سلام
در اين بخش اختراعات و نوآوري هاي به روز دنيا را ارائه مي كنيم البته با كمك خود شما عزيزان.
در ضمن اگر كسي ترجمه آن را در سايت هاي ديگر و .... ديد يا پيدا كرد لطفا ترجمه اون رو بزاره تا همه از اون مطالب استفاده كنند.
با تشكر
نمایش نسخه قابل چاپ
سلام
در اين بخش اختراعات و نوآوري هاي به روز دنيا را ارائه مي كنيم البته با كمك خود شما عزيزان.
در ضمن اگر كسي ترجمه آن را در سايت هاي ديگر و .... ديد يا پيدا كرد لطفا ترجمه اون رو بزاره تا همه از اون مطالب استفاده كنند.
با تشكر
Spider webs hold the key to stronger bioadhesives
By Dario Borghino
15:45 November 6, 2009 PST
http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/hero/...oadhesives.jpg A study on the glue that holds spider webs together brings us closed to producing bioadhesives to replace existing petroleum-based products. (Photo: Wikipedia, released under CC by-sa)
Spiders are remarkable animals: with over 40,000 classified species, they are among the most diverse known to man and can adapt to the most radical climatic conditions. The silky substance they produce to spin webs has been extensively studied and is known to rival steel in strength: a less-known fact, however, is that the "glue" that holds it all together is just as remarkable, and could soon become the key to producing stronger bioadhesives to replace petroleum-based products.
Supported by the National Science Foundation, a team led by Omer Choresh from the University of Wyoming has in fact recently reported on an extensive study involving the DNA sequencing of the orb-weaving spiders Nephila clavipes and Araneus gemmoides. The group identified two sophisticated proteins that have evolved over millions of years and are believed to be responsible for the glue's strength.
The team extracted m-RNA — a type of RNA cell containing the chemical blueprint for a protein — from the glue-secreting glans of the spiders, and created a complementary DNA sequence to identify what genes were responsible for the creation of the glue.
By doing so, the researchers were able to isolate two distinct but functionally related genes that were encoded on the spider's genome in an unusual way, using both strands of an identical DNA sequence. Each of these genes is responsible for the formation of a protein, and these two proteins are in turn the building blocks of the sticky glycoprotein that binds the web's threads together.
It's still unclear why the two genes have perfectly identical DNA in their repetitive regions; on the other hand, the group found strong evidence that this is a vital requirement to the glue's strength as both species examined have maintained the identity of these sequences despite over 100 millions of years of separation. In other terms, it's a case of evolutionary convergence rather than something due to chance alone.
Now that these important facts have been uncovered, the next step will be to clone the two genes and employ them in bacterial cell cultures to obtain large-scale production of the glycoprotein. This will allow us to develop a new biobased glue for a variety of purposes, including stronger surgical adhesives.
A report on the study was published the October issue of the monthly journal ACS Biomacromolecules.
Green Wavelength unveils bumblebee inspired wind turbine
By Noel McKeegan
02:40 November 5, 2009 PST
http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/hero/...nd-turbine.jpg Green Wavelength's radical departure from conventional wind turbine design
Image Gallery (2 images)
Gizmag's pages are filled with clever examples of biomimicry, and why not, evolution is after all the biggest, oldest and most successful design house we know of. Today's lesson is being given by insects like bumblebees, hummingbirds, and dragonflies, whose efficient wing flapping capabilities are being harnessed by Californian start-up Green Wavelength in an effort to produce more efficient wind turbines.
Vertical axis windmills have been with us in one form or another for more than 1000 years. Designs have undergone constant improvement (including more examples of biomimicry using the whale as inspiration), but the efficiency of current wind turbines peaks at around 30%. To be fair, Betz's law, says that it's not theoretically possible to capture more than 59.3 percent of the kinetic energy in wind, but there is still some room for improvement.
Green Wavelength's 19-foot, aluminum and carbon fiber prototype known as XBee was unveiled last month at the Perfect Pitch 2009 entrepreneur conference in California. It can be mounted both vertically and horizontally and the blades move in a figure eight motion.
It's not yet clear what level of improvement Green Wavelength's radical departure from the norm will bring, with data yet to be published on its effectiveness.
“Breakthrough ideas are often the result of the convergence of seemingly disparate concepts,” noted Sabri Sansoy, the CEO of Green Wavelength and aerospace veteran, “and we are committed to finding ways of applying nature’s solutions to our man made energy problems.”
More development and research is planned with the aim of eventually producing home and business units up to 10kW, and like solar solutions and other examples of small scale wind generators we've seen, it is a direction that makes a whole lot of sense when addressing our energy needs.
Green Wavelength via Jetson Green.
http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/156x1...id-vehicle.jpg Axon Automotive shows off lightweight plug-in hybrid
UK car manufacturer Axon Automotive has used the Milton Keynes Science Festival to preview its plug-in hybrid lightweight passenger car. The car combines carbon fiber composite construction with a full electric mode for short-run local travel and a petrol or bioethanol-powered engine for longer distances or highway travel. Read More
http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/156x1...0100950901.jpg Nano-particle coating prevents ice buildup on roads and power lines
Like most things, ice can be a blessing or a burden depending on the circumstances. It’s perfect crushed in a drink on a hot summer’s day, but can wreak havoc when it collects on roads, power lines and aircraft in freezing temperatures. A University of Pittsburgh-led team has found a way to reduce these dangers by developing a nanoparticle-based coating that can be easily applied to impede the buildup of ice on solid surfaces. Read More
http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/156x1...0100961310.jpg AlterG M300 Anti-Gravity Treadmill: train or rehabilitate weightlessly
There are two things that are immediately appealing about the AlterG M300 treadmill. The first is being able to maintain fitness levels whilst nursing an injury, and the second is that you’ll feel as light as a feather whilst working out. The M300 allows people to run or walk at a reduced body weight of up to 80 percent, while the differential air pressure technology assists by applying a comfortable lifting force to the body. By reducing the body weight, there is less impact on the muscles and joints, and people are able to move more naturally and without pain. Read More
http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/156x1...0100954445.jpg Curio Avventura Stroller is designed to fit just about anywhere
It can be very frustrating to discover that you can’t fit your stroller through the supermarket checkout, especially if you have already unloaded all the shopping from your cart. And trying to get your pusher through some train station automatic turnstiles is nigh on impossible. The Curio Avventura stroller was specifically designed to fit through narrow Japanese train station turnstiles and is also automatically collapsible if you need to carry it on to the train, meaning getting both you and baby out of any tight situations is a simple affair. Read More
http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/156x1...le-scouter.jpg I see what you're saying - NEC's ‘Tele Scouter’ retinal-display translation glasses
The days of a Universal Translator like the one that made chatting between alien species a non-issue in Star Trek might be some way off yet. But a new device from NEC is definitely a step in the right direction for those of us on planet Earth looking for a way to communicate with other language speakers that doesn’t involve a human translator or a well-thumbed phrase book. The prototype device called a “Tele Scouter” is a glasses type display that translates the foreign language being spoken by a partner and projects the translation onto a tiny retinal display. Read More
http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/156x1...r-universe.jpg World’s faster supercomputer models origins of the unseen universe
Scientists have for some time postulated that "dark matter" could partially account for evidence of missing mass in the universe, while the hypothetical form of energy known as "dark energy" is the most popular way to explain recent observations that the universe appears to be expanding at an accelerating rate and accounts for 74 percent of the total mass-energy of the universe according to the standard model of cosmology. To better understand these two mysterious cosmic constituents scientists at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) are using Roadrunner, the world’s fastest supercomputer, to model one of the largest simulations of the distribution of matter in the universe. Read More
http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/156x1...nt_contact.jpg New spintronics breakthrough paves the way to faster computing
A team of researchers from the University of Cincinnati have achieved control of the spin of electrons traveling on a wire by simply regulating an electrical voltage. This is a major milestone in the brief history of spintronics, the emerging technology that uses the spin of electrons to store and manipulate digital information with much higher speeds and efficiency. Read More
http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/156x1...0100934541.jpg AsusTek unveils the ESC 1000 - 1.1 teraflop ‘personal supercomputer’
Goodbye to the days when supercomputers had to fill a room and welcome Asus, purveyor of all things Eee and its first ever supercomputer - the ESC 1000. Produced in conjunction with NVIDIA and the National Chiao Tung university in Taiwan, the desktop-sized machine is capable of speeds up to a mighty 1.1 teraflops, which may pale in comparison to the petaflop Roadrunner, but then so does the footprint. Read More
http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/156x1...9100995442.jpg ReVerb's 3-foot tall, solar powered iPod dock
Of the myriad of iPod docking stations available, the ReVerb iPod dock from Regen looks set to tower above the rest - literally. At just over 35 inches (90cm) in height, this dock is not going to fit on your bedside cabinet. It will kick out an equivalent of a room-filling 60 watts, includes a backlit LCD display and features an integrated photovoltaic panel to draw energy from the sun. Read More
http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/156x1...1100935740.jpg Wii 2 details leaked – full HD support and a 2010 release?
