Just watch this, and use your imagination.
All posts by Scott Meisner
The soda fountain of the future is here
Coca-Cola has unveiled its latest creation with the “Coca-Cola Freestyle” soda fountain. What’s so special about this soda dispenser is that it can provide over 100 different types of soda flavors in one machine (compared to today’s cap of around 6-8 flavor valves). The machine has a user-friendly touch screen interface. A customer simply selects a “parent brand” like Coke, Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Sprite, Diet Sprite, Fanta, or Powerade and chooses a specific flavor within the brand. For example, one can select Sprite and choose to drink peach-flavored Sprite. That’s right–this machine dispenses many unknown or rare flavors of your favorite soda drinks. There’s “strawberry, grape or peach Sprite (which is very tasty), seven kinds of Fanta, seven kinds of Powerade, six flavors of Vault energy drink, and just as many flavors of Dasani water, or its carbonated counterpart Dasani Sensations.” So how does it hold so many different kinds of drinks, you ask? Read on.
Shelley Kench, a Coca-Cola rep: “In traditional machines, the syrups have to be mixed with CO2 and water in a larger scale. The ingredients that are in the cartridges are no longer what we call ’syrups.’ Now the ingredients are based on individual recipe for each drink based on that user’s selection.” Coca-Cola is using its own proprietary technology called “Pure Pour.” SDDN: “[They] Coca-Cola developed the machine by using small, highly-concentrated containers of ingredients. Those ingredients are then mixed with water and sweetener to create each individual drink.”
The Coca-Cola Freestyle is currently in a testing stage. A fully operational unit can be used at a Jack-In-the-Box in Vista, San Diego. Oscar Hurtado, store district manager: “It’s much easier to maintain, and it’s a time saver and it saves storage. It would take about 14 of the old fountain machines to do what one new unit can do.” For now, the machine will be limited to restaurants and other eateries in Southern California. Coca-Cola aims for a nationwide release in 2010. Check out the videos above for (1) a quick preview of the device and (2) a bunch of kids stumbling upon it in a restaurant; and see below for a gallery of product images.
[Via SDNN]
ABC’s V to arrive sooner than expected
The reimagining of the 1980’s classic mini-series “V” is coming to a TV near you much sooner than expected. Instead of premiering as a mid-season show, “V” is set to start on November 3, 2009. Cast members include Lost’s Elizabeth Mitchell and and Firefly’s Alan Tudyk.
Executive producer Scott Peters: “We’ve got [the story] all mapped out and pretty solid direction for everything. We certainly know where we’re going for the first season and second season and we have a really solid plan the whole way through.” Producer Jeffrey Bell, “We know what the end is. We know where we’re going. Whether that’s three years, four years or beyond that, it’s gravy. There is a plan and we’ll stick to that.” President of ABC Steve McPherson stated that V will run for four seasons, depending on the show’s success, of course. Aliens are invading planet Earth. Sci-fi fans rejoice, it’s going to one hell of a show.
[Via IGN]
Scratch input
Following the recent news of the upcoming pressure sensitive keyboard is this new way to input information on a computer screen or some other device. The video above shows off the implementation of creating sound by scratching a surface with your fingers that, in turn, generates sound waves which are picked up by a receiver. The receiver sends the signal to the device it is connected to and viola! For example, you can “write” a letter on a flat surface, and the sounds waves from your scratching will output the desired letter on screen. Or, you can create your own personal gestures to answer a phone call, enable speakerphone, and close out your email application all at the same time. Cool stuff. Keep it coming, innovators.
[Via Gizmodo]
The Microsoft retail store logo
You’ll start seeing this logo in malls all across the country in no time. It is the official logo for Microsoft’s retail store. According to the patent filing, the logo represents “retail store services and online retail services featuring computers, computer hardware, software, computer games, computer peripherals, portable music players and accessories, personal digital assistants, cell phones and accessories, video game consoles and accessories, webcams, books, clothing, back packs, messenger bags, computer bags and novelty items”.
[Via PC World]
Never miss a moment of the game…
…even if you have to use the bathroom. Oh yes, this is real. A pub in Melbourne installed a rear projector in their urinals. Disturbing, true, but you’ll never miss any of the action, right?
[Via Gizmodo]
Mug for the blind
Blind people cannot see. Without the sense of sight, it is particularly difficult to pour a glass of water or a mug coffee. It is even more trying to pour an exactamount of liquid into a container. Enter ‘The “Braun” Bell Mug’ concept by Sang-hoon Lee and Yong-bum Lim. This concept mug “has 3 indicative levels on the handle and liquid-level sensors within the mug” that allow blind people (or those with extremely poor vision) to pour precise amounts of liquid into a mug. The mug handle has three rigid buttons on its surface; all a person has to do is select one of the three levels and pour away. Once you have poured the desired amount, the mug emits a bell sound. Neat, huh? This is surely a product worthy to pass as a final, tangible item to be manufactured. Check out the gallery of images below for some concept product shots and directions.
