Robot Waiters

I never thought I'd see the day... Well actually, yes I did. Prophesying an 'I, Robot'-esque scenario aside, this is pretty cool. At Dalu Robot Restaurant, a hot pot joint in China, you'll never have to tip your waiter or worry about him spitting in your food. The restaurant owner also doubles as the proprietor of a robotics firm, so he decided to mix the two. The robot waiters drive around the restaurant on tracks and use radar and magnets to maneuver. I'm not going to lie. It's a bit creepy at first, and isn't as comprehensive, as you still have to take the food off the trays. Still, it's a fun change for those of us looking for some tech in their eating experience...

The Eyeborg

This is just crazy, to say the least. Filmmaker Rob Spence, who lost his right eye in a shooting accident as a teenager has found a new way to bridge the gap between man and machine, and in an eerie way. He calls it the eyeborg and it is, simply put, a tiny digital camcorder embedded in his false eyeball. Spence found that people are much less receptive to speak freely and plainly with an actual camera in their faces (big surprise). That said, he founded the Eyeborg Project to make more movies using his eye-cam. The camera transmits directly to a computer, though it isn't directly connected to his brain, which would be incredible. Spence claims the mission of his eye, and the subsequent documentary are to raise awareness of constant surveillance in society and to get people talking unselfconsciously. I can't say that I disagree with his plan, but it's gonna be a bit creepy for people to see themselves on candid camera, when they thought they were just talking to a guy with a false eye. Guess it's a catch-22 either way. Check the video...

Touch Bionics i-Limb Pulse

Ummmmm... I hearken back to this idea all the time: The Future (capital F), when technology will be as close to us as life is. Okay, maybe not that close, but we all envision a world where man and machine can co-exist in the same entity. We might not be seeing androids any time soon, but this is another huge step in the right direction, especially after seeing an amputee control a robotic arm with their mind. The possibilities and applications of an invention like the i-Limb are endless. The bionic hand has patented pulsing technology to give it increasing and controllable grip strength to each individual digit, depending on settings you create. It can lift up to 200 lbs (more than most people can). Also, the i-Limb can be programmed to sync with Bluetooth for you techies who need a helping hand (drums for corny joke). No word yet as to whether the i-Limb can be attached as a prosthetic, but with the way the hand looks, synthesizing the two shouldn't be far away. Touch Bionics' i-Limb Pulse goes on sale on June 1st. I guess the Future is closer than we think...