Design
Innovative phone design for the visually impaired
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"SENS", from Takumi Yoshida, is a mobile phone design catering for those with visual impairment including complete blindness. The phone assists visually impaired users through a special keypad design, real-time audio feedback and touch sensing technology. Read More
Bullet-proof polo shirt
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For those occasions when a bullet-proof gentleman’s square just won’t do, there is the bullet-proof polo shirt. The US$12,000 anti-ballistic shirt from Columbian designer Miguel Caballerois is made of ultra-lightweight, bullet-proof fabric and features removable ballistic panels designed to offer protection from weaponry ranging from a 9mm pistol to an Uzi. Read More
Fingerfood: hold on to your hors d’oeuvres
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This adorable idea takes the notion of “finger food” quite literally. A tiny plate attached to a ring that slips over your finger, the Fingerfood is the perfect way to balance your snack and glass of wine at a party. Read More
Finally, a bullet-proof handkerchief
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Where would any discerning gentleman be without the humble handkerchief? They provide a fashionable place to deposit one’s nasal excretions, are a convenient place to dry one’s hands when caught without a towel, and are able to deflect bullets when one is caught in the middle of a gunfight. That’s right, the invention we’ve all been waiting for has finally arrived with the release of the ‘Bullet-Proof Gentleman’s Pocket Square’. Read More
Unique navigation aid for the visually-impaired
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Another interesting entry from the Create the Future Design Contest, the Navigation aid for the Blind uses existing technology in a very clever way. It consists of a headset which has an audio transducer and a built-in microphone and uses GPS, obstacle detection technology and speech recognition to safely guide the wearer to their destination. The wearer simply states the destination address into the microphone and the technology does the rest, guiding and directing the user safely through the streets. Read More
Pterodactyl-based UAV design for urban combat scenarios
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Scientists have designed a highly-maneuverable UAV modeled on a 228-million-year-old pterodactyl. The 30-inch robotic craft would alter its wing shape to “squeeze through confined spaces, dive between buildings, travel under overpasses, land on apartment balconies, and sail along the coastline.” Read More
World's largest LED screen to be built in (where else) Dubai
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Dubai is set to be home to the world’s largest LED screen - a curved, 300ft+ tall monster that will be visible from a distance of just under 1 mile. The screen will make up the facade of the “Podium” skyscraper which will offer commercial and retail space across 35 floors of around 10,000 square feet each with over 50,000 square feet of parking space. Read More
Raytheon's KillerBee UAV tested in simulated combat
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Raytheon’s KillerBee, a 10-foot wide UAV designed for surveillance and reconnaissance, has been successfully demonstrated in a simulated combat environment. A Raytheon flight operations crew delivered the 30 pound KillerBee system to a remote location using Humvees and achieved set up and launch within 45 minutes before executing the operational scenario and retrieving the aircraft with a net-recovery system. Read More
The Innervision recyclable bicycle concept
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Industrial Designer Matt Clark is taking what is already the world's most popular mode of eco-friendly transportation a step further with his recyclable Innervision bicycle concept. The goal behind the project is to reduce costs and streamline the manufacturing process by using pre-molded plastic components rather than aluminum tubes for the bicycle frame, producing a lightweight and affordable product for the cycling masses that could be made from, or turned into, plastic products. Read More
Volvo's new high-tech wind tunnel
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Volvo has invested 20 million Euro in complete refurbishment of its in-house wind-tunnel, making it the first car manufacturer to own a facility which combines a moving road simulation system with the ability to fully reproduce the airflow around and underneath the car's body... and it's already delivering results in the quest for greater fuel efficiency and lower emissions. Read More
Run while you ride on the elliptiGO bike
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The elliptiGO glide bike offers riders all the best elements of running and cycling in one machine. Whilst running is an excellent way to improve cardiovascular health and general fitness, many runners are plagued with back and leg injuries due to the high impact nature of the sport. Similarly, bike riders often suffer from shoulder and back injuries and saddle-soreness. When you ride the elliptiGO you use the same biomechanics of running but the impact is reduced and the upright position is a much more comfortable way to ride as well as providing greater visibility in traffic. Read More
Underwater exoskeletons mimic dolphins and penguins
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The University of West Florida’s Institute of Human and Machine Cognition has released designs of biologically inspired aquatic exoskeletons – robotic suits that enhance the user’s strength and provide great advancements in speed, stealth and maneuverability, allowing the wearer them to mimic the efficient swimming styles of penguins, dolphins and turtles. Read More
The CarvX four-wheeled carving recumbent bike
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Vehicles with a carving or tilting mechanism to assist in steering through corners make a lot of sense. We can attest to the validity of the theory following our test ride of the virtually undroppable Piaggio MP3 scooter and we've seen numerous design platforms that incorporate this approach including the VenturOne plug-in hybrid , the Xnovo three-wheeler, Brudeli's Leanster and the Lumeneo Smera. Human-powered carvers have also been spotted on the drawing-board, but we've never encountered a concept design that applies this principle to a four wheeled recumbent bicycle - until now. Read More
