The Design blog |
- Hybrid XSeed in Alias is an eletric buggy and roadster in one
- Future of ammunition: Self steering bullet that will never miss the target
- Viajero Sightseeing Vehicle offers a comfy ride to tourists in urban environment
- Potencia First Aid Kit supplies power to your gadgets in emergencies
- Caracol portable light to illuminate your endless celebrations
- 2046 Parsonal Commuter is an automatic driving vehicle for Paris
- The REK Coffee Table expands to accommodate more guests
- News spewing LCD laden recycling bins set for London debut
| Hybrid XSeed in Alias is an eletric buggy and roadster in one Posted: 02 Feb 2012 05:08 AM PST Asmita Prasad: Designed to offer a unique driving experience, the XSeed Concept vehicle by Marcos Beltrao seats two passengers and looks to offer the high performance of a lightweight sports car. The vehicle is intended to serve as a dual-function car that is a roadster as well as a buggy. The unique combination of a buggy and a roadster allows the vehicle to offer the thrill of both and the hybrid concept can be operated with gas and ethanol as well as an electric engine.
 XSeed The 1600cc four-cylinder engine that the XSeed is powered by makes it a strong proposal for the sports cars market while its low weight and innovative design ensures a stand out yet economical performance on the road. With electric thrusters on each wheel, the battery pack on the XSeed can be charged via any power outlet or even while the car is in motion which allows the vehicle to conserve fuel and extend the battery-only range. The XSeed goes from 0mph to 60mph in 4.5 seconds and the vehicle outputs 225 horsepower when both engines are in use.
Made of carbon nanotubes, the tubular structure of the vehicle's frame allows it to maintain a relatively low weight. The ceramic compound used to fashion the engine also helps in weight savings since it is much lighter than an engine made of aluminum only. Thanks to the silicon added to the ceramic, the engine is that it requires no cooling or lubrication and lasts longer. With lubrication and cooling being redundant features, the engine also does not need to have a radiator, hoses, pipes, filters and water and oil pumps which results in further space and weight savings for the vehicle. The ceramic compound is able to resist extreme temperatures since it has a very low thermal expansion coefficient and having all the main components of the engine fashioned from the same ceramic compound allows the powertrain to function more efficiently. MuCell technology (which is uses nitrogen or carbon dioxide during the plastic injection process) is used to manufacture all the plastic parts used in the car to ensure that the vehicle weighs 25 percent less without losing too much strength which helps the vehicle meet safety standards. Magnesium alloy is used to fashion the swanky 22-inch alloys on the vehicle. Each wheel is also fitted with independent suspension while carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) is used to fashion the exterior of the vehicle to further reduce the weight of the vehicle. The vehicle has an overall weight of 760kg thanks to the strong yet extremely lightweight materials used in its creation. [Cheers Marcos]
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| Future of ammunition: Self steering bullet that will never miss the target Posted: 02 Feb 2012 03:00 AM PST Rohit Ram Singh: The Concept: Track-via-missile and Infrared homing missiles have been very effective in modern warfare. These missiles sense the electromagnetic radiations emitted by the target. Sandia, the US government organization that develops technologies to improve national security, has developed a self-steering bullet that can hit bull's eye from a distance of two kilometers.The bullet has fins similar to those found on missiles, which help in correcting the path. The accuracy comes from its advanced algorithm. Experts state that they can make 30 corrections per second so they don't have to be very precise each time. The tested prototype is 10 centimeters in length and has an optical sensor in the nose that detects laser.