The rise and rise of the Nintendo Wii continues unabated and we’ve seen all manner of weird and wacky accessories released over the last year. With everything from bowling balls to exercise bikes popping up to complement associated games, it’s no surprise the console is a big hit with those who like gadgets and gimmicks, but aside from the MotionPlus we haven’t seen anything genuinely revolutionary since the original motion-sensitive controls... so it looks like it's up to the next-gen successor to truly re-imagine the Wii’s potential. Read More
http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/156x1...2110954148.jpg Wraps to come off Mavizen TTX02 electric superbike
A new era of motor sport began in June this year with the running of the world's first zero-emissions GP at the famous Isle of Man circuit. Now the TTXGP’s manufacturing arm is set to unveil a factory production electric superbike. Billed as "a computer on wheels", the Mavizen TTX02 is designed to deliver racing performance in a versatile package that will serve as a development platform for would-be competitors in the fledgling world of the e-GP... and it even comes with its own dedicated IP access and connectivity to the network. Read More
http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/156x1...ving-agent.jpg MIT and Audi developing friendly robotic co-driver
Vehicles are slowly but surely heading towards a future where the driver is almost irrelevant. A raft of new technologies will be employed to control a vehicle’s performance, speed and steering. Eventually leading to vehicles that drive themselves. Many Technologies designed to assist drivers are already reaching fruition including systems that recognize tiredness in drivers or control the throttle and brakes for the duration of a journey. The latest driver assist technology to catch our eye comes out of the Massachusetts Institute of technology (MIT), where researchers are creating an in-car personal robot that is designed to offer the same kind of guidance as “an informed and friendly companion.” Read More
http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/156x1...tal-belt-1.jpg Lullabelly prenatal belt plays your favorite tunes to your child
There are various opinions about when a developing fetus can first hear sounds, with ages ranging from as early as 16 weeks to as late as 28 weeks. Just what they can actually hear is also a subject of debate – will it really matter if you play classical music or classic rock to your unborn child? Regardless of the facts, Moms the world over have been playing music to their little ones for eons. The Lullabelly prenatal music belt is designed to make this a comfortable and simple task, providing a soft material belt that encircles the belly and plugs into your music maker. Read More
http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/156x1...earing-aid.jpg Sweep Technology touch interface for hearing aids
Touch-screen interfaces have already usurped traditional buttons on a range of mobile devices that boast a larger screen size and/or smaller form factor by doing away with a wide range of buttons or dedicated keypad. Now buttons of all sorts on all sorts of devices are under assault. Just last week Apple declared war on mouse buttons, and now hearing technology company, Starkey Laboratories, has taken aim at fiddly hearing aid buttons with its "Sweep Technology" touch-based interface for hearing aids. Read More
http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/156x1...ositioning.jpg GPS satellites tell us where we are, but what tells them where they are?
Global Positioning System (GPS) devices have permeated society to the point where millions of us rely on them daily for directions, locations and traffic avoidance (if only they could tell me where I left my car keys). GPS satellites send signals to a receiver in your handheld or car-based GPS navigator, which calculates your position on the planet based on the location of the satellites and your distance from them. The distance is determined by how long it took the signals from various satellites to reach your receiver. But have you ever thought what tells the GPS satellites where they are in the first place? Read More
http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/156x1...ra_tile_gx.jpg Tilera unveils Tile GX100, the 100-core general purpose processor
If you thought Intel's plans to embed eight cores in its high-end processors were a bit too out there, you'll find that the latest processor developed by semiconductor start-up Tilera is even more of an extreme. Packing 100 1.25GHz to 1.5GHz cores on a single chip, the Gx100 brings parallel processing to the extreme thanks to a new architecture that minimizes the bus bottleneck in today's multi-core processors. Read More
http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/156x1...-pain-pill.jpg New pill promises to put an end to period pain
For anyone who has ever experienced or witnessed the debilitating effects of period pain, they’ll be glad to know that the suffering may soon be at an end. Vantia Therapeutics has announced that its new development, an oral small molecule drug for now known simply as VA111913, has entered its second phase of testing as a treatment for dysmenorrhoea (painful menstruation). If results are successful the drug could be available for commercial use within four years. Read More
http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/156x117/tosh.jpg Toshiba announces new sensitive 14.6 megapixel CMOS sensor
Toshiba has announced a 14.6 megapixel CMOS sensor for mobile phones and digital cameras which it says will boost light sensitivity and absorption by up to 40 percent. Whereas conventional sensors have multi-layer wiring sandwiched between the lenses and light receiving substrate, Toshiba has moved the wiring out of the way and placed the lenses and the photodiodes together. Read More
http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/156x1...o-dsi-ll-1.png Nintendo DSi LL upgrades to larger screens and stylus
A new model Nintendo DSi console is being launched this month in Japan with larger 4.2-inch dual screens and a larger stylus. The DSi LL will be bundled with three DSiWare titles pre-installed – a dictionary and two brain training games, and a large and smaller touch pen. It will, however, have the same resolution as the previous DSi. Nintendo says the battery can last around four-five hours in extensive use mode and approximately 13-17 hours in energy-saving mode. These are around 25 percent improvements over previous models. Read More
http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/156x1...1009121558.jpg ID titanium laser mouse - stunning design and a price to match
With Apple’s new wireless Magic Mouse grabbing headlines this month, and innovations such as the multi-functional GlideTV navigator and Nortek Duplus mini wireless mouse being rolled-out almost weekly, it seems the days of the humble mouse are long gone. Enter Intelligent Design’s titanium laser mouse - a hand-crafted device that is anything but humble (or cheap) and while it doesn't have the smarts of Apple's new offering, its certainly lays down a challenge on the design front. Read More
http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/156x1...er-trailer.jpg ‘Opera’ luxury camper trailer hits a high note
If you enjoy peace and quiet on your camping holidays, the "Opera” might not be the ideal choice. Emulating the renowned lines of the Sydney Opera House in Australia, this luxurious mobile home designed by Belgian architect Axel Enthoven is bound to get lots of scrutiny from inquisitive campers and passers-by... and it deserves all the attention it gets. Read More
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http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/156x1...processing.jpg Producing carbon nanotubes on an industrial scale
Carbon nanotubes promise to revolutionize everything from medicine to electronics and power generation. Unfortunately nanotubes are notoriously hard to work with and chemists worldwide have struggled for years to even make them. Now researchers have unveiled a method for the industrial-scale processing of pure carbon nanotube fibers that builds upon the tried-and-true processes that chemical firms have used for decades to produce plastics. Read More
http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/156x1...u-sti-trax.jpg Subaru WRX STI TRAX hits the backcountry
We've seen this approach to Arctic off-roading at a concept level, but this snow-eating Subaru WRX STI is most definitely for real. The 400bhp TRAX was built by Subaru Rally Team USA's technical partner, Vermont SportsCar from a rally-prepared 2009 WRX ST. EXE-TC Group N competition rally dampers were added, the drivetrain lowered three inches and the wheels tossed in favor of a Mattracks rubber track system. Read More
http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/156x1...sual-robot.jpg I am what I am, I’m Popeye the audio-visual robot
The ease with which human beings make sense of their environment through a range of sensory signals belies the complex processing involved. Approaches to give robots the same purposeful perception we take for granted have typically involved studying visual and auditory processes independently. By combining data from both sound and vision European researchers have developed technology that could facilitate robotic understanding and responses to human behavior and even conversations, bringing us closer to a future where humanoid robots can act as guides, mix with people, or use perception to infer appropriate actions. Read More
