Tag Archives: cyberpunk

This funky retro-futuristic computer is actually a laptop in disguise

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You can actually use this rather fancy computer that looks like a TV prop, but whether it’s usable is a different question entirely.

We’ve seen a lot of makers, tinkerers, engineers, and even designers take a stab at making their own personal computers, with an emphasis on “personal.” Thanks to the availability of off-the-shelf parts for computers and the ubiquity of 3D printing, it has become easier but still not trivial to bring some of those dream designs and visions to life. Many of the DIY computer projects we’ve seen, while admirable, often fall short of looking ready for use or having enough power to actually be useful. That is what sets this “Mainboard Terminal” apart from the crowd for not only looking quite striking but also for having the literal guts of a modern laptop.

Designer: Penk Chen

The majority of projects we see that involve crafting your own computer often involve the Raspberry Pi or one of its cousins. These are small, low-power single-board computers or SBCs that are very easy on the pocket, making them a crowd favorite. The catch is that they don’t exactly have enough muscle to run most computing tasks, let alone something as heavy as Windows, not unless you’re an experienced Linux user that can get by with very minimal computing resources.

The RPi, as it is lovingly nicknamed, isn’t the only game in town, of course, and there are other SBCs out there that take things up a notch in terms of performance and software support, but the newest addition to that roster really changes the game. Although it’s primarily meant to repair or upgrade the world’s most modular and most repairable laptop, the Framework Mainboard can also be used as a standalone computer if you have the right parts to make it work. The catch? Prices start at $399 versus a Raspberry Pi’s humble $35.

Needless to say, hacker and modder extraordinaire Penk Chen took advantage of that openness to craft another out of this world computer. The same engineer introduced the world to his Penkesu pocket computer, ala a cyberdeck, and is now taking inspiration from a different genre. The off-white colorway, the chunky keycaps, and the curved silhouette will make it look at home on a retropunk TV set.

It’s not all looks, of course, because it has the beating heart of a typical laptop. It can run any operating system in theory, though its creator went with the free (as in speech) and open source Ubuntu Linux distribution for simplicity. As with his other projects, Chen provides the list of parts used as well as the files for 3D printing that oddly-shaped chassis. Most of these parts can be bought from online retailers, but, as usual, you’ll need access to a 3D printer one way or another.

The biggest strike against this otherwise usable computer is the 5-inch 1080×1080 round LCD screen. In addition to being smaller than your smartphone’s display, the square aspect ratio doesn’t work well with content and software that were designed with a rectangular screen in mind. Plus, the circular display means that parts of the screen will be cut off all the time. It’s a case of form over function, but since it’s a “normal” computer, it’s probably possible to design an external port that will connect to a second, more “normal” monitor as well.

The post This funky retro-futuristic computer is actually a laptop in disguise first appeared on Yanko Design.

This cyberpunk-themed charger gives an oft-neglected accessory a makeover

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Phone chargers were a dime a dozen, at least until phone makers started removing them from boxes. That presented an opportunity for accessory makers to try and outdo first-party brands in offering better performance and bang-for-buck, giving further rise to an already mountainous pile of chargers. Despite all the advancements in charging technologies, the design of chargers, in contrast, has remained drab and unexciting. Breaking out of the mold, this charger adds a bit of color to this underrated but critical accessory, and, best of all, it’s powerful enough to even charge many laptops, including a MacBook Pro.

Designers: Qiu WenTao, Zhao Hu

Charger designs, be it for phones or laptops, are basically black or white, perhaps for no other reason than tradition. The white ones often take a cue from Apple’s love of the minimalist color, while black is the color of choice for Samsung and most laptops. Given that chargers are often left plugged into wall sockets and are unseen, few probably considered it worth the time, effort, and resources to do anything outside the norm. There’s no technical reason they can’t, and, fortunately, someone did.

Angry Miao’s CyberCharge gives the charger a theme that fits the genre that best fits this kind of accessory. Eschewing plain white for a shade of light grey bespeckled with red and purple dots, the charger’s visual center is a decorative plate that gives a bit of life to the charger. The plates don’t add any functionality, but do have the typical tech specs and certification logos you’d see in all electronics.

These interchangeable faces come in three designs, including a neon green shade that is often associated with cyberpunk styles. There is one that has a metallic luster that transitions from blue to purple to blue again. And to appease those with monochromatic tastes, there’s an option for a white plate that contrasts with the charger’s gray body.

Some might knock the design as a simple coating over an old object, but you have to hand it to the designers for their attention to detail. Even the stainless steel PVD screws, which let you swap out those “modules,” have minute engravings that almost fit perfectly with cyberpunk culture’s flair for the extravagant. It might not be glowing in neon colors, but it’s a clear message that says, “Angry Miao was here.” There’s also a custom cable included in the package that has a matching colorful design with blue, green, red, and yellow stripes.

Admittedly, the charger is all serious business underneath that cyberpunk shell. The tiny box is capable of dishing out 90W of power, enough to charge some MacBook Pros, and sports both USB-C and USB-A ports. It even utilizes the now trendy GaN (Gallium Nitride) battery tech, which is how it manages to pack a punch despite its size. In essence, the charger doesn’t exactly offer any new technology and can even be outpaced by chargers from more established brands. It does, however, demonstrate that chargers don’t have to be black and white and boring, just that very few bothered to give the accessory some personality.