Gresso's limited edition 192Gb USB pendant
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The latest high-end tech offering from Gresso is a cleverly designed USB Flash drive pendant that incorporates three separate 64 Gb memory sticks into a single unit made from 200-year-old African Blackwood with diamond and gold trimmings. A limited run of 99 pieces has been announced for the ENIGMA collection, but prospective buyers will have to dig deep. Read More
Aircraft seat-bed design offers a comfortable journey for all travelers
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Another stand-out entry in the Create the Future Design Contest is the aircraft seat-bed design entered in the transportation section by Mario Martinez Celis from Mexico City. The concept design allows for 594 seats on the Airbus A380 which normally seats 555 but the real beauty of the configuration is that ALL passengers would be given the comfort of seat-beds with more space than ever before. Read More
Presidential helicopter achieves new milestone
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The first operational pilot production aircraft in the VH-71 presidential helicopter program has successfully completed its 40-minute maiden flight. The PP-1 is the first of five VH-71 production aircraft that will be tested during phase one of the US$6.1 billion presidential helicopter replacement program. Read More
Sidelined 1950s mountain-climbing technology resurrected to help patients
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in order to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Smiths Medical and University College London have resurrected the sidelined closed-circuit breathing system designed for a failed Everest expedition over 50 years ago. Closed-circuit devices, (also known as rebreathers), create a seal over the user’s mouth, retaining the exhaled air, scrubbing it of carbon dioxide, and allowing the user to inhale it again. Read More
World’s first pure merino baby swaddle
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The Cocooi baby swaddle is made from super-fine, unbleached merino fabric which has the ability to regulate a newborn baby’s body temperature, therefore reducing the risk of overheating. The merino fibers used in the Cocooi are extremely fine (just one-tenth the thickness of human hair) and their natural crimp produces millions of pockets in the fabric in which air is captured and circulated. Read More
Power Dam: wireless, plug and play power management concept
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Arizona State University student Travis Andren's entry for the Sustainable Technologies category of the Create the Future Design Contest is a plug and play system designed to combat the phenomena known as “vampire power” or “power leakage”, which causes power loss through plugged in appliances.
Flatshare Fridge could save big arguments
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Anyone who’s ever lived in a share house knows the disappointment of finding their tasty leftovers devoured by a greedy roommate, only to have them deny all responsibility. This great idea dubbed the Flatshare Fridge is a concept designed to eliminate arguments by providing separate food storage spaces for each household member. Read More
Kawasaki to build Japan's fastest train
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Plans announced by Kawasaki Heavy Industries could see a new record set for high-speed train travel in Japan. The design for the rail vehicle dubbed the “Environmentally Friendly Super Express Train” (efSET) is expected to be completed by the end of 2009 and its promised operating speed has been pitched around the 217mph (350 kmh) mark, quicker than the fastest trains currently operating on the country's high-speed Shinkansen network which clock around 188mph (300kmh). Read More
Create the Future Design Contest: re-thinking the wheel
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The NASA Tech Briefs Create the Future Design Contest began in 2002 as a platform for encouraging innovation in product design among engineers, entrepreneurs, and students around the globe. The 2008 competition is open until October 17, but already this year's entries have produced some very thought provoking product ideas and we'll be exploring some of the standouts in detail over coming weeks. The first cab off the rank is an attempt, in fact two attempts, to do what else but reinvent the wheel. German student Caspar Schmitz has designed a castor with an additional axis that could see your shopping trolleys glide over bumps instead of grinding to an abrupt halt. Also in Caspar's portfolio is the transformable wheel chair, an application of "the transformable wheel", a concept which allows a wheel made of flexible plastic to take on an ellipsoid shape when circumstances require a lower center-of-gravity. Read More
Harman Kardon's diamond-like GLA-55 speakers
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Sound quality is always the key consideration when it comes to speaker systems, but if you are looking to combine this with some serious visual impact, Harman Kardon's GLA-55 two-piece speaker set for computers, laptops and portable media players could well be an option. Read More
Northrop Grumman to build first new aircraft carrier class in 40 years
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The Gerald R. Ford CVN 78 is the first ship in the first new aircraft carrier class in over 40 years and Northrop Grumman has received a $5.1 billion, seven-year contract for its construction, which is scheduled to be delivered to the Navy in 2015. Read More
Solar trees take root at the University of California
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The University of California in San Diego (UCSD) is undertaking an unusual forestry project on the roof of two of its parking garages. The “Solar Trees” being constructed on the roofs will comprise steel components fitted with a canopy of Kyocera photovoltaic modules to provide solar energy for the university. Read More
