The Design blog |
- The X 9 Nighthawk is a bicycle with a frame made from Aramid/carbon
- Strike Turn and Burn makes the humble matchbook too high tech for our liking
- Office Lunchbox +Table system helps office workers watch their diet
- Summing up touchscreen technology and what its future reckons
- Eco friendly lamp made from PET bottles runs on low voltage
- YBR bike system makes hiring a rental bike easy in cities
- Stepbath collection lets both adults and children use the sink at optimum height
- The New York City Theater brings back the spirit of Broadway
- Crisp, a space saving toaster for your compact kitchen
- Ubi Camera frames and captures snaps with your fingers
| The X 9 Nighthawk is a bicycle with a frame made from Aramid/carbon Posted: 31 Mar 2012 06:44 AM PDT Mridul Jerath: The X-9 Nighthawk, the recent creation of Slovakian mechanical engineer Brano Meres, was well received by public in its first display earlier this month at the Berlin bicycle show. Brano has created a number of bicycle frames in the past from different materials including strips of titanium, a bamboo fiber, carbon fiber rods to name a few, but talking about the frame of the Nighthawk, it is created very differently.
 X-9 Nighthawk Picture Gallery  Carbon-framed X-9 Nighthawk looks like the stealth fighter of bicycles The frame of this particular bicycle is made from aramid/carbon sandwich panels. The panels used to make the X-9 have an aramid core and the exterior is designed using laminated sheets of carbon fiber. Aramid, a sturdy and heat resistant artificial fiber, acts as a base material formed in an open honeycomb prototype, in order to maintain a perfect equilibrium between structural reliability and minimum amount of weight. With the help of a water jet these panels are cut to the desired size and then they are coupled with each other and finally covered with carbon fiber skins. Meres also added a carbon fiber split, stem and handlebars made especially for the X-9. He also prepared an exclusively designed saddle for it. Once the frame is completed, it is checked for the weight, which is the primary concern in such projects. Though this frame weighs just about 1.4 kilograms, but Meres mentioned that his goal in carrying out this extraordinary experiment was very different. Brano's main motive behind this project was to design an entirely different frame using honeycomb sandwich panels, the material largely used in the aircraft industry that offers magnificent stiffness to a preferred weight. The bicycle turned out to be a great success and looks like a stealth fighter. Via: Gizmag
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| Strike Turn and Burn makes the humble matchbook too high tech for our liking Posted: 31 Mar 2012 05:44 AM PDT Asmita Prasad: Do you find the process of igniting a lighter too tiresome? Do you find lighting old fashioned matches a bit too romantic a tradition to let go of? Are you a serial arsonist obsessed with lighting matches and get ticked off into a serious psychosis when it takes you more than a moment to pick a match up from a matchbook and light it? Then the Strike Turn and Burn matchbook replacement may just be the thing for you.
 Strike Turn And Burn
The Strike serves as a durable matchbook that can store all your precious matchsticks and protect them from humidity and accidental breakage. Just like a regular matchbook, the Strike too can also be used to light matches. When you twist the top dial of the device open, it dispenses one match at a time. What's even better is that the device automatically ignites the match that is being dispenses so you don't even have to take an extra moment to rub the dispensed match against a compatible frictional surface. And just in case you manage to get your hands on a matchbook with a few strike-anywhere matches handy but jut can't find a suitably coarse surface to light them, then the textured bottom of the Strike Turn and Burn can be used to produce a light. The device also comes with a few sticky strike pads included to make sure that no matchstick ever gets wasted for lack of a compatible lighting surface. Via: Quirky
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| Office Lunchbox +Table system helps office workers watch their diet Posted: 31 Mar 2012 05:43 AM PDT Asmita Prasad: The Dabbawalas of Mumbai may have revolutionized the home made lunch for office workers in the megacity but the same kind of service is often unavailable in other cities around the world. Office workers often have to bring food from home that gets cold by lunch time or are forced to stand in a long queue to use the office microwave if one is available. These inconveniences often force office workers to prefer buying lunch from the office cafeteria or eat out both of which aren't often the best alternatives for people on a diet or those who want to curb their spending on meals.
