Tag Archives: microfiber

This ergonomic washing machine design helps save our oceans by filtering out microplastics!

Posted on by

Martina Mancini’s Ocean washing system is as sustainable as it is ergonomic, with special filters that recycle out microplastics and hidden adaptive features for intuitive and accessible operation.

Each time we wash a load of laundry, microfibers detach from our favorite polyester and acrylic clothes and end up in wastewater. Contributing close to 35% of the microplastics found in our oceans, washing machines are due for a sustainability cleanup. Designer Martina Mancini was recently recognized by The James Dyson Award for her work in developing an ergonomic washing machine called Ocean that filters out microplastics and recirculates the water used between cycles.

With Ocean, Mancini set out to develop a washing machine that’s friendly to the environment and ergonomic for most users. The Ocean is designed like preexisting washing machines, equipped with a basket, drum, and display control panel, to ensure familiarity during use. Once the clothes are placed inside Ocean’s drum and basket, users can start their wash cycle by selecting one on the machine’s front display panel. From there, water flows into the drum from a centrifugal pump that’s connected to a purification filter to prepare the water for recirculation once the cycle is complete.

The post-cycle water purification process first passes through a stainless steel sieve grid and then a polyester filter sponge to remove larger microplastics. Following that, the water surges into a pipe that’s connected to the machine’s centrifugal pump, which propels the water against a hollow fiber membrane through a tangential filtration process. Once the filtration process makes its rounds, the water is purified by an Ozonator before recirculating for future use. Ensuring that Ocean is as ergonomic as it is sustainable, Mancini designed the washing machine so that users can remove the machine’s filters on their own before obtaining a new one from an offsite factory. There, company workers will remove and recycle the microplastics to give them a new life.

Given that the hardware required to construct Ocean would be bulky, Mancini knew the washing machine would reach a higher height than those already on the market. Working with a bigger machine allowed Mancini to incorporate more ergonomic features, including an adjustable table located beneath the drum, where users can prepare their laundry before and following washing cycles.

Designer: Martina Mancini

Automated Glasses Cleaning Machine: I Can See Clearly Now, the Smudge is Gone

Posted on by

Glasses: they’re always getting fingerprints and oily smudges on them, and, at least in my case, ice cream. You know the old adage: you eat with your eyes first? It’s actually harder than it sounds. Enter the LensHD cleaning system currently crowdfunding on Kickstarter. It’s an automated optical and sunglass cleaning solution that wipes lenses with microfiber-covered sponges. Think of it like one of those massage chairs, but for cleaning glasses.

$89 will secure a LensHD system at early bird pricing, with units expected to ship in November. The system, powered by a USB type C cord, takes about a minute to clean glasses, wiping them in an off-center rotation pattern to simulate “the comprehensive cleaning of a human.” See? I always knew my cleaning was comprehensive! Somebody call my parents so they can be proud of me.

Alternatively, use the bottom of your shirt to wipe your glasses like I always have. It’s worked fine for years, plus I don’t have to worry that my glasses are dirty, but my automated cleaner is at home because I’m already wearing it! And if I’m not, well, my wife is sure to let me know before I ever get in the car to leave.

[via DudeIWantThat]

Patch It, Wipe It: Microfiber Lens Cleanse Patches

Posted on by

Micro Fiber Lens Cleanse Patches

 

With touchscreens come fingerprints, and with fingerprints come the need for something to get rid of ‘em so you won’t have to deal with messy-looking gadgets. One solution comes in the form of these microfiber lens cleanse patches. They’re small patches of microfiber cloth that you can iron onto any article of clothing, be it the inside of your jacket or your shirt. This way, you’ll be able to get those prints off of your screen anytime, anywhere.

They’re available in packs of three from Photojojo for $12. The best part? They come in three different shapes and patterns, so there’s one for every mood or shirt.

[ Product Page ] VIA [ Gear Hungry ]

The post Patch It, Wipe It: Microfiber Lens Cleanse Patches appeared first on OhGizmo!.

Microfiber Lined Ties Clean Gadgets and Glasses

Posted on by

Bulky pockets have never been and will never be in style. If you’re particularly OC and can’t bear to see all those smudges and fingerprints on your phone and tablet, then you probably have a microfiber cleaning cloth somewhere in your pocket or bag. But if you’re strapped for space and want to do away with pocket bulges, then you might want to swap out your regular, old tie with this one.

Microfiber Lined Ties 620x515magnify

These ties by Waltmanco look like typical ties at first glance, but turn it over and you’ll instantly see what sets it apart: the microfiber lining which you can use to clean wipe away those annoying marks and smudges. Best of all, they’re available in a variety of stylish designs.

waltmanco ties 1 620x413magnify

The ties are available for $25(USD) each.