http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/156x1...y-livery-0.jpg 599 Ferrari fetches $2 million - despite cracked paintwork
A buyer has paid US$2 million at a charity auction for a unique Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano painted by leading Chinese artist, Lu Hao. The Ferrari supercar is decorated with Song Dynasty Ge Kiln “cracked” glaze pattern. Read More
http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/156x1...g_delivery.jpg Nanosized drug delivery systems take a leap forward
Blood vessels that supply tumors are more porous than normal vessels, makes nanoscale drug delivery systems a particularly attractive prospect. If properly engineered, nanoparticles can in fact get inside a tumor, targeting it precisely and allowing much higher drug dosages as they reduce side effects to a minimum. Two recent studies featured in the latest issue of the journal Nature Materials specifically address these issues and give us promising leads in the fight against cancer. Read More
http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/156x1...lthturbine.jpg Stealth wind turbines developed to avoid radar confusion
Plans for the installation of wind farms the world over are being delayed or abandoned due to objections from the aviation community or air defense interests. The problem is that when it comes to low flying aircraft or wind turbines, conventional radar has a bit of an identity crisis - not being able to tell the difference. Recent tests in the UK of "stealth" turbine technology could provide a solution. Read More
http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/156x1...ches-video.png Software to detect objects inside videos
Researchers at the University of Missouri (MU) are developing software that would enable computers to perform video analysis tasks, such as alerting emergency services if a video surveillance camera detects a person falling and not getting up. The software could also be used to search inside videos and look for certain objects, such as basketballs or footballs, hence reducing the time taken to locate a certain game or scene. Read More
http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/156x117/storyplay.jpg Storyplay: Nokia and Sesame Street create video conferencing in a book
Nokia has teamed up with Sesame Street to create an interactive reading experience that can involve grandparents and grandchildren no matter how far apart they may find themselves. The Storybook research project melds the tactile and visual pleasures of reading a real book with video conferencing technology which allows distant relatives to take an active part in a child's literacy development. Read More
http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/156x1...ee-machine.jpg Douwe Egbert’s BeMoved: are you prepared to dance for your coffee?
You might rely on your morning or afternoon coffee fix from the office machine to get you through the day, but are you willing to dance or jump for it? You may have to, if the "BeMoved" coffee machine concept from Douwe Egbert takes off. This machine may well be the world’s first coffee machine that is operated by movement alone. Yep, looks like you are going to expend some energy in order to get your morning hit. Read More
http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/156x1...4110965640.jpg Google rolls out new music search
Google latest innovation has taken the power of its search engine and our insatiable lust for music and combined the two. Those lucky enough to live Stateside can now enter an artist, song title or lyric into Google's normal search window and the first results offered will link to audio previews, information and details of how to buy. Read More
http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/156x1...-adamo-xps.jpg Dell Adamo XPS combines slender profile with smart design
Dell has bettered its wafer-thin Adamo laptop launched in March with the announcement of the 0.4-inch (9.99mm) thin Adamo XPS. Apart from the attention that the label of World's thinnest laptop brings, the XPS has some very appealing design qualities that are nothing to do with its slender profile or 3.2 pound weight. Rather than the conventional hinge, the full-size keyboard folds into the display in such a way that it's raised at the top when it's opened to provide enhanced cooling and there's also a capacitive touch latch mechanism which allows you to pop the unit open with the swipe of a finger. Read More
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http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/156x1...-rj11-lamp.jpg The lamp that runs on free electricity – from the phone socket
If you’re looking to shave every last cent off your next electricity bill then this gooseneck lamp is for you. The lamp is so energy efficient its eight white LED lights are powered by the trickle of electricity flowing from a RJ11 socket – or garden-variety telephone socket. This means that, even if you’ve fallen behind on your electricity bill and the power has been cut off, you can still enjoy some late night reading. Read More
http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/156x1...ter-spyder.jpg Boxster Spyder - 166mph Porsche roadster to debut in LA
Porsche will roll out a new incarnation of the Boxter Spyder at the Los Angeles auto show next month. The flagship mid-engined model is the lightest sporstcar in the company's range at 1,275kg and more powerful than the Boxster S, topping 235kW from its direct-injection 3.4-liter flat six-cylinder powerplant. All this adds up a hair-piece destroying top speed of 166mph (267kmh) with the roof open, making it Porsche's fastest Roadster. Read More
http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/156x1...-satellite.jpg Long awaited satellite to monitor water cycle reaches orbit
The 658kg (1,450 lb) Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) satellite launched by the European Space Agency (ESA) this week is the first ever satellite designed both to map sea surface salinity and to monitor soil moisture on a global scale. The unique radiometer it carries will enable passive surveying of the water cycle between oceans, the atmosphere and land thereby playing a key role in the monitoring of global climate change. Read More
http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/156x1...-seat-belt.jpg Ford introduces inflatable seat belts
Most seat belts are designed to stretch during a crash to reduce the force of impact on the wearer while still preventing contact with the interior of the vehicle. Ford has gone one step further with plans to introduce inflatable seat belts designed to reduce the pressure on the chest and help control head and neck motion in rear seat passengers, spreading the crash force across five times more of the occupant’s torso than conventional seat belts. Read More
http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/156x117/boat-tail.jpg Boat tail reduces truck fuel consumption by 7.5 percent
European tests have shown that a boat tail – a tapering protrusion mounted on the rear of a truck – leads to fuel savings of 7.5 percent. The fuel savings, which also means a cut in emissions, were realized by the boat tail dramatically reducing the drag caused by the lower-pressure effect that occurs in the wake of a vehicle. Read More
http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/156x1...6110931716.jpg The Tag Heuer Lamborghini phone handset
If you're looking for value for money, a sports car-inspired designer mobile phone probably isn't the best place to start. Based on its Meridiist handset, Tag Heuer's latest model is inspired by the Lamborghini Murciélago LP 640. We’ve no problem with admitting that it looks the business, but as is strangely typical of these sorts of overpriced phones, it seems to be seriously lacking on the practicality front. Read More
http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/156x1...rt-usb-hub.jpg Sanwa 12-port USB hub is the center of attention
The incredible range of USB peripherals available and the shortage of free ports on many machines – particularly laptops – means that a USB hub is practically a necessity if you don’t want to waste precious time plugging and unplugging devices. Sanwa’s 12-port offering doesn’t quite match Brando’s effort in the number of ports, but is definitely the more eye-catching of the two when loaded up with devices. Its circular design might be OK for those rare occasions when you need a high tech table centerpiece, but will likely have cables running every which way on the desk when fully loaded. Read More
http://www.gizmag.com/pictures/156x1...6110933632.jpg The award-winning PUYL for cyclists combines a light with a pump
Most cyclists would agree that the two most likely things to forget after heading out on a journey are a light and a tire pump. It would make perfect sense, then, to combine the two into one handy accessory, which is exactly what designer Kai Malte Roever has done with the “PUYL”. The bonus is that when you pump up your tires, you're also charging the LED light. Read More
Mechanical Timer LED Light
This ambient LED light designed by Jasper Hou is powered by mechanical timer in the
base. After giving the base a future in this the timer gradually releases its energy powering the LED light as it winds. This concept is at the moment I am sure would take off as it’s environmentally friendly and also safer than writing tea lights around your home. It comes in a variety of colours images after the jump.
