Gizmodo: rubber

Touch Display Actually Lets You Touch Real Thingies

Jesus Diaz — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:27:00 EDT

Leave it to a Japanese team—leaded by Hideki Koike at the University of Electro-Communications in Tokyo—to develop a touch display that uses rubber to allow you to actually touch real three-dimensional thingies. Hideki, you got me at rubber.

The system uses transparent rubber, an overhead camera, and an LCD panel that emits polarized light. The camera detects the diffraction of light as it passes through the three-dimensional transparent rubber, interpreting your moves and the force you apply to its surface. According to Koike, you can apply this for many things. One example: A three-dimensional model of the brain for surgeons to practice on. I can think of less elevated examples, Hideki.

There's only one disadvantage: The overhead camera. The problem is that the user's hand can get in the way sometimes, which will give erroneous results. They are planning to embed the camera inside the LCD. [New Scientist]

I Ain't Gettin' In No Rubber Tub, Fool. Oh, Alright, If You Insist

AddyDugdale — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 09:36:00 EDT

Just what the hell fool came up with this idea? Let me just put my T-focals on and read you what the blurb says. "A soft tub for the body. For children and adults. For play and healing. In the garden or the stylish bathroom." Healing? HEALING? What kinda fool tub gives you healing??? It gives you cleaning, that's what a tub gives you. It's made of EDPM rubber and cork, and I have a message for the sucka behind the design. Ole Jensen? I think you wear panty hose! [pan-dan via SwissMiss]

Urine Rubber Can Be Cut in Half and Still Reform to Original Shape

Adam Frucci — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 18:20:08 EST

A new rubber compound that's made from fatty acids and a component of urine retains its shape to such a degree that it can be cut in half with a knife and then repair itself, retaining its original form. Imagine it: you break a plastic toy in half, only to have it seal itself back together, with the only downside being that your hands smell like you didn't wash them after going to the bathroom. Science!

With a consistency that's "a cross between silly putty and a rubber ball," the rubber can stretch to twice its length easily. When chopped in half, you can simply press the cut edges together again. After a short period, it can then stretch out to the same degree as before with no glue required to keep it together.

Takuzo Aida, a chemist at Tokyo University says that "the discovery is very close to [being used in] business," and possible applications could be in items such as tires or adhesives. It's still a bit far away from that, but this nearly-green technology looks like it has loads of potential for future uses. Bring on the pee rubber! [Nature via BBC]

Rugged Camera from Minox is Waterproof to 33 Feet and Just Rubbery

AddyDugdale — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 04:59:10 EST

Manly and rugged outdoorsmen with small rucksacks might find Minox's DC6033 WP so far up their mountain path it's parked in their crevasse. Encased in rubber armor, the six-megapixel point-and-shoot camera is dust, dirt, sand and salt-proof, and you can take it underwater to a depth of 33 feet.

As well as a 4x zoom, the MINOCTAR lens is multi-coated with a 42mm fixed focal length, allowing for macro shots as close as 24 inches. There's a two-inch TFT color screen, built-in flash and, as well as an internal memory of 16MB, there's a slot for an SD memory card up to 2GB. Running on two AA batteries, the DC6033 WP will be available for $299. [Aving USA]

Pink. Rubber. Duck. Vibrator.

Jason Chen — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 15:24:33 EST

Not only is this rubber duck pink—or "Paris", as they call it—it runs on only two AA batteries. You activate the duck by pressing his torso, which makes him bzzzz bzzzz bzzzz you into tranquility. If you happen to share a bathroom with roommates, or god forbid your parents, this is a good way to disguise your playtime toy.

As an added bonus, there's a travel version that's half the normal size and runs on one AAA battery. Although not quite small enough to go properly spelunking, it still ~~provided us~~ could provide you with hours of enjoyment in your hotel room at CES. – Jason Chen

Product Page [Firebox via Shiny Shiny]

This Robot Defies Jesus, Walks on Walls

Gizloco — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 15:46:42 EDT

Hold on to the edge of your seat, boys and girls, because this here robot is poised to Blow. You. Away. Not only is it made of metal and rubber, in and of itself completely mind-boggling and on more than one occasion made me question my own hollow existence, but it can also walk up walls. So the government has been lying to us! I totally called this back in '47.

There's a video of this totally radical robot, like, walking up a wall. I could've sworn that only the Son of God could do that, but the Japanese sure do have a knack for creating robots with little actual, real world utility. – Nicholas Deleon

The Wall-climbing Robot [Newlaunches.com]

Plastic for Girlie Men: Samsung Dresses Phones in Hot Metal Bodies

Brian Lam — Tue, 19 Sep 2006 13:34:52 EDT

Not a phone launch, per say, but news that Samsung finally realizes that plastic is not the future. They're experimenting with cases in magnesium, fiberglass reinforced plastics, and rubber. We still want a mainstream handset carved from a single block of mahogany. We encourage this kind of phone mussing, Samsung. Bring us stainless steel phones hammered by blacksmiths, and we'll give you some fine coin.–Brian Lam

Samsung presents magnesium-coated "Magic Silver Phone" [mobile magazine]

Morning Urinal Mask

johnb — Tue, 16 May 2006 10:33:07 EDT

Good morning, Dear Readers! Wakie Wakie! Eat some eggie in a basket and feast your eyes on this wonderful rubber fetishwear from sunny Germany. Thrill at the Teutonic attachments! Marvel at the in-your-face urinal action! Pop on this ball-headed monster mask with handy appendage holes and, as the sun comes up over your burg, thank the Great Spirit for giving you a sex life that does not involve pegging an 80-year-old with a plastic carrot.

Product Page [StudioGum via BoingBoing]