Author Archives: Ida Torres

Beam projector concept designed for daddy-kids bonding time

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When you look at products in the market that are meant for parent-child bonding, it can be a little skewed towards mothers. But of course most fathers also want to spend quality time with their kids, especially with activities like camping or being in the outdoors. This product concept comes out of that idea for some “emotional” bonding between dads and their kids, but can also be used by any parent, regardless of gender.

Designer: Kim Taeyeon

Key_Story (or Key-Story, which are both indicated in the concept page) is a concept for a beam projector that you can take along to your camping trip or to any outdoor activity. It is meant to foster an emotional, bonding moment between father and children by watching videos projected on a surface. We assume that you need a wall or a cloth to project of course.

The device is designed to look like a robot and has bright colors in order to attract the attention of the kids, especially the younger ones. The top part, which looks like the robot head, is the beam projector and the bottom part is the speaker for “vivid sound”. The package will supposedly come with three Keys that have different content available. You touch the key to the top of the projector to view the videos.

There’s also USB and Bluetooth connectivity in case you have your own video content and you can charge the projector on a C-type port. The two parts have “free movement” because of magnets which should make kids more interested to operate it, but hopefully not break it.

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Aether creates special jacket for photographers, designed with Leica

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I’ve had the opportunity to see some of my photographer friends in action while shooting sports and events. It’s not just as simple as carrying around a camera anymore as they also have to carry a lot of accessories and gears while running around. Bags are of course handy but wouldn’t it be better if they had something lighter to wear and still be able to hold all of their stuff?

Designer: Aether for Leica

The AETHER + Leica Reporter Jacket is one such item that would be convenient for photographers and even just mere travelers. It was designed with Leica photographers so they had the input of the actual people who will use it. Well, if they’re one of the 125 people who can get a hold of this limited edition jacket, which actually matches the Reporter camera series of Leica, color-wise. As expected, this jacket is designed for all kinds of weather and has a lot of pockets and compartments to hold their gear.

The army green colored jacket is weather-resistant and has waxed cotton-nylon blend fabric. This means it becomes breathable in warm weather but when it becomes colder, it creates a windproof barrier as well. The front pockets can fit a Leica camera, specifically any of the Q or M series while the back stash pocket can carry larger items like lens and even a tablet. It also has a built-in microfiber cloth so you can use it to clean your lens. The internal pocket is able to hold 4 Leica batteries while the chest pocket can hold your SD card case. There’s even a hidden SD card pocket at the collar, in case you need to hide something.

These features of the jacket can also be used by non-photographers who want to carry around stuff while traveling without using a bag. But they were of course specifically built for photographers and there are only limited items available. So if you have $795 to spare, you should get it while you still can.

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Hatch partners with KFC to create frying chicken ASMR

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Anyone who’s ever been on TikTok knows that there are a lot of weird rumors that start on the platform and not all of them are good for the brain. But one of the more interesting and harmless ones that trended lately is the idea that the sound of rainfall that helps people sleep is actually the sound of cooking fried chicken. Out of this funny trend comes an unexpected collaboration.

Designer: Hatch for KFC

Hatch, a sleep wellness company, has partnered with probably the most popular fried chicken brand, KFC, to come up with new content that you can sleep to. Based on their “investigation” conducted at the KFC headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky, they have come up with 20 minutes of audio which you cannot distinguish if it’s frying chicken or falling rain. There’s a funny, behind-the-scenes video of a Hatch investigator recording the KFC guy deep frying chicken to prove that it is the same sound as falling rain.

The brand partnership content is actually to promote KFC’s new Original Recipe® Tenders. The recorded sound is apparently them frying these tenders and now people can drift off to sleep and maybe dream of eating chicken while they’re at it. The sound is available in Hatch’s Restore 2 smart sleep device if you have a Hatch+ premium content subscription. But you can also find it on both Hatch’s and KFC’s YouTube channels and the Hatch for Sleep Spotify page.

And if you’re really into this thing, there’s even a limited-edition Hatch X KFC Sleep Shirt with “Fell asleep to fried chicken” on it that you can buy at KFC’s online store. Too bad though, you still won’t get the secret recipe of 11 herbs and spices even if you fall asleep to the sound of frying chicken.

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LEGO shows how you can make a DIY engagement ring box from bricks

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Most women (or men) probably prefer to get a traditional diamond (or some jewel) in a box when it comes to engagements. But there are also couples who prefer to do something unique for their marriage proposals and connected to that, get something that is more personal and different than a jewel. Geeky couples in particular probably are looking for something different and tailor fit to their interests and if they’re LEGO enthusiasts, then this would be interesting to them.

