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EyeStops : Futuristic Bus Stops from SENSEable City Lab of MIT

TheFuture — Fri, 22 May 2009 09:03:29 +0000

EyeStops is a concept device for bus stops which will allow the passengers to do a lot more activities than just sitting idle and wait. The SENSEable City Lab of MIT has designed this solar-powered booth that are outfitted with touchscreen displays that will show necessary information like bus schedules or the shortest route for a certain destination. Even more, you will be able to browse the web, check the air quality, see the exact location of your desired bus, interact with a mobile device and use the booth as a community message board to post announcements and ads. On top of that, this booth will surely change the appearance of a traditional bus stop.

[Press Release]

MIT unveils EyeStop: an iPhone‐like interactive bus stop for the City of Florence

May 14, 2009. MIT architects and engineers have unveiled EyeStop, an interactive bus stop designed for the city of Florence. On Saturday 16 May the project will be presented officially at the Genio Fiorentino by the President of the Province of Florence Matteo Renzi (dubbed ‘The Italian Obama’ by TIME Magazine).

EyeStop, developed by MIT’s SENSEable City Lab, is an exploration into the next generation of smart urban furniture; it aims to enrich the city with state of the art sensing technologies, interactive services, community information and entertainment. The project is partially covered with touch sensitive e‐INK and screens, so that it can deliver information to people seamlessly. Users can plan a bus trip on an interactive map, exchange community‐relevant information on a digital message board, surf the web, monitor their real time exposure to pollutants and use their mobile devices as an interface with the bus shelter. “Interacting with EyeStop could change the access to urban information in a similar way to how the iPhone has changed our mobile life” commented Carlo Ratti, Head of the SENSEable City Lab at MIT.

At the touch of a finger users can indicate their desired destination; the system will then display the shortest bus route from where they are and the position of all relevant buses real‐time. The EyeStop will glow at different levels of intensity to signal the distance of an approaching bus. Riders and passers‐by can also post ads and community announcements to an electronic bulletin board placed on the bus stop, enhancing its functionality as a public space ‐ a place to gather and exchange community relevant information.

In addition to displaying information, the bus stop also acts as an active environmental sensing node, powering itself through sunlight and collecting real time information about air quality and the urban environment. “EyeStop is an experiment into urban computing: it may be considered an “info‐tape” that snakes through the city, rising up like a pole or cropping out of the sidewalk like a shelter. It senses information about the environment and distributes it in a form accessible to all citizens” – commented project leader Giovanni de Niederhousern.

A generative parametric model produces a unique design for each bus stop, providing both optimal sheltering for users and maximum sunlight exposure for direct photovoltaic powering. Unlike the typical mass‐produced bus stop, EyeStop is designed to fit the physical characteristics of its surroundings, with each unit being slightly different from the others. Furthermore, simple materials like shiny steel, extra clear glass and gray local stone (pietra serena), together with its minimalist design, serve to optimize how it blends into the historic urban fabric of Florence.

“Since the Renaissance, there has been an interplay between the physical form of the city (urb) and its citizenship (civitas),” added Carlo Ratti. “Today’s technologies are adding new possibilities to that age‐long relationship, thanks to the addition of digital information to physical space. It is as if a new materiality were emerging in architecture, with the seamless blending of bits and atoms…”

EyeStop was developed at the SENSEable City Laboratory by Giovanni de Niederhousern, Shaocong Zhou, Assaf Biderman and Carlo Ratti, in collaboration with the Province of Florence and the local public transportation authority ATAF.

Designer : Giovanni de Niederhousern, Shaocong Zhou, Assaf Biderman and Carlo Ratti via Core77

Seawater Vertical Farm in Dubai by StudioMobile

TheFuture — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 03:26:33 +0000

Studiomobile, an Italian architectural firm, have been working during the last couple of years in the United Arab Emirates and their most recent development is the concept seawater vertical farm. Their design, the Seawater Vertical farm utilizes seawater to keep cool and moisten greenhouses and to transform enough humidity back in to water to irrigate the plants. This project would be very much helpful where the supply of fresh water is limited and not much local cultivations are taking part. This project is very expensive but has been considered feasible because of the urban transport problem and the high soil value.

