Tag Archives: concept

‘Dancepants Kinetic Music Player’

Images, Style, Technology, , , , ,

Designed by Inesa Malafej and Arunas Sukarevicius (from Lithuania).

The “Dancepants” convert kinetic energy from your rapid movement into electricity to run your MP3 player.  In layman’s terms: you run and the music plays; you stop running and the music stops playing.  The designers say the leggings are a “100 percent interactive way to feel the value of energy on your own.”

Pretty neat way to keep you going at a fast pace when exercising or making a quick dash to your next class.  If you want your beats to keep playing you gotta shake your groove thang, shake your groove thang.

[Via Engadget; Ecouterre]

Concept: ‘Milky Way’ alarm clock

home, Images, Technology, , ,

Conceptualized by Henrik Amberla.

The creator of the Milky Way chose the shape in order to “reflect on the duality and unity of the sleep/wake cycle.”  To engage the snooze function you simply turn the device.  Setting the clock and the alarm is also done through another turning motion.

Ah, to wake up to such a smooth, chocolatey nougat-filled–oh wait, that’s Three Musketeers.  Anyway, cool idea.

[Via Gizmodo; unplggd]

Concept bathroom includes everything you need…in your home

Architecture, Images, , ,

activerelax4

I will let designer Michal Mitek get your tech-heart pumping:

It’s always about the future, and in the future you guys are going to realize the need of doubling up your interior spaces by adding more than one function to a room. Like, you may want your bathroom to double up as a gym when you’re not taking a bath. So how about you get the Roca Active & Relax Bathroom? It’s this luxurious room where the sunken bath is really sunken, invisible till you don’t open up the floorboards. No windows too, instead 3 floor-to-ceiling LCDs giving you the illusion of a panoramic view.

Still not satisfied? How about we give you a bathroom where the screens are connected to the Home PC so that you can watch movies as you laze in the double bathtub, or take a shower in the rainfall! Super sex-citing!

Mhm, I can now check this off as a feature of my future home.  I’ll take the lady model, too.

[Via Gizmodo; YankoDesign]

Muscle-computer interface; watch this and be amazed

Technology, Video, , , , , , ,

Johnny Chung Lee, everyone’s favorite modder-turned Microsoft employee, is back in action, bringing us yet another insanely awesome and innovative interface.  This time it’s a muscle-computer interface.  He explains: “We face many situations where we need to interact with technology without a physical artifact, because a physical control is not accessible or because hands are already busy.”  The video is just over two minutes long.  Just watch it.  It features a demo of the interface using what would be best called “air” Guitar Hero, showing how the technology allows you to control on-screen action from mere “hand and finger-based input” without a separate material device.  Although this is not so practical, it shows how the technology works.  Lee goes on to explain how a muscle-computer interface canwork practically, in situations when you need to control a device (ie. a car) when your hands are full (ie. carrying groceries).  Can’t wait to see what you have in store for us next time Mr. Johnny Chung Lee.

[Via Engadget]

Concept: BMW’s Simple

Cars, Technology, Video, ,

Simple is the acronym for sustainable and innovative mobility product for low energy consumption, a vehicle concept combining features and advantages of both motorcars and motorcycles. The concept owes its protective passenger compartment to motorcars whereas the streamline shape, the two occupants seated one behind the other and the uniquely driving experience are naturally owed to motorcycles. Whilst researching ideas for futuristic urban mobility combined with the prerequisite of reduced consumption (less than 2l /100 km eqals more than 120mpg) and emission values (50g CO2 /100 km), the BMW Group spawned this concept vehicle featuring the extremely low weight of 450 kg and aerodynamic drag properties (0,18 drag coefficient), which of course also fulfilled all the BMW Group premium brand demands: sheer driving pleasure, innovative vehicle configuration, technology integration and a sense of comfort and spaciousness.

[Via Engadget; YouTube]

The Funkionide provides comfort that humans just cannot give

Technology, Video, , , , , ,

The Funktionide by German designer Stefan Ulrich.

Based on an intensive two month research (in cooperation with FESTO and the EMPA) concerning artificial muscles my work reflects upon how new technologies will change future products (and society), and the way we interact with them.

One day active materials such as electroactive polymers will drastically change the way we perceive products. Products will gain new dimensions ranging from changing tactile surfaces over active membranes to morphing shapes. Products of the future will be “alive” in a way.

[The Funkionide] is an amorph object whose intention is to provide the owner with an atmosphere of presence thus counteracting the feeling of loneliness. In the visions future people are lonely and with all the new dimensions products offer, humans will eventually turn to “robots” for emotional satisfaction.

Now if this isn’t one of the strangest things I have ever stumbled upon, I don’t know what is.  So according to Ulrich, we will all live in a lonely future where only “robots” can provide the right amount of “emotion satisfaction” to give us a boost for the day.  In this case, the “robot” is a giant morphing blob.  Oh, how I hope such a bizzare future does not come true!

[Via Gizmodo; vimeo page]