Bathtime is one of my favorite times of the day! It’s that duration of the day when I get some peace and quiet from the world, and I can truly pamper and take care of myself. Having a beautifully designed bathroom with thoughtful designs will only amplify this special time of the day. These products can make a huge difference in our everyday bathroom experience. And an excellent addition to your bathroom could be the Orbital Tap by Orbital Systems.
Designed by Swedish company Orbital Systems, this innovative tap system recycles water from the sink for flushing the toilet. Dubbed the Orbital Tap, this one-of-a-kind tap saves 100 percent of the washbasin water and then redirects it to the toilet for flushing, which basically means that clean drinking water isn’t used for flushing. In turn, this tap helps to save water, and this excellent approach offers a return on investment for users on average within a period of five years.
The smart system is quite easy to install, and it is typically wall-mounted. It includes a faucet as well as a control dial with a touchpad located on the sink. Users can control and adjust the flow by turning the dial or utilizing the touchpad. The touchpad allows users to choose from different water temperatures, as well as other settings. The tap is available in a variety of finishes ranging from black and white, to brass, chrome, and brushed stainless steel.
The tap can seamlessly and harmoniosuly integrate with different smart home systems, and it comes in a whole range of presets and customizations. The tap is an ingenious design that helps in saving water and also protects the planet. In the words of Orbital Systems, the tap “does good deeds for the planet, for yourself, and for your economy. ” If you’re looking for a sleek, good-looking, revolutionary and not to mention eco-friendly bathroom fixture, then look no further than the Orbital Tap. It looks great in your bathroom, while also ensuring clean water isn’t wasted in flushing.
Observation and visual understanding play an incredibly key role in the life of every creative and technical professional… so instead of living in the Stone Ages and analyzing things with just your eyes, consider adding a 3D scanner to your toolset. Gone are the days when 3D scanners were clunky, complicated, and expensive – the Revopoint MIRACO is compact, highly intuitive, and offers pro-grade scanning. No larger than a handheld gaming console or a DSLR camera, the Revopoint MIRACO works as a standalone scanner, letting you take crisp 3D scans in vivid color without needing any extra software or even an external computer. A 2K AMOLED screen lets you see what you record, and an ergonomic design allows you to hold the scanner in your hands, moving it around to scan objects, scenes, or even humans.
The folks at Revopoint have practically perfected the art of 3D scanning with their extensive range of products like the POP, RANGE, and MINI series of scanners, but the MIRACO is distinctly different. Most scanners are designed to be compact but still need to connect to an external device like a phone, tablet, or desktop/laptop to let you preview the scan while in progress. The MIRACO’s Red Dot: Best of the Best Award-winning design removes that barrier, giving you an all-in-one device that packs bleeding-edge scanning technology, along with a flip-out display that lets you control the scanner as well as preview what you’re scanning like a viewfinder. No cables, no PC, no external device, the MIRACO is a solo beast that scans in crisp detail with up to 0.05mm accuracy and 48-megapixel color.
Quite like most professional cameras, the display folds out too, allowing you to angle-adjust it so you can see what you’re capturing even at odd positions and angles… but more impressively, it flips out 180° to face forwards, so you could use it to scan yourself too.
The camera-shaped design isn’t an accident, it’s completely intentional. Designed specifically for handheld use by both first-timers as well as scanning experts, the format feels incredibly intuitive, allowing you to correctly use the device right out of the box. Hold it as you would a camera, and either click individual photos from multiple angles in ‘single shot mode’, or take a continuous video of your subject in ‘continuous mode’. The Single Shot Mode is perfect for precisely scanning small to medium-sized objects with stunning accuracy, while the Continuous Mode gives you 15fps scanning speeds and allows you to grab larger objects with Far-mode while going farther away for wider captures, and stepping near to grab details with Near-mode. The MIRACO boasts a maximum scan volume of 4000mm x 4000mm x 4000mm, allowing you to practically even scan objects as large as most cars.
An advanced depth camera captures 3D details with accuracy, relying on a 9-axis IMU for position tracking and a 48MP RGB camera for color details when you want to capture color information too. An 8-core processor crunches all the data, saving scans to the MIRACO’s 256GB hard drive. Revopoint offers a choice between a regular and a Pro version of the scanner – one with 16GB of RAM capable of capturing between 4000 to 5000 frames, and the upgraded Pro version with 32GB RAM capturing anywhere between 8000-10000 frames depending on whether you’re scanning in color or just 3D.
