inventions
Japanese Twitter user’s crazily extreme device is perfect for when you need multiple tissues, stat.
You’ll never waste time pushing in chairs ever again thanks to this amazing new invention from Japanese car manufacturer Nissan.
Aisa Mijeno, a young Filipino engineer and environmental advocate, has conceptualized a product that is not only environmentally friendly, but will provide basic lighting to the less-privileged: a lamp that runs on salt water!
The somewhat euphemistically named process of “denailing” has remained a popular torture method since medieval times and, according to the sort of creepily detailed Wikipedia page for the method, it remains in use today.
There are a few good reasons for that. It apparently leaves no permanent marks or injury – after the nail grows back, of course – and requires only the most basic of tools to pull off. It also objectively hurts like hell and there’s something about the tips of the toes and fingers being manipulated that leaves a person feeling unbearably vulnerable.
All of which has us wondering why anyone would voluntarily use this tool, which is clearly just a re-purposed torture device, to fix their ingrown toenails, regardless of how amazingly well it supposedly works.
Japan’s Meiji period ushered in revolutionary changes to the country. As over 200 years of self-imposed isolation came to an end, centuries of economic, political, and scientific advances came flooding into Japan, and the nation’s thinkers and entrepreneurs began scrambling to modernize. Thanks to their efforts, soon after the Meiji period began in 1868, Japan had its first railways, banks, and apparently a dog-powered butter-making machine.
At some point in our childhoods, most of us probably owned a few coloring books to keep us entertained on rainy days or while traveling.
Although coloring is still a great way to boost a child’s imagination and improve motor skills, as digital technology continues to develop, fewer children are turning to coloring books to pass the time.
So in order to make coloring “cool” again, Disney decided to do a little research into what they could do to breathe some life back into this old pastime favorite.
If there’s a menial task that takes up a substantial amount of time, you can bet Japan is developing a robot for it. So far we’ve seen gems like the 24-fingered hair-washing robot, the floor-cleaning bot and the robot that feeds you tomatoes while you run.
Now, a new generation of self-automated robotic assistance is set to make life easier for families in the very near future, with an amazing new machine that folds your laundry.
For as long as we can remember, holograms have been one of the coolest science fiction technologies that still haven’t quite lived up to the promises of our favorite films and TV shows. We’re a long way from chatting with Mark Twain on the holodeck, basically, but that doesn’t mean current “hologram” technology isn’t cool!
One of the neater everyday hologram-like technologies you can easily buy is a propeller clock. In fact, using a simple microcontroller, some LEDs, and a spinning motor, you could even build your own propeller clock. But this enterprising Twitter user decided a propeller clock wasn’t enough and ended up making a propeller watch! It’s not entirely practical, but it is completely awesome!
Humans have always had a fascination with flying. From the legend of Icarus to da Vinci’s ornithopter designs, we have long tried to mimic birds in an attempt to get ourselves into the air, though it hasn’t always produced the best results. Perhaps one of the most famous ornithopter designs in recent memory is the Flaptter from Studio Ghibli’s Castle in the Sky. We have to admit, we’ve spent a fair share of our time day dreaming about swooping over baseball games in these flying machines, but we never thought we’d actually get to fly one. We may have been wrong!
This working RC Flaptter is just about the peak of our dreams. We just need someone to stick a 3-D camera on the front so we can fly it from a first person perspective and we’ll never have another Tanabata wish again!
Back in the days before the majestic and booming voice of God said, “Casey, go work for RocketNews24,” I used to handle payroll processing at my old job. I’d also occasionally answer the phones and take care of walk-in customers, and while it keeps things fresh and varied to wear many different hats at work, there are also some downsides, and I’m not talking about an increased chance of head lice.
I shared my PC with several coworkers, and often I’d step away from my desk for a moment, only to come back and find out that in the meantime someone had hopped onto the computer, finished what he was doing, and decided to shut down every window. When the prompt came up asking if the user wanted to save any unfinished work, for some reason he’d invariably select “no,” and I’d lose a chunk of work progress.
If only I’d had one of these cool Japanese robot assistants that automatically saves your files for you.
Japan’s best minds have contributed quite a few important inventions to the world over the years. Did you know that the portable ECG machine was invented in Japan, for example? So were electric rice cookers, DSLR cameras, CD players, Blu-ray discs, and gaming systems. Really, the list of Japanese tech that has become integral to our daily lives goes on and on.
However, if you ask Japanese people which invention their country should be proud of, it turns out a far humbler product jumps to mind for most: instant noodles.
China is known as an industrious nation and, after pictures surfaced of one Chinese teacher who built a phenomenal “Iron Man” Hulkbuster replica in his garage, it seemed like the right time to take a look at some of the country’s most impressive home made inventions.
From full size, working airplanes to wooden, yet electronic cars, the Chinese have spent anything from a couple of months to several years, knocking up some pretty impressive modes of transports and robots.
