Mag+ Digital Magazine Concept

Mag+ from Bonnier on Vimeo.

The magazine concept described above touches on quite a few interesting topics. Most centrally, the discussion falls on the understanding, or lackthereof, of how a person interacts and with a magazine construct. When trying to replicate this interaction in a digital manner, Bonnier chose not to simplify 'digify' the magazine-reading process, yet instead to bring out the key distinctions that make a magazine a magazine, while taking advantage of a central digital construct.

One of the continuing failures in many electronic magazine concepts, is the misconception that a new magazine, must be just like the old, but why?! As discussed in the video above, they looked at that which is most important - image integration and text. Magazines central role is of course the focus of the many photos -yet these photos too are supplied with ample text.

Text, as the internet has shown, is easiest to read in a scrolling manner. Sure flipping pages makes it feel like the real thing, yet ultimately, it's nothing more than an unneeded nuance. If instead, one was to look at how the text and images interact, that is we typically look at the photos first, find that which is interesting, then read heading information, and if we are intersting we then dive into the suplemental text - we could then find a much more efficient design for a digital magazine concept.

The concept above brings up these points and finds solutions that not only seem very efficient, but also intuitive.

As technology comes to terms with this realization, I question if e-book readers themselves will be forced to make a transition as well. Sure e-books are supposed to be just like book, but as of this writing - the refresh rate upon pressing the next-page button is terribly slow. Granted scrolling as of now is not yet readily possible.

Regardless, the folks over at Bonnier seem to be looking at technology from the right viewpoint. As the digital age continues to take over all of our old media platforms, we must take advantage of an opportunity to improve upon these platforms - not just move them to LCD screens.

Keystick: Collapsing Keyboard Concept

I love this design. Honestly, there have been a number of failed attempts at designing an easily portable keyboard - the most successful of those of course being that of a foldable (rollable) soft-keyboard (which has very little feedback resemblance to that of a normal keyboard) and an laser based projection keyboard (which has no haptic feedback whatsoever, and is quite expensive). This design manages to combat both of these design issues in a wonderfully original form factor.

The only problem; is the market for portable keyboards. Nowadays who really needs them? Back a few years ago, the need was a little greater, for resistive touchscreens weren't very accurate, capacitive touchscreens were still on the horizon, and well, most people didn't have smartphones. Instead such a device might be used with a pda to take notes or something. Yet is there a huge need now? Honestly, I think not.

One could buy a netbook for a couple hundred dollars, a smartphone for nearly nothing on contract, and how often do you find yourself using a computer that has no keyboard?

Again, I love this design. Very great concept, but will this technology go anywhere? I'm afraid not. But could it be adopted into other technologies?! Exactly. Given the foldability of OLED displays, could you imagine the possibilities of portable screen, if we could just fan it out when we use it, and otherwise just carry around an electronic stick?

Reinventing the Wheel

Researchers at MIT have done the inevitable, they have attempted to reinvent the wheel - or maybe more specifically the bike wheel. The tech behind this wheel is actually quite exciting including: a sensors for detecting speed, distance, and direction, which are sent via Bluetooth to the rider's iPhone. Also, the system has a built in lock that sends the owner a text when tampered with. Granted as fun as this technology is, that which makes this Copenhagen Wheel most marketable is its KERS, Kinetic Energy Recovery System. This mechanism recovers energy from braking to give riders help when going up hills or riding particularly fast through traffic.

Such high-tech implementations as your everyday bicycle wheel is quite a feat. The KERS system in particular could greatly help in gathering new adopters in the somewhat current slim market (granted I'm sure plenty of bicycle purist out there aren't too happy about it.) Yet such a system, would definitely have its benefits, especially if the bicycle is being used as a primary means of transportation, as in many cities.

I have started to note an abundance of electric and kinetic-energy type bicycles in the last few months. Hopefully the technology is able to keep the sector alive.

It is definitely a healthy, and environmentally friendly, alternative.

OLED Dress

The dress in the video above was completely designed out of flexible OLED (organic light emitting diode) displays. The video itself brings up a lot of very important ideas in design. With our increases in technology, are we becoming frivolous, wasteful?

Personally, I love and hate this design. The impact upon walking onto the floor - quite impressive. The idea of designing and powering such a device, a dress, is truly an impressive feat in itself.

But just because we can use flexible screens as cloth, should we?! This question of course has no succinct answer. From a tech geeks point of view, of course! All advances in technology are welcome. And true, we probably won't be seeing many OLED dresses in the near future, but who is to say we won't start seeing OLED technologies incorporated in shirt front. Ha! Imagine having the ability to change that clever comment on your favorite T whenever you like!

