Pay-what-you-can pricing is one way for a restaurant to help fight hunger during tough economic times , but recently we came across a different approach that aims to combat obesity and waste as well. It’s called Halfsies , and it’s essentially a program that’s designed to help consumers eat less at restaurants while helping to feed the hungry and minimize the amount of food that gets thrown out.

3D printing has appeared on our virtual pages on numerous occasions before, but recently we came across an interesting twist. A new app from French 3D printing company Sculpteo now lets consumers upload a photo of themselves or a friend for incorporation into a designer vase, mug or other object.

We’ve seen a number of mobile phones launched in recent months with emergency use in mind, including the Russian Space phone with SOS button. SpareOne, however, is a new contender that focuses on a different aspect of emergency needs — power supply — and can run on just a single AA battery.

Professional networking can be just as important for small companies as it is for individuals, but opportunities to do so in a focused way can be few and far between. That’s where German exploreB2B comes in, with a content-based platform that lets companies contribute and view content as a way to find potential collaborators.

There are few aspects of life that can’t be enlivened by a little friendly competition, and home energy metering is no exception. Enter German GreenPocket’s namesake smartphone app, which “helps consumers share their carbon footprint in a competitive and entertaining way on Facebook”. Based in Cologne, GreenPocket is a software provider focusing on the visualization and interpretation of smart metering energy consumption data

The UK’s Autofarm Porsche dealership may drive customers to the mall so that they can pass the time shopping while their car is being worked on, but Bahrain’s National Motor Company takes this concept a step further. Not only does the company’s brand-new Sehla-based service center offer free wifi and shuttles to local destinations, but it also houses a state-of-the-art gymnasium. Founded in 1988, National Motor Company (NMC) is one of the leading automotive distributors in Bahrain, representing Honda, Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac, and Hummer

We’ve already seen augmented reality used to superimpose text on top of chocolate-bar wrappers and newspaper ads , but now we’ve come across an example of the technology being used in the publishing industry. Between Page And Screen is a printed book of poems that relies entirely on augmented reality to convey its words. The Between Page and Screen poetry book has no text printed on its physical pages.

Last year we saw both people and dogs loaned out by libraries, but it would seem there’s still plenty that can still be done with books as well. Aiming to introduce more fun into library loaning, The National and University Library of Slovenia recently ran a program offering mystery packs of books to their customers. Those visiting the library, based in the centre of Ljubljana, had the option to check out one of an assortment of mystery packages containing three books wrapped in brown paper.

The robotic innovations are coming fast and furious! No sooner did we report on the VGo robot now being tested at Boston Children’s Hospital than we came across Oculus , a motorized frame and software kit that instantly converts any netbook into a telerobotic, remotely operated vehicle. The brainchild of Vancouver, B.C.-based Xaxxon, Oculus consists of an adjustable frame that holds a variety of small laptops, along with powered wheels and a tilting periscope for the laptop’s built-in webcam.

If an in-store kiosk can recommend recipes based on the visitor’s gender and age , then why couldn’t similar technology distribute samples selectively to just the right target audience? Well, now a new vending machine, also from Kraft Foods , has been designed to hand out samples of the company’s new Jell-O Temptations dessert only to adults, turning away any kids who try to get one. Kraft Foods bills its Jell-O Temptations product as “the first Jell-O for adults,” and its advertising has reinforced that message.