Future Technology » Search Results » design element

Thermodynamic Cooler Requires No Electricity

TheFuture — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:37:49 +0000

The Thermodynamic Cooler concept has been designed to optimize the high-tech kitchens of the emerging countries. The system incorporates evaporating water cooling effect for preserving foods and requires no electricity which reduces the consumption of domestic energy without compromising comfort. Its stackable design allows it to be used as a substitute of a second fridge, pantry or a sophisticated fruit bowl. The cooler has two pots, one inside another. The space in between is filled with glass-foam, a waste element of the glass recycling procedure, which has made the entire cooler lighter. The inner pot is enclosed with a damp cloth stretched over the lid and the water of the wet glass-foam start evaporating, resulting a radical drop of temperature. This cooler can destroy injurious micro-organisms and preserves the freshness of the inside food. To keep the cooling method active, you need to add water time to time though.

Designer : Rochus Jacob

Smart Design Bin to Deal with Electronic Waste

TheFuture — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:34:30 +0000

The Smart Design Bin concept is a perfect solution to deal with electronic waste in three ways, depending on the condition and type of the waste, to ensure shorter recycling process with no negative environmental impact. The system works through five elements.

Bin: The bin is designed to put in residential buildings permanently to provide people a space for recycling old or broken electronic goods, batteries, etc. Also, users can sell high value old items via the website and send them through the bins. These high value items will be provided with packaging by the bin to ensure better protection during transit.

Cart: The Cart is a provisional mobile venue for bigger items that is recycled frequently as well as a place to reuse unwanted items for the inhabitants of a building. Users can ask for a cart through twitter and either can leave those unwanted items to be picked up by the company or announce to residents of other buildings that they would like to sell these items.

Truck: The truck accumulates the e-waste from the carts and bins and delivers the waste to official recycling and refurbishment center.

Website: People can get to know about the system, their services and can place request for a bin or cart for their residence through the website after agreeing on a price.

Twitter: The system will be notified that a bin is full by using Twitter. Moreover, users can request carts for larger and less often recycled items and can inform residents of other buildings about the items they are giving away through Twitter.

Designer : Smart Design

Nomad Lightweight and Simple Wheelchair for Your Comfort

TheFuture — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:13:30 +0000

The Nomad Wheelchair concept is the outcome of Mark Owen’s continuous effort with his brother Jon and Angela Gidden, a furniture designer of Studio SDA, after he got paralyzed in a motorbike accident. The inconveniences and difficulties he has faced with the traditional wheelchairs became the key turning point of Mark to make an innovative wheelchair that can overcome all those problems successfully. Finally, the lightweight and minimal mobility device reached the production house with the money he got from his personal injury claim. The simple and sleek wheelchair excludes all the unnecessary elements and has been structured in a comfortable and contemporary way where a person can sit and roll for longer time without getting irritated.

Designer : Mark Owen

BMW Lovos Body Looks Like Fish Scales

TheFuture — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:48:01 +0000

Lovos means Lifestyle of Voluntary Simplicity. Therefore, the concept BMW Lovos project is not like the usual process of designing, crafting, vehicle acquisition and management, rather, the project is a meaningful symbol of conscious self-restraint, that can encourage the viewer to discard their common ideas about the number of exterior elements that a car should required. The body of Lovos contains 260 interchangeable identical particles that can open and close like fish scales. These elements are mobile and help gathering sun energy through solar cells by changing their positions as soon as the car starts running. The interior is warm and soft, making a distinct contrast between technical and mechanical appearance.

Designer : Anne Forschner

E-Ball PC Concept by Apostol Tnokovski

TheFuture — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 08:35:18 +0000

The E-Ball is a sphere shaped computer concept which is the smallest design among all the laptops and desktops have ever made. This PC concept features all the traditional elements like mouse, keyboard, large screen display, DVD recorder, etc, all in an innovative manner. E-Ball is designed to be placed on two stands, opens by simultaneously pressing and holding the two buttons located on each side. After opening the stand and turning ON the PC, pressing the detaching mouse button will allow you to detach the optical mouse from the PC body. This concept features a laser keyboard that can be activated by pressing the particular button.

There’s no external display unit, a projector will pop up by pressing and holding the button and focus the computer screen on the wall which can be adjusted with navigation buttons. If there is no wall around, the paper sheet holder, divides into three pieces like an umbrella just after popping up, will help to focus the desktop on a paper sheet.

The software interface of E-Ball is highly stylized with icons that can be remembered easily, and is user friendly. This compact PC will be ideal for use when working in office, making video presentations, watching large screen movies, listening music and chatting on the net.

Designer : Apostol Tnokovski

Robot Harvester Design For Gathering Rubbish from Shopping Centers

TheFuture — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:54:00 +0000

The Robot Harvester is a self driven robot concept that has been designed to gather rubbish from shopping centers and street territories, and put them to the right place for disposal. Not only the small rubbishes, the Robot can gather big rubbishes as well using manipulators. It features two web cameras and sensors to detect length of an element which will help it to estimate the territory and locate the place where the rubbish is awaiting to be picked. The scope of small rubbishes is created through a couple of diagonal sweeper-collectors that can sweep just near to the edge.

After sweeping, the rubbish is dumped inside the tank which is divided into two parts: one for small rubbish and another for bigger one. Big rubbish are put by manipulators and falls through upper hole, that is closed with plates. The plates work using the principle of jalousie from small serve drive. All rubbish will be put away from the robot automatically, and its tank can be put away for washing. Recharging of accumulators is automatic too.

