Walking aid for the elderly comes with a box for carrying their furry friends

Humans seem to be wired to be social animals, and that is sometimes a difficult problem for certain people. Loneliness affects everyone, but the pain can become more acute for people who are more advanced in age and who find it hard to develop new relationships because of limits to their mobility. Pets have become a solution for some of the elderly folk, but that, too, comes with its own puzzles to solve. People advanced in age are often advised to still go outside as long as they are able to, but they are hesitant to leave their furry friends at home as well. Solving multiple related problems can be a daunting task, but this walker concept pulls it off in a way that is both simple and effective.

Designer: Feng Chang

There are definitely plenty of walking aid designs, some even serving multiple functions. Some are just a step above crutches that you have to lift to move forward, while others come with wheels that increase mobility at the expense of some stability. Some come with small seats for the user, and others have baskets to hold their things. This particular walker concept combines some of these to present a more agile yet safe aid that has room for your pet when you go out.

The most conspicuous part of this walker is the large box that serves as your pet’s mobile home. You can simply slide the door on top to let the little furry friend in or out, or you can keep it close so that they don’t jump out suddenly. Of course, there are vents that allow the pet to breathe easily while comfortably confined in there.

The walking aid itself has a few aspects that help it rise about common designs. The handle, for example, travels in almost all directions, giving the user the freedom to grip it any way they prefer. There’s a brake button underneath the handlebar that will prevent the user from falling over or sliding. The front wheels also have LED lights above them that can be recharged via a USB-C slot on the opposite side, offering additional safety, especially in darker areas.

This walking aid concept hits two birds with one well-designed stone to help make elderly lives a bit more enjoyable and meaningful. It offers a convenient way for them to bring their beloved pets with them for a walk while also providing mobility and safety for themselves. And while the walker is primarily designed for very old people, anyone with limited mobility and a small pet can still benefit from this idea, at least if it ever becomes a real product.

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Coil + Drift opens lighting studio and showroom in the Catskills

A dog laying on a rug at the Coil + Drift showroom

Lighting studio Coil + Drift has opened an office, showroom and production facility in the Catskill Mountains of Upstate New York that places modern elements in a barn-like building.

Coil + Drift founder John Sorensen-Jolink, who relocated to the area in 2021, has created a new home for his brand in a barn-like structure surrounded by nature.

Furniture arranged on raised platforms across the showroom
Coil + Drift’s new space in the Catskills showcases the brand’s products

“By relocating their queer-owned design business to the countryside, Coil + Drift is sparking a visceral conversation between people in a thriving rural creative community about how what we make defines who we are,” said the studio.

The building encompasses 3,000 square feet (280 square metres) and boasts tall ceilings, which are painted white along with its plywood-panelled walls.

Glass-topped metal desk positioned on a brown rug
The showroom includes an office space, defined by a chocolate-brown rug

The space is divided between a combined office and showroom, and a production facility where an in-house team now creates all of the company’s lighting designs.

In one corner of the showroom sits a black wood-burning stove, with a flue that extends through the roof, next to a pile of chopped logs used to fuel it.

Wood table on a plinth with brass light above
Furniture is displayed on stepped plinths, accompanied by lighting above

Chocolate-brown area rugs contrast the pale concrete floors, defining the entrance, the office space and a spot by the fire in lieu of walls or partitions.

Plinths are used to raise furniture designs, arranged in styled vignettes along with lighting, plants and small accessories.

More objects are displayed on wooden shelves of varying lengths, held up at different heights on thin golden rods.

Industrial-looking metal and glass doors mounted on rolling tracks separate the showroom from the workshop, which is located in an adjoining room.

Daybed presented on a raised plinth
The showroom features a white ceiling and walls, and a pale concrete floor

On show are several new additions to popular Coil + Drift collections, such as a floor version of the Yama table lamp and a “mobile-like” chandelier that joins the Atlas series.

Also to coincide with its move and expansion, the company has launched a trade-focused online platform for its products.

Wide shot of the showroom with yellow chair in the foreground
The building also houses a production facility behind industrial-style doors

Coil + Drift’s previous projects have included styling a townhouse in Brooklyn’s Prospect Heights neighbourhood for Hatchet Design.

Sorensen-Jolink, a former dancer, is one of many creatives that moved from New York City to nearby rural areas, either during or following the Covid-19 pandemic.

