Tag: AUTOMATION

Have you bought yourself a Slinky, but just can't find the time to play with it? Or, are you an obsessive compulsive Slinky-er, and absolutely can't stand the thought of your precious toy going to waste? Or maybe a high-paid executive whose Newton's Cradle has lost the thrill it once had? Well, inventor Jim Sellers has you covered. Sellers has created the Slink-O-Matic, a machine that will ...

Best Buy is paving the way for employee-free retail by installing gadget vending machines in airports around the country. Travelers will be able to pick up a host of electronic devices including cell phones, digital cameras, headphones, and various power adapters from the machines for what are sure to be absurd prices. The Best Buy vending machines will be operated and stocked by Zoom Systems, ...

Seattle is getting rid of its five automated public toilets. That stinks, if you are a prostitute or drug addict or pimp or someone who really likes stinky places. The toilets, which look like big soda cans, open with the touch of a button and are supposed to self-clean themselves after every use. Unfortunately, things didn't work out as planned. Ah, such is life. First of all, people threw so ...

Slowly but surely, the automated future that industrialization and science fiction have long promised is creeping up on us. And if reality is to be believed, automation might actually run us over (or shoot us) if we're not looking. The BBC reports that an English town called Daventry is testing out a driverless car, controlled by a computer that -- drumroll please -- uses lasers to avoid ...

The Internet and computers can do almost anything for us these days, even parent. For doling out household chores, there's a new service called Chore Buster. Who can be bothered with telling the tykes to vacuum every Thursday? Instead, go sign up at the free site ... we'll wait. Next, add the list of people who will be performing chores along with their names and e-mail address for reminders ...