Tupperware Lamps Will Make Your Friends Mint Green with Envy
Tupperware Lamps Will Make Your Friends Mint Green with Envy: "
Remember those old-school Tupperware molds that people used to make Jello in? Well Etsy seller BootsNGus has taken these nostalgic items and transformed them into retro pendant lamps. They’re the perfect kitchen accessory to make your friends mint green with envy, and they even come with an energy-efficient bulb included.
i.materialise: Get your RP on, in titanium
i.materialise: Get your RP on, in titanium: "
(more...)"
Exciting news from the rapid prototyping world: For those of you put off by the plastic-like consistency of most RP'd parts, the i.materialise shop has just announced the ability to crank out custom titanium parts.
Their process uses Direct Metal Laser Sintering, which...
...has hereto only really been used by high end research organizations and multinationals making tooling, aerospace components, medical tools, surgical implants or for pure research. We're skipping the 'trickle down' affect in technology and now making this revolutionary technology available worldwide.
Titanium opens jewelry, high end engineering and high tech applications to this growing segment of people that produce online. Titanium is by far the hardest and strongest 3D printing material. It is also extremely accurate and biocompatible. We are very curious to see which of the host of possible applications that are open to designers will be used by them We think that titanium 3D printing is a powerful production technology that really adds to a designer's arsenal.
(more...)"
Jasper Morrison's DP 01 phone for Punkt
Jasper Morrison's DP 01 phone for Punkt: "
(more...)
We have an example of good designer-brand cohesion in the DP 01 telephone, designed for Punkt by Jasper Morrison. The former strives to produce consumer products that use technology to simplify life; the latter, for his part, says 'I thought about the old telephone, lying face down on its cradle, and asked myself if it wouldn't be better the other way round, so you could see the screen and dial the number without picking it up.'
The simple Muji-meets-Olivetti aesthetic of the phone belies an innovative technical capability: If you have more than one of these, you can 'slave' up to seven of them together to scatter them about your house, while only one needs to be plugged into an actual phone line. And the form is designed so that it can be either placed on a horizontal surface or wall-mounted.
(more...)
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Green Lighting 101: Your Guide to Energy Efficient Light
Green Lighting 101: Your Guide to Energy Efficient Light: "
When it comes to energy efficiency, the easiest way to start cutting down your monthly bill is through your home’s lighting. By making simple changes to the types of bulbs you’re using, you can be more eco-friendly while saving yourself a pretty penny. Due to all the changes the green lighting industry has undergone in just the last few years, it’s easy to be overwhelmed with all the options that are available. But fear not – if you’re looking for some insight into the wealth of green lighting alternatives available today, this handy guide will give you the basic foundation you need to upgrade your bulbs and reap the financial and environmental benefits of energy-efficient lighting!
Read the rest of Green Lighting 101: Your Guide to Energy Efficient Light
Pressed Chair by Harry Thaler
Pressed Chair by Harry Thaler: "
Cologne 2011: London designer Harry Thaler‘s Pressed Chair is one of two joint winning projects in this year’s [D3] Contest, an international competition for young designers organised by imm cologne. (more…)
Europe’s SARTRE Project Successfully Tests Self-Driving Car
Europe’s SARTRE Project Successfully Tests Self-Driving Car: "
A new European government initiative called SARTRE (SAfe Road TRains for the Environment) is working on self-driving auto technology that will allow vehicles to drive along Europe’s highways in autonomous road trains. This week, the team behind SARTRE conducted their first real world test, in which a Volvo S60 followed a lead truck around the automaker’s test facility near Gothenburg, Sweden.
Read the rest of Europe’s SARTRE Project Successfully Tests Self-Driving Car
Self-balancing pogo stick
Self-balancing pogo stick: "
Read the Full Story » | More on MAKE » | Comments » |
'iHop' is a toy robot that can hop. It uses two independently actuated arms in order to simultaneously hop and balance in the lateral plane. The 'sagittal' plane is stabilized by torque applied to the two drive wheels (note that the wheels are, for the most part, stationary due to the lack of disturbances about this axis). The symmetric design allows it to hop on either end of the central 'leg', enabling cartwheeling maneuvers.
