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Sake Bomb Stylish Cup Holder by Alexander Purcell

TheFuture — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:08:48 +0000

Sake Bomb is an innovative and stylish cup holder that delivers the experience of more than enjoying a beverage and sharing the fun with buddies in a more intuitive manner. The name came from the American modernization of drinking a shot of sake into a beer pint and this ceramic container avoids the traditional shape of a cup holder. Having a shape somewhere between a Japanese blowfish and a WWII mine, it includes four tiny cups placed outside and is insulated naturally to keep the sake hot. Aside from great functionality, this cup set will boost the décor of any tabletop.

Designer : Alexander Purcell

Mantra : Automated Life Saving System to Tackle Beach Safety Issues

TheFuture — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:48:14 +0000

Mantra is an automated life saving system concept aiming to tackle the beach safety issues that usually causes drowning casualties such as slow response time, inadequate surveillance, lack of lifeguard safety, and limitation of lifeguards as human. The Mantra concept contains small hairs with embedded electro sensors that detect distress and drowning people and swims up automatically to the spot. The victim them picked up carefully onto the built-in stretcher and it carries him or her on top of the water by using impellers and hydrofoils. There is always constant communication between the Mantra and beach lifeguards through which it carries the victim to a specified beach location where ambulance and medical team remains stand-by.

Text from Adam :
There are over 400,000 reported drownings and 8 – 10 times as much near drowning experiences worldwide every year. In the UK there are 500 annual drownings. These figures have remained the same for nearly 20 years which tells us that any current equipment and practice is not having the required impact to reduce these numbers.

I have been a beach lifeguard for a number of years and further primary and secondary research has shown that there are a number of key problems that reduce the survival rate of beach users.
These problems are:

Slow response time
Surveillance
Lifeguard safety
Human limitation of lifeguards

From this research it was decided to look to the future to see what could potentially be new directions for beach safety equipment, this design is therefore based for the year 2020.

The design process was in close collaboration with the BSA (British Surfing Association) headquarters in Newquay (UK). Starting with brainstorming where no idea was a bad idea, followed by concept generation and a wide variety of modeling and system/ scenario testing, the design took innovation from nature, new and existing technologies and user testing.

Explanation of final design

The ‘Mantra’ lives on the sea bed during peak seasons just off the coast of beaches; it uses small hairs on its surface to collect and store energy from tides and waves (called ‘Super Cillia Skin’). It detects distress and drowning using electro sensors coupled with sonar which even today are highly sensitive, for example heartbeats and movements can easily be monitored. When a casualty is detected it swims up to 15mph using SMAs in the wings. The victim is carefully picked up onto an inbuilt stretcher where they are carried on top the water using hydrofoils and impellers. The ‘Mantra’ is always in constant communication with lifeguards and so is met at a specific beach location by lifeguards and ambulances where an EAP is in place and the stretcher is removed without disturbing the patient, who in the worst case scenario may have neck injuries.

Stretchers are replaced and the ‘Mantra’ can assume its position at sea once more. The whole process is estimated to take under 2 minutes.

The final design as can be seen from images, uses biomimicry from a manta ray for many reasons –

Large flat surface area for all weather stability
Excellent turning circle and manouverability
Excellent strength to weight ratio
Low energy travel
Considered as a non aggressive creature/ form

Advantages of ‘Mantra’:

Removal of contact with bodily fluid
Safety of lifeguards
Immediate response time
Completely automated
Better for spinal and other injuries
Aesthetics
Function
Sustainable

Designer : Adam Scott

Pedo-Chi Educational Toy Grows With Your Children

TheFuture — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:52:16 +0000

The PedoChi concept device offers playful, fun, entertaining and thoughtful experience to the user without having to give much effort. This effective and educational concept is designed to enhance your children’s health and contribute to reduce childhood obesity through a motivating way of physical activity. With this device, users can share their personal physical records and play competitive intellectual and physical games between other devices. Operating the device is simple. Set your stride by using the left and right keys and hit enter to begin the birth of your pet. Once the pet is alive, you will have to feed it by playing with it, otherwise it will die. The handy counter will keep track of your steps and the colored lights indicate the health condition and needs of your pet.

