iBasket, futuristic washing machine: Doesn’t need a human touch
By Cheryl | August 20, 2008
Failing to manage laundry and piles of dirty clothes is one of the many daily chores that are left unattended by so many busy people, whose jobs doesn’t leave them with time to take care of them. So with a view to offer a little help to such souls Guopeng Liang brings iBasket – an automated washing machine.
By making it to the top nine Electrolux Design Lab ’08 finalists, iBasket is sure to catch some fancy with the laundry maniacs.
With a transparent cylindrical body made of acrylic glass, engineered plastic and recycled aluminum, the washing machine is pre-programmed to start off the washing spree only after collecting a specific weight of clothes. Once done. It washes the dirty lot for a selected duration, while the built-in air refresh system gets of the smelly odors. And once the washing is over, the LEDs fixed at the bottom flashes out to give you the signal. Not just this, it will also give you a ‘work done’ message on your cell phone and computer via a wireless so that the busy bee that you are, don’t forget that your cleaning business is done! We hope the concept gets real too soon!
Via: Alienhome
Design attack: Boynq Swing USB Hub
By Cheryl | August 20, 2008
USB hub is the need of the hour when so many attachments and applications are supposed to be worked in a single PC. But I just don’t like those too technical USB hubs. But the all new Boynq Swing USB Hub ended my search of a good looking yet functional USB hub. This one in all black is not only sleek but spacious too. Boynq can suspend as many as four USB drives under its graceful arch.
If that was all about looks, the features are no less competitive including DC power for multiple high-powered USB devices and offers protection at the same time.
A cool combo of a beautiful design and technological functionality makes Boynq Swing USB Hub a welcome break on any desk. The Newton’s cradle like USB hub can be yours for somewhere around $25.
Via: RedFerret
Ying Yang digital camera: When form meets functionality
By Cheryl | August 19, 2008
All that we could make out from many pictures and very little information available about the Ying Yang digital camera on designer’s website is that it’s a unique and curiosity builder camera.
More than user the camera designed by Kubasek Krzysztof will be a treat to watch for the people getting clicked it seems! The two halves combine to make this camera, with one featuring the lens and the LCD screen, while the other half containing the flash memory and the USB port. So all you need to load the pics into the memory drive or download them into your PC is join the two halves and there you go without any extra wires and cables. Quite smart!
The click button lies in front, which seems quite impractical but despite all those little things that we couldn’t understand the fact that the Ying Yang digi cam is an intelligent combination of functionality and design is crystal clear. And we are simply waiting for this concept to get real!
Via: DesignSpotter
LED fitted bra tops from Lumigram
By Cheryl | August 18, 2008
If you were game to play with Geekini then Lumigram’s latest collection of luminous intimates are sure to catch your fancy. Personally speaking, een I can reckon these for girls who love not only love to hit the dance floor but also stand out as well! The luminous bras or bra tops are just perfect for you as they will make your twin assets appear as a brightly lit butterfly, thanks to the LEDs that can last as long as 50,000 hours!
If making it to the dance floor is a bit too much for you, then these luminous bra can be a great bedroom wear to spark off some real good action. The Lumitop Bras emit soft and sensuous lights that are absolutely harmless for the wearer as well as the beholder’s eyes. Powered by 1.5V replaceable batteries good enough to keep the bra glowing for as long as 12 hours, the luminous bra comes with a switch on the battery box that can be put on or off as per the wearere’s choice.
Guys don’t fret, for even you can also give a glowing competition to your gal thanks to Lumigram’s male collection. So if you are ready to set your bedrooms ablaze get a pair of luminous intimates for both of you at anything between 99-170 Euros.
Via: techchee
Maple wooden cell phone
By Cheryl | August 5, 2008
After talking loads about all those so called materialistic phones loaded with metals and bling effect, it comes as a sigh of relief and a peep into innovation to see a mobile phone made of wood. Christened as Maple wooden phone, this one looks no better than just a piece of wood till it is touched. As you touch it turns into a fully functional cell phone at your rescue.
Made in African Blackwood, the Maple phone measures 4.5 x 10.4 x 9.8 cm and is loaded with all the features commonly found in general cell phones including MP3 player, digital camera, apart from the basic calling and texting services.
The display of the phone is located at the back which becomes visible you slide the phone. So, with this you know that the phone is a slider, thanks to the sensors which are sensitive to touches. The buttons are touch-sensitive that turn on when you touch and get ready for your inputs with the capacitive touch technology.
Still a concept designed by Hyun Jin Yoon and Eun Hak Lee, the phone is awaiting production. As far as the price is concerned, the phone will be cheaper than any other average cellphones, since it’s made of wood.
