By gathering weather data from a companion smartphone, the Opus One smart umbrella alerts owners about whether or not to prepare for a rainy day.

After sourcing a healthy helping of spruce wood from their own forest, a Norwegian couple decided to build their dream home almost entirely themselves.

To give people a glimpse into the life of the typically reclusive Santa Claus, real estate website Zillow offers a sneak peek into his North Pole cabin.

By utilizing a new sewage treatment technology called hydrothermal liquefaction, researchers have found a way to turn human waste into usable biocrude oil.

Two alternative consumer good companies just unveiled a new line of mushroom-derived furniture made from the thread-like filament structure named mycelium.

XMatter's X15 Flamethrower not only spits fire some 50 feet into the air but it looks like something straight out of a Hollywood science fiction movie.

Comprised of a glass carafe, micron filter, and stainless steel lid, the minimal Arctic cold-brew coffee system whips up concentrated coffee with ease.

Featuring an innovative water reservoir that tips over when a plant requires watering, the Natural Balance planter is a unique take on self-watering tech.

While speaking with Culinary Institute of America program director Nikki Briggs, food industry experts pointed to insects as the future of food.

Measuring at a paltry 8 feet by 20 feet, web designer Alek Lisefki's Tiny Project is a unique miniature home that's equal parts sustainable and portable. It is, after all, built entirely on a flatbed trailer.

By allowing owners to enjoy home brewed beer in just 24 hours, the Whym kit hopes to completely revolutionize the process for brewing your own beer.

Officially unveiled earlier in November, Opcom Farms' GrowBox allows ordinary gardeners to easily harvest fruits and vegetables inside year-round.

Mad of three shipping containers and a host of bunk beds, Ccasa Hostel in Nha Trang, Vietnam, is a unique place for travelers to lay their head.

Featuring the ability to brew finely crafted pour-over coffee directly into itself, the Brux personal coffee brewer is the perfect on-the-go java mug.

While speaking at a House hearing in mid-November, IBM advisor Bruce Schneier argued for federal regulations concerning the use of connected appliances.

Offering members access to 500 U.S. dealers, Decaso provides interior designers, collectors, and connoisseurs with a stunning online antique marketplace.

By retrofitting garbage cans with intelligent wireless sensors, Enevo's latest tech will allow cities to drastically alter their waste management practices.

Capable of turning a week's worth of food into usable fertilizer in just 24 hours, the Zera Food Recycler aims to be a boon for reducing food waste.

Accessible via mountain climbing or by helicopter, Mount Kanin's Kanin Winter Cabin provides visitors with gorgeous views of neighboring Italy and Slovenia.

By ditching modern instant coffee maker design, Sergio Landau created an espresso maker capable of letting users handcraft their daily java.

Fed up with traditional tea bags? No More Tea Bags is the tea-drinking alternative that lets users craft a piping hot cup Earl Gray out of an aerosol can.

Launched via Kickstarter this week, the Origami Lamp Shade lets owners quickly and easily fold their own lamp shades out of Dupont-constructed Tyvek.

Less than a month after recalling its Galaxy Note 7 smartphone, Samsung has yet again issued a recall, this time concerning its top-loading washers.

Comprised almost entirely of LEGOs, a creative team of engineers created the ultimate instant coffee machine that's sure to tug on your nostalgia.

Recently launched via Kickstarter, the Flameflex device allows anyone to enjoy the visual stimulation of a real fire tornado from the comfort of their home.

Available only to people navigating the dark web via Tor, Chernyi Black coffee aims to be the kind of unique java trendsetters turn to throughout Russia.

Launched via Kickstarter in October, the Brasii home brewer makes it easy for amateur brewers to craft home-brewed beer as well as a veteran.

Just in time for the Halloween season, the Canadian appliance company Elmira Stove Works now offers gorgeously airbrushed skull-and-flame refrigerators.

Using third- and fourth-generation Apple iMacs, Jake Harms developed a method for turning these electronics into household items, rather than trashing them.

Security monitoring leader Swann announced this week the addition of four new DIY home security devices for both residential and business use.

Utilizing wood pulp and footstep energy, a team of researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison just developed a new source of renewable energy.

Open Mind Innovations' Smart Lock System keeps cabinets shut when it senses violent seismic events such as earthquakes.

With gesture controls, LED lighting, and the ability to drastically conserve water, Huale's I-Switch is packed with benefits both entertaining and useful.

Located near Pacific Heights in San Francisco, a gorgeous $21.8 million mansion just sold making it the most expensive home sold in the city this year.

To help more people turn to solar energy, SolarCity says it will pay $1,000 to any Airbnb host who installs its solar panels on their home.

By ditching conventional solar panel design in favor of common construction material, the Italian company Dyaqua offers panels in wood, stone, or cement.

By scanning QR codes implanted on coffee pods, the Kallpa Coffee Machine concept aims to give owners quick access to nutritional and other information.

American automaker Tesla turned to frequent collaborator Panasonic yet again to increase its production of photovoltaic cells and modules in Buffalo.