Library is a place where one likes to relax in an intellectual way. But one can be relaxed only when all their belongings are kept in order. The Workcentre is a desk specially designed for the library with several intelligent components to keep the visitors’ belongings in order. The desk compiles everything from large working spaces to shelves for books to hooks to hang jackets or bags. It also has wire collectors to avoid mess and holes for the lid stays. The workstation can be used by two to four people. The design combines two desk surfaces separated by one mainstay and the user can move the ‘double’ workstation at a time.

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I always liked concealed, fold-down wall concepts and one of the most recent entrants in this sphere is Boxetti, who I must say have done justice to the work of storage spaces. Since space is the most major issue these days, Boxetti has integrated surrounding storage spaces such as drawers, cabinets and closet areas with the bed into a small, self contained box. So one could easily fold down a double bed, a night stand and a wardrobe, all from the same side. The entire unit can be operated either manually or via remote control. The unit also comes in with an ambience adding light fixture for mood lighting or reading at night. The whole idea of box furniture is apt for those with a small studio apartment or meager space.

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One of the many woes faced by travelers frequenting airports is that of finding charging points to charge their various gizmos like mobile phones, laptops etc. Designer Ryan Klinger offers a solution to these woes with his Empower rocking chair. The unique rocking chair harnesses body movements to provide power for various devices. A small box under the seat stores the generated power in a battery, which can then be transferred into any device via a regular plug or USB. The box features LED indicators that indicate how much of a charge the battery is holding. An eco friendly charging device, the chair has also been made from recyclable materials and comes flat packed to save energy while shipping.

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Designer Jonathan Lucas has designed a unique concept device that will enable visually impaired users feel everything on their computer screen. The device, Saifu, uses a unique material called Magneclay that turn the computer’s display into a Braille display or even a morphing relief of pictures. The revolutionary material, magneclay is an oil-based material with a loose molecular structure which, when acted upon by an electrical charge, can change its shape and hold the new shape indefinitely as long as the electrical charge is applied. The Saifu (named after a blind African ant) is a unique device that can be used as a nine-key Braille keyboard with Braille readout, or it can be used like a book, displaying words in Braille. It can also render images on web pages in three dimensions, letting users feel what’s on their screen. The unique Magneclay material along with the image conversion technology makes this possible.

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We come across interesting concepts everyday and think, why wasn’t this thought of before? There are two such novel ideas that will astound you like nothing else and leave you with the same thought, why didn’t someone think about that earlier? The double time watch is extraordinary. It took me a long while to understand how it works but once you get it there is no looking at any other watch to tell time. It features segregated displays for hours and minutes. The deal lies in the hour and five minute blocks which are located in the same positions as numbers on a clock so the time can be read easily. It comes attached with the operation button and charging port at the sides of the case.

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The 2010 Olympic Torch, a symbol of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games is designed and manufactured by Bombardier in collaboration with the Vancouver Organizing Committee. This magnificent torch is made of stainless steel, aluminum and sheet moulding compound. It is 37.125 inches/ 94.5 centimeters in height and weighs 3.5 pounds/ 1.6 kilograms. Its burn time is at least 12 to 15 minutes and will carry the Olympic Flame across Canada on its 45,000 kilometer journey. Twelve thousand torchbearers will hold an Olympic Torch as they move through 1,037 communities across Canada. The beauty of the Olympic Torch and the sentiments and warmth it evokes is unparalleled.

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Imagine getting 202.3 mpg from a car. Yes this is what Kia promises from its new ‘Ray’ plug-in hybrid concept car at top mileage. This beautifully designed car was unveiled at the 2010 Chicago auto show and is part of Kia’s Ecodynamics sub-brand. The ray is one of the first cars released under this brand and features a lithium ion polymer battery pack, a roof-top photovoltaic cell to power the air conditioning system inside etc. While many cars have comparable features, yet Kia Ray promises super mileage primarily due to its exceptional aerodynamic design.

