Electronic Cutlery



The IC3 concept consists of a computerized shaft with 3 interchangeable eating apparatuses; fork, spoon, and knife. The fork analyzes composition such as fat, protein, sugars. The spoon measures weight, and the knife takes temperature readings. Together this info creates a detailed report on what you’re eating, helpful to those with diabetes and nutritional sufficiency.




Via : Yankodesign

Electronic Paint Palette – Robust design



Canadian designer Yana Kilmava has developed a conceptual product that would help the novice artist have more confidence in learning how to paint. Virtuo looks very similar to the traditional paint pallets used by artists for hundreds of years, with the added bonus of modern technology. There are no wasted paints, no confusing mixing of colors and you don’t have to be an experienced artist to create really beautiful pieces of artwork. Virtuo includes an art pallet, a charger, 5 different art tools and works by electromagnetism so no worry about quick battery loss. Even though it was designed with the inexperienced artist in mind, Virtuo can also be used by the more professional digital artists who are also experienced in the traditional forms of creating art.



Texts from the designer:

The palette uses Bluetooth technology for communicating with the computer.
It mimics real paint mixture techniques with LED lights. The user can also mix
dark colours due to the special coating on the palette’s surface. The amount of
paint “picked up” by the tool is determined by the amount of time the tool
spends on the mixed colour.

The tools, consisting of a pencil, paintbrush, palette knife, airbrush and pastel,
use sensors to translate the user’s gestures into visual information. Taking a
palette knife as an example, it would use pressure and accelerometer sensors to
translate its position and pressure on the screen into an appropriate stroke.

Virtuo comes with software that is based on the real painting process: minimal,
leaving the user free to experiment. Most of the time it would look like a blank
piece of canvas, with a simple drop down menu showing only when the user
wants to start a new digital painting, save, close it or open a previously started
one. The really cool thing about this software is that it would treat all the digital
materials used on the canvas as real ones. Ex. You would not be able to erase paint, only paint over it. It would also have only a limited number of “undo” steps to encourage the insecure user to practice by correcting rather than erasing.

Via : Yankodesign




A Design For Poverty



Water harvesting consists of three main components: a catchment area (generally a roof), a gutter system and a water storage area. The water storage area is by far the most expensive portion of this system, which makes it out of reach for many families. The RainDrops system simply allows people to adapt standard plastic bottles to an existing gutter system to collect rain water. This changes water storage from the most to the least expensive part of the system.


These are much easier to clean and replace than larger storage units. The repurposing of these plastic bottles will also give value to many bottles that are otherwise headed for landfills. The RainDrops system includes an attachment that allows people to create running water to wash their hands. Another large benefit to using plastic bottles as a water collection system is that it fits in nicely with the process called SODIS, which uses a combination of the suns UV rays and heat to remove pathogenic microorganisms that cause disease.


Via : Yankodesign


Italian-styled - Home Theater



The Golden home theater commissioned by Kim Banducci and custom installed by Future Home of Los Angeles, California. Banducci, without any prior knowledge of interior designing, planned all of her home’s interiors from top to bottom. Attention has been given to every single detail of this elegant private screening room outside of Los Angeles. She reincarnated the memories of her Italian honeymoon, grand villas and duomos while designing the ceiling of bronze, brown, taupe and gold. The visual artistry of the room reminds of Florence, Italy’s famed gilt-bronze Baptistry doors. A soft light is there in the room, which illuminates the tiered theater aisles and adds a romantic glow to the space. Backlit onyx marble panels have been used in the screening room and each of them lines the bottom portions of the theater’s side walls.


Banducci says:


We didn’t want it to be gaudy; we wanted a classic, breathtaking look. We wanted to be able to walk into the theater 20 years later and think that the design is timeless.


Los Angeles’ Future Home owner Murray Kunis says:

The coolest thing is that we were able to create a very comfortable room in a limited space with a low ceiling for six to 10 people. The logistics of the room are very comfortable with no compromise of performance.

The gadgetry used for the stunning home theater includes Stewart Filmscreen 2.35:1 Luxus screen with Electrimask, Sony BDP-S1 Blu-ray Disc Player, Runco VX-22d DLP Projector w/DHD II Video Controller/Processor and CineWide, Kaleidescape DVD Server System, DirecTV HR21 HD satellite receiver, and the popular Crestron TPS-4000 Isys 10.4-inch Tilt Touchpanel.