Click The Image for Bigger View

Designer : Nathanael Finlay

Pulse Urban Bike from Teague

TheFuture — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 11:51:52 +0000

Pulse is an innovative urban bike concept formed to meet all the standard necessities of bike commute. This bike features electric turn signals, located both on the edge of each handle and at the rear indicator light, that can be controlled form the handlebars and a glowing frame that lights up when the rider needs it. The specially designed caged pedals of this bike always remain in a “right way round” manner, which allows the rider not to suffer from having to clip into inconvenient conventional upside down pedals. Pulse, with its compact design and efficient functionalities, would be an ultimate transportation solution that is synchronized with the urban denizen needs.

Designer : Teague via Core77

Black Hole Concept Mobile Phone by Seunghan Song

TheFuture — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 06:08:10 +0000

The Black Hole concept phone is packed with innovative features and great outlook. The phone doesn’t have a keyboard, the whole surface acts as a touch-screen display. The lower portion is the place which is named the black hole, having all the functional buttons to operate various functions. When the user touches any of the applications, the black hole absorbs it and activates the interface. The phone logically has no top or bottom. The user can switch the display from output to input simply by reversing the body of the phone. Thus, the user can have the convenience of reading as well as writing a message in a larger display.

Designer : Seunghan Song

“All Area” : Male Body Shaver Concept

TheFuture — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 09:49:54 +0000

All Area is a concept body shaver device that addresses the increasing number of young males from 16 to 35 years old who trim or shave their body hair. All Area is not a sci-fi device with complex and ugly components; rather, it incorporates the most commonly used materials for male body shaving: the trimmer and razor. Though, the device has designed in a simple way by using conventional components, it offers great functionality with maximum satisfaction for the said purpose. The device switches on with a simple click on the comb of the shaver. The blades are secured for enhanced safety and the shaver can be easily used as a trimmer.

Text from Jonas Buck:
“All Area” combines for the first time the most commonly used products for male body shaving: Razor and Trimmer. The sideways mounted blade visualizes that this is not a regular facial hair shaver, but a new product type. At the same time it optimizes the usability by improving the visibility on the blade. By simply clicking the comb on the shaver, the blades are shielded and the shaver can be safely used for trimming longer body hair.To do so, the user can select between three lengths that were the most often selected ones by users during the research.

“All Area” addresses the needs of a growing target group by looking close at their habits. An improvement in functionality and a new product-type are the results.

Designer : Jonas Buck

Faucet Water Symphony by Aleksander Mukomelov

TheFuture — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 03:26:34 +0000

When we touch a tap to open water flow, we certainly leave some bacteria and dirt on it, which we take back after having washed our hands when we attempt to close it. The Water Symphony concept comprises an electronic device for the mixer tap, with which you can adjust all the needed functions such as water temperature or pressure precisely and quickly without touching it. There is an OLED display on the top of the tap, showing water temperature, its pressure and the spent amount in liters for one time. Moreover, the tap includes a microphone and sensors that can sense an object’s proximity.

The water pressure and temperature control unit is fitted under the sink which is consists of two parts. One is the microprocessor that processes the incoming signals of the peripheral sensors and the microphone, in order to control the water pressure and temperature adjustment. Another component is the water pressure and temperature adjustment device. All the processes are carried out through electric network feed and the water is heated through the heating elements. Adjusting the water pressure is executed through opening and closing a valve and water heating requires a particular amount of time excluding the odd energy consumption and heat loss for a constant heating.

