French designer Jeremie Mallet is young and raring to take the design world by storm. I was exceptionally impressed with his renders for Sony Walkmans. Agreed that in this day and age the concept of MP3 players has assumed the iPod form, but this refreshing change is like spiking water with a twist of mint! Soothing and stimulating, for a change her are some designs that can do their talking and words totally fail! 
Sight is such a precious gift that we take for granted; it only takes a moment of mishap to make us realize how special we are. The Jojo by Inga Paukšte-Urb is a navigation device that gives independence to the blind. It is meant to give them autonomy of movement in the big city. It features street navigation via GPS that feeds in the required information to the device. Jojo replicates a human voice and gives out instructions after collecting the data with the help of ultrasonic sensors. Apparently tourists can use it as a handy device as well. However one may use it, Jojo promises to be the steady companion giving directions to its handicapped owners, and giving them the confidence to move around with surety. 
Spanish designer Miguel Ángel Iranzo Sánchez (sexy name!) has designed and equally sexy car for Nissan, the Shiraz. This healthy cross between a SUV and a sports car won the designer a scholarship at a Master in Car Design in Valencia and a Nissan Note. What really captivates me is the cool combination of silver offset with purple windscreen and windows. The awesome doors give the car the oomph-factor and I can really picture handsome hunks taking their girls for a spin in the beauty! A well deserved victory for Miguel. 
Designer Taryn Zychal has a good grasp at what she wants, thus this Jacquez Camera is a complete solution for taking pictures underwater. Those who have experienced a scuba dive will realize that the water in the reefs may not be as clear and crisp as one sees on shows in TV. In actuality, the grainy vision may hamper the pleasure of a good dive. However while taking photographs underwater, the Jacquez Camera will aid you with a simple interface, slanted screen for optimal clarity and an optional fisheye lens. The camera even has the land/underwater option. The camera gets its name from the greatest underwater photographer Jacquez Cousteau, and is attribute to him. It was developed for the Sealife.
The concept of a futuristic bike always sees a pair of wheels teamed with a fusion body, but never has it seen the form of an exoskeleton using three wheels. The fantastic concept has showcased designer Jake Loniak talents, who is a junior college student. The Deus assumes a vertical stance and is ready to accommodate the rider, who just needs to step in and strap on. Relying on the in-built computer for navigation, the bike navigates using the intuitive commands of the rider. The 36 pneumatic muscles, (artificial muscles) made by the German company Festo manipulate the directions by inflating or deflating. This electric exoskeleton motorcycle almost gives the perception of riding two skateboards at the same time. Powered by lithium-ion batteries and ultracapacitors the bike can reach speeds of 75 mph.
Do you get tired standing in queues; of course you do! Wouldn't it be wonderful if you had a mobile seating option that is easy to lug around yet compact to store? The Pillowcase is actually shaped like a suitcase, but transforms itself to a very handy chair. The very talented Letao Tao has designed this ultimate transmorphing contraption. His idea behind the concept is to give you comfortable seating when you happen to wait in lines and have nowhere to sit. Sometimes it maybe easy to just plop yourself on the ground, but people with back problems or other restrictions may benefit from this design. The Pillowcase provides seating and support as either an ottoman or a full seat. 
What do you do if you don't find the perfect alarm clock that takes your fancy? Well, if you are Daniel J, then you just design the ideal one for yourself! The digital analog clock concept uses both the mechanisms to their fullest advantage. Separating the design into two parts, the alarm clock sport two red sections and an analogue face clock. To set the alarm, the right part of the red frame needs to be pushed down and the digital clock illuminates to show the time and after you key in the time, push the "set alarm" again. After a while the digital clock disappears, only to surface again at the assigned hour. 
Trendy watches change appearances with the flow of the seasons, no wonder designers are kept on their feet to come up with new styles all the time! The Fossil Watch project by Shelley Spicuzza was done by her for the summers. The original bold flower pattern looks refreshing and the soothing colors appease the eye. Another striking feature is the hands of the clock. It reminds me of a polished, manicured fingernail of a very haughty lady! The offset wristbands come together in a magnetic clasp and hold firmly on the wrist. Overall a very stimulating design that will hopefully adorn my wrists one day.
