The Kangaroo bike sports a new riding position for more cargo space

gavril — Sat, 18 May 2013 05:35:21 +0000

Looking for a great way to head down to the grocery store and back home with your purchases, without having to resort to the services of your gas guzzler? The Kangaroo bike is the answer! A concept developed by Andrea Sangalli, Edoardo Ferrari and Riccardo Randi, the Kangaroo bike offers loads of cargo space and a completely different riding position, that’s said to be good for your spine.

The bike’s modified riding position allows for the inclusion of a cargo accessory integrated in the bike’s frame. This can be filled with all your stuff, as per your need. Also, the Kangaroo bike uses pedals attached directly to the rear wheel, instead of a chain-pedal set up. The gears are included in the bike’s wheel hub. Easy to assemble with a possibility to be made available in a range of colors, the cheerful Kangaroo bike is a great way to travel around the neighborhood on your purchasing spree.

[Via - Behance]

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Termite-like robots could create breathable homes in the future

gavril — Sat, 18 May 2013 05:31:29 +0000

There simply is no denying the fact that the future holds a bunch of surprises that will change the way we live and thrive in the environment around us. One of the biggest combinations of technology and nature in the future could be the use of robotic ants, designed by the influences of termites. These could very well be used to build homes for us! A $1.35 million international project to study termites has been put into play, one which suggests that these termite-like robots could be used to build structures with natural breathable walls!

As per reports, a termite’s mound, or home rather, is the only naturally created structure capable of exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide with the environment, without losing out on heat energy. This allows termites to live in harsh climatic conditions, without freezing to death! The design could be used and replicated by robotic ants which will create homes for us in the decades to come.

[Via - Huffingtonpost]

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Lamborghini Egoista, the impractical yet extremely beautiful anniversary concept

gavril — Fri, 17 May 2013 10:06:24 +0000

Lamborghini has a way of shocking its fans with every release. The Italian supercar manufacturer recently unveiled yet another one of its jaw-dropping designs, a concept car built in celebration of the company’s 50th anniversary. Christened the Egoista, this car does seem to have an apt name and is an impractical yet highly drool-worthy ride, the type you’d buy posters of and plaster your walls with! Designed by Walter de Silva, the head designer of the Volkswagen group, this car is one-off and will never hit production lines.

Sporting a carbon fiber and aluminum cockpit, the car is inspired completely by aviation technology and stealth fighter aircraft. Apart from that, the Egoista also has design influences borrowed from the Apache assault helicopter. A single-seater with a cockpit that can literally be ejected in case of an emergency, this car’s built for the likes of the Batman and isn’t just a conventional growling V10 beast.

[Via - Designtaxi]

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Covering Your Shopping Needs Online

roshan — Thu, 16 May 2013 06:43:20 +0000

One of the most unexpected technological advances of the modern internet is the rise of online shopping. Up until recently, shopping was seen as an event, often requiring advanced planning, which saw the family head to the local department or grocery store. Shopping for the holidays, new school year, and other calendar events created long lines of mutual shoppers that had been funneled into brick and mortar outlets. Now, many people have moved shopping needs to a completely online format, forgoing the large crowds and physical stores for items delivered conveniently to doorstops around the world.

Consumer Goods
The first goods offered to you online covered nonessential consumer goods. Gadgets, books, electronics, and convenience items were all offered, often at wholesale prices, to the individual who could patiently handle the wait for the item to be delivered. As the sales of these items rose to unforeseen heights, traditional outlets also entered the virtual fray, offering name brand products from familiar retailers. Given this demand for consumer goods, eCommerce merchants even began to offer essential items. You are now offered groceries and other necessary products for sale online. While this may be a radical departure for individuals who are comfortable going to the local grocery store or mass retailer, some people have enjoyed the luxury of delivered groceries on a regular basis. For the professional who is under a constant time crunch, letting an online merchant provide these items is crucial to maintaining deadlines and focusing on job related activities.

Services
Once the groceries have been purchased, a courier delivers the items to your doorstep in a timely manner. This is just one of many examples of online services which are offered via virtual providers. These services may go hand in hand with consumer goods, such as grocery deliveries, but may also cover other services that once required face to face meetings with professionals. Online legal advice, among other services which create a connection between you and highly specialized individuals, is gaining traction in the virtual service industry. These services offer practical, cost effective solutions for those who do not have the time or inclination to meet with a practicing attorney in an office setting. These online attorneys provide specific information and advice, as well as legal services, to online consumers seeking professional help.

Professional Solutions
In addition to addressing individual consumer needs, many online merchants also cater to businesses and large scale organizations. Online legal services can help with trademark registration, in addition to patents and concerns which revolve around the incorporation process. Businesses also turn to the internet to fill specific needs that are vital to the functionality of the organization. Employing freelance and contract workers can serve as a practical solution for work that does not require a permanent position within the company. These temporary positions are often filled by individuals who work from home, creating a scenario in which all business transactions and communications are conducted exclusively online. These online independent contractors serve as a vital service arm of internet mercantilism, efficiently filling the needs of larger operating outlets.

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The Tessel Jet Pack Backpack, inspired by the world of aviation!

gavril — Thu, 16 May 2013 06:37:30 +0000

We’ve all had dreams of soaring through the heavens above. Well, even with the development of technology, personal flying isn’t possible, yet. Recently, we came across a backpack that doesn’t really make you fly, but is indeed inspired by the world of aviation. Called the Tessel Jet Pack Backpack from Tessel Supply, this black colored backpack sports a geometric building block-like design, inspired by stealth fighters.