Exterior view of the Coil + Drift showroom facing the door
Coil + Drift founder John Sorensen-Jolink relocated to the Catskills in 2021 before opening the new studio

Upstate New York, and particularly the Hudson Valley and Catskills area, was already growing in popularity as a destination for artists and designers before the lockdowns, thanks to its reputation for vintage furniture shopping and art institutions.

Then low property prices and high demand for space and fresh air sparked an exodus to the region, when many bought second homes or relocated permanently.

The photography is by Zach Hyman.

The post Coil + Drift opens lighting studio and showroom in the Catskills appeared first on Dezeen.

Link About It: This Week’s Picks

Volcanoes on Venus, the history of reggaeton, gravity-free drinking in space and more from around the web

The First Complete Map of an Insect Brain

A team led by John Hopkins University and the University of Cambridge have completed the most expansive map of a brain to date. The diagram, which traces every neuron and connection of a larval fruit fly (whose biology is comparable with humans), took 12 years to map and is expected to inform future brain research. To survey the brain, scientists sliced it into hundreds and thousands of tissue samples, imaging each one to reconstruct an accurate portrait—a process which takes about a day per neuron. Afterward, the team spent three years developing code (which is available for public use) that can analyze the brain’s connectivity. “If we want to understand who we are and how we think, part of that is understanding the mechanism of thought,” says Joshua T Vogelstein, a Johns Hopkins biomedical engineer and one of the authors of the study. “And the key to that is knowing how neurons connect with each other.” Learn more at The Hub.

Image courtesy of John Hopkins University/University of Cambridge

NASA’s Space Cup Holds Liquids Without Gravity

Drinking in space is typically tricky, as liquids separate into droplets without Earth’s gravitational pull. However, researchers at NASA have devised a way to drink from an open-top cup without gravity or a straw. The Space Cup, part of NASA’s Capillary Flow Experiment, combines cup geometry and fluid dynamics to allow astronauts to sip liquids as if on Earth. Designed by astronaut Don Pettit, physicist Mark Weislogel and mathematicians Paul Concus and Robert Finns, the cup features channels that run throughout, including from the bottom to its rim. As liquid is piped into the container, it flows into the channels and builds near the bottom of the vessel through capillary action—a property found in liquids that occurs because water has a sticky quality that allows it to bind together. When astronauts sip from the cup, the liquid is drawn to their mouths which dictates the quantity of liquid consumed. Learn more about the innovative design and view it in action at Mashable.

Image courtesy of NASA

Puerto Rican Reggaeton’s First-Ever Digital Archive

The musical genre of reggaeton (oftentimes diminished as misogynistic and repetitive) has a history and impact that’s largely remained unexplored, until recently. In 2019, Patricia Velázquez created the Hasta ‘Bajo Project, the first digital archive dedicated to Puerto Rican reggaeton. The catalog explores the significance of the genre to the island, revealing how its emergence in the ’80s came out of low-income and marginalized neighborhoods. The early style confronted these socio-economic conditions and gave a street-level view of what was happening in Puerto Rico. Through the fan-collected archive assembly process, a greater appreciation for women’s impact within the genre is also rising to attention. Now, Velázquez is collecting physical objects with the hope of creating a museum dedicated to the genre. Learn more at NPR.

Image courtesy of Ivy Queen

New Findings Prove Venus Is Volcanically Active

Scientists have long sought out data to support the belief that Venus is volcanically alive. The planet’s unique atmosphere has made this quest challenging, as noxious clouds prevent visibility and the dangerously hot surface means any spacecraft that touches down can survive there for two hours maximum. Many did not expect to find this evidence until 2030 when two cutting edge spacecrafts—NASA’s VERITAS and the European Space Agency’s EnVision—are set to touch down, but new findings from NASA’s 1991 Magellan spacecraft have provided a surprising breakthrough. “Recorded memories” from the spacecraft show a vent on Venus changing shape, expanding and overflowing with molten rock. This discovery suggests that the planet’s pre-existing and vast bodies of water were vaporized long ago by apocalyptic eruptions caused by changes in climate. As Earth’s “twin” planet, the findings will help inform scientists’ understanding of the fates of both worlds. Learn more at National Geographic.

