Stem cell therapy restores British man's eyesight

Stem cell or not to stem cell....

Stem cell therapy restores British man's eyesight: "

Russell Turnbull, now 38, lost almost all the sight in his right eye after trying to break up a fight and being sprayed with ammonia 15 years ago. The result for him was what's known as Limbal Stem Cell Deficiency, which caused him great pain, the need for therapeutic treatment, and economic dependency. Good news for Russell is that he can put all that behind him now, after becoming one of the first recipients of a new stem cell grafting procedure, whereby healthy tissue from his left eye was implanted into his right and -- just like a video game medpack -- restored his vision to normal. For the moment, this treatment is limited to patients with at least one healthy eye, but given the pluripotent nature of stem cells, it is hoped that tissue from elsewhere in the body could one day be used to regenerate damaged parts, such as the cornea in this case. You may find further enlightenment in the video after the break.

Toshiba and Electrolux Escargot snail vacuum cleaner

How cool....

Toshiba and Electrolux Escargot snail vacuum cleaner: "

I think we all know what comes to mind when we think of a vacuum cleaner. You know, that stand up job with the wide front? I don’t think that vacuum cleaner design has changed in the past 30 years.

You got to admire that Toshiba, in a partnership with Electrolux, has created the Escargot, a vacuum that looks like a snail.

It’s always good to see a concept device that is “borrowed” from nature. The Escargot rolls up like that slimy gastropod, but it will fit in between the space of the large wheels that make up the Escargot’s “shell”.

It weighs about 2.1 kilograms, and it can it can be rolled around or carried with a shoulder strap. My source does not reveal how large this vacuum cleaner is, but if it was as large as a regular vacuum, than it wouldn’t be so compact, would it?

Personally, I’m already sold on it just by its shape alone. In fact, I highly recommend that Toshiba paints it in bright colors to look like Gary the snail from Spongebob Squarepants.

Yeah, I realize that that is unlikely, because by the time this concept probably sees the light of sales, Spongebob will have been canceled.

You-Vision Video Glasses

Now only if they were in a more attractive frame...

You-Vision Video Glasses: "

When you’re trying to capture those perfect moments, getting out a camera always seems to take two minutes too long. By the time it’s out, the moment has passed and you don’t even have any proof that it ever happened. Now you can wear a video camera on your head at all times. Don’t worry, it doesn’t require you to strap a conventional camera to your head. Instead it’s a pair of glasses with the camera inside of them.

Just flip the switch on the top of the frames and it’ll start recording your day. Although I wouldn’t suggest recording your full day. When you start recording that much it becomes a bit of a narcissistic obsession. Plus you’d have to unload the 2GB of memory every 5 hours. This records both video and audio and will work with both a PC and a Mac. You can purchase the glasses for $149 from Photojojo.

Fisher-Price Power Wheels Cadillac Escalade EXT

I think they should've tricked it out a little more. Where are the future rap stars? Why do they have these suburban kids riding in the Escalade? Hehe.

Fisher-Price Power Wheels Cadillac Escalade EXT: "

For a little kid, having a battery powered vehicle is as good as it gets. Nevermind that the battery takes an eternity to charge and only keeps the device powered for what seems like a very short time. It’s the fact that a kid can hop in a vehicle, with a friend and go round and round the yard to their heart’s content. Well for those kids that aren’t satisfied with any old normal toy, now they can have a Cadillac branded one.

It’s not just any type of Cadillac, it’s an Escalade. Nothing quite screams rich kid like a Power Wheels Cadillac Escalade EXT. It would help if the child was actually a rich kid for them to be able to afford the amount of cash it’ll cost to put this under the Christmas tree. It has 2 working doors and 2 seats, so they can have a friend with them. It also has a working FM radio and a battery charge indicator that lets you know when it’s time to charge it up again. The 12 volt battery can make the vehicle go up to 5 mph. You can purchase the Escalade for $399 from Amazon.

S&J Co. offers Eggy portable mini speakers

These are so cool looking, but do they work well....

S&J Co. offers Eggy portable mini speakers: "

How many designs can a pair of speakers come in? S&J Co. of Korea decided to take a different route instead of settling for the usual boxy or rectangular shape with the Eggy portable mini speakers. This 20mm micromini unit is insanely small, packing in an impressive 4 watt of RMS alongside an integrated digital amp for all your portable audio needs. This will squarely target the notebook and netbook market which have speakers that leave much to be desired, although that too is changing these days. Since it draws power from a USB port, there is no need to pick up another adapter with you on your travels, although it will put your notebook and netbook battery under additional strain.

Lego Head Lamp

Ha! So cute!

Lego Head Lamp: "

Does you little one go adventuring regardless of where he/she is? Just to make sure that your kids are all right and well equipped just in case they decide to get themselves in a tight spot (i.e. checking out dark tunnels which generations of rabbits and moles have burrowed through), you might want to consider a head lamp that is extremely appealing – especially when it comes with a Lego minifig. We’re talking about the Lego Head Lamp here, people. It helps one navigate through dark areas without encumbering your hands, and you can turn it off and on with but a single click. The light is much more focused compared to a candle, and it can be clipped onto a myriad of items including your backpack, jacket or belt among others. The Lego Head Lamp is available for $11.99.

Bacteria Assassin Ninja Toothbrush Sanitizer

Haha, this is so cute!

He's kind of shaped like me.... hehehe. AND wearing all black, go figure.