Scans get saved on the device, although WiFi connectivity lets you easily wirelessly transfer files to other devices – or rely on the USB-C to physically transfer files or even connect an external display to your MIRACO. A built-in 5000mAh battery powers the MIRACO for up to 2 hours of continuous scanning (capturing depth and color with that accuracy definitely requires a lot of energy), while the MIRACO’s 35-minute fast charge to 80% ensures it’ll never be out of action for long.
To create a realistic leaf by MIRACO. Image credit: Bau-3d.ch
The handheld scanner is quite literally every creative and technical professional’s secret weapon. While most industrial designers, engineers, interior designers, and automotive designers rely on inefficient gauges, calipers, and measuring tapes (and while filmmakers and VFX artists rely on massive expensive scanning rigs), what the Revopoint MIRACO does feels like nothing short of magic. The compact device turns anything in front of it into a 3D model with surgical-level accuracy, making it perfect for modeling, designing, reverse engineering, prototyping, and performing various 3D-adjacent activities. Whether you go for the Revopoint MIRACO or the MIRACO Pro, your kit comes with everything you need to complete successful scans, including the device, Near-mode calibration boards, a power cable and adapter, a scanner bag, cleaning cloth, tripod, a sample bust, markers, a wrist strap, and even a portable turntable.
As Apple gears up for its May event, whispers from Cupertino suggest we’re in for an exciting unveiling of the new iPad Pro on May 7th. Apple is setting the groundwork for a breakthrough with what could be its first truly AI-powered device—the iPad Pro equipped with the cutting-edge M4 chip and its robust neural engine.
Designer: Apple
SONNY DICKSON: iPhone 16 devices
Mark Gurman of Bloomberg suggests that the upcoming iPad Pro represents more than just hardware updates. We should expect to see a preview of Apple’s ambitious AI chip strategy. This integration will significantly enhance AI capabilities, potentially including native Apple-developed tools and deeply integrated chatbots (think Siri on steroids) in partnership with OpenAI, thanks to recent but unconfirmed reports that Apple is back in talks with OpenAI.
Let’s not forget about the accessories! Rumor has it that the next Apple Pencil will have haptic feedback. This feature could be a game-changer for designers as it would allow them to feel the texture of what they’re drawing on, such as the roughness of a canvas or the smoothness of glass, directly from their digital pen.
This feature is significant for those in design as it allows you to see and feel what you’re drawing, making the use of digital tools more akin to using real pencils or brushes. This is particularly beneficial for anyone interested in aesthetics, such as graphic designers, UX designers, or even casual doodlers. It also offers practical advantages for 3D modeling and digital sculpture by enabling designers to feel textures and contours directly, which can lead to more precise and detailed creations. This tactile feature transforms the Apple Pencil from a simple stylus into an essential tool for artists, enhancing both the functionality and the overall creative experience.
Shifting the focus to Apple’s smartphone lineup, the iPhone 16 series is also making headlines with leaked images revealing a new vertical camera setup designed to support spatial video recording—perfect for playback on the Apple Vision Pro in stunning 3D. These leaks, courtesy of Sonny Dickson (via Forbes), show new aesthetic tweaks with new color options, including a chic violet.
But there’s more brewing at Apple. The iPhone 16 is expected to introduce a new Capture Button, which will enhance the photography experience by double-acting as a focus and shutter button. This feature and last year’s Action Button show Apple taking steps to improve user interactions through intuitive hardware updates.
SONNY DICKSON: iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro dummy mock-ups with case.
As we approach these releases, everyone in the tech community is getting excited, and that definitely includes me. Will the new iPad Pro’s AI capabilities redefine productivity? Will the iPhone 16’s camera innovations set a new benchmark in mobile photography? Only time will tell.
Stay tuned for our ongoing coverage of all things Apple. Their next chapter promises to be as dynamic and innovative as ever, blending cutting-edge technology with sophisticated design to pioneer new territories in the tech landscape. You can catch the Apple event on May 7th by streaming it live on Apple’s official website or through their YouTube channel, starting at 10:00 AM Pacific Time.
