Hi peeps, thanks for dropping in. This is just a little personal project I've put together in my spare time. I've searched the weird, wacky, wonderful world wide web (wwwwww) for anything that qualifies as a hybrid. So, what qualifies? As long as it's a combination of 2 different elements that creates something new, it's in. But the results have gotta be better and more interesting, of course. Some of the stuff you'll find here are totally awesome cutting-edge technology, others are just plain nuts.
Btw, this is how my blog works: the misc topics are divided into 3 basic categories. For your convenience, dear reader. And every 2 weeks, I'll shoot a homemade video featuring a hybrid topic found on this blog. The chosen video is based on your votes. So you tell me what you wanna see, and it will be done lah.
Guess what? I need a vacation! I’ve been working on this little personal project for months without a break, not even on weekends! I never expected it to get as much attention as it has, especially from big corporations who wanted to join in the fun. And it really has been a lot of fun.
My favourite part of this blog has been the “Most Wanted” videos. Planning them, shooting them, posting them, and receiving all your feedback about them. This blog wouldn’t be what it is today without the support you awesome guys and gals have given me. So I’d like to say a great big “Trrrima Kaseh!!” to y’all. You rock!
But still, I need a vacation! Therefore I’m gonna take a short break from writing this blog. But stay tuned, cos when I come back, My Hybrid World is gonna be even more crazy, more interactive, more filled with silly stuff from all over the world, and more more, lah.
Til then, this is Joe E logging out. Remember, keep on hybridizing!
Ok, hands up: how many of you enjoyed the movie “Iron Man”? Ah, not surprising. Now, how many of you guys wanted to BE Iron Man after watching the movie? Heh, I thought so too. Yeah, it’d be totally awesome-possum (to pinjam a fellow blogger’s term) to walk around in a robotic suit that makes you stronger, faster and terror-er.
Looks like the Japs have brought us a few steps closer to that fantasy. The Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL) is not as canggih as Iron Man’s armour, but it’s still one of the coolest real-life achievements in robotics I’ve ever seen. HAL is basically a pair of mechanical arms and legs that enhances your own movement.
(Pix from Tsukuba University)
When you’re wearing HAL, it does the walking and carrying for you. So this invention is highly useful for people who have just recovered from sickness or injuries. But the most exciting feature is that HAL gives you super-strength! That’s right! If you’re a skinny weakling who struggles to pick up one 10kg bag of rice, with HAL you can walk around carrying 5 bags effortlessly. Now all it needs are shoulder-mounted Death Rays…
iStraw It’s a straw, but it’s also a water filter! Apparently it uses “micro-filtration technology” (their words, not mine) to remove harmful bacteria and toxins from the water that you’re drinking. Not sure anyone would wanna bring along a straw everywhere they go, though…
My friend TeeJay can be a real dungu. He spends most of his gaji modifying his new car. Nothing unusual, you might say. The thing is, barely 2 months ago he blew a few hundred bucks on spoilers and skirting. Then he changed his mind and traded them in for new ones. And he wonders why he’s broke.
For people like him, The BMW GINA Light Visionary Model Concept Car is just perfect. It’s a shape-shifting vehicle! The skin of the car isn’t metal, it’s made out of a special high-tech fabric. Underneath the flexible exterior is a rigid frame that can be moved around at your command. So you can make slight but noticeable changes to the shape of the car, as you like. This also allows the GINA to add or retract parts like rear spoilers, hide or reveal headlights, and eliminate the need for joints. Or a hood. Simply press a button and the fabric will split apart for you to access the engine bay. Is your mind totally blown yet?
Due to its usage of revolutionary materials, the GINA is much lighter and therefore faster than any other car of the same size. BMW hopes that someday, all cars will be like this prototype. The only thing I don’t like is the messy-looking creases when the doors open. If they can solve that minor design issue then to me this is the ultimate car. TeeJay will have to start saving money like right now, though…
You’ve gotta see it in motion to fully appreciate the amazing technology, so here’s a video:
Multi-Function Gardening Tool
Hey, it’s a Swiss-Army Knife for gardening! And why not? This will save you a lot of space and time. You’ve got all the equipment you need in one gadget. Looks kinda heavy though.
