US Stormtroopers

I saw this over at BoingBoing and had to make a post myself. Some military blogs, like those over at http://www.defensetech.org/ are very critical of armor like this because of its added weight and lack of flexibility.



The "facial armor" is made by MTek Weapon Systems and can stop a bullet from a .44 magnum, it weighs 1.3 pounds and is compatible with ballistic eyewear. It does look kinda cool in a stormtrooper like way but is this the proper image we want to present?

Floating Logos

These images were created by photographer and digital imaging artist Matt Siber. I found them to be eerily compeling because they suggest these symbols of coorporations and thus the coorporations themselves to be beyond our understanding and have attained a god-like status. His artist statement sums this up precisely.



"...this common phenomenon in our landscape, the removal of the poles also adds some conceptual layers. As floating sculptures in the sky, the images could allude to religion, spirituality, the supernatural, or even the popular science fiction concept of superior extraterrestrials. The mysteriousness of these concepts furthers the idea that these signs represent something that is just beyond our control and understanding yet affects us in significant and important ways."

The VeinViewer

Kinda spooky but cool.

"The VeinViewer Imaging System utilizes infrared light and patented technologies to illuminate subcutaneous veins imaging their exact location on the surface of the skin...This innovative device provides guidance allowing health care professionals to visualize location and orientation of the patient's veins offering a more accurate and precise entry point."



An infrared light source is placed over a body part, a digital video camera sensitive to infrared sends the image to a processor which enhances the veins and then that image is projected back onto the body part. Check out the video on their site, if the link doesn't work try a right-click "save link as":

http://www.luminetx.com/images/sclero.wmv

They are also considering using it as a biometric identification system because apparently people's veins are quite unique.

EggFusion

EggFusion, yes...thats right EggFusion. The concept behind EggFusion started out with the concern about the health risks associated with using eggs past their expiration date and so they began researching a means to reliably and permanently date the eggs consumers buy.



"After years of extensive research and development, the EggFusion team developed a safe, proprietary etching system that leaves a tamperproof mark on each individual egg."

Along with their "Freshness & Traceability Coding" they also offer "On-egg Messaging" essentialy advertising space on eggs. I knew the future would be this wonderful, I just knew it!