Such is the nature of the internet that it honestly feels like years since the Sphere in Las Vegas was inaugurated… but truth be told, the massive hemispherical display only opened to the public in September last year. Practically one of the most visible buildings on the north end of the Vegas Strip (you can even see it as your flight lands at the airport), the Sphere gained meme status with its sheer size and scale, and its ability to become a canvas for everything from advertisements to graphics, and even the occasional hilarious emoji that looks around and interacts with objects around the desert city. YouTuber Carl Bugeja decided that in theory, it shouldn’t be too difficult to make a homemade version of the Sphere using a bunch of LEDs and clever programming. His journey led him to build an adorable recreation of the sphere, scaled down to fit in your palm. The MINI Sphere is an adorable replica of a modern architectural wonder, and even lights up to display various graphics like an eyeball, the planet Earth, swirling colors, or emoji faces. A built-in accelerometer even detects when you lift the MINI Sphere off the tabletop, prompting it to display a scared emoji face!
Designer: Carl Bugeja
The original Sphere is a marvel of maths, engineering, and design, with its outer shell comprising a staggering 1.2 million LEDs that come to life to give the Sphere its own personality of sorts. The thing is visible from miles away, allowing even people in hotel rooms to be privy to the Sphere’s graphics. In between quirky visuals like a spinning earth, an emoji, or just particle graphics, the globe-shaped building also serves as a billboard for brands as well as for the venue itself, which plays movies as well as hosts concerts. The Sphere cost an impressive $2.3 billion to build, but Carl’s task was to create a massively scaled-down version of the building for a minuscule fraction of the price.
Carl’s plan was to build a roughly baseball-sized version of the monument, while still maintaining a compact pixel density that allowed his MINI Sphere to look like a display and not just a cluster of random pixels. His first idea was to simply have an LED ring rotating at high speeds, creating the effect of a sphere display, but that had problems – it would be too blurry, too complicated, and too noisy. He finally decided to use SK6805 LEDs, which measured a mere 1mm in width and height. Packing a staggering 945 of them onto a bendable PCB from PCBWay, Carl began building the MINI Sphere.
The LEDs were oriented on an odd geometric shape, comprising multiple triangles joined together. The idea was to simply fold the triangles to create a geodesic sphere. Carl would then program each LED in a way that would create a continuous display by building multiple graphic patches that could be stitched together in a software.
Carl connected the LED board to a CodeCell controller unit, using a USB-C cable to power the display. He then stuck the PCB onto a hemispherical 3D printed base, carefully ensuring each triangular panel was glued in place without any distinct visible seams.
Before his final design step, Carl began testing out visual patterns by designing them on a computer and feeding them to the MINI Sphere. Since this was a spherical display comprising multiple triangular facets, feeding visuals wasn’t as easy as simply dragging and dropping JPEGs. They had to be sliced into different artboards that could then be fed to the sphere’s various LED panels.
Finally, the MINI Sphere got its crowning component, a diffuser that helped blend the individual pixels to create a more coherent image. Given that the MINI Sphere has less than 1000 pixels (that’s hardly high-definition), it was difficult for the eye to perceive clear images because the gaps between the pixels were so pronounced. To fix this, Carl simply mounted a translucent cover on the Sphere, helping blur the gap between the pixels and create a more easy to identify image. Sure, one would agree that the end result isn’t as crystal clear as the original Sphere, but by DIY standards, it’s very impressive!
The MINI Sphere currently displays the graphics shown below (including even a blinking eye that looks around), but the most adorable is the emoji, which reacts to being shaken or picked up!
Any time I’ve spent with my beloved cats is a core memory for me, and I absolutely love cuddling up with them, or playing random games with them! But in all honesty, I’m running out of ways to keep them busy, amused, and entertained. And you know, if your kitties are bored and restless for too long, they end up knocking down objects out of sheer spite and boredom. And if by any chance you’re pretty much in the same precarious situation as me and are always looking for new ways to keep your pet entertained, productive, and happy, then this collection of pet products promises to come to your rescue! From a modular pet-friendly sofa to a pet-friendly console – these product designs will take good care of your pet, and keep them active and content.
