The Roll Up vehicle concept has been designed to uplift the lifestyle of urban peoples with great outlook and many functional features. The funky and simple bodywork of this single seater car can achieve the attention of all range of people. The canopy of the vehicle looks like that of a jet fighter and contains the dashboard mounted on it. The tires are airless and features four wheel steer with aircraft like steering wheel. Scissors doors are another highlighted feature of this car. This lightweight, functional, fashionable and frugal vehicle can really offer you great fun when driving.
Designer : Edwin Conan (Yi Yuan)
TAB is a dual dining table concept that can save your time and space by featuring different compartments for storing different office usable stuffs. Razy2, a Gdansk based design studio has envisioned this useful home office table where the hidden storage compartments can be revealed by simply pulling the particular section. You can store pens, papers or other small desk articles in different compartments which will allow you to find them out easily and when the compartments are closed, it becomes a usual dining table. The material that has been used to make the table is solid ash which has really made it durable and sturdy.
Designer : Razy2
The Moving Kitchen concept has been designed to move anywhere, even in a tiny sized kitchen, and allows easy cooking as well as eating outside the house. There are many hidden functions of the product that will surely amaze the users, and the same time will prove very much functional. Under the tabletop dish, an induction has been placed that is meant to be used for cooking. There are folded tables on both side of the moving kitchen on which users can put dishes and other ingredients of cooking. There are trays to move food from one place to another and contains storage space for cooking materials along with wheels on the bottom for easier movement.
Designer : Joongho Choi
World-recognized design firm RKS has envisioned an innovative cooking vent concept aiming to bring a breakthrough of customizability for future kitchens. This cost-effective and retractable kitchen vent solution can create a dream kitchen environment that offers a whole new model for kitchen appliances.
Unlike the traditional ventware systems, both the filter units and plates of RKS can fit easily into a dishwasher for easy cleaning. The Season Cooktop Ventware eliminates the possibility of getting outdated after few years since the replaceable face is available not only in different colors, but also in different styles.
This innovative kitchen model creates a wide range of designs at low cost, while offering an economical way for users to update and refresh the décor of their kitchen. It doesn’t matter if it is adding complementing countertops, accent color, or celebrating holidays, this ventware brings a brand new kitchen atmosphere through ultimate customizability.
Designer : RKS Design
The Pavilion 21 MINI Opera Space is one of the tiniest but most interesting designs by Wolf Prix for the Munich Opera Festival 2010 with a maximum seat capacity of 300 only. The designers have achieved a visually and acoustically pleasing lightweight structure through enhancing the visualizing properties of the tilted walls and enlarged surface area. Also, this design strategy reduces the influence of external sound sources. The pavilion is 17 meters wide, 21 meters long and around 6 to 8 meters high which will be placed in a way that it will act more like a sound reflector than a barrier to the passing by car’s sound.
Designer : Coop Himmelb(l)au
Aorta is composed of two Swedish photographers Marco Grizelj And Kristian Kran. This duo principally makes advertising and fashion photography. Here is a big selection of their creative works.
Matt Logue’s “Empty Los Angeles” photography book shows the effect of L.A. being completely people-less. The click through is worth it. The photos were made over a period of 4 years, beginning in 2005, at a variety of locations around LA.
Competition of the UKn advertising photography (Advertising Photographers of UK – APA) is annually held and it honours commercially talented photographers working for various industries.
APA is a good resource for lovers of beautiful and creative photography and its useful for the editors of various media. Presented below are the best photographs of the 26 winners.
Umbrellas have come a long way since the first scraps of material arranged to keep the rain off – and nowadays, they have evolved into the elegantly designed multi-spindled construction we’re so familiar with…and, well, bored with. Isn’t it about time umbrellas became fun again? From the best in pugilistic umbrella-mayhem to the sweetest way to woo a loved one, these 15 examples are guaranteed to chase the clouds away.
