Freelance Jobs

The Design blog

The Design blog

Sprout Ambient Infant Monitor makes life easier for new parents

Posted: 26 May 2012 05:42 AM PDT

Asmita Prasad:

Being a new parent can be very grueling for first timers especially if they have a packed schedule to work around. Most new parents choose to opt for work from home options offered by their offices though that too requires one to chalk out a time frame and a space away from the sleeping baby. Being inexperienced, most new parents need help recognizing when their child's health and safety are in danger and there are some situations that medical brochures and advice from mum just doesn't prepare you with. The Sprout Ambient Infant Monitor System by David Kanegsberg is one such solution that allows new parents as well folks that need to work away from a nursery to keep a constant check on their infant's safety even from afar.

Sprout - Infant Monitor System
Sprout - Infant Monitor System

Basically an intelligent infant monitor system, the Sprout Ambient Infant Monitor uses existing Wi-Fi to monitor and transmit data to multiple devices in and out of the home with a Touchless Monitoring system keeping a constant track of the baby's breathing and temperature. Motion recognition technology and infrared are also used in the system to keep a good track of the baby’s chest movement and vital signs.

This allows parents to keep track of baby's breathing and temperature patterns from afar. Sprout transmits data to a computer through a router data is instantly processed and uploaded to a secure site on the internet and then trickles down into a live feed that can be downloaded to a 3G phone or a computer.

Source: David Kanegsberg

Metcalfe takes the late Peter Wheeler’s Scamander ATV out for a spin anywhere on the planet

Posted: 26 May 2012 05:41 AM PDT

Asmita Prasad:

Harry Metcalfe, the amazing Editorial Director and founder of Evo magazine, has held on to one of the most enviable jobs in the world since 1998 which has allowed him to behold, own, drive and criticize almost every great vehicle known to man so far. So when Mr. Metcalfe tells us that he's just seen the "most amazing vehicle", you know it's a really special automotive that we're talking about here. And the legend doesn't appear to have been totally off the mark with his lavish praise. The Scamander ATV created by Peter Wheeler takes it all-terrain promise a little too seriously delivering a tip speed of 120mph on land going up to 60 mph from a standing start in around 6 seconds thanks to a V6 engine capable of outputting 300-horsepower.

Scamander
Scamander

Wheeler who owned TVR, the renowned British boutique automaker, for around two and a half decades, designed and built the Scamander ATV sadly passed away before he could complete the vehicle's water-going mechanism though his vision was brought to life as closely as its creator could have by his wife and the team of engineers from his firm who gave it an impeller at the rear that allows the vehicle to be driven over water almost as normally as it is driven on land.

ScamanderScamander is the go-anywhere, swim-across-anything RV from England

Via: Auto Blog

Student designs comfy and user friendly train seating with DEUTSCHE BAHN

Posted: 26 May 2012 05:39 AM PDT

Radhicka S Saxena:

These swish and streamlined seats set up on a train body are as special as they appear to be. An ergonomic T frame and floating mechanism is what gives them an edge. This lightweight and cozy chair designed by the Germany based industrial designer Devraj Bhadra will definitely make a very good travel companion. Some features of the natty seat are given below.

DEUTSCHE BAHN
DEUTSCHE BAHN

The good thing about the T frame layout is how it takes care of the joints and the materials used to build the seat. The main skeleton on which the chair is mounted allows for easy installation and sliding of the seats. This also makes the sliding, locking and angular inclines very easy. Passengers walking by can read travel related information on the OLED screens affixed at the lateral sides. This way, people who are already seated in their places, will not be disturbed.

Comfort of passengers sitting on a seat as well as those resting behind it has been taken care of. The handle located at the rear of the seat can be used by people sitting behind to hoard items or luggage. Also, the handle serves as a support in case you need to lean over. Another great feature is that the tables and trays are not attached to the backrests of the seats. So, if the person in the front leans backwards, then your table setup will not be disturbed.

The reason why the seats feel so snugly is the use of innovative and long lasting cushioning material instead of ordinary foam. The elastic deformation effect of the fiber reinforced polypropylene plates makes the padding extremely soft. The concentric rings on the seat provide different degrees of cushioning to different pressure points of the body when you sit down. Lamps that can be operated with a touch have also been integrated along the border of the seat.

[Cheers Devraj]

Human powered oRo is stylish and perfect for an urban environemnt

Posted: 26 May 2012 05:36 AM PDT

Jaspreet Kaur Walia:

Rising fuel prices and pollution levels have triggered designers to come up with vehicles that come smothered in eco friendliness. Understanding the need of compact urban mobility is designer You Yin Ting, who has come up with an amazing concept in the form of oRo, which is a human powered ride.

