bookofjoe

BehindTheMedspeak: 'Doctor, there's a sponge in my belly!'

If your hospital upgrades to surgical sponges with embedded RFID tags (and buys the OR table-side scanner that detects them) the risk of this maddening complication ought to plummet in a General Hospital minute.

From the Popular Science website: "A table-side scanner keeps continuous tabs on the location of the radio-frequency ID tag securely embedded in each sponge and counts how many have gone into the patient. Once the doctor finishes the operation, he simply waves the RFID wand over the patient to ensure that he or she is sponge-free."

$20–$30 a case seems cheap.

[via Milena]

Snumpers — Bumper stickers for your shoes

"Let your feet do the talkin' while you do the walkin'!"

Catchy, what?

My favorite: "FREE GUM – see bottom of shoe"

Assortment of 10: $4.49.

Anyone out there got a catchy one?

Hernán Pitocco, world's top acrobatic paraglider

Back story

here.

Anna G Corkscrew

A ballerina-inspired blast from the past, designed (in 1994) by  Alessandro Mendini.

$56.

[What is now called] UK Population, 43 AD to Present

[via ChartsBin and Milena]

Gaudi Stool — by Bram Geenen

The carbon fiber seat weighs just one kilogram (2.2 pounds).

It was created by making a model of hanging chains and letting gravity determine the shape,

just as Gaudi designed his churches.

The Dutch designer (below)

will be happy to sell you one.

$5,700.

info@bramgeenen.com

Psycho-Gourmet — Geoff Nicholson's blog wins award for best name

It's my award and I'll give it to whomever I darn well please.

I learned of Psycho-Gourmet's existence in the November 22, 2009 New York Times Book Review, where it was mentioned in the brief informative note about the reviewer that accompanies reviews.

Maybe I need to review a book for them.

Nicholson's most recent book is "The Lost Art of Walking," which you can browse here.

'Cipher' Glass Recognizes Drinks

From beautiful life: 

"Serbian designer Damjan Stankovic has invented an unusual drinking glass called Cipher, 

which recognizes drinks. 

Pixels on the glass change their color depending on the liquid poured. 

Differently colored shapes are scattered across the glass surface in a seemingly random pattern, 

however, their position is hardly accidental.

When you pour a glass of milk, orange juice or Coca-Cola, the appropriate name appears."