The garlic solution

Even before the Segway’s launch, back when it was still operating under its code name Project Ginger, a group of Christchurch inventors was busy working out how to build something better. Working under the moniker Project Garlic, they aimed to build the simplest possible device to get around a city.

Their invention is called the Yike Bike, and it’s to the Segway what a mini is to a Ford Transit. It’s an electric-powered two-wheeler that looks a bit like a smaller, smarter penny farthing; indeed, Project Garlic’s Grant Ryan calls it the first of a new kind of bike, the mini-farthing. The Yike Bike will travel at 20 kilometres an hour and fold into a shoulder bag. It’s not something for a commute on Auckland motorways but it would be just the gadget for scooting around, say, Amsterdam. Take a closer look in the current issue of Idealog or on our website.

I can see clearly now

British inventor Josh Silver, a former physics professor at Oxford University, has invented a pair of water-lensed spectacles which allows people to create glasses to match their own prescription. Inside each plastic lens are two clear fluid-filled sacs, the amount of which can be increased or decreased using a small syringe attached to each arm of the frame. Silver’s aim is to help the hundreds of millions in developing countries who suffer from poor vision. So far 30,000 pairs have been distributed: his ultimate goal is to reach 100 million pairs.

Run like the wind

It must be hard-selling the UK version of Weet-Bix without an endless supply of second-tier All Blacks to pimp your product. Still, you can do a lot with a big heart and a talking horse.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrtQhkibZ8M

All the right moves

AUT doctoral student Matthew Kritz is a strength coach and North Island director of strength and conditioning at the New Zealand Academy of Sport. He speaks to Idealog about the movement competency screening tool he’s devised, which helps athletes put together the best training programmes to suit their needs.

In full FX

AnimfxNZ 2009 is officially underway, putting New Zealand at the centre stage of the FX world. Today’s lineup of guest speakers includes Sander Schwartz, Jeff Okun and Joseph Olin. Keep up with the latest coverage from Jason Smith and Peter Griffin online or follow Aimee Whitcroft on the our Twitter feed.

Free tonight?

Maybe there’s no such thing as a free lunch, but you can certainly see Damien Binder for free this evening. His third album While The Wind’s At Your Back is out now, and he’s performing at Sale St tonight at 8pm in association with Idealog. See you there.

It's a wrap

Don’t miss the Design Assembly’s end-of-year wrap party on November 18 - it’s the perfect excuse to wind down and catch up with friends and colleagues, what more do you need? Plus, VJ Matt Robinson kicks off the evening with a half hour set of music and visuals before a discussion on the ins and outs of VJing, including the technical side of things. (And if you’ve got any specific questions you’d like to him to answer, drop him a line at durtymac@gmail.com. Laurent Antonczak will be talking mobile phone graphics, and the Social Club Poll interactive exhibition should keep you sufficiently entertained throughout. From 6pm-8pm. Ponsonby Social Club, 152 Ponsonby Road. RSVP online here.

Onyafeet

If you think you’ve got what it takes to be crowned the next webby wonder of the world, no doubt you’ve already got your entry in for the inaugural Onya Awards. If not, well, entries close on Monday, so get onyafeet and enter here. The awards ceremony should be a cracker; it’s scheduled for the last evening of Webstock 2010 in February. Speaking of Webstock, how does five full jam-packed days of workshops and conferences on digital technologies sound? Pencil it in now or register by December 4 for the earlybird discount (that’s a whole $200 off!)

Winning words

If you have a winning way with words, you could hear your song lyrics on the radio or score yourself a mentor in the form of a top Kiwi writer thanks to a creative writing contest sponsored by AUT with Idealog and bFM. Sound good? You could also win one of two Sony Vaio laptops and be featured in an upcoming issue of Idealog. All you have to do is submit your masterpiece—it can be either a song or a short story. Entries are open till January 31, so get those creative juices flowing.

Quote of the week

“Levitt and Dubner are brilliant at locating statistics that seem to defy common sense and then weaving an astonishing story around them. Apparently, the most educated people in a hospital are the worst at washing their hands.”

– Su Yin Khoo reviews SuperFreakonomics in Idealog #24