New York’s Little Free Library
 

image: stereotank.com

image: stereotank.com

In a world filled with computers and social media, ten architecture firms in Manhattan, New York are trying to bring back books with their mini library designs. Little Free Library in NYC is a charming little space where people are invited to come inside for a quick look through a small collection of books. Borrowing, trading, and donating are encouraged to keep this little nook alive and give people a short break from the hustle and bustle of street life. Little Free Library has big plans to expand worldwide, with libraries already spread across the United States this small company is gearing up for locations in Africa and Europe.
 
 
 
 
Love, still tearing us apart…
 

image: boomgenstudios.com

Amid rave reviews from Rollingstone.com, Gamestitch.com, altpress.com, just to name a few, Love Will Tear Us Apart is said to be the future of video games. If you’re lucky, you’ll be so lost in the revolutionary new graphics you won’t notice the depressing nature of the game. Based on Joy Division’s notorious ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’ song, the game is centered around the bitter end of relationships… Well, no surprise there.
 
 
 
 

Anurak Suchat’s Origami Wood Lamps

image: kickstarter.com

image: kickstarter.com

Whoever says origami structures are useless dust collecting clutter causers is about to eat their words when function meets origami. Thailand-based inventor Anurak Suchat has transformed flat wood origami structures into touch sensor lamps requiring an iPhone charger for power. So far he has developed two different designs that are collapsible, perfect for your overcrowded desk!
 
 
 
 

Tete de Bois Wooden Headwear

image: lostateminor.com

image: lostateminor.com

Designer Tete de Bois drew childhood inspiration for the latest piece, the wooden hat. What looks like the end result of too many popsicles on a hot day, this new fashion makes quite the statement. Despite the holes between each stick, the hats protect from the sun providing fashion and function in one stylish design.

Book of Toilet Paper Roll Structures

image: thisiscolossal.com

image: thisiscolossal.com

image: thisiscolossal.com

image: thisiscolossal.com

Who knew TP could tell a story? Anastassia Elias is putting a new spin on dioramas using toilet paper rolls to tell her creative stories. Rouleaux is Elias newest book consisting of photos of dioramas from 2009-2012.

Cutting Records

image: trendland.com

image: trendland.com

Amanda Ghassaei can make a record out of anything. Using a laser cutter of her own design, Ghassaei can turn arbitrary objects such as wood or paper into a musical track to play her favourite jams. The sound quality is not up to par with a pair of professional headphones but it’s still pretty cool to have around.

Browse through previous FYI posts, here!

images courtesy of: trendland.com, kickstarter.com, thisiscolossal.com, lostateminor.com,sterotank.com

MindDrive Social Car

Image: lostateminor.com

Fueled by tweets and likes, MindDrive is the world’s first social media powered electric car. The vehicle was created by a group of fifteen Kansas students who converted the vintage 1967 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia into an electric car that is jolted into life with every tweet, like and social media share. MindDrive is a non-profit organisation that aims to encourage experimental learning through recruiting students to take on innovative projects. We’re still a little fuzzy about exactly how social media activities are transformed into watts to drive the car, but the vehicle seems to be working. Nevertheless if you ever find yourself behind the wheel of a MindDrive, it might be helpful to have some electrical tools on hand in case the car comes to a halt.
 
 

Audiowood Barky Turntable

Image: audiowood.com

Image: audiowood.com

Turntables are often black and boxy, lending them an air of design predictability. Audiowood has challenged this notion with the Barky turntable. The music device is made from glass and a solid ash wooden platform with brass fitted to the spiked feet at the bottom of the machine. With a rustic feel, the vinyl player can easily be adapted to any home. The elegant contraption also features a high-quality Rega parts kit and comes in 115V or 230V versions. Audiowood creates 10 to 15 of these pieces every year, making Barky an exclusive purchase.
 
 

Projecto: Projector for Instagram Photos

Image: mocoloco.com

Image: mocoloco.com

Image: mocoloco.com

Instagram has cultivated an era of ‘selfies’ and the return of vintage, retro inspired photography. While users can tap into Instagram’s filters to edit their images into aged photographs, many people view their creations through the modern technology of cellphones, Facebook, Twitter, tablet devices, and so on. Projecto brings the retro feel to life. The nifty device is a matchbox-sized projector that projects your Instagram images. Connect your Instagram account to the Projecto website, and the Projecto whizzes will develop your photographs onto a 35mm film. The film will then be passed through a wheel that fits into the tiny projector. Both the projector and the film will be mailed to you, so you an share your images in a retro environment.
 
 

MINI Bathroom Airbags

autoguide.com

MINI Mexico has targeted women drivers in an ad campaign that warns the fairer sex of the dangers of applying makeup while driving. The automotive company began their awareness project by placing large airbags inside female restrooms in Mexico. Soap dispensers were rigged to carry the airbags, and when women stood next to them, the dispensers would burst open into an airbag, alarming the women. The airbags were printed with the MINI logo and a caption that read: ‘There’s a place for everything. Makeup or drive’. According to the company’s statistics, over 1 200 women are killed each year as a result of the way in which they multitask driving and beautifying. While the initiative draws attention to an undermined source of road accidents, many women have voiced concern over MINI’s gender-based approach in the making of the ad.
 
 

BOXED furniture

Boxed from Tyrone Stoddart on Vimeo.