(Click image for bigger view)

Designer : Olga Kalugina

Futuristic Cosmic Tractor for Future Farmers

TheFuture — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 05:38:52 +0000

The concept Cosmic Trac is actually a fashionable experience on the currently available tractors in the market. It is named as Cosmic Trac and is designed with futuristic looking, yet simple and stylish elements, unlike other futuristic concepts with complicated or organic shapes. The designers have emphasized on manufacturability, safety, useful functions and cost affectivity during designing the tractor with an innovative and modish look.

Key features of the Cosmic Trac include single sheet hood, safety head lamp, FRP head lights, serviceability, cost affectivity, etc. The head lamp cluster is designed in a housed way, ensuring complete safety for the lights unlike traditional projecting head lamp that always tend to break easily. The exposed engine parts and projected grill gives hi-tech feel which helps for the strength and aggression of the tractor. The fender is covered partly aiming complete driver’s safety. The dark grey and shiny blue color scheme has improved the visual impact of the tractor as a functional futuristic farming vehicle instead of making it a not acceptable tool for the target future farmers.

Designer : Vipin George

Two Seater Mazda MX-5 Superlight Concept Car

TheFuture — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 10:29:06 +0000

The Mazda MX-5 is a Superlight concept car which is actually an awesome, purpose-built, speedster transformation of Mazda Miata. This 995 Kg, cold-filtered and carbon fiber made sports car will be revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show to showcase one of the best interpretations of the car manufacturer. Mazda has added few spectacularly unbelievable features with the car to make it cool and get the attention which starts with the high mounted break lights on the roll hoops. The dash elements are made of carbon fiber and hold real toggle switches, even the shift knob has been sliced down to diminish weight and enhance styling of this two-seater supercar.

Designer : Mazda via [Jalopnik]

Conceptual Playstation 4 with Glass Touchscreen Panel

TheFuture — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 08:48:19 +0000

The Playstation 4 concept was inspired by the massive popularity of its previous versions, while featuring much more functionalities than any other versions of playstation users have encountered. The first notable feature is the cool, transparent appearance of both the joysticks and the main unit. The transparent area of both elements comprises touch buttons for operating the device and the glossy black round compartment is to place the discs of your choice. Playstation 4 will give the gamer a unique cable-free gaming experience with its Bluetooth 2.0 connectivity. Moreover, the transparent display of the main unit can show thumbnails of different part of a disc and allow the user to select a part by simply touching the respective thumbnail.

Designer : Tai Chiem

Moleculair 3D Food Printer to Provoke Innovative Ideas of Cooking

TheFuture — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 07:57:18 +0000

The Moléculaire concept is actually a marriage of science and cooking, which is actually a 3D molecular food printer. This device is inspired by chefs who painstakingly and scientifically experiment with food to surprise the guests and provoke innovative ideas of cooking. The Moléculaire simplifies the existing hectic, tough and time consuming process of food experiment with this Computer Numerical Control (CNC) food printer for both domestic and professional kitchens. This gadget works with a layer by layer printing method using small elements from diverse ingredients, whilst providing accuracy, simplicity, repeatability and great tasting food. Vote for Moleculair here.

Interview with Nico :

What was the inspiration for your concept?
The inspiration was the experimental approach to molecular cooking. Even after several decades of molecular cuisine, it still seems to be an exclusive game for specialists. So it became my main goal to bring some of the fantastic possibilities and ideas of molecular cooking to all ambitious cooks with an easy to use, affordable appliance.

How does your concept fit into this year’s competition theme “Designs for the next 90 years”?
I think the idea of molecular cooking is forward-looking, but the procedures and methods of preparing molecular dishes are still conventional. I would like to change this with my concept. At first, the idea of printing food seems to be something straight out of a science-fiction movie, but on second thought it is not unrealistic at all. I even think that Moléculaire could be the future kitchen tool that opens up possibilities for food-makers interested in molecular cooking.

What are the main consumer benefits of your concept?
Moléculaire is a futuristic kitchen appliance that offers several new possibilities to professional chefs as well as home users. It’s based on a layer-by-layer printing technique that arranges small particles from a set of ingredients. Within minutes, it prints out three-dimensional desserts, complex structures, shapes for molecular dishes, and patterns for decorating a meal. In addition, it’s easy to use. You simply insert a blister pack into the reservoir, place Moléculaire on top of a plate, and press the start button. Users can also create their own recipes with special software and their own ingredients. Ambitious users can download recipes and share them with other users in an online community.

Describe the consumer research behind your concept.
I conducted interviews with chefs and did a lot of research on the Internet. These approaches helped me to understand users’ interests, concerns, wishes, needs and desires. The outcome shaped my initial ideas and helped them grow. The most difficult thing about designing for the future is predicting the possible social and technological developments (their direction and speed). Therefore, it was very useful to read reports like sociological studies about cooking and future scenarios about the development of new technologies.

What kind of materials would you use to build your concept?
For my concept, I would use polycarbonate as the main material. I plan on applying this material in three different variations, each providing the right characteristics for the different parts of my design. Transparent polycarbonate can be used for the window, black tinted for the lid/display, and white for the body. The robotic printer arm and head could be made from aluminum. A blue (O)LED backlight accentuates the processes inside the printer.

Who is your favorite designer?
I don‘t have a favorite designer.

What are your career goals?
After I graduate in 2010, I want to gain more professional experience in a product-design company. In the long term, I want to further develop my conceptual and strategic skills and step into product-related design management.

Designer : Nico Kläber