Skip to main content

Awesome tech you can’t buy yet, for the week of March 9, 2014

Awesome Tech 03_09_2014
Image used with permission by copyright holder

At any given moment there are approximately a zillion different crowdfunding campaigns happening on the Web. Take a stroll through Kickstarter or IndieGoGo and you’ll find there’s no shortage of weird, ambitious, and downright stupid projects out there – far too many for any reasonable person to keep up with. But here at DT we are not reasonable people. We spend an inordinate amount of time poring through crowdfunding sites and product blogs in search of the next Oculus Rift or Pebble Watch, so we’re here to bring you a quick roundup of the best projects that are currently up and running.

DopaMINE – Cryptocurrency mining case

DopaMINE Cryptocurrency Mining Case If you’ve ever tried to build a serious cryptocurrency mining rig with a regular PC case, you’ve undoubtedly encountered a few problems. Normal cases are built for normal computers – they’re simply not designed to handle a gazillion GPUs (the component needed the most for mining), the high temperatures that result from running so many GPUs, multiple power supplies, and multiple high-RPM cooling fans. DopaMINE, however, is designed with all these things in mind. It’s six GPU slots – all of which are spaced to promote airflow – dual power supply support, triple 120/140mm fan support, and even a modular, stackable shroud so you can easily scale up your rig as it gets bigger. Back the project now and you can lock one down for around $220.

Recommended Videos

SunSprite – Wearable sunlight tracker

SunSpriteA prolonged lack of exposure to natural sunlight can have a noticeable effect on your physical and mental wellbeing, but the problem is that it’s nearly impossible to tell if you’re getting enough. Until now, that is. SunSprite is basically like a fitbit for sunshine – instead of tracking how many steps you take in a day, this badboy measures how much light you’re soaking up with an array of embedded solar cells. Once turned on, the device will give you a daily goal, and indicate how far along you are via a low-power LED strip. Better yet, it also syncs with your smartphone via Bluetooth to give you more detailed info, and doesn’t need to be charged. Ever. Thanks to the high-efficiency solar cells on its surface and energy-sipping components, just a few minutes of sunlight can power SunSprite for nearly a week.

AgIC Print – Circuit printer modification kit

AgIC printing systemBreadboards and cheap microcontrollers like Arduino have given rise to an electronics renaissance, allowing hobbyists and inventors alike to develop prototypes at an astonishing pace. But they’re far from perfect. Despite their usefulness, breadboards can quickly become messy and disorganized, which makes transitioning your design to a printed circuit board (PCB) much more difficult. AgIC Print offers an alternative solution. It’s basically a printer modification kit – you can install it on your busted old inkjet printer, boot up the accompanying software, and start printing working circuits on paper. To make this possible, the kit comes with special metallic ink and thick paper, and once you’ve got the design worked out, you can easily apply the very same design to a PCB.

Ring – Gesture-control ring

Ring gesture controlFeel like you’ve seen this before? Probably because you have. Smart gesture-control rings definitely aren’t the most original idea at this point, but Ring is definitely one of the most intriguing ones we’ve seen. It works by tracking the movement of your finger – you actually write out words and draw pictures to enter various commands. For example, lets say you want to open up your email client and compose a message without taking your phone out of your pocket. If configured correctly, you could just tap on the side of the ring to activate it, draw an envelope to open the appropriate app, and then just start writing with your finger to compose the text. The project has already blasted past its $250K funding goal, and is currently sitting pretty at well over half a million dollars in pledged funds.

Miracle Machine – Tabletop wine maker

Miracle MachineMove over, Jesus – you’re not the only one who can turn water into wine anymore. The aptly-named Miracle Machine is essentially a teched-out tabletop fermentation machine designed to allow average boozers like you and me to make our own high-quality wine from the comfort of our homes. Technically, DIY small-batch fermentation chambers have been around for ages, but what’s noteworthy about this particular one is that it’s app-enabled, and uses some technological wizardry to produce custom-made wines in just a couple days. To use it, you start by adding a bit of water to one of Miracle Machine’s pre-made kits containing grape concentrate and yeast. The you just hit the Start button and let the technology take over. Check out our full article for more details.

Drew Prindle
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Drew Prindle is an award-winning writer, editor, and storyteller who currently serves as Senior Features Editor for Digital…
Hyundai Ioniq 5 sets world record for greatest altitude change
hyundai ioniq 5 world record altitude change mk02 detail kv

When the Guinness World Records (GWR) book was launched in 1955, the idea was to compile facts and figures that could finally settle often endless arguments in the U.K.’s many pubs.

It quickly evolved into a yearly compilation of world records, big and small, including last year's largest grilled cheese sandwich in the world.

Read more
Global EV sales expected to rise 30% in 2025, S&P Global says
ev sales up 30 percent 2025 byd sealion 7 1stbanner l

While trade wars, tariffs, and wavering subsidies are very much in the cards for the auto industry in 2025, global sales of electric vehicles (EVs) are still expected to rise substantially next year, according to S&P Global Mobility.

"2025 is shaping up to be ultra-challenging for the auto industry, as key regional demand factors limit demand potential and the new U.S. administration adds fresh uncertainty from day one," says Colin Couchman, executive director of global light vehicle forecasting for S&P Global Mobility.

Read more
Faraday Future could unveil lowest-priced EV yet at CES 2025
Faraday Future FF 91

Given existing tariffs and what’s in store from the Trump administration, you’d be forgiven for thinking the global race toward lower electric vehicle (EV) prices will not reach U.S. shores in 2025.

After all, Chinese manufacturers, who sell the least expensive EVs globally, have shelved plans to enter the U.S. market after 100% tariffs were imposed on China-made EVs in September.

Read more