The old FATE machines at Carters Steam Fair

Japan April 2009

So i have returned back from the future (Japan) and will soon be uploading my piccies to flickr. But i thought i would try to also put something together, perhaps a diary thing, to tell you all about what i did and what i saw! So here is a little teaser:

Day 6: Relaxing times at Bic Camera 4th Floor

Day 4: Tokyo's salary men and otaku read anime comics and pump lots of money in the greedy grabclaw machine

Day 12: Okayama- Bloodtype Horoscope vending machine offering your future according to your personality defined by bloodtype

Day 14: Tokyo - Self-health machines test your blood pressure and test your thigh muscle strength in the automated Exercise Rodeo Chair.

The Leak Listeners

The Leak listeners are the Thames Water squad tackling the wastage crisis who use “leak sticks”-steel rods with a wooden earpiece as one end-which they hold against pipes to pick up vibrations from any water escaping. It is a method that has been used for more than a century and allows any sign of leaking water to be heard!

Exploratree Thinking Tools by futurelab + microsoft

Those clever chaps at Futurelab have created a beta online tool that enables people to think visually! Think of all those mind maps you have done in the past that have been completely disorganized and free form. But with exploratree they will help you create frameworks for futures wheel (my favourite), a compass rose (!) and a pmi!!

The 36th International Invention Convention

The 36th International Exhibition of Invention is currently being held in Geneva and is offering some genuine glimpses into the future! well maybe some left field products for the future that indeed create opportunties to laugh and gasp with delight and fear!

This is Paul Fischer and his Cervical Stretcher: an exercise and therapy device for people with cervical problems.

Via The Guardian

The robots are coming!

The future of beauty?

Silver suits and face masks used in spas and beauty parlours today but presented like an idea of the future back in the 50’s

Spray On Condoms

And an interesting way to make condoms fit better!. A diagram to show a new product that will spray on a uniquely fit to purpose condom. The Institute for Condom Consultancy is in co-operation with Vinico and Qualo Design plan to launch a spray-on condom tailor-made for all sizes. According to Jan Vinzenz Krause, from the Institute for Condom Consultancy, “Our team is developing a type of spray can into which the man inserts his penis first. At the push of a button it is then coated in a rubber condom. It works by spraying on latex from nozzles on all sides. We call it the ‘360 degree procedure’ — once round and from top to bottom. It’s a bit like a car wash. The plan is to make the product ready for use in about five seconds.” The high-tech condom will be available in a variety of colours and strengths by 2008.

Medical instruments of self knowledge

From top left to bottom right:

Fecal Occult Blood Test.
OraQuickAdvance® rapid (oral) HIV test
Finger prick blood test
A family dna kit
A DNA synthesizer

The de-motivators

DESPAIR inc

Fantastic site that sticks two fingers up at the real believers of optimistic perfectionism in commerce + business: