If you’re in Salem, Oregon, and you left a full freakin’ suit of armor at a bus stop, the local police would like to have a word with you. You’ll need some proof of ownership to claim it. Really, though, if you lose a suit of armor, you don’t deserve a suit of armor.

If you’re in Salem, Oregon, and you left a full freakin’ suit of armor at a bus stop, the local police would like to have a word with you.

You’ll need some proof of ownership to claim it. Really, though, if you lose a suit of armor, you don’t deserve a suit of armor.

Via [crunchgear]

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David Bruemmer and Douglas Few, engineers at the US Department of Energy’s Idaho National Lab in Idaho Falls, have put together an unlikely use for the Wiimote—they’ve hacked the remote so it can control a bomb-disposing, landmine-detecting, machine gun-carrying robot.

The Packbot robot, which is manufactured by iRobot in Massachusetts, is 70 cm long, transports itself via inbuilt tracks and is usually controlled via joystick-like device. However, the joystick method is problematic because it separates speed and direction controls, therefore requiring the soldier’s undivided attention. The Wiimote hacks works exactly as you would expect; by simply waving the remote around the robot moves accordingly, and when an object of explosive interest is detected, the Wiimote’s in-built vibration feedback goes nuts. We’re guessing the B-trigger shoots the on-board machine gun, and if it doesn’t, it definitely should.

The crazy modding pair plan to get to work on the iPhone next. They reckon soldiers should not need to lug laptops around with them when a altered iPhone could do the task equally well. First stop; iPhone controlled Packbot, complete with streaming footage. Now, there’s something you won’t get going on WinMob. [New Scientist]

Via [Gizmodo]

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Regular readers know that we at CrunchGear love the Helio Ocean. At least three of us carry one with us at all times. The integrated GPS is the ideal I’ve ever used in a handset and the third-party software’s just fantastic. We’ve been eagerly awaiting the Ocean 2 and its rumored navigation technique that some say […]

Regular readers know that we at CrunchGear love the Helio Ocean. At least three of us carry one with us at all times. The integrated GPS is the ideal I’ve ever used in a handset and the third-party software’s just fantastic.

We’ve been eagerly awaiting the Ocean 2 and its rumored navigation technique that some say will rival the iPhone without copying it. And now we know (sort of) what it looks like, thanks to a filing that Heliocity found on the FCC database.

It looks something like the Ocean.

Via [crunchgear]

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This monocycle from rich man’s playground catalogue Hammacher Schlemmer is a few phalluses short of a South Park episode, but I think even Mrs. Garrison would appreciate the fact that this 1869 throwback is now available at retail for a modest $12,999.95. And the ideal part? The wealthy sops whipping around the Hamptons on this thing won’t even have to pedal, as this monocycle boasts a 31cc 1 1/2 horsepower engine. The lawnmower-esque four-stroke maxes out at modest 25 MPH but Hammacher promises its monocycle can still comfortably navigate on anything from pavement to grass to the backs of the common man. [Hammacher Schlemmer product page]

Via [Gizmodo]

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This is just off the chain. I knew elephants were good painters, but filmmakers? A new BBC series used specially trained elephants to follow a group of tiger cubs and their mom around in a jungle for the duration of their cubhood. I’m not sure if you heard me correctly, they used specially trained elephants. […]

This is just off the chain. I knew elephants were good painters, but filmmakers? A new BBC series used specially trained elephants to follow a group of tiger cubs and their mom around in a jungle for the duration of their cubhood. I’m not sure if you heard me correctly, they used specially trained elephants. Elephants trained to frame shots and hold their mounted hi-def cameras steady. Replace “frame” with “aim” and “hi-def cameras” with “hi-powered lasers” and you’ve pretty much got this. I don’t know if that’s good or bad, but it sure is awesome.

Check out the trailer and more here.

Via [crunchgear]

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According to the design page, this brass knuckle umbrella or “Umbuster” was categorized as a class 5 weapon by the Victorian Police—the primary law enforcement agency in Victoria Australia. That would make it illegal to own there without a license. I don’t know about all of that taking into account that it appears to be a concept, but I do know you could do some serious damage with it. Then again, if you got in a scuffle in the rain, the drag from the open umbrella may render your punch harmless—resulting in a quick and brutal ass kicking. [Sruli Recht via Likecool]

Via [Gizmodo]

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