Crave

We purposely attempted common jumper cable errors with the PowerSafe cables and lived to tell the tale.

(Credit: Antuan Goodwin/CNET)

I was given my first set of jumper cables at the same time I received my first car. Before setting me loose on the world, my father gave me a very serious speech about the dangers of improperly jump-starting a vehicle. I was warned of potential electrocution, sparks igniting gasoline fires, and--most seriously--acid spewing battery explosions if the cables weren't connected in just the right way and in just the right order. Even armed with this sacred knowledge, I still throw sparks every time I jump-start a car, just for kicks. Sorry, dad.

However, most drivers didn't get my dad's speech and as a result, they find themselves in an even more precarious situation when the day comes that they need to borrow a few electrons to jump a dead battery. Here's where Energy Safe Technologies come in with its PowerSafe jumper cables.

The PowerSafe jumper cables look like your standard jumpers, with a pair of terminal clamps on each end. However, midway through the cables' length is a small electronic brain that monitors the state of the connections and only lets power flow when everything is hooked up just right.

So, if you accidentally connect your cable backward on either end, the system will display a red warning light and the power stays off. If you accidentally touch the loose ends of a live cable, the red light glows and there are no sparks. If there's a short of any kind, even within the dead battery, the red light glows and everyone remains safe.

Once both ends are properly connected and both indicator lights glow green, the system uses a soft start circuit to gradually ramp up the power flow, eliminating power spikes and protecting delicate vehicle electronics.

We were given a demo of the PowerSafe cables prototype at Energy Safe Technologies' booth, tucked away in the back of the SEMA Show's north hall. No matter how haphazardly we connected or disconnected the cables, we were unable to cause a fire, throw wicked sparks, or create an acid-spewing battery explosion--which is boring, but very safe.

The PowerSafe jumper cables should be available in early 2010. Pricing has not yet been announced.

(Credit: Nissan)

Nissan has developed a mini robotic car that can move autonomously in groups while avoiding crashing into obstacles (including other cars).

The Eporo, Nissan says, is the first robot car designed to move in a group by sharing its position and other information. The aim is to incorporate the technology into passenger cars to reduce accidents and traffic jams.

Although a group of Eporos may look like a gang of cybernetic Jawa, Nissan says the cars' design was inspired by the way fish move in schools.

An evolution of the bumblebee-inspired BR23C robot car unveiled last year, the Eporo uses Nissan's collision avoidance technology to travel in groups. Check out BR23C trying to get away from a Japanese lady in this video.

Eporo can dodge obstacles just like fish.

(Credit: Nissan)

The automaker studied how large schools of fish can move without colliding. It says Eporo imitates three rules of fish movement: avoiding crashes, traveling side by side, and keeping close to other members of the school.

The robots use laser range finders and ultra-wideband radio to determine distance to obstacles. They also communicate with each other to form the most efficient group formation to maneuver through tight spots.

Eporo stands for "Episode O (Zero) Robot." That zinger of a mouthful means zero episodes, as in zero accidents and zero emissions.

Nissan intends to show off Eporo at the Ceatec trade show next week in Tokyo.

Brendt Barbur, founder and director of the Bicycle Film Festival.

(Credit: Justin Yu/CNET)

As a longtime fan and patron of the Bicycle Film Festival, we're proud to welcome its founder and director, Brendt Barbur, into the studio for a sit-down interview about the international filmfest. The BFF is a celebration of everything that encompasses cycling: joyrides, casual trips, long-distance journeys, trick sessions, racing, and so much more is captured by the unique program offered.

Brendt tells us about the bike accident that motivated him to immerse himself in bicycle advocacy and the production of bikecentric movies. Eventually, the wheels started turning, more people submitted videos, and nine years later, the festival reaches tons of people across the world in dozens of cities including Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Sydney, Tokyo, Paris, and Melbourne, to name a few.

