Future Technology and Gadget News

Electro - Skates motorized shoes for city rollers

2012-01-11T08:10:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-05T00:43:00.000-08:00

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.

Both the top and bottom plates are crafted from pressed stainless steel, with their edges falling away into a sea of soft blue light surrounding them.

Ergonomic Considerations

Brewing coffee on dark mornings is made easier by soft glowing LED bands and a simplified user interface that lights up the room with colour.

The perpendicular surfaces and sharp rear corner sit impeccably within the kitchen environment, disguising the internal piping structure which transports the boiled water from the base.

The stainless steel hot plates are encircled by glowing LED bands of soft blue light to indicate when the machine is brewing.

Design Features

Intricate 3D lines seamlessly link the upper and low halves of the machine through an un

broken jet black polished band that contrasts with the satin matte body construction.

Performance features include a 1.5L removable water reservoir, a steamer, and settings for single or double strength.

Ultra-Luxurious Concept Yacht Comes with a Custom Supercar

2011-12-01T00:57:00.000-08:00

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.

The 122, to be built by the Ned Ship Group, measures 38 meters (125 feet) from bow to stern, features a Rolls-Royce engine, pumps out 14,000hp and hits a top speed of 55 knots (about 63mph). And then there’s the interior: four large staterooms, reception and salon areas, crew cabins, 52″ LED televisions and Bang & Olufson sound systems in every room.

Of course, the Strand Craft 122 would fall short of the ultimate luxury standard if it didn’t come with a custom-made supercar. The Tender comes with an 880hp twin turbo V8 engine and a top speed of 375kmh (233mph). Time to start saving up.

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

2011-11-29T04:05:00.001-08:00

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

2011-11-28T03:46:00.001-08:00

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

2011-11-24T01:30:00.001-08:00

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

2011-11-23T00:03:00.001-08:00

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

2011-11-22T05:33:00.001-08:00

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:

Future Traveler

2011-11-22T00:18:00.001-08:00

In the U.S., if you are getting ready for or are already embroiled in the Thanksgiving travel crush, or if you are abroad and just find yourself elbow-to-elbow with similarly harried travelers in an airport, take a moment to consider a utopian vision of the travel experience in a not-too-distant future.

It comes to you in the form of a Future Traveler video, with a dash of self-promotion, from Sabre.

It is a world where your every travel whim is at your fingertips via tablet-like mobile devices.

Biometric scans are your gateways to business or adventure travel, the latest flight updates momentarily interrupt your e-reading and video-conferencing technology makes corporate meetings more efficient and brings continents together across a vanishing divide.

Of course, in Sabre’s depiction of an uncomplicated, stress-free and high-tech travel future, you hardly ever even see another traveler in these luxurious, friendly, pristine and worry-free airports of the future.

2016 Lamborghini Madura Concept Car Is Named Island in Indonesia

2011-11-21T00:10:00.001-08:00

2016 Lamborghini Madura Concept is style by Slavche Tanevsky, who may be a student of Munich University. The Lamborghini Madura named like that as a result of need to create this car strong because the strength of culture on the island of Madura with cultural bull. The Lamborghini Madura concept hybrid sticks to the brand’s performance and smart looking basics, and gets a sleek and a lot of aggressive profile. The hybrid powertrain is mounted up front, where the automobile has huge air intakes, a curvaceous hood and slim headlights of Lamborghini Madura Concept.

The suave wanting model is alleged to be surroundings friendly, that have the electrical engine hidden below a curved front hood, a slender body galvanized by Lamborghini Gallardo and Murcielago and spoilers that jut out of aspect panels that connect laser beams, which is alleged to be symbolic for the electrical drive system. This automobile is meant as an environmentally friendly automobile of interest and fast. Proportionally, the automobile has rather short wheelbase, and equally long overhangs. The short wheelbase provides it higher agility and driving performance. The long overhangs on the opposite hand are visually shortened by fiddling with skinny layering surfaces that are a part of separate body parts.

