Electric Highway of The Future (video)

The eHighway concept is the electrification of trucks and select highway lanes via overhead electrified wires similar to how modern day trolleys or streetcars are powered on many city streets. However, personally I do not believe this will be widely used as inductive charging also known as non-contact charging will gain ground. At least I hope it does because having wires all along highways seems so primitive.

Beautiful and Powerful: Audi's E-Bike Wörthersee

The prototype combines a electric and muscle power.

New Mini John Cooper Works GP unveiled

Spy shots pretty much said it's coming, and here it is: the new Mini John Cooper Works GP. It's making an appearance at the Mini United Festival in France this weekend, and while Mini has yet to detail specific power numbers or show off the car's interior, it has produced a Nurburgring time: 8 minutes, 23 seconds, which, as we reported back in April, betters the last Mini GP (circa 2006) by 19 seconds.

Like its predecessor, the GP-spec hardtop loses its back seat for weight reduction, gets a full complement of power and suspension upgrades, including a race-spec suspension and brakes, and sports exclusive aero tweaks, wheels and graphics to differentiate itself from "regular" JCW models. Figure on a power figure north of the 214 horses the last GP produced (standard JCW Minis make 208 hp right now). Only 2,000 of the new Mini JCW GPs will be built and sold globally.

Given that the regular John Cooper Works models are fairly marvelous as is, the GP should be deliriously fun. No pricing yet, but since a loaded-up John Cooper Works easily runs into the high-$30K range now, we'd expect the limited-production GP to skip right past the $40,000 mark.

Saab PhoeniX concept previews future design themes for the brand

The rebirth of the Saab brand under Spyker Cars took a step forward on Tuesday with the reveal of the PhoeniX concept at the Geneva motor show.

Saab says the PhoeniX uses the platform for the next generation of the 9-3, as well as providing hints of the brand's future styling themes under design chief Jason Castroita. Saab calls the design "aeromotional."

The PhoeniX has a 0.25 coefficient of drag and uses winglets mounted on the sides to help manage airflow.

The Jets of the Future

NASA asked the world’s top aircraft engineers to solve the hardest problem in commercial aviation: how to fly cleaner, quieter and using less fuel. The prototypes they imagined may set a new standard for the next two decades of flight.


BOX WING JET, LOCKHEED MARTIN

Dubai’s underwater discus hotel lets you sleep in a high-tech aquarium

 Sleep with the fishes, dine with the sharks. Now you can literally do both when the Underwater Hotel premiers in Dubai.

Without a doubt, Dubai is one of the hottest exotic destinations with amazing skyscrapers and luxury amenities to rival even the most modern cities from the rest of the world. Now, a Polish architecture design firm has unveiled a new hotel concept that will make use of space below the ground, giving guests the ability to sleep underwater while enjoying the marine landscape.

Deep Ocean Technology (DOT)’s Underwater Hotel is shaped like a spaceship found in most sci-fi movies, except the hotel rooms plunge 21 stories underwater. The rooms will contain panoramic glass windows that offer views below the Persian Gulf, allowing guests to feel like they are sleeping inside a 24-hour aquarium with local flora and fauna right outside the other side of the wall. The windows are even equipped with special lighting and macro photography sensors so guests can zoom into even the smallest creatures for detailed look at their colors, patterns, and movements.

The hotel will also include other amenities such as a diving and water sports center, spa, helipad, and an above ground terrace should guests feel a bit claustrophobic stuck inside the discus all day. It is also located a short distance from a beach if you really prefer to feel some actual ground.

Bird Nest Restaurant in Thailand (video)

Restaurant at the Soneva Kiri resort in Thailand that has tree pod dining is certainly a crazy idea for a restaurant. The resort has created a pod that fits in a tree and overlooks the resort and surrounding area. The pod looks like a birds nest or clam contraption sitting on the side of a very high looking tree. The tree pod dining clam can fit up to four people and you can only access the very isolated perch from a zip line. I just feel badly for the poor resort staff who have to serve that restaurant! What if you’re afraid of heights? Having said that, I would love to try out that restaurant, but they should probably hold the alcohol.

SBU V3 Self-Balancing Unicycle

SBU V3 Self-Balancing Unicycle comes from Focus Designs. Riding unicycle can be a bit challenging since we are not circus performers. You need around 20-30 minutes to learn riding this bike but once you master it, the company promises that riding SBU V3 will be as easy as walking. This unicycle is equipped with Turn Assist and Smart Sense technology where it actively learns about your motions and performs unique calculations to ensure your safety every second you ride. The main key is its sensors, the multiple 3-axis accelerometers and gyros offer you a great ride like no other. Each of this unicycle is crafted from 6061 alloy by hand.

iPhone controlled Scanomat Coffee Faucet

This Coffee Faucet machine isScanomat's largest bean-to-cup machine. Unlike other coffee machines, this has got the focus on energy saving, uncompromising coffee quality and user friendliness. Brew unit that can be removed in seconds for cleaning & maintenance. It has a unique adjustable tamper system that may compete with leading Baristas. Speedy high volume serving: 6 cups in 20 seconds, 5 cups of instant coffee and 1 ground coffee. 3 heaters, built-in water tank of 5 litres – used whenever high volume carafe serving is required. The smallest milk foaming device yet seen, developed by Scanomat. The milk is kept cooled until it reaches the frother ensuring freshness and excellent hygiene.