Designer: LEGO

A video posted on the LEGO South Africa account shows how you can create your own DIY ring box. It doesn’t seem to be any special, new LEGO set that you will have to purchase in order to make this special box. The man demonstrates how you can use spare bricks to build your own ring box, although you probably have to pause the video a few times as there are no written instructions on how to do it step by step (although there are step-by-step screenshots).

The tutorial walks you through the whole process of constructing a ring box. He even makes a tiny, plastic ring to show that it can fit inside and it will not fall out no matter how many times you shake it. The main colors used in the video are green and yellow but in the end he shows that there are countless customizations that you can do by using different colors and pieces, although you will have to figure it out on your own.

If the couple are both LEGO fans, this will be an interesting way to have a unique proposal. And even if you have an actual diamond or jeweled ring with which to propose, putting it inside a DIY box made from LEGO bricks is pretty sweet.

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This Batmobile replica can actually be yours for just $3M

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If you’ve ever watched any of the Batman movies, you’ve probably dreamt about owning a car like the Batmobile. Christopher Nolan’s Batman movies in particular have specifically elevated this vehicle and if given the chance, car collectors would probably drop a pretty penny to get a replica of this. Well, if you have 3 million dollars to spare, you can actually own a true-to-life Batmobile although you can’t really drive it anywhere.

Designer: Wayne Enterprises

Warner Brothers previously created a Wayne Enterprises lifestyle company to sell pretty expensive products that Bruce Wayne would probably own if he were a real person. But this is probably the most absurdly expensive item that will only be available to a few, lucky, rich people who can afford it. The Wayne Enterprises Tumbler is a life-size and fully functional recreation of the car from the movies, made in collaboration with Action Vehicle Engineering.

The 2-seat car is powered by a 6.2-liter LS3 V8 making 525 horsepower mated to a 4L85E paddle shift transmission. It is made from Kevlar, Carbon Fiber, Sheet Metal, and Fiber Glass and has stainless steel headers, flap actuators, 4-wheel power disc brakes, authentic interior with bespoke seating trim, and even premium GPS. It is not street legal though so you can only drive it in certain areas. Well those who can afford this will probably have enough space around their mansions to take it for a spin.

Unfortunately, there will be no actual flames coming out of its jet engine simulation. And unfortunately for us mere mortals, it costs $2.9 million and only 10 Tumblers will be produced for the first people who can shell out that amount. Well, Wayne Enterprises also has the Hot Toys 1/6-scale Batmobile if you only have $635 to spare.

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Forerunner K2 wants to give other humanoid robots a run for its money

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The battle for the best humanoid robot has been heating up lately with companies like Agility Robotics, Neura Robotics, Boston Dynamics, Apptronik, Reflex Robotics, and of course Tesla developing their own versions of robots that will hopefully not take over the world but help humans in their tasks. Chinese robotics company Kepler has launched the newest version of their Forerunner humanoid robot and it wants to give these other companies a run for their money.

Designer: Kepler

The Forerunner K2 is actually the fifth generation model of the original Forerunner and they say it has been updated to tailor fit commercial applications. It has undergone “extensive software and hardware enhancements” to challenge the latest robots in the market, notably Tesla’s Optimus which has received mixed reviews. This is mostly due to a “stunt” gone wrong wherein people though the black-and-white robots were moving autonomously at an event but were in fact controlled by humans behind the scenes.

Well the latest Forerunner, it now has “52 degrees of freedom” and has a totating and tilting head module which lets it move more naturally. Well, as naturally as a humanoid robot can move for now. Each hand can support up to 11 degrees of active and passive freedom and they can carry up to 15 kg. Battery life is still the same as its predecessor, with the 2.33-kWh battery lasting up to 8 hours before it powers down.

Tesla is expected to deploy its Optimus robot to production lines by next year so companies like Kepler are working doubly hard to create robots that may have better reviews than the former. The Chinese company is currently testing their Forerunner K2 at different customer facilities and later on deploy it in more companies to do things like handling of products, quality control, inspection, etc. As long as there are no robot wars, we’ll happily look at how this humanoid robot competition goes along.

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Pouffe chair concept uses minimalist design and recyclable materials

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There are two kinds of people when it comes to chairs and stools. Those who like cutely-designed seats and those who want comfortable resting places for their behinds. While I am always the latter, there are a lot of people looking for the former. That’s why we see uniquely designed chairs and stools that can also double as a sort of art piece, even though they don’t look the most comfortable to sit on.

Designer: Design Studio701

The Rio Pouffe is a concept for a chair that is able to combine modern aesthetic with an eco-friendly design. Because there is a trend (hopefully, a lasting trend) of people looking for products that are made from sustainable materials, this kind of design can hit it off with that segment if it reaches the production stage. They did not give details as to what these eco-friendly materials are but if we’re to look at the planters that Harshdeep, the company that they made the design for, we’re looking at materials like bamboo, coffee husks, etc.

