steel

Puppeteers, CG meet to create 'Real Steel' robots

LOS ANGELES--Big-budget sci-fi movies and computer-generated visual-effects are inseparable and probably will be for years to come. That doesn't mean there isn't still something magical about using engineering and craftsmanship to make lifelike, "in the flesh" versions of the other-worldly or futuristic characters these movies bring us onscreen.

That's part of the reason director Shawn Levy decided to build huge, gadget-rich "puppet" versions of the boxing robots from the new Hugh Jackman action movie "Real Steel," which opened in theaters yesterday. The Dreamworks film takes place in the near future when human fighters have been replaced by mechanized pugilists.

There are plenty of CG shots of the automaton ring warriors training and going at it round by round. But Levy had Legacy Effects construct working "real life" versions of the creatures via animatronics to interact with Jackson and the other actors on-set.

During a recent press event for the flick, Levy said he was amazed at how well the robots worked and how easily his cast rubbed elbows with them. … Read more

Tata Steel partnership yields solar girders

Steel giant Tata Steel has partnered with Australian solar developer Dyesol to produce a steel girder coated with solar panels, both companies announced this week.

The prototype girder was made as one continuous length of coated steel 10 feet long that can capture both direct and diffuse light. The solar cells were "printed" directly onto the steel as opposed to being a composite of multiple cells added to an existing steel girder. The new process will enable Tata Steel to integrate photovoltaics in building materials in volume for a moderate cost.

It's the world's largest dye-sensitized … Read more

Behold the strength of carbon nanotubes

New tests of carbon nanotubes--those tiny cylinders expected to revolutionize medicine, electronics, warfare, and more--reveal that, ounce-for-ounce, they are 117 times stronger than steel and 30 times stronger than Kevlar used in bicycle tires and bulletproof vests.

The nanotubes, roughly 50,000 of which add up to the width of an average strand of human hair, are already known for their strength. But this latest research, led by Stephen Cronin, electrical engineering assistant professor at the University of Southern California, tested individual carbon nanotubes of various lengths and widths by applying what is being rather unscientifically described as "… Read more

On the production line with the 2010 Porsche Panamera

If you're a Porsche fan, I'm sure you may have a curiosity about how these revered automobiles are made. I'm in the same boat as you, and I found this neat little video that puts you right on the production line and watch these fine German assembly workers work their magic in putting together the much-talked about 2010 Panamera - Porsche's very first sedan model.

Unfortunately there's no real audio or narration to help guide us through this process, but I have been able to discern a few details about what you see going on … Read more

Nintendo Wii exclusive gaming rundown

We already showed you what exclusive titles you can expect for the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3, now let's wrap things up with the Nintendo Wii.

Historically, the Wii has benefited from a large amount of solid first-party titles like Super Mario Galaxy and The Legend of Zelda. It's certainly refreshing to see third-party publishers getting into the mix this year with offerings like Dead Space Extraction and The Conduit.

With the release of Wii MotionPlus, we're beginning to see games that require the accessory to work. Titles like Wii Sports Resort and Red Steel 2 … Read more

Stainless steel that's actually stainless

When stainless-steel appliances first became all the rage, people marveled over their sleek good looks. They ran out and bought them and had them installed. And then began the battle.

Stainless, they call it. Hah! A war was waged in many homes--fingerprints versus appliance fronts--and in most cases, the fingerprints won. A host of new cleaning products were introduced, but the hours of endless wiping, spraying, and scrubbing dissuaded more than one overworked mom from "upgrading" her kitchen appliances.

So now there's a new Clean Touch Steel finish on dishwashers, ovens, and coffee systems made by Miele. … Read more

Gadgettes 136: The dog people are weird (but cat people are weirder) episode

Treat your pets right this Mother's Day! We spend equal time talking about gifts for mom and for fluffy. Go figure.

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EPISODE 136

Petairways.com–for the pet who loves to travel (Thanks Sheala!)

Honda unveils dog-friendly car

The Tweeting Cat Door (Thanks Nathan!)

New worm-like floor-cleaning robot threatens Roomba’s dominance

Digigrade Leg Extensions

Dog poo recycler

Special Edition Mother’s Day Gender Gap Danielle Steel Limited Edition Reader Digital Book is More of the Same just in Red (No! Don’t do it! Get a Kindle instead!)

Mother of the Year video

Mother’s Day shirt for the geeky mom-to-be

A propos (of) nothing Lego sunglasses let you build your own fashion

What a concept Portable toaster

Why didn’t I think of that? PermaFLOW Self Cleaning Drain System

Pretty Gorgeous iphone cases (thanks fernando!)

Good Vibrations (Thanks Fred!) DIY Steam punk vibrators… Read more

Breakfast waffles and more

Some kitchen appliances are hard to emulate. Just try making a waffle without a waffle iron. It's not very easy to do. You may end up with something that goes great with bacon and eggs, but that doesn't mean you got yourself a waffle. In fact, I'm not even quite sure how one would go about trying to make a waffle without a waffle maker. Most likely, one would just settle for pancakes. Delicious maybe, but waffles they are not.

Valuable counter space need not be sacrificed to have a waffle maker. The Kalorik Stainless Steel Nonstick Grill/Sandwich/Waffle Maker … Read more

Gadgettes 128: The Husky Episode

Molly and Kelly bring you "The Husky Episode." WARNING: You will gain 10 pounds by listening to this podcast.

Listen now: Download today's podcast Episode 128

Fat-fighting body mod approved for Europe http://dvice.com/archives/2009/03/fat-fighting_bo.php

Gruve measures movement, vibrates until you get up off your duff http://dvice.com/archives/2009/03/gruve_measures.php

Dance, puppet, dance: Dance for your right to change the channel http://www.shinyshiny.tv/2009/03/dance_puppet_da.html

NitroCream is the $35,000 ice cream maker of your dreams http://dvice.com/archives/2009/03/nitrocream_is_t.php… Read more

Microwave, pizza oven combo keeps college students going

Convenience and kitchen gadgets go hand in hand. Certainly, that is true in the case of this Stainless Steel Kenmore Countertop Microwave & Pizza Oven. With the inclusion of a pizza oven into the base of the microwave, it's quite possible any college student will never need another appliance as long as they are in school.

The microwave and pizza oven work independently of each other. The microwave has six automatic One-Touch buttons, for most common microwave usages: Reheat, Cook, Defrost, Express Defrost, Popcorn, and Potato. Additionally, an "Add 30 seconds" button allows for personalized preferences for … Read more