Through the implementation of an ingenious scheme named ‘Street Charge’ New York-based design company Pensa are paving the way for a simple and effective phone-charging solution, by harnessing mother nature’s greatest power source.

Through their partnership with solar company Goal Zero, as well as telecommunication giants AT&T, Pensa have set about installing 25 temporary, battery-filled stations, in varying locations throughout New York City. These pole structures, with their three leaf-like panels and access points, provide pedestrians with the chance to ‘fill up’ their phones, whilst going about their daily routines, completely free of charge – well, not completely, huh. Whilst this particular run is set to commence for just 90 days, in three locations throughout New York City, Pensa are hoping to expand upon this initial venture. With its self-sufficiency and relatively low expense, Street Charge has the potential to become a permanent feature all over the world.

[Found on Fast Co / View more at Pensa]

The GroovBoard is a simple yet innovative design by Thomas Borowski designed to make that ‘sofa surfing’ experience so much more natural. The GroovBoard gives you several options for using your iPad comfortably with or without an external keyboard, with a stylus, on your couch or easy chair, in bed or at a desk or table.

When using a tablet, the way it is positioned is clearly a problem, the Groovboard has been working on this solution for a long time now. The original idea for the GroovBoard dates back to 2008, when there wasn’t even an iPad yet. I was looking for a more comfortable way to use a laptop on the couch. I tossed around some ideas for a while, but none of them really went anywhere. With the introduction of the iPad, the issue of using it comfortably on the couch was even more evident than with a laptop. After lots of idea-tossing, pondering, testing and prototyping the GroovBoard was finally born in early 2012.

The GroovBoard lets you use your iPad comfortably sitting on the couch or in your easy chair, with or without an Apple Wireless Keyboard and holds on to your stylus so you don’t lose it between the sofa cushions.

[View more at GroovBoard / Discovered on Minimal]

The Y3 Qasa comes from a branch of Adidas, focusing on fashion and innovation. Designed by Yohji Yamamoto, the Qasa features a minimal shoe somewhat reminiscent of the Nike Roshe Run.

I come from a design program that loves shoes, I mean absolutely obsesses over them. Several of my classmates had sneaker collections of 60+ , some of which are now designing for sneaker companies. That being said, when I see a noteworthy shoe I tend to geek out.

The wrap-like design helps the shoe to conform to the foot, making it more comfortable than the typical lace-up sneaker. It comes out this fall with a $300 price tag; so not for everyone, but if you are a sneakerhead get excited.

[ View more at Sole Collector/ Discovered on Sneaker News]

Boasting a smart monochrome design, seamless 360° rotation and an endless array of potential suitors, New York-based Design & Engineering Company Breakfast  have recently launched, what they are calling “the most advanced sign on Earth” named, Points.

With its stunning, wide-angle LED sign-faces displaying real time updates, Points is the ideal information provider. Perfect for use in any location, this highly evolved road sign, which can be installed for temporary or permanent use, is best used in city centres, transport links, sporting occasions, concerts or any large-scale event where directions may be required. After three years in production, this interactive sign also has the ability to update to its surroundings and alter its directions throughout the day. By linking with Twitter and RSS, and easily programmed to incorporate local businesses and events, Points can create an immersive source of information, whether it is used as a necessity or to simply inform your next activity.

[Found on Fubiz / View more at Breakfast]

The Jet Pack introduces minimalism to a perviously cumbersome product. It promotes taking fewer, more important items that you will actually need on your day out.

Tessel wants you to take off  with their Jet Pack. Well it won’t exactly allow you to glide across the ground, but it is a lighter substitue for your heavy back pack. What makes this bag interesting is the fact that it is missing many things a bag typically has. Instead of tons of different pockets for your supplies, it only has a few; instead of a rigid form the Jet Pack has a form that adjusts to your products. The bag has two compartments, a faux fur lined laptop section, an iPad sleeve and places for all your writing instruments.

[View more at Tessel / Discovered on KickStarter]

With the tagline, “When neighbours start talking, good things happen” the private social network for neighbourhoods Nextdoor are aiming to help the people of the USA connect with those who live close to them. By offering a free and secure service, with aesthetics and functionality noticeably inspired by Facebook’s universal approach, Nextdoor give residents the opportunity to create a social network specific to your neighbourhoods.

“[Nextdoor] is an online place where you and your neighbours can ask questions, stay in the know and exchange local help and advice.”

With strict password-protection and address verification, needed to join any electronic neighbourhood, Nextdoor ensures that their service can provide US-residents with risk-free online environment, where people who share a location can also share local news, views and updates, with the potential of taking their service worldwide.

[Found on Launch / View more at Nextdoor]

Adding new tech to analog products seems to be the one of the most profound trends today. Making people rethink how they connect to the things they use everyday, and even how those products communicate with each other; “the internet of things”.

August smart lock exemplifies what it means to seamlessly connect the internet to analog objects. August can be summarized with one phrase “You’re Invited”. The lock only lets in people who have been previously invited via a smart phone invitation. Its keyless, only requiring a smart phone and an “invitation’. You control who is allowed access, which can be changed at any time.