Having come to the sink, the user will pronounce the needed water temperature and when the hands are taken to the tap, the motion sensor sends the required signal to start water flow with the preset temperature. If the user wants to adjust the water pressure, approaching just a finger over different sensors will provide different water pressure. The overall procedure takes less than 2 seconds and settings are saved until next session begins.

The Water Symphony can work in both constant water supply and motion sensors modes and is a perfect solution for those who cares for health and hygiene, and keeps up with time.

Designer : Aleksander Mukomelov

Gluco(M) Wristband Monitors Your Blood Glucose Levels

TheFuture — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 06:09:31 +0000

With the widespread of diabetics among almost all range of people around, medical equipment manufacturers are introducing various products everyday. The Gluco(M) Wristband is a concept medical device that offers three major functions to diabetics: non-invasive and instant glucose reading, storing previous readings history with averages, and an extremely useful insulin chamber with loaded syringe cartridge. This innovative product is featured with ‘Reverse Iontophoresis’ technology and collects glucose samples from body fluids by using an electric current flowing throughout the sensors. The readings are shown on the back-lit LED display and different required buttons for operating this device are placed at the edge of this device.

Text from Eli :
The Gluco(M) is a medical concept that provides diabetics with three functions: instant and non-invasive glucose readings, history of previous readings with averages, and an insulin chamber with a loaded syringe cartridge for injections.

Diabetics must monitor their own blood glucose levels times a day, to determine how far above or below normal their glucose is and to determine how much insulin(s) they may need. This is usually done by placing a drop of blood from a skin prick onto a glucose strip and then inserting the strip into a glucose meter, a small machine that provides a digital readout of the blood glucose level.

The Gluco(M) uses a technology known as “reverse iontophoresis.” By using an electric current running throughout the sensors, it collects glucose samples from fluids in the body. The device is then able to read the sample and give a reading. With this technology, diabetics can keep a much closer watch on their glucose levels and avoid the problems that may occurs from having levels too high or low. The Gluco(M) enables users with the convenience of checking blood-sugar levels more frequently throughout the day, thus yielding for better control of glucose in the blood stream.

Designer : Eli Hariton

Stunning Vertical Park Design for Mexico City

TheFuture — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 04:58:03 +0000

Vertical Park is a stunning concept skyscraper that has been designed to overcome the impressive pressure of thickening smog and population on the fast expanding metropolis of Mexico City. While the city is having lack of green spaces, this modular skyscraper is envisioned as a series of solar powered stacking units containing green gardens and additional space for living and working. Each module of this concept can be customized to provide space for private and public use, solar and water collection and urban farming. The solar panels will be attached with the steel frames of the building to generate the required power to run various functions of the building and will allow wind to pass through the structure on warm days.

Designer : Jorge Hernandez de la Garza via Inhabitat

IDAT (Instant Data Analysis and Transfer) Concept for Hospitals

TheFuture — Tue, 26 May 2009 12:47:55 +0000

IDAT stands for Instant Data Analysis and Transfer, is a specially designed product having hospital’s context in mind. IDAT aims to develop and support a simple but strong interface by optimizing the quality of data circulation and communication. Therefore, IDAT has two major modules and an external charger.

The first module is for general use and allows smooth communication between workers. It includes embedding wireless technology via Bluetooth, a warning light, a vibrator motor and the key function buttons. IDAT shows warning lights along with vibration when the noise pollution levels of a hospital goes over a certain limit and thus increasing workers and patient’s quality of environment. The second module incorporates the log-in system and data visualization technology.

IDAT provides two types of information, data access and communication. Every worker will have access to the module/communicating system, but the inner data system is guarded by finger print security and only authorized medical personnel are allowed to access. However, it is necessary to keep the data module always connected with the communication module as it works only when provided by the communicator technology.

Another innovative characteristic of IDAT is the Lens Projector. This function designs a new shape of visualizing data and allows multiple solutions. The external charger module completes the IDAT project which can charge both the access management and modules.

Click to view bigger image

Designer : Pedro Gomes