The Sensear SP1 Electronic Ear Plugs work a lot like your ordinary noise-canceling headphones, merged with a hearing aid. The 'phones are designed for

The Sensear SP1 Electronic Ear Plugs work a lot like your ordinary noise-canceling headphones, merged with a hearing aid. The 'phones are designed for professionals who work in dangerous environments — on a carrier's flight deck or at a construction site, for instance — so vocal communication and alarm bells still have to get through.

The SP1s accomplish this feat by dampening damaging sounds instead of turning them off. After all, some sounds, such as a screeching forklift, may save your life if you hear them. The external microphones on the unit also pick up voices and amplifies them, so people don't have to shout as much. The casing is a bright, obvious orange box — another tip to the fact that it's designed for hazardous areas. Still, you could pick up your own pair for a low, low price of only $445.

Theoretical charging bra gets energy from breast motion

This may come as a shock, but apparently breasts tend to bounce around while the person they're attached to is exercising. All juvenile kidding aside, could it be possible to harness this movement to store energy, turning those bouncing bosoms into powerful pillows? (OK, maybe not all juvenile kidding…)

Adrienne So at Slate asked this question to a few experts and got some surprisingly encouraging answers. If some innovator in high-tech fashion were to create a bra that taps into the energy of bouncing breasts, it would go something like this: The design would probably be made of elastic material to allow for more motion than traditional sports bras, which minimize it. On top of that, it would need to be layered so you could insert a special nanowire fabric, which has wires 1/1,000th the width of a human hair that generate electricity from motion. To get more juice, a small piston could be implemented to help capture the energy of up-and-down movement of the breasts.

Downsides: The nanowire fabric can't be washed, so it would have to be removable, hence the layered design. Plus that piston would need a small generator that would most likely increase weight and decrease comfort. And if you're an A or B cup, you'll probably be out of luck. Nonetheless, it's still a much better idea than that wacky solar bra from last month. Yay, kinetic energy!

Superior Watch exudes futuristic style, snobbery

Kyle Cherry's "Superior" timepiece adds a touch of Wonder Woman style to the wristwatch. Made from solid tungsten carbide, the band is extremely durable, but it makes one wonder how you get the sucker on your wrist. Cherry actually has an innovative solution for that: a magnetic strip that connects the two halves of the watch together. The novel clasp concept is actually way cooler than the dots on the top that purport to tell the time… really just a ripoff of those Tokyoflash watches we see all the time. Of course, the Superior is just a concept, and an ambitious one at that (each dot/LED is supposedly integrated with a flush-cut diamond — good luck with that one, Kyle). Even if it doesn't become the chic style statement of the future, we'd like it if some manufacturer were to adopt the magnetic-clasp concept. Hit the Continue jump for some more views.

10 Batman gadgets you can (almost) get today

Besides being in tip-top shape and having a detective's intuition that rivals Sherlock Holmes, billionaire Bruce Wayne has an arsenal of high-tech toys and vehicles that would make even James Bond's Q drool. It's part of the Caped Crusader's major appeal. He's not faster than a speeding bullet or able to leap tall buildings in a single bound — he's just a man. A man with sweet, sweet gadgetry.

So just how realistic is Batman? Could you fill the Dark Knight's cowl if you had his arsenal of wonderful toys? We took a look at all of batman's incarnations — from the comics to the movies to the super-camp '60s farce — and gave 10 of Mr. Wayne's most popular tech toys a reality check.

1. The Batarang

What is it? Batman's metal bat-shaped boomerang has served him in many forms: with a line attached to it for scaling walls, as an explosive, or as a boomerang with an electric charge, just to name a few. They've since evolved into the razor-edged quasi-shuriken featured in today's movies, comics and cartoons.

Is it feasible? As either a boomerang or a shuriken, Batman's staple ranged weapons are sound. With a metal boomerang, however, Batman would have to be an expert thrower and, more importantly, catcher, especially if his batarang had any sharp edges. His fancier batarangs such as the exploding variety haven't really been explored here in the real world, though maybe the idea of taping a grenade to a throwing knife just hasn't seemed like a good one.