The interior of the car is created within the general variety of the Lamborghini; the front bumper placed monumental air intakes, the headlights as narrowed, thereby emphasizing the corporate identity of the complete. The case itself is formed using refined lines that make a supercar look terribly impressive.

Lamborghini Madura was done as a part of the Lamborghini Raw Materials Project led by Prof. Dr. Othmar Wickenheiser, where all students at the varsity may participate in. The Feruccio Lamborghini’s appreciation to Spanish culture and bull fighting/running led to naming all Lamborghini cars when some famous bulls or some places or families connected to bulls. Respecting this fradition, the automobile is called when the island in Indonesia, that is legendary for bull races. The Madura may be a proposal for the primary hybrid Lamborghini scheduled for 2016. Doing an automobile additional economical and additional nature-friendly, doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be exciting, good-looking and quick. However in my opinion this new propulsion system ought to be represented on the appearance of the automobile.

The body hybrid Lamborghini scheduled for 2016 is very cab-backwards vogue that is new for today’s Lambo vary, however as aspect read silhouette isn’t strange to Lamborghini, particularly the Lamborghini Silhouette and Urraco had terribly similar body-cab compositions. Proportionally, the automobile has rather short wheelbase, and equally long overhangs. The short wheelbase provides it higher agility and driving performance. The long overhangs on the opposite hand are visually shortened by fiddling with skinny layering surfaces that are a part of separate body parts. The front is extremely sleek and aerodynamic. It consists of the bonnet, with electrical engine beneath, and spoiler with blades between for additional depth of the planning, and higher CW result. The headlights are terribly skinny and horizontally oriented to stress the cars’ width Lamborghini Madura body style 2016.”

Samsung unveils £7,500 40-inch Full HD touchscreen table that can ‘feel’ 50 touches at once

2011-11-19T02:58:00.001-08:00

The multi-touch technology that Apple pioneered with its iPhone is now everywhere in the modern world – but Microsoft is about to pump up the technology to a new level.

The next generation of its ‘Surface’ table is a 40-inch touchscreen that can feel 50 ‘touches’ at once – and can also ‘feel’ pens, pointers or anything else placed on the table. Screens on gizmos such as iPhone can only feel fingers.

The Full HD screen has a high-powered Windows PC built in – and is just four inches thick.

The Surface touchscreen is just four inches thick – it can be used in ‘table’ format, or even hung on the wall like a painting

Microsoft’s Surface display is a 40-inch multi-touch screen which overcomes the limitations of most touchscreen technology – the fact that the screens arebamboozled if too many people touch at once

The screen works by shining light upwards through the screen, which bounces back to a layer of sensors behind the screen.

It can detect not only fingers but objects on the table – whereas other touchscreen technologies are limited in what they can detect.

For instance, touching an iPhone screen with a pen will have no effect.

With that in mind, the tablet ships with apps allowing children to paint or draw directly on screen – or even edit photos and upload them to Facebook.

Microsoft’s previous Surface table was a bit of a cheat – the surface was semi-transparent, and touch was detected by cameras underneath the table.

The result was that displays using Surface looked a little washed-out – and the table wasn’t as responsive as multi-touch touchscreens.

At CES 2011, Microsoft unveiled the next generation of the Microsoft Surface experience featuring PixelSense™ technology, which gives LCD panels the power to see without the use of cameras.

The table will also include apps that allow people to ‘paint’ directly onto the table, or edit photos then add them directly to their Facebook accounts

The screen can hang on a wall, be built into a wall, or comes with standard leg supports.If that doesn’t fit with your home, you can choose your own legs.

The gizmo was named a 2011 ‘Best of What’s New’ award winner by Popular Science magazine.

The Surface SUR40 is available for pre-order now for £7499.

via Antony Antoniou

Futuristic Bike “Detonator” by Daniel Simon

2011-11-18T00:36:00.001-08:00

“The Detonator,” this bike of the future from Daniel Simon
integrates science fiction style with all the abilities of modern technology.