1. Quarter Sofa
Dubbed the Quarter Sofa, this modular and pet-friendly sofa is crafted from wood and fabrics. The sofa includes various modules in the shapes of squares and circles. The modules can be easily assembled and disassembled to build various intriguing and fun configurations.
Why is it noteworthy?
The configurations created can function as a fun and amusing playground for your cats. Your cats can easily move and jump around, and if you have multiple cats they can even play together.
What we like
You can rearrange the different modules to accommodate a variety of people
The hollow spaces can be used to hold and showcase items
What we dislike
If your cat pees or poops in the space, it can be tough to clean and access them
2. Waggin G1
Called the Waggin G1, and designed by Waggin – this unique product is a pet bike trailer and a backpack in one. The trailer is in fact attached to the backpack so it is quite easy to assemble and disassemble, and you can efficiently carry it around with you. The backpack also contains some storage space.
Why is it noteworthy?
The backpack can hold snacks and toys for your pet, or even your items. It can store your laptop, or even some books and notebooks if you need any on your outing.
What we like
You can easily and safely attach the trailer to your bike
What we dislike
It can only accommodate small to medium-sized pets, so you will need to look for another option for your bigger fur buddy
3. PAWaii Wireless Pet Water Fountain
Named the PAWaii Wireless Pet Water Fountain, this unique device keeps your pets hydrated at all times. It provides fresh water to your pets even if you’re home or not. It provides constant access to clean and filtered water, and it has a NSF-certified filter which reduces calcium and magnesium ions.
Why is it noteworthy?
The water fountain is equipped with UV sterilization and it kills any bacteria or microorganisms found in the water. It includes three modes that you can use, and you can use these modes at the same time as well. The modes are – regular mode, manual mode, and inductive mode.
What we like
Equipped with a water-electricity separation design and anti-slip silicone pad
What we dislike
It is a conceptual design, so we don’t know how well it will translate into a tangible product
4. UTSÅDD Collection
IKEA recently designed their UTSÅDD collection, which is designed to bring joy to felines and dogs, and to their parents as well. The collection includes 29 pieces, which were designed in consultation with veterinarians and pet product specialists. The products were also tested out on the actual users – the doggos and the cattos!
Why is it noteworthy?
The products are machine-washable, durable, dishwasher-safe, and water-repellant. They’re well-designed, and also pretty gentle and safe for pets. The collection includes soft toys for dogs, and a play tunnel for cats, as well as pet bowls, beds, and houses.
What we like
Features a clean and minimalist vibe
The products are not only fun but also useful
What we dislike
Some pieces are a bit expensive
5. Choo Choo Console
Named the Choo Choo console, this furniture design is much more than just a piece of decor, in fact, it can be used as a dedicated little spot for your pets. The design is made using natural materials like cane wedding and wood. It is created to enhance and elevate the connection between cats and humans.
Why is it noteworthy?
The console is a sleek and modern version of a bullet train. It has a hint of contemporary elegance and style to it, while also integrating a sense of efficiency and speed. The designer merged high-speed transportation with the arena of pet-friendly design.
What we like
Serves as a cozy and welcoming space for cats to rest, clean their paws and nails
What we dislike
Seems to be a bulky and space-consuming design that will occupy a lot of space
6. Sphericon Dog Chew Toy
Inspired by the intriguing world of geometry, this unique toy is called the Sphericon Dog Chew Toy. It is the perfect little toy to keep your doggo happy and distracted while adding an element of excitement and freshness to their daily playtime. It helps keep your pet entertained and happy!
Why is it noteworthy?
This chew toy is intended to be something new and novel in the field of canine entertainment. It is a solid object that features a continuous developable surface. And unlike most everyday toys, this sphericon has a distinctive shape that lets it roll around in a fascinating and captivating manner.
What we like
Brings a whole new dimension and element to your dog’s daily playtime
Can adapt to various play environments
What we dislike
It is small in size, so you need to make sure your doggo doesn’t misplace or lose it
7. Triangle Toy
Named the Triangle Toy, this innovative toy is designed to provide entertainment to your furry friends, while also functioning as a work of art. It is a one-of-a-kind pet toy that isn’t simply for playing with, but it can also offer an exciting visual experience which is inspired by nature.
Why is it noteworthy?
The Triangle Toy is designed to be creative and interesting. It is a canvas for the motifs of clouds, the sun, and the mountains. The mountains are represented by the triangular structure, while the rolling ball signifies the gentle flow of the clouds.