Similar real-world technology:
• Well, er, boomerangs
• Shuriken, too

2. The Grapple Gun

What is it? The grapple gun Batman uses actually debuted on the silver screen in 1989's Batman, where it appeared as a spear-tipped, spring-loaded projectile. Since then, the grapple gun has been in pretty much all of the shows and comics in one form or another. In Batman & Robin it could be loaded onto Batman's belt, and in it's newest incarnation it's fired by compressed air, is magnetic, and can launch a hook as well as the classic dart.

Is it feasible? Tossing up a hook trailing a line is simple enough, and we do have the technology to make grappling-hook launchers, though they're considerably larger than Batman's handheld unit. They have to be, to fit a good length of cable. Batman uses line that's so thin the whole spool fits in such a compact device. Really, it's all about the way Bats handles the line — swinging from buildings just like Spider-Man — that makes things a little less feasible.

Similar real-world technology:
• An MIT student's belt-affixed automatic ascender
• T-PLS grappling hook launcher (Thankfully Batman's is smaller.)
• The Wizard escape system uses a line, though doesn't grapple

3. The Goo Gun

What is it? As seen in Batman Forever in 1995, Batman's sparkly blue goo-firing gun represents one of the Caped Crusader's more modern nonlethal options. It fires a sticky, adhesive substance that gunks up evil doers and disables them.

Is it feasible? The goo gun is a lot like the sticky foam launchers that were developed for law enforcement. It'd be dangerous to try to foam down an adversary with a gun, but in large crowd-control situations that go south, sticky foam is a far more gentle takedown method than bean bags or fire hoses, and effective to boot.

Similar real-world technology:
• Stick foam: like Silly String, but for adults
• Sticky traps for pest control are actually rather similar

4. The Bat-Shark Repellent

What is it? A spray that makes sharks go away. Proof positive that no technology, no matter how ridiculous, is useful in Batman's line of work.

Is it feasible? Serious interest in a shark repellent goes back all the way to World War II, when scientists tried to cook something up to protect downed aviators and naval crew. It was found that the scent of a dead shark spooks living ones, and for a while using copper-acetate solution was a popular idea. In practice, however, sharks weren't all that bothered, and current endeavors to repel the beasts include electric shocks and new chemicals. A shark repellent aerosol, though? Maybe if you're battling a land shark.

Similar real-world technology:
• The Wasp Knife, a blade with a CO2 cartridge inside
• The Shark Shield, an electric signal generator for surf boards
• A ring of magnetic barriers
• A pressurized air tank and an M1 Garand rifle.

5. Heel Propellers

What are they? Comic fans can thank Batman: Hush for giving Bats a great new look, but not for impressive gadgetry. It included one of Batman's lesser known tricks up his sleeve heel: built-in boot propellers. That's just lazy.

Are they feasible? I ask you this: does it matter? Sure, maybe there's some sense behind it, but Batman is a world-class diver and swimmer. I can imagine a scenario where he's traveling a long distance underwater and he needs to conserve his strength, but at the same time that's what he's all about — strength. Let the man swim farther than the rest of us can imagine. Hell, take the Bat-Sub if you really must, Batman.

Similar real-world technology:
• DARPA's PowerSwim, an aquatic swimming-enhancement suit
• A pair of $10 flippers
• Your legs

6. Memory Fiber Cape

What is it? First seen in Batman Begins, when Batman charges his cape with an electric current, the material becomes rigid and takes on a shape mimicking bat wings. He can then use his cape like a glider and, next to his grappling hook, it's the closest he comes to actually flying.

Is it feasible? There are studies that involve getting substances and fibers to react to electricity, and the idea of a shape-shifting anything excites pretty much everyone. In relation to Batman, the tricky part is making a cape which can remember its shape, let alone let you glide like Bat-boy here. The movie crew on Batman Begins did actually run a charge through Christian Bale's cape, which was made from parachute-grade nylon. They employed a technique used for military and police gear called electrostatic flocking, which, far from letting Batman glide, gives his cape that seamless, billowing look.