Most of the movies are independently shot and produced with innovations in helmet-cam technology and mixed-media design. To further promote cycling, Brendt and the BFF team also host an annual art show that features both established and independent artists who use bikes as inspiration. If you have a chance, we highly recommend checking out at least one of the programs as the festival comes around to your city. By the end of the show, I think I might have convinced Wilson to actually buy a bike! Much thanks to Brendt and the Bicycle Film Festival for all that they do for the cycling community.

If you watch today's video (coming soon, check later today), you'll notice some serious changes to the introduction. We're very proud to announce that The 404 is now sponsored by Beck's Beer, so a big thanks to them for supporting the show. We're also going to be debuting several new weekly segments over the course of the next few months, so be sure to listen to tomorrow's episode for the first of many new changes coming to The 404 Web show. And don't forget that we'll have Blake Stevenson, the winner of our logo competition, on the show tomorrow to talk about his design. See you then!

That's why they call it a laptop.

(Credit: Belkin)

Belkin's looking out for your lap's well-being. While laptop heat hasn't been proven to cause permanent damage in the nether regions, it can't hurt to be safe, we suppose.

Still, does anyone really need a product like the CushDesk? At $30 (available now), it's like a lap pillow with a hard surface for laptopping on. We've often worked with laptops on our laps, and while we haven't had any brushfires, the temperature can often become uncomfortable. So if nothing else, consider it a heat sink, with an added bonus of an upward-angled hard surface (which could also aid in what might be called "laptop droop.")

Boasting an "easy to clean" exterior, according to Belkin's press release, the overall concept is slim and innocuous enough to be useful if you're a frequent couch worker.

Available in colors both muted (black/gray) and flashy (espresso/fuchsia), the CushDesk claims compatibility with any laptop, PC or Mac, up to 17 inches. We're still skeptical of the needless peripheralization of our mobile electronics, especially since a flat board could conceivably do the trick just as well. There also doesn't seem to be any room to rest a mouse or any other USB plug-ins.

Nevertheless, a previous version we reviewed, called the CushTop, was found to be decent enough for those who find laptops directly on their laps to be uncomfortable.

(Credit: Addy CameronHuff/Flickr, Crave UK)

If you've ever had a tired cyclist--or worse, a tired driver--careen into your car door as you open it, you'll appreciate a new prototype being developed in Germany. It's a new technology that lets doors resist being opened when they sense an oncoming hazard.

BMW's Michael Graf and a team at the Technical University of Munich are pioneering the project, which uses ultrasonic sensors to detect hazards approaching a vehicle. When they see an oncoming cyclist, or van, or bears, a bar running through the car door prevents it from being opened.

So far, the results of tests have been positive, reports New Scientist, and the technology is apparently at the stage where it could be rolled out in vehicles within 12 months. Co-developer BMW, however, has not decided whether its future cars will use the system. Perhaps instead it will be licensed to other manufacturers.

Whatever the eventuality, we look forward to seeing the technology in vehicles soon. Or maybe we could just arrest cyclists who ignore red lights. No, really.

In the future, similar technology might be able to detect when fingers are within chopping range, we'd hope. The trapping of fingers in doors and car trunks, while traditionally a hazard addressed with the good old-fashioned looking-where-your-damn-hands-are method, feels like a perfect challenge for this kind of sensory technology to tackle.

(Via Crave UK)

I am a DIY type of guy. If something needs doing, I do it. Perhaps that is why I became interested in cooking in the first place. One needs to eat; might as well make it at home and make it the best it can be. Of course, with an independent nature, not only comes confidence but a fair share of mistakes--especially in the kitchen. I have reported before about my arch-nemesis, the peeler, and its aggressive nature. Perhaps owning an electric peeler would be of some benefit.

Safety appeal.

(Credit: Amazon)

The Zyliss Multipeeler Electric Peeler could be just such a gadget.

Featuring a serrated blade operated via the touch of a button, the simple peeler takes all the strain out of the common task of peeling. The electric motor spins at a rate of 8,000rpm, creating a fast-moving action for the double-bladed peeler. With 70 sharp teeth per blade, the peeler is capable of removing skins from both thick- and thin-skinned produce, with very little effort required.

