The Design blog |
- 'Augmented reality' helmet makes you look like boozing on city streets
- Amphi-X Amphibious Vehicle for Dubai's World Island is fully 2030 ready
- Valmet Automotive shows off electric car that looks like a giant vacuum cleaner
- Virtual Mountain Bike brings chills and thrills of biking just by your bedside
- MILA Coupic SUV becomes a sporty pick up to carry your bikes
- Revel and sample the widespread layout of food at Fire Emperor
- ‘Bird of Paradise’ treats you on waves with eco friendly engineering
- Solar Helmet lets skiers generate power when they hit the slopes
- Balance bike reinvents biking with its innovative design
- Forget furniture items, now buy a prefab home from IKEA!
| 'Augmented reality' helmet makes you look like boozing on city streets Posted: 07 Mar 2012 04:45 AM PST Asmita Prasad: OK so we all know that cannabis and LSD are bad and "magic" mushrooms are hard to find in most urban grocery stores, but that doesn't take anything away from the awesome hallucinations these stimulants can produce. Ordinary Joes like you and I may understand that but cops and judges certainly do not which is why this awesome new ‘augmented reality’ helmet called LifeClipper is such a breath of fresh air.
 The ‘augmented reality’ helmet Picture Gallery  The ‘augmented reality’ helmet that turns walk in the park into an encounter with alien creatures under a psychedelic sky Guaranteed to give users the sense of experiencing the same "trip" as LSD or weed, the ‘virtual reality’ helmets are developed for use exclusively at Basel, Switzerland-based St Johann’s Park. Augmented reality technology (AR) is used to create the immersive experience which is produced using 3D illusions created by computers, head mounted cameras and a high-powered computer backpack. The game-like, interactive new media artwork is part of the Lifeclipper project and allows users to experience hallucinations created by computers and see them superimposed on live feed captured by the helmet-mounted cameras. This allows the user to experience strange visions in the sky, surreal insects, glowing grass and ghostly surroundings that plunge users into parallel worlds. The imagery takes a normal view of the world and adds dream-like visions to screenshots captured by users. Most of these images are inspired by the works of surreal artists like Rene Magritte as well as films such as Avatar and Independence Day. Sadly, the helmet only works in St Johann’s Park though it can just as easily be recreated anywhere else in the world using the same technology which really beats making shady deals with shady "contacts", paying way above market price for "stuff" and living with the fear of getting nabbed for "possession" or getting DIUs! Via: Daily Mail
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| Amphi-X Amphibious Vehicle for Dubai's World Island is fully 2030 ready Posted: 07 Mar 2012 04:32 AM PST Asmita Prasad: In most modern cities, traveling on the busy congested roads make life very stressful and tiring for people living and working there. However, since most cities around the world have a few waterways, canals or rivers running through them, water-based vehicles can easily be used to decongest urban roads. Even though the current state of amphibious vehicles is less than satisfactory with most such vehicles being ergonomically un-economical, designer Beichen Nan has created a luxury amphibious vehicle called Amphi-X that can be used by commuters to travel to man made islands like the World Island located off the shoreline of Dubai city.
 Amphi-X amphibious vehicle
The easy to use vehicle comes with a water mode that can be easily activated by an internal switch which makes the wheels retract. The retraction of the wheels will create less drag in water. Inflatable seals are then activated from inside the vehicle to prevent water from seeping in during travel on canals and waterways. These seals are installed around the vehicle’s canopy and wheel arches and are accompanied by a small changeable compressed air tank.