Read the Full Story » | More on MAKE » | Comments » |
How-to: Experiment With New Materials
How-to: Experiment With New Materials: "
Okay so this isn’t really a how-to guide so much as an awesome resource we found, but we’re so enamored with it we just wanted to share. And considering all the how-to and DIY projects this resource could inspire, really this How-to post is like a limitless pool of awesome. Just follow us after the link, would you?
So there’s this site called Inventables and their tagline is “Exploring what’s possible.” Their premise is simple: they think it’s too hard for designers, architects and other creative minds to find, source and explore materials, and they’re aiming to change that. This means two good things for homeowners and modern design lovers: you have access to wildly awesome materials you may have never thought possible for any of your personal DIY projects, and it means that super creative designers have access to materials to create their brilliant designs (which you can then purchase, if you so wish).
We’ll be honest, we’re not experts on materials or pricing of materials, so we can’t really tell you if any of this stuff is reasonable or not (it seems to us, though, to be wickedly reasonable). On the front page alone you can choose from such materials to play with as: shape memory polymer, stainless steel coating, translucent wood, pressure absorbing gel and more. If you’ve ever wanted your creativity sparked, this is the place to do it! Check out the site here.
Okay so this isn’t really a how-to guide so much as an awesome resource we found, but we’re so enamored with it we just wanted to share. And considering all the how-to and DIY projects this resource could inspire, really this How-to post is like a limitless pool of awesome. Just follow us after the link, would you?
So there’s this site called Inventables and their tagline is “Exploring what’s possible.” Their premise is simple: they think it’s too hard for designers, architects and other creative minds to find, source and explore materials, and they’re aiming to change that. This means two good things for homeowners and modern design lovers: you have access to wildly awesome materials you may have never thought possible for any of your personal DIY projects, and it means that super creative designers have access to materials to create their brilliant designs (which you can then purchase, if you so wish).
We’ll be honest, we’re not experts on materials or pricing of materials, so we can’t really tell you if any of this stuff is reasonable or not (it seems to us, though, to be wickedly reasonable). On the front page alone you can choose from such materials to play with as: shape memory polymer, stainless steel coating, translucent wood, pressure absorbing gel and more. If you’ve ever wanted your creativity sparked, this is the place to do it! Check out the site here.
Red Cross Increases Water Access in Sudan with Solar Powered Pumps
Red Cross Increases Water Access in Sudan with Solar Powered Pumps: "
In the town of Akobo in southeast Sudan, more than 55,000 people live on less than two liters of clean water a day. To mitigate the issue, the International Committee of the Red Cross is working on a solar powered pumping system that will increase the supply of safe drinking water to 10 liters a day per person. If the system is successful, it will be replicated in many other towns.
Read the rest of Red Cross Increases Water Access in Sudan with Solar Powered Pumps
industrial design history
industrial design history: "
"
may need a bit more content, but some areas (like the timeline) look pretty promising: http://www.industrialdesignhistory.com, a website that "celebrates the determination, audacity and ingenuity of the industrial design profession".
"
Quirky's Switch, a user-configured multi-tool, now in production
Quirky's Switch, a user-configured multi-tool, now in production: "
Here's a neat Quirky project that has gotten the green light and is now in production: The Switch.
It's a Swiss-Army-style multi-tool that lets you swap parts in and out from a kit. The user can also swap out axles, providing a minimum of two and maximum of six tools, a minimum of four and a maximum of ten tools, or minimum of seven with a max of 13 for serious MacGyvers.
The Switch took input from 379 people, will run you $79 bucks, and comes with 17 tools (hit the jump to see the full list). What would be really cool and RP-ish is if we could design our own tools....
