Word: plasticizers
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Traditional animation is supposed to be dead, the victim of cost overruns and audience apathy. The shiny plastic toys of computer cartoons enchant the world--Finding Nemo is still the year's top-grossing film--while Disney and DreamWorks can't wait to junk a grand cinematic form that stretches, in glory and profit, from Snow White to The Lion King and beyond...
...take to the beach. Robo-Lobster, a 7-lb., 2-ft.-long crustacean made of industrial-strength plastic, has a bigger job to do: detecting and destroying mines buried in the surf zone. At least, that's how the U.S. Navy plans to use the robot once developers at Massa Products deliver their final version next year. The current prototype mimics a real lobster's movements to negotiate all types of coastal terrain. The plastic antennas sense obstacles; the eight legs can propel it in any direction; the two claws and tail keep it stable in turbulent water. INVENTOR...
Dumpster divers who make a living from personal information pulled from the trash don't care what form it comes in--paper, plastic or floppy disc. So why not play it safe? The MD 100 Media Destroyer is a paranoid's dream come true. It flattens raised numbers on old credit and ATM cards before cutting them to ribbons. It shreds a CD in about four seconds, reducing it to shards too small to be used for any kind of data recovery. It slices right through floppy discs, metal clips and all. You have to fold letter-size paper before...
...bird's-eye view of marine life gliding beneath you with the new transparent Napali kayak. Made of a clear plastic that allows for spotting sea turtles and dolphins, it folds into a bundle the size of a backpack. The plastic shell is soft and flexible like a shower curtain yet tough enough to resist punctures from sharp sticks and rocks. The stiff carbon Kevlar frame helps keep the kayak's shape, and at 26 lbs., the craft is just half the weight of some fiberglass models. The narrow, one-seat design is good for long-distance solo touring...
...coast to the South Pole. But there was something wrong with the trip: it was too darn slow. So, working with bike designer and aerospace engineer Dan Hanebrink, Stoup came up with an alternative to skis: a bike that he could ride in Antarctica. The ice bike has no plastic parts (which would freeze and shatter in the extreme conditions), and the superfat, low-pressure tires provide traction in situations that would make a mountain bike weep. After a successful trial earlier this year, Stoup says he is ready to pedal to the Pole. INVENTORS Doug Stoup and Dan Hanebrink...