Crave

Postgraduate researcher Ryan Ladd helped develop Gymnobot at the University of Bath's Ocean Technologies Lab.

(Credit: Nic Delves-Broughton/University of Bath)

A robot fish developed at the U.K.'s University of Bath features a unique method of propulsion--a single fin rippling along its belly like a wave. Bath engineers say Gymnobot might inspire lighter, more efficient robotic submersibles.

Recent robot fish, such as MIT's low-cost polymer fish, have flexible bodies, but Gymnobot is rigid save for a long undulating fin powered by twin crankshafts inside its body.

The design is a nod to freshwater knifefish, which can move forward and backward, and hover, by rippling an elongated ventral fin. The skin of the fin covers hundreds of fin rays that oscillate side-to-side, creating a wave in the water. Check out a black ghost knifefish moving here.

Other scientists have also examined this unique mechanism (PDF), though Bath engineers seem to be the first to build a model.

Gymnobot may be used to study biodiversity in oceans and rivers and help detect pollution. Its ventral fin would allow the robot to maneuver in shallower water than propeller-driven robots since propellers can get caught in reeds.

It may also be more energy-efficient, according to engineers at the University of Bath's Ocean Technologies Laboratory led by biomimetics lecturer William Megill.

The lab is also building a robot manta ray to study fish stocks in the fjords of British Columbia.

Bathing Ape, or Bape for short, is a Japanese street-wear clothing company owned by music producer Nigo that caters to young, fashion-savvy urban youth who apparently have way too much money to burn. A couple months ago, the company collaborated with Nintendo to create an exclusive (and subsequently, very rare) Nintendo DS($167) bedazzled with Mario and the now famous BAPE logo.

Now they're releasing a line of T-shirts and fleece sweatshirts for their fans who just can't get enough of high-priced gear. The "Mario to Milo" series will feature Nintendo's classic Italian plumber and Bape's favorite monkey, Milo. The prints will be prominently featured on crew-neck sweatshirts, hoodies, and T-shirts alike, and will be available at various online retailers starting at a surprisingly affordable $175. Wait a second, $175 for a white T-shirt? This thing better come with a bald eagle and a couple Faberge eggs.

"Is there any reason not to buy an iPod?" It's such a common question for us, and the answer is usually, "Yes and no, but mostly yes." There are heaps of other players out there that don't cut the condiment, but more and more are starting to compete.

(Credit: Crave UK)

An illuminous contender for your digital music dollars this month is TrekStor's daftly named i.Beat move S, from the company that brought you the pseudo-racist i.Beat Blaxx.

This is a flash-based MP3 and video player with support for MP3, WMA (including DRMed stuff), and WAV only, though it wouldn't actually play our CD-quality WAV files. Little AVI videos can be converted using some bundled software. It's also got a radio and comes in 1GB, 2GB, 4GB, and 8GB capacities, but isn't expandable.

We've got one in to look at and we're not exactly blown away. The 38mm screen is about as attractive as Kelly Osbourne bathing in rotting organs, and the interface conjures similarly grotesque emotions.

Showering can waste a gallon of water a minute. Yet a daily shower is one of those nonnegotiable, guilty pleasures I'm unwilling to sacrifice.

The 4-minute shower timer is an instrument of torture.

(Credit: Green Deals Daily)

Still, the number of water-starved regions is only set to grow. For those who must watch every drop, a shower timer could be the next best thing to installing a high-tech, low-flow shower head.

A $3 timer from Envirosax, which makes trendy shopping bags, sticks to a shower wall with a suction cup. Its blue, pink, green, or gray sands take 4 minutes to pass through the hourglass.

Four minutes? Hair conditioner alone takes 2 minutes to work its magic. I would probably flip over the timer or ignore it, and feel guilty in any case. However, those who use the timer correctly could save hundreds of dollars a year on water bills.