Yet even with such "cool" opportunities, I ask about the necessity. Even with advances in technology, most lasting technology has to meet some kind of need (or at least introduce to a need we weren't aware of needing - like social applications such as Facebook and Twitter.) With limited resources, designing such a dress must have cost thousands upon thousands of dollars. Is such money well spent?

This question is highly debatable, but the bottom line is this.

All artistic endeavor imparts some sort of thought on the audience. This dress, as awesome or wasteful as it is, imparts quite a few questions.

Great Gadget Design

Three books have recently been published by Phaidron - encompassing 999 great gadget designs in history (Pioneers, Mass Production, and New Technologies). One of my favorite designs on their list is the early 1910's prototype camera for what is assumed to be the early Lecia 1 in the 1920's.

When I saw this image, my first thought... beautiful. I don't know what it is about classic technologies like this, but then again maybe this is why 'steampunk' design has grown so popular as technology ever-evolves.

The most amazing thing about this image... is how similar cameras still look! Take a picture of a really old computer for instance, and it filled an entire room, or more. But a camera... just about the same. As I had referenced in a post earlier, camera design was largely defined by the need for film. Yet now with this advent of digital sensors a question about whether this design will will finally... after nearly a century... finally pass.

A part of me insists that technology must continually evolve, to be more efficient. But a small part of me wishes we could remember the past - and not just through "retro" redesigns meant to be trendy. Don't get me wrong, technology has allowed for some incredible opportunities in digital design.

I remember only 5 years ago, while in a group photo for one of my scholarship, the photographer made the comment, "It's crazy we can see what we took instantly now. Sure makes my life a whole lot easier." It's astonishing really. In just 5 short years we've gone from the relatively new technology of DSLR LCD's and live-view, to it being nothing more than just an expectation. Heck, even some manufacturers are attempting to completely nix buttons alltogether! (as I referenced a couple posts back).

Ultimately, technology will evolve, as it always does. Some designs we should trash, yet we should never forget those original designs, and likewise their purpose.

New DSLR's designed as if they were film cameras honestly doesn't make a whole lot of sense. But initial designs, designed as they meant - make them great - as the need was met in a manner necessary.

We must always keep purpose in mind when making new designs. Looking at some of these classic designs is a wonderful way to remind ourselves of where innovation takes place. Not with continual redesigns and adaptations of older products, but instead a truly original piece.

Steon Orbo's "Technology"

Take a look at an add by Steon's Orbo involving an impending breakthrough technology:



You can find a better explanation here

Now, I'm not one to judge too quickly. And honestly, I'm a quite gullible person. Yet this add has fraud written all over it... literally. Aside from debuting the concept with its barrage of "haters" I find a lack of true conceptual reasoning to be the heart of this ideas future failure. Do head of the company claims to have found a loophole in magnetism that makes this possible. Don't get me wrong, the idea of producing energy from nothing sounds pretty awesome, yet it defies the law of conservation of energy. Energy cannot be either created, nor destroyed, only transitioned into different states. This article claims to be producing something from nothing, which well, sound pretty friggin' outlandish.

Regardless, if we were to accept this idea as plausible or not, its resounding effects (if even possible make me worry even more.) As the ceo referenced on their website, the idea of creating this energy is offset by a constant dissipation of thermal energy.

Now if we were to produce energy from nothing, and likewise produce heat from nothing. Would this not overall add to the heat of the system - for these purposes let us claim our planet to be the solitary system. Now if heat were to increase would that not impart similar effects to that of global warming. Granted global warming is about trapped energy due to light radiation not exiting the atmosphere, but the overall effect is quite similar. Granted the sun is on a much greater scale, and well, this "technology" seems quite...questionable.

Ultimately, my point is this. Sure producing something from nothing sounds like an awesome concept - think about it, never having to charge your phone again! But as we know it, our very environment depends on this balance in energy (granted this balance as we know it is being pushed and pulled at this very moment from global warming... but that is a topic I will leave to discuss at another time).

Avatar

An interesting behind the scenes look at the new Avatar film:




Personally, I am very excited to see this film this Friday. Granted it has been hyped to no end, and well I find 3d quite a gimmick. Yet the other technologies used in this film... awesome! The idea of creating a digital world, and then creating a film within this world, instead of the typical reverse, is quite a revolution in thinking. Of course there are many costs... like over $500,000,000.00 to be precise!

Regardless, I admire James Cameron's brave departure from the safe and tried methods.

The different techniques discussed above, ultimately result in a film that is less a computer graphic simulated world overlayed on top of real world as it is real world overlayed on top of a computer graphic simulated world. I hope, the resultants will be as astonishing as they seem.