The Cosmic Motors Detonator is an unique concept created by German automotive futurist Daniel Simon for his futuristic vehicle design company, “Cosmic Motors”. Simon calls this futuristic bike a “street cruiser bike built for humanoid droids.” Simon obtained his degree in vehicle design in 2001 at the University of Applied Science in Pforzheim, Germany. After completion, Simon went to Barcelona and designed concept cars for Bugatti and Lamborghini, followed by five years at the VW Group’s Advanced Studio where he is currently designing virtual vehicles for his brand Cosmic Motors. He has published a book, “Comic Motors” and continues to offer his services to premium carmakers while designing his own concepts.

Source: Beautiful Life

ECCO A zero-emissions mobile living solution by NAU | Future Design Series no. 5

2011-11-17T06:41:00.001-08:00

Since their introduction, automobiles have been a source of passion and meanings as individual as their drivers. Today they are often associated with luxury, performance or safety, but the Ecco aims to remind us they can still be about freedom.

Following on the heels of design classics like the Airstream or VW camper van, the Ecco gets passengers to their destination, and becomes a temporary home when they get there. Compact, stylish and aerodynamic while on the road; when it is parked, the Ecco expands to provide a level of space and comfort that its forebearers could only dream of.

The exterior is a harmonious blend of precision aluminum and glass. Its direct and sculptural form cheats the wind while pleasing the eye. While a bit wider than its Volkswagen predecessor, the Ecco’s form is more aerodynamic, and the vehicle rides closer to the ground. The result is vastly improved interior volume, wonderful sight-lines for all passengers, and less wind resistance to boot.

As an all-electric vehicle, the Ecco has no emissions of its own, and can be quickly charged at a standard 240V station. But when used for extended living purposes, even where no electricity is available, its built-in photovoltaic panels and solar sail roof mean that it can cut out the middle man, and charge directly from the sun. The Ecco’s promise: Zero emissions. Zero guilt. Unlimited space to dream.

TECHNICAL

Dimensions

Length: 4.62m

Width: 2.55m

Height: 1.97m

Weight: 1,600kg (3527lbs)

Occupancy: 5 persons

Construction

Envelop: sealed aluminum skin (clearcoat & black lacquer)

Integrated thin-film photovoltaic cellson roof & expansion membrane

Unibody all aluminum chassis

Power

Photovoltaic generation: 1.1kW

Charge time (240V): 8 hours

Electric Motors (combined): 127hp

Source: Behance Network

Lamborghini Sesto Elemento Concept Extremely Light Technology

2011-11-17T02:22:00.001-08:00

“Lamborghini Sixth Element shows how the future of super can be seen,” “extremely light technology, combined with extreme performance and extreme driving enjoyment. We have all the know-how in a special form to create the Sixth Element” says Stephan Winkelmann, CEO of Automobili Lamborghini. “And ‘our knowledge of carbon fiber technology has facilitated the forward-looking concept, and of course also benefit from the expertise of the undisputed lightweight lightweight Audi AG systematic planning is important for the future of super sports cars:. More dynamic performance and low We intend to apply this emissions technology advantage over the entire model range .. the future Lamborghini has been touched by the spirit of the Sixth Element “.

It weighs only 2202 pounds, the Lamborghini Sixth Element is powered by a V10 engine makes 570 hp. This makes it possible to get power to weight ratio of just 1.75 kg per hp and 0-62 mph time of just 2.5 seconds. With incredible power of 570 hp is amazing high power to weight only 1.75 kg per hp and 0 to 100 km / h (0-62 mph) acceleration in just 2.5 seconds Sesto Elemento guarantees unparalleled driving pleasure. At the same time as fuel consumption decreases because of the extreme light technology is used everywhere.
Hi-tech materials visible everywhere. The Sesto Elemento is finished in a coat, a new matte-gloss clear, which means that the structure of carbon fiber can be seen everywhere. But Sesto Elemento is not only black during the final stages of the production of carbon fiber is given a new coat developed and patented. Nano-technology, it is possible to add fine crystals with red tinges. The surface is covered with a kind of red light and finished to give a huge impact. In addition, the surface is very strong.