Similar real-world technology:
• Electrostatic flocking runs a charge under the fabric, giving it that signature look
• Electrorheological fluids act much in the same way
• Concepts that involve technologies that allow devices to morph

7. Jet Boots

What are they? Rather than swing using the grapple gun or batarang, the leading man of the sadly-short-lived-cartoon Batman Beyond, Terry McGinnis, had a pair of jet boots that allowed him to soar instead. We'll roll with it since the show took place in the future, and because it was so good besides. Terry's suit, pictured above, features a long list of high-tech improvements, but jet boots are probably the most game-changing compared Batman's modern equipment.

Are they feasible? There have been some semi-successful attempts at creating jetpacks, though their range is usually very limited. And if there ever is an age where jet boots truly become commonplace, they'd better build a memorial for all of the dead test pilots.

Similar real-world technology:
• For every crazy idea, there's a crazier guy ready to try it
• A set of diesel-powered rocket boots
• This bulky Rocket Belt

8. The Batmobile

What is it? Batman's sweet ride. The Batmobile has evolved a ton from the 1966 Lincoln Futura-inspired roadster Batman and Robin zipped around in, becoming more sleek and sinister for Tim Burton's Batman movies, and imposing for Batman Begins. It's been equipped with everything from machine guns to autopilot, a jet engine, a rear-firing tack launcher, an oil slick nozzle and, in Batman Forever, it could even tip up its nose and climb sheer surfaces.

Is it feasible? Sure, on paper. Strapping a jet engine to a car isn't too bright unless you know what you're doing, but I imagine very few people do. Scaling vertical surfaces with a car like the Dark Knight did in Batman Forever is also a ways off. We're probably closer to the Tumbler in Batman Begins with modular, high-speed tank units such as the U.S. military's Stryker, than having a full-on, stunt-performing, gadget-laden roadster like older Batmobiles. Not all is lost, however. You could still simulate some of the Batmobile's features, such as the tack launcher and oil slick dispenser, simply by opening up your window and tossing or pouring whatever is appropriate into your wake.

Similar real-world technology:
• The jet car, top speed 800 mph, made and driven by professionals
• Another jet car, made and driven by an idiot
• Several replicas (obviously without the crazy bells and whistles) exist for many of the incarnations
• A computer made to look like the Tumbler — only travels the Internet highway
• Cars in development that drive themselves

9. Sonic Bat-Call

What is it? For anyone else, it'd be a nightmare. For Batman, it's like a smokescreen. He's got an emitter, usually located in the heel of his boot, that'll call forth of swarm of bats to surround him and cause a general ruckus.

Is it feasible? Believe it or not, there are some folks out there who want bats around, primarily for mosquito control. Usually the methods employed to attract them aren't all that fancy — just set up your house in such away as to entice bats. This might involve anything from building bat shelters to installing ponds and planting your greenery just so. In science, sonic devices are often used to study bats, not so much to attract them.

Similar real-world technology:
• Scientists are trying to train fish along the same lines
• Meticulous home landscaping (Thanks, Becky!)

10. The Batpod

What is it? At first glance, you may think the Batpod is simply a motorcycle. It is, but with a few of the kind of quirks we like here at DVICE. The new vehicle will roll onto the screen this Friday in Batman: Dark Knight, and it has motors located inside the tire cavities as well as steering controlled by Batman's body rather than a set of handles. It's armed to the teeth with machines guns, cannons, grenade launchers and grappling hooks, though we're sure ol' Bats still wouldn't hurt a fly with any of it.

Is it feasible? All the separate components already exist, though they haven't been slapped together yet (that'd be pretty severely illegal). The Batpod's most interesting feature, its in-wheel engine, is being experimented along the lines of both stuffing an engine into a wheel, or adding engine-aiding components to the wheel construction to improve overall performance of a vehicle.

Similar real-world technology:
• Motorcycles with wheel engines
• A variety of unicycle concepts have the driver's weight and positioning guiding the unit

X-Watch features two bands for whatever reason

What's with the fancy watches today? I mean, I agree that the trust old watch might be a little past its prime, but I'm not sure that reimagining it with a bunch of gimmicks is really what's needed. But hey, that's why I'm not a designer I guess.

