What is the Future of Kitchen Technology ?

The role of the kitchen in our homes has changed dramatically over the years. What used to be a space simply used for food preparation has now become the hub of the home. Today, cooking is accompanied by a greater variety of activities such as entertaining, socialising, dining, working, laundry etc. As our use of the kitchen has changed, the technology that is used within it has had to adapt to meet our needs. (video)

New skyscraper in Mumbai to get floating pool balconies

Mumbaikars are in for a treat. Real estate firm Wadhwa Group is all set to construct two new exclusive residential towers in the Borivali district of Mumbai that will feature the stunning and futuristic vision created especially for the skyscrapers by cyber architect James Law. Apart from the regular state of the art features that help the building reduce energy consumption like energy efficient glass facades, the modern design of the eco friendly residential complex will also feature swimming pools integrated into standard balconies.

Volkswagen Aqua Concept

Imagined by young Chinese designer, 21 year old Yuhan Zhang, a recent graduate in Industrial Design with honors from the University Xihua-China, the “Volkswagen Aqua” is an amazing concept, a hybrid vehicle half way between a car and a hovercraft. The vehicle is powered by Hydrogen and propelled by impellers.

Toyota Hybrid Concept Squeezes More MPG From Existing Tech

Toyota is bringing a new subcompact hybrid to the Geneva Motor Show in March. Though the final design is still a secret, it’s less one big surprise than a lot of little ones.

The concept is named FT-Bh, for “Future Toyota, B-segment hybrid.” In other words, it’s a one-off subcompact that previews Priuses to come. Toyota claims it will have half the CO2 emissions of a traditional three-door subcompact while remaining as roomy as a larger five-door car — a feat achieved through a “total vehicle” approach, which squeezes as much efficiency as possible at the margins of automotive engineering.

ZecOO Electric Bike Pushes Design Boundaries

Looking like something out of Tron, design company Znug have come up with a completely amazing looking electric motorbike. Called the ZecOO, the new bike is a sleek, agressive and completely unconventional design.

“Windows Of Opportunity”, by GM & Bezalel Future

“Windows Of Opportunity – WOO” is an interactive car windows project, fruit of the collaboration between GM and the students of the “Future Lab” Masters Course at theBezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem. The project focuses on transforming car windows into interactive displays and to create an enriched experience for the backseat passengers.

What could be the Scania trucks of near future

The answer to this question is provided by the design company LTdesign, recently has shown sketches of prospective truck Scania R1000. By the way, last year, they have already represented its vision of the future Scania truck with his design project R800. The new truck, according to the index, should be equipped with a 1,000 hp powertrain! The exterior design of R1000 features a complex architecture of curved lines, aggressive front bumper and typical Scania grille. It is a pity that the Scania company has no relation with this design project. I would like all future long distance trucks to look that way.

Nanolet – Nano Wrist Band

If you are looking for something a little more minimalist this new Nano wrist band called the Nanolet might well be worth a look. The lightweight, flexible band is 3D printed as one single component that simply wraps around your wrist for a quick and easy way to carry your Nano. Its been designed by Curve Creative and is available to purchase for around $22, and simply wraps around your wrist. Currently the Nanolet is sized for medium to large wrists, but its creators say more sizes are on their way.

FUTURE TECHNOLOGY: FLEXIBLE WEARABLE SMARTPHONE

Is this a bracelet from Philips? No, it’s a flexible smartphone!

Although this is just a concept design from Dinard da Mata for Philips and not yet a reality, we know that flexible smartphones are not too far away.

Electro - Skates motorized shoes for city rollers

There’s a new transportation mode making it’s way to the gadget market. spnKiX, the innovative motorized shoes, may very well be the preferred method of movement for many city dwellers in the near future. Battery powered and hand controlled by a wireless remote, these electro-skates will have you gliding at a maximum speed of 10 mph.

Creator and designer, Peter Treadway, was always interested in personal mobility and explains that “after spending years researching, designing and developing a variety of different prototypes, the miniaturization of certain technologies found in smart phones, laptops and radio controlled cars has finally made it possible for us to integrate them all into a pair of “shoes”….. so that you can go for a spin.”

spnKiX will start shipping out to clients early March 2012 and will retail at $649. We can just imagine everyone zooming through the streets with these motorized shoes very soon!

COFFEE MACHINE by HJC Design

HJC Design has developed an inspiring new range of kitchenware for Peel UK, including this visually stunning coffee machine.

Striking Aesthetics

The main aesthetic centrepiece of this unique coffee machine are the elegantly crafted surfaces that peel away to reveal an eye-catching waterfall of rich coffee.

Inspired by the drip of flowing coffee, the stimulating rippled stainless steel base plate helps the user locate their coffee mug for brewing.

