Bringing the 1972 Pong classic Atari game back to life in a beautiful new form, the Table Pong Project will suddenly look a lot more like beer pong (or air hockey or table tennis perhaps). The real key (fast forward a few minutes to see it) is the reflective trickery that makes the entire thing look physical and three-dimensional, from the paddles to the bouncing box/ball.

The creators behind the project had little technical skill when they set out and learned what they needed to from YouTube channels, Google searches and by asking questions on web forums. Against that background, the results are nothing short of amazing, from the game physics to the graphic renderings on the smooth surface of the table.

Each player controls their paddle with knobs, much like arcade controls, and the angle of impact changes the path of the ball. Single-player mode works as well as two-player in their initial prototype. Whether or not they will deploy their retro wonder commercially remains to be seen. The video above details the construction process and shows the game in action

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When avid gamer James Young lost his arm, he became despondent, but, thanks to Konami, he has now been outfitted inspired by the game Metal Gear Solid and boasting a dazzling array of futuristic features.

This arm project was led by prosthetic artist Sophie De Oliveria Brata, founder of the Alternative Limb Project. Another prosthetics company named Open Bionics took care of 3D-printing the hand.

Costing around $100,00 the carbon-fiber replacement limb moves in response to muscle signals, allowing him to lift and carry objects but also employ its screen, flashlight, USB phone-charging port and (best of all) deploy a battery-powered drone attached to its side. The prosthesis weighs about ten pounds and is supported by a harness strapped to his body.

“Once I had read a great line which stuck in my head on a website where a prosthetic user said ‘I want to take off my limb and leave it in a room, and people will recognise it and know that belongs to me. It reflects part of my personality’. I totally connected with that idea as a biologist, knowing that all parts of our bodies can be recognised as being ours by our unique DNA, so why not add a personal stamp to our artificial limbs.”

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Using ultrasonic arrays to create pressure on users’ hands, this new approach to telehaptic holography allows people to touch and feel at a distance, sharing an enhanced holographic experience way beyond virtual reality.

Aerial imaging panels in the “Haptoclone” system create the visual portion of the shared illusion, which can be experienced simultaneously by different users around the world.

A Kinect sensor translates motions by both users in realtime responses, moving holographic objects in shared three-dimensional spaces and emitting pressure accordingly.

“It would be great to allow people in different locations to communicate with one another while experiencing a sense of touch. We could, for example, put a transparent glass here and divide the room,” explained researcher Yasutoshi Makino. “Imagine if you were in a zoo, and there was a lion on the other side of the glass that you could have the sensation of touching.”

For now, there remain significant limitations, particularly when it comes to the ultrasonic pressures applied – there are safety limits keeping those sensations from being as complete as they might be in reality. So while you can toss a ball back and forth, bear hugs may be a ways off yet.

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A web app interface made available for free to qualifying cat shelters around the country allows people from all over the world to queue up and interact with feline friends in need of entertainment.

Users can engage different toys and cause them to move in various directions, occupying the time of kitties waiting for adoption and encouraging participants to become adopters as well.

Cats may not care too much about whether their owner is around, but they do need stimulation and interaction, hence the development of iPet Companion. Anyone interested in playing this uniquely ‘real’ game can check out the list of participating shelters and humane societies on their website.

The technology can also be employed by cat owners looking to stay connected to their pets from work or distant travel destinations. More from the company: “iPet Companion is the world’s first interactive, web-based pet toy. We Allow users from anywhere in the world the ability to play with animals awaiting adoption in humane societies located across America by controlling a camera and moving toys, in real-time, right from their computer. We aim to improve the lives of shelter pets with a more active lifestyle, higher adoption rates, and increased donations to shelters.”

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A kit of parts both playful and educational, this cool set of components lets children design simple movement sequences and test various kinetic strategies.

LINKKI features three motors – for full rotation, limited rotation and wifi connectivity – tied into a peg board where various pieces can be plugged in to create endless combinations (particularly once you start hacking your own pieces from scratch).

“The flat mechanism makes the design process with which engineering such as mechanics, robotics, electronics, and model making is involved feel like just drawing on the paper: fast, easy, and intuitive,” writes its creator. “Flat parts also enables users to make their own parts with on-the-shelf material such as cardboard—that is, it’s easy to hack and open-ended.”

The toy kit is intended in part to engender interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) by engaging it as a kind of play and making discoveries more intuitive, casual and entertaining for kids.

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