When you don't have the means to own a plush luxury car, then a handy jalopy will also do. But if life's tough on you and a rattletrap is also out of your reach, then relying on a trusty bicycle is all you can do. Designer Mathieu Acquart does consider this scenario and thus has derived the Narai. This wonderful hybrid bicycle takes on a whole new meaning of providing an easy transport for the downtrodden. It features wheels that are capable of working on both roads as well as railway tracks. I know in urbanized cities, the thought of using railway tracks this way is considered felony, but in shantytowns of Thailand, this kind of a bike will be a boon. 
Designer Yopi Djauhari partnered with other designers to come up with this ingenious LCD monitor for Samsung. It was actually submitted at the Samsung design competition and won second place. Imbibing the qualities of beauty and function, the render sees the use of fluid lines to fashion the front panel. The ample stand provides a sturdy support to the screen and has the perfect tilt to view the screen without light reflecting on it. The controls with their LED markings are rendered to the bottom right of the screen for easy navigation. But the typical Samsung-style curve at the bottom is hard to miss, and appreciated. 
The Ferrari Monza has the aesthetics of a spaceship than a car but that's not the only thing hot about it. According to designer Iman Maghsoudi the cars of the future will be able to touch really high speeds…in the range of 125mph. However this stage will be quite impossible for humans to sustain due to lack of "sufficient concentration". As a solution computers will have to be roped in to drive the vehicle for us! Peculiar as it sounds, the Ferrari Monza accepts the "pilot" in its cockpit, which is akin to straddling a motorcycle. Once the programmed speed is attained, the onboard computer takes over the controls. 
Designed for the Benesse Corporation, designer Nendo has given them the Perfect Clear. Sounds confusing, right? Well, the Perfect Clear is a device that helps school children learn Chinese character, mathematics, and history. Getting to the basics, apparently children in the elementary age group in Japan need to give entrance exams for junior high school. Almost one-fifth of this tot's population uses the Benesse Corporation's Shinken Zemi distance learning program to prepare for them. The Perfect clear is a tool that aids in the learning process and peps up the kids for a serious session of cramming. 
Designer Liang Tian really loves his green thumb, I'm sure he has one because his latest designs mirrors an eco-friendly drive. Although one may cringe at the thought of another car to the road, Liang's design sees the use of hydrogen for fuel, which makes all the difference. The result of burning the hydrogen in the engine leaves a residue of water vapor. This sleek, slim concept car would make an idea inclusion in an urban setting. Going the extra mile, Liang has also minimized the use of plastic and opted for of plant based eco-friendly materials to dress its interiors. A truly green-project inside out, the Steamlife should pave its way from the drawing board to the production line. 
Do you like to see the rainbow? I simply love the way the colors blend into each other, and always hope that the pot of gold is at the end of it. Inspired by the myriad of colors, designer Christian Flindt has come up with the award-winning Parts of a Rainbow chairs. Besides their wispy colors, the chairs betoken a definitive style. They don't conform to the traditionally one-on-top-of-each-other stance, they side-stack instead. Probably the world's first side-stacking chairs, Parts of a Rainbow merge together to give you a grand bench to sit on. Fabricated from acrylic plastic, these chairs would fit perfectly in a huge auditorium or school stadium. 
With the speed of lightning, technical advances have been bombarding us new inventions and innovations. When the iPhone released, it set off a chain reaction where every next phone aped its interface to be reckoned as "happening". As a wave of fresh-breath, the Tatung VoIP Concept Phone bedazzles you with its beauty defined by simplicity. Winner of the IDEA, and Red Dot awards, this concept belongs to the worthy Nova Design. Going back to the roots, the design features a false antenna that gives it a very retro look. Packed into this sleek frame are Bluetooth and a touch pad. 