Via: cellphonebeat
MAG magnetic Magnificent car of the future
By Cheryl | August 4, 2008
I dunno how successful are these jazzy futuristic cars, but what I’m sure about it the fact they are an absolute treat for the eye, just perfect to make one marvel at the imagination and technical/mechanical perfection of the designer. The coupe that we are talking about today is one such energy saving car that is magnetically-driven. Designed by Matúš Procháczka from Slovak, this concept features droolworthy designing including the four-inch spike heels, which at the same time looks quite far reality. Definitely a good thought but the concept of magnetic car comes with limitations too as will requires all roads to have embedded magnetic panels, which again looks like a far etched demand.
No wonders it’s a perfect peep into the future, a design that goes beyond the human and technological imagination as of now…but definitely comes to for as an ultimate beautiful vehicle. Hope it sees the dawn of realty.
Via: OhGizmo
Luxury gadget of the day: Adrian Pallarols’ Argentum Leathermans
By Cheryl | August 2, 2008
Unlike everyday, today in the luxury gadget section I am going to give you a mechanical treat and not a electric luxury dig like the other days. For those not aware of the king of silversmithing across the globe, let me tell you that it’s is Adrian Pallarols who is renowned world over for its exquisite creations like the polo championship cups, pens for kings, goblets for stars and even requests from the Pope himself.
And their latest collection of Argentum Leathermans is no exception. Just like its other creation, even this gadgets oozes class, excellence, exceptional quality and high doses of functionality that’s specific to these particular Leathermans.
Beautifully crafted in sterling silver and a few models accentuated with 18K gold accents also, the Argentum Leathermans are a perfect blend of superb artistry and incomparable functionality. These can be a perfect and a useful gift for that perfect gentleman. After knowing the above mentioned tale of finesse and excellence, I don’t think we need to saythat this is a pricey pick. Anyways, you can make your pick from a range that swings between $240-$40,000/-
Via: Goldarths’ Reviews
Capsule train with private cabins: For the no so social animals
By Cheryl | August 2, 2008
Here comes a mode of public transport for those who die for privacy and are ready to go to any extent to keep even the slightest of human presence off them selves. Christened as the train capsule, this one is a concept by designer Hamit Kanuni Kuralkan from Melbourne, Australia. Train capsule features just a single car unlike other multiple bogie options and can home just a dozen or so of passengers.
Sitting in this special train you can gift yourself an entire compartment that’s big enough for only you to fit in. Seating arrangement here offers such arrangement that passengers sit in side by side in side-facing but separate capsules. The train also offers a compartment of four at either end of the train for those social animals who don’t consider ‘two as crowd’.
Definitely, you own a cabin just to yourself in this train, but at the same time you ought to sacrifice on the comfort to move and roam about like you can do in other subways in the city. After all, everything comes with the price!
I hope they launch many of them together on the rails, else special efforts will be required to put on preventing brawls for seat.
Via: Dvice
Welcome to the world of Alien Mouse
By Cheryl | July 25, 2008
Seems the world has got bored of the regular ball or optical mouse, reason being the fact that every second day brings a new innovation in the good old mouse. And this time getting into the innovative league is designer Mizanur Rehman who has put his creative instincts at work to make a mouse that’s christened as Alien Mouse.
A concept till now, the Alien Mouse is made to adjust and modifies itself as per the user’s hand. The body of the mouse is made up of soft gel and cellulose while the central core is pulsating and vibrates throughout the frame and offers relief from stress. It will come with a pulsating central core that vibrates throughout the frame, offering relief from stress.
Via: Techfresh
Gadget for a cause: X-watch for Blind and sighted
By Cheryl | July 17, 2008
Coming from the brain of Poland’s Damian Kozlik is another variation of the good old watch called the ‘X-Watch’, which is an attempt to make a watch that can be used by the blind as much it is good for the sighted.
Though it looks a bit confusing in the first go, but when you get to know it comes to fore as an interesting thing. The rubber strap carries a number of LEDs behind graduated glass with extruded braille numbers that chris-cross to highlight and center the correct time.
Blind people just need to move a finger along the graduated watch glass, when he touches the highlighted panel, he will hear the sound.
How does it work?
Every segment of the watch glass works like separated touch switch. There are two solutions possible:
1. Every panel works like capacitance touch switch. It needs only one electrode to function. The electrode can be placed behind a panel. It works using body capacitance. When a person touches it, it increases the capacitance and triggers the sound.
2. Every panel works like resistance touch switch. This solution needs metal units to function. There are two thin pieces of metal on the each panel. It works by lowering the resistance between them. It is much simpler in construction compared to the first solution. Placing a finger across the metal units achieves a turn on the sound. Removing the finger from the metal pieces turns the sound off.
Via: Yankodesign