[via This Is Why I'm Broke]

A Pair of NINJA for Your Feet

Posted on by

The thing about shoes is that you want them to be light, comfortable, fashionable and durable. Look down on your feet, does your current pair offer you all of this? Thought as much! Why subject your feet to blisters and pain in the name of style, when you can easily get all of the above with Unbelievable Testing Laboratory’s THE NINJA Shoes. Innovative in design and materials, each Microfiber pair weighs less than 260 grams.

We caught up with the team to know more about the innovation and the design process. You have to agree that these smart shoes are a unique blend of technology and footwear and at the crossroads of design and apparel. According to Token Hu, co-founder and lead designer (ex-frog design), design and innovation has been at the heart of THE UT.LAB. This is the reason why after the success of the original Light Wing shoes, the team went back to the drawing board to refine their work.

In essence, the design behind THE NINJA has been a long standing work-in-progress, beginning over a year ago while they were gearing up for the launch of their first Kickstarter project. The team was toying with the idea of making a shoe whose entire upper was made from a single material. In exploring this concept, they experimented with several different materials, including Tyvek, PU and Microfiber. Of these three, Microfiber proved to be the one, it was soft, durable, lightweight and water resistant.

For all you Kickstarter enthusiasts, here is a lesson from THE UT.LAB – Hu explains, “As we wrapped up that first Kickstarter and were entering into the fulfillment stage, we began to spend a lot of time in the factory. We were overseeing how the shoes were being made; making sure that everything went smoothly. In doing so, we realized that our manufacturing process was incredibly complicated. There were dozens of parts that underwent a myriad of steps. The materials were getting transferred between a variety of machines, undergoing hand stitching and being pressed and molded in order for them to take shape. The manufacturing process for our minimalist shoe was anything but.”

This rude wake-up call inspired the team to rethink and redesign in order to pare down the manufacturing process, saving them the time and adding to the ease of production. At the end of the day, they wanted a lightweight, minimalist shoe whose production mirrored that same ergonomical ethos that lay at the core of design. Hence we have THE NINJA.

We asked Hu to share another critical detail that the team learnt from their first project, “A big element of Kickstarter is shipping globally. As we learned the intricacies of international logistics we realized that our lightweight shoes were in fact quite inefficient to ship around the world. The traditional shoe box that we had already paired down for the first Kickstarter was still incredibly bulky. And as many people know Tyvek® is commonly used in courier mailers, so we began to look at how we could design a shoe package that could be used for shipping, retail, and post-purchase use as a shoe tote bag. It’s a very simple design that solves a lot of problems, not the least of which is a cardboard box being thrown into the trash bin.”

Amazing insights!

To sum it up, each piece of footwear is an individual project rather than a mere notch in the belt of a haphazardly crafted apparel line. Lightweight and compactable, THE NINJA is an easy addition to your luggage. It can be worn to work and play and is your best bet while globetrotting. Following the principle of ‘Form follows function’, THE NINJA minimal and streamlined and is an all-weather friend. Get it on Kickstarter.

Designer: THE UT.LAB [ Buy it Here ]

-
Yanko Design
Timeless Designs - Explore wonderful concepts from around the world!
Shop CKIE - We are more than just concepts. See what's hot at the CKIE store by Yanko Design!
(A Pair of NINJA for Your Feet was originally posted on Yanko Design)

Related posts:

  1. Really Really Dry Pair Of Gumboots
  2. This Watch goes Ninja
  3. Happy Feet







CES 2014 in Las Vegas Highlights: iPhone 5S/5C/5 Bubble-Absorbing Screen Guard from Ace Elite, Inc

Posted on by

The much awaited Consumer Electronics Show (CES), also known as International CES is just only a few days away from now. We have been eagerly waiting for this event since last and can’t wait anymore...
    






CES 2014 in Las Vegas Highlights: iPhone 5S/5C/5 Bubble-Absorbing Screen Guard from Ace Elite, Inc

Posted on by

The much awaited Consumer Electronics Show (CES), also known as International CES is just only a few days away from now. We have been eagerly waiting for this event since last and can’t wait anymore...
    






MIT and US Army crafting uniforms with full-body fiberoptic sensors

Posted on by

MIT and US Army crafting uniforms with stealthy fiberoptic communication, sensors

Militaries want soldiers to carry an increasing amount of tech on to the battlefield, but that isn't necessarily convenient -- or comfortable. MIT and the US Army have started early work on uniforms with fiberoptic sensors that would alleviate much of that burden. By weaving in microfibers cut from a mix of specialized, fluidized materials, the partnership can build data links that cover the entire body without breaking or adding significant bulk. They could serve as basic elements of a communication system, but MIT has broader ambitions: the sensors could track wounds through heat signatures, and just might prevent friendly fire incidents by sending a don't-shoot signal when targeted with a laser sight. The fibers still have to get much thinner before the Army can offer smart uniforms as standard issue, but the wearable tech may keep soldiers nimble and, just possibly, save a few lives.

Filed under:

Comments

Via: Wired

Source: MIT