What we like
Besides being a creative pet toy, it also looks like a work of art that can enhance any space it is placed in
What we dislike
The toy is currently a concept, so we are unsure how well it will translate into an actual product
8. Dog Hut Desk
If you’re a pet owner, then the best kind of furniture for your home is furniture design that can be used by people and your pet! This creates a living situation that is enjoyable and engaging for pet owners and their pets, instilling and growing an emotional connected between the two. And the Dog Hut Desk is an excellent example of such a furniture design!
Why is it noteworthy?
The Dog Hut Desk is created to be a new nap spot for your doggo. It is a wooden desk design with a metallic U-leg on one end, and a small D-shaped bed for your doggo on the other end. You can work peacefully, while your doggo naps comfortably right beside you, allowing you both to spend some quality time together.
What we like
You can fit in a cushiony mattress on which your dog can lie down and relax
What we dislike
If your doggo is a bit rowdy and naughty, he may distract you while you’re working
9. ORo
Revealed at CES 2024 by Ogmen Robotics, this intelligent and super cool home robot is designed to be the ultimate playmate, guardian, and caretaker for your doggo. It looks like a robot on wheels dedicated to human use, but it in fact takes care of your beloved pet!
Why is it noteworthy?
It offers physical, mental, and emotional stimulation through various playful activities. Called ORo, this neat robot keeps an eye on your dog’s health, and can even discover when they are anxious or uneasy. ORo can also play some calming music to help them relax and destress.
What we like
You can train your dog using ORo through virtual training services and obedience games
What we dislike
We are unsure about how comfy dogs would feel with a robot, they could get aggressive or feel threatened by the presence
10. Clink Clicker
Called the Clink Clicker, this little device is ideal for your doggo’s training regime. It merges the clicking and the treats in one efficient device, so you only need to hold and use one device while conducting your dog’s training. Although it looks like your conventional clicker, it features a sliding mechanism for storing treats to utilize as a reward.
Why is it noteworthy?
Once your doggo’s training is done, you simply need to click the clicker, and your dog will come to you, and you can feed him the treat at once. The little space for the treats is a desiccant compartment keeping the snacks fresh even if you’re outdoors, and it gets kinda hot.
What we like
Makes your training session with your doggo easier and simpler
Saves time on the training process
What we dislike
The clicker is quite small and compact, so you need to make sure you don’t lose it
There are some designs and interfaces that seem to be so intuitive that there’s almost no question about how to use them. Babies have an inborn knowledge on how to breast feed (even if they have no clue why or when), lever-type switches leave no doubt about what to do to turn something on or off, and the grooves on a screw’s body, a.k.a. its “threads,” hint that it’s something that needs to be rotated or twisted. These intuitive interfaces often have a fixed purpose and use, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be applied to something totally unrelated. This industrial-style table lamp, for example, uses not just the metaphor of a screw but even its mechanism to offer a more personal and direct way to dim or brighten your surroundings.
Even when it comes to appearances, the Set Table Lamp already sets itself apart from the crowd. Especially when its lampshade is at its lowest point, it looks nothing more than a gigantic screw standing on your table or shelf. Apart from the standard tall body and wide shade composition, it’s not exactly a design you’d expect from a lamp, even one with a striking industrial style. Unlike lamps that just let you look at it to appreciate its design, this one looks like it’s inviting you to interact with it, which is exactly the point of the design.
The lamp’s screw design isn’t just cosmetic but is actually a key part of its function. The light that comes from the lamp’s cylindrical body shines upward toward the lampshade and is bounced off to illuminate your surroundings. The shade’s shape isn’t typical either in that it’s a very flat cone with its tip facing downward instead of the umbrella-like shades of most lamps. This not only reflects light around the lamp rather than just downward, it also mimics the design of a screw head more closely as well.
Most lamps these days have a dimming feature that often requires turning the lamp on and off to cycle through different brightness levels. It’s an unintuitive and tiring method that leaves no room for finer adjustments. In contrast, the Set Table Lamp’s unique design works in its favor because you can simply turn the shade to lower or raise it, thereby dimming or brightening the light it gives off, respectively. And you do this not with a switch but with an easy motion of “screwing” the cap around the body’s grooves.