(more...)"Recycling bin design with a suggestive lid
Recycling bin design with a suggestive lid: "
My biggest pet peeve about cleaning up the photo studio I run is picking other people's trash out of the recycling bin. Yes, it's a waste pail just like the garbage pail, but is it not clear that this one's for bottles and that one is for your half-finished pizza, you freaking Philistine?
So I'm digging Qualy Design's recycling bin, which is not only recycleable itself but also has the recycling logo cleverly worked into its lid.
But who am I fooling, this probably isn't going to stop careless rubbish-tossers. What I need is for the lid to be modified into a mechanical aperture that closes shut on a recycling offender's arm, pinning it with the arrow's points.
Ford’s home EV charging station stacks up against competitors
Ford’s home EV charging station stacks up against competitors: "
Home charging stations aren't included in the purchase price of the growing numbers of electric vehicles from major automakers, so unless you live next door to a public charging station or are one of the 4,400 Volt owners to snap up a free one from GM, you’ll be forced to shell out some extra cash if you want a faster charging option than is possible with the included 120-volt cable. At least Ford’s home charging station for its new Focus Electric is shaping-up to be little cheaper and more flexible than some competitor offerings...
Continue Reading Ford’s home EV charging station stacks up against competitors
Tags: Electric Vehicles,
EV Charging,
Ford
Related Articles:
Home charging stations aren't included in the purchase price of the growing numbers of electric vehicles from major automakers, so unless you live next door to a public charging station or are one of the 4,400 Volt owners to snap up a free one from GM, you’ll be forced to shell out some extra cash if you want a faster charging option than is possible with the included 120-volt cable. At least Ford’s home charging station for its new Focus Electric is shaping-up to be little cheaper and more flexible than some competitor offerings...
Continue Reading Ford’s home EV charging station stacks up against competitors
Tags: Electric Vehicles,
EV Charging,
Ford
Related Articles:
- Free fast-charging stations for 4,400 Chevrolet Volt owners
- Epyon opens Europe's first commercial fast-charging station for EVs
- America's first public-use quick-charge station for electric vehicles opens
- Epyon shows off its new fast charger for EV's
- Smart station would charge your EV when the time is right
- AeroVironment eyes new EV Fast-charging Benchmark: 80% in 15 minutes
RED EPIC is coming. The most sophisticated & capable camera ever engineered and built.
RED EPIC is coming. The most sophisticated & capable camera ever engineered and built.: "
RED - EPIC is coming.
More info at the Momentum Blog
For News & Updates follow: twitter.com/AlexMaragos
Jawbone - Jambox
Jawbone - Jambox: "
Jawbone's new Jambox speaker looks pretty awesome, but what I really like about it is the packaging. Simple and clever - it gets the point across! The Jambox is a wireless speaker and speakerphone, designed by fuseproject. You can order the Jambox here.
Jawbone's new Jambox speaker looks pretty awesome, but what I really like about it is the packaging. Simple and clever - it gets the point across! The Jambox is a wireless speaker and speakerphone, designed by fuseproject. You can order the Jambox here.
Japanese Saw Puff Handle - A Hand-Eye Supply Product Tryout
Japanese Saw Puff Handle - A Hand-Eye Supply Product Tryout: "
As a part of our Hand-Eye Supply duties we test out new product. Yesterday we gave this intriguing Japanese Saw a tryout! It incorporates an internal piston system that 'puffs' air from a blow hole on to the work piece using the kinetic energy from the worker's hand motion. The 'puff' clears away saw dust so that you can clearly see your cut line. It may seem gimmicky but as Japanese saws enable extremely precise cuts this is an indispensable feature!
Online Materials Information Resource - MatWeb
Online Materials Information Resource - MatWeb: "Material property database with data sheets of thermoplastic and thermoset polymers such as nylon, polycarbonate, polyethylene; metal alloys, aluminum, steel, titanium, nickel, cobalt, and zinc alloys; ceramics, lubricants. Free search tools include mechanical property searches. Comparison and exports to Finite Element Analysis FEA software SolidWorks, ANSYS, ALGOR, and more."
