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     Volume 6 Issue 18 | May 11 , 2007 |


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Sci-tech

Glo Pillow Simulates Sunrise
Say goodbye to that obnoxious alarm clock, scaring you out of bed every morning with its cacophonous din. Now you can rage against the dying of the light with the Glo Pillow, gently waking you up with soft LED lights, slowly increasing their brightness over 40 minutes just like the sunrise. Also embedded under a few layers of cushiony foam is a digital display, perfect for those who sleep with their heads completely buried face down into the pillow. Even though this tech seems far-fetched, the pillow's display and lighting are designed around an LED woven substrate that's been actually demonstrated by Philips. But the Glo Pillow is just a design concept so far, and a few problems have yet to be worked out, such as, would a serious bout of night sweats turn into a shocking experience? It also might be a bit daunting to spend, say, US $1000 on a pillow just so you can go gentle into that good night, but nobody's talking price just yet.

Outline Vase
Stick a rose into this Outline Vase by designer Yuko Tokuda, and you've suddenly got yourself a first-class sight gag. Even though your mom may not be a big fan of gadgets, she still might dig a nice little piece of design like this. The short one's US $34 and the tall one is US $48. And keep in mind, you still have plenty of time to get ready for Mother's Day on May 13, still just two days away.

Glitterati: $10,000 Clothing With Palladium and Silver Nanoparticles Destroys Viruses, Germs and Smog
These two pieces of clothing have magical properties thanks to nanotechnology: apparently they can help prevent the flu, protect against smog, shield against pollution and attract members of the opposite sex, who will feel an irresistible desire to hug anyone who wears them. Never mind that this last extraordinary feature will be clearly balanced by the fact that you will be wearing a silver nanoparticle-coated gold-coloured dress, with anti-bacterial and anti-stain powers. Although this materials are not new, it's "one of the first times that nanotechnology has entered the fashion world", according to fiber science assistant professor Juan Hinestroza at Cornell University. "Fashion world" means that, if you came here looking for the hot chicks with golden spandex leggings, you will get to the right place by jumping now.



Compiled by IMRAN H. KHAN

Source: Gizmodo Online

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