Exocar Personal Flexible Transport ConceptThis conceptual transportation is designed to help the user travel through their environment in a more flexible and natural way. The Exocar is constructed in such a way that allows you to enhance which ever way you want to move whether it be run, walk, roll or drive.
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Moulding itself and adapting to the user’s body in either vertical or horizontal positions. As this is a conceptual design it’s a bit hard to see exactly how would adapt and it would be interesting to see a working model. But perhaps the designer Joshua Saling is already working on a prototype.
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Link Mugs
If you are the person who ends up getting everyone coffee in the office, then you may want to check out these fun Link Mugs, which make it easier to carry multiple cups of coffee at once.
The Link Mugs were designed by designer Jonathan Aspinall, and you get a set of three mugs in a set, each one has a male and female plug so that they can be linked together.http://www.geeky-gadgets.com/wp-cont...ink-mugs_1.jpg
http://www.geeky-gadgets.com/wp-cont...ink-mugs_2.jpgLink Mugs are one of those simple but inspired product designs that solves the problem of how to carry several mugs at once without the need for a tray.
We’ve all done it at one time or another: tried to carry too many mugs in one go leading to spills, burnt fingers and stains on the carpet.
So, inspired by the quintessential builder’s mug, designer Jonathan Aspinall has developed an inspired solution to this problem – mugs that can link together. Each cup has a plus shaped plug on one side and a corresponding receptacle on the other. Thereby allowing the mugs to be linked together for you to carry in a line to friends, family and work colleagues.If you want a set of Link Mugs they are available for £32.50 about $54 from Mocha.
Openaire : Mobile Desk & Chair
The Openaire is a hybrid laptop carry case which converts into a laptop work surface and chair. Consisting of a semirigid protective sleeve that unfolds to produce a desk surface for your laptop and mouse which sits on your lap.
The external detective shall then converts into a chair completing the Openaire office which you can carry with you.http://www.geeky-gadgets.com/wp-cont...Openaire_2.jpgNICK+BEAU is a collaboration between brothers, Nick and Beau Trincia
This mouldable rechargeable battery concept is designed to fit all devices whatever the battery size. Designed by Pyeong Joo Goh, Jong Seung Choi & Ji Soo Hong rthe AtoD concept battery made from memory foam which allows you to squeeze it into any device whatever size battery takes.http://www.geeky-gadgets.com/wp-cont...odbattery1.jpg
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The AtoD battery concept uses Nickel Hydroxide power to create 1.5 Volts of power. If all else fails you can always use it as a stress reliever.
Glass surface inputting is the new hotness for almost every gadget maker today. From from the iPhone to Microsoft’s Surface technology, flat is where it’s at. Introducing the flattest full size QWERTY keyboard to date, “No-key Keyboard” by Kong Fanwen. Consisting of just a glass surface, camera and lighting, this alternative keyboard concept will use the latest motion capture technology to watch your fingers nervously select just the perfect smiley for your online bantering.http://www.yankodesign.com/images/de...o_keyboard.jpg
Designer: Kong Fanwen
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Check out this cool concept timepiece by designer IIya Yakovlev
.
The Crystal LED watch is inspired by Swarovsky crystals anf fetaures real crystals on the watch face.
The crystals are backlit by LED’s and each one lights up to display the time, you can also change the colour of the displays and the brightness of the LED’s.
via Yanko Design
Check out these fun concept slippers from designer Muzaffer Kocer
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http://www.geeky-gadgets.com/wp-cont...2/vak_vak2.jpgWhen you put the words kids, bath, and entertainment together, the image of a rubber ducky might come up. That’s the inspiration behind the Vak-Vak. With a squish of your heel, water sucks into the duck. Another squish water jettisons in a steam of fun wetness.via Yanko Design
Check out this concept printer from designers Jin Hee Kim, Hyung Il Kim & Woo Seok Park.
The Hanging Printer is designed to take up hardly any space on your desk, with the bulk of the components hanging underneath the desk.
The only parts on the desk are the paper feed and the print head, and it has an embedded LCD to show you the status of the printer.
This is a great idea, I would love to see this go into production, if your like me your desk is probably cluttered with to many gadgets etc, this would be a great space saving device.
via Yanko Design
Check out this fun concept camera from designer Sungwoo Park.
It features no LCD screen, no viewfinder and just one button to take your snaps.
The idea is that it gives you the feel of an analog camera, as you don’t know what your shots are going to turn out like, mind you I think a viewfinder would be useful or you could end up taking a snap of your foot.
It transfers the photos to you PC via USB, just plug it in and your photos will transfer to you PC.
via Yanko Design
Professor Sangbae Kim designer of the Stickybot and a Robotic designer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Is trying to understand how he can replicate natural animal mechanisms by creating a robot inspired by the cheetah.
The idea is to build a prototype robot from a construction of lightweight carbon-fiber-foam that will then be able to match the cheetah’s speed of 70 miles per hour.
Over the next 18 months, Kim and four other MIT graduate students are going to start constructing the prototypes. Starting with a computer model of the robotic cheetah to establish the optimal limb length, weight, gait and torque of the hip and knee joints.
It’s an ambitious project. Current wheeled robots are efficient, but can be slow in rough terrains. For instance, iRobot’s PackBot, which is used by the U.S. military, can only travel at speeds of up to 5.8 miles per hour.
Via Neatorama
Lightboxes are still a useful way of creating or transferring art during the creative process arw are sometimes quicker than scanning. But lightboxes do take up a lot of desk space.
The Sketch desk lamp, by Hung-Ming Chen of Swedish design studio Hommin and Stockholm designer Ninna Kapadia. Doubles up as a neat A4 sized lighbox perfect for those quick all important sketches.
Called Sketch and intended for use by designers, the lamp head twists upside down to lie flat on the desk.
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http://www.geeky-gadgets.com/wp-cont...desk-lamp3.jpgVia Dvice
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Prepping for an entire nation that will soon house possibly the world's largest elderly population, Toyota has unveiled their latest robotic human assist droid called the Delivery Robot. The small robot is a product of Toyota's Partner Robot program, an initiative focused on creating robotic solutions for the disabled.
Using speech recognition, stereo cameras and a laser range finder the Delivery Robot will be used for common tasks like taking out the trash, and opening doors. You can see video highlighting the Delivery Robot's finer points .
