Safety never looked sexier with these AI-generated superhero motorbike helmets

Posted on 27/02/2023 by Sarang Sheth

Sure, not every single one of them is practical, but I’d personally sell my kidney for the Bumblebee-themed helmet below.

I can’t help but reinforce my point that Midjourney and other similar AI art-generators are incredible ideation tools. In a matter of mere seconds, they spit up inspirational images that can sometimes directly and oftentimes indirectly be taken as design inputs. Not everything the AI bots make is ‘usable’ in an industrial design sense, but it does a pretty good job of boiling down the concept-generation phase from weeks to mere minutes, whether you’re creating concept images for an imaginary Tesla Cyberbike, or Marvel-themed Nike sneakers. These superhero-themed helmets are quite similar in nature. Designed by Instagram user Coldstar Art, these futuristic helmets take inspiration from popular cinematic legends spanning a variety of universes. Not all of them are great to wear, but every single one of them is stunning to look at!

Designer: Coldstar Art

The first two helmets exist in Hasbro’s Transformer-verse, with a Bumblebee helmet above, and a Megatron one below. The former helmet distinctly borrows from the friendly black-and-yellow robot’s head design, albeit with a larger visor, while the latter has all the features of a Decepticon, The segmented helmet design is reminiscent of Megatron’s face, which features multiple moving parts, and a gun-metal finish just makes the helmet look brilliantly devious.

We’re now dipping our toes in the MCU, with a Punisher helmet above, and a Deadpool helmet below. The Punisher helmet looks unapologetically badass, with its skull-inspired design and a respirator on the front where you’d expect the mouth to be. Grill lines on it make it look like the Punisher logo’s teeth, while the rest of the helmet looks almost like an exoskeleton with an emphasis on skeleton! Moving forward into slightly more familiar territory, the helmet below pays homage to our favorite merc with a mouth, Deadpool. The headgear is almost instantly recognizable, with its red and black colorway, and those large expressive eye cutouts, although unlike Deadpool’s mask, which is made from fabric, this hard-hat can take impact. Deadpool-meets-Deathstroke, maybe?

Sure, these two helmets look incredibly familiar, but let’s just say that Midjourney took a bit of creative liberty with them. You’ve got a green Iron Man helmet on the top, and a purple and gold Iron Man helmet on the bottom. I’ll be honest, the green helmet just doesn’t feel right. There’s something deeply unsettling when I look at that helmet in green, although the purple+gold helmet sort of feels weirdly familiar in a Thanos-meets-Tony-Stark way. Perhaps a conceptual helmet for a Thanos-buster suit?

We near the end of this list with two Power Ranger helmets for good measure. The helmets really feel natural because the superheroes wore helmets too, but Midjourney really pulled no stops, giving each headgear flaps/horns on the top that make the helmets look more edgy. The two helmets also display one of Midjourney’s most fundamental flaws – the inability to maintain basic symmetry with its art generation. The notch on top of the visor on the blue helmet seems discernibly off-center, and it seems like the purple helmet doesn’t even have a matching set of horns on its left side.

Our final helmet is perhaps the most easily recognizable yet, following the Marvel helmets. Meet the Predator helmet – it looks rustic with its stony finish, rasta-futuristic with its dreadlocks, and is the kind of helmet you wouldn’t want to see in your rearview mirror… definitely not if you identify as an alien!

The post Safety never looked sexier with these AI-generated superhero motorbike helmets first appeared on Yanko Design.

Official Transformers-themed smartwatch for kids comes with a Qualcomm chip and two cameras

Posted on 29/01/2023 by Sarang Sheth

Created by Chinese OEM Xiao Tian Cai (also known as OKII) with official licensing from Hasbro, the Transformers-themed Z8 watch is perhaps the perfect piece of gear for children. It has everything they’d possibly want, from a blue-and-red design that hat-tips Optimus Prime, to an actual folding design that reveals two cameras – one for selfies, and one working as an action cam of sorts. The smartwatch is tailor-made for youngsters, with a trendy design they’d love to wear and flaunt. Aside from that rather fascinating flip-out body, the watch even has the Autobots logo as its wallpaper and theme. In fact, Xiao Tian Cai’s even hinted at a Megatron-inspired variant sometime later.