Designer Yves Behar explains more about August:

When you approach the door you can check the status – if the door is unlocked or not – whether it is green or red or the line is turned up or down, 
and you can hear it through a sound that we created. when you look from front, there is this line which, when it is up, then it is unlocked, plus you 
have the LED lights that tell you, plus there is the sound – so there are three sensory keys that show you the status if the door is locked or not. 
you can set the lock to auto-lock, if you wish – the electronic system can be assured that when you are getting in or getting out you’ll always know
if it is locked or unlocked. from the outside you shouldn’t be able to see it, but you can see it on your phone

If the door lock can become “smart”, what other mundane objects will join the intellectual few.

[View more at August / Discovered on The Verge]

19th Century technology meets 21st Century music over a bottle of beer in the latest extension to the Beck’s Record Label project. This time, the art label has evolved, and been replaced by the grooves of Auckland band Ghost Wave. Their new single was inscribed into the surface of a Beck’s beer bottle which could then be played on a specially-built device based on Thomas Edison’s original cylindrical phonograph.
Making the world’s first playable beer bottle was a formidable technical challenge. The clever people at Auckland firm Gyro Constructivists first had to design and build a record-cutting lathe, driven by a hard drive recording head.

Then they reinvented Edison’s original cylinder player, using modern materials and electronics and built to very fine tolerances.

The Edison Bottle made its public debut at SemiPermanent in Auckland in May to a standing ovation from the assembled media and design community.

Beck’s has had a long association with music and art. In fact, at about the same time Heinrich Beck was brewing his first beer in the 1870s, Tom Edison was tinkering away on designs for the first phonograph.
Considering how beer has influenced recorded music since then, this physical collaboration was very appropriate and long overdue.

[View more at Shine Limited]

Square changed the way we pay digitally. It allowed us to easily make transactions for products and services through our mobile devices. Now, Square is taking on a the notoriously large and confusing register. The brand langue is continued from the original Square, to the Square Stand. It includes a place for an ipad and an intuitive area to slide a credit or debit card.

Once again Square is changing something that we are so familiar with, we never thought it could change. It allows a business to run and organize itself through an ipad, featuring their analytic software to track purchase and orders. Square is making it easier than ever to be a small business with their reinvented register.

The people from Square Discuss their philosophy here:

Square is simplifying commerce for everyone. We’re rethinking how people exchange value—from hardware to pricing structure to payments.

[ View more at Square/ Discovered on NPR]

Rewind a few years and Google’s visual identity would hardly have been seen as being at the forefront of graphic design. Now, however, thanks to the release of a digital, visual guideline to the company’s identity and design, things have changed.

It is clear to see, in remarkable detail, that the Californian internet-giants are making vast and impressive strides in becoming the company to beat, or perhaps more likely, to follow in graphic design. Compiled by Google Designers Roger Oddone, Christopher Bettig, Yan Yan and Zachary Gibson, the two-part ‘Visual Assets Guidelines’ takes an in-depth look at Google’s product and userface icons, logos and illustrations,

“This solid, yet flexible foundation will help Google’s designers and vendors to produce high quality work which will help to strengthen Google’s identity.”

[Found on Fast Co Design / View more on Behance]

Through their ‘Smarter Cities’ project, American technology company IBM have sought to create innovative solutions to common problems, with the hope of improving the standard of every day living in cities, helping their residents become ‘smarter’.

In order to spark the creative process into action, IBM turned to communications and advertising specialists Ogilvy to produce a set of outdoor advertising with a purpose.

“A bench, a shelter and a ramp that are not only designed to be beautiful, but to be useful to city dwellers as well. [We are] working together to spark positive change… And unite city leaders and forward-thinking citizens.”

[Found on Fast Co Design / View more at IBM]

The world of entertainment has a lot of competition but few have attempted to be as innovative and simplistic as fuseproject and fanhattan, the team behind Fan TV.

At its core, Fan TV is about its users– about people getting the most out of their entertainment. Instead of a clunky cable box or DVR system hidden in the cabinet, Fan TV is designed for display. The small remote responds to the subtlest touch, simply tap or swipe to navigate your movies and shows. Mimicking nestled stones, the box and remote fit together with the use of magnets, ensuring the remote has a place where it can be found again.

Whether you are viewing on your iOS device or your widescreen, Fan TV has it covered. Favourite movies, add ones to watch later or just explore the simple zen like interface.

[View more at Fan TV / Discovered on Designboom]

Bikes tend to have a reputation of being unsafe and unclear when on the road. Helios is a product built to make riding beautiful whilst being integrated with great technology to make your ride a safe experience. The product consists of handlebars that have integrated lights, bluetooth, and GPS connectivity to fundamentally change the way you get around.

Bikes tend to have a reputation of being unsafe and unclear when on the road. Helios is a product built to make riding beautiful whilst being integrated with great technology to make your ride a safe experience. The product consists of handlebars that have integrated lights, bluetooth, and GPS connectivity to fundamentally change the way you get around.