Via Ubergizmo
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The Harvard
Jeez, wouldn't it be fun to have your own swarm of robot bees? Someone at Harvard thought so, convincing the National Science Foundation to pony up $10 million for the development of a whole colony full of wing-flapping bee bots. The project will challenge the scientists to build the world's most advanced flying microbots, creating swarms of tiny autonomous individuals that can make their own decisions, dock with each other, simulate pollination, and contribute to the entire group.
"Inspired by the biology of a bee and the insect's hive behavior, we aim to push advances in miniature robotics and the design of compact high-energy power sources; spur innovations in ultra-low-power computing and electronic "smart" sensors; and refine coordination algorithms to manage multiple, independent machines. BTW, our robobees don't sting..."researchers have a head start: They'll take what they learned with a life-sized robotic fly they created in 2007, improve upon its tiny brain and smart sensors, and then develop software that exploits the advantages of hive intelligence. This is going to be amazing. How will they fit power sources, computing devices and navigation inside a package the size of a bee? Let's just hope they use this for good, and not for evil.http://dvice.com/assets_c/2009/10/im...x298-26842.jpg
Check out this diagram of one of the robotic flying sea monkeys:
Harvard, via Bot Junkie
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It's official: you can never be sure someone isn't watching you at all times. I mean, just take a look at this tissue box. It looks benign enough. But inside is a camera that takes color footage in the daytime and black and white footage at night, all at a resolution of 720x480 with a framerate of 30fps. It uses SD cards to store footage, and can be programmed to activate automatically at a particular time. In fact, there might be one somewhere in your home right now. Probably not, but there might be.
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There's tons of junk swirling around our planet, so much that the International Space Station (ISS) astronauts had to sleep in escape pods in case some of it punctured their orbiting home. When NASA detected an approaching piece of space debris last week, the six-person ISS crew spent the night in two Russian Soyuz spacecraft docked at the ISS. Those capsules are fortified enough to use as escape pods.
Luckily, the small piece of space junk ended up not even coming close to the space station. Still, this is getting to be a tremendous problem.
Jeez. Why do we humans — quickly earning a reputation as Earth's most damaging weed species — have to make such a mess of everything we touch? It seems inevitable that one of those pieces of debris will slam into the space station at tens of thousands of miles per hour. In fact, the U.S. Air Force plans to drop $500 million next year to help clean up this mess. At this rate, we'll never get to Mars.
Via Daily Tech
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Moscow-based Arch Group's Sleep Box concept is basically a capsule hotel, without the hotel; the boxes are meant to be freestanding and dotted around transport hubs, exhibition centres and the like.http://s3files.core77.com/blog/image...0archgrp02.jpg
Here are the possible locations for SLEEPBOX:
- Railroad stations
- Airports
- Expocentres
- Public and shopping centers
- Accommodation facilities
In countries with warm climate SLEEPBOX can be used on the streets.
Thanks to SLEEPBOX any person has an opportunity to spend the night safely and cheaply in case of emergency, or when you have to spend few hours with your baggage.
SLEEPBOX is a small mobile space (box) 2mx1.4mx2.3m (h). The main functional element in it is a bed 2×0.6 m., which is equipped with automatic system of change of bed linen. Bed is soft, flexible strip of foamed polymer with the surface of the pulp tissue. Tape is rewound from one shaft to another, changing the bed. If a client wants to sleep in maximum comfort, he can take the normal set of bed linen for an extra fee. SLEEPBOX is equipped with a ventilation system, sound alerts, built-in LCD TV, WiFi, sockets for a laptop, charging phones. Also under the lounges is a place for luggage. After the clients exit, automatic change of bed linen starts and quartz lamps turns on. Payment can be made on a shared terminal, which provides the client with an electronic key. It is possible to buy from 15 minutes to several hours.
SLEEPBOX is intended primarily to perform one main function – to enable a person to sleep peacefully. But it can also be equipped with various additional functions, depending on the situation. Application of the device can be very broad, not only in the form of paid public service, but also for internal purposes of organizations and companies. - form Arch Group
Credits
via Designscene
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Either the Thunderbird or the Beetle had to go.
With a baby on the way and two vintage cars in our garage, one a red 1963 VW Ragtop Mike's owned since age 15 and the other a champagne 1963 Ford T-bird, a tough decision had to be made. One of them had to be replaced...
The year was 2006, and, believe it or not, these old-timers were pretty much the only cars we'd ever owned. With our purchase of a new car that winter, we made a 43 year leap in automotive technology overnight.
Today's car industry is brainwashed by its own car culture, with its obsession for speed, styling and fantasy. The car business has become one of repackaging, steering people's focus towards style and a narrow definition of performance, not on our true needs.
We quickly realized, however, that despite 43 years of automotive progress, with its advances in safety, efficiency, and manufacturing, the driving experience remains basically the same as it was in 1963.
After experiencing this somewhat disappointing time warp, we wondered how we could contribute a new point of view and perhaps spark more significant progress for the next 40 years.
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The current climate gave us the final push--with the car industry lost, an urgent focus on global warming, awareness of oil dependency, and the economic down turn, the stars had aligned. It is time to sow seeds, to experiment. Armed with a small design studio, we set out to design a concept car in search of an optimistic new future. And it quickly became clear to us:
A shift must take place from styling cars to redefining them.
This year at the Detroit Auto Show, we expected the industry to shed some light on a confident path ahead. Instead, we were shown their usual speed demons, nostalgic muscle, and a few seemingly very last minute answers to the electric future. It dawned on us: today's car industry is brainwashed by its own car culture, with its obsession for speed, styling and fantasy. The car business has become one of repackaging, steering people's focus towards style and a narrow definition of performance, not on our true needs.
Speed and "performance" have been the driving factors for car design, styling, and engineering for a century. Most cars on the road today can go 120 mph. Why? The reality is that cars are mostly used at moderate speeds and for sitting in traffic.
It's time to look at performance in a new way.
During our first brainstorming session, an honest discussion revealed an intriguing and consistent desire: the desire not to drive. Sure, everyone wanted to get from A to B, but they'd just rather be doing something else while en route: talking to friends, sleeping, or, as our French intern Laure suggested: "I want to enjoy the view with a nice wine, some cheese and a baguette."
It became obvious to us: Driving is like putting your life on hold. None of us liked the daily monotonous act of driving. After years of incessant advertising, we have subscribed to a false sense of freedom, the freedom to waste countless hours strapped behind the wheel.
Research revealed that self-driving cars, once a fantasy requiring an entirely new infrastructure, are now technologically possible, even inevitable. Savvy robotics are here and real. Advances in GPS, sophisticated sensors, and navigation databases will allow driverless vehicles to operate on the same roads we have today.
Each day we are required to maneuver a heavy object through complex traffic and pedestrians, all the while trying to obey hundreds of obscure traffic laws in constant fear of sudden brake lights ahead, of making a wrong turn, of unpredictable drivers and police.
And did we mention the countless distractions along the way?
Inevitably, in these complex and stressful situations, humans will make mistakes. We were moved by the numbers: over 6 million car accidents and 43,000 highway fatalities in the US each year, 13,000 of them alcohol related. Our conclusion? Humans are not meant to drive, nor should they have to.
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From Driving to Riding
Research revealed that self-driving cars, once a fantasy requiring an entirely new infrastructure, are now technologically possible, even inevitable. Savvy robotics are here and real. Advances in GPS, sophisticated sensors, and navigation databases will allow driverless vehicles to operate on the same roads we have today.