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Famous Spanish restaurant Arzak and Philips Design have joined hands to give the Gastronomes an expeirce that will not only satisfy their taste buds but also their vision as they look at what they love the most in the world…food! Named Multi-sensorial Gastronomy, it includes conceptual tableware which illuminates when food is placed on it. The range includes a bowl, plate and serving plate that emit fragrances, vibrations and light in response to the presence of food on their surfaces.

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The future has arrived and how! With the Öbb – Gruen 3Roll around things are definitely looking easy and very technology-driven at railway stations. Transporting luggage will be cakewalk and frequent travelers can be happy with this new-found device that drives difficulty away. The 3ROLL works with the Stepper System ultimately improving physical health by increasing body movement. You won’t have to look far as 3 Roll is located at the entry and at platforms for your comfort. The integrated display with GPS navigation shows you the way to your platform after you scan your ticket.

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This concept of a GPS system for blind people is a really innovative idea. na:vi helps them to stay oriented in every situation without having to use the white cane or a guiding dog. This will be so useful for them, a really blessing. It is a clever combination of modern technology which includes guiding gyroscopes, laser range finder together with the GPS navigation with 3 dimensional user interface and elegant design. I hope this hits the market soon.

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If reports are to be believed, Korea will house the world’s first Robot theme park. According to Korea Herald, the robot magic kingdom will be part of a giant residential and industrial complex called Robot Land in Incheon, one of South Korea's largest cities. The Korean government has just authorized Incheon to build the park, which will cost 784.5 billion won (about $687 million). The bidding process for this park lasted for several years with $596 million coming from private investors, about $46 million from the central government, and about $46 million from the local government. The Robot Land website says the theme park will feature various robot entertainment including exhibitions of robot characters from films and cartoons; reconstructions of robot-oriented movie sets like "Minority Report," "I,Robot," and "Matrix"; a robotic-arm ride; an aquarium where visitors can watch and manipulate robotic fish; rides; and even droid cashiers and performers.

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Nowadays people pay undue attention to pampering their tastebuds than was ever before. Multi-cuisine restaurants are mushrooming everywhere and a variety of cuisines are tried at home. This leads to unavoidable use of fried stuff in our daily diet which is an unhealthy trend by itself. Eva Hernando has designed a Healthy Fryer which uses less oil thanks to its rotating basket. It is stylishly designed and here’s hoping that it meets our expectations as well.

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They say too many cooks spoil the broth, but when it comes to tech projects, the term “the more the merrier” is more suitable. This was displayed by nine mechanical engineering students who teamed up to design a unique project for their design class. The nine heads studying in Yale got together to create a spokeless bicycle. Their aim was to prove that you could build a human powered spokeless bicycle. Their bicycle features a bicycle whose front wheel has spokes but the rear wheel is spokeless. The design allows for the possibilities of an electric motor, or even “some sort of gyro balanced storage basket”. Although the students planned to keep both wheels spokeless, the time and budget constraints they had to make improvisations and go with only one spokeless wheel.

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I knew the apple Notebooks have a lot of advantages compared to other Notebooks but never did I expect that this hi-tech Notebook could also heat up my cup of coffee. Yes, designer Onur Karaalioglu has actually designed a concept iCup mug that can heat up any drink inside by connecting it to an Apple Notebook. Heck, this iCup can be connected to any device that supports a USB connection via a USB cable. What is more, the unique apple logo on the cup actually functions as a heat indicator that shows the temperature of the inside content, blue for cool, orange for warm and pink for hot. The main goal of this creation was to enhance work and minimize interruptions. Easy to clean and store, this unique concept iCup is definitely amazing.

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I work at home and I know how difficult it is with a hundred things happening around me. There is everything I don’t need around but essentials like a proper place to work in, a serene space, where the Shakespeare in me can start pondering is not in attendance. So now I take immense pleasure in saying a big thank you to designers Patricia Terrazas and Michael Swan for creating the ‘Four Works Workstation’. It’s a dream device for peoepl operating their work from home sweet home.

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