Author Archives: Ida Torres

Inflatable tent can be pitched on the ground, water, and trucks

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Camping doesn’t appeal to me at all but there are a lot of people out there who would like to spend a night in the great outdoors one way or another. Tents and camping equipment have improved so much over the years and now it’s not just about pitching a simple tent on the grounds, although some still like to do that if they want to go rough and rustic. But if you prefer something a little more “sophisticated”, there are now a lot of options out there.

Designer: Life Cube

One such camping tool is the Life Cube tent, particularly the LC-8 model that will appeal to recreational campers. The previous version of this inflatable tent was ideal for disaster relief and military operations, the company decided to create a smaller and more portable version that can be used by campers and other occasional outdoor enthusiasts. And it can be used on the ground, on top of a truck, and even on the water. They also say it can fit up to 6 people although just from looking at the photos, it might be a little cramped.

If uninflated, all the parts and components of the LC-8 tent can fit into two carry bags that can fit into a car trunk, weighting just around 45kg. You would need around 10 minutes to set it up and inflate it if you’re using a 12-V inflator. Fully inflated, it’s around 8 x 7 feet with a 6.5 foot high roof. You can strap the body into the base and either pitch it on the ground, set it up on a truck bed, or use it as a floating base camp on a lake as long as you tie it to a dock or a tree. Around 2 (probably strong) people can carry it around once inflated.

The Life Cube LC-8 is a but more expensive than the usual tents as it is priced around $2,750. But if you’re often in need of a portable tent anyway, you’ll get your return of investment quickly. And since it’s also derived from the heavy-duty military-grade design of the original LC-12, then you know it should probably last for a long time.

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Red glass house on top of catamaran gives you an amazing aquatic view

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If I had the money and the means to have a semi-permanent home on the seas, I probably would want to have a yacht where I can bring my loved ones too whenever they would want to just get away from the concrete jungle and chill. Alas, that will probably remain a dream but that doesn’t mean I cannot daydream through these concepts and designs that show what life on water can look like.

Designer: Jacopo Leoni

The Cube Houseboat is a concept for a floating luxury house that is inspired by the Modernist movement and Swiss-French designer Le Corbusier. The red glass house is made from a fusion of alloy and reinforced glass built on top of an aluminum catamaran. The main star is something called the Fly Deck which is a single, superstructure deck that can be accessed through external stairs. You’ll be able to get a good view of the surrounding waters as well as a custom pool. Inside the main bedroom, there is also a Commercial Jacuzzi in case you need somewhere to relax even more.

The Semi Hulls that is located just below the main deck is where you’ll be able to see the machinery spaces, tanks, and chain lockers. In other words, you’ll get all the functional stuff in that section of the boat. And in case you have your other “sea toys” on board, they’ll be housed in the stern area for easy access in case you need to play. The Bow Area is for mooring and the entire boathouse has two propellers for propulsion and they’re powered by a diesel engine.

While it’s considered to be a red glass house, it can also be changed to a different color if red is not your vibe. The glass house on top of a catamaran seems a pretty minimalist but luxurious space to stay in when you just want to relax on top of water and enjoy the view surrounded by aquatic life. This is actually the third vessel concept that the Leoni Design Workshop has come up with for the Beyond Horizons: A Voyage through Yacht Design event.

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Watch 1:1 LEGO technic gears go round and round

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When you don’t have anything to do and want to kill time, you probably just search for random videos on Reels or YouTube that caters to your interest and curiosity. Lego build videos are some of the most popular ones out there. If you’re like me who’s more interested in watching people create Lego structures than actually building one myself, then these videos are catnip for you. It’s pretty interesting to see how they are able to create these masterpieces and also film them for the enjoyment of other people.

Designer: Brick Experiment Channel

The Brick Experiment Channel is a YouTube channel that is more on the experimental side (well, it’s in their name after all) and their latest video proves that. They wanted to try for the longest chain of LEGO technic gears but the catch is they have to retain the same gear ratio of 1:1 from the first gear to the last one. This means that from beginning to end, the gears have to rotate at the same speed. Spoiler alert: They were able to add up to reach a gear count of 111. Seeing them reach that number is pretty impressive especially if you watch from beginning to end.