As with many robotic developments, the future of self-driving cars is being determined mostly by engineers and the military. Positive design visions are desperately needed if this technology (and other robotic technology) is to have a positive impact on society. We decided driverless technology would be the perfect starting point for our design exploration.
Covering the wheels communicated "electric", lowering the panels generated "train", tall windows are "bus". These experiments helped us decode the formula that makes a car a car in order to arrive at something new.
Not only will this technology save people millions of hours each year, it has the potential to virtually eliminate car accidents. Dismissing the need for extreme speed and acceleration as irrelevant, performance can be measured by time savings and safety instead. Inspired by this new outlook, it was to time to imagine what the driverless car for 2040 would look like...
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A Different Approach to Car Design
It is pretty safe to say that every designer has a terrible urge to draw on any piece of paper they come across, and the most mindless thing to draw is the side view of a car. Resisting the typical car sketching formula (draw two large wheels and something cool in between), we felt a new approach to car design was needed.
We started with a series of experiments--collaging, dissecting, montaging--to help us see the object and the experience in a new light. By taking photos of existing cars and manipulating them, we created objects that are not driver-oriented but passenger-oriented.
Altering the proportions of these vehicles helped us create new archetypes. Covering the wheels communicated "electric", lowering the panels generated "train", tall windows are "bus". These experiments helped us decode the formula that makes a car a car in order to arrive at something new.
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Collage: driverless rover
Summoned by phone, your ATNMBL arrives. You enter from the curb side through an electric glass sliding door into a standing-height entryway. Upon entering, you are presented with a simple question: "Where can I take you?" There is no steering wheel, brake pedal or drivers seat.
But that still wasn't enough. We also needed to redefine the experience. Through a series of montages, we visualized our dreams of the ultimate riding experience: a beautiful view with the addition of basic elements for riding comfortably: seat, floor, table, roof.
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Montage: idealized ride through the country
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Montage: the ideal commute
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Thinking about what we really want to do in our cars
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Thinking about cars as architectural spaces
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Sketch: a space for living
After reviews, collages, sketches and full scale volume studies, we arrived at a direction: the vehicle would be designed from the inside out with elements influenced by architecture. It should offer living comfort, views, conversations, and social connectedness. Unencumbered by driving, the new vehicle should be a space for living.
We labeled the concept the ATNMBL.
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The ATNMBL
Summoned by phone, your ATNMBL arrives. You enter from the curb side through an electric glass sliding door into a standing-height entryway. Upon entering, you are presented with a simple question: "Where can I take you?" There is no steering wheel, brake pedal or drivers seat.
If the interior feels familiar to you, it should. The wrap around seating arrangement is a direct reference to the typical living-room setting: a couch, side chair and low table. Up to seven riders are oriented towards each other and to the view outside through the large floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows on both sides.
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Centrally oriented is a large flat display that features live trip information, maps, and
entertainment. The display can slide up to reveal a bar behind. Yes, a bar. In a driverless vehicle, you can't drink and drive...but you can drink.
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ATNMBL interior
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ANTMBL from above
A new and comprehensive sense of control is introduced through voice recognition and a touch screen remote (or one's personal phone), offering riders a wide range of trip planning, ride sharing and performance settings that can be very detailed for those who want elaborate control or extremely simple for those who would rather just relax and enjoy the ride.
From the outside, ATNMBL looks like micro-architecture. Large windows, a pitched roof and asymmetrical from every view, the concept is designed without any reference to automobiles of the past. Absent are the myriad of design details and tricks that car designers have perfected over the years: large wheels, fluid forms, aggressive stance, character lines and shiny trim.
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Transition from one architectural space to another
In contrast to today's automobiles, where much of the car's space is reserved for the engine and drive train, the ATNMBL's mechanical components are densely packed and simplified, providing dramatically more interior space in a vehicle that is shorter than most cars on the road today.
Electric motors in each wheel provide all-wheel drive. Power is stored underneath the seating and floor with additional power provided by solar panels on the roof. Within a gridded pattern front and rear is an array of headlights, tail lights and sensors.
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At last, we're ready to leave speed, styling and fantasy behind for a moment so we
can enjoy the much more compelling benefits in store for us:
accessibility for the young, the elderly and the disabled (no drivers licenses) saving hours each day by reclaiming our commute time no searching for parking (it will drop us off and park itself)</I> cars that work for us (think autonomous grocery pickups, deliveries and car maintenance) cars that make money for us less congestion with increased carpooling and carsharing did we mention the bar? and most importantly, there will be far fewer fatalities and there will always be a designated driver.http://s3files.core77.com/blog/image...BLredwhite.jpg
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We admit it, we miss our old T-bird. With its swing-away steering wheel, elegant stance and velvety ride, it was hard to part with it. But with 11 miles per gallon, the constant smell of gasoline in our house, and frequent trips to the mechanic, it was time to let go of the past to make room for a new future.
The need for efficient, affordable, zero-pollution cars is vital for the future of humanity and the planet but is obviously not the only problem to be solved. Think about it, 40 years from now, many of us will no longer be able to drive. But with a little bit of optimism and a newly inspired car industry, we may still have the freedom to enjoy the ride.
http://www.designlaunches.com/entry_...mb-450x256.jpg I love products that are multifunctional, 3D and compact, considering the houses we live in these days. Due to the space crunch, the need for such products is felt very strongly. Rozetkus 3D is one such device that is a power socket which hides inside the wall until more sockets are required. So now in the space for one socket, you have about 3 workable sockets. Not only is this a very workable and practical concept but it also looks very good and stylish. I really like this idea, and I hope it does materialize as a real product in every household. http://www.designlaunches.com/entry_...mb-450x332.jpg http://www.designlaunches.com/entry_...mb-450x213.jpg
http://www.designlaunches.com/entry_...orary-Home.jpg Designer Jacob Sbriigo Savariego Jacob has designed a carriage that doubles up as a temporary home for the homeless. The carriage is simple and easy to use and its portability and easy storage of equipment make it an extremely useful creation. The carriage is especially good during bad weather as it provides the homeless with a temporary shelter. The hygienic shelter gives the homeless a roof over their heads. An extremely durable creation, its manufacturing process is also very simple.
In fact, government organizations and charities must buy these carriages and distribute them among the homeless. A great creation, the designer will definitely be a hero in the hearts of the various people who will benefit from his creation.
Thanks Jane
There's only 14 sleeps 'til Christmas, but unless you're planning on discovering a large oil deposit or a long lost Spanish Galleon in the very near future, you may struggle to scrape together the funds required to tackle this little wish list. Each year we take a look back at the most over-the-top examples of emerging technology to have graced our pages in the past 12 months. So without further ado, here's our pick of what you can't have for Christmas in 2009.