Designer: Xiao Tian Caii (aka OKII)

The 1,999 yuan (USD $295) wearable comes with all the bells and whistles of a regular smartwatch, but is designed for children. A 760mAh battery gives it hours’ worth of use on a full charge, while 4G radio, dual-band WiFi, allows it to connect over the internet to help children stay in touch with their parents/guardians/friends. The front-facing camera lets kids click selfies, but flip the watch’s body up and you’ve got a rear camera that’s perfect for recording the world around you, as well as for character-recognition an language translation. The watch also has a heart-rate monitor, introducing children to the concept of health-tracking at a much younger age.

The post Official Transformers-themed smartwatch for kids comes with a Qualcomm chip and two cameras first appeared on Yanko Design.

These Canon EOS R5 cameras are notorious Transformers in disguise

Posted on 14/08/2022 by Gaurav Sood

Of all things intangible, you won’t expect a DSLR camera to change shape into a sneaky Transformer. However that’s the case with the latest creation by Japanese company Takara Tomy specializing in creating Transformers toys, and Canon that needs no introduction.

Canon has been known to create nifty little replicas of its own products in the past and this time around too they’ve surprised the community with this cool gadget. It’s no coincidence that two of the most iconic products of these two giants have been fused into one product. Yes, I’m talking about the EOS and mighty ol’ Transformers.

Designer: Takara Tomy

If you thought the alternate form of Optimus Prime was only a badass truck, think again as this small little toy proves it wrong. The 80 percent scale model of the Canon EOS R5 camera swiftly turns into a Transformer with little articulation, and boy, that Lens cap turning into a shield for the Optimus Prime R5 (that’s what this Autobot is christened) is the coolest thing you’ll see all day long. The maker adds a bit of spice to this transforming creation as the Decepticon gets its own miniature camera in the hand.

The real-looking Canon mirrorless camera even gets another version, wherein the resulting Transformer is a Decepticon Refraktor. Although it is not as detailed as the blue and red Autobots leader, still, a cool piece to show off on your desk setup. The Refraktor gets a Quantum Dial and the ability to split into three. So, you get A Spector, Spyglass, and Viewfinder in the seminal animation.

Attention to detail of these two Transformer models is worth appreciating. You can press the shutter button, rotate the dial, or peek inside the viewfinder. The lens can be removed like an interchangeable lens to expose the 35mm sensor and the trademark L lens red ring adds an element of realism.

Both these Transformers/cameras are slated for a February 25^th, 2023 release in Japan, with pre-orders for the Optimus Prime version starting now until September 28^th. The Decepticon Reflektor model will only be a Takara Tomy mall exclusive buyable though. They’ll be priced at 19,500 yen (approximately $147) and given the iconic appeal they should sell like hot cakes!

The post These Canon EOS R5 cameras are notorious Transformers in disguise first appeared on Yanko Design.

Skeletonics Kinetic-Energy Exoskeleton: Humans In Disguise

Posted on 25/04/2022 by hite

Determined to win the costume contest at this year’s Halloween party? Look no further than the Skeletonics kinetic-energy powered exoskeleton – perfect for taking your Transformer costume to the next level. The next level being the 1st place pedestal at the costume contest, just so we’re clear. I can practically feel that $100 gift certificate to Spirit Halloween in my robotic hands!

Unlike some other exoskeletons, the Skeletonics relies on no outside power source, instead using a wearer’s kinetic energy to mirror their movements on a larger scale – including hand and finger movements like grasping. The whole thing stands approximately 9-feet tall and weighs only 88-pounds, making it easy to strap to the top of your car like you just bagged yourself a Decepticon.

The video demonstration really is impressive, considering the lack of an external power supply. Granted, the Skeletonics exoskeleton might not be capable of picking up a car or battling an alien queen like a Power Loader, but I really don’t want to be battling alien queens anyway – I just want to win a costume contest for once.

[via TechEBlog]

LEGO Expert Turns NES Kit into a Game Boy Transformer

Posted on 06/09/2021 by Paul Strauss

As a fan of classic video games and LEGO bricks, I was pretty stoked when they released the official LEGO Nintendo Entertainment System in 2020. The 2600+ piece set lets you build a detailed model of an NES along with a TV set, a game cartridge, and a gamepad. Now, one inventive LEGO builder has figured out how to reconfigure the kit into a completely different Nintendo system – a Game Boy. But this isn’t just any Game Boy – this is the Game Boy ROBO.

