Tag: out there

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Features

Out There: BorderBot patrols the land to dispatch intruders with inhuman efficiency

Out There is a feature that highlights weird, wacky or woeful projects.

Immigrants and other pesky intruders plague our borders and homes. (Bear with me here). Wouldn’t it be great if there was a way to patrol for such unwanted guests?

The potentially aptly named BorderBot (the product actually doesn’t have a name, but this will do) helps patrol borders and homes to keep them secure. This impressive robot can walk over blocks, as shown in the animated video (you were expecting actual prototype?). The campaign fails to detail exactly what the robot does if it finds intruders. Will it shoot them down? Will it call for reinforcements from more animated robots? Or will it turn them to ash to be whisked whence they came? Backers must donate to this campaign in order to find out! For $5,000, backers won’t actually receive the robot, but will get a t-shirt. Score.

The Portland, Oregon-based creator needs to watch the Terminator movies in order to get some ideas for immigrant handling since he’s clearly against free-range intruders. BorderBot is looking for $245,000 in funding. But really, who could put a price on apocalypse-welcoming security?

Categories
Connected Objects Pets

Out There: Disco Dog LED vest lights dogs up, alerts strangers to lost dogs

Out There is a feature that highlights weird, wacky or woeful projects.

Pet owners love their dogs almost beyond comprehension. And most would do anything to make sure that their dog doesn’t get lost.

patent-claimedThe Disco Dog combines a pet owner’s fashion frenzy with function. The vest comes equipped with 256 LED lights that can be controlled from an accompanying smartphone app. It lights up in different colors and patterns allowing owners to show off just how sassy their dog can be. Best of all, if the dog strays too far from its owner and loses Bluetooth connectivity in the process, the vest will automatically say “Lost dog”. The app allows complete control over what the vest says when the connection is good and includes options for customized text or even advertisements!

Disco Dog should consider changing its name to Humiliated Dog. The number of dogs that will probably end up donning this weird light show is slightly upsetting, even if that number is only below 10. Disco Dog’s only redeeming feature is the “Lost Dog” mode as that actually serves a useful purpose. Otherwise, pet owners may want to consider sparing their pooch the humiliation and preventing them from becoming walking billboards for advertisements. If not, backers can have their own for a ridiculous donation of $300 for the smallest size with estimated delivery set for November 2015. Disco Dog is looking for $15,000 in funding. Before contributing, however, please look at the sad little dachshund in the campaign wearing the vest with an expression of ennui and reconsider donating.

Categories
Cooking Features

Out There: SteamerWiener cooks hotdogs on a special stick, produces giggles all around

Out There is a feature that highlights weird, wacky or woeful projects.

Hotdogs are one of those foods that are fun and delicious to eat. Not just because they’re made out of mystery meat, but because they’re, well, phallic-shaped.

Now there’s a way to cook hotdogs the way they should be prepared. SteamerWiener looks like a little man with a long, sharp prong protruding from his crotch. To use, stick that hotdog on there and you’ve got yourself one funny sight. It looks like a little metal man cooking his own hotdog on a barbecue! Interestingly enough, this product actually uses a steam engine to rotate the wiener for an even cooking experience.

SteamerWiener is one of those products that would do well in the initiation packet of any fraternity. Beyond that, it’s useful only for cheap giggles from men who still delight in the sight of penises in unusual places. One of the big ones, oh yea, can be had for a donation of $69 (yes, really) for delivery in July 2015. SteamerWiener is looking to raise $60,000 in funding.

Categories
Featured Features

Out There: Typhoon F1 promises flying car, offers flights of fancy

Out There is a feature that highlights weird, wacky or woeful projects.

Now that it’s 2015, everyone’s wondering, “Where are those flying cars that the Back to the Future movies promised us?” Well, engineers and scientists are saying that hovercrafts and the like are still a few years away. But wait! Clearly, they haven’t perused Indiegogo’s current campaigns!

Typhoon F1 is a flying car! Woah, what?! Yes. According to the Indiegogo campaign, the Typhoon uses magnets, rotors, fans, lots of fancy words, and a lithium battery to fly around. It can take off directly from a driveway and fits conveniently into any garage. Typhoon acts like any car with a gas pedal to go, a brake pedal to stop and a steering wheel for direction. A button, yes a button, is what controls takeoff and landing. While it doesn’t resemble a DeLorean, it does look like something out of Star Trek. 

Now, unfortunately and unsurprisingly, the car itself isn’t available in any of the reward tiers. But for $10,000 backers can choose their own reward. Great Scott! A donation of $10,000 earns a giant question mark. Who could beat that? Perhaps losing that amount is enough to convince any backer that there’s simply no way this thing will ever come to fruition. The creator of Typhoon F1 is looking for a cool $250,000 to fund the dream.