The rear wheel of the Amphi-X can be expanded to its maximum size allowing a different type of propulsion system. The paddle wheel propulsion system allows the user to experience a slow relaxing cruise along the beach compared to the extreme water jet propulsion system. Navigational lights are located in the front and rear of the vehicle. Jellyfish inspired OLED strips light are installed throughout the vehicle for better visibility during night time. The innovative wheel design is created by mixing and matching different types of technologies like in wheel hub motors and drive by wire system and merging them into a new innovative design. The Mecanum wheel based omni directional drive system which allows the vehicle to move sideway. Michelin airless tires known as Tweel wheel which uses polyurethane spokes to form the wheels of the vehicle. The expanding and retracting of the wheel design has been inspired by the umbrella opening and refracting motion. With hinges or pivots point on the outside rather than the inside, the stainless steel axis pushes out and the wheel retracts forcing the polyurethane spokes to retract. If the center axis is pushed back, the wheelbase expands. The aesthetically appealing amphibious vehicle is both a car as well as a boat and combines the functions of the two different types of vehicles into a single automobile that can be used both on land as well as in the water. This will help reduce the traffic on the roads and free customers from having to pay for ferry rides each time they have to get to an off-coast island. Source: Monash
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| Valmet Automotive shows off electric car that looks like a giant vacuum cleaner Posted: 07 Mar 2012 04:30 AM PST Asmita Prasad: No ladies and gentlemen, this isn't an oversized vacuum cleaner that we found doing the rounds of the Geneva Auto Show. This bizarre creation is actually a brand new electric car concept called "Dawn" that came out the stables of Valmet Automotive, the Finnish contract manufacturer that churns out premium specialty cars for big brands including Porsche, Saab and Fisker. Debuted at the Geneva Auto Show, the concept shows off the company's electric vehicle production capabilities to showcase their knack for making, er, attention-grabbing vehicles on their own.
 Dawn electric concept
From what we can see, the vehicle appears to be a rear-engined single-seater with a wireless induction charger housed up front. Valmet are being really coy about sharing the details of the vehicle though industry watchers say that the effort might be a bid from the automaker to impress its military weapons-maker parent company and Marussia, the Russian maker of supercars who will be commissioning Valmet to build their next lot of cars as well. For now, the Finnish manufacturer is busy churning out Th!nk and Fisker electric cars and we do hope they would divulge the specs of this bizarre creation soon and we’re keeping our fingers crossed that it really isn’t in fact a giant vacuum cleaner! Via: Jalopnik
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| Virtual Mountain Bike brings chills and thrills of biking just by your bedside Posted: 07 Mar 2012 04:28 AM PST Shallu Sharma: So you love to go mountain biking? Why wouldn’t you? The thrill is so rewarding! But cutting out of the diurnal ties and getting your set of wheels to the mountains daily is not a manageable feat. How about if the next best thing was right within your four walls? The Virtual Mountain Bike Racing Simulator is more than an exerciser. It’s a machine capable of bringing you the chills and thrills of mountain biking at the stead of your bed. Read on to experience the "virtual" adrenaline.
 Mountain Bike Racing Simulator
This modish bike comes with the 17" color LCD screen that simulates riding a mountain bike in outdoor courses. Pedals and steering have been provided to monitor a computer generated cyclist on the video screen. To keep you engaged on the road and boost the thrill, other virtual cyclists appear for competition. You can choose any route out of 80 outdoor courses including rolling highland track and twisty snake-like desert course. The pedaling of the bike is controlled electronically which boosts or cuts in accordance with topography gradients that appear on the screen. Saddle sensors of the bike keep a check on the posture of the cyclist whether the user is standing or sitting and the computer-created cyclist takes the same posture.
 Mountain Bike Racing Simulator It's almost like riding a real bike on tough terrain where clutching the bike's hand brakes and changing gears manage the bike on the monitor, with the simulation of carving around a turn or braking to avoid hitting the competitor. The best part is users can develop their own exercise routine or use the preprogrammed training mode that the bike comes with. You can also keep a check on distance traveled, calories burned, exercise time, speed, etc. through LCD display. Seats and handlebar could be adjusted according to the comfort of the user and you simply have to plug it into AC to experiencing bike riding whenever you wish to do so. Via: Hammacher
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| MILA Coupic SUV becomes a sporty pick up to carry your bikes Posted: 07 Mar 2012 04:26 AM PST Shallu Sharma: Magna Steyr MILA Coupic concept car would definitely make you hold your breath and your heart beat faster with its amazing silhouette and extraordinary features. The debut of the car will be made at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show to demonstrate its excellent design and engineering capabilities. The easily transformable MILA Coupic car would make sixth entry to the MILA family.