Image courtesy of NASA/JPL

Reusing Old Electric Vehicle Batteries to Power Cities

When some electric vehicle batteries near the end of their life, they get recycled through a smelting method that emits chemicals into the air. As an alternative, the European Union’s Interreg North-West Europe Programme and the British company Connected Energy have come together to create a circular economy in Nottingham, England, powered by old EV batteries. Dubbed E-STOR, this energy storage system features 40 two-way electric vehicle chargers that are connected to solar panels and hubs containing 24 old batteries. For each of these hubs, up to 300kW of power (enough to provide energy to 12 homes) can be extracted. The city sends this energy, combined with solar-generated power, into the national grid during peak hours to reduce stress on the grid. Learn more about the project at Reasons to be Cheerful.

Image courtesy of Connected Energy 

“Cosmic Concrete” Could Be Used to Build Habitats on Mars

Scientists at the University of Manchester have succeeded in creating a building material that can be used for construction on Mars. This “cosmic concrete,” called StarCrete, is made up of potato starch and salt that, when mixed with dust from Mars, forms a material twice as strong as regular concrete. It’s an efficient and viable recipe, as 55 pounds of potatoes could create half a metric ton of StarCrete, aka 213 bricks. “Since we will be producing starch as food for astronauts, it made sense to look at that as a binding agent rather than human blood. Also, current building technologies still need many years of development and require considerable energy and additional heavy processing equipment which all add cost and complexity to a mission. StarCrete doesn’t need any of this and so it simplifies the mission and makes it cheaper and more feasible,” says lead researcher Dr Aled Roberts. Learn more about the innovative material, which can also be used as on Earth, at Interesting Engineering.

Image courtesy of Dr Aled Roberts

Link About It is our filtered look at the web, shared daily in Link and on social media, and rounded up every Saturday morning. Hero image courtesy of NASA/JPL

This BMW M1 redesign brings the iconic supercar into the modern age with a cutting-edge aesthetic

Touted as one of the rarest models BMW has ever built, the M1 is the German marque’s sole supercar dating back to the 70s. It hasn’t been recreated since, and BMW pretty much never made a supercar again (whether the i8 classifies as one remains a big debate), but designer Grimaud Gervex decided to give the good ol’ M1 a contemporary facelift. Following the M1’s template but consciously opting for sharper lines, tighter curves, and an overall meaner aesthetic, the redesigned BMW M1 looks right out of a sci-fi graphic novel, with an overall futuristic flavor that’s still somehow innately BMW.

Designer: Grimaud Gervex

The car’s silhouette and especially its front are unmistakably inspired by the M1’s wedge-shaped design and slick, cutting-edge front. Unlike its predecessor, however, the M1 redesign doesn’t have pop-up headlights but instead relies on two LED strips on the front that serve as headlights, along with a minimalist, glowing BMW logo. Très futuristic.

Yet another detail to go missing, or rather to evolve into something else, is BMW’s signature kidney grilles. While one can only assume that this M1 redesign concept is electric, Grimaud decided to merge the grilles right into the air intakes around the headlights. They’re still there, but in a way that feels more visually present than the significantly tinier grilles on the original M1.

The LED-strip headlights are complemented by a similar-looking set of indicators right in front of the wheels.

The rest of the redesigned M1 cleverly balances traditional details with creative futurism. The renewed design comes with the same black line cutting right through the side of the car, giving it a sense of speed and forward-moving dynamism, and there’s some similarity in the quarter-window’s design too. The rear windscreen also houses the same slatted grille as the original M1… however the entire rear feels like a complete visual overhaul, with a piercingly slim taillight that runs around the edge of the rectangular backside of the car. While the original had two BMW logos above each taillight, the redesign instead has the embossed initials BMW on the metal plate.

What really makes the new M1 feel futuristic is its design and surface treatment. You’ve got a lighter, tighter form factor with razor-sharp edges and extremely thin parting lines between panels, resulting in a seamlessness that looks nothing like production cars from decades ago. The body kit gives the M1 a more low-hanging personality with a much lower ground clearance as compared to the original M1. I don’t know how to feel about that metallic paint job because, between the DeLorean, Cybertruck, IONIQ concepts, and a few other modern cars, it feels a little overdone. Maybe a white with blue accents instead?

The post This BMW M1 redesign brings the iconic supercar into the modern age with a cutting-edge aesthetic first appeared on Yanko Design.

