is a trait much sought after (at least in the videos we've glanced at). [Patakara via Tokyo Mango]

Real-World Calvin Builds Snow Machine, Creates Backyard Mountain Overnight

Jesus Diaz — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 10:33:12 EST

Forest Pearson is a 10-year-old who saved $500 to build a snow-making machine from scratch. Forest Pearson is also our hero, who will probably grow to build a 100-person Jacuzzi on top of Everest. This real-world Calvin put together the machine using a 30-gallon air compressor and a pressure washer, with spray noozles that throw perfect snow powder. The machine may look simple in the following the image, but the results are stunning Update: now with video:

His mom said: "He's watching a molecular process happening here, he's creating a climatic event. It's incredible." I don't know what's more incredible: her mom being cool about Forest creating a huge mountain of snow in their backyard or the fact that she's talking about it all as "molecular process."

Forest, if you are reading this, contact us. Brian needs a ski slope to practice his snowboarding on in San Francisco. [Katu and Oregon Live]

MC Square X1 Stimulates Brain Waves, Makes You Smarter?

hook — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 15:42:00 EST

The MC Square X1—a get-smart-quick device—is already huge in Korea. Its makers say it helps you relax and concentrate by targeting your brain's sensory preceptors with light and sound. It looks like a little MP3 player with an accompanying set of video glasses, but instead of displaying video, the glasses transmit pulsing red dots that are synchronized to music or nature sounds. The X1 also includes a voice recorder—so you can listen to your own soothing voice?— plus a miniSD slot for your photos and music.

The device can take you through six different regimens for better sleep, improved concentration, memory improvement and relaxation, each running at about 15 minutes. The inventors say that doctors at University of Pennsylvania and Thomas Jefferson University—both in Philadelphia—have put the MC Square through real clinical tests. Some studies have shown a 14% increase in memorization after about a week. That is, as long as the thing doesn't give you a seizure: since it is a device that emanates light pulses, MC Square says those who have suffered from seizures in the past should stay away. Ditto for kids under 13. Everyone else should pay $400 for it, in their opinion. [MC Square]

HDTV Pinball Machine is Art and Teaches Kids Stuff

AddyDugdale — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 15:50:59 EDT

Ceci n'est pas un pinball machine. Actually, it is, but it manages to be all sorts of things as well. It's an art installation that's currently on show in Barcelona, as well as an interactive game for kids, And, best of all, it uses a widescreen HD telly as one of the displays.

Called King of the House, the pinball game is simple. Left-hand flipper controls the parents' wishes for their kids (school, church, museums, books), while the right hand is all about what the kids want. TV, interweb and video games. It's on show at the Palau de la Virreina in Barcelona for another month. [Flickr via Boing Boing Gadgets]

Chilled Shot Machine Makes Shots Go Down Smooth

Jason Chen — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 15:50:11 EDT

We're not big shot drinkers here—we prefer the apple, mango, or grapetini ourselves—but this Chilled Shot Machine is just the thing to make your next small glass of booze go down smooth. The device fits a bottle up top, like a water cooler, and chills drinks all the way down to 15 degrees F. That may be colder than freezing temperature for water, but it's just right for alcohol. Sounds delicious, and makes us wish we hadn't already gotten wasted on a six-pack of Coronas before we started the day. [Skymall]

LG's Washing Machine Has an iPod Dock

Jason Chen — Mon, 28 May 2007 11:03:16 EDT

Of all the things that we've seen an iPod dock stuck onto, this washing machine is probably the worst. LG's patent for a "Home appliance with MP3 player" loads a dock for the iPod/Zune on the top along with speakers and what looks like a powerline networking adapter with a slot for a USB port.

We're not sure how useful this is—who spends all 40 minutes of the cycle standing in front of the washer?—but LG apparently has other ideas in mind. Oh crap, that reminds us that we left a wet load in the washer last night! – Jason Chen

A Washing Machine with Mp3 player by LG [Unwiredview]

Desktop Batting Machine is Office-Appropriate

Travis Hudson — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 21:15:03 EDT

Desktop trebuchet a little dull? Try this desktop pitching machine on for size. It includes 12 soft miniature balls and a collapsible bat. And I thought I was risking my job tweaking my baseball fantasy league at the office; how about an actual game of baseball? Show me one office where a person could get away with this and I will be quitting Gizmodo in a heartbeat. $25. –Travis Hudson

Product Page [Via Nerd Approved]

Pink Japanese Blowjob Machine

Brian Lam — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 14:49:32 EDT

I've been debating whether or not to post this thing, but what the hell, you're all grown-ups.

Last time I was in Akihabara, I'd found a 7-story sex store filled with the usual DVDs, mags, fetish gear and cosplay outfits. After floor 2, my eyes just glazed over, senses overloaded. But you don't start hiking up Everest with the intent of half-assing, so I kept on going. On floor 5, I noticed what looked like a bright pink projector in the store window. But instead of a lens, the machine had a faux-flesh orifice with "Heaven" scrawled across the side. And instead of a lightbulb, it seemed to have a motor churning away, tirelessly. Then I noticed lots of disposable looking canisters around with different textured interiors. Aha, a bright pink japanese blowjob machine. Cool.

One geek thought occurred to me after the typical male ones: I bet this could be rigged into an automatic cellphone cleaning mechanism.–Brian Lam

How to Hack a Vending Machine

Jason Chen — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 18:30:44 EST

Following up our how to hack a coke machine coverage, here's a video on how to hack a snack machine. It's pretty much the same idea. Pay for something, but hold the release flap up on the bottom so the machine thinks it didn't drop your food. Then mash on the coin return button to get your money back.

Simple and unethical. Just the way you like it. – Jason Chen

How to: Hack a Vending Machine? [TechEBlog]

Tennis Ball Robot Hits With a Racket

Jason Chen — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 15:44:30 EST

Unlike traditional tennis ball launchers, this tennis robot hits with an actual racket. This makes judging when the ball is hit and where it will land a whole lot easier.

The balls are launched between 20kph (12.4mph) and 70kph (43mph), which isn't that fast, but is good enough for practice. Seriously, as a guy who's been hit in the nuts more than once by a tennis ball machine (ball me once, shame on you, b..ba....I'm not gonna get balled again), I can say this is a good invention. – Jason Chen

Product Page [Astro-r via Seihin World via BNCRanking (japanese)]

Video of Motorola Vending Machine

Jason Chen — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 20:45:41 EDT

This lousy video of the Motorola vending machine is blurry because it was taken on a Motorola RAZR. Still, you can see that it looks similar the the Sony one we saw before, and features various RAZRs and SLVRs waiting to drop down into your ham-soaked hands.

This one only had PEBLs and SLVRs since they were out of Q's. We wonder if there's a warning to tell people that the Q's only work on a certain provider? – Jason Chen

Crappy Video Of Motorola Vending Machine [Crunchgear]