 Office Lunchbox + Table system
The Office Lunchbox + Table system by designer Daniel To is a revolutionary new office lunchbox concept that allows office workers to reheat home cooked lunches right at their lunch table or work station. The system comprises of a set of intelligent heat sensors and an induction cook top that is fitted into the metal base along with utensils and multiple containers for storing food. The other part of the system boasts of a smart touch interface-laced induction cook top that allows users to reheat the food that they have brought from home easily. The touch interface is activated once it recognizes the lunch boxes and allows users to customize settings for all types of foods. The Office Lunchbox + Table system thus offers office workers the alternative to keep an eye on their diet and bring prepared food or even leftovers from home and watch their calorie intake as well as spending on meals.
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| Summing up touchscreen technology and what its future reckons Posted: 31 Mar 2012 05:41 AM PDT Radhicka S Saxena: Electronic visual displays that can detect your touch are really becoming a hot selling commodity. Some touchscreens are operated with hands while others are designed to be controlled with a stylus. Touchscreens are often incorporated to make a gadgets look sleek and premium. They have permeated almost every product category and are used in different types of machines like computers, phones, game consoles and even cars. But where is this technological breakthrough heading and what does it have to offer. Here is a brief account of what can be expected and the direction in which the invention can take off.
 Putting the Touch into Touchscreens
Touchscreens usually allow users to interact directly with a device, eliminating the need to use any intermediary gadgets for sending out commands and controlling operations. But this design, which was actually devised to cut down all the fluff, is probably deviating from its basic purpose. Minimalism is the way to go and the future of design is all about making gadgets simpler. However, in an attempt to fit in touchscreens, most designs are becoming more cumbersome. How many touchscreens are actually user friendly and make things easier when you are running through a device?
Picture Gallery  Putting the Touch into Touch Screens by Sprungseven Take for examples the touchscreens fitted in cars. They are supposed to make life simpler for you but the clutter of buttons, dials, knobs, sliders and various other fittings can at times baffle the user. Most touchscreens fitted in gadgets also don't work all that smooth. Hence, although, touchscreens pack in a lot of information and can easily tweak settings as per user specifications, they have a long way to go. Moreover, touchscreens have the potential to become intelligent. For example, buttons that threaten a user's safety, can fade completely out of sight on a touchscreen. Despite all the impediments, once this design phenomenon is perfected, it will revolutionize the appearance and functioning of every possible gizmo. If touchscreen technology is exploited the right way, it will be possible to manufacture devices without any buttons at all. This will pave way for designs that are a lot more simplistic, harmonious and trouble free. Buttons could pop out only when required by users. They could appear or vanish away from the display completely, thus allowing devices to become more compact and portable. Going a step further, maybe buttons could cluster just around the point your fingers are reaching for. So, touchscreens definitely have the potential to become a sensation and have gone through a continual advancement process. The first touchscreen was formulated by American inventor G Samuel Hurst for air traffic control and we have come a long way from there. They were commercialized a little after the video game Nintendo DS was released during 2004. Today, touchscreens have come into our homes and have penetrated amongst the masses. They are desirable and people continue to buy products embedded with sleek touchscreens. Maybe, it is an image related thing or the fact that we are all attracted to fine looking pieces. Whatever the reason, touchscreens are here to stay, and their design will surely see an overhaul or at least an improvement in the future. Via: Sprung Seven
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| Eco friendly lamp made from PET bottles runs on low voltage Posted: 31 Mar 2012 05:39 AM PDT Radhicka S Saxena: A good way to unburden landfills from the dump of PET bottles is to recycle them and this ingenious lamp does just that. The composable lamp has four modular units and a base. The earthy looking lamp will blend well with laid back and relaxed interiors. It is a really good choice for outdoor settings like gardens and yards. Its long and extended body looks like a tall bamboo. The lamp is rightly dubbed as b-booo.
