May 4, 2011

Augmented Reality Tattoos work well with the Nintendo 3DS

About one year ago, I did an article about augmented reality tattoos. It was a Beunos Aries-based software producer who had the AR marker on their flesh, thanks to a company known as ThinkAnApp.

A YouTube user name Cranberryzero realized that the 3DS is a terrific excuse to get his own AR tattoo, and he posted his work and the results on I Heart Chaos. You can see the video after the jump, and the results are quite impressive.

I’m not certain what kind of game he is playing on his arm, but you notice the shakiness of it. What is really interesting is the effect of creating a pit on his arm, and it almost looks like you can look through his wrist.

Still, it is pretty impressive to play a game on your arm with graphics floating over it, and this is the appeal of augmented reality. Granted, you might not want a permanent mark there. I don’t know how long augmented reality will be around, and I wouldn’t want to be the grandpa that has to explain to his grandkids why there is a strange tattoo on my arm.

Perhaps this effect could be done with a temporary tattoo. By the way, the video doesn’t show a Mii character on the wrist. I think this is a doctored photo from my Source.

May 1, 2011

TiGr Bike Lock

I have seen a lot of bike locks in the past, but most of them are pretty tricky when it comes to storing on the bicycle.

The TiGr is a titanium “bow” that its extremely flexible, and it has “lock claims flexibility, hack-proof strength, and a sexy design worthy of your ride”. It can stretch out to about five foot five inches, and then both ends lock together.

As you can see, it is one of those bikes that locks the wheels together so that no one can ride off with it. Personally, I like the type that lock up against something like a tree or a bar, but that is just me.