Bacteria Assassin Ninja Toothbrush Sanitizer: "

You never know just how many microscopic nasties there are that reside on your toothbrush, and just because your naked eyes can’t see them doesn’t mean they’re not there. After all, roaches and other nocturnal insects who make a visit to your bathroom might also crawl all over your toothbrush, while you unknowingly use it to scrub your orifice each morning with glee without knowing any better. Dispel all doubts with the Bacteria Assassin Ninja Toothbrush Sanitizer then – after all, aren’t ninjas supposed to be superb silent killers? All you need to do is place your toothbrush into the Bacteria Assassin Ninja Toothbrush Sanitizer, where it will use UV light from its body to eliminate bacterial growths on your toothbrush. Powered by three AA batteries, this cute little hygienic device is going for $36.99.

Tegu uses both wooden blocks and magnets

Tegu uses both wooden blocks and magnets: "

I’ve reported on some advancements in building blocks before, such as the MUJI kits that blend hard paper with Lego bricks.

Here is a new development for building blocks that I’ve never seen before, but really should have. You know those terrific castles that your kids build out of blocks, the type that constantly fall over? Well, imagine if there was a way to lock the blocks together. I’m not talking about Lego, which uses those bumpy things, but magnets.

Yes, the Tegu is designed to lock together magnetically, so they have a little more resilience than your typical wooden blocks. I can’t imagine the Tegu structures being too solid, but it is a lot better than just gravity. Best of all, the shapes of the blocks are more than just rectangles, but cubes and flat pieces for some very creative models that you can see in the picture.

If you want it, the Tegu kits come in the three forms. The first is the Starter Set with 26 blocks in 3 shapes which include cubes, long planks, and short planks. The Original Set has 52 blocks in 4 shapes, and adds long planks. As for the Limited Edition Mahogany Set, it’s a bigger one. The prices of these are $50, $85, and $125, respectively.

Touch Bionics offers ProDigits for those missing their amateur ones

Touch Bionics offers ProDigits for those missing their amateur ones: "

Touch Bionics has been at this bionic prosthetics business for a while now, already providing i-Limb solutions to those deprived of the use of their hands or arms. The company's latest innovation is to reduce all that tech down to the level of individual fingers, with its freshly announced ProDigits being able to replace anywhere between one and all of your precious little piggies. Relying on a traditional myoelectric regime -- which reacts to muscle signals from the residual hand -- or pressure from the remnant finger for its input, this invention can even be tweaked by doctors (over Bluetooth) to adjust the finer motor functions on a per patient basis. Costing up to £40,000 ($65,000), these new prosthetics will be custom-built for each person, and there are plans to apply to have them made available through national health insurance -- in countries that are into that sort of thing. Video after the break.

Continue reading Touch Bionics offers ProDigits for those missing their amateur ones

Touch Bionics offers ProDigits for those missing their amateur ones originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 Dec 2009 21:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iriver takes the leash off new black Hello Kitty PMP

Oh no! I have to have this!

iriver takes the leash off new black Hello Kitty PMP: "

iriver's newest dedicated PMP is something to behold. A shiny black (with gold accents!) version of its no doubt beloved Hello Kitty player, this newest addition is all about its looks. The little player comes in 2GB and 4GB storage varieties, comes with a USB cable, ear buds, and a cute little lanyard for attaching it to things like your beltloop. The cases they make for the Hello Kitty PMP -- such as the red devil horns -- essentially sell themselves. They're going on sale just in time for the holidays and the new year -- but this one's a Japan-only release for the time being. It'll run you ¥7,980 (about $90) to grab one. There's one more shot of this glorious product after the break!

Continue reading iriver takes the leash off new black Hello Kitty PMP

Filed under: Portable Audio

iriver takes the leash off new black Hello Kitty PMP originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 Dec 2009 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kids’ MusucBags for the holidays

Hmm, would I put my kid in one of these. They're hilarious....

Kids’ MusucBags for the holidays: "

Can’t figure out what to get for your kids this coming Christmas? The Kids’ MusucBags might be just the thing if you can’t make up your mind, where this sleeping bag suit offers not only comfort on a cold, hard floor, it also provides total freedom of movement.

Features-wise, these suits pack in a whole load of useful innovations. The hoods are elasticated, there’s a kangaroo pouch and pockets on the chest and legs for keeping whatever it is kids keep in their pockets (usually penny sweets and a copy of The Beano, isn’t it?), and there’s even some elastic in the ankles so that the material doesn’t bunch up as they walk around. A pocket just below the neck for an MP3 Player or mobile phone means the most important things are safe and easy to access, and they’ve even put little name labels in them to save mums everywhere sewing them in.

You can choose from a variety of sizes to suit all sorts of kids, with blue and pink colors to choose from. Regardless of the size, they will retail for £64.99 each.

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Check out the Coolest Gadgets 2008 Gift Guides, Christmas shopping made easy.
[ Kids’ MusucBags for the holidays copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

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$10 USB power outlet leaves no plug behind

I think these will become more common in newly built homes. Most devices charge on USB now a days.

$10 USB power outlet leaves no plug behind: "

Don't freak out or anything. But all that time you spent building a DIY in-wall USB charger may have been for naught. Of course, you've gained a useful learning experience and potentially gotten a lesson in the dangers of electricity, but you could have simply ordered this TruPower UCS outlet from FastMac, which packs the same two USB charging ports as the DIY outlet, along with two standard power outlets for your other power-hungry devices. Best of all, it only costs the same ten bucks that the DIY option would have set you back, but it looks like it won't start shipping until sometime early next year.

$10 USB power outlet leaves no plug behind originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 05 Dec 2009 10:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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