O2 Cool hydration backpacks offer both sipping and cooling mist

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O2 Cool showed its new backpack line at the 2013 Outdoor Retailer Summer Market

Wherever you weigh in on the global warming debate, it would seem that folks are hotter than ever this year. Misting and cooling products have been a trend over the past few months, with launches of products like the Aquabot and Q-FOG. The self-assigned leader in cooling products has decided to get in on the action with its own twist on the theme. It's incorporated a misting system into a line of hydration packs, so the reservoir of water on your back can both quench and cool.
O2 Cool packages its patented Mist 'N Sip technology into a line of backpacks. Instead of the simple bite valve common on other hydration packs, the Mist 'N Sip includes a push-button misting system that allows you to squirt yourself with a cooling spray. Of course, you can also drink out of it. The valve is held to the pack by a magnetic attachment, making it easy to pull on and off. The misting attachment can be removed and replaced with a standard bite valve when it's not needed.

The average hydration pack is easy to drink out of, but harder to use as a cooling device. You can dump the water out of the fill opening, wasting a lot of water in the process. You can shower yourself by pulling the bite valve out of the tube and holding the tube over your head like a hose. Both those less-than-ideal options require stopping and fiddling around with the pack, whereas the O2 Cool mister is simple enough to use on the go.
Geigerrig has popularized pressurized hydration packs over recent years. While we have not had the chance to compare them head to head, the Mist 'N Sip system appears simpler and lighter than Geigerrig's hardware, as it doesn't require a separate pump. It provides a gentler mist as opposed to the more powerful spray of the Geigerrig, so it won't be useful for things like spray-cleaning and rinsing, just cooling.
O2 Cool will launch the Mist 'N Spray packs in a number of different styles, from minimalist hydration packs to larger daypacks. The 2- and 3-liter water reservoir packs will range between US$60 and $80.

One Wybelenna home is for the birds

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Located in Brisbane, Australia, One Wybelenna is a luxurious property designed to achieve a high level of sustainability – as evidenced by its turf roof which not only provides insulation but also serves as home for a local species of bird. The stone cottage, originally designed by Australian architect Robin Gibson, was recently extensively renovated by Shaun Lockyer Architects with striking results.

During the renovation, Shaun Lockyer Architects made full use of all available stone from the cottage which previously occupied the plot, and One Wybelenna's guesthouse is actually built upon the basic dimensions of the former dwelling.
The main building is rather more ambitious however, and is heavily influenced by late Australian architect Richard Neutra. This certainly shows, and One Wybelenna bears more than a passing resemblance to the iconic Californian Kaufmann Desert House that is amongst Neutra's most recognized works.

One Wybelenna measures 1,012 sq m (3,320 sq ft), and was constructed with a view to being as environmentally friendly as possible, as per the client's wishes. A 140,000-liter (37,000 US gallon) swimming pool was retained from the original property and repurposed as a water tank (a new pool was also installed), and 300 new trees were planted during the build.
In addition, the property was designed with some thought to passive cooling, taking into a account the northern sun and prevailing wind patterns. Low-e (or low emissivity) glass has been used to reduce the sun's heating effect on the home, and thick stone walls help to maintain a steady temperature. Cross-ventilation also features throughout the property.
Solar panels produce 15 kW of electricity, and the home was built in part using recycled timber. Perhaps the most charming green feature though, is the turf roof which serves not only as insulation, but also as home to a family of local plover birds.

NapAnywhere: A flat-out new take on the neck pillow

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The NapAnywhere is designed to help commuters sleep anywhere

or a long flight, and you just can't seem to get your head to stay upright so you can get a few hours of sleep to pass the time. The fact is, airplane seats aren't built for comfortable sleeping. A new product called NapAnywhere is designed to rectify the situation by supporting your head and allowing you to sleep comfortably, even while sitting straight up. If you've ever been to an airport, you've probably seen some neck pillows designed to help support your head while you slumber. According to its creator Ravi Shamaiengar, these were his inspiration for the NapAnywhere. "Like many, I would use a U-shaped neck pillow. Unfortunately, the support I needed just wasn't there," he said. So, he sought to design one that actually had the support he desired.
NapAnywhere starts as a flat disc. Once opened, the top of the pillow forms a shelf where the user rests his or her head while sleeping. The bottom curves over the user's shoulder. The area in between is what allows the weight to be distributed around the shoulder, and thus what prevents the head from drooping, which could lead to neck cramps or an annoyed neighbor. The video below demonstrates using the NapAnywhere.
The pillow also comes with an adjustable strap, which exists to help hold everything in place while sleeping.
Each side uses two different materials. The top uses material that is warm to the touch, and the other side feels cool, which could add a little bit of extra comfort to those difficult sleeping locations. It only weighs 8 oz (230 g), and it folds flat, so carrying it around should not be an issue.
Ravi Shamaiengar is seeking funding for his NapAnywhere on Kickstarter. The minimum pledge required to receive a pilloe is US$39 while the remainder of the early bird specials are available. Once those sell through, the price jumps to $44.
The Kickstarter pitch below provides more information.

SmartPlayhouse: When wendy houses and contemporary architecture collid

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SmartPlayhouse's Illinois model

Joking aside (thank goodness; signing off – Ed), the SmartPlayhouse is precisely that: a place for children aged 2 to 10 to be left alone to play and have fun. There are four outdoor designs to choose from, named Casaforum, Illinois, Kyoto and Hobikken, the last two of which are also available as indoor models.

The Hobikken (top left), Casaforum (top right), Kyoto (two-story model, bottom left), and Illinois (bottom right)

SmartPlayhouse claims that the outdoor houses are built with high quality weather-resistant materials that should stand the test of time (and small stamping feet). To protect against the elements, doors and windows are sealed, and the whole house raised above the ground.
SmartPlayhouse has thought hard about safety. Windows are acrylic, and doors and windows shut using magnets. Standard versions come without locks, though outside of the US, a lock can be added as an option. It can only be secured from the outside.

On the ball: Eone debuts a tactile watch for the visually impaired

Unfortunately, there aren't many options available for the visually impaired when it comes to timepieces. While a number of talking watches and braille wristwatches with removable covers are already on the market, those often draw attention to a person's disability. That's why watchmaker Eone's debut timepiece, the Bradley, indicates the time with magnetic ball bearings that can be read subtly by touch.
Bradley Snyder, a naval officer turned paralympic swimmer who lost his eyesight after an explosion in Afghanistan, provided the inspiration and namesake for the tactile watch. The design team built the first prototype of the watch mechanism from Lego pieces and worked extensively with visually impaired testers to manufacture a functional and appealing timepiece.
Instead of the usual analog watch hands, which can lose their setting if touched, the Bradley measures the time using two ball bearings contained within special channels: one on the front for the minute and one on the side for the hour. Each bearing is held in place with a magnet connected to a precise Swiss quartz watch movement inside the body. Like most other watches, the time is set by turning the crown on the side.
To read the time, the wearer feels where the balls are located in relation to the notches on the face, which are distinguishable through different shapes and textures. Even if a person accidentally nudges the ball bearings out of place when touching them, a quick shake of the wrist will lock them back to the correct time. As an added bonus, the watch is waterproof up to 50 m (164 ft), so users can still keep track of time while showering and swimming.

The Bradley has been crafted with a minimalist design so it can be worn in almost any situation and with any outfit. The 40 mm x 11.5 mm (1.6 in x 0.5 in) body of the watch is made of durable titanium and designed to be easy to clean – an important feature for something that will be handled all day. Users will have a choice of watch bands made of either a stainless steel mesh or a combination of fabric and leather colored mustard yellow, olive green, or silver blue.
As the designers have pointed out, the Bradley was made with the visually impaired in mind, but people with full eyesight could get just as much use from a watch that can be read by hand. Aside from a distinctive style, the watch makes it easier to surreptitiously check the time in a dark movie theater or boring business meeting, for example.
Eone recently launched a Kickstarter campaign to bring the Bradley into mass production, which received more than double its original US$40,000 goal from backers in less than a day. The first batch of watches has already sold out, but anyone who contributes $128 or more will receive a watch from the second batch that is due to ship in December.
For now, though, check out the video below to see how the designers developed the tactile Bradley wristwatch

Kreyos Meteor smartwatch brings Star Trek tech to life

The Kreyos Meteor promises hands-free control over your iOS, Android, or Windows Phone handset while it remains in your pocket. The Meteor features a microphone and speaker, which, once you pair your smartphone with your smartwatch via Bluetooth, allows you to interact with the former using the latter. Everything you can currently do with your phone's voice command system you'll be able to do through your smartwatch. This includes making and answering calls, replying to text messages, composing emails, posting to social networks, changing the music that's playing, and setting up alarms and appointments.
If voice controls aren't your bag then the Kreyos Meteor smartwatch also offers gesture controls built into the operating system. With a three-axis gyroscope fitted into the watch, you'll be able to customize your Meteor to respond in different ways to different gestures. Possibilities include answering your phone with an upwards flick of your wrist, or skipping a music track with a flick to the right. Four directional gestures come preconfigured – left, right, up, and down – with additional gestures promised for future platform updates.

Kreyos claims the Meteor is the only smartwatch to feature voice and gesture controls, and that boast does appear to hold true at the time of writing. The Smile smartwatch from Emopulse also promises voice recognition, but it's a different breed from the Kreyos Meteor, working on its own without the need to be paired with a smartphone. And there isn't a hint of gesture controls.
Some big-name tech manufacturers are either announcing smartwatches (Samsung) or rumored to be working on them (Apple), so this may not be a unique selling point for much longer. For the time being, however, the Kreyos Meteor has this advantage over the growing competition. And with it the opportunity to cite Star Trek in its promotional material.
The Kreyos Meteor smartwatch can be worn on your wrist with a strap, on your belt with a clip, or around your neck with a lanyard. All of which come in a range of colors including simple black or white and eye-popping pink or lime. Further customization determined by personal taste is possible thanks to the 20 different watch face designs offered, with more promised in the future. These can be switched between at will.

There are a range of apps built into the Meteor, with the creators appealing to runners, swimmers, bikers, and golfers (amongst others) with activity trackers that can record data to be stored in the cloud. Developers are invited to create more apps for the platform through the SDK.
The price for Indiegogo backers started at US$95 for one Kreyos Meteor smartwatch, with the retail price set at $169. Having passed its funding goal, the Kreyos Meteor smartwatch is expected to be delivered to backers in November 2013. The campaign ends on Aug 8, 2013, with perks ranging in value from $29 (for two accessories) to $11,000 (for 100 watches and wristbands to go with them).
The money raised by the Indiegogo campaign will be used to finish developing the software and to begin mass production. The pitch video below introduces the Meteor, explaining some of its noteworthy features and explaining how they could be used in real-world situations.
Source: Indiegogo