Via : Bornrich




Audi Calamaro flying car



The Audi Calamaro Concept was developed by Tibor for a design competition, organized by Porsche Hungary. According to the designer, the shape is inspired by “the bone of the cuttlefish”.




NASA unveils lunar rover



Two teams of one astronaut and one geologist each have been driving the rover through the Arizona desert, trying it out in two different configurations. One configuration leaves the crew members free to get on and off the rover whenever they like, but they must wear spacesuits at all times to protect them from the lunar environment. The second configuration called the Small Pressurized Rover, or SPR adds a module on top of the rover’s chassis that the crew can sit inside as they drive the vehicle, donning spacesuits whenever they want to get out. The battery powered rover can move at a speed of 10kmph, and cover 625 miles of ground on a single charge.


Bottle Temple



The temple, which sits in Thailand’s Sisaket province, roughly 370 miles northeast of Bangkok is made of more than a million recycled glass bottles. True to its nickname, “Wat Lan Kuad” or “Temple of Million Bottles” features glass bottles throughout the premises of the temple, including the crematorium, surrounding shelters, and toilets. There’s an estimated 1.5 million recycled bottles built into the temple. The bottle-collection-turned-building started in 1984.




Formula Zero Racer



Formula Zero Racer, a futuristic foray into the next generation of racing. Incorporating elements from luge, yacht, and Formula One vehicles, the zero-emissions racer is propelled by a wind-catching sail in addition to electric motors that are powered by renewable resources. The Formula Zero Racer was submitted as part of the Design Los Angeles automobile Design Challenge.


OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE


Mercedes-Benz Formula Zero
Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design Center of North America

Luxury racing arrives in the Formula Zero Racer by incorporating the thrill of Formula One, the track dynamics of the bobsled or luge, and the grace and efficiency of yacht racing.

Reminiscent of the Mercedes Benz racing heritage of the 1930’s, the Formula Zero Racer is loaded with technology designed to extract the maximum thrust from the electric hub motors, aero-efficient solar skin and high-tech rigid sail.

Each team is allocated the same amount of stored energy and it is left to the teams and drivers to manage the variables to win the race. The winner is determined by total elapsed time combined with the energy efficiency factor.

Spectators at the Mercedes Benz Formula Zero racing Series are treated to a new dimension of racing as the transparent track is visible from all perspectives - even from below!


AURA from Motorola

Press Release:

Inspired by luxury watches and handcrafted design, Motorola introduces AURA™, a unique handset that breaks convention and re-establishes artistry in the design and manufacturing of mobile devices. Combining superb craftsmanship and a distinctive interface, AURA delivers a sensory experience that is second to none for those with refined tastes.



Here are the main specs of AURA:

  • Quad band GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz with GPRS, EDGE
  • Music & video players
  • 2 MP fixed focus camera with video recording
  • SMS & MMS
  • POP3/IMAP e-mail
  • “Open source” browser
  • CrystalTalk technology
  • 2GB of internal memory
  • Stereo Bluetooth 2.0, A2DP and EDR
  • USB 2.0
  • 96.87 x 47.60 x 18.55 mm, 141 grams
  • Talk time: up to 7.3 hours
  • Stand by time: up to 400 hours




Motorola AURA will be released on December 4, via the Moto Store, so it will probably make a perfect gift for many rich mobile users.




Robust Bartender – Touch Magic From Microsoft



Microsoft engineers have been working on an application for their multi-touch Surface tabletop PC that detects the level of drink in your glass and automatically offers you a refill. SurfaceWare use Surface's ability to emit and detect infrared light to gauge the grog remaining in glasses fitted with a special prism. The prism only reflects light when exposed to the air, letting Surface know when you've reached the optimum level to be offered a refill. Check the video too. It’s cool!!!




From Honda Research and Development:

In 1908, 17 men dared to take on the “toughest race ever devised.”

Spanning six months, the Great Race brought these men over 22,000 miles, through three continents and around the world.



117 years later, the Great Race of 2025 is tougher than ever.

Competitors must circumnavigate the globe in 24 hours on land through the United States, by sea through Asia and by air over Europe.




The vehicle’s sonar/echolocation sensors are able to detect changes in speed, terrain, and altitude, allowing it to switch to any configuration.




With expertise in automotive, marine, robotics, and jet technologies already in place, Honda possesses a distinct, competitive advantage over its rivals, allowing it to lead in the evolution of motorsports in the 21st century.