Over half of all bike fatalities are due to collisions with motor vehicles. This is usually due to lack of biker visibility- a problem that has always plagued biking. Helios Bars solves this problem by increasing overall visibility and providing a robust indicator system for use on urban or congested roads

Helios handlebars are available in bullhorn or drop bars (as seen above) with a lumen front light, as well as side lights that have a range of functionality. With Bluetooth built in, the handlebars connect to your smartphone and in conjunction with their iOS App allow you to toggle light ambience, activate indicators and even turn your phone into a visual speedometer.

The handlebars also work to deter theft by acting as a tracking device. With GPS built in and a 15-day backup battery, they enable you to track your bike if it’s been stolen and shows you its location.

[View more at Helios / Discovered on Kickstarter]

Office Chairs can often be unsupportive and promote bad posture at home and at the workplace. Designed for today’s active users, Buoy is a seat designed by Turnstone that is designed to move as you do. Buoy swivels, turns, tilts, and moves up and down, mirroring the movement of your hips and posture.

The team at Turnstone explain why they created the chair:

After researching multiple small businesses, we noticed something: people are mobile, even when seated. Whether you’re a knee bouncer, a pencil tapper, or you’ve got jazz hands, Buoy lets you move freely. So feel free to pull up a seat. Or lean in. Or hunker down. Mobility matters.

[ View more at Turnstone ]

Meet the camera that is making photography easier than you could have ever imagined. Lytro uses a new type of light senor that records the entire light field. This means that after you take a photo, you are able to adjust the focal area.

The Lytro website features a section that allows you to try out the re-focusing process like you would if you actually owned the camera. This mind-blowing technology has professional photographers scrambling and questioning what photography means.

The people behind Lytro what to reinvent what it means to take a photograph.

By capturing the light field, you can do incredible things. Like refocus pictures after you take them. Tap the touchscreen on whatever part of the picture you want to bring into focus — or, once a picture is imported into your computer, click to refocus.

[View more at Lytro / Discovered on Gizmodo]

This stunning Pocket Watch designed by People People is grabbing the attention of many with its super minimal approach. The designers behind the watch made a deliberate choice to develop a pocket watch rather than a wristwatch, the preferred modern approach of keeping time. They aimed to cite the evolution of the timepiece to primarily a personality statement worn less and less for practicality.

“A watch is something that fits into people’s frame of reference, even though the function has gone from showing time to showing style.”

Designing a watch which remains classic yet modern is an achievement which will reflect well with many different fashion decisions within menswear. It’s clear that this watch was designed with menswear becoming the pivot for their design decision.

“The solid aluminum construction will mean that you know it’s there but it’ll be light enough and wide enough to not pull on a pocket and ruin the fall of a jacket or waistcoat.”

[ View more at People People / Discovered on Cool Hunting ]

Playing video games is a universal experience, designed for young and old but developing and designing video games is something that takes complex coding and artistic ability, or is it?

Pixel Press, is an iPhone and iPad app that lets you draw your own video game (no code required!) and share it with others. It’s a simple four step process – draw, upload and test, design, play and share.

The team at Pixel Press tell us about the amazingly creative project:

With the Pixel Press platform you are designing five floors of a video game level. Your hero will start at the bottom and attempt to overcome the obstacles you create to reach the elevator at the end of each floor to advance up to the next floor. Your objective is to create a level that is progressively more challenging from top to bottom.

[ View more at Kickstarter / Discovered on CoDesign ]

This pint-sized printer allows you to publish content that’s important to you. Syncing to a cloud service, you are able to subscribe to local news papers, magazines, social media, and even puzzles to keep your brain sharp.

Printing a receipt sized document, Little Printer gives you portable content in a neat little personalised package.

Little Printer sits in your home, but it’s BERG Cloud that does the heavy lifting. Because publications are created in our cloud on the Web, not in your front room, we can offer more services for your Little Printer without the need for updates or a replacement product.

[ View more at Little Printer/ Discovered on Uncrate]

Meet Spot, a functional and adaptable lighting solution. Whether being used as a task light, floodlight, or an ambient light, spot can fit into any environment and any lifestyle. While focusing on the function of a light, spot also addresses some aesthetic decisions.

Minimal form and color choices easily show where and how the user should interact with the light.

The team behind Spot is currently seeking crowd funding:

SPOT currently remains as a prototype although we really believe in its functionality. With your support and sufficient funding, we will be able to complete a first production run and bring this delightful product to your household.

[View more at Indiegogo / Discovered on Yanko Design]

 What are currently being described as “epidermal electronics” (or ‘technology for the skin’ to you and I) a brand new method of health monitoring has been invented, potentially eradicating the need for large, wired machinery in hospitals. American Materials Scientist, John Rogers and his electronics company, MC10 have created a ‘Biostamp’ which is implemented in the form of a temporary tattoo.

What are currently being described as “epidermal electronics” (or ‘technology for the skin’ to you and I) a brand new method of health monitoring has been invented, potentially eradicating the need for large, wired machinery in hospitals. American Materials Scientist, John Rogers and his electronics company, MC10 have created a ‘Biostamp’ which is implemented in the form of a temporary tattoo.