 B-BOOO
Picture Gallery  b-booo is a composable lamp made with recycled pet from plastic bottles,suitable both for exterior and interior places The stone like base is quite weighty and gives the lamp stability. It has a joint running through the middle as it is made from two parts. The lamp can be assembled by fitting on piece above each other. Just place one piece on top of the other and twist them around to fit them in. The lamp, made from second hand materials, can easily be used indoors as well as in open air. The top unit of the lamp has a plastic cap to guard it from rain. To illuminate your surroundings, the lamp has two rechargeable batteries running on low voltage. The LEDs are outfitted in one line. The upper part of the base has the crepuscolar sensor and light can be illuminated using this arrangement. The plug is connected to the batteries via a female connector. There is also a male connector, which should be used only when the initial battery runs dry, and this one is in the external electric cable. In fact, the LEDs are also arranged in assembly using the same male-female principle connectors. Via: Design Boom
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| YBR bike system makes hiring a rental bike easy in cities Posted: 31 Mar 2012 05:38 AM PDT Asmita Prasad: The YBR_bike system by designer Eliel Cabrera is a bike rental system created especially for inner city bicyclists. The bike rack is fashioned in cast iron and comes finished with black forge Oxiron paint over anti-oxidant phosphatizing primer that protects the stand from rust. Steel tweezers keep the rack anchored to the informational post with curved stainless steel plates being used to support the freestanding structure.
 YBR_bike system
All the electricity required to run the electrical systems of the YBR_bike system is provided by a solar panel housed at the top of the information post with individual stands being fitted with bike system identification including a QR code, bike rental company information, helpline numbers, zone identification as well as information about the system that a particular bike runs on. Users can scan these QR codes to obtain information about maps, location of the bike station, basic fees, rental conditions, etc. To hire a bike from the YBR_bike system, an NFC system located at the top of the hire machine can be used to make payments. This hire machine comes with a ticket receipt window, an input keyboard, slots for the rent card and credits cards as well as a touchscreen interface. The bike rack itself comes with a single push-button mechanism at the top that can be used to anchor and release the bike from the stand.
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| Stepbath collection lets both adults and children use the sink at optimum height Posted: 31 Mar 2012 05:36 AM PDT Asmita Prasad: Do you ever get the feeling that the family bathroom in your home is perhaps not as much "fun" for your kids as it is for the adults? Unless you live in a houseful of really tall people where all the bath fixtures are impossibly out of reach for children, chances are that you would respond to this question with a raised eyebrow and skepticism about where this post is headed. However, from a kids' point of view bath fixtures like countertop sinks and shower fixtures can be a tad difficult to reach and use which is why the Stepbath Collection of bath fixtures by the good and talented designers over at ABCD Studio makes such perfect sense.
 STEPBATH A bath for all
The collection features sinks and bath fixtures that are easy to use for both children as well as adults. Even though it might not be the best of ideas to have a set of bath fixtures installed for use only by children who cannot reach up to the fixtures in an adult sized bathroom since they are only going to remain short for a few short years in the childhood, the collection proves its worth in cases where adults cannot always be physically present to supervise children when they use the bathroom. The variable heighted sinks and ergonomically designed toilet fittings are also great for use by people with handicaps and those confined to the wheelchair. The collections allows both the able bodied as well as people who need their sinks to be a lower level to use sinks at a height that is best suited to their needs without bending too far down or stretching too far up. Source: ABCD Studio
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| The New York City Theater brings back the spirit of Broadway Posted: 31 Mar 2012 05:36 AM PDT Jaspreet Kaur Walia: The impressive work by David Vecchi and Emanuela Ortolani in the form of the New York City Theater is gaining popularity. The project is supposed to be a building for mixed usage that will bow down to many requirements and needs. It will also help in promoting the spirit of independent plays and help get back the zing that existed to which Broadway till date is associated with.
