Gravity is a pen and pad that allows to sketch in 3D space using augmented reality. The cool patent-pending system hardware and software system has gone through several working prototypes and now they are looking to start manufacturing. Check out the video—it’s pretty cool.
     |
I never get tired of Daniel Simon’s design work, the man behind the vehicle design in Tron Legacy, Oblivion, the Lotus C-01 motorbike. His classic Cosmic Motors series are amazing.
| |
Dieter Rams is the undisputed granddaddy of modern industrial design. The German legend’s ten commandments for good design are considered gospel in the field, and his impeccable collections for Braun elevated home appliances to mass-produced art.
| |
Most pieces of technology—like smartphones, TVs, and even computers—are replaced by new models every six or twelve months. Game consoles, on the other hand, are meant to last for at least five years. Which means that every generation is a true milestone of UI, gaming, and industrial design. So what does the latest crop tell us about the state of the console?
| |
You may have noticed the sepia-toned Google doodle today and clicked through to find out it’s a train designed by midcentury industrial designer Raymond Loewy, whose 120th birthday would’ve been today. Even if you don’t know Loewy, I can almost guarantee you’ve come in contact with his work—which decorates everything from the Coke Bottle to Air Force One.
| |
Yesterday, we saw Apple introduce a new plastic iPhone. Why plastic? Because it’s cheaper, sure. But Apple’s shrewd decision to use plastic is about more than just money.
| |
One of Britain’s greatest industrial designers, David Mellor is probably best known for his sculptural cutlery, which was the first stainless steel flatware to be mass-produced in the UK. But even those who’ve added his spoons to their wedding registry might not know about the system of street furniture he designed, which became iconic on British sidewalks.
| |
In the age of mobile devices and Google Maps, will street signs soon become obsolete? Not if they turn into Points. Points is an electronic directional sign that does more than just point to nearby landmarks. It can act as a weatherman, a news ticker, a Twitter feed and more.
Points was invented by Breakfast NY, the same organization behind the Instagram-printing machine. As you’ll see in the video below, Points has a control panel near its base. The panel has buttons that people can use to select what type of information they want to see. Points updates not just its directional arms but also the choices on the control panel. For instance, the choices in the morning will differ from the selections at night to reflect our habits.
Right now Breakfast NY is offering Points units for rent at events. They’re still working on a weatherproof version that can be sold for permanent installation. Head to Breakfast NY’s website to inquire about renting the sign, learn more about what makes Points work and even interact with a Points sign using Twitter.
I think Points is a very cool product, but I think an augmented reality sign would be more useful and practical. You can’t really expect people to form a line behind Points and wait for others to finish faffing about and gawking at the robot sign so they can use the control panel and find out where the nearest restroom is. Or. They might be prompted to do something drastic like, I don’t know, ask another human being for directions. Now imagine if you had a Points app on your Google contact lens or Apple holo-watch. You say Okay Glass Siri simply think of your question, and your device overlays the answer over the sign or over any surface for that matter.
But all this shallow brainstorming and ranting on my part only emphasizes what impresses me most about what Breakfast NY has done: Points looks like it was stolen from a street in the Tron system, but it’s here and it works.
Simple is an understatement when it comes to the Vinge, a fine piece of lamp from Swedish design firm Note Design Studio. Stripped down to its essentials, the fixture puts out a beautifully soft light as a result of its massive white dome. And if the quality of light weren’t enough for you, the wing around the base spins 180 degrees letting you fine tune the light output to the exact mood you prefer for the moment. More »
You don’t usually see much creativity in the design of rain gutters and downspouts. They all pretty much look the same to me (when the bums in the alley aren’t stealing them for scrap metal). But here’s a cool design that adds a touch of whimsy to the bottom of a downspout, taking the deluge of water that pours out and turning it into a little storm of its own.
I don’t really know much about it, other than that it’s awesome, was designed by Russian industrial designer Дмитрий Куляев, and probably isn’t going to be a product you can buy time soon – unless we can convince Art Lebedev studio to produce them. It seems like the type of thing that would be right up their alley, and they’re practically neighbors with the Russian designer anyhow. Here, I’ll even give them a Lebedev-esque name for it: Nimbostratus.
[via Meninos]
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