A film is meant to effectively communicate a message to the audience. The story is the typical means from which this communication is met. Yet with increases in digital technologies, often the story, acting, and depth of connection between character and audience remain unmet.

James Cameron is trying to narrow this gap, by forcing a real life characteristics into this artificial world.

Success may lead to a whole new genre of film. A genre that not only live on creating new worlds (science fiction) but also remain as connected with our audiences as a documentary or drama. Film such as District 9 have attempted as well to do so.

I am deeply excited about how film will continue is perpetual march towards truly immersing the viewer in the story - not only visually, but also emotionally.

A Guide to Haptics

BACKGROUND

So what exactly is haptic technology? According to the International Society for Haptics, haptics in psychology and physiology are referred to as one's ability to actively explore the outside world - typically using touch. Though touch is not the only haptic feedback possible, "haptic touch" has often become synonymous with the term.

Today this term has evolved to mean "the science of touch in real and virtual environments." This includes not only the ideas of touch in relation to an organism, but also virtual environments currently being researched.

In essence haptic technology is attempting to become a metaphor for our real environmental feedback we encounter each and everyday.

THE PROBLEM

The idea of touch integration in technology is in parallel to the need for such touch sensor in our everyday lives. Think about it for a moment, how efficiently can you walk when your leg "goes to sleep"? Now imagine if your entire body were to "go to sleep" - exactly. That feedback is not only convenient, but necessary. Haptic feedback is so common in our lives that we often fail to notice, or appreciate its overwhelming necessity. Without it, such things as walking, handling objects, pretty much any physical action whatsoever would be greatly debilitated - if possible. Without feedback our muscles do not know how to compensate.

I will stop now to reiterate that haptic research is not for designing tactile sensors. Tactile sensors only sense touch, and then encode it into a digital sequence. Haptics is concerned with the reverse process - in essence the computer touching you back. Without this reversal of signal we are running our technology on a one-way path.

In technology, a need for a haptics is growing increasingly needed, for as its use becomes more and more prevalent in our everyday lives, a means of increasing efficiency needs met. Relying on one's eyes only is horribly inefficient.

Think about it. Why are our computer keyboards still purely mechanical? The technology exists that we could all have touch-sensitive keyboards - imagine how easy they would to be clean and their increased reliability! But the cost is much too great. Without feedback to our fingers, we are uncertain if we actual hit the key intended. Obviously, this feedback is done with little to no thought, nor visual inspection, but instead we rely solely on neural feedback loops and our Meissner's corpuscles for sensing.

True, people have become increasingly efficient at ignoring this need all together - take for instance the rapidity of some people's text messages via iPhone. Yet even this too isn't purely correct. Instead people are training the palms of their hands and the reaches of their fingers as signals for correct finger placement. Which, yes, does work to some extent, but the sensitivity of our fingers as compared to many other bodily parts - exponential.

Here is a physical representation of our sensory distribution:




The reality is, there are limitations to current strategies, predominantly of course that of our sight. These limitations can be overcome if we were to just better observe this oh so eloquent nervous system we already have!

Consider the blind for a moment please. Even without vision, much of the blind community can efficiently read with just their fingertips. If we can process and read information with just our fingertips (and brains of course), than why aren't we using such abilities to our advantage? As of now our fingers are stylus replacements. Developers make "touch-friendly" graphical user interfaces and we poke our way around, as it becomes more and more difficult to actually see where we are actually poking.

(consider the micro display I discussed in a prior blog: here)

THE SOLUTION

Researches should be developing an alternative to standard touch inputs - take for instance the blossoming multi-touch technology.

Mutli-Touch Gesturing



Granted, even though this technology is making huge strides, it still treats our fingers as if they were a mouse, not the complex input-output operators that they are. Ironically, enough it would not be a small stretch to say that even gaming controllers are slightly ahead of this curve, for these technologies enable the user to be completely engulfed in the task on the screen.

Regardless, as of now the easiest solution seems to be to keep our mechanical feedback found in our keyboards and controllers - which of course is how we've been getting by. Yet these inputs too could be improved. A number of companies are working on mechanical force feedback systems to give you a better sense of what you are feeling. I've attached two example videos below:

3D Controller Demo



Telepresence Demo




Yet even these designs have their limitations. The longevity of a mechanical device is almost always the limiting factor in a design - hence why all mechanical devices are measured by number of cycles. Thus even if such designs were made more efficient through lubrication techniques and better machining, they still remain the limiting factor. Yet even if we were to streamline manufacturing techniques that could give us reliability rates of years, one more major problem still remains - size.

