design – Page 126 – DesignApplause

Christopher Conte. Bio sculpture.

Sep 11, 2008

Robots. A very interesting topic. DA recently showcased a sewer inspector, the world’s most powerful per the manufacturer, a very practical solution. But what about robotics that inspire art? An example: Christopher Conte. By day posing as a designer of prosthetics and making artificial limbs for amputees in New York. At night and on weekends(?) creator of science fiction-like, futuristic sculptures. The artist – designer’s background of human anatomy, medical science, and biomechanics meld into robot-like creature art objects. Objects that inspire.

Recently he joined the stable of artist rep Les Barony to commercialize his art. Here’s to provoking innovation, adventure, the “non – practical” pursuit of solutions.

His work has been recently covered in Wired, Popular Science, Make Magazine, and used by The Discovery Channel and MTV Networks.

For more on Christopher Conte and his work, take a break and visit him here.

If you are into robots and want to see them live in Chicago visit Nextfest seen at Millennium Park September 27 – October 12, 2008

via .think and dark matter magazine

Nau is back.

Sep 9, 2008

On May 2, 2008, Nau announced that it was closing shop. The reason? They could not get financing to continue operations. If you don’t know who Nau is, they’re a uniquely new business—selling eco-friendly clothes with a unique business model: brick and mortar stores that displayed examples of their product but the purchases were online.

Ironically last August 06 when they launched, as a groundswell of environmental consciousness grew the economic capital markets were collapsing.

The latest as of September 8, 2008: The Road to Relaunch – Part 5

Who is Nau? In their own words…
Who are we and what are we trying to do here?
Good question. Nau is an outdoor apparel company born out of a desire to do business differently. From designing our clothes and developing our fabrics, to the way in which we build our stores, to our dedication to supporting organizations working for positive change, we are striving towards a more sustainable approach to being in business. At the core of our enterprise is the desire to expand the nature of the outdoor experience beyond athletic endeavors, and redefine what it means to align oneself with the outdoors.

We believe in the power of the collective, and we seek to turn that power towards the goal of positive change, in a variety of forms. Basically, we like to learn. And nothing furthers learning more than listening. So we’d like to listen to the people whose opinions we respect—like yours. We’re pretty sure there are a lot more folks like us out there—concerned, inquisitive people, looking for engaging, challenging and potentially transformative dialogue.

Puma. Endangered species.

Sep 5, 2008

We are alerted: World Animal Day is October 4. This post celebrates environment, design, fashion, and animals used in marketing efforts.

Here we feature a collaboration between Puma and Atmos NY, which consists of three pairs of Puma models inspired by three endangered
polar animals: the Harp Seal, Macaroni Penguin and Polar Bear. Each sneaker has its own unique design, but comes with the works of National Geographic photographer Mitsuaki Iwago featured on it, as well as a transparent outsole.

Each shoe in the collection captures the unique characteristics of a specific animal, and features Mr. Iwago’s photography on the removable insole. The name and habitat of each animal is on the reverse tongue and the outsole in both English and Japanese. The shoes were created in hopes of bringing attention to our impact on these endangered animals.

The third shoe shown in the Polar Pack is the PUMA x Atmos Polar Bear Clyde. Drawing direct inspiration from the polar bears of the Artic the shoe features an off white nubuck upper and fur collar, while the blue ice sole represents the Polar Bear’s natural habitat. The shoe comes with three sets of colored laces and have the Atmos “A” on the lace tips and heel. The Polar Bear is currently ranked as vulnerable and is considered to be facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.

Found exclusively at Atmos as June 2008. via Pet Monologues —World Animal Day and Bless the Animals.

Envirosight SuperVision 250.

Sep 4, 2008

“A sewer worker is like a brain surgeon. We’re both specialists.” —Ed Norton, The Honeymooners.

Ed’s fingernails would be a lot cleaner if this robotic sewer “crawler” existed. Though not an object of beauty this robot is designed to go where you would rather not. It’s estimated that 850 billion gallons of sewer and storm water leaking into watersheds around the country every year. With the Environmental Protection Agency cracking down on cracked pipes the SuperVision 250 submerges to the occasion.

Placed in pipes 10 to 72 inches in diameter, this little robot will track down splits, debris, corrosion, and breaks. Operators can watch the video feed from the 10X optical-zoom autofocus camera and use a joystick to pan and tilt. A ring of high-intensity, shadowless LEDs illuminates the scene; dual lasers help size up defects. A sapphire window shields the camera lens, while hardened stainless steel parts protect the crawler from the harsh sewer environment. And thanks to an ultrathin, Kevlar-reinforced tether (sorry, no wireless), the bot can crawl up to 1,640 feet through even heavily obstructed pipes. Just make sure to hose it off when it comes back.

The manufacturer claims it to be the Most Intelligent Crawler Ever is Also the Most Powerful. SuperVision sets a new standard for video inspection crawlers, integrating a host of innovations such as PipeBus, a communications protocol that allows for lighter cable and longer runs, as well as a zoom camera option, onboard diagnostics and the most sophisticated control console ever designed for a crawler. Like Envirosight’s ROVVER crawler, SuperVision boasts a modular design that lets you swap out camera heads, auxiliary lamps and wheels to meet the demands of the inspection at hand. And with a choice of cable reels, control units and pendants, you can build the system that best suits your working style.