 New York City Theatre
Picture Gallery  New York City Theatre, designed by David Vecchi & Emanuela Ortolani The New York City Theater project was put on show at the ESA gallery. The building will comprise of a functional theater, offices as well as residences, which vow to solve a variety of purposes. The architects wanted to use the land in a sensible way, keeping in mind soaring land prices in Manhattan. This forced them to come up with a design that will put forward more functions in a single building. Four piers will support and raise the original volume of the theater, which will comprise of mixed use spaces. Theatrical activities will also be funded by renting or selling out of the real estate units till the time the place doesn't gain economic independence. The structure will support cultural activities for free. The project will create a real theater system with two blocks, one dedicated to be used as a hotel and the other as residential area. The New York City Theater project has been crafted in a way which will allow a better view as well as exposure. Via: Archdaily
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| Crisp, a space saving toaster for your compact kitchen Posted: 31 Mar 2012 04:47 AM PDT Christina Pinto: Maybe you have limited kitchen space or are on the lookout for some modern kitchen appliances that you can show off. The Crisp is the best decision you can make in terms of an attractive and functional toaster appliance. It has an advantage over other toasters; it can be compressed to reduce its size.
 Crisp
In case you are on the lookout for some modern kitchen appliances to show off or have limited kitchen space, the Crisp is the best decision you can make in terms of an attractive and functional toaster appliance. The amazingly collapsible toaster has been designed by Yolanda Jackson. It has an advantage over other toasters i.e. it can be compressed to reduce its size to 2.5 inches.
You just have to press the sides of the toaster to activate its special feature. A gentle tug allows the toaster to return to its original size, after which you can use the two toasting slots. Insert your bread and bagels into the slots and they will be toasted to your liking. To take care of the stray crumbs, a crumb tray has been built into the machine to collect any fallen food particles and it is easily removable to dispose of the crumbs. The toaster has been advertized as the best way to open up more counter space due to its sliming feature. When closed, its dimensions are 7.5 x 2.5 x 5.7 inches and 7.5 x 5 x 5.7 inches when opened. Aside from two toasting slots and a removable crumb tray, the electric cord can be wrapped neatly at the end of the unit. Crisp toaster is created from charcoal grey plastic and brushed metal hence it appears sleek and trendy. Black and white combination makes it look attractive though it would be nice to see more colors. Yolande was working in her kitchen when she realized that it was too cramped and she needed more counter space and inspired her to reinvent the toaster. Quirky company just had to take one look at her innovative concept for a slim toaster to recognize its potential. Via: Quirky
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| Ubi Camera frames and captures snaps with your fingers Posted: 31 Mar 2012 04:46 AM PDT B.Sameer Kumar: All of us at some point of time use our fingers to scope out a frame for a snapshot that we intend to take. Of course, with modern digital displays and powerful cameras, you are now able to view what you are about to capture. But that is not the case with every camera around and while the output might still be displayed on a LED screen, you still need to use the viewfinder to get that perfect shot. With the Ubi-camera though, all you need to do is form a rectangular frame with your fingers and the perfect shot will be delivered.
 Ubi-Camera
Nothing speaks of ergonomics more than the design of the Ubi-Camera. It can be fixed to your index finger and then as you frame the fingers, it measures the distance to your face to snap up the required picture. With an installed infra-red sensor, Ubi-Camera can sense the distance between your face and the camera unit. If your fingers are framed close to your face (eye), then you get a panorama shot and as you move them away from your face, you get a picture that is more to a close up. In simpler words, the camera captures what you exactly see in the “finger frame” of yours and it identifies this border by measuring the distance to your face. It is connected to a PC unit for its functioning. The camera is still in its development phase. Its developers at the Institute of Advanced Media Arts and Sciences, wish to design an independent unit that can be carried around and are working on the IR sensor to ensure that surrounding heat does not affect it. We simply love the idea of a finger camera and it could throw up some interesting options down the line. Via: Akihabaranews
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They are great to bathroom fixtures and prices are more than reasonable. Quality of their products is awesome.
ReplyDeleteBathroom Fixtures