Recently, at one of our regular late-night mamak sessions, the topic of conversation turned to the future. We talked about how people 50 years from now might look, think, eat, sleep, dress, work and play.
Som, who is an engineering grad, was told by his lecturer that technology will eventually become more and more integrated into our everyday lives. To the extent that technical innovations would be invisible. For example, our clothes will contain micro-computers that automatically regulate the temperature inside so that we’re kept warm when the weather is cold, and vice versa. Sounds like sci-fi huh?
Nope, the (near) future is already here. And it looks pretty cool. Check out the awesome Techno Jacket. It’s part of what scientists call “wearable technology”. All the features you expect in separate gadgets can be found in one piece of clothing. The Techno Jacket has a built-in MP3 player, headphones, microphone, mobile phone, and even a GPS system! So put this on and you can listen to music, make calls, and find your way no matter where you are in the world. The controls are located on the sleeve and are printed on the fabric itself. Fuuuuh! Totally space age, sial!
I like watching club Deejays working their decks. But I always thought their acts could somehow be more visually entertaining. Sure, vinyl scratching and whatnot is fun to watch, but it gets a bit same-y after a while.
Not if DJs use the revolutionary Reactable. Check out the pic below. Doesn’t resemble anything that could make music, right? In fact, the first time I saw it, I thought it was just some fancy coffee table. Sure, but only if your coffee table has a built-in digital display and a touchscreen that allows you to make music!
(Pix by Daniel Williams)
The Reactable responds to touch and movement, either via the player’s fingertips or a series of special plastic blocks. Each block is responsible for a specific sound, and when the blocks are moved around in sequence, a melody is formed. Just imagine DJs performing with this at a rave. The crowd might be so mesmerized they actually forget to dance. Groovy, sial.
Check out this video of DJs giving a live demo of the Reactable…
Wheelbench
Last week I went to the taman in my neighbourhood. I just wanted to chill out but all the park benches were occupied. You’ll never face this problem if you have the amazing Wheelbench. Just bring this along wherever you go, and if you feel like sitting down any where, you can!
WINNER: ROLLERBLADE FUTSAL!
Boy, am I glad this one won— your Most Wanted Hybrid Game is Rollerblade Futsal! First of all, I really wanted you guys and gals to see my buddies’ mad blading skills. It’s REALLY hard to stop/kick/dribble a ball when you’re on wheels, y’know. Secondly, many of you voted for Bungee Tug-Of-War. It was a close 2nd. But I had no idea where I’d find a bungee cord lah. So as some Mat Salleh fellow once said, all’s well that ends well.
Anyway, here’s my video. Hope you enjoy it. And please pass it on ya!…
Btw, this will be the last Most Wanted video for now. It’s hard work keeping y’all entertained okay. Don’t worry. More kewl stuff coming up in the near future!
Paper Shampoo
This is really clever! Smarty-pants inventors found a way to turn liquid shampoo into a solid paper-like form, which is stored in a plastic pack. When you need to wash your hair, just take one sheet, mix it with water and lather up!
Whassup, you can call me Joe E. I'm 22 and I work in KL as a Sales & Marketing exec. But this blog ain't about me. It's all about the world of hybridization. What rocks my sampan is the fun in mixing random stuff up. The results can be unexpected and unpredictable, which I totally dig. Puts the "mental" back into experimental! So this blog is dedicated to anything and (almost) everything to do with HYBRIDS.
Whassup, you can call me Joe E. I'm 22 and I work in KL as a Sales & Marketing exec. But this blog ain't about me. It's all about the world of hybridization. What rocks my sampan is the fun in mixing random stuff up. The results can be unexpected and unpredictable, which I totally dig. Puts the "mental" back into experimental! So this blog is dedicated to anything and (almost) everything to do with HYBRIDS.