The size of the mechanical feedback devices is often quite large - way too large to be used in a practical manner. The realm of microelectronics is growing at a much faster rate then micromachining. Consider the very computer you are reading this on - imagine if it still used all the mechanical parts that its grandfather had?

So how do we combat size? Well, we make our devices completely electronic of course. As of now, one of the most widely adopted haptic feedback mechanisms is the vibration that occurs (on some phones) when you press a button. Sure, this is a stride, well... maybe baby-step would be more accurate.

Vibration when pressing a button is about as useful itself as just pressing a single button. Which yes, of course this is better then pressing no button (or an imaginary button on your LCD screen) - but just one? This haptic feedback vibration relies upon existing technology that your phone already contains (which is ironically mechanical as well).

Regardless, there is no usable method from which to localize vibration to specific areas of such a uniform surface surface. And as long as we have LCD's, this will remain an issue.

Another option branching from my neck of the woods (in Biomedical Engineering) includes that of electronic feedback through neural stimulation. With advances and elctrostimulation techniques, small controlled current fields may be sent to one's fingers with results somewhat similar to that of you touching sandpaper.

A video of this work may be found below:



Yet even after seeing the advances made, the technology is still very much so in its infancy. The resolution of these 'tixels' as CEO Ville Makinen of Senseg calls them; they are still quite large - at the size of a single QWERTY button. He also noted an important point - the resolution of our eyes is much greater than our fingers, yet we must rely upon our fingers to do the inputting for us. Thus why not maximize our input capacities upon current technologies?

Ultimately, I feel that this technology, using electrostimulation, will be the future of haptic technologies. There has yet to be developed any other convenient, portable, way to bring this technology to an array of devices.

THE EFFECT

So what will this research bring for our future?

The answer is actually quite complicated. Succinctly, it will completely alter the way we interact with our electronic devices - resulting in much more efficient and immersive computing experiences.

Let us consider games. With such technologies in our games, these artificial worlds we've have created can become that much closer to real life. We will be able to truly engulf our audience in the action. They can feel the rifle kick or the grass scrape their legs. (Granted in such circumstances a true haptic suit would need to be developed to provide such an array of stimulations - which again reiterates the need for future electrostimulation research).

Similarly, this technology could be employed in video. Similar to a Disney World show, you could feel the wind blowing or the spider rub up against your legs. The technology could again completely immerse the viewer in the experience.

Consider virtual reality, and similarly augmented reality, applications. As I discussed here, augmented reality is at the forefront of immersing our two realities into one. Could you imagine feeling a brick, yet similarly feeling a digital image of a brick right beside it?!

If augmented reality were to incorporate such advances, the idea of our Internet world and our real worlds, will become evermore intertwined. As to whether this is a good thing, is always debatable. Yet to have a choice to take advantage of such an opportunity, to explore imaginary and real worlds alike, yes, of course, I think this could be a good thing.

Time. Time could prove a quite peculiar point of interest when such technology finally arrives. In essence, we could feel another time, a created time, a simulated time, or even a time at a readjusted rate. For instance, haptics could, be used to literally slow down actions that are to fast for us to normally see or feel. It could also be used in reverse to slow or increase the speed of our very actions.

For instance, take medicine - surgeons in particular. Doctors could wear special gloves that they use to control a robotically operated scalpel. Yet these gloves could be calibrated to operate at half the velocity of the surgeons hands themselves - thus literally slowing time for any given action. Such ability would aid greatly in precision techniques and operations.

In reference to medicine, haptic technology will also be employed for nerve-damaged patients. Through prosthetics, artificial limbs, and neural stimulator implants people may regain their sense of touch through very similar mechanisms. A computer and not the outside world will responsible for the final feeling the user gets.

This increase in accuracy could also be used just to overall our daily computing efficiency. Though our muscles are not optimized for using a single keyboard, our nerves are perfectly suitable for doing so. Yet again, more importantly than our ability to interact with our computers, is our computer's ability to interact with us. So how exactly does an interface feel? What about writing a word document or watching a video? These are very difficult questions. Some with no answers, though some that do.

Art for instance. Much artistic endeavor has moved to digital means for editing capabilities. Also, the precision and control on computers is much greater than that physically capable by both the human hand and eye. Yet as of now, most of these technologies of course have the one draw back of no force feedback. Drawing tablets such as Intuos Tablets have become wildly popular for drawers, for the sensation is quite similar to that of drawing on a piece of paper. Yet what about the painters, sculptors, and musicians? There are so many artistic endeavors that could benefit from such a feedback system. Imagine digital sculpting, or digital painting. Writing and performing digital music with something other than a piano keyboard.