With today’s smart lighting products, such a design might seem impractical or even obsolete, but how many such smart lamps can boast of such a beautiful and “personal” lamp? The remote and indirect control of smart lamps takes out the human element in designs, somewhat ironic for products made for human living space. Set Table Lamp offers a more tactile experience that gives humans the feeling of agency and control that they are losing little by little to automation and AI.
The BoltLite is an ingenious everyday carry (EDC) tool that melds exceptional functionality with sleek aesthetics. Crafted from Gr5 Titanium, it offers superb durability and a lightweight feel, making it suitable for daily use and the rigors of outdoor activities. This versatile tool features a bolt-action pen for consistent writing, a flexible flashlight for illumination, and a mini pry bar for practical utility, meeting the diverse needs of modern users. With its effective design and appealing look, The BoltLite is a valuable addition to any gadget collection, enhancing efficiency and preparedness for professionals, adventurers, and anyone who values functionality and style in their everyday gear.
A bolt-action pen is at the heart of the BoltLite’s design and is known for its dependable writing performance. This feature caters to a wide range of users, from executives who need a reliable pen for official documents to artists and writers who value a smooth, continuous flow for their creative processes. The tactile feedback from the bolt-action mechanism enhances the overall user experience, reflecting the detailed engineering that goes into each component of The BoltLite. Furthermore, the pen is equipped with a LAMY M22 refill, which provides a smooth and consistent ink flow, ensuring reliable performance under various conditions without smudging or fading.
This EDC pen also features a detachable micro flashlight, engineered with versatility in mind. It comes equipped with adjustable brightness settings and a magnetic quick-release mechanism, allowing for swift changes between functions. Additionally, it boasts a powerful strobe mode, capable of emitting up to 300 lumens to ensure preparedness in emergencies. This feature makes the BoltLite an indispensable tool, providing dependable illumination in any condition—from navigating dark corridors to offering a stable light source during power outages. Its wide variety of functionality makes it a must-have accessory in both everyday scenarios and critical moments.
The mini pry bar is seamlessly integrated into its design, making it readily available for a variety of tasks, such as opening boxes, prying open cans, or doubling as a screwdriver when necessary. This feature significantly reduces the need for multiple separate tools, thereby enhancing the efficiency and compactness of the user’s toolkit.
The overall design includes a Type-C charging port, enabling quick and efficient charging of the flashlight, which can sustain up to four hours of continuous use. The tool is also equipped with an IPX8 waterproof rating, ensuring reliable performance in all weather conditions, which is particularly beneficial for users who frequently encounter wet or muddy environments. Additionally, tritium slots are integrated into the design to improve visibility in low-light conditions, ensuring that The BoltLite is always easy to locate.
Known for its innovative features and practical design, The BoltLite is designed to be highly accessible and ready for use at any moment. Key features such as the dual-direct detachable clip and keychain hole enhance its portability, making it easy to attach to a shirt pocket, keychain, or backpack. This adaptability ensures that The BoltLite is always within reach and ready for action, making it a valuable tool for anyone who prioritizes preparedness and efficiency in their everyday carry items.
Various Carry Options(Hole for attachment & Back clip)
Thanks to smart home technology integration, we have become dependent on digital displays for communication, infotainment, and even for preparing culinary bites in the kitchen. This means we need multiple displays: one in the family room for entertainment, another in the bathroom to read news and weather updates, one in the study for working from home, and if you’re not a Michelin chef yourself, a display in the kitchen to run the recipe guide for help!
Investing in all such displays, and still having them suffice for only one purpose at one place doesn’t really add up in 2024. If you’re in the same league of thought, Overlay – designed for Samsung – is the “Next Home Display” that wants to skim down the multiple display demand and fill it with one wholesome unit that has mobile roots.
More than an adjustable, mobile display, the Overlay is a sensor-enabled contraption that can move about the house – on preset commands or on call – to suffice a multitude of infotainment objectives and more. The onboard mapping sensors allow the mobile display to map the space and divide it into understandable zones. Users can pin the desired location on the map and set content (entertainment, information, etc) for each pin with a time. For instance, “the user” can pin the dining “table area to watch Netflix” while dining.