The X-Watch is a concept watch that features two intersecting bands. It has numbers all along it, and when they're lit up it corresponds to the time. There's also Braille involved, making it easier for the visually impaired to use it. Overall, it looks pretty out there and not something that would go with any of your clothes, but maybe if you're blind you don't care as much about such things.

Beating Heart Stress Relief Pillow is cute and cuddly and isn't morbid at all

Nothing calms the anxious mind like curling up with someone, or at least something that simulates a fellow human, and the Beating Heart Stress Relief Pillow will do just that. It's a heart-shaped pillow that not only generates a unique, rhythmic beating every time you turn it on, but the pattern changes over time to better simulate a live heart. It's like you've got a loved one's chest to curl up on — or more like you've removed said loved one's heart, have found a way to keep it suspended between beating life and the sweet, relieving stillness it craves so badly, and you're snuggling with it. Either way, mission accomplished: stress relieved! The Beating Heart Stress Relief Pillow comes in various sizes and colors and ranges from $35 to $50.

Buddy system: cyborg-chic lamp dresses link up for a brighter show

Called "Sharewear" by creator Di Mainstone, this pair of dresses light the area around them in different ways depending on how they're linked up. Both costumes feature a floating, halo-on-a-stick-style lamp above the wearer's head, as well as a second light under the dress, beside the wearer's legs. The shadows the dresses cast are different when the various connectors are used: they can be slotted together at the hip or hooked up with a rod. Sharewear is designed as a performance set. The dresses come in small boxes and are assembled on-stage before the audience and manipulated in real-time. Di Mainstone created the dresses with the V2_Lab team during her residency at the V2_ Institute in Rotterdam. Check out the galley below for more of her Sharewear.

O2 Backpack keeps you breathing

Sometimes, you just need a breath of fresh air. You'll always have one with you if you're wearing the O2 bag. It's essentially a backpack containing a battery-powered oxygen generator, making sure you've always got fresh oxygen in tow. It's a great little contraption, equally suited for trendy folks looking for a portable oxygen bar, mountain climbers, and people suffering from emphysema. But really, it'd probably be best suited for people in high elevations where the air is thinner. It'll give you the precious oxygen that your body needs to survive, keeping you from getting out of breath. Of course, it's not cheap, with the prices ranging from $880 to $1,150. But hey, you'll be happy to have it when you really need it.

Solar Mini Clip Fan offers heat relief in exchange for public ridicule

Because sometimes even fanny packs and pocket protectors aren't enough to announce your nerd-status to the world, we bring you the Solar Mini Clip Fan. The problem with this girlfriend repellent device is that it's actually incredibly practical and useful during these dog days of summer. Simply snap the fan to the brim of your hat and let the solar rays power your personal cooling unit—no batteries required. Mercifully, the Solar Mini Clip Fan will only cost you $10, so if you find that you'd rather sweat than embarrass yourself and your loved ones, you won't be out much cash.

The Beer Belt: A utility belt for your brewskies

Being a superhero is a tiring job, and it's no fault of Bruce Wayne's that he sometimes gets his booze-chugging, billionaire socialite persona crossed with Batman's as brooding, moral-bound vigilante. It's hard to hide, though, as the famous utility belt, usually heavily gadget-laden, suddenly becomes a row of plastic holsters for six cold ones, all easily accessed right up front. You can help hide Batman's shame by getting one of your own nylon Beer Belt for only $18.

It'll definitely have the crowd gathering around you at parties (for six seconds, at least) and, hey — who knows? — maybe it'll even lead to a revival of the much-maligned fanny pack.

Hysek Colosso watch gives you the whole world on your wrist

In times of economic distress, oftentimes the super-rich seem to fare even better than usual, and now must be no exception because here’s the just-released $550,000 Hysek Colosso watch for them to snap up without thinking twice. It looks like it’s so big it might actually weigh down your arm. Big shots will like the way it lets them keep track of the local time anywhere in the world.