Image: designtaxi.com

Image: designtaxi.com

People live their lives on the move, and there is nothing more handy than being able to whip out a work station when the need arises. BOXED is a concept developed by Tyler Stoddard. The designer created a briefcase that can be transformed into multifunctional furniture. From one little box case, four different types of furniture can be created. The wooden briefcase can easily form a desk, a coffee table, two stools, and a lamp, providing the perfect workspace utilities. Each piece can then be disassembled and fit back neatly into the briefcase. BOXED also comes with a small pouch of ash tree seeds so that its new owner can replant and replenish the materials used to make the furniture. The project is designed to provide functional furniture and to educate people about the ash dieback — a disease that has been killing ash trees.
 
 

Caramalised Sugar Solarium Greenhouse

William Lamson – Solarium from Storm King Art Center on Vimeo.

Image: thisiscolossal.com

Image: thisiscolossal.com

Image: thisiscolossal.com

Solarium is a fully operational greenhouse featuring 162 windows made from caramalised sugar. Designer Wiliam Lamson built the colourful construction at the Storm King Art Center in Mountainville, New York. The space functions as both an experimental greenhouse and a meditative environment. Lamson spent weeks formulating a method to construct the windows, finally ensuring that each of the 162 sugar panels are cooked to different temperatures and then sealed between two panes of window glass. Durng the hot summer months one of the panels opens, allowing vistors to enter and exit from various points.
 
 

W/Me Wellness Tracker

Image: kickstarter.com

Image: kickstarter.com

Mood rings were one of the rages of the 90s, entrancing wearers to believe that colour-changing rings could reflect their mood. While the rings had little scientific value or accuracy, Phyode has created a wristband that reads the mood of its owner. The W/Me bracelet is embedded with medical-grade sensors that work together with smartphones to keep people aware of their mental and physical states. Wearable gadgets are becoming increasingly popular as fashion becomes more tech-savvy and tech becomes more fashionable. Phyode aim to create wearable devices that can provide a better quality of life. W/Me is a wellness tracker that can monitor your body’s autonomic nervous system, which acts as a subconscious control system for your body. The device then uses this physical data to categorise your mood as either passive, excitable, pessimistic or anxious.
 
 

Images: lostateminor.com, audiowood.com,designtaxi.com, autoguide.com, mocoloco.com, thisiscolossal.com, kickstarter.com

Cassette Tape Lamps

Image: ooomydesign.bigcartel.com

Cassette Is Not Dead is a Spanish design project dedicated to reviving cassette tapes through interior design. The project aims to curb the destruction of cassettes by refurbishing them as lamps that can be used in homes, making the tapes usable in an age where they are being replaced by more advanced music equipment. Cassette Is Not Dead explains that cassettes are a symbol of a generation and each day more and more cassettes are disappearing, leaving behind a cultural vacuum. Their funky lamps are an innovative way to save cassettes, and keep their cultural memory alive. The lamps are created in a box structure where cassettes are tied together to hold the frame in place. The system works through a trade initiative where people send old cassettes to the design team, and are then given gifts like wallets or lamps in return.
 
 

Coca-Cola Split Can

Image: mashable.com

Image: adweek.com

Throughout their time as industry giants, Coca Cola has always promoted the idea of sharing in their brand campaigns. Joining forces with Ogilvy, the famed beverage company has created a new way to enjoy a sip of Coke. The split can is a can that is connected by two parts, allowing Coca Cola lovers to twist off one half so that they are left with a can in one hand and a can-like cup in the other. It’s always easy to share a bottle of Coke with friends, and Coca Cola has taken this concept one step further by making cans a convenient way to share. The cans have swept through the streets of Singapore, but were not sold via vending machines or shops. Instead a ‘happiness truck’ handed the drinks out to passersby.
 
 

Water Bottle Humidifier

Image: aggift.com

Image: gizmodo.com

No matter where you are staying hydrated is an important way to keep healthy and look fresh. While most humidifiers are too bulky and inconvenient to carry around, South Korean design outfit Amazing Grace has created a portable humidifier that can be attached to any water bottle. Dubbed the Amazing Humidifier, the little device adjusts to fit on the mouthpiece of the water bottle. The system is powered by a laptop or phone charger using a USB-to-mini-USB cable, allowing the humidifier to suck water through its detachable filter, dispensing vapor at a rate of 30 ml per hour. In order to get a good night’s rest, a 500ml bottle of water will provide all the hydration you need. The nippy humidifier automatically turns off after eight hours so the machine won’t be overworked.
 
 

Colgate Caffeine Toothbrushes

Image: news.msn.com

Image: google.com

Colgate-Palmolive is attempting to make brushing a more enjoyable experience by creating a toothbrush that releases a chemical in the mouth when it’s being used. The company has filed a patent application that outlines the design of the toothbrush which has a patch on the back of the head storing toothpaste that is infused with flavourant chemicals. The new toothbrush will push Colgate-Palmolive to the front of the hygiene industry, while providing consumers with a sensory experience that excites an otherwise mundane activity. The patent has yet to be accepted, but Colgate has already begun exploring the flavours of mint, caffeine, and fruits as possible taste infusers for the toothbrushes.
 

Adidas Smart Soccer Ball

Image: popsop.ru

Image: facebook.com

Adidas has debuted the Smart Ball — a soccer ball that tracks a player’s movement and posts feedback via a mobile app. The ball allows players to improve their technique by providing important information about speed, rotation and distance. After three years in the making, the innovative sports company has designed a product that uses integrated sensors to keep players updated on the skills. The mobile app provides immediate analysis, direct feedback, a series of challenges and a record book to motivate technique refinement and an all-round better developed skillset. The automated system acts as a virtual coach, allowing avid soccer fans to produce their best in their own time rather than relying on expensive trainers with busy schedules. If all goes according to plan, the ball will be released in 2014.
 