The post This cyberpunk-themed charger gives an oft-neglected accessory a makeover first appeared on Yanko Design.

This inhaler concept shows how you might be able to survive a cyberpunk future

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There are so many ways our distant future can go, but fiction has so far been flooding us with rather dystopian scenarios. Although the world of cyberpunk does include advanced technologies, there seems to also be a magnification of the environmental and social problems that we have today. Pollution, decay, criminal empires, and corrupt government and corporations have the run of that ironically hi-tech backwater world. We can only imagine some diseases would be there as well, perhaps even worse than they are today. That might mean some people will still need to take a puff of medicine, so why not look stylish while doing so, at least in cyberpunk style.

Designer: metod kulčar

In terms of aesthetic, cyberpunk truly mixes contrasting elements. On the one hand, it’s a distant future filled with technologies we can only dream of. On the other hand, human civilization seems to have also taken a step back and left its indelible marks everywhere, from dilapidated and abandoned metal surfaces to sometimes incomplete mechanical parts.

This inhaler concept shows clear signs of such a design style. The form itself is unconventional and the transparent parts of the shell reveal the inner workings of medical device. At the same time, the worn-down metal surfaces of the canister suggests it has seen better days, like it has traveled through rough roads to get to the person who needs its life-saving medicine.

The small light at the end of the tunnel is that the design equally works for a utopian version of an inhaler. Idealized visions of the future often utilize white or bright motifs, a tremendous use of plastic-like materials, and clean, unmarred surfaces. There is nothing that says “bright future” better than pure white materials.

This futuristic medical tool could also be at home in that kind of future, just swapping out dark colors and metal for white plastic. Hopefully, that future would have solved our current plastic problem and will be able to easily manufacture environment-friendly materials that just look plastic to our 21st century eyes. Then again, such an ideal future should have probably removed to need for an inhaler in the first place.

Cyberpunk worlds have always carried a sense of irony with them. It is a future filled with technological marvel but fraught with human flaws. Instead of having finally solved the most basic health problems, such a future would still have medical problems that would require using an inhaler like this.

The post This inhaler concept shows how you might be able to survive a cyberpunk future first appeared on Yanko Design.

This intelligent knee brace uses AI to give you the right support you need, avoiding knee pain!

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Knee braces are worn by the likes of everyone from the professional athlete to the casual power walker. Built with materials ranging from metal to foam, they’re specifically designed to brace your knee upon impact. While most of us have worn a knee brace once or twice, we all wear them for different reasons. The professional basketball player might be nursing an injury, while the occasional jogger wears a knee brace to avoid any possible injury. Recognizing all the different needs we have for wearing a knee brace, C-Exoskeleton created a knee brace called E-Knee that adapts to each individual knee through the integration of smart technology.

Conceived by a self-proclaimed “group of sporty geeks who are dedicated to exoskeleton technology and addicted to robots and Cyberpunk,” E-Knee was created by C-Exoskeleton upon realizing that most knee braces in circulation today do not incorporate auto-adjustments or auto-binding, instead, the elastic knee braces wrap knees either too loosely or too tightly. Designed in the image of Cyberpunk, E-Knee’s support elements, such as gyroscope and airbags, remained exposed and exaggerated with colorful displays. Offering real-time support, each component of E-Knee works to register when and where support is needed and decipher how best to deliver that support.

The knee brace’s gyroscope, a device used to measure and maintain orientation and angular velocity, detects measurable motion, indicating to the built-in ARM chip to tell the micro compressors to pressurize E-Knee’s airbags, tightening its wrap around the knee for support. Based on the different sports you play while wearing E-Knee, the different pressure needed to remain comfortable during physical activity is recorded and saved to the knee brace for future adjustments. Depending on the activity and the amount of physical exertion required, E-Knee will tighten or loosen its grip around the knee, adapting to the level of intensity and the user’s needs.

Regardless of your weight or build, E-Knee delivers the correct fit for your knee through the breathable fabric used to make a knee brace. The knee brace itself is crafted from highly elastic, breathable fabric that molds to your individual knee, with support bars and a gel pad for extra cushioning. The main control box, with a built-in ARM chip, flexible airbags, and air tubes all work together to tighten or deflate E-Knee’s wrap around the knee to deliver the best support in real-time.

Designer: C-Exoskeleton

Click Here to Buy Now: $129 $253 (49% off). Raised over $176,006. Only 72 hours to go!

E-Knee: Your Customized Intelligent Knee Support Solution

We all have different knees and needs, so why is it that all kneepads are the same? E-Knee is a new way to get just the right amount of pressure with the help of Artificial Intelligence, micro-airbags, and customizable compression. Designed with breathable fabric, E-Knee easily slides up any knee and turns on with the push of a button.

3 features that set E-Knee Apart

Real-Time Support – When the gyroscope detects powerful motion, the built-in ARM chip will tell the micro compressors to pressurize airbags based on different levels of pressure and motion, all in real-time. E-Knee gives dynamic support where and when you need it.

