‘DRAS’tic Design

Posted on 03/11/2015 by Sarang Sheth

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The Drasphone tries to combine two undeniably massive trends in cellular phone design. The clamshell trend of the 90s, and the present touchscreen display trend. Pioneering flexible display technology, this conceptual smartphone bends at not one, not two, but at three points! This allows you to make the Drasphone compact in two ways. Do a half fold, and you have a Squarish MiniDras, or a complete fold, and you get a MicroDras.

If you haven’t noticed, a small section of the display is exposed when in MicroDras mode. This nifty feature allows you to have all your notifications and relevant data visible to you even when your phone is in sleep mode.

Now while I strongly believe that large moving parts in a smartphone can result in major wear and tear (remember how easy it was to snap a clamshell phone?), I’d love to see a working prototype before I can make any promises!

Designer: R&D CORE Limited

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Meet the laundry-folding washing machine of our lazy-ass future

Posted on 08/10/2015 by Mat Smith

Socks are the hardest. For an future washing machine that washes, dries and then folds the results, it's one of the small barriers that remains in that latter stage. But as a research project that started back in 2008, Laundroid is finally getting...

4-gram ‘Tribot’ shows off heat-activated high jumping

Posted on 29/09/2015 by Mariella Moon

At the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), a laboratory that specializes in origami robots has created one that was inspired by the inchworm. The tiny 4-gram machine called "Tribot" can crawl, jump seven times its...

Bygen Hank Direct Drive Bike Says Goodbye to Chains

Posted on 04/09/2014 by Conner Flynn

Folding bikes only fold down so far. It is usually limited by the chain. You can’t fold that. So why not ditch the chain? That’s what Bygen’s Hank Direct Bike has done. Instead of a chain, or even a belt, it has a direct-drive system. So the pedals are directly powering the rear wheel. That solves a number of problems.

It can fold more easily, plus you won’t get grease on your pants, or worse yet tear them. The Hank has a hub transmission with three available gear ratios. The pedals extend forward and are at a natural angle for the rider. The bike doesn’t fold, but rather telescopes back into itself, halving it’s size. That’s pretty cool.

This bike is perfect for the business commuter. Just ride to work and keep it somewhere in the office. It is small enough that it can be stored almost anywhere. There’s no word on price or availability for the Hank bike yet, but it definitely looks like something to keep an eye out for.

[via Gizmag via OhGizmo!]

The Sada Bike Folds Down to Almost Nothing

Posted on 20/05/2014 by Conner Flynn

The Sada Bike was created by Italian designer Gianluca Sada. Believe it or not, this is a bicycle with a frame that can fold down to the size of an umbrella, so you can carry it with you anywhere and store it wherever you like. It accomplishes this using a hubless design that makes it more compact than most other folding bicycles.

The 26-inch wheels have no spokes, so I’m not sure if it can take the same amount of weight that a standard bike can, but obviously they have to make the rim tougher than your average bike. The design is great for city dwellers.

Right now, the Sada Bike is still a prototype and they are looking for funding to further develop the bike. I would definitely buy one if they go into production.

[via Gizmodo]

Paper Airplane Folding & Launching Machine Takes All of the Fun out of It

Posted on 16/04/2014 by Conner Flynn

Check out this paper airplane folding and launching machine that a group of engineers built. Great. Yet another machine taking our jobs. This time they are putting kids and bored office workers out of business.

Sure, they aren’t the best planes ever and they aren’t folded that sharply, but they do manage to fly a few feet. A machine did that. I bet the T-800 can’t make a paper plane this good.

We already have a machine that will twiddle your thumbs for you. What’s next? A machine that throws pencils up to stick into the ceiling? It will probably be a human’s job to get them down so the machine can do it again. Damn paper pushers. And folders. Do not let this in your office.

[via Geeks are Sexy via Geekologie]

Commute-Case: It’s a Briefcase, It’s a Scooter

Posted on 29/03/2014 by Hazel Chua

If you’ve fallen flat on your face one too many times while attempting to ride a Segway, then the Commute-Case may or may not be the right method of transportation for you.

It’s a compact electric scooter that has mobility in mind. Not just when you’re on it, but also when you’re not using it as well. The sleek design allows you to fold the entire thing up into a briefcase of sorts when you’re keen on walking or for storage. You can also easily convert it into a trolley as well.

The Commute-Case can do up to 12.5mph and weighs just 27 pounds with a weight capacity of 275 pounds. Range is up to 25 miles, and it takes as little as an hour for a full recharge. It’s normally priced at $5,990(USD) but Green Energy Motors is currently offering pre-order reservations at half the price.

[via Dvice]

URB-E Folding Electric Bike: Ridin’ Nerdy

Posted on 28/02/2014 by Conner Flynn

The problem with a lot of personal vehicles is that they are too bulky. You just can’t get them on a bus or a train for instance, even if it is convenient otherwise. The URB-E has been specifically designed to be able to quickly fold and unfold. And you can easily carry it with you.

This folding electric bike has top speed of 15mph, a 20 mile range on a single charge, and it folds down small enough to fit next to you on a train or bus, which is a big plus.

Folks who live in large cities are going to love the freedom that this bike offers. It is quick to deploy and put away and small enough to take it anywhere.

The URB-E project is on the Indiegogo crowdfunding website right now looking to raise enough to go from concept to production. Prices for the bike range from $799 to $1599(USD), depending on if you want one made overseas or handmade in the U.S.

[via Geeky-Gadgets]

Fold Inn Is a Complete Bedroom on Wheels

Posted on 04/11/2013 by Hazel Chua

What makes traveling costly aside from airplane tickets and transport is the price you have to pay in order to get decent accommodations. One possible solution lies in the Fold Inn.

As its name suggests, it’s a bedroom that you can set up wherever you might need accommodations, so you can unfold it and get ready for bed when you’re ready to turn in for the night.

When it’s fully expanded, the Fold Inn is about the size of an average elevator. Packed inside is a bed and cushy bedding so you rest easy and snooze comfortably. Additionally, the walls are made from sturdy wood so your privacy is assured.

While it’s not something you’d probably carry around with you, it’s an innovative idea for reconfiguring spaces into sleeping quarters on an as-needed basis – such as when companies are bringing in workers from remote locations.

The Fold Inn was designed by Lieke Jildou de Jong and Alei Verspoor. It was on display this past October at the Dutch Design Week in Eindhoven, Netherlands.

[via Pop Up City]

Two Uses To A Mouse

Posted on 16/10/2013 by Radhika Seth

I was asked to give 10 creative ways to use a pencil, other than for writing…some of the answers that I came up were: as a hair-knot clip, chopsticks, stirrer… you get the drift, right? Similarly, a creative way of using a mouse, other than with the computer is – a pen! A Folding Pen Mouse!

Designer: Yoon Son

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(Two Uses To A Mouse was originally posted on Yanko Design)

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