The video is able to show the entire process from when they started with just a few gears until they reached their limit. The gears are in gray while “platform” is red so you get a very minimalist feel unlike with most lego builds where you get a cacophony of colors and shapes most of the time. Towards the end when they completed the 111 gears, they were even able to change direction and do 3 full rotations of backlash. If you have the same tools as they do then you can probably do some experimenting on your own.

There’s something infinitely satisfying about seeing all the gears going around as they keep adding to the build, similar to what we feel when watching those Rube Goldberg machine chain-reaction type of videos. This is actually an older video so you can explore some more of their newer experiments involving gears and LEGOs on their YouTube channel.

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Life-like robotic dog can be an AI-powered companion for astronauts

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We’ve seen enough movies set in space and maybe even some documentaries or real life videos to know that life during space travel can be lonely. So having a pet with the astronauts can help with their mental health. But of course, there are limitations when it comes to actually having pets in space. So the next best thing would be to have a robot that would take the place of a pet and also be able to do even more than real animals. And of course, an AI powered one would probably be even better.

Designer: Jihee Kim

If this concept will come to life, Laika will be an ideal robot pet powered by Artificial Intelligence and it is designed to be as life-like as possible. After all, it is named after one of the first animals in space. While there are several robotic dogs available now, this one is supposedly designed to be a more friendly version. This way it can actually be a beloved pet for the astronauts and it can be integrated in “domestic contexts”. But aside from being a companion, the AI dog can also be used in case of emergencies and even to monitor the health condition of the people on board the space vehicle.

Laika is made from robust titanium so that it can withstand extreme conditions that they may encounter in space. It also comes with different kind of sensors so it can identify objects, people, and even literal space. This includes thermal imaging, depth cameras, slam cameras, and ultrasonic sensors. It also comes with ECG sensors so it will be able to monitor the health condition of the astronauts especially during times when emotions are heightened which can translate physically as well.

There are also future tweaks to improve more things about Laika, like adding mixed reality glasses so users will be able to get real-time information about their “pet” and their activities. The renders show a friendly-looking dog so it will be a much welcome companion for astronauts who may be missing their actual pet or are in dire need of companionship. It even has a stretchable handle on its back so they can carry small items or users can lift it up and move them around. Laika can also be used for other non-space purposes including domestic situations.

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Hourglass goes digital with concept for classic sandtimer

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One of my fondest childhood memories is playing games with friends and families using an hourglass sandtimer to count down the minutes. Games like Boggle and Taboo were made all the more fun because you could see the seconds slipping by before it’s your turn and your opponents are running out of time. But when our phones became smarter, we of course turned to these digital devices to count the seconds down and the alarm blaring causes us a different kind of anxiety or joy.

Designer: Fabio Verdelli and Anna Lazzaron

There are those who would prefer to use a timer that doesn’t have any of the other distractions that a smartphone would have, like messages, notifications, calls, and even that pesky alarm tone. A device that can bridge the analog idea of an hourglass and the digital convenience of a timer is found in this product concept called Passatempo, a smart hourglass. It is able to retain the elegant design of the hourglass sand timer but this time, it is able to add a digital concept to it that makes it more elegant.

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There isn’t really much of a description to it but based on the product renders, it doesn’t seem to use actual sand like in the traditional timers. It is still enclosed in a glass structure and the cone shape is still there and you can see the seconds or minutes passing by as it transfers from one cone to another. This time though you will be able to set how long it needs to “pour” through an app. You can use it to set a timer for when you’re cooking or to give you a visual idea of when it’s time for an appointment or you can use it for board games as well.

Of course the most convenient way really to set alarms and timers is on your smartwatch or smartphone. But if you want something a bit unusual or something that looks pretty elegant or just something that kind of looks analog, then the Passatempo may be something you’ll be interested in.