Honda's all-new 2009 CRF450R Motocrosser gets fuel injection
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Honda's CRF450R motocross bike has been hugely successful since its launch in 2002 - and although the bike is already recognized as the class leader, it's receiving a kitchen-sink included upgrade for 2009. Lighter, quicker, more powerful and with even tighter mass centralization for quick handling, the 2009 CRF450R also sports a Honda first - battery-free, programmable fuel injection that raises output power and control while dramatically reducing fuel consumption. Out of the box, Honda says it's two seconds faster around a supercross track than this year's bike. Read More
IRiver's SPINN MP4 Player
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Headlining iRiver’s 2008 lineup of personal electronics are the SPINN MP4 Player and the P20 portable multimedia player, stylish gadgets characterized by their high-quality Active-matrix OLED screens and analog toggle wheels. The SPINN MP4 Player can play and record digital music, images, video (in MPEG-4 and WMV9 format), and supports Flash Games 2.0, USB 2.0, Bluetooth 2.0 and Text Viewer. Read More
Bike-pack: the bicycle that folds into a backpack
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This entry from Taiwan's International Bike Design Competition tickled our fancy; it's a smooth looking city bike that tucks and folds itself into a 5.5kg backpack or a nifty hand trolley so you don't have to leave it locked up anywhere. Read More
BMW's GINA concept car features a flexible skin instead of solid body panels
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What if the exterior of a car wasn't made of heavy, rigid metal? What if it was made from flexible fabric stretched over a moveable structural subframe? Based on a 2-seater roadster platform, BMW's future-focused GINA (Geometry and Functions in 'N' Adaptations) Light Visionary concept explores the design possibilities opened up when the traditional body panel approach is dropped to make a car's exterior completely flexible - from variable lines to hingeless doors to eyelid headlights. It's one of the most fascinating design studies we've seen in years. Read More
Expandable dining in perfect symmetry
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April 30, 2008 The benefits of dual-mode dining tables are well established - a compact unit that saves space for everyday use becomes an entertaining centerpiece when guests arrive. But when it comes to round tables, most expandable designs introduce a square extension into the centre, meaning the symmetry of your circular dining experience goes out the window. Not so with this unique fold-out table created by French designer Philippe Braun which uses a patented mechanism to keep the table circular in its expanded form via extension leafs on every side that integrate into the tray of the table when not in use.
The Scroll: left-of-center hand-held electronics design
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April 18, 2008 The last decade has seen a meteoric explosion in the shape, size and functionality of hand-held electronic devices with all sorts of innovations from sliding keyboards to touch screen interfaces thrown at the feet of the consumer. Proof that we haven't yet seen it all, The Scroll is a blue-sky design concept that takes a format used by medieval town criers, turns it sideways and shoe-horns it into the 21st century by incorporating a mobile phone, hand-held computer, camcorder and sliding LCD screen. Read More
A football table for the 21st century
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April 10, 2008 Table football is a game for all ages and one which continues to stand the test of time despite the advent of complex computer graphics and increasingly sophisticated game-playing interfaces. Now a collaboration between GRO design and Tim modelmakers has resulted in an overhaul of the design that aims to inject new life into the game and transform the football table from a bulky eye-sore into an attractive object d' art that complements modern interior spaces. Known as "11- the beautiful game", the strongly sculpted table incorporates minimalist design, a subtle use of light an dazzling white and chrome materials on the playing surface contrasting the dark exterior in an effort to bring the dynamics and drama of the game to the fore. Read More
New design proposed for T-REX three-wheel street racer
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Young industrial designer Johnathan Côté has proposed this slick re-design for the legendary T-REX 3-wheeler, retaining an updated variation of the distinctive recessed headlights and above seat air in-takes, dropping the exposed roll-bars and adding a heavily sculpted feel to the vehicle's low-slung aerodynamic profile. With the the first prototype released in 1994, the T-REX is a pioneer in the rapidly expanding world of modern 3-wheeled transport that has now spawned such exotic gems as the Can-Am Spyder, Brudeli's Three-Wheel Leanster, TriRod's F3 Adrenaline and the upcoming ZAP Alias highway electric car. Read More
OLED - the art of interior lighting
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April 8, 2008 We've previously discussed the potential of OLED (organic light-emitting diode) technology to transform the nature of interior lighting products - walls, furniture and even abstract art can now be vehicles for the introduction of these versatile and energy efficient light sources into the home. The striking “Early Future” table light from celebrated lighting designer Ingo Maurer is the latest example to cross our desk. Read More
Mercedes-Benz bionic car: automotive design meets modern art
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February 25, 2008 One of the stand-out automotive design concepts from back in 2005 has re-emerged in the guise of modern art. With a highly-aerodynamic design based on what at first seems an unlikely candidate - the tropical sea-dwelling boxfish - the Mercedes-Benz bionic concept car is appearing as part of the "Design and the Elastic Mind" exhibition at New York's Museum of Modern Art. Read More