1. The Emperor Workstation
Talk about over the top! This US40,000 contraption acts like a sedentary gamer's life-support system. Three synchronized 19" monitors adjustable to the perfect height, inbuilt 5.1 surround sound with a woofer right under your leather-coddled hiney - which is gently warmed or cooled by the seat depending on temperature, electronic posture-controlled reclining, subtle lighting, HEPA air filtration, and it gently and automatically rotates to avoid external glare. The Emperor Workstation uncoils like a scorpion to let you in, then closes in around you once you sit down to lock you into workstation world. Stick a hole in the seat with some plumbing, and sit it next to the fridge, and you wouldn't have to pause your game for ANYTHING. All hail the Emperor. [Full article]
2. The pedal-powered submarine for two
For most of us, the world deep below the ocean’s surface remains a place we have only had the pleasure to experience vicariously, primarily through watching nature documentaries. It's not as if we can just hop in a submarine and go take a look. Well, perhaps we can, if a Russian company's plan to market a two-seater submarine driven by pedal power to the tourist industry is successful. The new underwater vehicle (UV) from Marine Innovation Technologies (MIT) will not only be cheaper to buy and run than existing submersibles, it will be simpler to operate, requiring no special training or expertise [Full article]
3. The world's fastest open top car
Like every other automobile to ever bear the revered name, the new Bugatti is so over-the-top you can't help but admire the audacious spirit which permeates all aspects of its engineering. The limited edition open-top Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport will be the world's fastest open top car, capable of traveling at 360kmh with the roof off, and 407kmh with it closed. Just 150 will be made of the EUR 1.4 million Grand Sport with the first 40 reserved for existing Bugatti customers. The usual cut-no-corners approach has seen the original Veyron virtually re-engineered to accommodate the lack of the roof as a structural component. [Full article]
4. The three million dollar mobile phone
Goldstriker International, a company which specializes in dipping mobile phones in gold and platinum, snatched the title of world’s most expensive mobile phone from the iPhone 3G King’s Button last month with the creation of the iPhone 3GS Supreme. Priced at £1.92 million (approx. US$3.14 million at time of publication) this is one phone you definitely wouldn’t want to leave on a bus. [Full article]
5. Cabasse La Sphere speaker system
French company Cabasse has redefined the notion of high-end loudspeakers with the creation of a speaker system that costs almost as much as a base model 2009 Ferrari F430. But for your UK£108,000 (US$176,000), you're buying a monumental engineering achievement - the world's only four-way, point source speaker system (more about that after the jump). This audio perfectionist's dream required a spherical enclosure - which means you also have to accept the fact that two giant, ugly eyeballs on sticks will be watching you enjoy some of the best audio reproduction, sound staging and stereo imaging the world has ever experience. [Full article]
6. The Audi e-tron electric Concept with 4,500 Nm of torque
One of the highlights of IAA 2009 was undoubtedly Audi’s e-tron. The concept car has four motors producing in total a 230kW (313hp) and a stunning 4,500Nm (3,319.03 lb-ft) of torque, enabling it to accelerate from 0 to 100 kmh (0 – 62.14 mph) in 4.8 seconds, and from 60 to 120 kmh (37.28 – 74.56 mph) in 4.1 seconds. The car’s lithium-ion battery is stored directly behind the passenger cabin for an optimal center of gravity, and holds 42.4 kilowatt hours, enabling a range of 250km. [Full article].
7. Holograms you can feel
While vastly improved 3D systems are set for an assault on the market over the next two years, some of us just wont be happy until we get our Holodeck. While we may be waiting a while for this one to appear under the tree, there is progress being made in the field. Researchers from the University of Tokyo have developed a technique that allows 3D holograms to be “touched”. By blending a holographic display, a couple of Nintendo Wiimotes and an ultrasound phenomenon called acoustic radiation pressure, the researchers were able to create the Airborne Ultrasound Tactile Display - a system that can give the feeling of holographic raindrops hitting an outstretched hand or a virtual creature running across a palm. [Full article].
8. Entecho's Hoverpod: Your very own flying saucer
Entecho has come up with an operating prototype of a sort of cylindrical fan-forced flying saucer, steered by directing the downward airflow through a flexible skirt that allows easy directional control. The blades are not exposed and move reasonably slowly, it's stable in flight and the system is remarkably simple from a mechanical point of view. It's also quite simple to fly using a joystick controller. Totally VTOL and with a small footprint, perhaps the Entecho Hoverpod might deliver as a practical and affordable personal flight solution. Yep, pretty much your classic flying saucer. [Full article]
9. Scarpar's 60kmh all-terrain twin-tracked Powerboard
It's rare that you see a whole new segment open up in personal mobility - and this one looks like an absolute cracker. The Scarpar Powerboard is an off-road powered skateboard capable of taking on pretty much any terrain other than water. An electric or 4-stroke petrol engine powers two articulated tank-style tracks up to a terrifying 60kmh, using a hand control for acceleration and braking. Mud, grass, sand, snow - the Scarpar is capable of driving over just about anything, including rock piles and even fallen logs. Although the projected $2000 price range is within reach (and certainly not in the same league as most of the other goodies on this list), unfortunately it hasn't yet made it to market. So no, you can't have one... not this year anyway. [Full article]
10. A trip to the edge of space
Put this one on your list for about 2012... and start saving your pennies for the US$200K ticket. Virgin Galactic has unveiled the actual spaceship that will take private astronauts into space - SpaceshipTwo (SS2). The unveiling at Mojave Air and Spaceport today marks the first time the craft has been revealed to the public since construction began in 2007 and brings Virgin Galactic another step closer to realizing its goal of becoming the world’s first commercial space line providing private sector access to space. [Read the latest news or see our feature on the future of space travel]
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Let me channel my best Shamwow Guy impression and convince you these items are worth their salt. The Easy Food Dicer, Lemon Slicer and Robot Penguins have a tiny bit of Alessi in them but there’s something modernly sophisticated to them too.http://www.yankodesign.com/images/de...1/09/dicer.jpg
I’m not one for overly complicated kitchen accessories but the Easy Food Dicer looks much easier to use than many products in the market. I guess that’s how they arrived at the name. There’s something satisfying about guiding that potato to a slow death into perfectly cut cubes. Mmm fry me up some of that!
I’ll pass on the Lemon Slicer. Seriously people need a lemon slicer? The Robot Penguins are a win tho. They’re not so much robots as they are toy shakers that roll across the table after you give the wheels a couple good cranks. Pass the salt please! I think Designer Cosso should send me the whole set.
Designer: Cosso
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A small annoyance of mine is having to wait for a sauce or dressing like ketchup to trickle down from the bottom but with the Dual Bottle, my impatience is alleviated. A simple solution would be to always leave the bottle inverted, but I’m way too OCD for that. With the Dual Bottle, there’s no up or down. Just open the end where the condiment goodness is closest to and BOOM (ala Steve Jobs style), food is smothered.http://www.yankodesign.com/images/de...ual_bottle.jpg
P.S. Yes there is a smaller version for dry condiments but that made less sense to me since gravity does just fine with standard bottles.
Designer: Kai-yu Lei
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Sometimes “long term parking” is another way of saying “your bike got jacked” – not this time though, this is a much better deal. It’s a bike rack concept, but better than that, it’s a long term bike rack, including safe storage, WC, showers, and lounge. This is precisely what a city like Minneapolis is starving for.http://www.yankodesign.com/images/de...eparking01.jpg
I currently live in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and I can say without hesitation that this is a bike town. It’s a big city, one of two within miles of eachother, (we’re called the “Twin Cities,” perhaps you’ve heard of us,) full of bikes. Having stations like this instead of congested rails alongside coffee shops stunk up with the sweat of long-run armpits, well, that’d be great!
Especially between outlying areas and the big city center.
Read below for a little bit more info and ask questions! The designer of this project, Yinnon Lehrer, is watching, and I bet answers would be given upon request.