Caspar Schols creates reconfigurable Cabin Anna in Dutch park

Aerial view of Cabin Anna in the Netherlands by Caspar Schols

Architectural designer Caspar Schols has created a modular cabin at the De Biesbosch National Park in the Netherlands, incorporating sliding walls that allow it to be opened up to the elements.

It is the latest iteration of the flatpack Cabin Anna model, which Schols first developed in 2016 as a prototype garden room for his mother, next to a pond at her Eindhoven home.

Aerial view of Cabin Anna in the Netherlands by Caspar Schols
Caspar Schols has created the modular Cabin Anna in the Netherlands

Following the success of the original design, it was developed into a series of commercially available flatpack cabin structures that could be used as dwellings and workspaces.

The cabin in De Biesbosch National Park has been configured for use as a small home, with ground floor and mezzanine sleeping areas, a bathroom with an in-floor tub, an outdoor shower and a kitchen.

Wooden cabin at the De Biesbosch National Park
It is located at the De Biesbosch National Park

As with previous versions of the Cabin Anna, the latest iteration combines gabled sections of wood, metal and glass that are mounted on sliders.

The sliders are built into a wooden platform and allow the cabin’s form to be reconfigured, mediating the connection to the outdoors.

Open interior of Cabin Anna by Caspar Schols
It can be completely opened out to the elements

“In wintertime, Anna’s insulated wooden shell keeps the warmth inside like a thick winter coat,” said Schols.

“In spring or autumn, the glass keeps the rain outside or lets the sun in to warm up the space,” he continued. “If it warms you up too much, you can either slide and close the wooden layer to block the warming sun or slide the glass layer open to let a cool wind enter.”

Woman sliding walls of Cabin Anna in the Netherlands by Caspar Schols
Occupants can slide its walls manually

Cabin Anna forms part of a wider series called the Anna Collection, which is limited to ten structures for which Schols will personally supervise the construction.

The sliders are all manually operated, which the designer sees as being integral to the cabin’s concept of giving its residents a feeling of closeness to their surroundings.

“We don’t offer an electronic opening version of Anna, using your own muscle power is essential,” he explained. “Your whole body is involved in opening up the whole cabin.”

“Propelled by your body, the cabin prepares the brain to open up and connect to the natural environment,” he added.

Interior of small wooden house by Caspar Schols
It is constructed from a series of gables

The cabins are designed to be flexible to suit a range of uses, ranging from dwellings to meditation spaces or artist’s studios.

Alongside Anna Collection, Schols has also been developing Anna One, a series of cabins due to launch in 2024 that buyers will be able to assemble themselves.

Other cabins recently featured on Dezeen include the stilted Kjerringholmen dwelling on a small private island in Norway and the angular Straw Flea House in a historic village in Austria.

The photography is courtesy of Caspar Schols.

The post Caspar Schols creates reconfigurable Cabin Anna in Dutch park appeared first on Dezeen.

Eight offbeat bakeries and patisseries that provide playful backdrops for baked goods

A dark green room with green floor tiles, curved green metal tables and a person sitting with a coffee and croissant

A steely space-themed patisserie displaying chunks of meteorite and a green monochrome pastry shop with squiggly furniture feature in this lookbook of unusual and unique bakery interior designs.

Architects and designers across the world have created bakeries and patisseries with striking interiors that provide a playful setting from which to collect baked goods to take home or enjoy while dining in with a tasty treat.

From a bakery with an open-plan kitchen that showcases the bread-making process to a cheese tart shop with a Lego display counter, here are eight offbeat bakeries and patisseries that have been featured on Dezeen.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring inviting entrance halls, minimalist Tokyo apartments and bathrooms with colourful sanitary ware.


Bakery interior with curved silver walls, white floors and silver tables and chairs
Photo is by Jonathan Leijonhufvud

Black Star Pastry, China, by Linehouse

For Australian chain Black Star Pastry’s first Chinese outpost, design studio Linehouse created a space-themed interior filled with stainless-steel shelves displaying meteorites.

The shelving extends to the top of the walls and curves to form an arched ceiling. On the white-tiled counter, nine levitating cakes are displayed in glass containers.

Find out more about Black Star Pastry ›


Breadway Bakery by Artem Trigubchak
Photo is by Mikhail Loskutov

Breadway, Ukraine, by Lera Brumina and Artem Trigubchak

Designers Lera Brumina and Artem Trigubchak finished this cafe and bakery in Ukraine with colourful walls and upholstery.