The Moko Brick Laboratory specializes in making transforming robots out of LEGO parts. Their latest build used some of the numerous parts from the LEGO NES to create this awesome Game Boy that can turn into a robot. Sure, the Transformers had cars and cassette tape players that could turn into robots, but they never had a Game Boy. Now, all we need is for Nintendo to develop a way to make one of these that is actually playable, and they’d sell millions. Can you imagine playing Super Mario Bros. or Tetris on this thing?

Check out the full build video for the Game Boy ROBO below:

I love how this guy wears white gloves while working on his LEGO builds. Parents, I suggest that you make your kids do the same so they don’t get chocolate and Cheetos dust all over the bricks like they usually do.

Transformers x Quiccs Megatron Bust: Peace Through Graffiti

Posted on 23/06/2021 by Lambert Varias

Here’s a version of Megatron that Optimus Prime would allow to flourish. Hasbro and Mighty Jaxx’s latest team-up with toy designer Quiccs is a 9.5″ x 11″ x 7″ vinyl bust that sees the Decepticon leader brandishing two silver spray paint cans. He still has his arm-mounted cannon though. Maybe this dude isn’t as benign as I thought.

My fellow fans of designer toys know that this is the third bust in the collaboration, the first one being Soundwave with two turntables, and the second one being Bumblebee on the mic. Like those previous releases, this Megatron bust is limited to only 500 units.

Drop your stencils and ladder and head to Mighty Jaxx to order this bust for $249 (USD).

Netflix’s first ‘Transformers’ teaser reveals a hopeless war

Posted on 23/02/2020 by Engadget RSS Feed

Netflix has posted the first teaser trailer for its Transformers animated series, and it's now clear just how the service will take on the robots' origins. The clip for the first part of the War For Cybertron trilogy, Siege, portrays the Autobots fi...

Hasbro is relaunching classic Tiger Electronics gaming handhelds

Posted on 19/02/2020 by Engadget RSS Feed

A few years ago, Hasbro revived its line of Tamagotchi virtual pets. The new versions of the toy were smaller than the originals from the '90s and had fewer features. They must have sold pretty well, though, since the company followed those up with f...

If Barney Was a Transformer, He’d Be this Megatron Beast Wars Figure

Posted on 29/04/2019 by Conner Flynn

I never watched Transformers Beast Wars, but I may have to check it out now because this Takara Tomy Transformers Masterpiece MP-43 Megatron Beast Wars figure looks pretty damn awesome. It’s from the Japanese version of Beast Wars and was officially released in Japan last month.

It looks like a pretty decent dinosaur figure in Beast mode. You wouldn’t even know that it was a Transformer, but it’s actually transformable between robot and dinosaur form. In dino form, its head becomes its primary weapon. This form is a no-brainer for Megatron. I would have picked a ferocious prehistoric beast like the T-Rex as well.

I don’t know how many points of articulation it has, but it does have newly recorded sound effects that are in Japanese from the voice actor who voiced Megatron 20 years ago. How cool is that? This is a must-have for Transformers fans. Beast Wars fans too of course.

It’s not cheap though. You can get this transforming purple monster from Big Bad Toy Store for $319.99. You know you want it. I know I want one.

[via Toy Hype via Mike Shouts]

Ghostbusters Ecto-1 Is Now a Transformer: Ectotron

Posted on 18/02/2019 by Conner Flynn

If you think you’ve collected all of the Transformers toys, think again. There’s one Transformers toy that’s missing from your collection. That’s because the Transformers Generations Collaborative: Ghostbusters Mash-Up, Ecto-1 Ectotron Figure is not available yet.

But you can pre-order it now from GameStop – with shipping starting this July. This is the Transformers/ Ghostbusters mashup you never knew you needed until now. The iconic Ecto-1 Cadillac from the 1984 Ghostbusters movie is now a Transformers robot called “Ectotron.” The 7-inch long figure comes with his own Proton Pack accessory and a Slimer accessory. It converts between Ecto-1 and robot modes in 22 steps. This piece has some great detail and is going to look amazing in your collection whether you display it in Ecto-1 mode or as a robot. I prefer the car to the robot myself.

Who ya gonna call? Hasbro apparently. Now if we could only transform the Ghostbusters reboot into something decent, life would be perfect. Can you help with that Hasbro? I wish you could. But this is a start to helping me forget about it.

[via Geekologie]

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