This small, golden, electronic mesh then monitors the wearer’s temperature and hydration levels, among other vitals. Whilst the stamp only remains intact for up to two weeks, due to the skin’s natural exfoliation, with the company currently seeking to further this invention’s uses by integrating it with wireless power sources and communication devices, this product could potentially revolutionise the way health services across the world track the vital stats of their patients, as well as leaving room to implement various every day uses, applicable to the general consumer.

[Found on DeZeen / View more at MC10]

Marko Vuckovic, a serbian industrial designer isn’t one for conforming. His designs are bold, ambitious and elegant. After winning a DesignandDesign Award in 2011 Marko went on to develop a mobile version of his award winning Saturn Clock and it’s unlike any watch you have ever seen.

Clocks have the same boring look with three needles, each representing the second, minute and hour hand. The needles move in the same manner, and reading time also does not vary from one clock to the other, it faily remains the same. Designing around these elements was something Marko wanted to challenge. He explains further:

I was inspired by the planet Saturn and I designed a watch named The Saturn. The Saturn Watch has been crafted in a simple yet elegant manner. It consists of a base which has 12 digits placed on it like any other timepiece. Further, the base is enveloped with two disks that have perforated holes crafted on them. Both the disks turn around in a clockwise manner. The holes in the round plate aptly reveal what time of the day we are in. As against everyday clocks, only the digits representing the present time are revealed and the rest remain concealed under the disk.

[View more at Marko Vuckovic]

Using classic European delivery bikes as inspiration, the Faraday combines innovative technologies to create a revolutionary bicycle. In passing, the Faraday might just seem like an ordinary bike with a hint of style, but housed within the frame is a battery and motor to assist in your commute. With a 45-minute charge time and 15 miles of pedal assist, the Faraday adds some pep into your pedaling.

The Faraday team tell us a bit more about the bike:

“At Faraday Bicycles, design is about much more than just appearance – it’s about the entire rider experience. Despite its extraordinary capabilities (it’s electric!), we designed the Faraday Porteur to look and ride just like a familiar, high-quality bicycle. The Faraday Porteur looks and feels like a premium city bike, but it performs in a class of its own. Most importantly, the Faraday lets you work as much, or as little, as you want.”

[ View more at Faraday Bikes / Discovered on Wired ]

Since the last time i introduced Google Glass, the product has come along way. Currently being trailed by several people in the US, Google have plenty of eager potential customers. Some questions still remain unanswered such as, What is its purpose?, What does it do? and How do i use it?. Today Google answered some of those questions with the ‘Glass (How to: Getting Started Video)’.

What are your thoughts?

Whilst technical function is key to the success of a product, too many companies overlook the importance of design. Jawbone has developed human-centered wearable technology for more than a decade and they have shown their understanding of great design coupled with smart technology, bringing ‘UP’ to the shelves. UP is a wristband and smartphone app that tracks how you sleep, move and eat—then helps you use that information to feel your best.

Jawbone who have won awards for their adaptive designs explain how the accessory fits around your life:

UP was designed to fit seamlessly in people’s lives. Real life. It’s a thoughtful combination of engineering and design, custom-made for how we live.UP is both flexible and strong. Sometimes UP needs to slide smoothly under sleeves or bend to accommodate an active lifestyle. Other times it has to be strong enough to stand up to a snowball fight without a problem (or more likely, a few thousand showers). Day and night, UP is right there with you.

[View more at Jawbone]

Since watching Knight Rider, i have always been interested in how technology can progress towards intelligent, sociable cars. Whilst we are not exactly there yet, Automatic Labs have provided something that is smart, awesome and affordable.

Tackling the problems that people face everyday, Automatic Labs have developed ‘Automatic’, a Personal Assistant to your car through your smartphone. The Automatic Link (adapter) talks to your car’s onboard computer and uses your smartphone’s GPS and data plan to upgrade your car’s capabilities. Every Link works with both iPhone and Android.

Automatic learns about your driving style and gives you subtle audio cues when you do things that waste gas, by rapid acceleration or breaking. All of which is displayed in a beautiful and helpful format, giving you the opportunity to look at your driving performance and save money on your fuel consumption.

Still not impressed? Well Automatic ‘automatically’ monitors the health of your vehicle alerting you to any possible problems and offers solutions to the problems, right on your smartphone. If you do happen to crash your vehicle, Automatic uses your phone’s data connection to immediately report the crash to 911* with your name, location, and vehicle description.Once help responds, Automatic can send a text message to your loved ones to let them know what happened, where you are, and that help is on the way.

[Found on uncrate / View more at Automatic]

Originally developed by lumberjacks in the snow-covered Canadian Rocky Mountains more than thirty years ago, the Bullerjan wood-burning stove is widely regarded as the icon of all wood stoves

Energetec, the company behind the Bullerjan brand, wanted to create a new generation of Bullerjan stoves, ones designed for the homes of everyday people, so they approached Frog (on of our favourite innovative firms) to help them incorporate the brand’s heritage into an efficient and elegant modern fireplace.