Originally a dental clinic, the designers transformed the interior by combining pink and rusty hues with blue and grey tones to “emphasise the warm colour of bread”.

Find out more about Breadway ›


Colour-block interiors of Madrid's Cara Mela pastry shop designed by Case Antillón
Photo is by Imagen Subliminal

Casa Mela, Spain, by Casa Antillón

The Casa Mela pastry shop in Madrid is made up of two rooms that Spanish studio Casa Antillón contrasted by completing one in white and the other in green.

Customers enter the shop via the all-white room, which features an angular stainless steel counter displaying the sweet treats on offer (pictured top).

In the green room, metal tables and chairs with wriggly edges provide dining furniture.

Find out more about Casa Mela ›


Croissants on a counter at Mintchi Croissant by Dezembro Arquitetos
Photo is by Carolina Lacaz

Mintchi Croissant, Brazil, by Dezembro Arquitetos

Architecture studio Dezembro Arquitetos was informed by pastry techniques when designing the Montchi Croissant patisserie in São Paolo.

The flooring, countertop and bench seating were made from perforated terracotta bricks, which were infilled with concrete piped from an icing nozzle.

Find out more about Mintchi Croissant ›


Cafe interior with polished concrete walls and sloping wall with concrete brick steps
Photo is by Kyung Roh

Café Teri, South Korea, by Nameless Architecture

Located at the base of a mountain in Daejeon, South Korea, the Café Teri bakery and cafe is made up of two buildings with exterior walls that curve towards each other to form an “artificial valley”.

Designed by Nameless Architecture, the curving walls create a dramatic effect in the bakery interior and slope down to form stepping seating.

Find out more about Café Teri ›


Counter and bread shelf of Sofi bakery in Berlin by Mathias Mentze, Alexander Vedel Ottenstein and Dreimeta
Photo is by Volker Conradus

Sofi, Germany, by Mathias Mentze and Alexander Vedel Ottenstein

Danish architects Mathias Mentze and Alexander Vedel Ottenstein transformed a former brick factory in Berlin into the Sofi craft bakery with warm tones, wood finishes and red vinyl flooring.

At the centre of the space is an open-plan kitchen that the architects designed as a “production floor” allowing visitors to watch the bread-making process.

Find out more about Sofi ›


Bake by Yusuke Seki with a Lego counter displaying cheese tarts
Photo is by Takumi Ota

Bake, Japan, by Yusuke Seki

A counter made of Lego bricks forms the centrepiece of this cheese tart shop in Kyoto, which was created by Tokyo-based designer Yusuke Seki.

Bamboo latticework lines the walls on either side of the counter and an open kitchen at the rear reveals the process of baking the cheese tarts.

Find out more about Bake ›


Liberte bakery in Paris with arched alcoves displaying baked goods
Photo is by Jerome Galland

Liberté, France, by Emmanuelle Simon

Interior architecture studio Emmanuelle Simon added arched shelving coves and rounded furniture to the Liberté bakery in Paris, aiming to create a unique space that encourages visitors to stay a little longer than usual while on their bakery trip.

The rounded shapes were complimented with warm sandy colours and Raku tiles – ceramic tiles that were created by the ancient Japanese firing technique – cover the central island and back walls of the alcoves.

Find out more about Liberté ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring inviting entrance halls, minimalist Tokyo apartments and bathrooms with colourful sanitary ware.

The post Eight offbeat bakeries and patisseries that provide playful backdrops for baked goods appeared first on Dezeen.

This week the 15-minute city inventor responded to "shocking" conspiracy theories

Illustration of 15-minute city concept for Paris

This week on Dezeen, we published an exclusive interview with 15-minute city creator Carlos Moreno in which he discusses the conspiracy theory that his urbanism strategy was designed to restrict people’s freedom.

The 15-minute city concept advocates for creating polycentric cities where no essential amenities are further than a short walk or cycle ride away.

Carlos Moreno, inventor of 15-minute city
We interviewed Carlos Moreno (above) – the inventor of the 15-minute city (top)

This has been misinterpreted by a number of people who fear that it would involve preventing citizens from leaving their 15-minute radius, and was even debated in the UK parliament by MP Nick Fletcher.

