Wind power could get personal. At least that’s the idea from Joao Paulo Lammoglia, who has devised the AIRE Mask. While it looks a bit cyberpunk to us, the concept is that it takes the power of breath and converts it to electricity via tiny wind turbines, which in turn can power an iOS device such as an iPad. It could be used while sleeping, watching TV, and of course while working out.
The AIRE is just one of several products that Lammoglia has devised. This clever innovator has created numerous concepts, such as the Doormate, which creates energy by cleaning of the feet on a special mat that can thus power a doorbell, while his MOOV concept is another move to generate power. This project was designed to convert the energy supplied during a run or hike to charge small electronics. Thus with every step made it trickle charged a device.
Lammoglia clearly is thinking outside the box, and sometime tells us he’ll be one to watch.
JOAOLMMAGLIA Official Website
[Via Ubergizmo: AIRE mask charges iPhone with your breath]
Even if the conditions reduce visibility, the Oceana 7×50 binocular from Celestron will help aid what you can see as these are specially designed for marine and land based observations in all weather conditions. These feature nitrogen purging for waterproof and fogproof use, while rubber coating provides added protection and offers a firm grip. 
Road cyclists have been able to do the electronic shifting thing for a while now. Shimano, which introduced the first successful (key word is successful) electronic shifters with its Dura Ace line that the pros seem to love, brought Di2 to its step down (but still very high-end) Ultegra line last year, and this season will see rival Campagnolo also going electronic. Meanwhile there have been efforts to develop electronic shifting for off-road, but only in the aftermarket world… until now.
There is underwear that might be fun to wear, underwear that is meant to entice and then there is the “Blast Boxers,” underwear developed by the British military to offer special protection down there! The U.S. Army apparently liked what it saw and has developed the Pelvic Protection System or “Kevlar boxers” or “combat underpants.”
Making something waterproof isn’t all that hard. But making something waterproof that is free of aerosols, fluorocarbons or volatile organic chemicals is another story. But Nikwax does just that, and all of its products are fluorochemical-free, derived from nature-based ingredients, not tested on animals, and biodegradable. Heidi Allen, Marketing Director of Nikwax North America, tells us how they do it!
Earlier this week we noted that helmet development continues as research has shown that rotational motion is something needs to be considered as well. Numerous helmets have tried to offer ways to provide additional support, and now we heard about Vacotechnology AG’s Vaco 12 technology, which used vacuum cushions that are comprised of small, round beads – the kind you might find in a stuffed animal or bean bag chair – and the concept here is to provide a snugger helmet that is comfortable and can help absorb impact up to four times more effectively than just a traditional foam helmet. 
There is an old saying that when out on the trails you should take on pictures and leave only footprints, and while you can’t really reduce the size of your footprint the New Balance Minimus Trail might be about as small a footprint as a running trail can shoe can get. It follows the barefoot running trend with a minimal shoe that features just a 4mm drop from heel to toe, while elastic across the forefoot helps keep its securely snug on the foot. While it doesn’t come with a rock plate it does still offer some padding with the minimal sole, and the webbing/matrix mesh cover can still stand up to cool and wet conditions. It is about as “Minimus” as it gets on the trails.
The good old sports helmet has been around a while, and the first recorded use of a dedicated fitness helmet was probably designed for football – although British officers did use their pith or sun helmets to play polo in the 19th century. Today helmets are often called “brain buckets” as they do product the gray matter and much more.
There is a saying the close only counts in horse shoes and hand grenades, but it soon close could be enough when it comes to providing light for bicycles. Right now there are two ways to get light to shine the way – either have it powered by a battery or utilize a dynamo-powered light that works by utilizing the motion of the bike itself. The latter is green, but can still slowly wear down the tire and it requires extra effort for the rider.
The world isn’t flat, but when it comes to bicycle design the old beliefs are sometimes hard to kill. It took years for carbon fiber to be accepted as a frame material. Likewise, for decades most bicycle’s front forks were curved – but now as forks are straight, seat posts are going around the bend with new curved designs.
While many types of transportation can fill in the blank in the statement, “Have ________ Will Travel,” typically when traveling a bike can be a pain to bring along. But renting a bike can have problems as many shops don’t always have high-end bikes available and you’re often subject to a first come, first served.
Normally winter in the backcountry means deep snow – but this year it can mean patches of dirt, grass and rocks. That not only can ruin a day on the skis, but in many cases it can also ruin the skis. Fortunately Marquette Backcountry Skis, which is located in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, has created a hybrid pair of skis that are a little bit cross-country, a little bit downhill and even a bit of snowshoe.