Auto-Adjustments – E-Knee detects different levels of air pressure based on initial tightness and saves the data for the next time. Three preloaded profiles offer the right support in any situation: rest (sitting down), low-intensity (jogging for example), and high-intensity (basketball for example).

Custom Size – E-Knee offers the right fit regardless of your build. The breathable fabric stretches around your leg without restricting your motion while staying firmly in place.

To charge E-Knee, users only need to plug the control box with a built-in ARM chip into it’s charging cable.

E-Knee can be worn to play a wide array of physically demanding sports, from running to CrossFit.

E-Knee is the ideal companion even for the casual hike as it adjusts to changing physical demands.

Following multiple ideations, C-Exoskeleton found E-Knee’s winning design in one that merges Cyberpunk aesthetics with traditional knee brace familiarity.

Click Here to Buy Now: $129 $253 (49% off). Raised over $176,006. Only 72 hours to go!

Hyundai’s latest EV looks like retro dynamite! (And it has a real nixie-tube dashboard)

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In popular mythology it’s usually the phoenix that’s reborn from the ashes of its past self… but it looks like Hyundai is carrying that metaphor over to the Pony. By reimagining its first-ever mass-produced car as a new, electric-powered hatchback, the Hyundai Pony Heritage Series electric concept feels a lot like a rebirth of sorts, with a more contemporary yet equally retro-punkish design that’s difficult to ignore!

The Pony was Hyundai’s first-ever production vehicle, making a grand debut in 1975 and being available all the way till 1990. Paying a fitting tribute to the very car that put Hyundai on the map, the Pony Heritage Series EV is a modern reinterpretation of the classic affordable hatchback, with an electric beating heart. There’s something undeniably retro about the Pony Heritage Series EV, and it wears that distinction proudly on its sleeve. The car’s design, proportions, and even details are wonderfully vintage, albeit with a few modern upgrades on the outside as well as the inside. On the outside, the EV’s headlights and taillights feature a pixel LED pattern that can also be seen on the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and the 45 EV. The rims sport a machined finish that has a retrofuturistic vibe, while the car’s side-view mirrors, located all the way on the front fenders, sport cameras instead.

The insides feel like a modern time machine, with concealed LED lighting on both the doors, leather-wrapped bucket seats, and a brushed-metal dashboard. Within the dashboard sits an all-new steering wheel, featuring a three-spoke design with PONY script in the center and a physical voice control button on the left. However, its spotlight is stolen by the incredibly impressive nixie-tube setup in front of it. Designed mainly for the appeal (since this is just a one-off concept), the dashboard acts as a numeric speedometer, lighting up with the different numbers to show what speed your car is traveling at.

The one-off retrofuturistic Pony Heritage Series electric concept was unveiled as a part of Hyundai’s ‘Reflections in Motion’ exhibition, being held from April 8th till June 27th, 2021. The Heritage Series Pony is on display at Hyundai’s Motorstudio in Busan, South Korea.

Designer: Hyundai

This limited edition Cyberpunk coated gaming couch-desk is here to up your gaming ante!

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If quarantine has done one thing right, it has provided the perfect excuse for couch-gamers to do what they do best – play games from the couch. With all this free time, playing video games is a sure way to help pass it by, and when some additional comfort provided by products like couch-desks come into play, gaming hours can turn into gaming marathons. With 2020 being the long-awaited year that Cyberpunk 2077 finally hit the shelves, designer Matthew Midir paid homage to CD Projekt’s Night City by bringing its retrofuturistic landscape to a limited edition Couchmaster called CYPUNK.

Couchmaster CYPUNK comes decked out with high-tech thermal print panels that feature scenes and props from Cyberpunk’s gamescape like the slick DeLorean DMC-12 parked amongst the neon street lights of Night City. In addition to the Cyberpunk-themed, memory-foam-cushioned siding, Couchmaster CYPUNK comes equipped with an extra source of power, originally made for Couchmaster’s CYCON2, that connects the couch-desk to your PC so that no matter how long or hard you play, the game will operate smoothly without lagging or connectivity issues.

While gaming from your couch is always comfortable, our spines might absorb too much pressure from leaning forward. With CYPUNK, healthy posture is encouraged by allowing users to sit back comfortably and actually relax into the couch’s cushions instead of reclining forward to meet the screen. Couchmaster’s CYPUNK comes complete with six USB 3.0 ports that allow for fast charging and lag-free connection, some extra deep pockets for storage and holding food or drinks, a support board that props your keyboard up for easy reach, and one power adapter for an optional power supply. Built from high-quality memory foam for its cushions and recycled plastic for its support board, Couchmaster CYPUNK boasts a sustainable design, while offering an ergonomic body that invites you to just keep on gaming.

Designer: Matthew Midir

Sci-fi series ‘Altered Carbon’ returns to Netflix on February 27th

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Netflix's Emmy-nominated sci-fi saga Altered Carbon is returning for a second season, two years after the first batch of episodes. You won't have to wait much longer to delve back into its dystopian cyberpunk world, as season two hits Netflix Februar...