 MILA Coupic Concept
The car comes with an innovative roof with transparent glass elements embedded textile material that could be folded easily to give it an open look. The SUV coupe can be transformed into a sporty pick-up or open-air car. The roof of the car is divided into two parts that open without being dependent on each other. This car can easily accommodate up to five people with its innovative seating technology. The back seat can be folded upwards to provide space for generous load. The rear seat of the car when folded-up, seals off the driver's chamber and transforms it into an efficient pick up that could be used for transporting heavy loads. The inspiration for the innovative roof material has been taken from the design of the modern sports shoes. The construction comprises of three different layers with the robust layer at the lowest level to provide stability, followed by middle layer to provide comfort and safety and top layer with sporty and elegant appeal. The off-road character being provided by the wheels, this car is surely going to allure you with its "clash green" and "crystal white" color scheme. Via: Carbodydesign
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| Revel and sample the widespread layout of food at Fire Emperor Posted: 07 Mar 2012 04:24 AM PST Radhicka S Saxena: Food helps you celebrate life and your moods. Almost everyone enjoys shopping for groceries and rations. A good assortment of provisions and attractive displays are always appreciated. People just love visiting such stores and supermarkets. The Fire Emperor is one such new marketplace for food and ration. Gourmands and foodies will be totally smitten by this concept. It will be liked by locals as well as tourists. Moreover, this is not just a place for grim and selective food shoppers, it will also serve as a fun hang out zone.
 The Fire Emperor by NIO architecten
Picture Gallery  NIO architecten design the ultimate food shopping experience The range of foods on sale will leave anyone astounded. The wide variety of victuals from different cultures and nationalities is jaw dropping. From veggies to meats, the cartel will dole out every food imaginable. You will find simple country fare and also exotic spreads over here. Although the layout is not compartmentalized, the spacious expanse will have demarcated zones and plots. To match the eclectic, broad and all encompassing selection of food on display, the interiors will have a jolly, energetic and festive vibe. There will be a Thai-New Age room and also a German-expressionist quarter. The outlet will also service by day and night. This amazing food market holding a slew of varieties will be located in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The location is quite strategic. It is conveniently situated in the midst of two other souks, namely; the new floating market and also the de Binnenrotte market. Positioned at the het Steiger, the new food bazaar will give the area a facelift. This spot was known to be a mysterious hub prior to the war but became secluded later on. But the upcoming food bazaar from NIO architecten might just change all this.
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| ‘Bird of Paradise’ treats you on waves with eco friendly engineering Posted: 07 Mar 2012 04:19 AM PST Shallu Sharma: Luxury often comes at the cost of nature. While we relish the good things money can buy, we remain completely oblivious of the cost our environment had to pay for our selfish indulgences. But as long as there’s money, indulgence shall be. However, it’s not entirely impossible to make both ends meet. The Bird of Paradise 75 by Caan Yaylali is such an example of eco friendly engineering, which is powered by hybrid electric propulsion system and solar power. So you do not necessarily "propel" out the nature element while you treat yourself on the waves.
 Bird of Paradise 75
Taking a look at the technical aspects of the yacht, it comes with solar panels producing 150Kw of energy and cruising speed of 25 knots with diesel and 6 to 8 knots with solar power. The thrust to the Bird of Paradise is provided by its dual Rolls Royce Hybrid Electric Propulsion System, which is good enough to drive a 75×30feet vessel. The design of the vessel offers separate areas for control room and living space with the control room accessible through stairs. It also features foldable bow stairs from under the deck that reaches waterline. When hidden under the front deck, the stairs are flat and rotate as soon as placed in form of stairs. The roof of the yacht features solar panels to power day to day living activities. It helps in reducing excessive use of fuel and electricity. The choice of engine for the Bird of Paradise has also been made keeping in mind its eco friendly nature. With the Rolls Royce's new hybrid electric propulsion system, the yacht could be used in electric as well as diesel engine mode. Propellers can also be driven with the power produced by the shaft generators that comes into use when yacht is cruising slowly. In such cases, when vessel is spending extended time on water or waiting at the dock, main engine can be turned off and one or more generators could be used for propulsion. [Cheers Caan]
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| Solar Helmet lets skiers generate power when they hit the slopes Posted: 07 Mar 2012 04:16 AM PST Asmita Prasad: Every time a skier goes high on top of a snow laden mountain, he is closer to the sun than most of us on the planet. And this unique attribute of his day is what makes him an ideal candidate for testing wearable PV technology. This solar powered ski helmet is a new prototype that is being developed by Frauenhofer Institute in collaboration with a German company called TEXSYS. Since the sun's rays are the most potent the closer to the sun we get, it makes a lot of sense to have skiers test out a ski helmet that has been fitted with PV panels.