Frog explain to us how changing the look of the Bullerjan had its difficulties:

The classic Bullerjan conveyed a very technical, machine-like feel that didn’t seem to fit into recent interior trends that covet a cozy and warm environment. To update the look, we honed in on the convection tubes. The integration of the air-intake into a pedestal created a much more elegant solution for the tubes. By introducing randomly aligned rectangular tubes for the airflow, a beautiful, harmonizing tension of functionality and emotion was created. The product has been transformed into an elegant, sculpturally defined centerpiece for a modern living room.

[View more on Frog]

With a bold, sleek and undeniably minimalist look, Melbourne-based watch manufacturers, AÃRK Collective aim to combine high quality, long lasting products with a clear attention to stunning, colour-conscious design. Looking for perfect harmony between design, functionality and aesthetics, AÃRK’s approach is simple, honest and heartfelt, and these qualities are evident in their fantastic products.

“The art of minimalist design is the backbone of the Classic. It’s easy, refined and plays around with colour to offer each wearer a character that best represents them. Perfectly balanced in design and function, this watch is a true representation of ÃARK.”

[Found on MyEdol / View more on AÃRK Collective]

Libratone recently released a series of AirPlay-enabled wireless speakers wrapped in either wool or cashmere. These portable speakers look fantastic and they are portable, warm and fuzzy. Three sizes are available depending on your room size and portability needs.

Libratone explain the concept behind the design:

“When we design speakers we try to make sense for the user. Since the world around audio changes all the time with digital music and wireless technologies, there’s really not a lot of inspiration to find in the existing speaker industry.” Libratone Director

Many of us may have the urge to pour our untapped creativity into the production of music, but find our efforts come to nothing due to the inability to master an instrument. However, not all hope is lost, as a wonderfully innovative solution has been found to this problem by a French Duo consisting of Audio Visual Performer & Producer, Jesse Lucas and Musician & Composer, Erwan Raguenes. With the creation of the ‘DYSKOGRAF’ participants of all ages are encouraged to visit the facilities and take it upon themselves to create a loop of electronic sounds. Using just simple felt markers, shapes drawn onto the graphical disk drive are then read, meaning any intuitively drawn configuration of patterns, doodles or lines are immediately translated into an electronic musical sequence. 

[Found on Vimeo / Read more at Avoka]

When you have that espresso craving, often you don’t have one those fancy machines to make an espresso, nor do you have the time to trot yourself over to your local coffee shop. Instead, you probably just wonder why there isn’t a simpler more convenient alternative. Introducing Piamo, a compact, portable espresso maker that delivers your hot cup of fuel in 30 seconds, straight from your microwave.

Designed by Christoph Meyl, his brother Hendrik and LUNAR Europe the concept has a simple step process. Fill the cup with water and coffee, then stack it, flip it, and place it in the microwave. Microwave to let the pressure build up and push the water through the coffee. Thats it, You are ready to start or restart your day!

[Found on DesignMilk / View more at Piamo]

Spanish company DVELAS has produced outdoor furniture from the old sails of sailboats. Created by a group of skilled Spanish architects and designers, DVELAS takes old sails and re-uses them transforming them into contemporary, comfortable heavy duty outdoor seating. Lets not forget that they look the part too.

With over six different series of furniture, DVELAS has created a creative line of products. Each piece comes with complimentary information about the sail’s origin including the part used and boat it came from.

DVELAS also encourages the recycling of old sails, asking anybody with colourful or specially marked sails to send them away to them so they can do their magic.

They explain to us the design process:

[box size="medium" style="rounded"]They are designed so as to reflect upon the original function of the sail and they are inspired by sailing techniques, the way the boats are constructed and the poetry of the sea itself.[/box]

[Found on DesignMilk / View more on DVELAS Living Sails]

Since the inception of modern perfumery, in the 19th century, fragrances have been manufactured to merely cover up your scent, and block out nasty odeurs. However, LA-based online tailoring service Commodity are ready to buck the trend, and change the way we see perfume forever. In three easy steps, Commodity have made it possible for both males and females to actively tailor their very own custom scent. Once your simple online scent profile has been created, a tailor kit equipped with mini samples is then sent your way, allowing you to choose which fragrance works best for you. Then, once your bottle size is decided, your brand new, tailored premium fragrance is delivered free of charge to your door. Add into the equation a French Fragrance House with over 160 years of experience and an all-organic, environmentally-friendly product and your fantastic, new perfume experience is complete. Having passed their original $20,000 goal on Kickstarter, Commodity are now looking to increase their backers count, past the already-impressive 500+ and reach the dizzy heights of $50,000. With just 6 days left, now is the perfect time to get involved.

[Found on Kickstarter / View more on Kickstarter or Commodity Goods]

This smooth, simple oak table has a musical secret under its hood. Lift a door on its side and you’ll expose a full, 88-key electric piano. The Piano Table designed by Georg Bohle is one of the most inventive pieces of furniture in some time, merging the musical with the modern. The table itself is ideal for a dining room, it stretches long enough to fit a whole family and is unobtrusive in design. After the meal, however, flip open the piano door and you and your guests can enjoy some music, made from the exact place you just ate. This special piece of furniture does not come cheap, however, as this piano table is made to order at $6,000 a piece.

