Martin Aircraft Company claimed their personal jetpack would be ready for commercial delivery by end of 2009, with the ability to fly 31.5 miles on five gallons of gas and hover up to 8,000 feet. The 500-pound single-passenger aircraft was priced at $100,000 and required completing a pilot program in New Zealand.
This solar-powered shower bag heats water to shower temperature in just a couple of hours using the sun's energy. Hang it from a branch or shelter beam and enjoy a hot outdoor shower with up to 150-degree water. Perfect for camping trips, emergency kits, or anyone who needs portable hygiene.
The i-Sobot holds the Guinness Record as the smallest humanoid robot in production. Standing just 6.5 inches tall, this pint-sized performer executes over 200 actions including kung-fu kicks, dancing, push-ups, and animal impersonations. Controlled via LCD remote, he responds to voice commands, applause, and even plays your MP3s.
These Star Wars Mimobot flash drives turn mundane data storage into collectible fun. Available in 8 character designs from Darth Vader to Princess Leia, each 1GB drive comes pre-loaded with Star Wars wallpapers, avatars, videos, and soundbytes. Perfect for ensuring your flash drive never gets mixed up again.
This USB Negative Scanner rescues your shoeboxes of old 35mm film negatives from obscurity. Simply plug it into your computer, slide in a negative strip, and transfer those vintage photos to digital format at 5 megapixels with quick light and background adjustments.
This handheld gadget uses a fading blue light to train your breathing into a calm, sleep-ready rhythm. Great for insomniacs who want a drug-free solution or anyone practicing meditation and yoga breathing techniques. Runs on a 9-volt battery with a silent timer.
This motion-activated toilet flusher brings the touchless technology of public restrooms into your home. Easy DIY install requires just four C batteries for up to 23,000 flushes, eliminating the need to touch germ-covered flush handles. It automatically flushes when you walk away, complete with installation hardware.
The Sap Cap looks like a plain black baseball cap but hides a weighted blackjack in the crown. Wielding impact material 10% denser than lead, it transforms into a self-defense weapon when removed. The six-panel design costs $30, trading fashion for function.
This MoMA-designed umbrella hides a secret: blue skies printed inside its 38-inch canopy. While rain pours outside, look up to see nothing but calm, clear weather. The exterior stays classic black, so no one knows you're living in denial underneath.
Envirobank has created reverse vending machines that flip the traditional model: instead of dispensing products for money, they accept recyclables like PET bottles, glass, and aluminum cans in exchange for store discount coupons. Each machine holds up to 3,000 containers and prepares them directly for recycling depots, eliminating first-level processing.
Afterglow combines a laser pointer with annotation capabilities, using a USB camera to track the laser dot and convert movements into on-screen drawings. Write arrows, underline points, or add notes during PowerPoint presentations without messy whiteboards, though the $1,980 price requires serious budget approval.
Universities and companies are racing to create eyeglasses and contact lenses with built-in electronic displays. Using micro-projectors and holographic gratings, these prototype devices can project full images directly into your field of vision, though consumer availability remains years away.
Robern's Uplift reimagines the medicine cabinet for the connected home. The four-foot mirror lifts to reveal six built-in power outlets for electric toothbrushes and shavers, optional pendant lights, and an LCD mount for bathroom TV. Prices start at $2,000.
The sold-out Resident Evil Shot Blaster Wii accessory has returned from the dead at Capcom Store. This zombie-slaying gun controller features snap-grip reload, cord management, and dual play modes as either a pistol or two-handed blaster, compatible with Umbrella Chronicles and most Wii shooters.
This isn't your average blanket. The Luminex Fiber Optic Bed Cover features real fiber optic cables sewn into the fabric, creating a shimmering light show across your bed. At $660 for the 160x200cm size, it's a splurge-worthy conversation piece that requires plugging in and hand-washing with natural soap.
These futuristic French firefighter helmets look like Stormtrooper gear but deliver serious safety upgrades. With full cranial protection, flip-down gold-plated visors, and the ability to withstand exterior temps up to 1000°C while staying cool inside, they're revolutionizing firefighter safety across Europe at around $190 per custom-fitted unit.
Got old SD or MicroSD cards collecting dust? The LaCie DataShare USB Card Reader breathes new life into them by converting those forgotten storage cards into working USB flash drives. The dual-slot design lets you carry two drives at once, making it easy to separate personal and work files.
This wood-encased atomic clock projects the time and temperature onto your wall or ceiling so you never have to lift your head from the pillow. The auto-rotating display adjusts orientation based on placement, shows indoor and outdoor temps, and delivers weather forecasts on its LED-backlit screen.
This clever water meter installs on your pipes to measure exactly how much water your household uses each day, room by room. It detects leaks and drips, displays hot vs. cold usage on a detachable screen, and aims to help families reduce water consumption by about twenty percent without affecting flow.
This playful alarm clock borrows the iconic Rubik's Cube design with colorful tiles and a twisting top layer. A digital display shows time, date, alarm, and temperature depending on which face you rotate to the front. Simple controls and bold aesthetics make it a fun bedside companion for puzzle fans.
Goldmund's Telos 5000 is a 651-pound, $189,600 amplifier delivering 5000 watts with distortion at 0.0005%. Only 25 units exist, most already sold. With sixteen transformers and frequency response from 0 Hz to 300,000 Hz, it's absurdly powerful and absurdly expensive.
Duracell's compact USB car charger transforms your cigarette lighter socket into a charging station for smartphones, iPods, navigation devices, and more. The pocket-sized adapter features a blue-glowing port for easy visibility in the dark and works with any USB-compatible device.
The FreeLoader Portable Solar Charger harnesses solar energy to power any USB device—phones for 44 hours, PSPs for 2.5 hours, PDAs for 22 hours. Its rugged aluminum body handles outdoor bumps, and it holds charge for three months without sunlight.
This futuristic Bluetooth laser keyboard projects a full-sized keypad onto any flat surface using red laser beams. The matchbox-sized device offers 120 hours of continuous typing, works with any Bluetooth-enabled device, and lets you type at normal speeds without lugging around a bulky keyboard.
The Guitar Hanger solves the age-old problem of guitar storage with an ingenious coat-hanger design. It keeps electric and acoustic guitars organized on any sturdy rod, maximizing space better than floor stands while keeping instruments within easy reach and safe from accidents.
Echo Bot is a tripod alien desk companion that sticks to any surface and repeats your 10-second recorded message to anyone passing within three feet. With suction-cup feet and motion detection, this quirky English-speaking robot turns memo-taking into entertainment—or the perfect office prank tool.
The USB Doomsday Device transforms mundane port expansion into Cold War theater. This square hub features authentic-looking dual switches, a key lock, and a shielded button that must all be activated before your devices connect. Four USB 2.0 ports hide behind the apocalyptic interface, perfect for geeks who want their desk setup to double as performance art.