Designer: Yinnon Lehrer
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Peugeot ELA is a concept car for the future. It’s green, mean and a blazing glory of fireball orange! Lemme explain, the vehicle is a hybrid of electro magnet and solar energy and runs on a thin surface of air. It’s not the first time that a designer has predicted that the future road surfaces will conform to the electro magnet tech used in trains. Anyways, the solar cells on the roof of the car provide the extra zing. I love the flashy bright color of this two-seater, do you?http://www.yankodesign.com/images/de...09/22/ela2.jpg
Designer: Mohammad Ghezel
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From its stylish furniture to this totally awesome concept vehicle, we all have to agree that IKEA is an inspirational brand! An identity that stands for sustainable, quality and stylized pieces at affordable prices and cannot be better reflected. This electric battery driven vehicle is very spacious and has a flexible interior. Meaning you can re-arrange the seating options to suit you. The head lights are bright OLED panels that can host changeable graphics, making it totally disco dynamite!http://www.yankodesign.com/images/de...14/ikeacar.jpg
The vehicle uses in-wheel motors that are powered by the two battery packages placed in the front and back. The lower transparent surface and line is a dominant feature of the exteriors.
What caught my fancy is the light-up touchscreen dashboard and the pop-up display. Oh, and I forgot wooden paneling as well.
Designer: Robert Larsson
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Near Future as in 2010; thankfully the designers are not dating it like 2050 or 2200 for this concept! Anyways we are talking about the Persian Delight: Nokia CLIPit Concept Mobile Phone. Brushed steel and Persian turquoise stone encrusted, this phone proposes a bevy of features like finger print as your SIM, Touch pad-Dot matrix screen, hands free clip on design, and a combo of Philips Lumalive and conceptual “Smart fabrics” to blend out a 12”screen!
Design features of Nokia CLIPit:
Finger print as your SIM. CLIPit has all the cell phone’s data web based and you can reach not only by CLIPit but from multiple devices like other cell phones, disposable cell phones, your car kit, your home phone and so on. The key is your finger print. On top of the CLIPit you have a steel touch screen made by a group of small Light Emitting Diodes installed in the steel touch pad. So you have dynamic buttons and can dial, send and receive SMS and navigate your music easily. You don’t need to hold the phone in your hand or use any other device like Bluetooth hands free. When you have a call, just pull down the clip and CLIPit becomes a hands free. The ear phones of CLIPit have two sockets. You can hang your CLIPit around your neck with them when listening to the music. Like a beautiful necklace made by turquoise and steel. The way to connect with other devices for CLIPit is to Clip it to them. You can clip it to so many things to have connection with them. For example back panel of public bus seats. You can clip the phone to any part of your clothes or your bag. You can hang it around your neck with its earphones. You can wear it like a Bluetooth hands free. And also it is enough small to put it in your pocket. PHILIPS has developed a new technology called “Lumalive”. They have fabricated some kind of cloth that has internal OLEDs and is quite a color fabric screen. The design team used a developed form of that technology in the CLIPit and has two fabric screens. The 3- inch screen is just a formable, flexible cloth that has a “Lumalive” screen as the upper layer. You can clip your CLIPit to this 3-inch screen and have a mobile phone with a 3-inch color screen. It is quite BIG for a mobile phone. But the 12-inch screen is a combination of “Lumalive” and a concept fabric called “Smart fabrics”. “Smart fabrics” are cloths with a net of sensors between its layers for touch sense. The net is cut able and the fabric can be cut or sewed. In fact smart fabrics are touching sensitive cloths. This fabric is combined with “Lumalive” and to become a multi-touch color screen. Clip your CLIPit to it and you have a folding pocket 12-inch laptop. The 12inch touch screen is also a medium for CLIPits to share their data with each other. Quite easy. Quite funny.Designers: Ziba Hemmati, Mohammad Zamani, Mir Kazem khalifezadeh, Rasul Shokrani & Ali Khajueehttp://www.yankodesign.com/images/de...14/clipit1.jpg
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Peugeot Globule is concept vehicle that is made up of four separate spheres that move together in a globule shape. Each sphere accommodates a single passenger and is individually powered by an electric motor. The four spherical parts are connected to a central battery and are contained within a very flexible polymer covering. The car has been designed on a self-assemble basis and can move in different arrangements. Like it can file the four spheres into a single line, to cross a narrow lane.http://www.yankodesign.com/images/de...3/globule7.jpg
The car takes up only 130 cm x 130 cm space for parking by stacking up the spheres. The driver’s part is the only sphere in constant contact with the ground at all times.
Although we won’t see the Globule anytime soon, it’s always interesting to learn how designer’s perceive our traffic scenarios of the future and the solutions that they offer.
Designer: Ahmad Filiz
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Joseph Joseph is renowned for coming up with the most stylish and useful kitchen tools, and the latest one in their collection is the Slice & Store Kitchen Cutting board and Knife. So is this a regular cutting board that comes in a choice of electric hues? No, the color choices are there but ain’t regular, it’s got this special niche on the side where you can tuck in the matching (high quality Japanese stainless steel) knife. Smart right?http://www.yankodesign.com/images/de...slicestore.jpg
Designer: Joseph Joseph
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It’s easy for us folks to work in the kitchen, simply coz we have two hands. Fracture, permanent disability, paralysis to one side…such situations don’t discriminate and make doing regular stuff like cutting apples, peeling oranges, slicing veggies, buttering a toast; a challenge. The One-Hand Kitchen Equipment is designed for people who use can use only one hand, and the beauty of the products (7 in all) is that both lefties and righties can use it with ease.http://www.yankodesign.com/images/de.../onehand12.jpg
This is specialized kitchen equipment includes one- handed food cutting equipment, one- handed different diameter tubes opener, one- handed fruits and vegetables cutting and peeling equipment, one – hand changeable graters, food box, equipment for peeling eggshells, elements for stabilizing foods like bread (while buttering etc.). The design includes pins for gripping the fruits and non-slip rubbers to add stability. The brown color pieces are the moving parts in the system.
I really like the well thought out process for various food items. While preparation is only one half of the battle, cooking and cleaning up afterward is another.
Designer: Gabriele Meldaikyte
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Samsung Freecycle is a good lesson in community living; a system that teaches sharing is caring…. In this system you got a base unit mounted on a cycle, a device that you carry with you and a generator; all hooked to each other wirelessly. A bike sharing service is implemented and the twist is that users themselves got to manage the effective working of it.http://www.yankodesign.com/images/de...amsungbike.jpg
It’s like this: I need a cycle pronto, and I spot one round the bend, I message to the current user, via my Sammy device (to his device), requesting him to allow me to use the bike. Once I get the all-clear, the Freecycle device with me and the bike communicate and tango together, unlocking the bike for me to use.
The unlocked bike is for me to use till someone else requests me to hand it over to them. In between all this theory, there a GPS navi involved and vocal translator (with integrated bone conduction earphones). This navi system rattles off info like news, comments, POI; basically adding utility to the whole setup.
Freecycle is a good solution for Universities and limited are campuses, where the community is small and the commute restricted.
BTW, this concept was a finalist at the Samsung Young Designer’s Award last year, thus the liberal Samsung branding.
Designers: Cristiano Giuggioli, Stefano Marchetto, Alessandro Brunello & Massimo Brugnera
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Maptor is this wonderful combination of a map and projector that (predictably) projects the desired map onto any surface. Palm of the hand, floor, and walls included. What I really fancy about it, is its size. Small enough to pass off as a lipstick (or a chapstick for you guys), the device is discreet enough for you to quickly hop into a quiet corner, check for directions and make your way forth. All this without anyone knowing that you are lost or need help!You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this YouTube video
Another good thing about the Maptor is that it has GPS included; as a result there is this big red arrow on the map that points to your current location. Therefore getting your bearings and charting your course is easy.
Although the images of the projected map look visible enough even in daylight, I wonder if it’s really going to be that clear in its practical avatar.
Anyways, I think this project has the potential to make it to the market and be a hit, I would love to get one for my husband, who hates to ask for directions!
Designers: Jin-Sun Park and Seon-keun Park
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