I now wish to touch on the idea of sound. As I have discussed above, haptic technology is most readily being adapted to the sense of touch, though by definition - includes all feedback from the outside world. By definition, the very monitor from which you are reading this is a haptic device to your sense of sight, yet what about the other senses?

Touch is quite important, and one of the most obvious sectors to attack. Sound is typically transmitted with ease though sound playback technologies such as speakers, headphones, amplifiers, etc. Yet there is still a demand for such technologies in the medical world.

Cochlear implants attempt to transmit sound as neural encodings to be sent to the brain. This device is in essence a computer, attempting to communicate with our brains through sound. This haptic mechanism is far too often taken for granted, though improvements in the sector have come.

On a final note, haptic technologies should one day include smell and taste too. The ability to smell and taste the environment you are in is truly a wondrous idea - granted the obstacles that arise fall again in our realm of physiological understanding. How the body feels is relatively simplistic in comparison to trying to understand how the body encodes tastes and smells in our brains.

TO THE FUTURE

Haptic advancements will prove pivotal in our futures. From efficiency in our everyday computing to time-slowing medical procedure and new, immersive realities. The applications are extraordinary. Though inevitably, this too is just a stepping-stone, for our senses themselves are of course with limitations as compared to the processing abilities of the human brain.

Video Chat, Coming to a Phone Near You?

Much media attention (well at least in the tech world) has recently surfaced in regards to a front-facing camera, or lack thereof, on the iPhone 3GS. The debates that follow bring up a good question. Is video chatting on our phones, like in those classic sci-fi movies, coming in the near future, or is it a niche market never to see mainstream use?

Initially, I thought, sure. Of course it will be adopted. I mean, why wouldn't it be? New technologies are often adopted, and video streaming capabilities and corresponding compression codecs are constantly being improved. Yet the resounding question still remains... would I use it?

iChat, a video chat messaging client provided on all Mac's for quite a few year now, has yet to truly take over communication in computing. I have iChat and Skype, I've used video chats before, yet honestly, there seem to be far more instances in which I would rather not use it than use it.

Of course I would love those face to face conversations with loved ones and friends, but on the phone with the At&t guy?! When I'm in my underwear? After I just woke up? Etc. The list of circumstances in which I would prefer not to use it are obviously quite large.. thus reiterating that resounding question... would I use it?

If it were to become commonplace, would we not feel as though we had to use it, even if we wished we didn't have to?

As technology progresses, it seems that most people are gravitating towards efficiency. Widespread tweets to all your friends about something or another. Sure individual phone calls or made, yet even those are being replaced by quicker, more efficient texts.

I'll be honest, I would much rather e-mail one of my professors than speak to them face to face. And definitely much more than talking to them on the phone!

So would this technology be adopted?.... hmmm...

After much thinking, I feel as though it is not on the immediate horizon. I do imagine it will eventually be adopted, yet possibly in a manner different than the one-on-one conversations we are expectant of. Instead I would imagine it would be used in large scale conference situations in which "real-time" interaction is optimal. I could see such technology being incorporated into a real-time chat medium in social networking utilities such a facebook.

Regardless, I think the technology is coming... and will come... but in the next iPhone iteration? Probably not. Do we have the technology? Well... yes... (providing At&t's network was as stable as Verizon's).. but do we have the medium from which to use it as efficiently as we oh-so-desire? No... not yet anyway...

Nova DSLR Concept

The Nova DSLR Concept takes the standard, age-old, SLR and likewise DSLR camera enclosure idea, and asks the oh so important question - why do DSLR's have to be shaped like SLRs? And the answer is, they don't! Aside from the sensor, and the lens itself, the camera enclosure itself need look nothing like its film counterparts, yet year after year we see revisions of the same old design.

Erin Fong has sought to change this stagnation of thinking. Instead he asks the question, what camera design would be most appropriate for a variety of holding styles? What design would make changing settings, zooming, etc. all readily available, at the tips of one's fingers?

The design above attempts to find a truly original answer to these ongoing questions. True, this concept is nothing more than that, just a concept, yet such "out of the box" thinking is quite promising. I'd never even considered the true necessity of my current DSLR design. As with many consumer electronics we assume they are shaped the way they are due to necessity, but often we fail to realize, with continual advances in technology, such barriers are constantly being altered.

Who said designing a new product actually had to mean designing a new device? How about redesigning a new product to make it more efficient? Sure, engineers should think of these things, but digital designers need to as well! Looking at what is already there provides much more doors to open than the single door into the truly unknown.