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Unique chair design mimics how you sit comfortably (if that’s how you sit)

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If you have a favorite chair or seat at home, you find a certain sense of comfort when you’re sitting there and doing your thing whether it’s reading, browsing your phone, or even sleeping. You always gravitate to that space because it feels familiar and comfortable. There are even chairs that eventually conform to your shape and it becomes even more a part of you. But most likely this chair or bean bag has the typical shape and design that we’re used to seeing. What if there’s something that looks uncomfortable but may in fact be that kind of chair that you’re looking for?

Designer: Dohui Kim

At first glance, the Dohui Chair looks like a piece of art installation shaped like a kind of pretzel. But it is a concept for a chair that is based on a sitting position that apparently a lot of people find comfortable. It is a floor chair so usually people who sit there take on different positions, particularly one that is most pleasant or enjoyable for them. The designer says that we are drawn to things that may be similar to ourselves and the chair is something that she based on a “friendly and affectionate” feeling that is similar to herself.

The chair has a circular base design and then an elongated, pretzel-like body where you can place your body according to the shape it is presenting. Your legs will be curved over the lower part of the chair while your back rests on the top part and your butt fits right into the circle. The product render shows off three different colors: blue, orange, and green. The description says that you can take on different positions while resting on the Dohui Chair, although it’s hard to see how you can do so and there are images showing these different positions.

It seems to be a design that has been well thought of even if it doesn’t look that comfortable to me because of the shape. As someone who prefers my legs to be flat on the floor, I don’t know how the shape can actually help me sit better. But if you’re the type who sits that way or how it conforms to the chair, then this is an interesting piece of furniture that you’ll eventually want to try out.

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USB flash drive made from eco-friendly materials will become your time capsule

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A lot of people are so attached to their smartphones because of all the memories associated with it. They keep them around, sometimes when they’re not even working anymore. There are also those who change their mobile devices pretty often. Both these kinds of people are contributing in one way or another to electronic trash that are not always that easy to dispose of or to recycle. The past years we’ve seen a lot of projects and products that aim to solve this growing problem of electronic waste.

Designer: Eunsu Lee

The Memory Capsule is a concept created for a design challenge with Samsung. On the surface, it looks like just your regular USB flash drive. But if you look deeper into how it is made and the reasoning behind the concept, then you’ll understand why it is not that typical and why it’s called that. First of all, it is made from eco-friendly materials and most of it comes from old electronic devices. The packaging itself uses recycled pulp while the body of the flash drive comes from metals and plastics recycled from actual smartphones. The cap of the thumb drive is made from recycled polycarbonate that comes from fishing nets that are thrown away.

It even has an LED display that will mark the date of the data that you are saving from the discarded smartphone. You will be able to get the Memory Capsule from a kiosk where you will also surrender your old smartphone and save the “memories” that are from that device. Once you’ve backed up all your files from the smartphone onto the kiosk, then you’ll be presented with the flash drive that contains all of it. It’s unsure if the data will be saved in the kiosk itself but hopefully they’ll take into consideration data protection.

It’s something pretty simple but the campaign behind it is the more important part of the device. This is to encourage people to get rid of their old devices in a more upcyclable and recyclable way while also retaining the precious memories from the device. And of course, the fact that it will be made from eco-friendly maerials is a big consideration.

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Analog digital hybrid clock presses the snooze button for you

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One of the biggest struggles I have every morning is the constant battle between me and my smartphone’s alarm clock. I set alarms every 30 minutes for a period of 2-3 hours but more often than not, I still hit the snooze button so all my alarms run into each other. I’ve tried putting my phone away from me so I am forced to get up if I want to snooze it but that only results in me being in a horrible mood. But if i want a more convenient way to snooze (and lose), then this new kind of alarm clock may be what I need.