[Images copyright to on Reluct / View more at Reluct]

Someone not feeling well? Don’t sweat it, there is a clever thermometer to help measure your child’s temperature. In a way that feels natural to you. This brilliant thermometer is based on a common and natural behavior of putting your hand on the forehead to measure internal heat of their body. Checking the temperature by scanning the forehead with this device is easier and faster, since it eliminates the need to insert an external tool while holding them in a still position.

The intuitive shape of the device allows the user to easily understand how to hold and use the device. The organic and ergonomic shape provides a secure grasp in the user’s hand. After simply placing the device on the forehead, a beeping sound followed by a flashing LED alerts the user when it is done. In addition, the user can clearly see the temperature on the LCD screen, while holding the device and their baby.

Designed by Duck-Young the Korean has won many design awards including the Red Dot Design Award.

[Found on UtiltarianThings / View more at DYK Design]

In a project destined to make every Skateboarder swoon, French Designer, Gil Lebon Delapointe and LA-based Architect, Francois Perrin have transformed a Skatepark into a stunning, eco-friendly home. Named ‘The PAS Skate House’ this architectural masterpiece, located at the top of Las Flores Canyon in Malibu, has been designed for former Skateboarding Champion and Etnies Founder, Pierre Andre Senizergues. Set to be completed some time next year, every room in this highly sustainable, tubular home is designed to integrate living and skateboarding effortlessly. With a fully-immersive layout, even the furniture will be skateable, including walls that curve into ceilings, and built-in benches and tables, ready for jumping and grinding on.

[Found on Where The Cool Things Happen / View more at Etnies]

Sometime in 2014, New York City’s agreement with its payphone supplier will expire. Whilst the death of the payphone will be welcomed by many, it has taken up a place on the busy streets of New York for many generations. A design competition has been set up to find a worthy replacement, one that will help make the life of New Yorkers easier. ‘Reinvent Payphones’ is helping the city generate ideas about how to replace these 11,000+ archaic payphones.

One of the our favourite selections is shown above, winning the “visual design and user experience” category is Beacon. What makes Beacon special you may ask? Beacon’s interface is completely gestural which means everything is controlled either with voice or motion control. Using recognition technology and algorithms the sensors pick up even the eye movement or facial expression of the user. Designed to be in a busy, loud environment the microphones have noise cancelling technology built in to block out car horns and passing pedestrians.

Frog, the company behind this project assure us that this project is as much about durability as it was about design with the structure being made out of concrete, and steel. Whilst the screen is specially designed with LED matrices.

With the Beacon able to transmit important citywide messages even when the power is out, Frog also plan to incorporate the power of advertising. Introducing advertising at many tiers to help New Yorkers stay informed.

[box style="rounded" border="full"]While the cost of ads could be variable, they would be kept at a cost bracket that is appropriate for the given block. The idea is to easily enable mom-and-pop stores, food trucks, and other small businesses to advertise. Meanwhile, the upper screens will broadcast more expensive ads from corporate buyers and city sponsors, generating revenue to support the free usage of the eye-level screens. And, what’s perhaps more intriguing about the video above, those upper screens could also work in concert. For example, during a parade they could be synched as banners. During a marathon, they could serve as mile markers.[/box]

[Discovered on CoDesign / Images belong to (Shuttershock) & (Frog)]

Design is all about solving problems and i think everybody has had the problem of removing tape from packaging. The inventors over at Quirky have come up with a beautiful solution. Boasting the ability to remove tape without knifes or scissors ‘Rip Cord’ is tape but with a unique streak.

Rip Cord is a simple improvement upon the classic roll of packaging tape. The tape has a small string running down the center of the tape which allows for easy tear and removal of tape.

The team over at Quirky explain to us how the invention works:

[box style="rounded" border="full"]The user pulls the string to separate the tape in half. This makes opening boxes a cinch, as there is no longer a need for scissors, knives, or keys. The packaging tape dispenser has a sharp edge with which to cut the tape, this edge is shaped such that the tape is cut to provide a tab at the center. This tape makes it easy for users to locate and lift the string.[/box]

[Found on Really-Shit / Images courtesy of Quirky / View more at Quirky]

For any musician, getting your music heard can be a little tricky, especially within many of today’s vastly over-saturated genres. For the most part it seems that good music, alone, isn’t quite enough to make the break through. However, sparking an innovative project, in which vinyl records of your new catchy single are made out of ice, certainly seems to work. Or at least that was the case for Swedish Indie Pop group, Shout Out Louds. In this ingenious venture named, ‘The Ice Record Project’ the 5-piece from Stockholm created an extremely select batch of 10 secret boxes. Meant only for particular members of the press and the most devoted of fans, these boxes were dispatched, complete with the equipment and guide, necessary for creating this record. Described as a song about “fading devotion” this fantastic concept – brought to life by freezing the water poured into a negative imprint mold of the vinyl - brings with it a unique musical experience, mimicking the fleeting essence of the song itself.

