Powerup 3.0
No matter how hard you tried at school, there was always someone who made a better paper aeroplane. No longer. The Powerup 3.0 is an add-on for the paper aeroplane that will take your creations to new heights. By attaching the small propellor and Bluetooth sensor to your own paper aeroplane, you can control the plane’s direction and speed by tilting your phone and twiddling a toggle on the accompanying app.
While expected to ship from the US this summer, it currently only works on iOS, so Android users may have to brush up their origami for now.
Gramovox™ Bluetooth Gramophone
Created by a Chicago startup, the Gramovox is a hybrid of old-school design and 21st-century tech.
Inside the simple wooden base is a bundle of electronic jazz that enables you to play music from your smartphone through its steel horn allowing you, as the company grandly puts it, to “stream nostalgia”.
With only an on/off button to worry about, it appears a doddle to operate compared with its ancient analogue ,while its bluetooth range of 30ft covers an area just large enough for a waltz around the living room.
On sale to the tune of £212, it could be gracing your sitting room by June.
K5 by Knightscope
A robot that straddles the space between R2-D2 and RoboCop. The K5 is an autonomous crime prevention robot designed by the US startup Knightscope. A 5ft, bullet-shaped robot, it patrols your area taking in data to suss out possible crimes. Sensors range from infrared imaging to tracking social media for signs of distress. Should K5 find anything fishy, it will alert the authorities.
PetChatz
PetChatz allows you to interact with your dog when you are out and about. A simple wall mount, complete with webcam and treat dispenser, allows you to see your dog and your beloved pooch to see you. Log in to your web account, alert your pet with a special ringtone and then feel free to coo at your screen. Preferably in private. PetChatz is currently only available in the US.
Wearable Solar Project
The days of your mobile phone running out of battery are numbered. That is, as long as it is daytime, sunny, and you don’t mind looking like you just wandered off the set of Tron. Dutch fashion designer Pauline van Dongen has created a range of clothing complete with retractable solar panels that you can use to charge your phone and other electronic devices. Specially designed flexible panels have been created for comfort but are also efficient. Apparently, an hour of direct sunlight can boost a smartphone’s battery levels from zero to 50%. So far, only prototypes exist in leather and wool so it may be some time before your own wardrobe will harness the sun’s rays to keep our most precious gadgets going.
Source: THE GUARDIAN