Designer: Nico Tangara for BHH Innovation Lab

The Self-Snoozing Alarm Clock may become your best friend or your worst enemy, depending on how you actually look at the snooze button. Instead of having to snooze the device yourself, it actually comes with a hand to snooze itself. It’s a device that uses a fusion of analog and digital and is powered by the Raspberry Pi compact computer module to help you beat the snooze button or actually fall victim to it.

The alarm clock looks like your typical analog clock with its rectangular box but with a digital clock showing on the screen. It is connected to a servo or an actuator that is able to push parts of the device with precision. The mechanism enables this tiny hand to extend from the clock and manually press the snooze button which will then activate the system to keep snoozing until you actually stop it.

If you have an appointment that you need to get to, then this may not be the best alarm clock to have beside you as it will keep you snoozing indefinitely. But it does help you in a sense that you don’t have to be the one to push the snooze button on your phone, although that may not be the best thing if you really think about it.

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Lamps that Simulate Natural Sunlight to Help You Cope with Seasonal Affective Disorder

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When you don’t spend a lot of time outdoors and therefore you don’t get enough natural light, there are times when this can affect your mood or your mental health in general. Especially during seasons when the days are short and the nights are long, people get affected with things like SAD (seasonal affective disorder) and other conditions affected by lack of natural light. Light therapy is one of the things suggested by professionals and there are some products out there that are the next best thing to natural light if you can’t get it.

Designer: Bios

There are a couple of lamps out there called Skyview that can be used as part of your light therapy but are also aesthetically pleasing. Bios has designed these lamps according to “documented scientific research” which means it is able to simulate exposure to sunlight even when you’re just inside your home and the sun is not actually out. The way the lamps look are also more natural in a home setting so it doesn’t feel weird or out of place whether in your living room, bedroom, or your work area.

As the day progresses, the lamp can also be programmed to adjsut to the time of day and the natural light outside in terms of brightness and light temperature but at a more comfortable rate than when you’re actually outside under the glare of the sun. It is also able to adapt the spectrum of natural light with all its colors and even simulate the light when it shines above the horizon.

There are two models available for the Skyview lamps. One is a taller model at 20.7 inches and has a handblown glass globe while the smaller and cheaper one is at 11.6 inches and has a diffused polycarbonate globe design. Both have 1,302 lumens LED brightness and have a die-cast aluminum base. It is also able to have around 50,000 hours lifespan and has an 80 color rendering index score. The taller one or the Skyview 2 Pro is priced at $949 while the Skyview 2 model is available for $449.

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Magsafe charging valet tray helps your area look less cluttered

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If you have several devices that you want to charge at the same time, your desk can look like a tangle of wires and other charging paraphernalia. I am not the neatest person when it comes to my desk so that’s not such an uncommon or uncomfortable situation for me. But for those who are a bit concerned with how their work area will look, wireless charging is probably the best solution to avoid such clutter. If you have several devices though, you might also need several wireless charging pads, unless you get one that can charge multiple gadgets at once.

Designer: Courant

For Mac users, Courant is an accessory maker that they constantly look to (if they can afford premium devices though). The MAG:3 is their latest MagSafe wireless charging device and this time it looks like a minimalist valet tray for your iPhone, AirPods, and other small items that you can place there to make your side table or desk more organized. It is available in both leather and linen finishes and in several colors for each so you can choose which one best fits your current work or home aesthetic.

The tray is made up of a 7.5W output wireless charger pad for your iPhone, a 5W, non-magnetic Qi wireless charger pad for other compatible devices like Airpods, and a 10W USB-C output at the back part to power other devices like your Apple Watch or another USB-C compatible device. There is also space for things like your wallet, watch, keys, eyeglasses, and other small things that you may need to place beside your devices so you won’t forget any of them before you leave your house or your office.

The carbon-neutral Belgian Linen finish is available in camel, charcoal, and natural colors while the gold-rated Italian Leather finish has the saddle or black color options. It is now available to pre-order on the Courant website but since Black Friday deals are almost upon us, you get a discounted deal for a limited period in case you want to save a few dollars.

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