Grasp and Water, Your New ZEN Players
Grasp and Water, Your New ZEN Players: "
We are so fixated with the “i” prefix that we rarely see anything beyond the Apple realm. Its designers like Li Qing who dares us to think beyond the “i” and open up our minds to the Zunes and Zens of the world. Featured here is not one but TWO ZEN MP3 player concepts: Grasp & Water. We love them for their fluid minimal look and intuitive design. The nano and Shuffle are nice but there are still some wonderfully designed options out there.
Designer: Li Qing
ZEN Grasp
“A natural form derives from pressing your thumb on a soft material within your grasp.”
ZEN Water
“Shadow of ripples forms beneath, from a bowl of water.”
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Yanko Design
Timeless Designs - Explore wonderful concepts from around the world!
Yanko Design Store - We are about more than just concepts. See what's hot at the YD Store!
To me, Design is…
To me, Design is…: "
A cool video compilation of design quotes from design luminaries as well as the clients of interaction design consultancy Vostok. If only we all had clients like Vostok’s…
The Easy-Pour 2.6 gallon: Fiskars do it again
The Easy-Pour 2.6 gallon: Fiskars do it again: "
Since discovering the multifunctional delights of the Cuts+More scissors last month, our love for all things Fiskars has been heartily renewed.
Perhaps the only thing more impressive than the Fiskars ID team's attention for detail, is the remarkably coherent design strategy and brand language that is carried religiously through their ever-expanding product range. Only with such clear ideals could an ancient knife manufacturer redesign the humble watering-can—and do it in such style.
The "Easy-Pour" is a seriously heavy duty watering-can—so serious you might well be reconsidering your stance on tulip-growing as we speak. Ever the champion of ergonomics, Fiskars have introduced a second, rotating handle into their new design that gives greater control, which in turn allows for greater capacity and less walking back and forth to the kitchen tap.
But the innovations to the world of watering-cans don't stop there; the head of the can rotates too, to give 2 levels of flow—gentle shower or (I quote) "flower soaking"— and—for one last design detail—the filling-hole, rather than being stuck inconveniently under the handle, is placed neatly to the side for easy access. Clever Fiskars.
This watering-can of watering-cans is available from the Fiskars e-store for a very reasonable $19.99.
Unsung ID'ers: Scott Collins
Unsung ID'ers: Scott Collins: "
The thing I love about local papers as opposed to the nationals is that the former will take the time to look at 'small-time' designers, not just the superstars. I put 'small-time' in quotes because it's still possible to not have your name known and still make a bundle of cash with your own industrial design firm. Says industrial designer Scott Collins, who runs his own firm out of Brown Deer, Wisconsin, 'I'm not a multimillionaire, but it's a very good living and I'll have a good retirement.'
For every Starck, Rashid and Grcic there are probably thousands of guys like Collins. An article in Milwaukee's Journal-Sentinel looks at Collins and his unsung firm, and after hunting down his portfolio I was surprised to see I use two of his designs (this bathroom fan light and this paint edger) despite never having heard of him. His firm has clients that you have heard of but whose names don't immediately spring to mind when asked to run down the giants of U.S. industry: Kimberly-Clark, Johnson Controls, Sherwin-Williams.
The jewel in his portfolio's crown is probably this person-friendly and humanitarian mousetrap Collins designed back in 2002. And it doesn't matter whether or not it's famous (it isn't) in design journals: The thing is sold by Wal-Mart. Collins, it seems, actually has built a better mousetrap.
(more...)"
The thing I love about local papers as opposed to the nationals is that the former will take the time to look at 'small-time' designers, not just the superstars. I put 'small-time' in quotes because it's still possible to not have your name known and still make a bundle of cash with your own industrial design firm. Says industrial designer Scott Collins, who runs his own firm out of Brown Deer, Wisconsin, 'I'm not a multimillionaire, but it's a very good living and I'll have a good retirement.'
