How Do Everyday Objects Sound Amplified?

Sam Weller, from The Royal College of Art, got an idea: create a device that would allow every object around us to become an instrument, amplifying their natural resonance. He worked with Yamaha and got these beautiful results. [Thanks Alejandra!]

Public Resonance from sam weller on Vimeo.

Brilliant Tableware

I’m loving this bronze cutlery by designer Maximilian Löw. The set combines elegant, soft curves similar to that of classic cutlery with sharp, rigorous edges that give it modern, masculine appeal. For each piece, a 3D model was created so that different variations could be built using CNC technology. After the ergonomic & aesthetic requirements were achieved, preperations for the bronze casting process were made. The result: stark yet elegant tableware in high polished bronze that deserves to be shown off.
Designer: Maximilian Löw

Burojet - Hedgehog Cup

 
Fun little Hedgehog cup by Burojet, which is made of 3D-printed polyamide.

The inner cup is the container to hold the liquid, the "outer cup"...creates a skin of air between your hot drink and your hands. The pins get smaller at the top of the cup towards the rim so you can feel with your lips if the drink is not too hot.

Gone With The Wind

Have you ever opened a window and said to yourself, “damn Gina, it’s windy.” Harness that energy with the AERO E. Energy is converted from wind to electricity and transferred wirelessly through induction. Place your cellphone on the charing pad and be the envy of your tree hugging neighbors! The accompanying app allows you to connect to your turbine and track wind patterns and charge times too.
Designer: Lance Cassidy

CHROMAesthesiae

CHROMAesthesiae is an installation by SOFTlab at the Devotion gallery in New York. It’s made of laser cut photo glossy ink jet paper and every panel has a unique color gradient. They’ve choosen for very simple technique to build the funnels: binder clips. Colorful!






found at designboom weblog

Concrete Cloth by Concrete Canvas

UK company Concrete Canvas have been awarded Material of the Year 2009 by materials consultancy Material ConneXion for their cement-impregnated fabric.

Called Concrete Cloth, the material consists of cement layered between fabric that can bond with water, backed with PVC.

The product can be formed into the required shape then allowed to absorb water, causing it to set after two hours.

The material can be used structurally and is fireproof and waterproof. The designers hope it will have applications in disaster relief, military and commercial environments.

Here’s some text from Material ConneXion:

–

New York, NY, November 23, 2009 – Global materials consultancy Material ConneXion announced today the launch of its first annual MEDIUM Award for Material of the Year, naming UK-based company Concrete Canvas’s Concrete Cloth as the inaugural winner.

The award recognizes materials juried into the company’s Materials Library within the past year that demonstrate outstanding technological innovation and the potential to make a significant contribution to the advancement of design, industry, society and economy.

“The MEDIUM Award for Material of the Year is an opportunity to celebrate the extraordinary breadth and scope of materials innovation today,” says George M. Beylerian, Founder & CEO of Material ConneXion. “The winner is distinguished not only for its technical ability, but for its capacity to make a lasting impact on our lives.”

Concrete Cloth’s groundbreaking cement impregnated flexible fabric technology, which allows it to be quickly and easily molded and set into shapes, is a natural choice for 2009’s winner. “With the simple addition of water, Concrete Cloth makes it possible to create safe, durable, non-combustible structures for a wide range of commercial, military and humanitarian uses,” says Dr. Andrew H. Dent, Vice President, Library & Materials Research at Material ConneXion. “This innovation is especially remarkable for enabling the construction of rapidly deployable shelter and food storage structures in disaster relief situations,” Dent adds.

The Green Share A Cab

In Utopia you can actually find cabs that are willing to take you to your destination. In that same fantasy land, cabs drivers and passengers actually believe in carpooling! For such fantasy situations is the Carpool LED Top Light. This sprightly indicator harnesses the wind energy via the embedded fan to power the indicating lights. Sadly we don’t live in Utopia and we can never find a cab, let alone share one!

Designers: Xi Ouyang, Yuanbiao Jin, Yao Sun & Yelu Liu

via: yankodesign

joshua kirsch: concentricity interactive light series

concentricity is an interactive light sculpture series by joshua kirsch. consisting of three

individual pieces - concentricity 96, 80, 16 - each one presents an illuminated white handle
in which a viewer is invited to move in any desired direction. reed switches located within
the sculpture's circuitry sense the movements of a magnet that is contained in each of the
sculpture's handles, translating this information into the form of LED light.


concentricity 96, 2008
aluminum, stainless steel, acrylic, magnet, electronic components
38" x 37" x 8"

concentricity 96 utilizes 96 white LEDs whose light floods through the sculpture's
honeycomb-like aluminum frame, casting a range of shapes and patterns on the wall.


detail of concentricity 96


moving the illuminated white handles to generate light from the 96 LEDs
image courtesy of john minchillo


detail of the honeycomb-like frame

Concentricity 96 from Joshua Kirsch on Vimeo.

Air Multiplier by Dyson

Industrial designer James Dyson has launched a fan with no blades.

The motor is positioned in the product’s base.

Air is passed through a ring-shaped aperture in the rim of the top section and travels through the loop over an aerofoil.

Click for larger image

The fan produces an even flow of air, controlled by a continuous dimmer switch.

Watch a movie about the design here.

RGB Vases - P242 by Oscar Diaz

Spanish designer Oscar Diaz has designed a set of red, green and blue vases that nest inside each other to appear a specific hue of purple.

The vase works as a three dimensional pixel were the RGB colors overlap to create a specific color which appears only once the vases are nested. Each vase is made using the values of red, green and blue that make up the specific purple color (P242). When the three vases are nested, the light passes through, and mixes the three colors so that the purple becomes evident.

A computer is used to calculate the exact amount of color that each vase must have in order to achieve the desired color.

The RGB vases will be exhibited as part of ” Eyes on Spanish Design” an exhibition about emerging Spanish designers organised by the ICEX together with the DDI which will take place at 100% Design during the London Design Festival next September.

Designer: Oscar Diaz
Name: RGB Vases ( P242-color)
Material: Hand blown glass. Limited edition.
Dimensions: Nested 526 x ∅ 325 mm

Touch-Sensitive Hoodie Lights Up, Plays Tunes

Leah Buechley designed this hoodie at the MIT Media Lab using a LilyPad Arduino, power supply, LEDs, tiny speaker and iron conductive fabric.*

I've looked at a ton of light up garments, El Wire, etc. This is one of the most tastefully- and artfully-done articles of clothing I've seen as of late. Instead of hiding the electronics, the graphic on the back integrates, even highlights the main board. Really well done, imho.

The how-to up on Instructables is thorough and straightforward. Considering a handmade touch-sensitive hoodie can fetch $6 300 (not kidding!), you really should try going for it on your own.

*Here's a good assessment of various types of conductive thread.

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