“I was surprised,” Moreno told Dezeen. “It’s shocking – for me, it is the first time in my life when I was totally targeted by the conspiracy world – communists, Stalinists, neo-fascists.”

Concrete columns, Ceramic Art Avenue Taoxichuan by David Chipperfield Architects
Aaron Betsky shared an opinion piece on the architecture of David Chipperfield

Following the announcement of the Pritzker Architecture Prize winner last week, American architecture critic Aaron Betsky shared an opinion piece on Dezeen arguing that David Chipperfield did not deserve to win the prestigious prize.

“Chipperfield’s work on the whole is bland, unimaginative and overly grandiose,” he wrote. “It also contains few or any of the traditional building blocks of architecture: good spaces framed by beautifully proportioned structures.”

Tamedia Office Building by Shigeru Ban
We shared a case study of Shigeru Ban’s Tamedia Office Building

Continuing our Timber Revolution series, we interviewed two of mass timber’s biggest proponents – architect Andrew Waugh of London practice Waugh Thistleton Architects and Canadian architect Michael Green, who compared architects not adopting biomaterials to “dinosaurs”.

We also shared case studies of groundbreaking mass-timber buildings including Waugh’s nine-storey Murray Grove housing complex from 2009 and Japanese architect Shigeru Ban’s Tamedia building, whose timber skeleton is held together completely without screws or nails.

PPS structures by Shigeru Ban
Shigeru Ban designed shelters for victims of the Turkey-Syria earthquake

Ban also made the news this week when he helped to create shelters for victims of the earthquake that decimated hundreds of buildings across Turkey and Syria in February.

The system, which has also been used to house Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s invasion, is constructed using cardboard tubes and takes three people just five minutes to build.

Nokia logo redesign on a green and blue gradient background
Nokia unveiled its first rebrand in 45 years

Finnish technology company Nokia unveiled its first rebrand in 45 years this week, including a new simplified angular logo developed in collaboration with consulting firm Lippincott.

The company also launched its latest G22 smartphone, which comes with replaceable parts and a DIY toolkit that allows users to repair their own phones.

Photo of sweets bank
Nikken Sekkei designed the HQ for a Japanese sweet company

Popular projects on Dezeen this week included a sculptural house in India, the renovated reading room of Toronto’s brutalist Robarts Library and the HQ of a Japanese sweet company, which is framed by a giant table and matching chairs.

Our latest lookbooks featured minimalist Tokyo apartments and inviting entrance halls that set the tone for the rest of the home.

This week on Dezeen

This week on Dezeen is our regular roundup of the week’s top news stories. Subscribe to our newsletters to be sure you don’t miss anything.

The post This week the 15-minute city inventor responded to “shocking” conspiracy theories appeared first on Dezeen.

Android gaming handheld is a throwback to the venerable Nintendo DS

It seems to be the age of gaming handhelds once again. With the continued success of the Nintendo Switch, all sorts of portable gaming devices have popped up, ranging from PCs like the Steam Deck to dedicated Android gaming devices like the Logitech G Cloud and the new Razer Edge. Although they have actually been around far longer than these, more obscure handhelds have become more prominent because of this industry trend. Some require you to do the work of cobbling up the pieces together, while others sell a more finished product instead. The latter is the case for the latest device to hit the market, one that eschews the trending Switch form factor for something that gives a nod to Nintendo’s previous top-selling portable.

Designer: Retroid Pocket

The Nintendo DS had a very good run in the gaming market, replacing the iconic Game Boy with a portable machine that got on with the times. It featured a revolutionary (for that time) dual-screen clamshell design that truly felt like a new breed rather than a Game Boy just folded in half. Almost two decades later, that design has become antiquated, but it’s exactly that nostalgia that this look-alike is aiming for.

Granted, the Retroid Pocket Flip is more like a cross between the DS and the GBA SP, having a single screen only and with a more horizontal clamshell design. It almost has the best of both worlds, with a more conventional and more comfortable form factor and a wide screen that is more common with games today. Despite its old-fashioned looks, it does stick to modern gaming features, including the basic set of controls, such as both bumper and trigger buttons.

One advantage that a clamshell design has over something like the Nintendo Switch is that you can set the angle of the screen independently of your hands. You also automatically have a protective case for the device and don’t have to worry about the screen getting scratched and the controls snagging in your bag. The design also tends to be more compact, though it does get thicker compared to a flat handheld device.