The cuckoo clock has been around for over 100 years, and has been enjoyed by generation after generation. Maybe your grandparents had one, or perhaps you even had one in your own home.
But now, watch maker SeaHope and a Japanese toy company have paired up to bring this classic to a new generation in a more portable size with: the Cuckoo Watch!
MOST POPULAR
Now
World’s #1 Smash Bros. player takes on random kid in Japan’s Narita Airport
Japanese Phantom Cheesecake: A sweet so popular 2,000 sold in ten minutes
Japanese cafe lets customers enjoy random flavors of coffee using capsule vending machines
Sleep next to the railroad tracks at the closest hotel to a train station platform in Japan
Shibuya rats scuttle along streets in the wake of Typhoon Hagibis【Video】
Canadian rugby team volunteers in typhoon-struck Japan following cancellation of World Cup match
Flood victims send SOS tweets on Twitter in wake of Typhoon Hagibis
PooPaint Toilet paper lets you make art with your poop
Okinawa soul food: We try the most epic pork and egg onigiri rice balls in Japan
We recreate the delicious-looking meatball stew from Laputa: Castle in the Sky【SoraKitchen】
Weekly
Japanese Mame Shiba Inu banknote design pays homage to nation’s beloved dog- Japanese Phantom Cheesecake: A sweet so popular 2,000 sold in ten minutes
You can now turn your smartphone into a Pokémon Pokédex thanks to Bandai【Photos】
Typhoon warning from NHK Japan “to all foreigners” causes controversy online
Typhoon Hagibis turns skies in Japan purply pink, makes people fear the end is nigh
PewDiePie buys house in Japan, calls it “a dream come true”- Shibuya rats scuttle along streets in the wake of Typhoon Hagibis【Video】
- World’s #1 Smash Bros. player takes on random kid in Japan’s Narita Airport
Seiko makes limited number of Godzilla watches for 65th anniversary
Japanese news agency under fire for announcing Nobel Prize goes “to foreigners”
Monthly
- PewDiePie buys house in Japan, calls it “a dream come true”
Naruto’s author Kishimoto reveals what characters’ names would’ve been if editor didn’t intervene- Japanese Mame Shiba Inu banknote design pays homage to nation’s beloved dog
- Japanese Phantom Cheesecake: A sweet so popular 2,000 sold in ten minutes
- You can now turn your smartphone into a Pokémon Pokédex thanks to Bandai【Photos】
Uniqlo announces new line of awesome Dragon Ball T-shirts and hoodies【Photos】 
We took advantage of Burger King’s Whopper Jr. sale in an extreme way
Kyoto Animation will use none of its arson donations for business recovery, all of it for victims
Pakistani Japanese citizen is tired of the cops asking him for his foreign resident card
Hayao Miyazaki has turned down multiple offers from Hollywood to make live-action Nausicaa movie
Yearly
Which Pokémon are you? Official quiz reveals your Poké-personality, and how to take it in English- PewDiePie buys house in Japan, calls it “a dream come true”
- Naruto’s author Kishimoto reveals what characters’ names would’ve been if editor didn’t intervene
We asked a Niantic insider 30 questions about Pokémon Go, learned a lot of useful information
Japanese woman stumbles on the power of the infamous “gaijin seat” phenomenon during flight
Why do Japanese recycle bins have two openings but dump everything into the same compartment?
Tokyo public schools will stop forcing students with non-black hair to dye it, official promises
Japanese baseball teen refuses walk after getting hit by pitch, follows up with home run【Video】
50-year-old Japanese woman pulls off amazing Love Live! anime idol cosplay【Photos】- Japanese Mame Shiba Inu banknote design pays homage to nation’s beloved dog
RECOMMENDED STORIES
Canadian rugby team volunteers in typhoon-struck Japan following cancellation of World Cup match
Flood victims send SOS tweets on Twitter in wake of Typhoon Hagibis
PooPaint Toilet paper lets you make art with your poop
Okinawa soul food: We try the most epic pork and egg onigiri rice balls in Japan
We recreate the delicious-looking meatball stew from Laputa: Castle in the Sky【SoraKitchen】
What’s in a name? The 10 most common surnames in Japan (and their meanings)
Studio Ghibli scarves, gloves and bags will keep you warm this fall and winter
Japanese news agency under fire for announcing Nobel Prize goes “to foreigners”
What’s really for breakfast? 20 Japanese people give us a peek at their morning meal【Photos】
Fake schoolgirl prostitution extortion ring busted by Tokyo police
Japanese Mame Shiba Inu banknote design pays homage to nation’s beloved dog
Japan to release a Complimenting Card Game through crowdfunding
Hello Kitty blames herself for guys feeling embarrassed about liking her, offers apology【Video】
Shibuya convenience store overrun with rats 【Videos】
-
