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

The E-bike has been designed with airless tires, robust tubular construction and shaft drive, ensuring durability, while the luminated front bar and dazzling graphics increase the visibility and safety for the rider. E-bikes have designed to be folded quickly and intuitively by the user and deposit it into the storage modules after arriving to a transit hub. RFID technology has been utilized to charge the users on their Oystercard according to the amount of E-bike rental time. When docked, E-bikes act as hub seating and get charged for the next renter.

Transit hubs optimize the traveler’s transitional experience between renting bike schedule called Bikeshare and boarding on a bus. The hubs provide real time transit schedule by allowing access to the Bikeshare. The Ionic modular design provides the concept with distinctive architectural identifiers all through the cityspace, increasing both the desirability and visibility of city public transit. During the time passengers board on a bus, its ultracapacitors get charged until next stop via a small arm extended from the hub. The busses collect and disperse E-bikes according to demand, effectively diminishing the need of third party distributors.

The electrical modular buses aim to optimize the needs of next generation commuters by providing ultimate convenience for public transit. The specialized interior space addresses the diverse needs of passengers. The compact and ergonomically bended seating arrangement provides a safer environment for seat occupiers and the standing passengers downstairs for short distant travel. On the other hand, long-distance travelers and tourists will be able to enjoy the city from panoramic second floor.

Designer : Gabriel Wartofsky

How it works:
The Capshell is a medication storage device that records when medication was taken and alerts the user at the correct intervals programmed by the pharmacist. If not attended to, then via Bluetooth an SMS alert is sent out to the users phone.

The outer shell slides round, revealing the corresponding opening for the time of day. This eliminates the use of the pinch grip by enabling the medication to easily fall into the palm of the user’s ready hand.

The user reloads the Capshell daily by removing the inner capsule and replacing it with a new one. Each capsule holder has the name of the day on the circular end.

The memory chip in the casing records what time the case has been opened. This information is logged for reference so that the health care professional can monitor if needed. The following week, the user returns to the pharmacist to reload the containers and the pharmacist can check the data. The pharmacist checks whether the user has been able to access the medication and at what times, and whether the user has missed any intervals.

A doctor would also be able to check the device for the same purpose. The recording device in the product assists the doctor in keeping accurate patient records. If the patient’s symptoms have not improved with a prescription, the doctor can discover whether it is due to the choice of medication or if it because of incorrect medical adherence on the patient’s behalf.

Designer : Steven Grech

[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

Awards:
- First Place: $20,000
- Second Place: $10,000
- Third Place: $5,000
- 40 Honorable Mentions: $1,000 + 1 LG U.S. Phone (A.R.V. of $300)

Start and End Dates: April 20, 2009 @ 12:00 a.m. PST – June 7, 2009 @ 11:59 p.m. PST

Submit your idea here!

[Press Release]

CHICAGO, IL. – April 21, 2009 – LG Mobile Phones (the fastest growing mobile phone brand in North America) is partnering with crowdSPRING (an online marketplace for creative services) and Autodesk (a leader in 2D and 3D design and engineering software) to hold a new competition to define the future of personal mobile communication. Starting today, U.S. residents age 18 and over can have a chance to design their vision of the next revolutionary LG mobile phone and compete for more than $80,000 in awards.

This year’s competition is even bigger and better than last year’s with first place awarded $20,000, second place awarded $10,000 and third place awarded $5,000. And to reward as many people as possible in the name of creativity, LG will be giving out a whopping 40 honorable mentions of $1,000 plus an LG U.S. phone!

“We’re very excited about this competition because it gives consumers, professionals, students and design enthusiasts all a chance to exercise their creative imaginations and have their ideas be heard. You don’t have to work for LG to make an impact on the future of mobile phones,” said Ehtisham Rabbani, V.P. of product strategy and marketing for LG Electronics MobileComm, U.S.A, Inc.

Autodesk will supply participating designers with a free 15-day trial of SketchBook Pro. Autodesk SketchBook Pro software is a digital sketchpad. A paint and drawing application for use on the Mac or PC, it offers an intuitive, streamlined user interface so even new users can be productive within minutes. The 15-day trial will give all competitors access to industry-leading professional design software and levels the playing field for professional and amateur designers alike to create the phone of their dreams.

Both seasoned and aspiring designers can submit their entries until June 7th at www.crowdspring.com/LG

Competition Details

Eligibility: Any U.S. resident that is 18 years (or age of majority in state of residence) and older

Start and End Dates: April 20, 2009 @ 12:00 a.m. (midnight) PST – June 7, 2009 @ 11:59 p.m. (midnight) PST

Winners will be announced on July 7, 2009 at www.crowdspring.com/LG/winners.