[Via Gizmodo; YankoDesign]
Smart measuring cup concept is picked up
This here is the concept design of The Smart Measure Cup by Ryan Eder & Chris Daniels of Priority Designs. This is a product that I would totally use (if I were ever in the kitchen, measuring stuff). This is no ordinary measuring cup. From one angle it may seem like one with the usual markings and labels; it’s the LCD screen on the handle that makes this the measuring cup of the future. The backlit LCD display reads out the precise measurements of liquid poured into the cup; it is set at an angle, thus removing the difficulties of eye strain and the like; it provides pre-set measurement ingredient amounts for common recipies; and it even does unit conversions for all you math-hates out there. Also, the cup itself slips out of the casing for cleaning.
And here’s the best news: This clearly futuristic product is being transformed from concept to a tangible product thanks to Taylor Kitchenware picking it to be manufactured this fall. Check out more images of the concept design and an image of the final product coming to stores soon. Unfortunately the final design does not match the modern sleekness of its concept counterpart, though, it’ll do.
[Via Gizmodo; YankoDesign]
Phillip’s Roadside Dope Tester
In development since 2001, Phillips is ready to finally unveil it’s Roadside Dope Tester. This “handheld electronic device..uses magnetic nanoparticles to screen for five major recreational drugs.” Those drugs include cocaine, heroin, cannabis, amphetamine, and methamphetamine. Obviously this is meant to be used by law enforcement to ensure the safety of drivers on the road. The tech inside this futuristic gizmdo is interesing; it uses a person’s saliva to determine if he or she is under the influence of one of those five drugs.
[It] includes a disposable plastic cartridge and a handheld analyzer. The cartridge has two components: a sample collector for gathering saliva and a measurement chamber containing magnetic nanoparticles. The particles are coated with ligands that bind to one of [the] five different drug groups. Once the device’s sample collector has absorbed enough saliva, it automatically changes color and can then be snapped into the measurement chamber, where the saliva and nanoparticles mix. An electromagnet speeds the nanoparticles to the sensor surface, different portions of which have been pretreated with one of the five target-drug molecules. If traces of any of the five drugs are present in the sample, the nanoparticles will bind to them. If the sample is drug free, the nanoparticles will bind to the drug-coated sensor surface instead.
Watch out, druggies! The law has crazy cool technology on its side.
[Via Gizmodo; Technology Review]
Keyboard of the future?
The above video shows off a pressure sensitive computer keyboard from Microsoft. Basically, the harder you press a key or keys, the more varied the output on the computer screen. For example, say you are working on a paper in a Word document. If you hold a key down with more pressure than usual, you can output a capital letter without the need for a shift key. Microsoft demonstrated changing font size by the amount of force you exert on a key. Also shown was accelerated backspacing, which is where a user can delete words or sentences at a time rather than just letters depending on the amount of pressure applied to the key(s). There’s also a gaming demo; the harder you press down on the key, the faster your character runs in-game. It is exciting to know that this type of technology is being experimented with and that new methods of computer input are being tested.
According to CNET: “Microsoft is also holding a contest for student developers to coincide with the UIST conference. Contestants get a sample keyboard and a month to come up with an entry. $2,000 prizes go to programs deemed the most useful, the best implementation, and the most innovative.” Let the creativeness flow! (Check out a second video of this implementation after the break.)
[Via Gizmodo; CNET] Continue reading Keyboard of the future?
255HP Sea-Doo jetski
You are looking at the world’s most advanced jetski in the world. The 2009 Sea-Doo GTX Limited iS 255 flies, packing 255 horses that features “an “intelligent” suspension…that [makes] the water feel as smooth as road.” It has tilt steering, a multifuction handlebar, and a hinged touring seat. It can seat up to three people. It starts at $16,499. If you are interested about this water speed demon and want to find out more about, check out the official website. Also, see the gallery below for some images of it in action.
[Via Gizmodo; PopularMechanics]
3D Etch-a-Sketch
Sketch-3D is an interactive, integrated software/hardware system that enables users to create their own anaglyphic 3D drawings. By using a ubiquitous interface metaphor (the “Etch-A-Sketch “), Sketch-3D allows anyone to participate in generating stereoscopic imagery in a way that is simple and engaging. In addition to the personal experience, Sketch-3D can be scaled to work with any output device from large scale projection to plasma displays to an integrated LCD. This versatility allows for Sketch-3D to be tailored to fit a wide array of installation environments.
Freakin’ cool, yeah? Check out additional images of this marvel below.
[Via Gizmodo; Thisandagain]
