Years
They say you can learn a lot about the rings in a tree trunk. In the video above a record player plays slices of wood. Year ring data is translated into music.
This music — which sounds like a moody piano soundtrack for a existentialist movie about a rainy day — is made by slicing a tree in cross-section, placing it on a turntable, and using a tone-arm with a PlayStation Eye Camera in the head. Output is processed through Ableton Live. It’s called Years, and it was created by Bartholomäus Traubeck. Continue reading Thursday Reading List (1/19/2012)
Mercury ran like the wind with wings on his shoes. These days wings aren’t required, just some advances in construction that allow for lighter and lighter shoes. This week adidas unveiled the new adizero Rush, which weighs 7.5 ounces. At that weight, you could shave a few seconds off your training run.
While the notion of a zombie apocalypse is likely (and hopefully) just a thing for movies and TVs, the popularity of it clearly is having an impact in the real world. At this week’s SHOT Show in Las Vegas Otis Technology, is introducing the Zombie Gun Cleaning System, which is designed to clean all 5.56MM rifles, 9MM and 45 caliber pistols, and 12 gauge shotguns.
Camouflage is something that many people probably don’t think much about, except to note that it is used by military forces around the world to help the wearer blend in. It also has used for hunters, and anyone who doesn’t want to be so easily seen. The first true “camouflage” was arguably just sand colored clothing used by the British military in India in the 1840s and 1850s – and this took its name from the Persian word for sand, which just happens to be “khaki.” Today we think of khakis as a comfortable type of pants, or a color. Likewise, camouflage clothing has become a bit of a fashion statement, while still serving a purpose.
There was no shortage of rugged cameras at last week’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. From Olympus it wasn’t just rugged, it was tough, as in the Tough TG-320, the latest in the company’s line of go anywhere cameras. This one is ideal for the budget conscious, as it will cost just $179.99 when it arrives later this year.
Last week CES, this week SHOT Show and impressively LOKSAK is at both. We were introduced to them a year ago when we first saw their innovative plastic bags that are made to protect a wallet, mobile phone or other small item from the elements. The bags are a little more durable than your off-the-shelf sandwich bags, and fit nicely in a pocket for cycling, running or skiing.
Have you ever been on the slopes with a group of people and the consensus is to do one more run before taking a break to eat? But what if you are absolutely starving? We’ve all heard the story, usually after the fact, where going for that one last run would be fine, but the ending is usually the same – some sort of crash and/or injury. Skiing and riding ‘well’ requires focus and if your mind is on food, you may end up being one of those stories of ‘just one last run.’ Experienced snow sport enthusiasts usually have something in their pocket to quite the calling from their stomachs – a granola bar, 
There has been a lot of development with skateboards – including composite decks – but now ARIS Sports is taking a new turn that will allow riders to change the way they turn. The ARIS Blade Runner features conical wheels, which also feature carving wheels with the diameter or regular wheels at the trucks, but become narrower towards the outside.
At last week’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas we saw a lot of waterproof devices, and accessories to protect from a few spills – liquid or otherwise. But then there was Liquid Image that introduced products that were anything but all wet. And while not designed for the water, these sports tech products did make us take notice.