 Self steering bullet
The sensed data is then processed and sent forward to the motors inside the bullet which are connected to the fins. The fins move to make alterations in the path. The prototype testing implies that it would work better when aimed at longer ranges. Conventional rifle bullets that make approximately 2,000 spins help to gain stability and speed but this bullet makes fewer spins and behaves much like a dart. Researchers used the conventional gunpowder and made the bullet fire with a speed twice as the speed of sound. They say that they can achieve even more with the help of custom made gunpowder. The agency says that there are some minor design issues with the ammunition but they are positive about bringing it to the market soon. The bullet can be best for snipers though experts have shown uncertainty for the public. The Inspiration: AIM-9 Sidewinder missile is the most famous heat seeking missile used in a fighter aircraft. This missile is one of the oldest and most effective air-to-air missiles. Several missile variants like K-13, MIM-72 Chaparral and AGM-87 Focus, have been made ever since using the same concept. Self-steered weapons are efficient since they hardly miss the target and avoid unnecessary damage and the inspiration for creating these self-steered bullets has been drawn from these missiles. These bullets will help cut down a lot of civilian causalities and monetary loss as well. Where are we now? Several missiles today use the concept of navigating through the emitted electromagnetic radiation in the infrared spectrum. We reckon these as the heat seeking missiles. These missiles have a sensor on their nose tip, which senses the heat or IR radiation. Counter measures have also been developed in aircraft to avoid such heat seeking missile attacks. These missiles have been modified to make them launch from an aircraft or from the ground. But there was no such bullet which can be fired from a sniper or rifle. With this new technology soldiers would obviously get an edge over the opponents in the battleground. What makes it stand out? The most obvious advantage of this bullet is to hit the target without a miss. This would also help to avoid unnecessary causalities and economical loss. One more major advantage is this would reduce the amount of ammunition wasted, which corresponds to the funding or money for buying ammunition. These bullets would be very useful in law enforcement and anti-terrorist campaigns. Most of the precise attacks have been done using aircraft till now but now this can be achieved using handy bullets that can be shot through rifles. This sure is going to be a big hit in the battlefield. Where do we go from here? These bullets will greatly help soldiers in the anti terrorism campaigns. People are being kept hostages and terrorists use them to escape successfully. Self-steering bullet will help us in situations like these. But Government agencies really need to think what if this technology reaches terrorists first. This could be a potential threat to the nation. Hence, need of suitable counter measures will have to be developed. Once these bullets are in the market, engineers and innovators can work towards the accuracy and the range to develop stronger and more precise bullets. They could also work to reduce the size and cost of production, making them popular ammunition of the modern world.
Self steering bulletSelf steering bullet made by Sandia Related Trends: 1. AIM 9 Sidewinder: AIM 9 Sidewinder is a short range air-to-air missile. It is the oldest and most effective heat seeking missile that was developed in 1950s. It was first used in the US Navy and then was used by the US Air Force. Sidewinder is famous for its precision, versatility and low production of cost. These missiles come under the category "heat-seeking missiles". They sense the electromagnetic radiation in the IR spectrum through the sensor on the tip to hit the target. We can expect to see these missiles in the late 21st century.
 AIM 9 Sidewinder 2. MIM-72 Chaparral: MIM-72 Chaparral is made on the concept of Sidewinder. The only difference is that it is a ground-to-air missile. It has a similar design and components. These missiles were introduced to US Army in the late 60’s. Ever since its first inception, scientists have been trying to make these missiles more powerful and accurate.
 MIM-72 Chaparral 3. RIM-66 Standard: RIM-66 Standard is a medium range missile that can be used to strike from ground to air. The first production of these missiles started in 1967. Guiding system of this missile uses the command and inertial mid course guidance with semi active radar homing system. This is different from IR homing and can work efficiently for medium range strike. This missile is launched from a surface ship.
 RIM 66 Standard
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| Viajero Sightseeing Vehicle offers a comfy ride to tourists in urban environment Posted: 02 Feb 2012 02:58 AM PST Asmita Prasad: Sightseeing vehicles are a major part of every city that is hot on the tourist map. For a crowded city like Istanbul, tourists' vehicles can be a real menace as they take up precious space on the narrower streets and can even cause the traffic to move slowly when tourists stop near a landmark. However, the Viajero Sightseeing Vehicle concept from designer Sencer Özdemir looks to help eliminate these problems and make sightseeing a more problem free experience for both tourists as well as local residents.
 VIAJERO
The alternative and sustainable sightseeing vehicle has the capacity to carry two passengers as well as a small load of cargo. Running on in-hub motors that power each of the vehicle's four wheels, the Viajero is safe for use around landmarks and old buildings that are threatened by air pollution. The low noise vehicle is made to be completely tourist friendly and comes with a special foldable chassis that allows it to be folded and parked into a specially made container, which means that people using the vehicle don't have to struggle to find a parking spot in a city unknown to them. Since many of these vehicles can be folded and stacked in the container, vehicles of the entire touring group can be parked within a relatively small space. On the inside, the rotatable and folding seating allows passengers to either sit or stand inside the vehicle. The roofless design allows them to relish panoramic view of the surroundings as they travel through the city while a wind-down screen on the overhead windshield allows them to get shade from the sun on warmer days. The vehicle is driven by an easy-to-use joystick which allows the vehicle to be maneuvered easily. The vehicle stops if the driver lets go of the joystick to ensure rider and passenger safety at all times. Two buttons at the sides let the user switch between two speeds and the speed control panel can be moved in its rail for standing or sitting drive modes. The suspension of the vehicle drops down to allow the passenger to easily step out.