(Images via: Alex Woolley Design)
The rain is scything down, and let’s face it, your umbrella isn’t going to help much. It’s not about keeping dry: it’s about keeping your temper. And what better way to do that by taking out your frustrations in a sneaky water-fight against your companions? The Water Pistol Umbrella only works when it’s raining, by catching the falling water in the top of the umbrella and feeding it down the shaft into the handle-mounted pistol. And if your target returns fire (as above) – the umbrella doubles as a shield! Eat my rain.
(Images via: ThinkGeek)
Here’s one not to take round Japan (unless you’re fond of being rugby-tackled by policemen). This Samurai Sword Handle Umbrella looks worryingly ready for business – for extra effect, it even has a nylon sheath you can draw it from…which would look even better when strapped to your back. Unsurprisingly, reactions to this product have got a little out of hand. Oh dear. (It’s an umbrella, dude).
(Image via: Yanko Design)
Continuing the theme of umbrellas that have people crossing the street to avoid you, we have Yoel Mazur’s Self Defence Umbrella. Cunning designed to look less assembled than whittled & hacked, this mean-looking lump of wood affixed with sword-like blades also opens out to become a half-umbrella. Even the rain will feel intimidated.
But when it comes to raw, hair-raising formidability, the kingpin of umbrellas has to be the Unbreakable Walking-Stick Umbrella. It is used by the bodyguards of the president of the Philippines – because not only does it keep the rain off nicely, it’s strong enough to support your weight, will take any amount of battering – and can split a watermelon in half with one blow. Maybe best left to the professionals, this one.
(Images via: Gizmodo)
It had to happen. Umbrellas simulating real-life weapons? So, like, what about lightsabers? Yes, it’s true, if you’re happy to be seen out in public with the accoutrements of a Jedi Knight, go grab this umbrella, the handle of which is a replica of a black lightsaber. (That’s if you can find it – the product page is no longer up). No, this beauty doesn’t light up…
(Images via: CrunchGear)
…but this one does! While not official Star Wars canon (the comments at Crunchgear point to something similar being seen in Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner), the glowing centre-poles of this umbrella definitely evokes A Galaxy Far, Far Away. Yes, practical – but oh-so-terribly geeky.
(Images via: Waylou)
If you regularly use your rain-shield in the big city, you’ll know how annoying it is when you’re always catching the sides of your umbrella on other things (such as other umbrellas). The Polite Umbrella – which had to have been invented by a Brit or a Canadian – makes room for the intruding personal space of others by drawing its arms in and hunkering down. A bonus? When it gets windy enough to threaten turning your brolly inside-out, this is the idea way to fight back!
(Images via: Book Of Joe and I New Idea)
But enough of fighting. Can’t we all just be friends? The Double Umbrella works like a tandem bike, by bringing people closer together – and if love blossoms, what better way to offer up your affections than with a Rose Umbrella? (Watering unnecessary, but inevitable).
(Images via: Gizmodo)
We have developed a special branch of furniture to deal with umbrellas, hats and coats – but if you prefer a more unobtrusive place to store your brolly, how about in the wine-rack? The Is.A.Brella Wine-Bottle Umbrella uncorks, sorry, unfurls from the depths of a cannister shaped exactly like a bottle of plonk (albeit one in a more livid color than you’re used to, so there’s no mistaking it when you’re rushing out the door).
(Images via: Senz Umbrellas and The Greenhead)
When the wind starts to howl, umbrellas become a problem. Rain? Perfectly shaped. Wind? Perfectly-shaped to trap it, yes – and there’s nothing like an umbrella for dislocating your arms in a gale, or exploding inside-out. Since the shape is the problem, the clever people at Senz have gone back to the drawing-board and made a brolly that tackles the wind aerodynamically. They claim their umbrellas will never invert, and are safe at windspeeds up to 60mph – at which point we say, what lunatic goes out in a tropical storm holding an umbrella?
(Images via: InventorSpot)
Also handy for those moments when the wind gets a grip is the Burera Coiling Umbrella Handle. It wraps itself around your arm, your leg or any other appendage you might chose (careful how you go), and stays fixes in shape in the same way as a pipe-cleaner. A hands-free umbrella – who woulda thunk?
(Images via: Yanko Design)
And how about an umbrella that recycles as you go? The Eco Brolly is nothing but the frame – and you provide the material to stretch between the tines, using litter! Plastic seems ideal. Newspapers? Well, not so much, despite the example used above.