Minimalist approach is also applied on the inside, from a chair. Lamborghini has dispensed completely with conventional seat structure. In fact, the whole internal structure is defined and obtained directly from Forged Composite tub, on the one hand, plays a functional role and the other is the basis for optimal formed seat cushions, wrapped in high-tech fabric, which is connects directly to a carbon fiber monocoque. The correct ergonomics are provided by the steering wheel that is adjustable in height and depth, and pedals, which can be electrically adjusted longitudinally. Of course, the designers of the Lamborghini Centro Stile is also provided with interior trim in the classic sense. The dominant feature throughout the functional visual CFRP material – on the floor and ceiling of the monocoque, and also in the cabin door and center console.

Even the electronic control units for engines installed in the front of the eye – a very special high-tech aesthetic. Triangular cuts are also presented as a design feature – where the material can be omitted in the interest of weight loss.

Apple iBox is Both a New 7 Inch iPad and Set Top Box

2011-11-16T05:14:00.001-08:00

Straight from ADR Studio, the crew that delivered many Apple concepts now comes the iBox.

The iBox acts as a set top box and a touch device, sporting a 7 inch display and serving as the remote and more for the HDTV you own. Siri allows you to command your TV through the iBox and you can also change channels, record a show, find a movie based on your mood and all of that while interacting with iTunes. iBox also connects to the iPad and iPhone, so you’re able to also place calls through it and even video calls from the TV are enabled via FaceTime.

There’s also the iMove app that teaches gesture commands and gets support from the TV, much like some sort of reworked Kinect. The TV experience controlled by a 7 inch set top box tablet, that unifies the iPhone, iPad and iMac sounds like a pretty good idea, but I guess we’ll have to wait and see if there will be an Apple iTV television set or not, in the end.

 [via ADR Studio]

Floating island home concept in Dubai: Ome

2011-11-15T00:29:00.001-08:00

A floating island home concept has been developed to answer the needs of island owners in Nakheel’s The World project in Dubai. This concept gave birth to another idea. Atoll Floating Islands, a joint venture between Palmerstone and Donald Starkey Designs presented Ome.

Ome is a floating home that is expected to be maneuvered between Dubai’s coast and The World islands. The floating house sits on a monocoque type structure. The design is a combination of styles. It has to be in accordance with the maritime laws and it also has to meet the standards of The World’s developer, Nakheel.

The floating house will offer a 10 m diameter seawater pool, large living areas and five bedrooms. The first Ome house will have a 32m diameter form. Ome will have a sustainable design. The roof will be covered with photovoltaic screens, making it be self powered, comprising every level of energy source: water, light etc.

The structure and design of the Ome floating house is capable of producing approximately 30,000 kW of renewable energy. That means that the energy is more than enough, it can power six households. A facilities management company will provide service and towing support.

Atoll decided to build the Omes on the Dubai mainland and if the houses will gain popularity, the project might extend for builds in Abu Dhabi, Qatar and other island resorts or beach locations all around the world.

[ArabianBusiness]

Inspired by James Bond, ABJ Q business jet packs sophistication and technology

2011-11-14T23:55:00.001-08:00

Falko, a new UK based aviation asset manager, has teamed up with UK’s leading design consultancy Design Q to unveil their latest design- The Avro Business Jet, at the NBAA 2011 Annual Meeting and Convention in Las Vegas. Design Q is already become popular in the aviation circle with its innovative and futuristic aircraft designs. Gary Doy, Director of Design Q launched this new design titled ‘ABJ Q’ stating that James Bond is their inspiration behind this design, and describes the plane as one James Bond would have liked to own. The executive version of the Avro regional jets are named so as a homage to Q, who designs secret gadgets for James Bond.

ABJ Q aims to challenge the preconceived ideology of luxury in a business jet, and has kept in mind the nature of James Bond movies- hidden technology and gadgets. The furniture are designed specifically to emphasize on the technological qualities of the design. Gadgets are hidden within the furniture, and can be accessed when needed. Modified seats replace the traditional look of the seat architecture, made from the most comfortable leather. The sofas have a detachable backrests which adds to the comfort provided.

