Websites as graphs
Filed Under Art, Geek, Interesting, Internet, Websites |
Here’s something that’s kind of neat, representing websites as a graph of points. There’s a nifty script that will make one for you by just providing it with a URL. Here is geeked.info (click to enlarge):
You can also download the source code and run it on your local machine to create a larger, higher resolution image that’s suitable for posters, t-shirts, coffee mugs, etc.
If you want to check out more of these, there’s a flickr pool of course. Some of them are quite aesthetically pleasing. If you’re wondering what each node stands for, here’s the legend from the site:
What do the colors mean?
blue: for links (the A tag)
red: for tables (TABLE, TR and TD tags)
green: for the DIV tag
violet: for images (the IMG tag)
yellow: for forms (FORM, INPUT, TEXTAREA, SELECT and OPTION tags)
orange: for linebreaks and blockquotes (BR, P, and BLOCKQUOTE tags)
black: the HTML tag, the root node
gray: all other tags
Thanks for pointing this site out exiva
Escape from Berkeley: Racing to Vegas on alternative power
Filed Under Art, Geek, Interesting, News |
This 4th of July weekend will see the first annual “Escape from Berkeley” with a race from Berkeley, CA to Las Vegas, NV. This three day race will be unlike an ordinary race as all of the vehicles will be running on non-petroleum fuel! The announcement arrived via an email from Jim Mason, a well known East Bay artist who is responsible for large scale art projects and the Shipyard. All sorts of vehicles are permitted to enter the race as long as they are not powered by any petroleum based fuel or something that is “currently sold as a motor fuel”. You are allowed to store 10kwh of power in any form to get you going, but past that you’ll have to use your creativity. Some of Mason’s suggestions (other than the typical solar and steam) include: biomass, gasifiers, fast starch anaerobic digesters, on board sugar stills, tesla free energy vortexes, cold fusion, humans, and hamsters. On top of this, you can’t carry any fuel with you and you can’t purchase it on your way. Contestants will have to scavenge their fuel/power for free on the side of the highway.
So what do you win? Besides the geek pride and bragging rights, there will be a “significant cash prize for the winnner”. More information will be announced in the near future, but if you’re already interested in entering, get in touch with Jim. As this race is being compared to the Grand Challenge and Cannonball Run, it should be interesting to see what vehicles make it to Vegas, and who actually makes it there first!
AudioSurf looks incredible
Filed Under Art, Fun, Movies and Music, Music, Video, Video Games |
AudioSurf is a “music-adapting puzzle racer where you use your own music to create your own experience” says Steam. In short, you choose the music and the game creates a board and game-play experience that is related to that music. I’m always a bit wary of all these games that say your own music can affect game play and think that they’ll never be able to compare to the synaesthetic experience of Rez, an all time classic. A friend had mentioned the game in passing, and I didn’t think much of it other than to notice that it has the Orange Box soundtrack, including “Still Alive”. But after seeing the video above I instantly loaded up my Steam and purchased this. Review to come soon.
Floppy Disk CDRs
Filed Under Art, Geek, Interesting |
designboom is selling some unique CDRs. While they may look like floppy disks from the days of yore, these little square disks are actually writable CDRs. Each one is designed to fit 200 MB of data and comes with blue, red, green, and yellow labels so you can scrawl “stuff” on each just like back in the day. You can get a single one for $14 after shipping, or a deal on 4 of them for $32 (including shipping).
AT-AT T-Shirts
Filed Under Art, Funny, SF Bay Area |
mooflyfoof pointed me to these incredibly awesome shirts (of course after she got one for herself so now I can get one or else we’ll match *fist shaking*). Not only is the design available on t-shirts, but also hoodies, and infant t-shirts. To clue in those not from the Bay Area:
According to George Lucas, the AT-ATs were based on the tripod fighting machines from The War of the Worlds. He also took inspiration from elephants and loading cranes in West Oakland–hence the nickname “elephant walker.”
via answers.com
Buy your own from the girl and rhino. If you’re curious about the West Oakland AT-ATs, may we suggest a flickr search?
Electronic Ink Tattoos
Filed Under Art, Body Modification, Gadgets, Video |
Every day it seems like we’re living in a Neal Stephenson book more and more. While the thought of tattoos that change via technology is not necessarily new, this is the first time that I’ve really seen someone illustrating the concept in a video. And on top of the sexy video, the people behind this are none other than Philips.
They describe this project as such:
Tattoos and physical mutilation are amongst the oldest forms of personal expression and identity. Subcultures have used tattoos as a form of self representation; a visual language communicating personality and status. Philips Design examined the growing trend of extreme body adornment like tattoos, piercing, implants and scarring.
The Electronics Tattoo film expresses the visual power of sensitive technology applied to the human body. The film subtly leads the viewer through the simultaneous emotional and aesthetic transformations between two lovers.
While the video really touches on the possible sensuality of a tattoo that changes with arousal and emotion, there are also practical applications for something as incredible as electronic tattoo ink. Imagine a simple text display created in electronic ink. Nothing more complex in display than a character LCD. Add bluetooth (or some other form of wireless) support to that with a small implant. Now you can display any text you’d like. Use your cell phone to pull the latest weather, sports, stocks, RSS feeds, or subjects from your emails as they download. Your latest twitter scrolling across the nape of your neck, or perhaps the song currently playing on your mp3 player. Or more importantly, serious medical information that provides EMTs with life-saving info right on your chest. The possibilities are endless, and not really that far off.
In fact, way back in the dark ages (1995) there were some people that had a similar idea. There is a patent filed by Andrew J Singer and Sean White from Interval Research Corporation in Palo Alto, CA. This patent is for an implantable and programmable LCD that might actually be possible with today’s advances in technology. Unfortunately Interval Research closed their doors in June 2006. *sigh* Maybe we’ll have better luck with Philips in 15 years.
via BehindTheInk
Windows Bluescreen Tattoo
Filed Under Art, Body Modification, Funny, Software, Windows |
We recently posted some geeky video game tattoos, but in the world of geek tattoos, this one definitely ranks pretty high up there. A guy named Paul got this homage to the part of Windows 98 that we all curse to this day done by Sam Rulz of Two Hands Tattoo in New Zealand. Wow….
via ModBlog
Nintendo Tattoos
Filed Under Art, Body Modification, Video Games |
More “Gamer Ink” at www.thebbps.com.
via BehindTheInk. Picture source: www.thebbps.com.
Lego Salt and Pepper Shakers
Filed Under Art, Fun, Gadgets, Lifehacks |
Finally, mom will let me bring my Legos to the dinner table! In a neat use of a childhood toy near and dear to my heart, designer Joel Hesselgren has put together a simple yet ingenous salt and pepper shaker made out of legos. Rather than create separate shakers, he combines them into one. By moving the top lego piece you can control the amount of each flavor enhancer.
Source: Yanko design via
Octapult - a kinetic sculpture
Filed Under Art, Gadgets, Interesting, Video |
We stumbled upone this video and were strangely mesmerized. Something about the rhythmic movement and the sounds that it made were entrancing. The engineering behind it is beautiful and the resulting product is great.
Here’s what the artist has to say:
The “Octapult” is a kinetic sculpture designed and built on commission by Bradley N. Litwin of Philadelphia, PA. With 8 synchronized catapults, 160 plastic balls per minute are launched, caught, and recirculated. Made mostly of wood, the work is ~36 inches in diameter. On permanent display in the lobby of Lower Merion Elementary School, Merion Station, PA. Also a performing jazz musician, more of Litwin’s work may be seen and heard at www.bradlitwin.com.
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