Tag Archives: Fruit

Banana Car: for When You Need to Split

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Check out this car that looks like a giant banana on wheels. It’s like Mario Kart came to life on the road, but instead of throwing bananas, you can drive one instead. This strange vehicle was spotted on the road by Redditor tkw97 in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina

banana car
I guess you don’t have to worry about a banana in your tailpipe when your entire car is one. That’s one good thing, I suppose.

Steve Braithwaite built the Big Banana Car from a 1993 Ford F-150 truck. I can only assume he loves bananas. Why else would you build a car like this? What started out as a pickup truck has now become a game of “spot the giant banana on the road.” It’s an awesome vehicle. And it promotes healthy eating – unlike the Weinermobile.

[via Neatorama]

Robotic Fruit Bowl Costs $11,500, Might Drop Your Fruit on the Floor

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I love cool art and design, but artists can be a weird bunch. Take for instance this fruit bowl which was on display in the Design Space Tel Aviv booth at this week’s Art Basel show in Miami.

robotic fruit bowl

What you’re looking at is a 3D-printed fruit bowl that automatically opens itself when a user approaches it, and closes itself when they walk away. When it’s in motion, it looks pretty cool – like something out of a science fiction flick – but the design seems completely impractical too. Not only would I be worried that my fruit would fall out of it, but it also costs a whopping $11,500 (USD). I think I could buy out all of the fresh produce at my local grocery store for less than that.

The Robotic Fruit Bowl was created by Noam Dover and Amit Drori, and at that price they will probably will continue to own it.

[Thanks for the tip, Buster!]

MIT pencils in carbon nanotube gas sensor that’s cheaper, less hazardous (video)

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Carbon nanotubes

Carbon nanotube-based sensors are good at sniffing out all kinds of things, but applying the cylindrical molecules to a substrate has traditionally been a dangerous and unreliable process. Now, researchers at MIT have found a way to avoid the hazardous solvents that are currently used, by compressing commercially available nanotube powders into a pencil lead-shaped material. That allowed them to sketch the material directly onto paper imprinted with gold electrodes (as shown above), then measure the current flowing through the resisting carbon nanotubes -- allowing detection of any gases that stick to the material. It works even if the marks aren't uniform, according to the team, and the tech would open up new avenues to cheaper sensors that would be particularly adroit at detecting rotten fruit or natural gas leaks. For more info, sniff out the video after the break.

Continue reading MIT pencils in carbon nanotube gas sensor that's cheaper, less hazardous (video)

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MIT pencils in carbon nanotube gas sensor that's cheaper, less hazardous (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Oct 2012 14:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Banana Chair: Seating with a Peel

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Monkeys. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, they’ll always be the one animal species that’s closest to the human race. So what could be more fitting than sitting in a chair that’s made with the monkey’s favorite food in mind?

Banana ChairIt looks all sorts of comfortable, too. The banana meat serves as the cushion to seat your in comfort, while the banana peel lets you rest your weary elbows on them after a long, tiring day.

banana chair 2

Designed by WamHouse, the banana-inspired seat is actually called the Zjedzony, which is Polish for ‘eaten.’ Makes sense, considering a huge chunk of the banana (chair) has been eaten away.

Banana Chair1

Looks awesome, doesn’t it? I’d kill to have one of these for my living room.

[via +MOOD via Chair Blog]


Is That a Banana in Your Pocket, or Are You Just Going to Shoot Me?

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We’ve featured lots of cool and geeky handmade prop weapons here over the years, but I can honestly say this is the first time I’ve seen a gun made out of a banana. (Other than those times when I was a kid and just pretended a banana was a gun – or a telephone.)

banana gun

This intricately carved banana gun won’t hurt a fly, but it still might get confiscated by the TSA if you try and bring it through the security checkpoint at the airport. I think this thing shouldn’t fire bullets, but instead it should use blueberries as ammo.

[via Buzzfeed]


Nanotubes sniff out rotting fruit, your dorm room might be next

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MIT-research-nanotubes-detect-rotting-produce

Our favorite ultra-skinny molecules have performed a lot of useful functions over the years, but keeping fruit flies away was never one of them. Now MIT scientists, with US Army funding, have discovered a way to give these nanotubes the canine-like sense of smell needed to stop produce spoilage and waste. Doping sheets of them with copper and polystyrene introduces a speed-trap for electrons, slowing them and allowing the detection of ethylene gas vented during ripening. A sensor produced from such a substance could be combined with an RFID chip, giving grocers a cheaper way to monitor freshness and discount produce before it's too late. If that works, the team may target mold and bacteria detection next, giving you scientific proof that your roommate needs to wash his socks.

Nanotubes sniff out rotting fruit, your dorm room might be next originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 May 2012 02:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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My Orange Squeeze

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I really don’t see the point in an electric citrus fruit squeezer. I own one and end up putting in manual labor to hold the orange in place with firm grip. I may as well invest in a classy juicer like the Edwin; it is sustainable and made from smooth ceramic and wood. Squeezing the fruit will give my fingers good exercise and no more worrying about repairs! Unless I get clumsy and break the ceramic component, I guess I’m all set.

Designer: Natalia Coll

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(My Orange Squeeze was originally posted on Yanko Design)

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