Octane TV

While it might look like some sort of torture device or, perhaps, part of a new ride at Magic Mountain, the Deus Ex (meaning "Out of God") is actually the brain child of Jake Loniak, a student at Art Center Pasadena, CA.

The Yamaha-branded machine is a concept that's described as 'an electric, single passenger, vertically parking and wearable motorcycle'. (Erm, IronMan anyone?) It basically straps around the driver and keeps them locked in.

The vehicle is powered by ultra-capacitors and nano-phosphate batteries that are housed in the middle wheel. The eco-friendly batteries are similar to the one's used in hybrid cars and Jake reckons the 'bike' will reach a top speed of 75mph. As it accelerates, the 'bike' leans forward on the road, adopting a more conventional riding position.

The bike is controlled by using 36 pneumatic muscles and 2 linear actuators set along a spine consisting of 7 artificial vertebrae. Robocop, eat your heart out! Green Car Design

A new social network is aimed at helping anyone who likes to depress their right foot and go beyond the yawn, er, speed limit. Trapster has been developed by Pete Tenereillo and let's you know of impending doom by sending an audio alert to your mobile device.

Trapster keeps Information about red-light cameras and where police tend to operate speed traps indefinitely but up-to-the-minute information about active speed traps is only retained for about an hour, given that officers will likely move position.

The free service can automatically detect your location using the GPS capabilities in your mobile devices or by tapping into their Wi-Fi and getting their location from a database run by Skyhook Wireless. The technology currently works with Nokia smartphones, Blackberry units and devices using Window's Mobile.

Forget MySpace and Facebook, Trapster is the way of the future! AP Trapster

What will they think of next? Some clever European researchers are working on a project that has cars imitating humans. Unless you're an Ultimate Fighting Champ, chances are you flinch if you see a punch headed in your direction. That 'brace for impact' readying may now be employed in the car world.

As part of a project funded by APROSYS, or Advanced Protection Systems, a system of computer-controlled stereo cameras and radar proximity detectors scan the car's environment and can decide (at least a fifth of a second before impact) if something is about to hit the car.

It's specifically aimed at side-impact collisions and, once the system decides a side impact is imminent, the second technology kicks in. A spring-loaded steel bolt built into the seat is released and wedges itself against a metal box that springs into position in the door.

What will they think of next? Read More