The controls in the lounge allows the owners to modify the cabin settings according to their own wishes. The bulkheads hides a refreshment centre and hidden monitors. This design, fifth in its series focuses on the office environment, and therefore has a central cabin for an open plan office. The aesthetics of the plane has been planned very carefully, with different types of lighting and focus lights provided according to the ambiance. Flat panel lights promises to give a complete day light environment for work. Security also has been taken care of, with a safe provided to store important documents. This safe can only be accessed through finger print recognition.

Falko and Design Q have also introduced other variants depending upon the needs of different individuals and groups. Thus, this is a groundbreaking concept by Design Q which caters to a wide strata of the society.

Source:http://feeds.feedburner.com/speedlux

BMW unveils new electric and hybrid concept cars

2011-11-14T01:33:00.001-08:00

NEW YORK (AP) — BMW unveiled a pair of concept carsWednesday, one a hybrid and one electric, made of light-weightcarbon fiber and a see-through glass exterior.The cars are expected to go into production within the next two to three years.

The carbon fiber in the i3 city car and i8 sports car significantly reduces the weight of the vehicle and the size of its frame, giving designers more flexibility and creating more interior space for passengers, said Richard Kim, who designed the exteriors of both vehicles.The material, used in the aerospace sector and also for high-end bicycles, is valued for its strength-to-weight ratio. Its uses are expanding, however, and engineers are designing everything from camping equipment to pool cues.For the German automaker, it allowed for more glass where there is traditionally metal, Kim said. The doors of both vehicles are mostly made of glass, along with much of their roofs and tail ends.

BMW said the car offers "superb safety in the event of a collision."

The final product may not appear as dramatic, but will have the same feel as the concept cars, Kim said.

"You may not see as much glass, but you will be able to see the light coming through," Kim said at a sneak peak event Wednesday in New York. The cars officially debut next week at the Los Angeles auto show.

The i3 is expected to go into production in 2013, with production of the i8 following a year later. The cost of the car has yet to be determined, though carbon fiber is not cheap.

The four-door i3 is designed for urban driving, with its wheels pushed out to the corners of the frame for stability. It has coach-style doors, with rear and front doors swinging open at the center of the vehicle.

The added stability of carbon fiber allowed designers to eliminate the support pillar traditionally found between the front and back doors, which will make it making it easier to enter and exit the vehicle, Kim said.

The i3 comes in an all-electric version that can go 80 to 100 miles on a single charge, but buyers have the option of adding a small gas engine that would recharge the battery if needed. It takes about six hours to fully charge the battery.

The sporty i8 has two winged doors made of glass and a sleek silhouette. The exterior is designed to help the car cut through the air more efficiently.

The all-wheel drive car has a battery and a gas engine that work together, with the battery powering the front wheels and a gas engine powering the rear wheels. Without the gas engine, the car has a range of about 20 miles, but fully charges in less than two hours.

Source: yahoo news

Arman 90m Explorer yacht concept

2011-11-13T06:13:00.000-08:00

Arman, a newly established Belgian marine design studio, presents its new 90 meter superyacht concept, also known under the codename “Dune 90″. Arman Fissette, a founder of the studio and a creator of the unique Arman 90m Explorer motor yacht concept ‘Dune 90′, describes the process that transform his extraordinary ideas into this visually stimulating design.

To celebrate the creation of his own design studio “ARMAN”, former BMW designer and marine envisioneer Arman Fissette created an innovative and visionary design style with a more monolithic approach to superyacht design. The result is a truly charismatic yacht, Arman 90m Explorer yacht taking inspiration from stealth frigates and swerving dunes, boasting a crispness and leanness that is rare for a yacht of this size.

With 90 meter bow to stern, The DUNE 90 superyacht is a true explorer yacht, equipped for any type of trip, be it on water, land or in the air, in both high-latitude or low-latitude cruising grounds. There’s a helicopter hangar aboard, together with berths for a submarine, an amphibious aircraft, three large tenders, six waverunners and a garage containing four off-road vehicles. While 10 Guest cabins and an owner’s cabin provide enough space to sleep 22, there’s an additional 28 crew aboard to run the yacht and cater to the needs of those aboard.