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| Potencia First Aid Kit supplies power to your gadgets in emergencies Posted: 02 Feb 2012 02:28 AM PST Asmita Prasad: The Potencia First Aid Concept by designer Steven Corraliza brings together the first aid kit and an emergency power supply, two items that are the most sought after in case of an emergency or a natural disaster. Since no part of the world is really immune to natural disasters, so having a first aid kit and a source of light close by when disaster strikes can really be the difference between life and death in certain situations. And while we do appreciate the novel thought behind the conception of this product, what we really don't get is the usage that the designer intends for this product.
 Potencia First Aid
Apparently, the designer thinks that when your city's power lines have been ravaged by a hurricane or the infrastructure is demolished by an earthquake, individuals who work from home or have a serious project deadline to meet would still be more worried about getting their work done on time instead of coping with the massive catastrophe that struck their city. As a source of emergency power supply, the Potencia is a brilliant product that can be used to charge mobile phones and laptops or even power lights when the electricity supply is hit but the designer sadly leaves out the part where he is supposed to elaborate on the virtues of the product's first aid kit. The designer says that the Potencia will be powered by a lithium ion rechargeable battery storage pack though he doesn't elaborate on exactly how much power the packs will be able to hold. The good thing about the product however, is that it will be fitted with a sturdy steel like plastic composite material that will have electroluminescent strips underneath it to help it essentially glow in the dark so individuals can easily locate it when disaster strikes. Source: SC Design
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| Caracol portable light to illuminate your endless celebrations Posted: 02 Feb 2012 02:26 AM PST Radhicka S Saxena: It is quite challenging to light up a vast stretch of land altogether. If you do not want any patch shadowing in the dark, then it is important to install scores of lights which emit far reaching beams. A portable field light, dubbed as Caracol has been designed for such commodious spaces. This inventive light piece is the brainchild of the Spanish designer Adrian Candela. It has a unique shape with a winged frame that radiates out of a ball shaped base. The metallic winged arm can be wrapped away when not in use, which makes it easier to store the light and carry it around. When the arm is opened out, the LEDs embedded on it can be illuminated.
 Caracol Portable Field Lighting
The piece is made from PVC foam, steel and aluminum. Steel cables hook the winged arm of the light to the ball. So, along with being portable, the light is also quite durable. In addition, the piece is light weighed, so anyone can haul it around. Just enfold the light into a compact ball and plunk it in a rucksack or bag for transportation. The diameter measures 8 inches, which makes the light as big as soccer ball. The creative shape, which resembles a snail, enables the light to turn around and roll back if someone makes contact with it. Thus, you will not knock the light over if you accidentally bump into it. This feature makes the light piece an excellent choice for a playing field. A light that is sizable, powerful and portable will be an ingenious add-on in sports complexes, training grounds or spacious fields where games like soccer and football are played. The light can also be used in public spaces like gardens, malls, seashores, walking promenades or amusement parks. It is a good addition to large sized gardens in mansions, villas, farmhouses and hotels. Installing stationary lights in such spaces can be expensive, especially if you do not use them all the time. Caracol is a resourceful and viable solution for such large sized layouts. Source: Adrian Candela
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| 2046 Parsonal Commuter is an automatic driving vehicle for Paris Posted: 02 Feb 2012 02:07 AM PST Jaspreet Kaur Walia: Public transportation is a blessing that makes moving around the city a lot easier and convenient. Keeping the needs of Paris in mind, a public vehicle has been designed that is easy to use and is very stylish. Christened as the 2046 Parsonal Commuter, it has been designed by Daisuke Iguchi from Japan.
 2046 Parsonal Commuter in Oaris
The 2046 Parsonal Commuter is a futuristic vehicle, which will be driven automatically. This means a person can enjoy the beauty of Paris without the fear of any accidents or injuries. The vehicle has a vernacular design, which encourages car sharing and will run on clean energy. It has been given an organic shape that will easily match up with the shape and style of building erected in the coming times.