Ultra-Luxurious Concept Yacht Comes with a Custom Supercar

If you can find a way to not spend any money and live to the age of 150, you stand a decent chance of one day being able to afford the Strand Craft 122, the incredibly luxurious and mouth-watering concept yacht that comes with a custom supercar. But if not, chances are you’ll enjoy these renderings anyway, especially since they’re slated to become reality: Designer Eduard Gray has announced that the 122 will bebuilt in the near future.

Toyota crosses a smartphone with a runaround and reveals a car that can change its look at the touch of a button

If Toyota has its way, paint jobs could become a thing of the past, because it’s unveiled a car that can change its whole look in an instant.

The Fun-Vii, which stands for ‘vehicle interactive internet’, is a concept car with a bodyshell made of touch-screen panels that not only allow the driver to change the pattern on display but also connect the car to the dealership’s website for a check-up.

It even greets its driver with a message that flashes up on the door.

Toyota showed off the unique car ahead of the Tokyo Motor Show today, with company president Akio Toyoda saying: ‘A car must appeal to our emotions. If it’s not fun, it’s not a car.’

The car giant has no plans to put Fun-Vii into production just yet, but explained that it’s an example of the kinds of technologies that it could incorporate into designs in the future.

It said in a statement: ‘It heralds Toyota’s vision of a future where people, cars and society are linked.’

Two other electric Toyota concept cars have also been revealed.

The FT-EV III is a four-seater electric vehicle based on the Toyota iQ.

Equipped with a lithium-ion battery, it achieves an estimated cruising range of 65 miles on a fully charged battery.

Toyota is developing EV technology with the aim of launching a vehicle suitable for short-distance travel in 2012, when the plug-in market comes to the UK.

The FCV-R (Fuel Cell Vehicle – Reality & Revolution) concept, meanwhile, is a practical, family sized vehicle fuelled by hydrogen. 

This concept model represents the next step towards the commercial launch of a Toyota fuel cell vehicle by 2015.

This should be able to reach 430 miles on one charge.

Source:

Chevrolet Miray Concept

According to GM Korea President and CEO Mike Arcamone, “‘Miray’ is Korean for ‘future.’ As GM rolls out Chevrolet across Korea, the Miray concept offers an exploration of future possibilities for the brand. It strengthens the bond between car and driver, creating a fresh look at what sports cars of the future might be.” The Chevrolet Miray Concept was developed at the GM Advanced Design Studio in Seoul. Combining cutting-edge hybrid powertrain technology and advanced styling, it balances iconic Chevrolet design cues with a future design vision as Chevrolet celebrates its centennial in 2011.

Made of carbon fiber and CFRP (carbon fiber-reinforced plastic), the wedged body side is divided by an angled character line, with ambient lighting underneath. This accent creates a sweeping line of light when the car is in motion, bringing a warm glow to the sculptured body. Le Mans racer-style scissor doors open up and out of the way for dramatic access to the interior.

The powerful front end offers a reinterpretation of the Chevrolet face. The Chevrolet Miray Concept‘s dual port grille is flanked by LED headlamps with new signature daytime running lamps. The front and rear fenders evoke Chevrolet Corvettes of the past and express the concept’s sports car spirit. At the corners, carbon-fiber spoilers help control down force and airflow. The interior compartment is surrounded by a carbon fiber shell, which gives it a lightweight yet rigid structure. Its flowing, yet slightly tensioned, twin cockpit tightly wraps around the driver and passenger. The cockpit is driver focused, drawing inspiration from the iconic Chevrolet sports car. However, the passenger is also fully engaged in the driving experience.

Asymmetric seats flow from the door, forming a symmetric interior that gives the driver a feeling of being fully connected with the car. Ambient lighting, which starts from the upper instrument panel and flows into the seat back area, adds a sense of luxury. Seat cushions and headrests are connected by the lightweight carbon fiber shell and mounted on a single aluminum rail. The headrest area follows the exterior form, integrating with an air scarf for open-air driving.

The Chevrolet Miray Concept is propelled by two front-mounted 15-kW electric motors for quick acceleration and zero emissions in urban driving. The motors are powered by a 1.6-kWh lithium-ion battery that is charged through regenerative braking energy. The Miray has the capability of being switched from front-wheel drive to rear-wheel drive.

For performance driving, the Chevrolet Miray Concept‘s 1.5-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine combines with the electric motors, providing spirited torque control to both the left and right wheels as needed. The high-tech engine, mounted behind the cockpit, drives the rear wheels while seamlessly integrating electrification technology that defines a new standard in the compact roadster segment.