(Images via: CrunchGear)
Setting another good, green example is the Melt Umbrella: it springs open with the help of cylindrical pieces that automatically snap together (that’s not the eco-friendly bit), and once it reaches the end of its days, the whole unit can be safely buried – its biodegradable garden film and bamboo will “melt” back into the ground. There are even plant seeds embedded in the handle, waiting for the right moment to become a corner of your garden.
(Images via: Tuvie)
Last and certainly not least – a brolly that generates clean energy. The Parasolar mops up solar energy during the daytime (from being either propped up in the sunshine or used as a parasol), and when night comes, you’re keeping the rain off with a big green gadget-powering battery. If you’re one for walking for hours with your mp3 player blaring away, you don’t have to let weather or power capacity limitations get in the way. However, we have an even better idea for v2: catching the sun is clever, but why not harvest the rain as well?
15 More Marvelous Modern Mirror Designs
Mirror, mirror, on the wall… where would we be without these shiny, silvered glass panes that reflect so well – sometimes TOO well? While it’s true that mirrors aren’t all they’re cracked up to be, these 15 marvelous modern mirror designs may just be the fairest of them all. Click Here to See More
Invisible speakers, wireless electricity and games you can control with your brain: all of these things may sound like science fiction, but thanks to recent technological innovation, they’re officially within the realm of possibility – or even already available. Some improve quality of life while others are just plain fun, but all of these futuristic gadgets and technologies will knock your socks off with their brilliance.
Bionic Vision with Cybernetic Contact Lenses
What if contact lenses could not only help you see better, but deliver directions, news, email and weather reports directly to your eyes? The technology is already here, according to a report by Babak A. Parviz, a bionanotechnology expert at the University of Washington. Tiny components like LED lights, tiny antennae and special circuits can be embedded into the polymer of a typical contact lens. A small portable device would process the information, and the lenses could even be used to measure and process information about the user’s health.
Miniscule Adjustick Cell Phone
Cell phones are getting smaller and smaller, almost to the point of absurdity – but though this concept takes small size to the extreme, it’s also functional. The Adjustick was one of many futuristic cell phone concepts shown at Japan’s CEATEC technology convention. The stick-like device projects a usable keyboard and screen when placed on its side.
Games You Control with Your Brain
This alien-looking headset looks capable of doing some insidious things to your brain, but it’s actually a gaming headset by Emotiv that allows you to play a variety of concentration-based games on a Windows PC. That’s right, it actually uses your brain waves to play the games in which you can push and pull boulders, levitate objects and perform other telekinesis-like actions. It works by matching certain brain activities – like concentrating or thinking about something in particular – with certain actions during a calibration that you perform before starting the game.
Portable Gadget That Shoots You to Rooftops
Anyone who has ever admired Batman’s ability to go from street level to the rooftop of a skyscraper in seconds will love the Atlas Rope Ascender, an awesome reverse-rappelling portable gadget that can lift a fully-outfitted soldier up to 600 feet at 10 ft/second on a single battery charge. The device has been tested by military, police and rescue organizations, who might have felt cool while using it, but probably lamented the lack of a cape.
Flexible Customizable Laptop Concept
An eBook reader, full-size tablet, tabletop presentation screen, desktop computer and conventional laptop all in one… it might sound impossible, but designer Tommaso Gecchelin’s MacBook Touch does it all. Theoretically, that is – the integral part of the design that allows such flexibility, called the iSpine, relies on technology that doesn’t exist yet. But the idea has potential, and it’s a tantalizing possibility for anyone who has ever daydreamed about such an achievement in multi-functionality.
18-Button Computer Mouse
If you wonder why on earth a computer mouse would need 18 buttons, perhaps the Warmouse OOMouse isn’t for you. But those who see the potential of this customizable little gadget will be able to save a whole lot of time by packing tons of functions into the press of a button. It’s designed to be used with Open Office, but could also be used with other applications.