The upper decks are covered by a large glass atrium with arabesque-type light filters to retain a sense of privacy while natural light is allowed in and heat is kept out.

The swimming pool on the foredeck is partially overhung by the owner’s salon which features a large glass facade, called the” visor”. This feature clearly marks the “Dune 90″ superyacht’s inclination towards exploration, as if it were looking out for new things on the horizon.

The team behind this yacht is currently designing a 75 meter yacht concept and going through a yard selection process for both projects.

Arman “Dune 90″ explorer yacht concept´s specification sheet

Concept and Design: Arman Fissette

Length overall (LOA): 90.00 m

Length water line (LWL): 85.00 m

Molded Beam: 15.00 m

Design Draft: 4.20 m

Displacement @ half load 2919 tons

Displacement @ full load 3180 tons

Gross Tonnage: 3182 GT

Max Speed: 17.00 knots

Cruise Speed: 14.00 knots

Range at Cruise Speed: 11000 n.miles

Main Generators : 2x CATERPILLAR 3516B @ 1800rpm, 1825 ekW
1x CATERPILLAR 3512B @ 1800rpm, 1360 ekW

Aux. Generators: 2x CATERPILLAR 3408C, 370 ekW three phase, 1x CATERPILLAR 3306B 145 ekW

Evolve Motorcycles launch Xenon light bike

2011-11-12T09:24:00.000-08:00

Evolve Motorcycles may very well be the youngest company at the Milan International Motorcycle Show (EICMA) this week, but its booth is getting outsized attention from the gathered throngs. Why? We'll give you a hint. It has a pair of 32-inch hub-less wheels with strips of OLED light tape that carve their way down its length and encircles those magic-looking hoops.

Yes, they have the Tron Lightcycle replica that was created by their associates, Parker Brothers Choppers, and it is in their booth not just because they were responsible for its electric drivetrain and integration. Now dubbed Xenon – every Evolve model shares its name with an element – this $50,000 futuristic flight of light-bike fancy will now occupy a spot at the top of a growing lineup that currently consists of a trio of nice, moderately-priced scooters.

Evolve Motorcycles launch Xenon light bike and reveal Lithium, an electric streetfighter concept originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 11 Nov 2011 09:58:00 EST

Saudis Set to Build Kingdom Tower, Soon to be The World's Tallest Building

2011-11-12T06:40:00.001-08:00

Kingdom Tower Adrian Smith & Gordon Gill Architecture

Saudi Arabia knows how to keep up with the Joneses. The Burj Khalifa in Dubai has officially been the world’s tallest building since its opening early last year, but by 2016-ish Saudi Arabia plans to let the UAE know exactly who the big brother is on the Arabian Peninsula.
The Saudis have inked a deal between the Kingdom’s holdings company and a certain Bin Laden Group to build the world’s tallest building, an elegant yet extreme tower that will rise 3,281 feet above the streets of Jeddah.For reference, the Burj peaks at just above 2,700 feet. The tallest tower in the U.S., the Willis Tower in Chicago (formerly the Sears Tower), will be less than half as tall as the Saudis’ appropriately-named Kingdom Tower. Designed by Chicago-based Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill (Sm
ith also designed the Burj), its three-petal shape is inspired by that of local desert flora, a visual metaphor for growth in the desert.That’s romantic and all, but we’re far more blown away by the jaw-dropping 5.38 million square feet of interior space and the main draw: an observation deck on the 157th floor. Total cost: $1.23 billion. Just another drop in the bucket for the oil-rich Saudi government/family, which will plunge a total of $20 billion into the development in Jeddah where the Kingdom Tower will take center stage.

With new contracts come new images; click through above to see what the Burj-beating Kingdom Tower will look like.