Source

Sleepbox

The idea behind Sleepbox - a 2x1.4x2.3m cubicle lined with LCD screen, power outlets, and automatic sheet-changing bed - is that people could pay (in 15 minute chunks) for access to their very own tiny office or hotel room. The idea at first seems quite ludicrous, though its starts to make just a little bit of sense when analyzing the target audience.

The manufacturer plans to place these sleep cubicles in airport terminals - thus giving those waiting for, or between, their flight an alternative to crowded airport lounges.

It actually seems like a plausible idea (providing the cubicles are quite sound resistant of course.)

Ultimately, this concept conveys our cultural evolution. As our lives become ever increasingly busy, the idea of sleep is fading from a necessity to a convenience - to be had when time permits in our bustling lives. It may sound scary, granted I'm all for an anti-sleep movement. Sleeping 1/3 of everyday seems just so... wasteful.

Regardless, the idea of a Sleepbox is quite intriguing. If it were to become common place, I imagine many more would be needed. In effect we would be building tiny micro-hotels all around major airports! Its a tiny step closer to the sleeping chambers of sci-fi movies, yet one problem still persists. Amount of sleep is not as important as quality. If technology could find a way to improve quality of sleep, even at minimal durations, think of the changes in society itself that could occur!

Our days are ruled by the day-night cycle. Our circadian rhythms are calibrated by the sun (yet slightly off at 25 hours if you want to be technical). What if we could tap into this calibration?

Bustling cities at 3:00am! Mail on weekends! Movies on Wednesday nights!

The possibility of freeing our very restricted night and day cycle could lead to huge increases in productivity, while simultaneously greatly expanding one's free time to explore and experience in this great world.

Yet I've digressed...


Sleep Chamber Website
Information about Circadian Rhythms

Metal-Air Battery

A Metal-Air Ionic Liquid Battery is being designed at Arizona State University under the guidance of Professor Cody Friesen. The design attempts to use ionic liquids as an electrolyte - such electrolyte would not evaporate - thus providing much longer battery life. Also, another issue involving dendritic growth, which causes a decrease in charging capacity of batteries has been resolved.

As research continues towards this battery, that which I am most excited is its possible applications. At an expected "11 times more energy than Lithium-Ion" our battery technologies will have finally approached a similar level of our electronics.

The introduction of such a better battery would be immediately seen in the electric car sector. At such a greater total charge, the practicality of driving somewhere and back solely on battery would become quite plausible.

These batteries would hugely impact the medical device market as well. As of now most problems with medical devices arise, for there is no easy way to charge for instance a pacemaker, or prostethic limb, or vagal nerve stimulator, or visual prosthetic. If batteries of such greater charges were designed, smaller batteries could be made and implanted in the human body - resulting in fewer battery changes, less chances of surgical complications, and of course an expanded opportunity for devices that have yet to find an answer to the eternal power source question.

Such batteries could remarkably extend the battery life of our everyday devices. Currently cellphones are not inhibited by processor technology, but instead the power needed to run such processors. Photo editing on my phone could be possible! Yet it is not necessarily the availability of these advances that is so important, as is the advancement of wireless technology as a whole. Laptops could be used for more than just a couple hours at a time outside, the hardwired idea of a business setting could be completely readapted.

These batteries could also provide a very positive impact on the environment, for if they were able to hold such long charges, yet provide continual consistent use, natural energy gathering methods (solar panels, windmills, hydroelectric, ect) could be used to charge a spare over the two or more days that one is using the original. Then switch. Such a method could greatly improve global electricity use and efficiency, while simultaneously lessening its negative impact on the environment.

Extreme Sheep LED Art

Granted the act of herding a bunch of scared sheep around just for the fact that one can seems a little immoral, I have to give it to the creativity of these Wales natives. Given some very careful planning, time lapse photography, some battery powered LED's, and a geeky outlook, a truly unique art form has been created.

I scoured the interwebs to see if I could find more acts of such brilliance. As of this writing... nothing. This single viral video is in itself, a sole contribution to the art form.

This video, though arguably entertaining, raises a number of issues. Most significantly is that of course of morality. Granted none of the animals are getting physically hurt, they are being frightened into direction. I imagine similar tactics used on humans would be well... banned. Yet in a similar light what if we were to use such ideas to create a human scale artistic expression?

Well, such expression would probably be accepted as a dance. Drill charts for a symphony of movement. And when you really consider it, is that not what this Extreme Sheep Art is? It's a beautiful synchronized dance... without... well... free will.