That’s not to say we’re not instantly in love, especially with its tiny 12mm globe that spins in sync with the earth, making a full rev every 24 hours. Other than that, its other features are in keeping with its outlandish price tag, boasting extraordinary accuracy, and more dials and doodads than you can shake a stick at.

So make your choice: take that extra $550K you have lying around and buy a house, or pick up this fancy watch and live in a cardboard box. At least you’ll know what time it is in Istanbul.

GoateeSaver, the grooming accessory for the clumsy, inept, or hungover

Just when you thought you had grown the perfect goatee, along comes the GoateeSaver. Chomp on this bit and then you can shave around it for perfect results every time. Those three rollers up front let you adjust its height and width, flawlessly conforming to your face, and also to your notion of what a real goatee looks like. Never mind that it makes you look like you have a high-tech muzzle on, a la Hannibal Lecter. Just spit it out when you're done shaving and no one's the wiser. Now all its inventor Scott Bonge needs to do is expand his line of shaving accessories to accommodate Hitler mustaches and Lincoln beards. Or, guys could just have a cup of coffee before they start brandishing blades early in the morning, making such $19.99 accoutrements unnecessary.

Farago Aircool deodorizes businessman's stench cloud with a silver lining

Japanese clothier Aoki is apparently fed up with the fragrance of sweaty salarymen, and attacks the problem with tech. The company is touting Farago Aircool, a line of suits, shirts and socks that quashes that odiferous cloud with an antibacterial silver lining, permeating the material with deodorizing silver ions that could knock down the scent of a goat in heat. If the heat is unbearable where you are, it might be worth it to spring for the $365 suit, $37 polo shirt or $8 socks, all reasonably priced when you consider the precious metal involved. Or if you’re just sick and tired of sweating through another sticky summer, you could swallow your pride and attach a Mini Clip Fan to your hat. Better yet, just move to the delightful upper Midwest, where global warming hasn’t shown up thus far — we haven’t had a 90-degree day yet this year.

Solar powered necktie lets you look sharp and geeky at the same time

Over the years we've seen plenty of solar powered accessories that can give your various gadgets a much needed energy boost. The problem is that most of them make you look like a starving student or hippie.

Now a group of researchers at Iowa State University have created a necktie using newly developed solar fabrics. The neat thing, is that the tiny solar panels are arranged in a grid that looks kind of like what you might see on a tie anyway. There's even a pocket sewn into the back where you can stash the device you're charging.

The only problem I see is that other than at weddings and job interviews, very few people seem to wear ties these days.

Self-cleaning clothes let you fear no stains

Researchers at Australia’s Monash University have come up with a nanoparticle coating that could make self-cleaning clothes a reality. The particles, made of anatase titanium dioxide, will coat fibers in wool and silk. Once the fabric is coated, you need to expose it to sunlight for a few hours for the particles start munching on errant spills as well as any harmful and smell-causing microorganisms and other dirt. The coating — still “quite a while” from being commercially available, the researchers say — is nontoxic and can be permanently bonded to the fiber, resisting laundering while keeping the cloth’s prized texture the same.

Not only will this new nanotechnology save you cash on unwearable clothes and laundry bills, it'll make you greener just by saving all those dry-cleaning chemicals that go who knows where. Other benefits include never losing a wool sock in the dryer again.

iPosture makes sure you stand up straight, just like mom would want

Now that you've grown up and no longer live with your parents, the chances are good that you no longer have someone around telling you to stand up straight and not slouch. That might seem like a good thing at first, but once you start ignoring your posture you start turning into a hideous hunchback, and no one wants that.

The iPosture is a small device that's designed to be clipped to clothing or adhered to the skin. When it senses that you aren't sitting or standing with a straight back, it'll vibrate until you do. Once you wear it for a while you should start standing with proper posture automatically, making the iPosture unnecessary after a time. Now stand up straight, young man!

Speed vest lets everyone know how fast you're going

If you're racing down the street on a bike equipped with a speedometer, you're well aware of how fast you're going. But who cares about that? What about the people you're passing? Don't you want to rub in their faces how fast you're flying down the street?