 

Leather and Wood Lollipop Case

Image: sweetd-life.com

Image: complex.com

Most people love candy and Japanese design studio LIFE has found a way to give your sweet-tooth a fashionable outfit. The designers have created a wearable lollipop case made from African mahogany that is tailored to Chupa Chups. Leather straps are attached to the spherical covers enabling them to perch on your belt. These cases will protect your sweets from roaming hands and keep you looking fresh.
 
 

Game Theory

Game Theory from Ithaca Audio on Vimeo.

Image: vimeo.com

Game Theory is well-known as a system of strategic decision-making, but Ithaca Audio has twisted this concept to create an audio visual mashup of famous songs, games, and movie clips. The piece was performed live using re-wired video game controllers. Ithaca Audio created Game Theory as a tribute to 35 years of video game music (Space Invaders, released in 1978, was the first game to feature a continuous soundtrack). The creatives took a walk back through time and delved into the video game music of the past and present to mashup this dizzying sound-movie display. They also incorporated some of their favourite current tunes to add some zest to the clip.
 
 

Images: ooomydesign.bigcartel.com, vimeo.com, sweetd-life.com, complex.com , facebook.com, popsop.ru, google.com, news.msn.com, gizmodo.com, aggift.com , mashable.com, adweek.com, ooomydesign.bigcartel.com

Levitation Bicycle by DEzien

Image: dezien.com

Image: dezien.com

Image: dezien.com

Design outfit DEzien has released blueprints for a futuristic bicycle that can charge cellphones. The concept bicycle is called Levitation and it features an integrated battery that is charged as the bicycle is ridden. Although the battery does not power the bicycle — which means your legs will can still get a killer workout — the battery can be used to charge mobile devices through a USB port that is neatly stashed into a removable handlebar grip. A wire would then be snaked into the port and attached to a cellphone to recharge its battery. The design includes a plan to make Levitation powerful enough to power electric cars, which is surprising considering the bicycles operates through USB ports. DEzien has also made provisions for the bicycle to be decked out with an LED display that illustrates the charge level of the battery, and a Wi-Fi hotspot to keep riders connected as they move. While Levitation is still being sketched and finalised, bicycle riders can expect a future of brilliant technology if the bicycle comes into fruition.
 
 

Grindrite ‘weed-stasher’ Watch

Image: gizmodo.com

Image: hightimes.com

The creatives at Vaporite have produced an interesting little watch that has a secret box to stash some herb. The nifty device has a removable watch face with a smell-proof space underneath to hide a few grams of weed. The Grindrite is also embedded with a mini herb grinder so that when 4:20 comes wearer’s are ready to go. While some might have doubts about the watch’s ability to function as a reliable timepiece, the Grindrite serves its purpose brilliantly.
 
 

PUNK: Chaos to Couture by Metropolitan Museum of Art

Image: dazeddigital.com

The Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art has released their annual exhibition showpiece and its theme is punk. The exhibition — called PUNK: Chaos to Couture — features a 100 costume designs for men and women ranging from original grunge punk garments from the mid-1970s to modern contemporary high fashion. The Costume Institute pays homage to punk and its influence on haute couture and ready-to-wear clothing lines, aiming to unveil the extent of punk’s impact of the fashion we wear and see. The exhibition artfully contrasts the ‘make it yourself’ concept of punk with the ‘tailored’ aesthetic of haute couture, illustrating how the two worlds interact to produce some of the most contemporary designs pieces. Presented as an immersive multimedia, multisensory experience, the clothes will be animated with period music videos and soundscaping audio techniques to mesh the feel of the 1970s anti-establishment atmosphere with the millenium age. The exhibition is on view from May 9 through August 14 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
 
 

The Exchange by NATIVE

Image: facebook.com

Launched by NATIVE, The Exchange is the world’s first ever cashless fashion boutique. Of course a cashless fashion boutique begs the questions: how do we pay for clothes? Well, while the clothing isn’t free, The Exchange is a concept created to aid those in need of organ donations. The pop-up store — housed in Cavendish Square, Cape Town — will not accept cheques, cash, debt or credit cards, but it will accept your help to register as an organ donor. The Exchange opened its doors on 10 May 2013 and will stay open until its range of clothing and accessories designed by 25 of SA’s top designers has been ‘exchanged’. NATIVE partnered with Organ Donor Foundation SA to make the project possible. Speaking on the idea behind the concept, NAVIVE’s Executive Creative Director, Ryan McManus said:

Fashion has typically been synonymous with consumerism. We were looking for a way in which we could change the currency of meaningless consumerism and shift it to the currency of life by purchasing fashion with organ donor registration

ANAR Child Abuse Advertisement

Image: psfk.com

Image: psfk.com

Spanish child-help organisation ANAR Foundation has released an ad campaign that raises awareness around child abuse simultaneously communicating embedded messages child abuse victims, encouraging them to step forward and seek help. The ad uses a technique called lenticular printing – which is typically reserved for 3D posters – to create a poster that displays different images depending on the angle it is viewed from. To an adult standing above 1.3m the ad reads: ‘sometimes, child abuse is only visible to the child suffering it’ with an image of a boy in the background. From the perspective of a 10 -year-old boy with average height the poster shows an image of a child with brusies on his face, a hotline number and the message, ‘if somebody hurts you, phone us and we’ll help you’. The advert is a breakthrough is communicating with people who need help without alerting abusers as to the hidden content of the message. While the ANAR poster has been recognised because of its appearance on news and social media, future commercials of similar intent can go safely undetected to help people.
 