How the concept works :

Phase 01
The air going into the greenhouse is first cooled and humidified by seawater, which is trickled over the first evaporator. This provides a fresh and humid climate for the crops that in these conditions need very little water as they are not stressed by excessive transpiration.

Phase 02
As the air leaves the growing area it passes through the second evaporator which has seawater flowing over it. During this phase the humid air mix with the warm dry air of the ceiling interspace. thus the air is made much hotter and more humid.

Phase 03
The warm air is forced to flow upward by the stack effect that is temperature induced. In the central chimney the warm and humid air will condense when in contact with plastic tubes where cool sea water is pumped. In the surface of the condenser many drops of fresh water will appear, ready to be recollected in a tank to water the crops and for other uses.

Designer : StudioMobile via TreeHugger

sTrike : Sustainable Transport Vehicle by Stefano Marchetto

TheFuture — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 08:06:08 +0000

This new innovative concept design by the Milan based Italian Industrial design student Stefano Marchetto can be said to be a nice practical thought. The name given to this ecologically sustainable transport vehicle is called sTrike and just like the name it is surely striking. In these times when everyone is fighting for the parking space, this practical three wheel concept takes care of lot of these problems. The frontal movement of the vehicle is with the help of the pedals just as in bicycle and the cocoon design on top ensures that the rider is safe in case of a collision. Thus it’s a safe and environment friendly city transportation vehicle.

Designer : Stefano Marchetto

Smooth Car Concept for Urban Vehicle

TheFuture — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 06:06:36 +0000

The Smooth car concept designed by Milan based Italian Industrial designer, Stefano Marchetto is a head turner. Named as Smooth, the car sticks to its name both in terms of its design and usage. Smooth is urban transport vehicle with frontal access to the cabin. Chassis in extruded aluminium, external body in aluminium plates with square wave section. As far as the design is concerned, this two-seater is one straight arch, with ample amount of leg and head room. The spacious doors allow easy entry and exit into and out of the car. Also there is ample amount of boot space if one wants to travel with luggage. Also due to its design it does not take much of road or parking space either thus it’s a good urban vehicle.

Designer : Stefano Marchetto

Brunopasso, An Expresso Coffee Machine That Looks like an Italian Sport Car

TheFuture — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 09:56:29 +0000

Japanese designer Tadahito Ishibashi has come up with an espresso machine which he has named as “Brunopasso”. He has called the same as design for style because the design is truly majestic and can be termed as a masterpiece. It looks in every bit more like the Italian Sports Cars complete with console panel. While looking stylish it is also very simple to use and even works with pods. These gadgets are very much available commonly at the supermarkets. So just go ahead and make a style statement by having an espresso machine right on your table.

Designer : Tadahito Ishibashi [ProductPage]

Luxurious Red Italian Train by NTV

TheFuture — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 07:28:58 +0000

The bright red color with a thin golden stripe along the carriages is a wonderful match for the shape of the trains. “Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori” (NTV) is an independent Italian train company and they have come up with 25 red high-style trains consisting of 11 carriages and 460 seats. These trains will soon travel with a speed of 360 km an hour on the Italian Tracks. Who does not want to travel in such a luxurious and uniquely customized train? It has everything that you can expect from your future train journey.

Designer : NTV

Webasto LigHT Concept Car : The Roof of The Future

TheFuture — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 02:55:20 +0000

This convertible car designed by Italian IED (Istituto Europeo di Design) and inspired by the Fiat 124 Sport Spider from the 1970s. Webasto LigHT concept features lightweight soft top concept which made from new material mix and weight of just 13 kg. Under the motto ?The roof of the future?, the potential designers had the opportunity to unleash their fantasy and develop studies beyond the classic convertible body styles. Webasto will display LigHT concept car at Geneva Motor Show 2008.

Designer : Italian IED from Webasto

Pinifarina Sintesi Concept is Revealed

TheFuture — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 01:50:44 +0000

Finally, Pinifarina Sintesi is fully revealed and gong to on display at Geneva Motor Show 2008. Sintesi concept car is a four door vehicle with an advanced fuel cell power source. The Sintesi (means ’synthesis’ in Italian) which describe the attributes of the concept. The beauty, sportiness and functionality combine into one. Pinifarina designed Sintesi to predict the future of car design, stylist, comfort, practicality, and power.

Designer : pinifarina sintesi