Cool Hunting

I, Grobot
The latest in the way of grow-your-own plant kits is a sort of Asimovian take on the Chia Pet that makes a great home or office ornament. With an unlikely pairing of nature and futurism, I, Grobot stands about four inches tall, with its grass head at full growth the hair easily adds another two to three inches of height. Retailing for less than...

Piezoelectric Concept Backpack
Capitalizing on the friction and heat created by walking, running and even just wearing jeans, engineers from Michigan Technological University, Arizona State University and NanoSonic Inc. devised a way to use this type of generated energy in a concept backpack that can charge portable electronic devices, like iPods and mobile phones. Shoulder straps made of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), a strong, flexible material that feels...

EcoForms
Though East Coasters are currently experiencing a strangely warm winter, we're already fantasizing about spring planting. For an eco-friendly alternative to plastic with a no-frills look, EcoForms are made from compressed grain husks with natural, water-soluble binding agents. No pollutants are used in the manufacturing process, all byproducts are recycled and at the end of their five-year lifespan, EcoForms will biodegrade completely. Made to...

PowerFilm Foldable Solar Battery Charger
This weatherproof solar charger was created for the military and is now available to the public. Going camping? A day at the beach? When you're off the grid and can't bear not reading the latest on Cool Hunting? Throw this baby in your backpack (along with your GPS, satellite phone, PSP, etc.) because it is small and portable and cranks out enough power to...

Burton Ronin Espionage Jacket
The Burton Ronin Espionage Jacket has everything you need to rock the mountain in style and comfort. The jacket, which is available in 4 different colorways, also has an integrated digital camera for stealthily snapping pics. We thoroughly examined the pictures on the site and can only guess where the camera is. I guess this calls for a quick trip down to the Burton...

Tube 2 NYC, London and Paris
Tube, the absolute best subway mapping program for the Palm, has been updated to a significantly new and improved version. Incorporating subway lines and station information with either a system or street view, Tube even includes route planning and timing information to figure out the optimal series of connections during any time of day....