 

Chris Hadfield Shoots Space Music Video

Image: commons.wikimedia.com

Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield has made a name for himself and garnered thousands of fans from his brilliantly candor and beautiful tweets from space. After spending five months residing in the International Space Station, the space expert is set to return later in May and has marked his farewell to the cosmos with a cover of David Bowie’s ‘Space Oddity’. The video is the first ever music video footage to be captured in outer space and is a one of Hadfield’s final shares from the space station with earthlings. While we’ll be sad to see Hadfield leave the supernatural otherworldy universe, we can’t wait to see what he’ll do when he sets his feet on the ground. Hadfield captioned the video with a nod to Bowie and an early goodbye:

With deference to the genius of David Bowie, here’s Space Oddity, recorded on Station. A last glimpse of the World.

Images: facebook.com, psfk.com, dazeddigital.com, hightimes.com, gizmodo.com, commons.wikimedia.com, dezien.com

Kinetic Floor Produces Electricity from Dancers

Image: sustainabledanceclub.com

Image: sustainabledanceclub.com

Sustainable Dance Floor is a modular dance floor system that traps the kinetic energy of dancers and converts it into electricity. The tiles of the dance floor are embedded with small generators that collect and store energy before transforming it into electricity that can be used to power nearby appliances or the LED lights that light up the dance floor. Created by Energy Floors, the design is an attempt to harness wasted energy and resources, and redistribute them to where they are needed. The mechanism works through the unique tiles. Whenever a tile is stepped on it dips 10mm to trigger the internal generator that captures dancers’ energy. The system aims to find alternative energy resources and cut back costs on more expensive energy products.
 
 
 

MorePhone

Image: hml.queensu.ca

Image: hml.queensu.ca

Many smartphones use blinking lights to notify their users about texts, calls, and emails. In a time where the ‘silent’ profile is a office, class, and cinema staple, visual notifications are becoming increasingly useful. Canadian Queen’s University’s Human Media Lab has taken this concept one step further with MorePhone – a cellphone that changes it shape to let its owner know of any incoming interactions. If the phone rings its body will curl inwards, and if a text message is received the corner of the mobile bend forward. While it’s easy to feel a cellphone vibrate in your hands or pockets, it’s harder to catch notifications when your phone is on a couch or table and you can’t feel the vibration. MorePhone answers this dilemma by using shape-morphing visual cues to notify its user.

The tech behind MorePhone differs greatly from traditional smartphones. The phone is made from a thin, flexible electrophoretic display manufactured by Plastic Logic –- a world leader in plastic electronics. Sandwiched beneath the display are a number of shape memory alloy wires that contract when the phone notifies the user. This allows the phone to either curl either its entire body, or up to three individual corners. Each corner can be set to convey a particular message: users can set the top right corner of the MorePhone to bend when receiving a text message, and the bottom right corner when receiving an email. Corners can also repeatedly bend up and down to convey messages of greater urgency. The nifty device is still in its prototype phase and has yet to be released for mass manufacture and retail. Once the research is dusted, MorePhone could be one of the smartest phones around.
 
 
 

Edible Furniture

AUSTERITY – Edible furniture for times of crisis from Lanzavecchia + Wai on Vimeo.

Image: lanzavecchia-wai.com

Image: lanzavecchia-wai.com

Design studio Lanzavecchia + Wai has swanked up minimalistic metal furniture with edible decorations. The sweet tooth fixtures come in a range of different candy-flavoured furniture including a chocolate chair, grains sofa, and hard candy table. The collection — named Austerity — was displayed at the Padiglione Italia’s Foodmade exhibition in Milan, and introduced audiences to a conceptual design where bitten off bits leave new furniture forms until all that exists is a plain metal framework. The edible furniture features a coffee table topped with a hard boiled sweet for a tabletop and a chocolate chair made from 24kg of white chocolate. Yum!
 
 
 

LIT: Ready for Action

LIT- Full Indiegogo Campaign Video from NZN Labs, Inc. on Vimeo.

Image: indiegogo.com

Image: indiegogo.com

LIT is a unique device that tracks your activities. From running to swimminging and sport-specific movements in surfing and BMXing, LIT carries the technology to keep track of your fun. While most activity trackers keep wearers posted on the calories they’ve burned, LIT is bringing the fun back into exercise and adventure sports by measuring exactly what your body does as it moves. The modular device can be worn anywhere on your body and conveniently photographs and videos your movements so you can update your social networks. LIT also provides stats on everything its wearer does, making training that much easier. The mobile app is now available for iOS devices that run Bluetooth 4.0, while an Android version will be released in January 2014.
 
 
 

A Boy and His Atom (world’s tiniest animation)

Image: gizmag.com

IBM has created the world’s smallest animation and it’s made from atoms. Atoms are one of the tiniest particles in the universe, and in order to see one you would need to magnify it 100 million times. Scientists at IBM’s research lab have decided to test their artistic capabilities by putting together a film that was made by moving thousands of atoms to their exact placements. The frames were then combined into a short animation called A Boy and His Atom which debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival and is now the proud holder of the Guinness World RecordsTM for World’s Smallest Stop-Motion Film. The animation narrates the story of a boy who meets and befriends a wayward atom.
 
