“The brain is a category buster.”
-Elizabeth Phelps, American Cognitive Scientist,
2007
GRAVITY FREE is a truly unique multidiscipline design conference. Each year we pick a theme. Then we select 22 of the most passionate designers, design thinkers and innovators on the planet from 20 different design disciplines to help us explore the theme. The result: an experience like none other—a remarkable cross-fertilization of ideas and inspiration that only happens when such a remarkable variety of design influences interact.
GRAVITY FREE covers the waterfront of creative disciplines. Speakers come from architecture, retail display, storytelling, experiential environments, urban planning, customer experience, product design, information architecture, exhibit design, aerospace, interior design, theme environments, production design, illusion, molecular gastronomy, automotive design, technology and media, museum design, brand management… in fact, ANY area that offers something new and important. No break out sessions. Everyone has the same experience. (more…)
The biennial Art Center Design Conference is a three-day international gathering of entrepreneurs, thought leaders, and innovators from many fields and disciplines. The 2008 Conference, Serious Play, will explore the essential role of play in business, the arts, science, storytelling, technology, and more.
May 7-9, 2008 Art Center College of Design, South Campus, Pasedena, California, USA
Here’s one electric vehicle where limited range no longer seems unpalatable. Designed and built in China by a company called Axle Corporation, the EV-X7 is driven by an electric wheel hub motor and has a top speed of 93 mph. This, of course, is a snail’s pace compared to modern motorcycles, but then again, this doesn’t burn an ounce of fossil fuel. It also looks like something the police force in Minority Report would patrol the suburbs with, were it painted black. (more…)
Simple idea that seems so obvious after it becomes available. A portable power source for your mobile devices.
Charge the Powerstick from any USB port anywhere, anytime; free yourself from wall sockets, converters, adapters and chargers. Travel overseas without converters or need for a power outlet.
Handy handy handy!
“Simplicity drives the purpose and form of the Ecosol Powerstick, . . . the Powerstick is ultra-portable . . . monitoring the Powerstick’s energy status is a breeze.” Core 77 via Powerstick
What do these two bikes have in common? Two wheels? We can feel the love.
Designer Roland Kaufmann has gone and built a bicycle out of wood. He calls this cycle Jano, and says it’s a dual bike, equally at home trekking cross-country or taking its rider to and from work every day. This project has gone beyond some vaporware CAD drawing—he’s actually built a great-looking prototype, riding this bike around and impressing everyone in sight. Although Kaufmann never reveals the exact weight of his wooden bike, he extols the virtues of using wood which is pretty innovative. Why wood?
“Did you know that wood is up to 10 times stiffer than fiberglass and nearly 6 times stiffer than a kevlar/epoxy composite? Using wood and epoxy industry created some of the world’s best multi-hulled sailboats, sprint kayaks and rowing shells. lightweights. Quicker in acceleration. Easier in maneuvering. More convenient to carry. Straightforward to maintain and visually divine. A swan among ducks. So why not also using this material for a bike?”
He uses wood veneers glued together into a unique configuration, which he says gives the resulting frame more stability while still reducing its thickness. Cyclists, will this work? Sure looks great, an example of superb craftsmanship.
via GP Designpartners, Treehugger, and gizmodo
about ron kovach
Italdesign Ggiugiao Quaranta concept powered by Toyota Hybrid Synergy drive
Uncompromising innovation in Giugiaro tradition
An ‘extreme’, clean-technology project embodying 40 years of styling research and engineering celebrated by Italdesign Giugiaro in Geneva
The ‘Quaranta’ project is a concept car designed to celebrate Italdesign Giugiaro’s forty years of business in styling and technological research at the service of the automotive sector. The Quaranta, world-premiered at the 2008 Geneva International Motor Show, is a synthesis of Italdesign Giugiaro’s unmatched experience of automotive design: from city cars to super sports-cars, from MPVs to medium-engined saloons up to and including luxury flagships and environment-friendly SUV, not to mention light/heavy duty commercial vehicles, in complete cooperation with leading manufacturers all over the world. (more…)
The entire Yahoo Design Innovation Team, aka yHaus, has been axed en masse, Portfolio.com has confirmed with one of the team’s former members.
“Yahoo Design Innovation team has been shut down completely,” wrote Doug Fritz, a former full-time staffer for the team, in an email.
The team had been working on next generation design projects. This week, more than 1,000 Yahoo employees have been let go as the troubled Web portal struggles to cope with operating costs that are rising much faster than revenue is growing.
The layoffs mean the end of a font of design innovation at the beleaguered web giant, which is currently trying to fend off a hostile takeover bid by Microsoft. (more…)
