Archive for Concepts

Electrolux Soft-Refrigerator concept

Posted in Concepts by Conner Flynn on October 30th, 2008

Electrolux Soft-Refrigerator conceptCheck out this collapsible Soft-Refrigerator concept by Electrolux. It proves once again that an accordion design works great. Through the use of a heat-insulating membranes and modular shelving, this fridge can actually be collapsed and optimized for size. Because sometimes you don’t have a lot of food or you need more room in the kitchen.

When you collapse the fridge there’s less space inside that needs to be cooled, thereby reducing your energy use. Plus it looks kinda futuristic. Who wouldn’t want a collapsible fridge? Let’s say you go shopping on Monday. By Friday,you fridge is waist high again.

Biopod Automated Tripod: Robo-Paparazzi for short people

Posted in Concepts by Conner Flynn on October 29th, 2008

Biopod Automated Tripod: Robo-Paparazzi for short peopleThe Biopod automated tripod is a concept at the moment, so we don’t have to worry about Robo-Tripods following us around and selling pics to tabloids just yet. But one day soon that is exactly what will happen.

This little guy crawls about 3 inches off of the ground and can’t even grip walls to get it’s shot. So given it’s size and adherence to the ground, this thing will be stalking little people and snapping upskirt pics only. Until it hovers, that’s all it has career-wise. You gotta start somewhere. I suppose it could always catalog footwear and sidewalk pot-holes.

E-note concept saves paper

Posted in Concepts by Conner Flynn on October 27th, 2008

E-note concept saves paperThe Post-it note is pretty handy. It’s something that everyone has used at one point or another. Just imagine how many trees it takes to keep us in Post-it notes every year. Whatever the number is, the E-note concept from Sequoia Studio can keep those trees firmly in the ground. It uses tactile and flexible electronic paper technology, and can be stuck and unstuck easily thanks to a “Gecko” glue.

Whether it picks up hair and dirt and becomes useless, we aren’t sure. The E-note is solar powered, giving it enough juice to take care of your message and reminders across before it runs out. It even has a visual alarm, an organizer and the ability to change between 8 different colors. We want this on our desks ASAP.

The grass is greener on the Lawn PC

Posted in Concepts by Conner Flynn on October 26th, 2008

The grass is greener on the Lawn PCDesigner David Veldkamp created this futuristic concept PC he calls the LawnPC. The device would create all the power it needs from solar cells embedded in the grass that sits on top of the PC. The grass isn’t real grass, it’s actually made from natural cotton fabric that carries inkjet printed solar cells. The use of cotton makes the blades biodegradable, just like real grass. The idea is that hundreds of these blades can generate all the power the system needs at about 60 Watts per hour. The blades transfer energy to the battery plug-in at the bottom of each blade. The Lawn PC is also completely wireless.

All the electricity is generated by the machine. Which doesn’t even require a cooling fan. The natural air flow in between the lawn is enough to cool the system. All you have to worry about is placing the system near a window or a vent, where it can get all the light and air it needs. The lawn is removable, so it will also power your other electronic devices. Those devices will look like they do now, just with a blade of grass sticking out of them like an organic antenna.

Man builds world’s sweetest tailgate party trailer

Posted in Concepts by Shane McGlaun on October 24th, 2008

Ultiamte Tailgate TrailerI’m from Texas and we take grillin’ pretty seriously around here. In fact, I once saw a man beat down for overcooking a T-Bone and let me tell you Grandpa is fast with the meat thermometer now. It seems at least some folks in Florida take grilling pretty seriously as well.

Michael Seville has built the ultimate tailgating trailer that was started life as a massive grill on wheels used for a family catering business. The trailer has been converted to a sports bar and packs more electronics than most living rooms.

The Apple iPod Capsule

Posted in Concepts by Conner Flynn on October 23rd, 2008

The Apple iPod CapsuleAs our devices get smaller and smaller, the idea of a capsule-sized gadget looks more and more likely. This capsule may be one of your next iPods one day soon. Though I’m not sure anyone will be able to use the buttons. Luckily, there’s only one button on it called ‘Home’ where users can touch it and browse the same way they do on the iPhone.

When the capsule is docked to the mini speaker cradle, data in the iPod capsule can be sent and received from the cradle at the same time. The speaker cradle also functions as iPod docking speakers and a charger. After this thing, the next step will be to swallow the player and somehow manipulate it using thought sent to your stomach acids.

Intelligent Cutlery does more then just stab, scoop & cut

Posted in Concepts by Conner Flynn on October 22nd, 2008

Intelligent Cutlery does more then just stab, scoop & cutIf you figured your kitchen utensils were safe from a tech upgrade, you were wrong. The IC3 concept would give your cutlery a computerized body able to hold three interchangeable eating tools: fork, spoon and knife.

The fork wont just stab blindly, it will also analyze the composition of the food, reporting details on fat, protein, and sugars. The spoon will measure weight with the knife acting as a thermometer. All of this information will be compiled into a detailed report so that you know exactly what you’re eating. Screw that. Who wants some nanny telling them what’s good for them. These utensils can go fork themselves.