The chairs themselves look like inverted onions with a seat surface and a small backrest. They are shaped that way to attract people’s attention and are designed to be lightweight and durable to “make sitting a breeze”. The colors are also in earthy tones like warm browns, soothing greens, calming blues, and neutral grays in keeping with the natural aesthetic that they are going for. It seems comfortable enough although for me, the small back rest may not be enough if I’ll be sitting on it for a long time.

As a concept, this seems to be pretty interesting if you’re the type looking for good-looking chairs that are also eco-friendly. It would have been better to see what are those recyclable materials that they will use to produce the chairs. But in terms of design, this seems to be a simple but solid one.

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Kickback brings transparent, nostalgic CD, cassette players and Bluetooth speaker

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Anyone who has ever done spring cleaning knows that you will still find some old compact discs and cassette tapes in your pile of junk. CDs are also still pretty popular now specifically in the K-pop and J-pop industry. The challenge though is to find devices that can still play these “artifacts”. Kickback is a brand that banks on nostalgia with its line up of retro products. Three of the more popular ones are the Discman, Portable Cassette Player, and the Jukebox Mini.

Designer: Kickback

The Discman is inspired by the Sony portable CD player that was very popular back in the days. Aside from being named after it, the design sensibilities is also taken from that particular CD player. What makes this different is that it has a fully transparent exterior so you can see your disc spinning around as you play it. The Bluetooth-enabled device also has a small digital display so you can see what track is playing and some buttons for various controls.

The Portable Cassette Player has a simple name enough so you can understand what it is. Well, that is, if you still know what a cassette tape is. For though of us who know what it is, it is also a portable device with a simple and minimalist design. Just like the Sony Walkman where it draws its design from, it is small enough to fit into your pocket. Well, if you still have cassette tapes of course.

Lastly, we have the Jukebox Mini, which is just semi-nostalgic when it comes to its design. It’s a Bluetooth speaker but with a retro design with two round speakers encased in a rectangular case. It claims that it carries the same quality as speakers from Sonos or Beats Pill. It can be placed on a shelf or desk or mounted on the wall, or you can also carry it around. It comes in cute mint, white, and pink colors.

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SiO2 Clock made from diatomaceous earth is an eco-friendly adornment to your wall

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Even though a lot of kids now are not able to tell time by looking at a wall clock, there are still a lot of people who like having an actual clock hanging in their home. There is also no lack of product designers trying to create unique looking and even environmentally friendly designs for these analog time tellers. While we can always glance at our phones to tell time, there’s still something comforting about looking at the wall to tell time.

Designer: Yuichi Nara

The SiO2 Clock is created from diatomaceous earth that is found in large quantities in the Noto region in Japan. This material is normally used to make bricks and stoves but there are a lot of discarded waste material that just contributes to waste. So they used these unused materials and used a plastering technique traditional to the town of Kanazawa to create an eco-friendly and traditionally and locally-based wall clock.

There’s nothing really different about the basic design of the clock compared to others but because of the material and the technique used, it gives off a very earthy and warm vibe. It also employs a 3-D design achieved through die-cutting and distortion-free molding so there are shadows cast from the hands to tell time.

The SiO2 logo displayed on the clock above the hands is not just the name of the product but is also the chemical symbol of the main component of the diatomaceous earth. It’s available in several earthy colors (white, gray) but there’s also green and pink for those that may like a muted splash of color.

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DIY foldable desk organizer is made from recycled Campus notebook paper

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As a self-confessed hoarder and maximalist, my desk is anything but neat. I collect a lot of stationery and supplies (sometimes more than I need) and so I have a lot of things lying around. There are of course some desk organizers there but the small items can sometimes be just left scattered all over. This new DIY stationery items can help with that problem.

Designers: Erlend Storsul Opdahl/Milla Eveliina Niskakoski for Kokuyo

RAE is a desktop organizer that is made from recycled paper from scraps of Campus notebooks from Kokuyo’s manufacturing factories. Since the strength and abrasion resistance is affected if you fully use the recycled fibers as virgin materials, they decided to make that just 50% of the recycled paper.

What makes this even more interesting is that the user will be the one to “assemble” the organizer by folding the paper, origami-style. There are two sizes of the paper: the S size (W155 x D70 x H30mm) which is a smaller, squarish kind of organizer and the L size (W250 x D70 x H30mm), a more elongated version. You can place various stationery stuff on it, including pens, paper clips, washi tapes, and other small items you may have lying around.

The package, which contains two pieces, comes with an assembly practice sheet but there’s also a video on YouTube if you need more visual instructions. It comes in beige and khaki colors, keeping with the minimalist feel. It would be cute to have some of these paper organizers on my table, if I can actually follow the instructions.

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