 
 

Cigarette Butt Couture

Image: mantis-mantis.blogspot.com

Image: mantis-mantis.blogspot.com

Everyday an inconceivable amount of cigarette butts are tossed from car windows, outside clubs and onto pavements. The eco damaging litter is often a contentious source of anger among environmental activists. Cigarettes are difficult to recycle namely because they are manufactured for human consumption, and once they have been consumed all that is left is a dingy bud of burnt paper, filter and tabacco. Chilean designer, Alexandra Guerrero, has found a way to clear the streets of cigarette butts by re-using the litter to produce clothing. Mantis is a collection of retro, wearable, bright fashions that retains an eco-friendly ethos to challenge the damaging effects caused by cigarette dirt. Ultimately the brand aims to encourage people to recycle more and litter less. While many would find wearing cigarette butts to be decidedly unhygienic, Guerrero teamed up with environmental engineer Carolina Leiva to formulate a purification process that would prevent cigarettes from harming wearers’ skin. At the end of the process the cigarette butts are converted into the wool-like material Guerrero uses to make clothes.
 
 
 

Bulletproof Kids’ Wear

Image: miguelcaballero.com

Image: miguelcaballero.com

Bulletproof clothing isn’t always the most stylish form of protective gear, but Miguel Caballero is changing that. Hailed as the Giorgio Armani of bulletproof fashion, the designer has crafted protective suits for celebrities and dignitaries alike. His client list includes the likes of Middle Eastern princes, Latin American presidents, and Hollywood action star Steven Seagal to name a few. With stores available in Brazil, Guatemala, Mexico and the UK, Caballero has built his brand into a successful global supplier of one of the most sought after bulletproof garments, and he has expanded his vision into the world of kids’ wear.

The Colombian-based experts have designed colourful outfits and accessories that every child would look normal wearing, but the materials are made from heavy layers of synthetic fabrics that provide maximum protection. From backpacks to vests and overalls, Miguel Caballero has finely stitched his bulletproof tech into the multicoloured lining of children’s fashion so parents no longer have to worry about the safety of their kids. To any criminal, children wearing Caballero’s outfits might seem like easy targets, but the protective design of their clothing could save their lives.
 
 
 

Images: mantis-mantis.blogspot.com, miguelcaballero.com, gizmag.com, indiegogo.com, hml.queensu.ca, lanzavecchia-wai.com, sustainabledanceclub.com
 
 
 

Words: Ra’eesa Pather

Coca-Cola ® Remix Bottle

Image: dailybri.com

Image: mumbrella.asia.com

Advertising extraordinaire OgilvyAction has teamed up with Coca-Cola and Japanese DJ-inventor Jun Fujiwara on a social music project to bring Coca-Cola’s ‘Open Happiness’ message to life. The campaign revolves around capturing everyday sounds from a particular time and place, and mixing them into a creative track that can be shared with people to spread happiness. The recordings are available as ringtones and music videos on Youtube.

The project began in Tokyo and locals have been thrilled at the mixes that have been taped from their ordinary sounds. The Coca-Cola ® Remix Bottle campaign is a clever way to position Coca-Cola as a social brand for everyone.
 
 
 

Obake Elastic Touchscreen

Obake: interactions with a 2.5D elastic display from Dhairya Dand on Vimeo.

Image: news.discovery.com

Image: facebook.com

Creatives at MIT’s Media Lab have invented an interactive screen that can be stretched, poked, and pinched. Designed by Dhairya Dand and Rob Hemsley, the display is built from flexible rubber sheets that rest on a set of actuators (a motor variation that can move and control mechanisms and systems). Laid over all of this tech is a camera that projects images onto the display sheet, measures how far the screen is stretched and how deep it is poked.

Dand and Hemsley have named their attention-grabbing design Obake, and have explained the display aims to create a truly 3D experience. The 3D movie-goers see in cinema theatres is an optical illusion, whereas Obake is a tangible display that allows users to have an actual sensory experience through touch and interaction. If the project is available for sale, then maybe the next time you see something annoying on your screen you can poke it, or better yet – pinch it.
 
 
 

Volkswagen iBeetle

Image: digtaltrends.com

Image: digtaltrends.com

Image: digtaltrends.com

Apple fans have excitedly whispered about an iCar for a while now, and although Beetles are an unlikely choice, Apple has collaborated with the German car-makers to produce a motor vehicle that is fully compatible with the iPhone. The car includes an iPhone docking port that syncs wirelessly with its dashboard unlock various features via the iBeetle app. This means that when the iPhone is connected to the car Facebook and SMS messages can be read aloud, and iTunes can be synced to blast some of your favourite tunes. Spotify users will be pleased to know that the app also allows drivers to switch channels between Spotify and iTunes.

Volkswagen and Apple will release the iBeetle Coupe and the iBeetle Convertible. Both cars are designed with Apple’s modern tones and simplistic motif. The exterior and interior are shaded in greys, silvers, and charcoals, but the leather sport seats of the car add a neat flair with tailored cream seams. The iBeetle will be ready to zoom through streets in 2014.
 
 
 

Canvas Furniture

Image: thisiscolossal.com

Image: thisiscolossal.com

Image: thisiscolossal.com

Canvas furniture is the perfect option for people who struggle to fit furniture into their cramped quarters. Designed by spatial designer Naoki Ono, co-founder of Tokyo-based YOY design studio, Canvas is a collection of two-dimensional furniture that is made from wood, aluminum and stretched elastic canvas that can be hung flat on a wall. Launched at Milan Design Week 2013, each canvas is printed with an image of the furniture it represents so you can add some décor to any bland walls. When you’re in need of an extra chair just take it down from its perch, prop it against the wall and you’ll have a new chair. The chairs won’t last for long periods of time, but if you’re in need of a temporary solution to a spatial dilemma, these clever pieces can give some help.
 