 Solar ski helmet
Though the ski helmet developed by the researchers at Frauenhofer is just a part of the breakthrough the institute has achieved in creating a new kind of flexible high efficiency solar panels that can be fitted into all kinds of daily use products. Traditionally, only a flat-surfaced solar panel ha been considered the most efficient since PV used on a curved surface are able to gather less sunlight which results in poor power output. However, the new developments in the field use encapsulation techniques on an innovative solar cell structure that allows more complex surfaces to be integrated with solar cells. Based on mono-crystalline silicon these solar panels are more than 20 percent more efficient than existing PV and can be laid out redundantly that reduces the risk of breakage and ensures that solar power continues to be generated even if a cell breaks.
 Solar ski helmet This would allow everyday hats and helmets like the ones used by construction workers, rescue crews and even bicyclists and extreme sportsmen to be integrated with lighting and communication technology that doesn't need to rely on exterior batteries. since the same principles can be applied to e-clothing as well, it would, at some point in the near future, allow our clothes to be fitted with solar panels that would be able to generate sufficient power to run most of our portable gadgetry. At the moment, the ski helmets powering devices that have been prototyped by Frauenhofer Institute have been integrated with Bluetooth and would be able to produce enough clean energy to keep mp3 players and cellphones recharged in the extreme conditions of ski slopes. The current lot of prototypes is in the testing stage for the moment and researchers to hope their efficiency further before launching the ski helmets in the market by the end of the year. When the ski helmets are launched, they are expected to cost about US$400 or 300 euros. Via: Gizmodo
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| Balance bike reinvents biking with its innovative design Posted: 07 Mar 2012 04:15 AM PST Sahil Khurana: Gone are the days of riding normal bicycles. At the end of the day, the main underlying concept of a bicycle is maintaining the balance. How would it sound if someone told you about an upcoming bicycle prototype which relies completely on balance and has no steering mechanism in place? You'd stand amazed right? Well, then the Balance Bike by the students of Norwegian University of Science and Technology will leave you stupefied with their unique bike prototype.
 BALANCE BIKE
While riding a bike, balance is the most important factor which plays into the picture. However, what makes the Balance Bike prototype a success is the balancing act required while driving it. Replacing the steering structure of the bike with a body bow, the whole idea has been driven into the masterpiece. All you need to do is turn your body towards the side you wish to turn towards and the bike would be steered automatically. No more tensions of holding the steering handles in an attempt to move the bicycle to and fro. An ideal design for people who are heavily into sports, the design of the bike is such it will never let you get bored. A great way to relax those tired muscles and flex all those unused muscles in your body. Enjoy this new device and let yourself go. Via: CargoCollective
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| Forget furniture items, now buy a prefab home from IKEA! Posted: 07 Mar 2012 04:12 AM PST Jaspreet Kaur Walia: Have you ever felt like picking just all the cool yet affordable furniture and houswares when at IKEA? Well, now you can buy a whole house at IKEA, if you always felt it taxing to assemble one! The home product giant, has teamed up with the prefab housing design studio IdeaBox and come up with a 745 square foot home named the Atkiv.
 IKEA prefab home
Atkiv is a prefab housing unit, which has been designed around IKEA furniture especially for customers of Pacific Northwest. The one bedroom house has modern interiors and the inside come caked with a lot of creativity. The pre-fabbed domicile comes with all the furnishings and finishes. The inside gets additional spark with the presence of maple flooring, kitchen cabinets, bath cabinets and wardrobe section as well. The aesthetically pleasing inside will feature appliances, fixtures and materials that are eco friendly in nature and won't have any ill effect on the surroundings. These include energy star electronics and dual flush toilet. The overall shape rests nicely on a rectangular base. Atkiv has been fashioned using corrugated metal, fiber cement siding and metal roof. The 53 foot by 15 foot structure doesn't need any assembly and everything will be installed beforehand. Not only this, the structure will complete with LED light fixtures and pipes that are water efficient. The amazing home is expected to come stashed with a price tag of $80,000 approximately. The space saving and ultra portable housing solution will be perfect for small families and will provide all the necessary comfort. Via: Dvice
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