Sometimes it's nice to have a tool that actually makes the job easier. With the fast-moving blades and excess of sharp teeth, this peeler would cut down on peeling time, not to mention the strain-saving factor when peeling a large pile of fruits or vegetables. As we all know, attention is required when working with sharp tools. The ease of use provided by this peeler creates an environment where attention stays focused and there is little fear of rogue, overly aggressive peelers.

(Credit: Steve Guttenberg)

Exploding batteries make headlines, but they're just the tip of the iceberg. If you've read owner's manuals, as I do, you see danger lurking everywhere. A couple examples:

"When not using remote controls, remove batteries. Do not take battery apart, heat it, or throw into fire." Curious kids do that kind of stuff all the time (I did), and the fine print in the owner's manual won't deter them. I suppose that the warnings are in there for legal reasons.

"Do not subject remote control to undue physical stress, such as striking it or dropping it." Wow, who would have thought that by merely dropping a remote, you're at risk. I guess that those of us with bare wood or tiled floors are living dangerously. Heed all warnings!

I haven't yet seen the next warnings in any manual, but it's just a matter of time before they appear.

"Do not put the battery in your mouth or swallow it." That's just common sense, but the tingling sensation of a few volts zapping your insides may...don't do it!

"Do not sit on batteries, and if you do, be aware that flatulence may pose additional risks." Of course.

Is this Dick Cheney's "undisclosed location"?

(Credit: Newlaunches.com)

I live in an earthquake-prone city. I live in this city in a very old building made out of unreinforced brick. This building is on the back of a steep hill over a freeway and then a lake. Thus, I'm likely to be crushed under tons of rubble and debris if a major earthquake hits Seattle.

If that does happen, it might take rescuers hours--or even days!--to get to me. And when they do, they'll have to get me to safety somehow.

Hopefully by that time they'll be using this amazing Japanese safety robot tank stretcher thing we spotted on Newlaunches.com. Rescuers put an injured person inside and it protects them as they're whisked away to safety. All the while, it constantly monitors their vital signs.

The device has a dual-tread system to get across all kinds of post-catastrophe wreckage and a motor powerful enough to carry a person who weighs up to 240 pounds. It even has infrared cameras so it can operate around the clock. It's a powerful robot.

Not that humans couldn't do the job. It's just that if my apartment collapses on me, I at least want to be rescued by Japanese robots. Is that too much to ask?

Iris the Destroyer really likes those chewy Dell laptop AC adapter cables.

(Credit: Lori Grunin/CNET)

As the opposable-thumb-sporting meal ticket for Iris the Destroyer, a cat for whom a Panasonic Toughbook wasn't quite tough enough, I've given a lot of thought to the cat-proofing of consumer electronics. She's especially fond of those delightfully chewy Dell laptop AC adapter cables--not the cheap electrical cord half, but the pricey side hardwired to the brick. I know I'm not alone. My friends' cat Flossie recently ate her way through their sons' HP adapter wire.

The safety concerns seem to be minimal. It looks like when the minute the insulation is breached, the power cuts off, saving the cat from a--some might say well-deserved--jolt. However, that means that the seemingly tiniest, most insignificant little puncture trashes your $60 power source.

DIY cat-friendly charging station

(Credit: Moderncat)

This all came to mind today when I saw the latest entry in the fun Moderncat blog for a do-it-yourself device-charging station and cat bed. As a solution, it's an interesting idea; while it doesn't keep the wires away from the kitty (they run outside to the outlet), it does keep the extra-yummy end where the connector meets the wire in a reinforced bendy section away from sharp teeth.

These days, I use a much uglier but functional solution: the Cable Zipper. Plus, I stash my laptop in a cat-inaccessible location. It's not optimal, but she hasn't got her teeth into my adapter since I started.

The odd thing, though, is that she doesn't seem to crave other types of cables, like the easily replaced mini USB versions I have everywhere, or plain-old power cords. Are laptop manufacturers putting catnip in there or something?

I'm always on the lookout for ideas on keeping cats and cables safe. Do you have any foolproof methods you'd like to share?