When it is time for dinner, the Overlay will automatically arrive at the table and turn on Netflix, as advised. The user can adjust the height of the display to their liking and watch the movie on Netflix without additional setup requirements (it has an integrated speaker system). In case you are too lazy to adjust the height, Overlay is designed to do that automatically for you. Auto height adjusting display rests on a solid base which is equipped with small radius omni-wheels for smooth maneuvering within the mapped space.
It can be teamed up with the TV or other devices in the house as an enlarged display for them. The unit can overlay more information about what you’re watching on TV or stand by the washing machine and give you a heads-up about when it’s time to take them to the dryers. It comes with an AI assistant to take voice commands and has a transparent screen to display match or player statistics when you’re watching a game of football on TV for instance.
Alongside being an omnipresent mobile display, the Overlay comes with motion sensors and LiDAR camera that provide it the ability to identify objects and perhaps provide plant and pet care tips to the user. Over and above monitoring the condition of plants in its mapped space, it can even regulate watering for personalized, automated care. All this functionality demands great power, for which the Overlay is pretty self-sufficient as well. It is powered by a rechargeable battery that it juices up by heading straight to the charging dock when the power is running low (no human intervention required here either). Capable of bringing MR experience to the home, the Overlay is designed in four distinct colors that should complement any home effortlessly.
Bordering on visually uncomfortable, this rocking chair from Instagram user Muddycap has us captivated for all the right reasons! The chair has a highly unusual design, with severely jagged edges that simulate the feeling of movement. Building on the concept of visual permanence and the motion blur, this chair creates the illusion of being in constant motion, even when it’s standing still.
The Fast Rocking Chair, as it’s aptly called, comes crafted from Maple wood and secured with a coat of paint to hide the wood-grain which would give the illusion away. Each chair features different pieces of wood, cut using a mechanical saw to match the unique shapes, and joined together using traditional joineries. The result is a chair that looks cartoonishly fast, prompting you to spend more time looking at it. Sure, you could sit on it too – it might look jagged but it isn’t uncomfortable.
The jagged design exists only on the side profiles, so there’s really no danger of you hurting yourself while sitting on the rocking chair. The seat and armrest are flat, and the backrest has a mild corrugated design. That being said, the chair is definitely a health hazard for kids and pets who may often run around the house. While most furniture have a few sharp edges, the Fast Rocking Chair is essentially an invitation to the ER for children or pets with zoomies, or adults with ADHD.
However, the rocking chair makes for a really fun visual experiment. Muddycap’s entire Instagram profile is filled with such explorations, aiming at turning furniture into conversation pieces rather than have them stuck in the realm of hardcore functionality. The rocking chairs obviously aren’t for sale, although there’s no denying that they certainly do look rather mesmerizing.
While all Transformers fans are tripping over Optimum Prime, it’s time to give the leader of the Decepticons his due chance. Yes, this self-transforming Megatron will win you over to join the bad side of the Transformers universe, the toy is that good. Created by Robosen Robotics in collaboration with Hasbro, the high-tech interactive collectible will force the inner child out of even the most serious middle-aged men.
Everything about this autobot is impressive, right from its design to the cool moves it is capable of. The Megatron is released as a limited edition collectible to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Transformers. Be informed that this thing comes at a steep price tag of $800 during the initial pre-order phase, and after that period the price is expected to shoot higher at around $1,200.
With a simple voice command, the 21-inch Megatron transforms from a walking bipedal robot to a rolling tank. The way it changes personality in an instant is the most satisfying thing to watch. The voice commands further extend into triggering actions like firing plastic darts from the cannon or doing other cool tricks. It can also play out famous scenes from the franchise in the voice of actor Frank Welker with visual actions. Voice commands can be used to wake up the robot or even play Happy Birthday tunes. The servo motors and microchips let the user control it remotely from a smartphone with the companion app.
Get too close to the Autobot and it reacts to your touch, thanks to the touch sensors placed on the body. Don’t be surprised if it shouts out loud “You Fool” when touched on the front plate and picked up off the surface. In the tank mode, it can fire plastic cannons on voice commands and do a lot of other cool stuff you’ll love. The robot has a lot of servos and they are well concealed behind the clever spring-loaded flaps. Attention to detail is apparent here with small details like the automatically rotating logo when it converts from a tank to a standing robot.