Get Directions from a Rainwater-Powered Manhole
Wouldn’t it be nice if, when visiting a new city, you could simply get directions from a nearby urban object instead of unfolding and puzzling over a map? A concept called the EcoSign would turn ubiquitous manhole covers into rainwater-powered information centers that can give you directions. The only problem is, manhole covers tend to be in the middle of busy streets – not exactly safe places for tourists to congregate.
Amoeba Cell Phone
This strange little hunk of ergonomic plastic doesn’t resemble any cell phones currently in mainstream use, but its unusual design isn’t all about aesthetics. The Amoeba Phone contours to the user’s face while in use, and its entire surface is a touch screen.
Invisible Speakers
Speakers are invariably ugly, and even tiny models that pack a big aural punch are just another object to clutter your living space. But an innovative new type of speaker is virtually invisible, pouring surprisingly decent sound forth from a clear membrane across your television screen. Edge Motion invisible speakers work by using piezoelectric actuators to cause sound vibrations in the membrane, which don’t affect the picture quality. The technology is set to be included in a range of upcoming consumer products like hand-held games and portable DVD players.
Prosthetic Limbs Powered by the Mind
Stiff plastic prosthetic limbs may help amputees feel whole again, but they don’t offer much in the way of independence. Luckily for Christian Kandlbauer, who lost both of his arms in a work accident in 2005, amazing new advances in prosthesis technology have enabled him to do things for himself again – through the power of his mind. Kandlbauer is equipped with incredible new prosthetic arms that are wired to his nerves, a procedure that only three surgeons in the world can perform. Now, Kandlbauer can activate his “muscle” movement with impulses from his brain.
Virtual Reality Treadmill
One of the biggest challenges to making virtual reality a – well – reality, is locomotion. Anyone trying to navigate a VR environment needs to be able to walk in any direction, but treadmills only move in one direction. Until now. CyberCarpet is an omni-directional treadmill that densely packs small balls under a walking surface, letting the friction of the user’s shoes to do the moving. The CyberCarpet’s usefulness doesn’t end at gaming, though – it can be used for therapy, training and other applications as well.
Alarm Clock Grades Your Sleep Quality
When it comes to your health, few things are quite as important as getting plenty of sleep. But the quality of your sleep is just as vital as the length of time that you spend in bed each night. A futuristic new alarm clock design called the Zeo alarm clock tracks how much time you spend in each stage of sleep through a thin headband worn by the user, reporting your ‘sleep score’ in the morning. It even has a function that can wake you up at the ideal point in your sleep cycle, so you feel more refreshed.
Bed with Built-In TV, Movie Screen & Video Games
Not only is the slick HiCan bed super cozy and modern, it’s also equipped with everything you need to spend the rest of your life as a media-consuming blob – or at least, be extremely entertained on sick days. This all-in-one bed and entertainment center has a pull-down projection screen, integrated gaming system, built-in lights, and even a control panel that allows you to control your home’s window shades and lighting. The price tag of 42,000 Euro puts this amazing piece of furniture firmly in daydream territory for most.
No Longer Sci-Fi: Wireless Electricity
Imagine being able to place your electronics anywhere you want, with no regard to whether there’s a power outlet nearby. It would cut a whole lot of clutter and eliminate hazards to children, pets and clumsy adults. Somehow it seems like wireless electricity should already be a reality, but there have always been obstacles in the way. However, engineers at MIT have worked out the kinks and wireless power could be in our homes as early as 2011.
Cybernetic Reading Through Implanted Device
When you come across a word you aren’t familiar with, perhaps you just skip it over or go through the trouble of looking it up in a dictionary or online. Wouldn’t it be so much easier if you could just place your finger over the word and magically hear its definition and pronunciation in your ear? Incredible as it seems, the Touch Hear concept would do just that, minus the magic part. An implanted device in the fingertip recognizes the characters while another device in the ear relays the information. It’s still just a concept, but it could be a viable future option – particularly for blind readers.
42 Fantastic Fusions of Tech and Art in Geek Jewelry
When recycled tech parts become jewelry to help save the planet and look great, it’s flat out sexy. Here are 42 fantastic fusions of tech art in geek jewelry. Click Here to See More