The backpack sports enough space to carry around all your stuff around. The Tessel Jet Pack Backpack comes with two zippered compartments, one with a faux fur laptop sleeve along with place for your stationary, your iPad and your sketchbook. A great piece of luggage to carry to school or on errands around your neighborhood, the Tessel Jet Pack Backpack is one of a kind!

[Via - Design-Milk]

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Banana-shaped pool table by Cleon Daniel

gavril — Thu, 16 May 2013 06:33:45 +0000

Tired of the conventional pool table lathered in green? Give this jolly yellow banana-shaped pool table a try instead! Designed by Cleon Daniel, this banana shaped pool table is inspired by themes of life and the environment. The table was designed and developed with the help of a retired carpenter. Sporting a yellow felt wrap and a hardwood frame, the table uses four pockets instead of the traditional six.

Playing a game of pool on a banana-shaped table might not be as simple as the experience of using a six hole rectangular table. Cleon Daniel’s design is crafted to challenge players a little more. According to the designer, “I remember getting stuck in the snow with half a giant banana in the car in january, and breaking down in a flood on the way to the workshop too, but it’s all been worth it for the interest on people’s faces when they see the finished piece.”

[Via - Designboom]

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3D printed cars to hit city streets by 2015!

gavril — Thu, 16 May 2013 06:30:29 +0000

3D printing is here and we can safely say that the technology has developed enough to be used to create bigger objects of day-to-day life, like cars! We’ve just heard news of the first 3D printed train to hit the streets in the next few years. As per reports, an Israeli company called Stratasys and its subsidiary RedEye On Demand, will begin crafting 3D-printed cars. All of this will be done in partnership with KOR EcoLogic.

For now, a prototype called the URBEE 2 has been developed. This process of using laser 3D printers to build automobiles could very well be a lot more energy efficient than the conventional assembly lines used today. The car isn’t printed out completely however and is instead pieced together uses 40 extremely complex interlocking parts.

[Via - Nocamels]

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Best Tablet Apps for Students

roshan — Tue, 14 May 2013 08:23:10 +0000

Tablets have outpaced net books and laptops on the wish lists of both high school and college students. With their sleek design and compact cases, the tablet has become one of the lightest and most powerful options for note taking, messaging, and even day planning. At first, the tablet app markets were rather sparse. They were intended initially for smartphones. However, since that time, a number of new apps have been developed and released specifically for tablets. Since students are some of the biggest users of tablets, it’s no surprise that a number of these apps are targeted at them.

Studious
The Studious app does not actually make you study. What it does though is function as an ideal student planner application. It has lots of room to put in all of the different things that you’ll need. This includes classes, homework assignments, and tests. You can further personalize by adding notes. It has corresponding applications for smartphones as well.

Skedule
Android Appstorm, a website and online publication, mentioned Skedule as being one of the top new apps out there. It’s a time tabling application. You can do everything that you can do in Studious, but it has greater foreign language capacities. It was originally created in German, but it has English as well. The interface itself functions well with the tablet, and it uses only a slight amount of power. It corresponds to all platforms, including the Nook tablet. It is also becoming quite popular because of its interconnected to do list.

My Grade Book
The farther students get in the year, the more those grades seem to matter. My Gradebook helps take out some of the guess work. All you have to do is input your assignments and then calculating the likely grade based on the variables. It also has additional calculators so you can weigh the grades accordingly. As you fill in the actual grades, you can also calculate what you need to get on your remaining assignments to get your ideal grade.

Write
Write started out as an application for writers. It provides a distraction free writing environment as well as a locked off interface. This means that you aren’t able to just skip out to do other things like check Facebook. The good part about this application is that it is easy to use and it automatically syncs with Dropbox. It has some of the least lag points of other writing software programs, and it has very quick save times.

iAnnotate PDF
One of the downsides to using a tablet for your studies is that you won’t be able to mark up the syllabus or your paper notes. However, iAnnotate PDF allows you to mark up all of the documents within your tablet. It is also an organizing application that allows you to put together all of your information in particular folders. Annotation features within the application include highlighting features, note taking options, pen marking capacities, and others. You can use your finger or invest in a stylus.

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Instabeat, the heads-up display for swimmers

gavril — Tue, 14 May 2013 06:48:39 +0000

The world of sports has been closely in touch with technology and innovations and inventions have been assisting athletes since quite a while now. One recent development that is currently crowd-funding is the Instabeat. Designed to clip on to just about every kind of swimming goggles available in the market today, this piece of technology keeps a swimmer updated about several physical aspects. The Instabeat also connects and synchronizes with a simple desktop computer to share data.

The Instabeat works as a heads-up display and monitors the heart rate from the temporal artery, giving out information in real-time in regards to calories burned, lap times and breathing frequency along with the heart rate.

[Via - Designboom]

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The Window Socket uses solar energy to power up home appliances

gavril — Fri, 10 May 2013 06:18:06 +0000

While gasoline and coal are quickly turning into expensive and somewhat outdated ways to power up, the world is busy looking for cleaner and greener ways to generate electricity. One of the concepts aimed at just this that we spotted recently is the Window Socket developed by Kyuho Song & Boa Oh. This device is a direct plug socket that uses solar energy and attaches to just about any kind of window.

Once attached to a window, the device uses its integrated photovoltaic cells to soak in the energy of the sun. On its back, the device sports a socket. The energy gathered from the sun is transformed into usable electricity that then flows out of the socket, ready for use! Hook up your smart devices or other low-energy consuming appliances to the Window Socket to juice up with clean energy!

[Via - Beautifullife]

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