The timer looks like an ideal stocking stuffer for green gift givers, although it's unclear how eco-friendly its plastic parts may be. Receiving one could be about as fun as a cardigan sweater. Those who are more eco-conscientious and self-punishing than yours truly may consider taking a Navy shower instead, which involves turning off the water while lathering, and then rinsing in a hurry.

(via Green Deals Daily)

(Credit: Gizmodo)

Are we the only ones who thought this was a ski rack? Never mind. Off the slopes, this is the latest in an ever-growing list of digital bathing controls or, as we prefer to call them, "showers for lazy people."

We will say, however, that the "Ondus" from Grohe definitely has the most unusual name we've come across. But ultimately, it's just a digitally controlled faucet that can pause the water TiVo-style and resume flowing at the previous temperature, as Gizmodo says.

The black finish is a definite plus, and we appreciate the Ondus from a laziness perspective. But frankly, if it doesn't have a golden remote, we're not interested.

(Credit: KidSafe)

If you don't have small kids, skip this item because it'll probably seem like a waste of money. But if you do, you'll totally understand why it's a good idea. How many times have you or your rug rats ended up with scalded fingers after checking the bath faucet? Same here.

The "Digital Bath Spout Cover" is designed to keep you and your family out of the burn ward by automatically monitoring the water temperature as it rises. Even better, its digital display uses a simple color code ("red means too hot") that even parents can understand. As a side benefit, it can help avoid wasting water too.

But as much as we like this idea, we can't help but point out this typo in the product description: "Guards against scolding." Now that would be worth the $31 price alone.

Eye of newt and wing of bat both sold separately.

(Credit: Hammacher Schlemmer)

One step removed from the bubbling cauldron popularized by witches and cannibals, the Portable Wood-Burning Hot Tub is a must for anyone with sore muscles and $6,000 to spare.

The 200-gallon polyester tub heats water through a coil system, using burning wood to heat up the water. The water temperature hits 104 degrees in two and a half hours. There are no jets, but water circulates through the tub through the miracle of convection.

With a 60-inch diameter and a weight of 165 pounds, the tub is only "portable" if you are very strong and have long arms. Anything is portable if you are the mighty Hercules.

Feebler tubbers may want to opt for the Real Beer Spa at the Chodovar Brewery in the Czech Republic. It's not portable, but it's full of delicious beer and smiling Czech ladies.

(Credit: TokyoMango)

Pink bubbles and rubber ducks can get a little bit boring sometimes, even if they're unconventional rubber ducks. And not all of us can afford to install a Hydro-Massage Bathtub with a built-in TV. So how can you liven up the in-tub entertainment? Of course, the answer comes out of Japan. TokyoMango has written up these flashing bath balls that might just be able to elevate the common bath to an ethereal level. You fill these little guys with bath salts, put them in the tub, and they'll float and release the nice-smelling salts while flashing their lights. Consequently, you can turn the lights down and enjoy the colorful display. Because everyone likes light shows.

And as a side note, TokyoMango blogger Lisa Katayama compared the appearance of the light-up bath balls to UFOs, which as we've seen are pretty much everywhere in the tech-design world these days.

Tip: To make the atmosphere even more super awesome, supplement the light show with a soundtrack courtesy of your iPod shower adapter. The obvious choice is Dark Side of the Moon, but I'd go for some vintage Bowie.

(Credit: iwantoneofthose.com)

I wish I had a little yellow submarine that I could putz around in. Motorized would be optimal, but I could even deal with foot pedals, as long as it's a submarine and it's yellow. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find one within my price range, nor a piece of dock space where I could keep it securely stored, so I guess I will have to settle for this, which was featured on ShinyShiny. It's a fully-functional FM radio with a waterproof speaker, is powered by four AAA batteries, and it's designed to float in your bathtub. It comes in black, too, if you prefer your Beatlemania to have a Goth flavor.

P.S.: On a related note, apparently hippies have taken over Capitol Hill. So maybe I will get my real yellow submarine.