That said, the Retroid Pocket Flip is pretty much an Android device, so you might have to debate whether having a dedicated gaming device separate from your phone is worth the cost. Not all Android games are also controller-friendly, and using the touch screen, in this case, is ironically more cumbersome. Still, if you’re an avid Android gamer that uses a controller most of the time, this charming throwback could be something worth adding to your collection.

The post Android gaming handheld is a throwback to the venerable Nintendo DS first appeared on Yanko Design.

Adorably nostalgic AirTag case makes your tracking device look like an Apple iPod Shuffle

Apple’s tiniest iPod just happens to have the perfect form factor to become a case for the company’s tiny tracking device!

The Shuffle AirTag Case from elago is just the perfect accessory for any true blue Apple nerd. Designed to look almost exactly like a 4th Gen iPod Shuffle, this tiny legend just happens to be a protective case for your AirTag. Made from soft silicone, it protects your tracking device from bumps and scratches, while a keyring lets you secure it to bags, backpacks, etc. Manufactured to stunning detail, it also happens to perfectly capture the iPod Shuffle’s sheer iconic beauty, with the circular interface on the front, to even the switch and 3.5mm audio input on the bottom!

Designer: Elago

Click Here to Buy Now

The Shuffle AirTag Case comes in two colors – mint green and black, although I wholeheartedly prefer the latter. It’s one out of many of elago’s wonderful ‘Blast from the Past’ series of cases and covers for Apple devices and captures the fun history of Apple’s journey as a tech giant that went on to disrupt computers, music players, and then phones. This adorable crossover has the AirTag cosplaying as Apple’s smallest iPod, with dimensions that match the iPod Shuffle just perfectly.

The Shuffle Case’s silicone construction allows you to snugly fit the AirTag in, with its metallic disc base sticking out from the back. The silicone design in no way inhibits or blocks the AirTag’s tracking and broadcasting abilities, although you may find the ringing to be a little muffled. Moreover, if you’ve custom-engraved your AirTag, you won’t be able to see it since the white plastic element faces inwards. However, that’s a pretty small price to pay for what I easily believe is one of the most creatively nostalgic AirTag cases you can own!

Click Here to Buy Now

The post Adorably nostalgic AirTag case makes your tracking device look like an Apple iPod Shuffle first appeared on Yanko Design.

Face protector concept for bikers, athletes, and workers gives off a cyberpunk vibe

Although requirements to wear face masks have already been lifted in many places around the world, there will always be cases where people have to wear some sort of protection for their faces or at least their mouths and noses. This is especially true for those who get exposed to dust and smoke all the time, from motorcycle riders to skiers to metalworkers. While there are definitely plenty of face protectors in the market today, most of them are designed just for cheap mass production and offer neither true protection nor comfort. A well-designed face protector is definitely long overdue, and thankfully there is one that will soon be heading to production that is not only stylish but also has a trick up its sleeve.

Designer: Kim Sang-il (BUYRUSDESIGN)

Face protectors or face masks block dust, smoke, and small particles from entering your mouth and your nose that could cause damage to your respiratory system. Some even employ filters to purify the air that goes through the mask. These masks range from simple pieces of fabric to hefty mechanical oddities clinging to your face, and very few of them really take into account the varied cases that people would use these masks.

The G.O.A. Face Protector design, in contrast, was made from the ground up to be effective, comfortable, convenient, and aesthetic. Although it was primarily made with bikers in mind, its versatility also includes sports users, workers, and crafters, practically anyone whose faces and lungs are exposed to harmful particles. Because of its primary target audience, the face protector takes on a more aerodynamic shape that makes it look like a single piece of material, a design that benefits more than just bikers.

Despite that unified appearance, the face protector is actually modular to make it easy to clean or replace parts. One particularly interesting feature is that you actually remove the front cap so that you can drink quickly without having to take off the entire mask. That cap can also be used as an opportunity for adding decals or branding to make the face mask look even more interesting.

The design does use plenty of plastics and synthetic material, which is pretty much the norm for protective gear like this. The priorities, after all, are the wearer’s protection and comfort. G.O.A. does have a particular aesthetic that makes it look a little punkish, which is probably not a surprise and a perfect fit for its primary biker audience.

The post Face protector concept for bikers, athletes, and workers gives off a cyberpunk vibe first appeared on Yanko Design.