That's just what this Speed Vest does. Equipped with electroluminescent wiring on the back and wheel speed sensor, it displays a bright numeric readout that states just how fast you're moving in no uncertain terms. It runs on a 9-volt battery for six hours, which is plenty of time to really show off how fast you can get going down those hills.

Falter 2D Pen looks spiffy, you just have to build it first

When you buy a Falter 2D Pen, don't expect to start writing with it immediately. That flat sheet of iron you see pictured above is what you'll start with. The pen under it is the goal. You'll have to fold and bend your way to something that hopefully still writes, and luckily Falter is happy to help you out. They'll include a key for bending and instructions so you don't end up with some lump resembling what some might call "unusable," or "modern art."

Maybe a disfigured sculpture would help you recoup your losses: This pen's about a billion times more expensive than a Bic at $39. Then again, it's also handmade in Italy.

Nixon Rotolog RePly watch made from recycled skateboard pieces

A watch, made out of skateboards? You’re looking at it: this special edition of the Nixon Rotolog RePly has a band crafted of slivers of old skateboards, just looney enough to earn its maker’s Nixonian name. We’d be obstructing justice if we didn’t cringe at that dial design, though, showing a weird hour and minute gauge instead of conventional timetelling pointers or numerals. But then, the end justifies the means, doesn’t it?

The Experience Recorder, an all-in-one media tool you wear like a glove

The Experience Recorder is a high tech glove that will actively and passively archive everything about your day. On its automatic setting, it'll record sounds around you, touch sensations and even take pictures of things that may interest you later. On manual, you can hold your gloved hand up to your face and, depending on the positioning of your fingers, get it to perform different functions, such as recording a video when looking through your fingers like a peephole. It's an instant archive for any type of media you would ever want to upload onto social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Flickr.

Dosh Wallet is techno-posh

Who says wallets have to be made of dead animals? The $70 Dosh Wallet brings the transport of money and condoms into the 21st century with its weird semi-flexible plastic that holds all your most valuable stuff in a gummy-bear-like cocoon. That space-age material ensures its water-resistance, so you’ll no longer hand over a soggy business card when your butt’s been sweating on a hot summer’s day. Imagine that. There are even hinged doors in there, closing off your keys and other items in their own little safe haven. Go for the kooky and garishly colored orange model, or stay half-way conventional with the black- or brown-hued choices. And, if you're one who believes that animals are people too, you'll be happy to know that no critters of any kind were harmed in the making of these stylish accessories.

Oversized Yes No Wrench, the perfect tool to adjust stubborn heads

Find someone isn't agreeing with you? Or saying yes when they should say no? Grab a Yes No Wrench and adjust the offending head accordingly. Gently, now — DVICE doesn't take any responsibility for twisted necks.

The Yes No Wrench is the work of student David Bernstein, and it's got two ends specifically cut to fit a head either horizontally or vertically. Vertically, you could force a head to nod; horizontally, it'll cause it to shake side to side. I imagine young, experimental art students, like Bernstein — who goes to New York's Pratt Institute — find the Wrench a handy companion in the face of grumpy teachers (and art bashers).

Parmigiani Bugatti Faubourg watch lets you flaunt your wealth like a maverick

Here's a watch to go along with your $2.2 million Bugatti Veyron Faubourg Par Hermes car: the $233,900 Parmigiani Bugatti Faubourg watch. The odd angle of its dial makes it so you can keep your eyes on the road when exceeding 200mph in that supercar, gas mileage and safety be damned.

Check out the gallery to see the styles in which this watch is decked out, or go with the simple Hermes band you see above. Either way, you'd better get your order in soon because Parmigiani is only making 20 of them. I would suggest getting one for each of your houses (if you can remember how many there are), with bands to match each chalet's resident Bugatti toaster.

Contact lens jewelry for your eyeballs: Ouch!