The iBangle bracelet MP3 player

Posted in Concepts by Conner Flynn on October 21st, 2008

The iBangle bracelet MP3 playerThe iPod pretty much owns the day in the world of MP3 players, but that doesn’t mean they can’t give it a drastic upgrade in the future. Designer Gopinath Prasana prefers a wearable player and so created the iBangle concept. Wearing it is better then carrying an extra gadget after all.

This MP3 player is in the form of a bracelet or bangle, hence the name. It features a multi-touch track pad so you can control your playlist. It’s pretty small, so you won’t be watching videos or movies, making this like the iPod shuffle. Since everyone has different wrist sizes, the iBangle adjusts by inflating a cushion so it will fit snugly.

Icono Home Phone concept

Posted in Concepts by Conner Flynn on October 17th, 2008

Icono Home Phone conceptSo house phones are nearly extinct, or will be soon. Zinc Chan apparently can’t let go of the landline and has redesigned it into the Icono Home Phone. Forget numbers. The phone won’t remember them, instead you draw the shape that corresponds with the person you want to contact and the phone will automatically call them. The pad looks like a constellation map.

The handset has also been updated and comes in two segments, one to place on your thumb while the other is attached to your pinky. You know, so you can make that annoying “call me” gesture. I’m not sure if this concept is an improvement or not, but Zinc lost me with the whole “call me” hand gesture thing required to use it.

Freshwest creates a literal pool table

Posted in Concepts by Conner Flynn on October 16th, 2008

Freshwest creates a literal pool tableI say it’s about time somebody called the pool table on it’s BS. It barely qualifies as a table, and it sure isn’t a pool. I know, I sound like Seinfeld, but how about a little trurh in advertising? Really a pool table is a ball table. Well, the design team at Freshwest have created a true literal pool table.

It’s actually a coffee table made with 50mm acrylic that reflects light so that it looks like a shimmering swimming pool. A pool suspended in the air, like somebody dug the ground out from beneath it. The miniature diving board on one end is a nice touch. Obviously, we want it, but who knows if it will ever be available to us regular folk. Then again, that’s gotta be a heavy table. And you’d need inflatable pool toy coasters.

IBM concept laptop is great for spies, has large knob

Posted in Concepts by Conner Flynn on October 14th, 2008

IBM concept laptop is great for spies, has large knobThis IBM concept laptop looks like something from an alternate dimension. It’s the kind of laptop we might be using had the cold war never ended and spies were everywhere and issued these laptops by Q.

It’s a concept by Nicolas Lehotzky. The most interesting thing about it is the giant security “knob” which is fingerprint activated and allows the laptop to respond only to the owner’s touch, acting as a physical lock. It also has hidden USB ports and a trusty built-in paper shredder. It goes well with the watches depicting the Bond villains.

Energy Seed concept uses spent batteries

Posted in Concepts by Conner Flynn on October 11th, 2008

Energy Seed concept uses spent batteriesThrowing away batteries is a serious crime against nature. At least that’s what some hippies told me once in a dream, when I drank too much cough syrup. So what are we expected to do with batteries if we can’t throw them out? That’s always been our conundrum. Well, the Energy Seed concept by Sungwoo Park is the answer.

You collect all the batteries that no longer power all of your gadgets and you deposit them in the base of this lamp. The lamp then glows, because even a “dead” battery will be able to power an ultra-efficient light source. What we need are battery recycling programs where people can drop their batteries, so that they can power certain lights used around any given city. Pretty cool.

Mrs. Hudson, the toilet that looks like a pipe

Posted in Concepts by Conner Flynn on October 8th, 2008

Mrs. Hudson, the toilet that looks like a pipeSo some Russians had a bathroom design contest and they came up with this toilet, named “Mrs. Hudson” for some reason. I have no idea why. Maybe Mrs. Hudson is known for huge steaming BMs and affectionately called the pisser behind closed doors. It’s as good a guess as any. Design firm 2-B-2 Architecture claims that this winning toilet was “inspired by a water drop,”. Aren’t they all? The Russkies are crazy. I’m thinking some guy appears and shouts Riiicolllla and blows in this thing creating a huge mess.

Hang your external hard drive on your laptop

Posted in Concepts by Conner Flynn on October 3rd, 2008

Hang your external hard drive on your laptopYour laptop probably didn’t come with enough hard disk space, so chances are you buy an external hard drive, but that takes up desk space, and suddenly your laptop feels more like a desktop. Plus there’s the wires to get in your way. That’s where this Hang it On hard drive enclosure comes in handy. Just throw a 500GB drive inside and attach it to the back of your laptop and problem solved. Sure, it doesn’t do much for your laptop’s looks, but it keeps the drive out of your way and keeps it all portable.

RD 3 Wheel Vehicle concept

Posted in Concepts by Conner Flynn on October 1st, 2008

RD 3 Wheel Vehicle conceptThis is one sweet looking single seat vehicle designed by Carlos Arturo Torres Tovar, who obviously channels the future like some crazy modern techno-shaman. I don’t know whether to drive it or just drool over it for an hour.

The idea is that the car works mainly through articulation meaning that this vehicle remains low at high speeds and it will also display helpful information during long trips through voice command by the driver. RD is convenient on busy roads as well as on long distance drives. Looks comfy too. It’s definitely a cool one to drive, but one problem. No room for a girl beside you. Check out a video below.





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