Posts Tagged ‘pencils’
MIT pencils in carbon nanotube gas sensor that’s cheaper, less hazardous (video)
Author: Stefanie Jenkins
Carbon nanotube-based sensors are good at ferreting out all kinds of things, but applying the cylindrical molecules to a substrate has traditionally been an unsafe and questionable process. Now, researchers at MIT have discovered a way to prevent the harmful solvents that are currently utilized, by compressing commercially available nanotube powders into a pencil lead-shaped material. That permitted them to sketch the material straight onto paper imprinted with gold electrodes (as shown above), then measure the current moving with the resisting carbon nanotubes– allowing detection of any gases that stay with the material. It works even if the marks aren’t uniform, according to the group, and the tech would open brand-new opportunities to cheaper sensors that would certainly be specifically adroit at finding rotten fruit or natural gas leaks. For even more info, sniff out the video after the break. Continue reading MIT pencils in carbon nanotube gas sensor that’s more affordable, less harmful (video) Filed under: Science, AltMIT pencils in carbon nanotube gas sensor that’s less expensive, less unsafe (video) initially appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Oct 2012 14:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for usage of feeds. Permalink Inhabitat|MIT |
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Sony pencils in eight new NEX lenses for 2012-13
Author: Nancy Kennedy
We love Sony’s NEX cameras, but it’s hard to deny that the E-mount lens lineup is a little lacking next to Olympus and Panasonic’s Micro Four Thirds offerings. Sony promises it’s on the case, though, and has used the CP+ show as an opportunity to give some hints as to what’s in store — while we don’t have detailed specifications, we now know the quantity, variety and (roughly) quality of lenses in development. 2012 is mostly going to be about zoom, with wide angle, standard and high-magnification lenses all on the way, along with a pancake prime. 2013 will see the release of a G-series high performance standard zoom, a mid-magnification zoom, a mid-telephoto prime, and a large aperture standard prime. That’s eight new lenses in all,…
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Neither Pen Nor Pencil: Write Endlessly In Metal
Author: Dave Adams
One of the pleasures of writing in pencil is the friction of two solid materials in contact. One of the delights of writing in pen is that you can write continuously without having to stop to sharpen your stylus. Writing in metal, while expensive, provides some of the benefits of both while exhibiting its own unique beauty.
These two (that’s right, two) different metal pen manufacturers come to us by way of champ design blog Dornob. Both models work on the same principle: a tiny amount of metal alloy transfers from the pen to the page. Unlike pencil, it can’t be smudged with your hand, and unlike ink, it doesn’t need to dry. The amount of alloy for each stroke is so tiny that the pens are expected to last a lifetime without needing to be refilled or replaced. You can sharpen the tips for a finer point with a little sandpaper.
Each company takes a slightly different approach. The Inkless Metal Pen by Vat19 goes with a full stainless-steel barrel. Their marketing department, as you can see from the video above, also has a sharp, playful, dudely sense of humor. (The word “awesome” gets thrown around a lot, and there’s a Scrooge McDuck reference.)
Grand Illusions goes a little more highbrow with their Metal Pens. They have two short versions (including one that can be worn as a keychain) and a Beta Pen which comes with a full-length extension in either black or silver metal or cherry-stained wood.
Grand Illusions also appends a short history on writing in silverpoint: “In the Medieval period, artists and scribes often used a metal stylus in order to draw on a specially prepared paper surface. Generally known as Metalpoint, or Silverpoint when the stylus was made of silver, artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Dürer and Rembrandt all used this technique.” My friends, this is music to my early-modern-loving ears. (Luckily, you don’t have to rub your paper with pumice to get these 21st-century pens to make an impression.
The alloy in the Vat19 pen (at least) has trace amounts of lead, so it’s not so good for kids. Both are targeted for designers, lefties (who often have to deal with smearing or smudging ink/graphite as they trace their hand across the page), and geeks who like even their handwriting to be all shiny. (Note: the writing isn’t actually very shiny, more kind of a matte titanium, but you can pretend).
Images via Vat19 and Grand Illusions. Story via Dornob.
See Also:
- Continuous Pencil Means No More Stubs
- Sharpie Reinvents Pen with Liquid Pencil
- The Hidden Link Between E-Readers and Sheep (It's Not What You …
- Drawdio: A Pencil That Lets You Draw Music
- Livescribe Updates its Digital Smart Pen With the Echo
- UDraw Pen and Tablet for Wii
- German Multi-Tool Pen Engineered to Outlast its Owner
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Neither Pen Nor Pencil: Write Endlessly In Metal
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Continuous Pencil Means No More Stubs
Author: Tech Blogger
Like the solid feel of a hardwood pencil but hate writing with a tiny stub? This modular continuous pencil is for you!
At first glance, I thought that the Continuous Pencil was just a stubby with a wooden holder. But no — each pencil can hold the stub of the previous pencil. You just Lego the new one right in, work the old stub to the end, then shave it down to start over again.
For some folks, it might be cumbersome to break out a penknife to start up a new pencil, but once you’ve hand-sharpened your lead, it’s the only way to fly. Designers, architects, and illustrators who either don’t like or can’t use mechanical pencils will love this.
The photo slideshow above actually features TWO different pencil designs that solve the stub problem: the Continuous Pencil and the 1+1 Pencil, both via Gadget Lab favorites Yanko Design.
See Also:
- Sharpie Reinvents Pen with Liquid Pencil
- The Pencil iPad Stand: Smart Enough to Impress a New Yorker …
- The Pencil Bench: An Eraser Tipped Bed of Nails
- Drawdio: A Pencil That Lets You Draw Music
- Eight Cylinders of Pencil-Sharpening Action, And a Pizza Cutter …
- Livescribe Echo Smartpen
- UDraw Pen and Tablet for Wii
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Continuous Pencil Means No More Stubs
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Tags: Continuous, Design, designer tools, Image, iPad, Music, pencil-bench, pencils, pizza-cutter, Smart, Tablet, Video, Wii | 
No Comments »Homemade iPad stand combines pencils and rubberbands
Author: Stacey Cook
Homemade iPad stand combines pencils and rubberbands
If you’ve spent all your disposable income on an iPad and have found yourself without the funds to purchase a stand, there’s no need to fret—with a little DIY magic, you can make your own functional, cool, and inexpensive iPad stand with just a handful of pencils and rubber bands.