Erosion - by Michael Aranda

Erosion is one of the most successful video production pieces I have stumbled across on the YouTubes. Michael Aranda, a self proclaimed nerdfighter, and host of channel - Arandavision - has combined his interests in video and sound production, as well as editing, and musical talent in a number of creative endeavors.

This is a wonderful example of creating a piece specifically for a target audience. At 2:31, the duration is quite appropriate for the youtube community attention span - typically anything over 3:00 minutes gets significantly fewer views due to people not wanting to "waste 4:00 minutes of my life on such a(n) [insert slanderous remark] video." In contrast to most YouTube videos, the production value of the video is quite high. It appears as the Michael does not shoot for the typical YouTube video, but instead strives to provide his subscribers with a quality designed experience through a convenient medium. In doing so, Michael is able to set himself apart, yet remain within the confines of self-made associations of the YouTube community.

Michael's ability to so beautifully integrate natural sounds into the soundtrack of a wonderfully shot exploration of the unknown has earned my greatest admiration.

Source

Marco Tempest: Augmented Reality Magician

Marco Tempest takes a wonderful creative leap in taking one of the oldest of magic tricks - the everday card trick - and combines it with some very cutting edge technology - real time 3d graphics through augmented reality. Marco is known as a "virtual magician" or a "multimedia magician" for he continuously uses new technologies - from cell phone cameras, to stop motion, 3d graphics, and iPhone applications to betray our expectations in new and creative ways.

The story he tells is wonderful. The trick is very well planned out and structured, yet it feels as though he is telling it to you around a campfire. We are wowed by the realtime graphics, yet he couterbalances this quite complex technology with a simple story with a meaningful message. Yet ultimately, it is from a magicians old box of tricks in which he truly catches us when we least expect it.

If find it ironic, for much of Marco's magic uses the "magic" of digital graphics to give the trick depth and interest, yet it is still the old-style slight of hand magic from which he successfully performs his magic. All immediate rationale, would assume that he, like most magicians that use camera trickery, editing, and graphics, is using at a crutch to complete his task.

Marco realizes how to embrace new technologies, while simultaneously holding firmly to his past interests. He uses these technologies to capture his ever-evolving target audience's wants - and in doing so has found his niche in the entertainment community.

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A Twist to Closet Space

I found this to be a quite original idea. Closet space has always been something of limited volume - and according to a quite large % of the population, much too limited for one's taste. The prototype above designed by Irina Alexandru attempts to improve our closet packing efficiency. Inspired by the efficiency of packing of two strands of DNA, Alexandru decided to design his... well more coat-hanger than closet, in the shape of a helix - thus maximizing the number of hangers able to be hung in a given area.

Granted even though Alexandru is correct in stating one can hang a lot more hangers, the idea of hanging clothes - of which have varying lenghts - greatly complicates the matter. If everything were short - say for hanging hats or skirts, then this design world work wonderfully, but if we were to hang say... a coat... efficiency would be minimal at best.

I cannot deny that this was a wonderfully original idea, yet reality of the targeted use seems completely improper. Hat hanger.. sure. Clothes hanger... probably not.

This is yet another reminder that even with greatest design intent and creativity, one must never forget the ultimate purpose of the product - its use.

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The Dyson Air Multiplier

The Dyson Air Multiplier is a welcome re-evaluation of the typical household fan. Instead of using blades and rotors like typical fans to speed up airflow, Dyson used its know how in airflow technologies, to devise a device that takes in a small quantity of air, accelerate this air, then propel it outward along the rings. The air surrounding the fan is then accelerated up to 15x by induction. [A more detailed description and accompanied video may be found in the source at the end of this post.]

I enjoy this design, for it truly is "thinking out of the box." Dyson took an everyday object, an object that wasn't screaming to be improved upon or replaced, and completely re-engineered it anyway. Given my engineering background, I am well aware of the many pitfalls of re-engineering. The process of re-engineer typically results in wasted time, wasted energy, and improvement on a product that may not need improvement. But this device isn't such a design. Dyson completed changed the process, and in doing so vastly improved the overall product. No longer will dust buildup and dangerous blades be an issue. A true laminar flow of air will result in much more efficient cooling, as opposed to the very turbulent design we are used to. An the aesthetics of the device are wonderful. The huge loop of whites and grays scream a modern openness.

The only pitfall to this wonderful creation... the price. At $300.00 all practicality is thrown out the window. For $40.00 one could buy two fans that match the output of this one. And granted yes, it is a wonderful design combined with great technology, the final cost may leave it nothing more than a novelty.