Infiniti LE Concept showcased at 2012 New York Motor Show

Nissan’s luxury car division, Infiniti, unveiled the LE, its all-electric luxury sedan concept at the ongoing 2012 New York Motor Show. The car maker’s first effort at a zero-emission luxury sedan, the LE concept is expected to reach Infiniti showrooms by 2014. “In a future that holds an increasing consumption of natural resources, we will advance our sustainable mobility leadership and expand out EV market penetration with new electric vehicles such as the Infiniti LE concept,” said Nissan President and CEO Carlos Ghosn. “Infiniti is well positioned to deliver, the objectives for a sustainable future, relying on our capable, hard working and motivated team members around the world. We are a challenger.”

Frog eBike – the Electric Successor to 1985 Frog FZ750 Concept

San Francisco-based Frog Design released images of a new electric motorcycle concept, just as its influential Yamaha FZ750-based Rana concept gets enshrined at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

Frog designer Jin Soek Hwang prepared the Frog eBike concept as an expression of how electric motor technology can influence motorcycle design. In a post on Frog’s blog, the designer says he was inspired in part by Frog’s 1985 FZ750 Rana concept (pictured after the jump).

The Frog Rana was designed by the company’s founder Hartmut Esslinger and made the covers of magazines from Cycle World to Business Week. The iconic Rana design was influential for its time, helping lead to the design of the Honda Hurricane.

Design project Fuso Concept II by Mitsubishi Fuso Co.

FUSO-Concept II” is a design concept model of a heavy-duty truck eying the commercial vehicles market in 2032, the 100th anniversary year of the Fuso brand. “The commercial vehicles industry in twenty years will see the Asian transportation network fully interconnected to Europe." said Mr. Gustav Tuschen, MFTBC Vice President of Product Engineering. "In addition to this, advanced technologies will also see a leap, such as realization of automated vehicle formation driving and significant advance in battery and fuel cell technologies.” Based on such predictions, FUSO-Concept II foresees trucks on the Asian Highway AH1 connecting Tokyo and Istanbul in 2032.

Siemens – Electromobility – The World Is Going To Change

Meet Project Glass: Google’s Siri For Your Eyes

Google itself has confirmed this asProject Glass, complete with a video of what they might be able to do.

The video is pretty cool. You see someone starting their day, getting information about subway closures, walking directions with heads-up display of turns to take, speaking to the glasses to make a reminder to buy concert tickets, speaking to take a picture, taking a phone call with video and more.

Watch it yourself below:

Nokia Lumia 800 to control Microsoft’s Concept Car

Microsoft has just recently unveiled a concept car called “Project Detroit” which can be controlled using a Nokia Lumia 800 Windows Phone.

VOLKSWAGEN ZAPS THE BEETLE, CREATES E-BUGSTER

What’s in a Name?

The name “E-Bugster” is a combination of “E” for electric, “Bug,” the American nickname for the Beetle, and “speedster,” which typically describes an open-top two-seater. Although the E-Bugster concept is clearly not a convertible, it sports the typical speedster profile of shallow windows and a low, dramatic roofline.

The Eco-perch luxury tree house

When you say tree house the image that pops into your head is that of a very simple and traditional structure that kids usually build with their parents and where they spend time with friends. Well, that too is accurate but it’s not the only option. This is Eco-perch, a luxury tree house that changes the entire concept at the base of this design.
This eye-catching and quick to install structure was designed by Each Sussex0based architecture and construction firm Blue Forest. The luxury tree house is crafted from natural materials and it’s a quick to install structure. It can be implemented within 5 days. Also, it has a design that has minimal impact on the landscape. Adequate site preparation is required beforehand. The Eco-Perch structure is contained within a 6 meter by 8 meter footprint. It’s rather small but it’s definitely bigger than the tree house you had when you were a kid.

Technology and intuition coupled under aged palms

This mouse-like device has been designed by Jae Won Chang and comes with hi tech facilities like touch screen, LED module and vibration motor. The gadget is run by two AA batteries and has been crafted in recycled plastic and TPE. It can prove to be a great help to senior citizens as you can set various reminders like doctor’s appointment, family events, etc on this mouse. It can also be synced with cloud calendar to ring a bell about important daily schedules that you might forget.

Another attractive feature about this intuitive mouse is that you can make it understand your communication patterns to notify about messages only from close relationships. It also apprises you of Facebook Notifications, chat messages and even video chat invitations. Viper alerts you with a slight pulse and an LED light whenever you get a new e-mail or a message from your favorite contacts. To view the email you just have to graze your finger across the icon on the Viper and internet browser will automatically open that email on your computer screen. In short, this mouse is a complete package to keep you updated with all the important schedules and to keep in touch with your loved ones despite of your growing age.

Technology | Awesome iPad 3 Concept with Edge to Edge Screen

This is what the future of technology hold for us all. I can’t wait. Very cool stuff.

SAAB?

Though the brand may be nearing its end, Swedish automaker SAAB will always be remembered for producing and advancing the technology of jet fighters still in use today. An ode to SAAB’s rich history, this coupe concept takes inspiration (and name) from the Viggen fighter, mimicking its lines, glass cockpit canopy and overall clean design.