Human Powered Vehicle - oRo
Human Powered Vehicle - oRo

The designer fetched quite some inspiration from rocking chair, which has a very comfortable nature and an interesting movement. The zero-emission vehicle will prove to be very practical on traffic choked roads. The aerodynamic design comprises of two wheels: one in the front and the other in the rear. When in use, the back wheel extends for a smooth ride but retracts when not in use, which in turn saves a lot space in the parking area.

The seat can be adjusted as per the comfort of users as they get to ride in two modes, normal and relax. The inside is as pretty as the outside, with a digital speedometer panel, steering wheel to maneuver the ride and pedals to power it. oRo comes complete with indicators, two front lights and a backlight. The wheels glow when the surroundings get dark, which add to the safety level of the green vehicle. The front door in the design can be slid upwards, which will support proper ventilation.

oRo can be used by one person at a time and will be great to move around the city. The compact ride is very stylish and will keep you healthy while saving the environment from the clutches of pollution.

Via: Designcot

Power meters for bikes will get cheaper with Laser Spoke

Posted: 26 May 2012 05:34 AM PDT

Radhicka S Saxena:

Cycling with a power meter has its set of benefits and most people know this. However, adopting the concept is not possible for everyone because of the high cost of these systems and the hassles involved in using them. So, a handy product that caters to the exact needs of this segment is much needed. Making an attempt to bridge this demand and supply gap is engineer Gennady Lubarsky with his pioneering invention Laser Spoke.

Laser spoke power meter
Laser spoke power meter

The system owns up to imparting accurate power data while biking. Its accuracy will be at par with the established systems being retailed in the market currently. The device has been programmed to work real slick. Boarded on the hub is the laser based position sensitive detector while the rim holds an optical right angle prism.

The sensor keeps a check on the wheel at all times. The prism placed on the rim projects the beam whenever torque is applied to the cycle, which helps to keep a tab on the motion of the wheel. The sensor actually produces an electric signal proportional to the load exerted on the cycle. If there is no load, then the signal has zero value. It can even differentiate between light and heavy burdens.

The data from the system can be transferred to a computer easily. The transfer process actually uses an SD card but the future versions of this system will be fitted with ANT+ devices for transmission and will work on computers as well as smartphones. The whole optical system will not be exorbitantly priced. The moveable and easy to install system works with all types of bikes whether they are recreational cycles or a set of racing wheels.

Via: Bicycle design

Gates Croquet Set makes sports gear functional again

Posted: 26 May 2012 05:25 AM PDT

Asmita Prasad:

In the world of recreational lawn games, Croquet has got to be the undoubted king with its slow paced game play and leisurely scoring scenarios leaving little scope for competitiveness though one could certainly break a smug opponent's face with the big business end of the mallet. Since the game isn't exactly a sponsor-attracting sport, big sports merchandize making brands like Adidas, RBK and Puma just aren't interested in spending money on developing modern gear for it. This is where the innovation of French designer Romain Lagrange really comes into play.

Lagrange's Croquet
Lagrange’s Croquet

On view at WantedDesign, his wooden croquet set dubbed “Gates” charmed the silly trousers off everyone present and the croquet set he designed was equally well praised. The prototype costs well over $400 though the set comprises of two balls, two stakes, six sycamore maple gates and a mallet made of custom-made compressed cork with a leather-wrapped hand-stitched handle. The entire set also comes with a tidy little carrying case of its own with a leather strap matching the handle of the mallets.

Showcased at NY Design Week 2012, the design opens up the possibility of the game being played by its patrons even in adverse weather like when it's too damn cold to hold the metal handle or when you've just had a great manicure and wouldn't want to spoil it with a rowdy round of croquet!

Via: Core77

Tangible Light invokes philosophical musing

Posted: 26 May 2012 05:09 AM PDT

Asmita Prasad:

While light be tangible in terms of a sensation observable via a bodily organ, the concept itself defies its definition. With no mass, the untouchable sensation has been used to spin many a million proverbs and philosophical words of wisdom though its essence has never entirely been captured in words or any other form of human expression for that matter. But light fixtures and lamp shades provide us with a whole new level of expression with which we can manipulate light and its properties to create sensational effects. The Tangible Light by designer Floris Wubben is one such lamp that allows the user to interact with their lighting to create a tangible relationship with it and control the amount of light they fill a room with.

Tangible Light
Tangible Light

Created to resemble something of a beach umbrella, the Tangible Light comes with a round CFL bulb wrapped inside a foldable Polypropene lampshade. The creases of the shade define and diffuse the light to make it softer and provide a traditional appearance to the lamp.

The Tangible Light will be exhibited at a Schijndel, The Netherlands-based furniture brand Lande's collection later in the year, the Tangible Light breaks away from the modern interpretation of ;lampshades artwork and of course on being a simple piece of functional interior lighting fixture.

Source: Floris Wubben

Remodeled Renault Alpine A 110-50 blends in the eminent brand's legacy

Posted: 26 May 2012 03:18 AM PDT

Radhicka S Saxena:

The Renault brand line looks quite monotonous compared to the posh wheels churned out by others nowadays. Given that the car's design is in need of a complete overhaul, there definitely isn't a better way to give the fleet a revamp, than to mimic the design of the much coveted Renault Alpine A110 with modern sensibilities. Outdoing designer Yann Jarsalle's brutal plan to celebrate the brand's legacy and 50th anniversary of Renault Alpine A110 will not be that easy. Don't be surprised if the car races ahead of all the heavy competition in the market.

Renault Alpine A 110-50 Concept
Renault Alpine A 110-50 Concept

Hints of the old car will be maintained, but despite this, the remodeled speedster will look cutting edge. The new look is brought about by the de novo Renault design language created by Laurens van den Acker in collaboration with DeZir concept. This new fangled design style will be retained all across Renault's future models. The speedster will be given a tubular carbon fiber exterior that looks somewhat like the chassis of the Mégane Trophy race car but has been hardened a bit. The look, without a doubt, reeks of the Renault heritage.

The hi-tech cockpit inside has literally been transported in here from a racing car. Matching with the speedy image outside are the car's engine and motor works. The improvised engine performs better and is maneuvered using the paddles on the steering wheel. The inlet on the roof takes in air and routes it to the 3.5 liter engine. The 400 hp speedster zips around using its twin plate clutch and the semi automatic sequential unit transmission.

Via: Diseno Art

MIT Media Lab creates new UI iPad app to make group work more intuitive

Posted: 25 May 2012 11:25 PM PDT

Asmita Prasad:

Back in the good old days, having a team collaborate on a group project translated into people huddling over a bunch of papers on the meeting desk where people would be free to provide inputs via doodles and gestures or silly drawings that served as rough drafts. In the computer era, all that translated to everyone sending out a lot of emails and PowerPoint presentation but people still pretty much huddled over hand drawn sketches to get the actual work done. We guess people working in graphics-intensive industries like animation, architecture and generally any company that deems drawing flowcharts as an essential part of their job were just waiting for someone to come up with an iPad app that would allow them to work together on group projects where virtual 3D doodles would replace the old pen and paper ones.

T(ether)
T(ether)

And while we're hoping that these would also come paired with a holographic projector that could beam a 3D picture right on top of a table and anyone could touch and move it to provide their input, a team from MIT Media Lab thought it would be better if they came up with an app that let users interact on projects while working on their separate iPads. The experimental design is called T(ether) and was created by designers Ken Perlin, Hiroshi Ishii, Dávid Lakatosand and Matthew Blackshaw, who claim that the collaborative display interface would make spatial expression more intuitive than drawing exemplary doodles on a paper.

The app basically lets users use augmented reality and a special sensor-fitted glove to share virtual space and manipulate virtual 3D objects with their hand together. Users can zoom, pinch, expand and do a heck lot of other things to virtual designs with gestures alone and would also allow others to essentially manipulate objects in the shared space the same way making it a less time consuming affair to "work together." The natural application is one step short of a team standing in front of an enormous touchscreen display wall and creating 3D virtual objects together but it's a good start for creative people who just can't seem to get any work done without bringing their iPads to work anymore!

Via: Fastcodesign

The Wrap Cable Winder makes European iPhone chargers more American friendly

Posted: 25 May 2012 11:22 PM PDT

Asmita Prasad:

American tourists or people who have bought their iPhones from the U.S. will know what a pain it is to carry around that spare adapter when you're visiting Europe or parts of Asia that don't have the same electrical outlets as the U.S.. though the add on is pretty standard and is now being retailed as the default charger for newer iPhones sold in Europe, its form has been borrowed by designer Michiel Cornelissen to create a whole new kind of iPhone charger that allows you to neatly wrap up the loose USB charger cable around it when you need to store the accessory.

iPhone charger into a cable winder
iPhone charger into a cable winder

Dubbed very simple 'The Wrap', the iPhone charging accessory us fashioned from a 3D printed Polymide that allows to remain very lightweight yet quite tough with a smooth surface. When you need to use the wrap, simply loosen the cord from around the device and plug in the USB to your phone.

When you need to store your charger, simple take the cord out of your iPhone and clip it securely around your charger to turn it into a handy cable winder. The easy to clip on Wrap negates the need to carry around another cable management device with your iPhone charger and retails for $10 each.

Source: Michiel Cornelissen
at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

Feedbox Advertising

Feedbox