[Found at Inhabitat / View more at Shout Out Louds]

Multi-genre Brooklyn-based producer/remixer Jonathan Dagan known as ‘j.viewz’ has explored the limits of music. Experimenting with fruit and vegetables. Jonathan wires up very unlikely musical instruments to re-create the popular ‘Teardrop’ by Massive Attack. Jonathan who has years of experience with remixing different sounds, creates full and complex pieces that push the boundaries of music and brings the art back into ‘Artist’.

[Found on FastCoDesign / Images and Video courtesy of J.Viewz / View more at J.Viewz]

Peter Fuss, an artist known for his edgy and sharp attitude, illegally posts his art on billboards to portray the social and political issues around him.

Not afraid to speak his mind on politics or the relationship between religion and art, Peter Fuss fleshes out his work with deep meaning and a simplistic result. Entitled ‘This Means Peace ‘, his work was first placed in Gdansk, Poland in January 2008 at a railway station.  The two billboards, use his signature minimalist typography and feature Arabic writing with an explained translation underneath that reads “This Means Love” and “This Means Peace.”. Fuss’ message was that people should think carefully about the widespread beliefs after the 9/11 attacks that all that is Arab is dangerous. He questions the stereotypes that shackle a group of people and challenges it with the thought provoking use of typography.

Fuss challenges political decisions through the use of artistic emotion and installs a sense of unity to those who view his work.

[Found on Krakow Post / Images courtesy of Peter Fuss / View more at Peter Fuss]

University students studying any artistic subject are often encouraged to experiment. Using your initiative and imagination is key when trying to carve your way into any competitive, creative environment. Two Kingston University students certainly pushed the boundaries of this concept, recently, by turning their own bodies into human photograph developers. Joshua Lake and Luke Evans each swallowed a piece of 35mm film, which was then digested, expelled and cleaned.

[box style="rounded" border="full"]“We wanted to bring our insides out, so we ate 35mm photographic film slides and let our bodies do the rest. The full-sized images are 10,000 pixels on the longest edge, allowing you to see every detail of what our bodies produced.”[/box]

The alien-like, monochrome images displayed above, scanned using an electron-microscope, exhibit the damages and traces left on the emulsion of the film caused by the students’ own bodily functions. Whilst slightly nauseating, this brilliantly innovative technique has been received to great acclaim.

[Found on Creative Review / View more at Joshua Lake & Luke Evans]

With the wave of your hand or a turn of your wrist, MYO will transform how you interact with your digital world. The MYO armband lets you use the electrical activity in your muscles to wirelessly control your computer, phone and other favourite digital technologies. A completely new approach to gesture controlled technology, the MYO monitors muscle activity by strapping around your forearm.

Thalmic Labs tell us a little more:

[box style="rounded" border="full"]The MYO works out of the box with things you already have – like your Mac or Windows PC. You can control presentations, video, content, games, browse the web, create music, edit videos, and so much more. And developers are dreaming of new, exciting ways to use MYO every day. The MYO is a whole new way to interact with technology[/box]

[Images and Video from Thalmic Labs / View more at GetMyo]

In these stunning images, part of an on-going project named ‘Pseudo Documentation’, American Multidisciplinary Artist, David DiMichele, is able to create a fully immersive, artistic creation. However, there are more to these pieces than meet the eye. These aren’t just photographs of magnificent gallery or museum installations – not quite. All of these images are actually macro photographs, with each picture exhibiting a completely unique set of miniature museum installations. Made using various household items, including ice cubes, salt, branches, hoses and more, each piece ingeniously combines sculpture, installation, design and photography for a complete aesthetic experience.

[Found at Jeannie Jeannie / View more at David DiMichele]

Australian born, UK based designer-maker, Jay Watson, has created furnishings that will leave you with a long lasting impression. This wonderfully sleek table, as beautiful as it is in its pure form, has a special touch. Using Thermochromism, the science that changes the colours of properties due to change in heat (Thanks Wikipedia), Jay has encompassed both beautiful design with remarkable lasting impressions and created this project titled ‘Linger a little longer‘.

Jay Watson explains on his website the thoughts behind the project:

[box style="rounded" border="full"]Making entertaining that bit more fun (while also commenting on how ‘precious’ we can become about the functionality of furniture, or how oblivious we can be to every effect we have on our environment) the thermochromic finish of the table and benches responds to the heat of any plate, mug or serving dish – or body part – placed on it, to leave an ephemeral ‘watermark.’[/box]

Whatever stance you decide to take towards Jay’s work, it is undeniably creative. This piece takes the Art of Science and adds function and aesthatics to an already wonderful piece of furnishing. Furnishings that change their form, in a way which is relative to the end user’s experience and movement is something that may change the way we envision our home furnishings.

[Images from Jay Watson Portfolio / View more at Jay Watson Design]

[box style="rounded" border="full"]Some might say all art is a reflection of the times we live in. If back in the day comics and movies were pretty naive and faced only as pure escapism, today’s fiction has to evoke reality to create something truly meaningful… and frightening.[/box]

This incredibly well executed project takes two subjects that we are fully aware of, as media-hungry beings, and adds another dimension entirely. As a result, this technique consequently poses just as many questions as it answers. Would the world be a better place if the tyrants of the past were nothing more than fictional characters? Would the world be safer if these men had been replaced by their comic book equivalents? A thoroughly interesting, though slightly nonsensical, argument certainly looms.