 
 

Animals Carved from Crayons and Other Miniature Pencil Works by Diem Chau

Image: thisiscolossal.com

Image: thisiscolossal.com

Image: thisiscolossal.com

Artists use various tools and media to create their works, but Diem Chau has re-created her tools into works of art. The Seattle-based artist carves detailed portraits of animals and people from crayon and graphite pencil leads in spectacularly miniature works. Chau is Vietnamese by origin but her family arrived in America s refugees escaping from Vietnam in 1986. She has since exhibited her work in Miami, LA, New York, Seattle and Chicago. You can see more of her tiny works on her blog.
 
 
 

Bloom Bookshelf

Image: dezeen.com

Image: psfk.com

Image: psfk.com

Yael Mer and Shay Alkalay – co-founders of UK-based design brand Raw Edges – have created a bookshelf inspired by a weaving loom called Bloom. The simple design is crafted from a wooden border that frames a series of red threads. Each thread is clipped with a black stopper that can be moved up and down to position books at different heights. The bookcase was commissioned by the British Council and debuted at Milan Design Week 2013. The unique interior piece draws attraction to both the inventiveness of the structure as well as the books it showcases. With electronics gaining interest and pace, it’s easy for books to be lost in the fray, but this bookshelf helps to put book back into the spotlight.
 
 
 

Hublot x Ferrari Watch

Image: highsnobiety.com

Image: highsnobiety.com

Hublot has paid homage to Ferrari’s new supercar ‘LaFerrari’ with a watch dedicated to one of the champions of the motor industry. The MP-05 ‘LaFerrari’ was unveiled at Baselworld and the futuristic design is a definite nod to Ferrari with the watch being modeled to replicate a Ferrari engine. The wrist-piece is not just a cool accessory, it is also a historical record setter with its 50-day power reserve. The interface might seem complicated to look at in terms of practically tell the time, but there’s no doubt that the conceptual design will turn heads.
 
 
 

Underground Rail Public Park

Image: telegraph.co.uk

Derelict revival projects are the new rage with designers increasingly attempting to renew forgotten corners of cities and transform them into social spaces. Pop Down park is an attempt to re-create London’s abandoned network of tunnels into a public green space. People can access the park via street level entries and exists to the underground rail. A mushroom garden will also be planted along the tunnel pathways with sunlight being filtered through sculptural glass-fiber mushrooms located at street level. The mushrooms will create an agricultural space for the green concept and will also be used as food in pop-up restaurants and cafes called ‘Funghi’ that will appear at the entrance of the installation.
 
 
 

McDonalds French Fries Holder

Image: ufunk.com

Image: ufunk.com

The modern world is a busy rush where almost everything we do is on the go. Finding time to eat in between hurrying to get to places often leads people to munch their food while driving. Eating while driving can be a messy experience and showing up to a meeting or party with grease on your clothing is not the best start to your planned event. Luckily for the Japanese, McDonald’s Japan has created a French fries holder that prevents your chips from falling into your lap. The handy little cup fits snugly into the cup holder of a car or the water bottle grip of a bicycle, so that cyclists and drivers can enjoy their snack with no hassle.

The useful holder is available in Japan and comes free with any meal that is ordered with a large serving of crispy, salty potato goodness. Let’s see if McDonald’s will expand their nifty fast-food gadget beyond Japanese borders.
 
 
 

YAKKAY Bike Helmets

Image: lostateminor.com

Image: lostateminor.com

Image: lostateminor.com

Bike helmets aren’t the most attractive accessory, but YAKKAY has designed a helmet that is both stylish and safe. The hat is a helmet in disguise, and while it appears to be another headwear piece to spruce up your look, the helmet has been tested according to international safety regulations. The cool designs come in an array of colours with various textures and patterns to meet your style needs. Thanks to YAKKAY being safe no longer has to pose a hazard to your wardrobe.
 
 
 

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People People Transparent Speaker

Image: wired.com

Image: peoplepeople.se

People People has designed a transparent speaker than can blend in any room with any décor. The simple, innovative electronic can provide big sound quality while taking up a small amount of space. No matter what colour your walls are or how much room your furniture takes up, the People People Speaker can fit in anywhere. The nippy device is also compatible with wireless systems, which means there’s no need for tangled wires to clutter your interior. The eco-friendly design is built with glass panels that can either be replaced or recycled, making the speaker a home-companion that will last for a very long time.
 
 
 

Doll Art by Bohyun Yoon

Image: juxtapoz.com

Image: juxtapoz.com

Image: juxtapoz.com

Virginia-based artist Bohyun Yoon has deconstructed dolls and taken their parts to create a suggestive shadow display. The installation is titled ‘Unity’ and features various parts of the dolls’ anatomy being strung up and suspended from a ceiling to create alluring shadows of the human body and its flexible capabilities. Made from silicon rubber, wire, steel and a spotlight, the piece evokes a visual that sees silhouetted human bodies entwined in a provocative dance against the backdrop of a plain white wall. The artist spoke about his artwork saying, ‘my art utilizes the body as the tool for an intensive investigation of the public and private’.
 
 
 

MacBook Wood Keyboard

Image: gizmag.com

Image: gizmag.com

Apple designed the MacBook Pro to be the cutting edge of modern computing architecture, but Rawbkny has created a crafty accessory for Apple enthusiasts looking for something different. The MacBook Wood Keyboard is a fitted add-on that can cover your keys in either rosewood or bamboo. The wooden keyboard gives the laptop an organic and homey feel that helps thaw its techy industrial look. Although the wooden kit adds some extra height to the original keys, Rawbkny has said that the keyboard will not damage the MacBook Pro’s screen as there is still a slither of space between the keypad and the display when the laptop is closed.
 