Picture Gallery  Organic style matched to organic building of the future The facade comes fitted with glass and its range can be widened as per the needs and comfort of a person riding inside it. A line of light will be set up on the road, which will aid in automatic driving. The car can be used to place advertisements, which will be a great way to create visibility by various companies or brands. It also has enough luggage room, which makes sure you can keep all the stuff you purchased in a secure way. The 2046 Parsonal Commuter will come wedged with manual controls and electrochromatic dimmable window. It will be available in a two seat and a single seat version, weighing 1300 kg and 900 kg, respectively. So, savor the liveliness of Paris as you go shopping in the 2046 Parsonal Commuter. Via: Michelin Challenge Design
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| The REK Coffee Table expands to accommodate more guests Posted: 02 Feb 2012 01:02 AM PST Asmita Prasad: Coffee tables are one of the most indispensable items in a home, be it a luxuriously decorated decadent manor or a short on space cramped studio apartment in the city. Since coffee tables cannot be done away with and they cannot be shrunk down in size without making it lose it functionality, the only other option is to have a coffee table that can be expanded on demand when one has guests over. The REK Coffee Table by designer Reinier De Jong is one such product that allows users to expand or contract its surface area depending on the kind of usage they plan for it.
 REK coffee table
In its collapsed and compacted state, the REK Coffee Table measures just 80 x 60 x 30 cm. However, when one has a lot of visitors and a bigger table is needed, the sliding parts of the REK can be pulled out to serve as secondary tables. All the sliding parts in the table are fitted with built-in stoppers so that they can never be completely pulled out of the table. Multiple levels of sliding pull-out parts allow the table to be expanded substantially. The sliding parts can be pulled out and left that way to change the table's design and to help it serve as a sculptural installation as well. The maximum length offered by the REK Coffee Table in its expanded state is 170cm and its max width is 130cm. In order to get a grip, the end grain side of the wood is bevelled and the edges of the coffee table are finished in beech, birch or oak wood while white HPL is used to finish the tabletop and two of the sides. The REK Coffee Table is set to retail at EUR 1500 ($1977.75). Source: Reinier De Jong
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| News spewing LCD laden recycling bins set for London debut Posted: 02 Feb 2012 12:59 AM PST Asmita Prasad: The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympics Games are all set to bestow the UK with all their glory and the City of London is welcoming guests from all around the world with open arms and a rather curious new innovation. By the time the games roll around to London, the city's streets and public spaces will be punctuated by the Renew bins. The high-tech recycling bins will feature a couple of LCD screens on either side that will display the latest news from the world of finance. Both sides of the bin will be fitted with screens to deliver content to the public on the go. The project has been in the pipelines for quite some time now and with the city ready to hit the world spotlight with the summer Olympics, this is the perfect time to debut these swanky new bins.
 LCD-equipped smart recycle bins
Created by a private company called Renew, the new recycling units are aimed at workers who live and commute through the city. Around half a million City workers who commute from and to the Square Mile each day will be benefited from the units that will feature news aimed at them. Each Renew bin costs the company £30,000 ($47,559) to build and install and private investment from entrepreneurs and City workers was used to back the project which will cost Renew £500,000 ($ 792, 650) per bin over the course of the 21-year contract for each.
Picture Gallery  LCD-equipped ’smart recycle bins’ showing up on London streets Each market day, the Renew flashes news between 6am and 23.59 pm and the content includes information about entertainment, arts, sport, fashion and travel apart from the general news headlines, weather updates, corporate news and breaking financial news. Since the bins are fitted with Wi-Fi, they can also be potentially used to offer greater connectivity. To make it easy for sanitation workers to collect and empty them, the Renew bin has been created with enough space in it to accommodate typical household wheelie bin. The real beauty of the bins is not the fact that they flash stock market indices or display news of current events but they are also geared to be able to broadcast updates and instructions in case of an emergency, which could help immensely in case of any disastrous situation. Between now and the Olympics, 75 units will be being installed around London. There are currently around 25 of these units already in place. Content for the Renew bins is currently generated by The Economist and the London Stock Exchange and since smartphones eat up a lot of bandwidth at crowded metro stations, getting information though the internet can be really hard. And this is exactly where a Renew bin can be of immense help for businesspersons. And the British project is already grabbing eyeballs around the world with cities like Singapore, Tokyo and New York showing interest in having a few Renew Bins lined up around their stock exchanges and busy business district metro and subway stations. Via: Dvice/ Daily Mail
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