[Images from Behance / View more at Butcher Billy's Behance Profile]

There has been a lot of hype, good and bad about the Google Glass. What can unanimously be confirmed is that it is a bold effort by Google to change the way we do things. This morning Google released their first practical vision for the long awaited Google Glass. Although there has still be no word on when it will be released for consumer use, They have released a new video (see below) along with new images and information to get our technology teeth into. Google have reached out to the communities of Google+ and Twitter to give die hard enthusiasts a chance to use the Google Glass.

[box style="rounded" border="full"]“We’re looking for bold, creative individuals who want to join us and be a part of shaping the future of Glass. We’d love to make everyone an Explorer, but we’re starting off a bit smaller. We’re still in the early stages, and while we can’t promise everything will be perfect, we can promise it will be exciting.”[/box]

Google have decided that its time to put on your glasses and enter a new dimension of technology, let us know whether you are excited or skeptical about the Google Glass.

[Images and Video from Google / View more at Google Glass]

This year, Chicago-based Industrial Designer & Illustrator, Craighton Berman, decided it was time somebody designed an ingenious way of quantifying creative output. As an apparent advocate of the saying, ‘if you want something done properly, do it yourself’, he took it upon himself to do so. This process spawned the beginning of ‘The Campaign for the Accurate Measurement of Creativity’. In order to achieve this ideal, Berman created the ‘Sharpener Jar’ and took his product to Kickstarter, to make it happen. In an explanation of it’s concept and inspiration, Berman spoke of his project saying, “[the] Sharpener Jar is a product designed to quantify creative output. A jar full of pencil shavings at the end of the day visually demonstrates your labor to yourself and those around you. The shavings tell the story of your efforts, even if there’s nothing final to show for the time spent. This measurable ‘creative data’ proves to colleagues, employers, friends, family, and—most importantly—yourself that work was accomplished, useful or not.” If you are a fan of Berman’s product, you’ll be pleased to know that his Kickstarter project has been fully funded, plus more, and will go ahead. There are still even a few days left, so if you would like to be involved, and want to get your hands on a ‘Sharpener Jar’ of your own, now is the perfect time.

The work on cassette tapes is entirely handmade… It so happened that I found a bunch of old cassettes at home- seeing them brought me back, in thought, to an earlier time: the 80s, and to me as a kid. In any case, I could not play them any more so resurrecting them sounded like a good idea…It was sound, it became visual. And I am pretty sure they are more happy now than in a shoebox.

Benoit works to give the nostalgia of the 80′s a new life in a visual form. Making references to humour, music and movies, these wonderful pieces are designed to spark reaction, recognition and even emotion to those who experienced the era of the Cassete tape. You can check out the whole series on his Flickr or Like his Facebook page.

For any artist or designer, a great brand with a recognisable identity can be vital. It can help you to get noticed, and perhaps even more importantly, it can help you to be remembered. For a perfect example of this, look no further than Vienna-based Photo Producer, N. Daniels. In the pursuit of a strong visual identity, Daniels turned to his fellow compatriots, Austrian Graphic Design Studio, Bureau Rabensteiner - and boy, did they deliver. The resulting approach is appropriately sleek, with a minimalist feel and a monochrome colour palette, to complete the professional look. However, there is one particular aspect of this brand that sets it apart from the rest; each physical piece of stationary is thermo-sensitive. Bureau Rabensteiner explain their design, telling us “the black color of the varnish fades at body temperature [so that] as soon as you hold it in your hands, you literally produce an image by yourself.” This beautiful, unique concept not only creates an attractive brand. But its ingenious creation begs to be experimented with, completing the pursuit of a memorable and recognisable brand. If you would like to see more from Bureau Rabensteiner, head over to their website or Facebook page.

Dillon Marsh has captured these breathtaking nests built by the Sociable Weaver birds. Found only in South Africa these birds build large compound community nests, a rarity among birds. These nests are perhaps the most spectacular structure built by any bird. Sociable weavers construct permanent nests on trees and other tall objects. These nests are the largest built by any bird, and are large enough to house over a hundred pairs of birds, containing several generations at a time. The nests are highly structured and provide birds with a more advantageous temperature relative to the outside.

Dillon Marsh based in South Africa is a landscape focused artist and photographer and tells us about the the thoughts behind his projects:

“In these series I seek to find things that are out of the ordinary, picking them out of the landscape where they might otherwise blend in,” he says. “I choose objects that can be found in multitude within their environment so that I can depict a family of objects in a series of photographs. By displaying each project as such, I feel I am able to show both the character of the individual members, and the characteristics that make these objects a family. In the vast barren landscapes of the southern Kalahari, Sociable Weaver Birds assume ownership of the telephone poles that cut across their habitat. Their burgeoning nests are at once inertly statuesque and teeming with life. The twigs and grass collected to build these nests combine to give strangely recognisable personalities to the otherwise inanimate poles.

Hat-Tip (itsnicethat)