 
 

Balloon Sculpture by Jason Hackenwerth

Pisces balloon sculpture by Jason Hackenwerth from National Museums Scotland on Vimeo.

Image: thisiscolossal.com

Jason Hackenwerth is renowned for his latex balloon sculptures and his latest spectacle has created a colourful splash at the Edinburgh International Science Festival. Using 10 000 balloons, the New York artist produced a piece a called ‘Pisces’ which is inspired by his interpretation of the Greek mythological story of Aphrodite and Eros. In the tale Aphrodite – the Goddess of Love – and her son, Eros, escape the wicked monster Typhon by transforming into a coiled spiral of two fish that has now been blown to life by Hackenwerth and his team. Three of Hackenwerth’s staff members spent almost six days blowing up the balloons that Hackenwerth and his assistant, Leah Blair, would weave into the bright three dimensional kaleidoscope of ‘Pisces’.
 
 
 

Baby Colour Ultrasound

Image: mashable.com

Image: mashable.com

GE Healthcare has launched the HDLive ultrasound which allows expecting parents to see their little one in a colour 3D display. Parents can watch their babies in utero while doctors can accurately track the fetus’s health and development. The system creates a moveable virtual light source that produces shadows and definitions to highlight every bump, fold and detail of the fetus’s body and face. Advanced skin rendering is also embedded in the technology to create realistic human-toned colours. Expecting parents no longer have to agonise over who their baby will look like, as the GE HDLive provides all the details.
 
 
 

MetService Weather Billbaord

Image: admedia.co.nz

Image: admedia.co.nz

Popular New Zealand weather forecaster MetService has collaborated with Y&R NZ advertising agency to create a structure that frames real-time weather. The billboard is designed to look like a web browser while giving a visual of actual weather conditions to emphasise that MetService is the most reliable forecaster in New Zealand. The clever ad has received 30 000 Facebook likes, featured on Reddit’s front page and been named BuzFeed’s ad of the month.
 
 
 

Dove Real Beauty Forensic Drawings

Real Beauty Sketches from John X. Carey on Vimeo.

Image: realbeautysketches.dove.com

Image: realbeautysketches.dove.com

In a campaign run by Dove and marketing firm Ogilvy, FBI-trained forensic sketch artist Gil Zamora shows women they are more beautiful than they might think. The Real Beauty campaign traces Zamora’s work as he sketches numerous women and compares their descriptions of themselves to the descriptions given by strangers. The artist first sketched an image of the women based on their perception of themselves and then a second image from the perception of a stranger. The striking differences illustrate that women see themselves differently and less beautiful than what others see them. The marketing campaign speaks to Dove’s brand initiative as a supporter of natural beauty, yet Dove still controversially stands by its animal testing policy. Dove’s parent company, Unilever, has defended cosmetic testing on animals in the past saying: ‘currently, a very small amount of animal testing is still necessary to deliver innovative products that provide consumer benefits and are market competitive’.
 
 
 

Sandwich Bikes

Sandwichbike Ready to Ride from Sandwichbikes on Vimeo.

Image: facebook

Image: facebook.com

Bicycles carry different meanings to different people: some use them as a means of transport, while others ride as a hobby or for health and fitness purposes. Whatever the reason, bicycles can be a pricey piece of equipment. Sandwich Bikes has found a solution to this predicament by manufacturing a bicycle that can easily be built at home with a minimal shipping fee. The Dutch-designed stylish ride is delivered to your doorstep in 50 pieces, with the two weather coated plywood frames being the primary structural element of the bicycle. The frames are held together by ‘smart cylinders’ that ensure a durable, fresh ride. The Sandwich Bike has yet be released, but it is estimated the bicycles will be hitting the streets later this year.
 
 
 

Alternative Limb Project

Image: lookinart.com

Image: obviouswinner.com

Losing a limb understandably creates insecurity and low self-esteem in patients who have endured amputations. Prosthetics aren’t always the most attractive designs and often appear too industrial or manufactured. To answer this problem, The Alternative Limb Project has partnered with ProActive Prosthetics to create a vibrant line of prosthetics that allow amputee patients to wear their prosthetics as fashionable limbs. From henna tattoo arms to floral leg limbs, The Alternative Limb Project aims to help their clients get noticed for more than their absent body parts. The alternative limbs can give a personality to their wearers that allows strangers to see them as more than disabled.
 
 
 

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Resource Furniture

Image: resourcefurniture.com

Resource Furniture is an American-based furniture importer and distributer that collects innovative designs to transform and reinvent spaces. Their goal is to increase the space of living areas through providing furniture that serves more than one purpose. Watch as a wall of shelves converts into a cosy bed, or a coffee table unpacks into a fully a functional dining table. The Italian designs are modernly minimalist and colourful, and will undoubtedly allow smaller living spaces to be comfortable homes.
 
 
 

Facebook Home

Image: mashable.com

Facebook’s latest app will keep you connected no matter what you’re doing. Transform your mobile home screen into a Facebook newsfeed where you can get the latest updates and photos from your friends. Turn on your phone, and you can chat to your contacts without entering the original Facebook app. The handy function means that whether you’re searching the Internet or checking the weather, you can still get notifications from Facebook. Check out the video to see how Facebook Home is making social connectivity that much faster!
 
