Hobbies & Toys: Page 16

Tunnels can help make your model railroad set-up come alive. But professionally made tunnels can be expensive, and they lack character. In this tutorial you'll learn how to make your own, customized tunnels.

Lava lamps are cool and retro, but they can be expensive and there is a risk of fire if you leave them unattended and they tip over accidentally. By using this tutorial by Shooting Eggs, you can make your own light up bubble tube using materials you might already have around the house, and it will be safer and a whole lot cheaper than the kind you'd buy. Make one of these babies, and your 1966 love den will be all ready to go.

This robot hasn't levitated any humans yet (especially not pictured Days of Our Lives star Deidre Hall), but it looks like the sky may be the limit with the Robo-Air Jet System.

As November was coming to an end this year, the "6th Robo-One Gate in International Robot Exhibition 2009" dance competition took place. The contenders are just a little bit creepy, to say the least. Particularly exhibit A, Britney Spears wannabe,  "LOVE & JOY, Yuhi Kimura", by Doka Harumi.

Can't help but smile at this goofy, endearing nerd "master" (Vitalijus Rodnovas) guiding his copy-cat protege robot (coined Waldo). The rig allows Waldo to mimic Rodnovas' body movements in actual real time.

You can try and try, but all the practice in the world can't compete with this robotic hand's pen spinning skills.

Remember Big Dog? Or Big Dog's counterpart, Little Dog? Well, Boston Dynamics has added a new member to their creepily-moving-calvary.

Alan Parekh's latest creation is a clock made from wooden gears.

Crazy! Real working v8 32 valve engine, made completely from LEGOs. Not made from a set, and apparently took about 300 hours to construct. Click through to YouTube description for link to parts list (PDF).

Vive Cool City (a crew of raucous Aussies who decided to make internet TV) tour the world featuring marvels, oddities, and cultural anomalies. This particular episode features Minoru, veteran Yo-yo World Champion. This dude is good. Skip ahead approximately half way through to see his moves.

iRobot released their new soft blob morphing robot this past Tuesday. The amazing shape-shifter has the ability to squeeze through tiny crevices.

Skip Conversions = guerilla art + recycling + creative urban upcycling. My three favorites below (particularly the pool, which literally interprets the term "dumpster diving").

This amazing ball catching robot named TOTO (Tracking of Thrown Objects) has been built to speed up "fully automated production systems...where parts will be transported between workstations by robotic throwing and catching".

Wikipedia's definition of dice stacking:

With many internet/Lego nerds anxiously awaiting the completion of the world's first full size Lego House, Barnaby Gunning Architects and British TV personality, James May, finally unveiled the finished product this past Friday. The house (was) 100% Lego, "including a working toilet, hot shower and a very uncomfortable bed".

Our "Pick" is the shape that you at home are most like try on your own volition. Hint. Valentines day: home-made heart, that YOU made. Hint: not store-bought.

Pachinko originated in Japan as large casino machines that were similar to video slot machines. Players gambled on them for prizes. They were then adapted and became popular in the US as handheld kids' toys made of cardboard, a couple of BBs, some plastic and a rubber band.

What is in store for the future? Flying cars? Maybe. Dinner in a pill? Perhaps. How about 4-legged army tank robot dogs? Hell ya!

Store bought Nerf guns don't always achieve the velocity necessary for an effective assault.

Hell, yeah! Play with your food.