[WSJ, Fast Co. Design]

Johnny Walker and Porsche Design Studio collaborate on a special Blue Label series

2011-11-12T02:44:00.001-08:00

Porsche Design Studio and Johnnie Walker with their exclusive Blue Label scotch collection teamed together and have brought this futuristic and stylish indoor private bar that was only within reach of the creepy sci-fi movie characters

But the pièce de résistance of this collection has to be the Private Bar. Crafted from brushed stainless steel, natural shagreen leather and Australian lace wood, the Private Bar is a 6.5 foot tower that uses state of the art motion sensors to activate its automated opening sequence. Once opened, sections of the Private Bar pivot and slide to display a host of features. Just a few of the amenities that come with this stunning bar are a magnum of cask strength Johnnie Walker Blue Label with exterior detailing by Porsche Design Studio; two bottles of Johnnie Walker Blue Label and four crystal glasses. Once the bar is open, press a discretely styled button to open up a hidden chilled compartment. Inside this compartment, you’ll find a bespoke crystal ice bucket, stainless steel tongs, four further crystal glasses and a crystal jug of iced water.

The Johnnie Walker Blue Label Collection by Porsche Design Studio is pretty pricey. The Chiller retails for £240 ($375) and The Cube costs £490 ($770) through a selection of high-end retailers in London. If you want to get your hands on the Private Bar, you’ll have to special order it for about $150,000 (and only 50 are being made).

Honda Small Sports EV Concept to Debut in Tokyo

2011-11-11T06:45:00.001-08:00

Honda has given us a preview of what it's going to be bringing to the Tokyo Motor Show in December, the Small Sports EV concept.

According to Honda the Small Sports EV concept is a next-generation EV sports model that "maximizes the fun of driving while achieving excellent environmental performance." Honda hasn't released any other details about the concept other than the teaser photos you see here.

Could this be a preview of a new "sporty" Honda? We can only hope...

Nokia Twist Concept is a Phone, Not a Surfboard

2011-11-11T00:45:00.001-08:00

Concept devices are cool in that they show what some people thing the future of products might be like. Generally, the concept is something that will never come to market and is just a flight of fancy. This Nokia Twist concept is just such a product that will likely never see stores, or at least not any time soon.
The Nokia Twist smartphone concept looks like a pool toy or surfboard to me. It could also be a gel insole for your shoes. The concept comes from Nokia Design and Nokia Research and was designed as an exploration of the promise of nanotechnology. I’m not sure how nanotech would be used to contort your phone into different shapes, though.

It appears that the device can be twisted and flexed to perform different actions, and it would have a flexible see-through touchscreen display. There is a ton of research going into flexible electronics today, so who knows if 10 or 20 years from now our smartphones might look like this. Check out the video below to see what Nokia is up to with the Twist.

Mobile phone from Porsche and BlackBerry

2011-11-10T07:21:00.000-08:00

BlackBerry mobile phones produced by RIM – devices designed for the business audience. They are practical, ergonomic and quite expensive. And in the near future they will become even more expensive. At least, that of the model BlackBerry, which is made in collaboration with Porsche.
And yet, this “miracle” came to light! And it happened in cooperation of Porsche and RIM. Mobile BlackBerry Porsche Design P’9981 was presented recently by RIM (Research in Motion). As expected, it is a smartphone running OS BlackBerry OS 7.
The case phone BlackBerry Porsche Design P’9981 is made of stainless steel, but the battery cover is covered in leather. This device has a thickness of 11.3 millimeters! It weighs 155 grams.
In the mobile phone BlackBerry Porsche Design P’9981 built camera with a resolution of 5 megapixels, with which it is possible to shoot video 720p. The processor of this phone has a clock frequency of 1.2 gigahertz. BlackBerry Porsche Design P’9981 has 768 gigabytes of RAM and 8GB of internal flash memory. If desired, the latter can be expanded with microSD cards. Among the other technical characteristics of the device can mention GPS and Wi-Fi, as well as an accelerometer and a magnetometer.
As expected, the mobile phone BlackBerry Porsche Design P’9981 will be available later this year. According to rumors, the cost will be about 2,000 U.S. dollars. It will be released in limited quantities.