Aluminum and stainless steel body, 6 wheel steerable drive and electrical clutch. For diameters from 10 in to 78 in. Includes 2 sets of additional wheels and Solarc auxiliary lights.

Details
# Kevlar-reinforced cable weighs 20% what others do, allowing SuperVision to travel much further into pipe.
# Zoom camera head with high-powered lamp array further extends effective inspection distance.
# Onboard intelligence speeds diagnosis and supports virtually any combination of auxiliary sensors and end effectors.
# Fully automatic reel pays out and retracts cable, preventing crawler tangles and jams.
# Interchangeable wheels, lamps and cameras adapt crawler to any size pipe.
# Adjustable-height camera (SV250) rises above debris and water, centering view in pipe.

Producer:Envirosight

Mr. Impossible. The chair.

Sep 4, 2008

Phillipe Starck’s latest — a plastic chair — earned it’s name on the first sketch. Mr. Impossible. The designer said it couldn’t be made. The challenge being the weld. Using existing methods to weld the seat and the legs would create an unsightly seam. Kartell’s engineers had to go the blue water route. The key, a very big laser.

The Kartell store in New York recently exhibited Mr. Impossible, a series of chairs by Philippe Starck. While the design for Mr. Impossible was conceived years ago, the technology needed to weld two transparent shells together did not exist until recently. Also on display was Starck’s Misses Flower Power, a collection of large-scale prototype vases made from transparent polycarbonate. (more…)

Puma glo rider.

Jun 26, 2008

This Spring PUMA® introduces the PUMA GLOW RIDER, the third edition of the PUMA bike. Possessing the quintessential PUMA characteristics of fun and functionality, the new model distinguishes itself through the unique glow in the dark frame. The bike is part of PUMA Urban Mobility, a collection created with the needs of a city dweller in mind, comprising apparel, accessories and footwear.

The night glow effect paint used on the steel frame of the bike collects the sunrays during the day, and gives this light off when darkness has fallen, in the form of a beautiful glow, lasting for several hours. Remember those night glow stars on your bedroom ceiling when you were small?

With this quirky glowing frame, which asserts higher visibility by night and a unique outer appearance, urban commuters can express their personal style and feel safe at the same time. (more…)

Zeppelin. iPod. Art. HD radio.

Jun 23, 2008

Less about breaking news and more about affirmation: The Zeppelin iPod dock from Bowers and Wilkins not only looks good from across the room and CU, but the music is consistent with the manufacturer’s reputable sound.

First seen almost a year ago but did not mess with it until killing time in an Apple store last week. If you like modern, minimal, music, and have an iPod, this is worth a peek. It will set you back $600 USA but you get design, music, and art.
What’s HD radio? (more…)

Hardcore Finnish design.

Jun 23, 2008

It’s summer in our hemisphere. Long days. Warm weather. Spending more time outdoors. Here is a innovative product that you make yourself at the beach or on a picnic — the cutlery! What fun!
The cutlery (Do!) and an extension cord (Thrush-In) that stores nicely in its own felt container is designed by Arihiro Miyake. The utensils are fashioned by hand and you also make that fashion statement. The designer labels the cutlery disposable but we propose the environmental statement. Throw them in the dishwasher!.

These are just some of the items found in New York mid-May. The main draw was the International Contemporary Furniture Fair at the Javits Center, but there were many off-site events to go to. One was the Hardcore Finnish Design exhibit featuring 20-plus Finnish designers. (more…)

Sexy green car show. 2008

May 30, 2008

The world’s first eco car show opened at the Eden Project in the UK last week. Let’s discover which type of green motor we’re most likely to be driving in the future.

Love them or hate them, cars are not going away. But road transport accounts for a fifth of our carbon dioxide emissions in the UK, so it’s time to transform the way we buy and use them.

The good news is that in the UK the government’s King Review of transport tells us we can reduce road transport CO2 emissions by a massive 80% by 2050 if we start buying the right vehicles now and take our old bangers off the roads. Now, the technology is out there and our Sexy Green Car Show brings it to you.

Traditionally, environmental organizations have not had much to say about cars, except to try and persuade people not to use them. But at Eden, based in rural Cornwall, people are acutely aware of a dependence on cars. For many it’s just not practical or affordable to travel another way. (more…)

iPhone. 2008 Creativity Award.

May 28, 2008

In a highly extraordinary example of creativity and high-design, the iPhone captures the 2008 Creativity Awards Grand Prize Winner. Why so unusual? This event is judged by the advertising community where ad campaigns and 30-second spots typically rule.

A POV from one of the judges: “The iPhone. Iconic design or iconic brand? Simply put Apple leads the way as an iconic brand, but importantly it uses iconic design to express this in everything it does. People often confuse the two, but Apple has both, and this is what makes it connect with niche emotional intensity to a mass global market. (more…)