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Computopia

This image, entitled "Computopia", is a composition of a number of images featured in a 1969 Shonen Magazine. At 40 years old, this image describes an eerie future in which computers have become our instructors (disciplining us when necessary of course). Granted this depiction of modern schools is quite off, there is an eerie sense of resemblance in the image. These small computers with displays, aren't that far off from students in college with their laptops, sitting in rows, watching a lecture being displayed via PowerPoint. The only thing missing from this photo is of course the instructor, granted again this line is blurred further given the prevalence of online courses today. And although, yes, we do not get punished for incorrect answers, we are punished for our successes and failures in using such a device proficiently.

I imagine when this image was first made, such an idea of a class educated by a computer seemed absolutely proposterous. Yet as technology continually evolves such an image becomes less and less fantastical. Yet the chilling feel reamins constant, regardless of time, regardless of current technological advancements.

If that fear of losing our control in such a world has always remained so constant, than my question is this: were these Japanese magazine designers in 1969 more ignorant about the future, or are we now?

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What nook you reading?

Tuesday, October 20, 2009, Barnes and Noble officially announced their new E-book reader, and direct competitor to the Amazon "Kindle 2", the "Nook." The Nook is an E-book reader employing a 6in E-ink display for a mediated reading experience as well as a 3.5 in lcd for UI navigation. Paired with Wifi, 3G through At&t, as well as a 2GB internal memory, with a micro SD slot for expanding, and a very stable linux-based Android operating system design by Google, this device truly becomes game chaning. All of this on top of the $250.00 entry level price has forced Amazon to likewise drop the Kindle's price. Finally, true, fair competition may proceed.

That which makes this device such a game changer is a greater availability to the public. At $250.00, the device becomes no longer just a luxury to a plausible purchase for say the student that doesn't want to carry to many textbooks. Or, given its ability to zoom text, an aid for the visually impaired news reader.

Regardless how accessible this device is, it is that which it represents that captures my interest greatest. The Nook, as all e-book readers, is trying to capture the book/newspaper market. An integration of old media into a new media device. As we have seen throughout much of history, old media does not typically fade away, but instead takes a back seat to the next big technology. Yet with the implementation of E-ink and E-readers, we are not replacing, but reorganizing a long held standard. Sure E-ink isn't quite as tangible as a piece of paper, nor can you fill a library with E-books, but you can carry a library in a single device. Some people are for and against the adaptation of such devices, for it seems to represent a phasing out of libraries - a symbol of human being's acquired knowledge, and the idea that such knowledge is accessible to everyone.

Yet in the dawn of Internet, such information is still here, it has just been rerouted to servers and web pages. Yet one cannot truly pry themselves of that comfort of "curling up with a good book." - very little positive can be said about curling up with my computer.

I see these E-book readers as wonderful attempts to lead the information age forward, yet there are still many problems to be resolved. Most significantly is that of establishing a library-type atmosphere. Most e-book readers are marketed as devices to read books you have purchased, but what about renting a book at the local library? There is some news that a few companies are devising such strategies, yet it is a much more global adaptation that is needed for E-books to truly succeed. Secondly, these devices need a more efficient input strategy. Thus far neither Amazon nor Barnes and Noble has developed a truly efficient, and simple, means of taking notes! The possibility of pairing such a device with a computer lcd interface could help, which is what the Nook is trying to do.

Ultimately, studies have cited that although the e-book reader could aid in the education process, there are some limiting practicalities currently holding it back - most strongly those cited above. If these design flaws could be met, as well as continuing price drops I see an exciting integration in the not too distant future.

And if you still aren't sold on the idea I will leave you with one last message:
think of the trees.

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Volution Bluetooth Headset Concept

The Volution Bluetooth Headset is quite interesting. It isn't a huge digression from typical headset technologies, yet it is able to approach an acceptable level of cool. The design implies a single touch-to-answer button surrounded by growing concentric rings. The microphone input is a tiny pink segment at the end of the ring. An alternate view of the device may be found below:


The design itself seems to symbolize our visual representation of sound. The concentric rings seem to be capturing this sound, funneling it to the wearer - like a satellite dish or one of those supersonic-hearing toys you may have played with as a kid. Granted this design is not technically necessary, it does give a futuristic aura - as do most concentric ring designs. From the side is almost appears to be that of a planet such as Saturn, with its many rings.

Overall, I feel as though this is a wonderful design. It strays far away from the overused Jawbone-like design, yet retains it's representative use by the user and passer byes. The deep pink contrasting the white portrays feelings of class and elegance while simultaneously nodding to the future (or at least the future as we currently envision it).

This device does imply an earing-like design; therefore, it may look a bit more natural to employ two devices, one in each ear. Such a device could then be used as a bluetooth headset - ultimately a much more useful and marketable product.

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