For every Starck, Rashid and Grcic there are probably thousands of guys like Collins. An article in Milwaukee's Journal-Sentinel looks at Collins and his unsung firm, and after hunting down his portfolio I was surprised to see I use two of his designs (this bathroom fan light and this paint edger) despite never having heard of him. His firm has clients that you have heard of but whose names don't immediately spring to mind when asked to run down the giants of U.S. industry: Kimberly-Clark, Johnson Controls, Sherwin-Williams.
The jewel in his portfolio's crown is probably this person-friendly and humanitarian mousetrap Collins designed back in 2002. And it doesn't matter whether or not it's famous (it isn't) in design journals: The thing is sold by Wal-Mart. Collins, it seems, actually has built a better mousetrap.
(more...)"
The Future of Digital Cameras, Showcased at CES 2011!
The Future of Digital Cameras, Showcased at CES 2011!: "
Check out this awesome digital camera showcased at CES 2011. It has a huge viewfinder display (5″ AMOLED, 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixels) on its slim camera body that seconds as a mobile phone, however (IMHO) the winning idea is the wireless transmitting lens that allows you to take pictures from all kinds of different (or awkward) angles. It is logically called WVIL or Wireless Viewfinder Interchangeable Lens, and I just can’t wait to try this!
Get more details at WVIL.de. From the website address and the accent of the guy in the video, it does looks like it’s a German design and development effort?
Thanks to faithful Design Sojourn reader: HannsFrog, for this exclusive scoop. You don’t have to be at CES to see the good stuff, just follow Design Sojourn!
Check out this awesome digital camera showcased at CES 2011. It has a huge viewfinder display (5″ AMOLED, 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixels) on its slim camera body that seconds as a mobile phone, however (IMHO) the winning idea is the wireless transmitting lens that allows you to take pictures from all kinds of different (or awkward) angles. It is logically called WVIL or Wireless Viewfinder Interchangeable Lens, and I just can’t wait to try this!
Get more details at WVIL.de. From the website address and the accent of the guy in the video, it does looks like it’s a German design and development effort?
Thanks to faithful Design Sojourn reader: HannsFrog, for this exclusive scoop. You don’t have to be at CES to see the good stuff, just follow Design Sojourn!
New Lithium-Ion Ultracapacitor Can Charge Tools In Under 60 Seconds
New Lithium-Ion Ultracapacitor Can Charge Tools In Under 60 Seconds: "
Let’s face it, the main burden of electrical products is the time they take to charge – be they mp3 players, power tools, or even electric cars. However, this could soon be a problem of the past, as New York-based company Ioxus has developed a new type of lithium ion ultracapacitor that can potentially deliver large amounts of energy in a small amount of time.
Read the rest of New Lithium-Ion Ultracapacitor Can Charge Tools In Under 60 Secondshttp://www.inhabitat.com/wp-admin/ohttp://www.inhabitat.com/wp-admin/options-general.php?page=better_feedptions-general.php?page=better_feed
Let’s face it, the main burden of electrical products is the time they take to charge – be they mp3 players, power tools, or even electric cars. However, this could soon be a problem of the past, as New York-based company Ioxus has developed a new type of lithium ion ultracapacitor that can potentially deliver large amounts of energy in a small amount of time.
Read the rest of New Lithium-Ion Ultracapacitor Can Charge Tools In Under 60 Secondshttp://www.inhabitat.com/wp-admin/ohttp://www.inhabitat.com/wp-admin/options-general.php?page=better_feedptions-general.php?page=better_feed
TEDTalks : Thomas Thwaites: How I built a toaster -- from scratch - Thomas Thwaites (2010)
TEDTalks : Thomas Thwaites: How I built a toaster -- from scratch - Thomas Thwaites (2010): "It takes an entire civilization to build a toaster. Designer Thomas Thwaites found out the hard way, by attempting to build one from scratch: mining ore for steel, deriving plastic from oil ... it's frankly amazing he got as far as he got. A parable of our interconnected society, for designers and consumers alike.
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