Prizes:
• First Place: $20,000 Cash Award
• Second Place: $10,000 Cash Award
• Third Place: $5,000 Cash Award
• 40 Honorable Mentions: $1,000 Cash Award + 1 LG U.S. Phone (A.R.V. of $300)

Official rules can be found at www.crowdspring.com/LG. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED

This innovative concept of Ian Simpson Architects will become a groundbreaking “green” exemplar, a favorite conference and visitor’s destination and an inspiring resource of mathematics education. The Fibonacci spirals will allow placing seeds on the seed head, leaves on a stem and petals on a flower as well as will help people to understand the relationships between nature and mathematics. The structure of entering the flower head will be an encouraging experience over the countries by showing how architects, artists and engineers have used the numerical sequences and simple angles found in wildflowers. This design is now being considered as an excellent addition to the National Wildflower Center.

Designer : Ian Simpson Architects, Adams Kara Taylor Engineers, and Hoare Lea Engineers via [Bustler]

James Salvidge own words :
In the UK today the introduction of new technology has meant that people have a far greater choice of how they access the post office services. Consequently, people are visiting post offices less, making the current service unsustainable. As a result the Post Office has already closed 500 post offices and has proposed the closure of 2500 more.

In the rural areas of the UK, the Post Office still plays an important economic and social role. So it is important that the services are not lost completely as this could make life for the elderly and poor increasingly difficult and also reduce the opportunities for social contact and communities to interact.

The project brief was to look at the role of the Post Office in a rural area and then to design a new service to be created in its place, one which was more sustainable and enabled the continuation of the postal services.

My concept was for a compact, automated post office unit which could be easily moved between villages, with each one being capable of supplying the services to around seven villages; saving materials and energy as fewer have to be produced

Following a timetable would allow the locations to be pre-arranged, the benefits of doing this are that larger villages, which have a greater need for the services, can be allocated more time and smaller villages less time. It also allows the people using the services to know when it will be situated in their village. As well as parcel and postal services, via a wireless internet connection it can provide users access to all the online post office services, including their insurance and bank services; allowing them to withdrawal their cash, pensions and benefits.

By constructing the mobile section out of relatively lightweight materials and by incorporating a trolley into the structure of the design, it will easily moved by the employees of the royal mail. To ensure it remains in location, via the screen, authorised employees will be able to activate the internal locking mechanism, which will securely lock it onto the post box; at the same time it will automatically lower itself to the ground, preventing it from being moved.

It would be a financially viable solution to problem facing the Post Office because it removes the need for a permanent structure and does not need an employee to supervise it. It can be entirely maintained by the Royal Mail, using their vans to transport it before their daily collection of post and parcels.

Designer : James Salvidge

Gavin explanations about “Connect” Phone:
Connect is offering simplicity through usability as well as Looks
The majority of the mobile communication market aim their products towards the mid ages. The mature age can’t relate or adjust to such products as easily as other generations because of lack of experience and ability. Physical and User Interaction aspects of a mobile device are the main issues that prevent the mature age using most devices. In the general consumer market, products are over loaded with visual complexity and extra features to standout from competitors. Even to a competent mobile device user this can give the perception of complexity, when all that is desired is simplicity and understanding.

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Optimus keys house little OLED displays behind them which can be programmed using special software to accommodate multiple functions. Incorporating Optimus keys allows for simplicity within the usability and appearance of the design. This allows what potentially could be a complex menu, to be hidden within the Optimus keys and for the screen to display the current state the user is in. Lesser keys are physically required, making the overall appearance visually simplistic and alluring.

Designer : Gavin Flowers

Designer : Viktor Ramos via [BLDGBLOG]

Patrick’s own words :

Due to the growing number of private hand research facilities, the erratic spread of innovation in nanotechnologic increases, before ethic guidelines can be set up by governments. I use a critical and critical picture to point out a topic-related vision of our world in 40 years. The study’s fundamentals in technology and science are based on literature and ongoing science forecasts by well known scientists, to not drift off into science fiction but to create a reliable vision.

Because one can still argue about assets and drawbacks, this topics needs to be displayed as transparent as possible, in order to encourage designers to look into the subject and deal with it in a responsible way.

The nDoo’s powerful (autonomous) capacity to act represents not only the subject of nanotechnology, but also every new and extreme kind of innovation. The contrast within this concept is the nDoo’s medical ability to heal. On the basis of this gap, the concept aims to show the explosiveness and ethical-moral arguments of the subject.

The nDoo is a medical, autonomous communication device which serves as an interface between humans and nanobots in their bloodstream, constantly monitoring all body functions and keeping up a steady exchange with an up to date database of all diseases and therapies. The nDoo forwards commands to the nanobots or writes his own code. Humans can access information about their state of health and the nanobots’ activities via a three-dimensional hologram. The visualization happens in nDoo’s floating position. While in passive mode, the nDoo can be carried like a hand-held computer.

Nanobots act as a self-organized swarm, swimming through the body’s bloodstream – powered by a nano-engine – able to localize, reprogram, destroy or mark cells, viruses etc. The nDoo serves as an extension to the immune system, detecting possible viruses at an early stage and preventing diseases. Even the emotional situation and human senses can be analyzed and influenced autonomously. Humans are accompanied by nDoos from the cradle to the grave. Energy is transfered by an electromagnetic field.

Designer : Patrick Decker