 
 

Thug Kitchen

Image: thugkitchen.com

Image: thugkitchen.com

Eating vegetables isn’t always the most exciting experience, but luckily we’ve found a way to help you get your daily fix of healthy greens. Thug Kitchen is a bitchin’ blog with kickass recipes to get junk food lovers eating right. The hilarious guide schools people on what they need and why they need it by playfully scolding its readers with some valuable information. So put the burger down and check out this website! It’ll have you eating healthy and keep you laughing while doing so.
 
 
 

Wooden Headwear by Andrea Deppieri

Image: tetedebois.it

Image: tetedebois.it

Using industrial design, architecture, and fashion design, Italian architect Andrea Deppieri has crafted the first line of wooden headwear. From B-Boy hats to oversized sunhats, the innovative designer has named her collection Tête De Bois (which is French for ‘head of wood’). The creative designs will be launched in five different styles fashioned from either the light-coloured tanganika wood, or the darker mahogany. The pieces are constructed with wooden slats and washers, with slats being used as both an appealing, fresh look for the headwear and a functional visor to protect its wearers from sunrays. The designs are lightweight and comfortable, and with an adjustable sizing feature as well as a simple appearance, they can be worn by both men and women.
 
 
 

Rubber Barber by Chen Lu Wei

Image: thisiscolossal.com

Image: thisiscolossal.com

If you’re looking for a fun way to erase your annoying errors, then check out the Rubber Barber created by Chen Lu Wei for Megawing. The erasers come in four different colours and each one is painted with a little face that is surrounded by a chunk of hair. Every time you scuff your eraser against your work, you’ll give your miniature rubber face a haircut. So while you’re struggling to produce your best work, rest easy knowing your eraser’s new ‘do might surprise you when you’re done.
 
 
 

Glass Art by Martin Blank

Molten Nature from Ethan Steinman on Vimeo.

Image: daltonicfilms.com

American glass artist Martin Blank gives viewers an inside look into just what it takes to mould molten glass lava into sculptures of art. From blazing furnaces that melt red-singed liquid glass to the bustle of teamwork that goes into producing a single ornament, the video captures the sizzling fun of playing with fire. Blank has his work exhibited in museums around Canada, the States and China. The successful artist is based in Seattle and the video is a sample of a day in the life of Martin Blank Studios.
 
 
 

Google Street View Hyperlapse

Google Street View Hyperlapse from Teehan+Lax Labs on Vimeo.

Image: designandprojects.com

Teehan+Lax Labs has worked their magic to create some incredible visuals inspired by Google Street View . Hyper-lapse photography is becoming increasingly popular on online video sites. The technique uses time lapses and sweeping camera movements to develop a rollercoaster view of the world. Photographs of different locations are carefully weaved together to streamline the video map. Experimenting with hyper-lapse methods and Google Street View, Teehan+Lax has put together a site powered with a WebGI interface that enables you to create your own hyper-lapse view of the world. Check out Google Street View Hyperlapse and get started on awesome experience.
 
 
 

Daft Punk: Random Access Memories | The Collaborators: Nile Rodgers

Image: nitversions.com

Image: rockfeedback.com

French electro dynamo duo Daft Punk have been making waves with their upcoming much anticipated new release Random Access Memories. The record is set to hit shelves May 21st but in the meantime the music giants are teasing fans with a web-series that takes a look at the album’s big-name collaborators. Crafted by The Creators Project, Random Access Memories: The Collaborators features interviews and discussions with names like Giorgio Moroder and Todd Edwards. The latest episode is a sit-down with RnB legend Nile Rodgers. Paul Williams, Pharrell Williams, DJ Falcon, Chilly Gonzales, Panda Bear and Julian Casablancas have also been named among the team of collaborators Daft Punk have recruited for their forthcoming sonic boom. Fresh from Coachella, you can listen to a snippet of their latest track with Rodgers and Pharrell called Get Lucky.
 
 
 

Fine Art Coffee by Mike Breach

STORYBOARD: The Fine Art of Coffee Portraiture from Tumblr on Vimeo.

Image: nowness.com

Image: nowness.com

We’ve seen portraits created through photography, drawing, painting, sculpture, and a host of other artistic pursuits. Barrister extraordinaire Mike Breach has found a new medium for crafting portraits… Latte foam! Sketching his work with a fine wooden stick, the New Yorker details the likeness of celebrities, cityscapes, animals or his customers onto their coffee. He uses his brush stick to swirl lines in the foam and create a colour palette in shades of brown, beige and cream. His creations last for a few minutes before they become a frothy mix of creamy goodness, but luckily he photographs them and adds them to his Tumblr before they disappear. Take a look at the video shot by the creatives at Tumblr Storyboard.
 
 
 

Black Diamond Brilliant 2-in1 Bluetooth Speaker

Image: nerdreactor.com

Designed by Yantouch, the Black Diamond Brilliant 2-in-1 Bluetooth Speaker can alter your music listening experience. With a built-in kaleidoscopic light display, the portable speakers can offer you good music connected through Bluetooth and some mood lighting to give you a great listening atmosphere. The clever gadget is integrated with an LED lighting display that is coordinated to change colour according to the beats-per-minute of the track you’re playing. The diamond-shaped light is embedded with 16 000 000 colours that can turn your space into a nightlife jam or a relaxing zone. The Black Diamond Brilliant 2-in-1 Bluetooth Speakers don’t just look good, they also produce good sounds with a powerful, thumping bass. A remote controller allows users to change both the lighting and the tunes with a tap of a finger.
 
 
 

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