If you’ve fallen asleep at the airport, waiting for your plane to be de-iced or your layover to connect, then you know how uncomfortable the experience can be. And by uncomfortable we mean back wrenching, not to mention the fact that you gotta be extra vigilante about your laptop and other carry-on items – Airports are a thieves’ paradise.

If you happen to be flying into Moscow you can catch a quick nap in a freshly made bed without having to hoof it to a hotel or throw down for the business class lounge. The Sleepbox contains two beds and can be rented for a little as 30 minutes or for several hours depending on your level of exhaustion. Inside are a set of fold out tables, LED reading lamps and outlets for powering your laptop or charging your smartphone. And since the door presumably locks you won’t need to worry about your stuff disappearing while you snooze.

The box is made from ash-veneered MDF. The prototype version was manufactured from plastic and incorporated an automated bed making system. Both didn’t make it into the final version, and although we’re not sad to see the synthetic material disappear, the automated bed system, while not as lush as hand laid linens, would have warmed the cockles of our geek hearts.

So if you happen to be flying into, or through Aeroexpress terminal of Sheremetyevo International Airport, Moscow, Russia, check it out and let us know what you think.

Mile high club in training anyone?

12►

Sleeping on the streets has to be a horrible experience.  We’ve never had to resort to such activity but if we did we’d probably try and make the best of it.  Perhaps the best way to look at this circumstance is to consider it an extended camping trip (our hearts and thoughts are with the homeless).  So building a shelter, carrying a can of sterno for cooking and water filter are just a few of the necessities that you’d find in our backpack.  But carrying around a full on tent isn’t a practical means of shelter in today’s urban jungle.  That’s why Tony Clark’s charity, Swag for Homeless, distributes these Backpack Beds to Australia’s homeless.

It’s made from a lightweight, fire-retardant, weatherproof, mildew-repelling UltTrex Lite fabric that covers a 6-foot 2-inch insulated foam mattress that sports a space blanket backing for added warmth.  For rainy days, or burning hot sunlight, there is a cover that can be tied up to create a shelter and it’s waterproof up to “5500+ mmH2O,” which is the equivalent of 5+ meters of water resting on it.  All of this quickly and conveniently rolls up into the included backpack, weighing a total of no more than 4KG (about 9lbs).

If you want one, you can purchase the Backpack Bed, which won the German 2011 Red Dot “Best of the Best” award, for $68 AUS on the Swag for Homeless website.  All the proceeds go to helping those without a home.

Travel can be such a drag.  Layovers, unruly passengers, cavity searches and not to mention seats that are best suited for those without bones or a sense of pride.  It’s all the crap we have to deal with when it means getting from point A (your home) to point B (the in-laws).  But for $34.99 you can achieve a greater sense of relief, or at least comfort.

The Evolution Pillow takes those horrible neck pillows, to what else, the next level.  It does away with the inflatable ring and replaces it with memory foam ,the stuff NASA uses for their now defunct space missions.  A special head stabilization support prevents your head from flopping over onto the shoulder of your new single serving friend, while a duplex slide-lock locks it into place and provides additional support.  If you’re a bit timid about radio waves, the latter feature, a media pouch for your iPod, is probably gonna make you cringe a bit, but nobody says you have to use it.

They’re quick to point out that you can use it in a variety of formats, such as laying face down, sort of like a massage table.  The cover is removable and machine washable, plus they’re tossing in a pair of memory foam ear plugs.

Sure, these sheets would only be worth while in a loft setting (i.e. overhead view), but there’s nothing like seeing what you’re made of while you, I mean your buddy sleeps (is that creepy sounding or what).

FYI, I can’t find a place to buy them.  Anyone?

[Tonk]

What I’d pay to look as pleased as that chick in the morning.  I guess I could, or attempt to by purchasing this here anti-snore pillow.  It works by detecting the users snoring and sends ever so slight tremors through the memory foam material interrupting their snoring.  I can’t help but wonder if it’s so sensitive it might detect your bed mates snoring and wake you up, thus defeating its purpose.  Guess you could just get two.

Available here for $420 (ouch)

[BBG]