Find someone isn't agreeing with you? Or saying yes when they should say no? Grab a Yes No Wrench and adjust the offending head accordingly. Gently, now — DVICE doesn't take any responsibility for twisted necks. The Yes No Wrench is the work of student David Bernstein, and it's got two ends specifically cut to fit a head either horizontally or vertically. Vertically, you could force a head to nod; horizontally, it'll cause it to shake side to side. I imagine young, experimental art students, like Bernstein — who goes to New York's Pratt Institute — find the Wrench a handy companion in the face of grumpy teachers (and art bashers). What you're cringing looking at is a piece of jewelry for your eyeball. Aptly titled "The Eye Jewellery Project," artist Eric Klarenbeek threaded some medical wire through some crystals and attached it to a contact lens. I don't know about you, but feeling a thread between my eyelids every time I blink would take some getting used to. Still, you're bound to turn some heads. Klarenbeek was asked on a video he posted on the project what would happen if someone tugged (yeee-ouch!) on the line, the artist responded, "It just falls out... (or in worst case, [sic] the wire might break)." At least it won't take your eyeball out with it! Still with me? Well, steel your stomach and click Continue for a video of Klarenbeek's eye jewelry in action, eerily set to Nine Inch Nail's Ghosts. Be sure to also take a gander at the gallery below for some close-ups.

Touch-Hear: All the knowledge in the world, at your fingertips

A concept like the Touch-Hear is something we're probably a while off from realizing, but it represents a very attractive technology: putting a world of knowledge at your fingertips. The advent of the Internet, especially in its current form, represents a bank of information that anyone can access. With the Touch-Hear, you'd be able to tap any word you come across in books, even in different languages, and you'd hear an explanation. Foreign words would be translated for you, and famous events and locations and so on — like the Civil War or the storming of the Bastille — would expounded upon.

The Touch-Hear is a concept by the Design Incubation Centre, and it would have made doing homework a lot easier. And taking tests. If knowledge is something that can be readily fed to the individual, however, does it suddenly become disposable, or is there still an element of studying there that exists when someone has to pore over texts, and absorb the information?

Thanko Video Glass Media Player offers home theater on the go

If you don’t have the cash to pony up for one of those sexy new 50-inch flat screen LCD televisions, Thanko now offers a significantly cheaper alternative with the new Video Glass Media Player. The glasses are designed to give the user the impression that their video is being viewed on a 50-inch display and offers 432 x 240 resolution.

Priced at 34,800 yen ($325), the glasses also offer a miniSD card slot and USB port and support various formats including Divx, MP4, MP3, AVI, and JPEG. Assuming you can get over looking like an elderly eye surgery patient and can convince yourself that, yes, you do look as cool as Cyclops from the X-Men, these glasses might be for you.

Evangelion anime battlecraft doubles as high capacity storage device

Anime otaku alert: the coolest Evangelion gadget ever has just been released in the form of Kaga Create's USB storage device. Modeled after the Evangelion movie Entry Plugs, the USB unit holds up to 2 gigabytes of data and is sure to impress… well, anyone with the same fine taste in relatively obscure animated franchises from Japan. This is indeed a device that doubles as a nerd secret handshake. If you want to score your decoder ring it will be available on September 27th for 3,980 yen ($37) here.

Philippe Starck Crystal Clear watch is anything but, still gorgeous

Since we have plenty of solid, watch-wearing Republicans trolling DVICE, we figured we'd make them scratch their heads, nonplussed by this phantasmagoric Crystal Clear watch created by obviously left-wing designer Philippe Starck. Since everyone's for change, this watch should make everybody happy, especially since we're all getting to be so flexible in our ideology and personal taste these days. Besides, it's easy to read, no matter how dumb you are.

This latest design risk by Starck was commissioned by one of his usual-suspect clients, Fossil, known for its forwardly designed timepieces and such. Since we're fond of our Oregon Scientific Starck Clock we have sitting right here that perfectly matches this watch in amber color, numeral font and overall weirdness, this $125 bauble should fit right into our style zeitgeist, whatever our political bent-of-the-day may be.

Cellphone neck braces aren't the best way to go hands-free

So you want to use your phone without using your hands. No problem! There are all sorts of Bluetooth headsets available to allow you to do just that. Oh, you want to use your actual phone with no hands? Uh, OK. Well, that might be a bit trickier. The PU foam neck brace allows you to keep your phone up to your ear while you drive, walk the dog, or stalk someone from afar. The yellow brace keeps your phone secure under a stretchable semi-transparent rubber skin, which makes it hard to get out if you're mugged. It also has the benefit of being the creepiest-looking mobile phone accessory I think I've ever seen, and I've seen a lot of them. Just buy a Bluetooth headset, dude. Come on.

Moss-topped knuckle dusters and rings add some green to your bling

The "Growing Jewelry" collection by Icelandic designer Hafsteinn Júlíusson features beds of real Icelandic moss fixed to rings. There's also a pair of knuckle dusters in case you want to add some lettuce to your knuckle sandwich. Be forewarned, though: the moss is real. You've got to water this stuff. If you're not good with living things or don't often wear jewelry in the shower, maybe you should give it a skip.

Getting some Growing Jewelry for your digits may take a bit of a trip, though — the collection is available over at the Reykjavik Art Museum in Iceland. Check out the gallery below for more of Hafsteinn Júlíusson's collection.

Dots Gloves let you keep texting, even on the frozen tundra

Living on the frozen tundra isn't easy in the wintertime, especially when you're a gadget freak. Like the chipmunks and squirrels scurrying around on these late summer days, we're already preparing for winter with these special Dots Gloves, making it easy to use our array of touchscreen and finger-sensitive devices without exposing our personal digits to sub-zero temperatures.

The one thing that worries us about these gloves is those very metal dots that make them work, but Dots makers assure us that the gloves' "smooth, curved " electro-sensitive points won't scratch up any of our precious screens. We suppose we could test them out on that drawer full of previous-generation Apple products just to be sure we don't mar the latest and shiniest.

If the claims are true, the comfort these gloves could offer in the frigid North might just be worth their $10-$15 price (depending on your choice of knit or rag wool fabric). Keep in mind, it's not too early to start thinking about gifts for that outdoorsy gadget lover in your life.

Average Day Watch shows what everyone else is doing, in case you cared

Do you know someone who is constantly worrying about what other people are doing? Someone whose main purpose in life seems to be trying to be as normal and mainstream as possible? The Average Day Watch was made for that dude. In one continuous loop, this colorful wristwatch breaks down what's in the "average" day of most people, so you can look at it to see what the rest of the world — at least in some aggregate, non-real world — is doing at that particular moment. "Look, it's 5:30 — I'd better start socializing quick!"

Designer Kate Street probably put a little too much emphasis on TV watching than most people would be comfortable with, but just remember it's an average of everyone in the country. On a related note, I'm sorry for throwing that off, everyone. But there's just too much good stuff on!

You can get an Average Day Watch here for the tidy sum of 100 pounds, or about $180.

Thanko Earring Earphones ensure your place in fashion infamy

You might wonder why we don't see more fashion-meets-tech devices considering the advances we've made in recent years. The new Sound Lives Magnetic Earphones from Thanko might provide some explanation. Offered in a variety of styles including soccer ball, skull and cross bones and panda, the earphones double as earrings, allowing you to break several fashion rules at once while continuing to rock out to your MP3 player. Thankfully, the crime against style isn't too expensive at just 1,980 yen ($19) you can pick a pair up here.

Keychain with an OLED screen, for postage stamp-size pictures wherever you are

We can't say we've ever wanted to carry digital pics on a keychain, but no one ever said a gadget had to have a demand before it was made. This Pocket Album keychain from Digital Foci has a 1.5-inch OLED screen that displays pictures (well, more like thumbnails) in 128 x 128-pixel glory. The 32MB of internal memory stores up to 124 photos, which is great… for 2002. C'mon, guys, if Apple can cram 2GB into the iPod Shuffle, surely you could cram at least 512MB in this thing.

Still, we've got to give it props for maximum portability (1.8 x 1.8 x 0.7 inches, 1.4 ounces), and what do you want for $49 bucks anyway? If the screen looks OK we have to reluctantly admit that this tiny digital frame/keychain hybrid is actually kind of cool. It might even make a good gift for either a ADD-afflicted yung'in or your photographer pal who has it all.