 Source :

Solar power station: A cool device with smooth design and good performance

Introduction

With the go-green thoughts spreading like a wild fire throughout the world, a lot of innovative green ideas have come into existence the past few years. One such initiative is harvesting solar energy to produce electricity. Electricity generation contributes a lot to the already increasing carbon foot print. By this idea of harvesting solar energy, one can reduce its contribution to the carbon foot print in many folds.

The solar universal USB – DLM2263 is a cool device with smooth design and good performance. The 3 important features of this solar charger are

1. You can charge your gadgets – cell phones, laptops, and iPods on the go. Its wide range of compatible gadgets makes it an ideal companion in your journey. It has both a micro and mini USB cable included.

2. It has a portable power by which you can charge this device either with sunlight or using your laptop’s USB. If you are away from a power source, this feature comes handy.

3. This universal USB charger apart from its performance has a sleek design which makes it look stylish and soft to touch. The size comes as an advantage as it hardly occupies any space in your travel kit. Also features like its hidden power – indicator light are an added advantage as you can monitor the device’s progress.

Specifications
This pretty charger’s looks don’t compromise in its durability. Its silicon exteriors aid in shock protection thereby making the gadget rugged. Apart from robust exteriors, the device has a wide range of specifications.
1. It has the latest USB 2.0 for compatibility. The USB cables included are the ones which support the iPhone & iPod (30- pin), the micro USB and the mini USB. The cables are long enough to suit your convenience. The 30- pin’s cable is 0.3 m in length while the mini & micro USB’s length.
2. The output power from this green gadget is 5VDC 500mA while the battery capacity is 1350 mAh.
3. The dimension of the solar energy USB charger is 12.7 x 17 x 5.1 cm and its gross weight is 325g. The size and weight makes it compact to be a part of our travel kit.
Advantages
The solar charger comes with a lot of advantages by its side. It is like a book which you can carry practically anywhere. You don’t need to go in search of power to charge your laptops and cell phones. All you need to do is open the device such that the light falls on the solar cells for the conversion of electric energy. With the solar charger in your hand, you can choose to work practically anywhere with your laptop as it can also charge using the laptop. The battery pack is very intelligently made to first provide power to the gadgets, so that we can remove the pack and still have full battery on your device. By this innovative idea, we can make an effective contribution to the concept of “Go green”.


 


Reference link

Huge multitouch desk feels like the future, is for sale next year

We haven't even made it to Black Friday yet, and already we're getting a taste of the futuristic swag that'll be on display at CES in January. Over the weekend, ExoPC posted a video teasing a multitouch surface called the EXOdesk, promising more details when the show kicks off after the new year. The desk measures 40 inches (make that "40 high-definition inches") and, as you'd expect, supports a smorgasboard of multi-fingered gestures. The entire teaser lasts less than a minute, but you don't need more than a few seconds to realize this isn't the same UI we reviewed with the ExoPC Slate. So far, we noticed you can run apps at full-screen and swipe widgets to chuck 'em out of sight. You can also swipe the corner with four fingers to reveal what appears to be an RSS feed, and then swipe individual items to make them disappear. That's all we know about how it works, though the company did reveal it'll go on sale next year for $1,299 -- a fraction of the $8,400 you'll pay for the new Samsung SUR40 running Microsoft Surface. We'll be keeping an eye out for this when we stake out CES in January, but until then, we've got the teaser vid tucked after the break.

via Engadget

Hotel room of the future revealed

HOTEL guests of the future will be able to control their room environment with body gestures and voice recognition, while a high tech entertainment area known as a "green capsule'' will replace a traditional balcony.

Unveiled in France, the architecturally-designed hotel room of the future is divided into two spaces - one for rest and one for entertainment. 

Each space has its own Xbox 360 console with the motion sensing input device Kinect.

Based around a webcam-style add-on, the Kinect enables users to control and interact with the Xbox 360 without the need to touch a game controller.

Novotel and Microsoft teamed up to launch the concept, called Room 3120, at Novotel Paris Vaugirard Montparnasse.

Designed to accommodate up to four guests (two adults and two children), the room is available for 199 euros a night until February 14.Novotel will use feedback from guests to introduce new features for rooms across the group.The room has a Sensorit mirror based on Kinect technology - an apparently ordinary mirror that displays information in graphic or text form.Users can choose information tags with a wave of the hand, accessing news, local weather or multimedia content. It also has a Surface multimedia table, which has applications ranging from web browsing and board games to interactive maps that guests can use to select destinations in the city.While the first space, intended for adults, is white and has a fold-up bed, the second is designed more as a playroom for kids.The room is colourful and has a tatami mat that rises up on one side to form a bench containing a Surface table with games and various multimedia applications.The furniture disappears to make way for integrated, modular functions.

Source: