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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.