Voici ce concept de bureau de futur, entièrement interactif et tactile, intitulé BendDesk. Un espace de travail sous une forme courbée, dotée du multi-touch grâce à trois caméras et deux projecteurs. Plus d’explications avec la vidéo de présentation dans la suite de l’article.
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No one knew what to make of the gargantuan vending machines with 47-inch touchscreen panels that we spotted in Tokyo back in August. Now that some time’s gone by, information’s coming in and the benefits are becoming more clear. The machine, by Roppongi-based Design Studio S, is more than just a gimmicky touchscreen and practically bristles with design intelligence.
First off, the “smart” machine only shows images of drinks it actually has in stock, to avoid any aesthetically-offensive “SOLD OUT” badges. (Ah, Japan.) Secondly, the dispensing slot is placed in a higher position than on regular machines, so that Tokyo’s population of “Office Ladies” in skirts don’t have to crouch down in an unladylike way to access the product. Third, you can buy drinks by pointing your cell phone at the machine, though this perhaps has more to do with Japan’s intelligent embrace of technology rather than the design of the machine.
But where the real brilliance comes in is with the onboard camera. The machine determines your gender and estimates your age and suggests demographically popular drinks. More importantly, after you purchase your drink, the machine has now collected some actionable data very important to drink suppliers (without capturing any personal information). For example:
– Primary customers are men in their 20s and 30s
– 63% men, 37% women
– Men in their 30s outnumber men in their 20s that use the vending machines
– Men in their 30s start the day with canned black coffee;
– Energy drinks purchased by men in their 30s are Lipovitan D in the morning, and Oronamin C and Red Bull in the evening to night;
– Mineral water and Pocari Sweat are bought most by men in their 30s after midnight– It used to be thought that juices were mostly bought by women, but the Shinagawa vending machines sold way more juices than expected to men in the late evenings and at night
– JR East Water Business introduced the Aomori Ringo 100 on the 16th, with a reworked label design that appeals more to men than their initial design
Some other interesting stats are that the machines are selling three times more drinks than regular vending machines, and “there are regularly crowds (and lines) in front of the vending machines, waiting for an opportunity to interact with them.”
Check it out:
Edit: Woops, the video has been rendered unembeddable. You can check it out by clicking here.
via akihabara news
Troika’s dripping lights at Design Miami
We’ve long been fans of the tech-savvy collective Troika (check out our 2006 video), and the trio recently inspired us again with their beautiful installation piece “Falling Light” at Design Miami.
The Cool Hunting Rough Cut here will give you a little glimpse of the piece (as well as a preview of our coverage of the fairs), which creates the mind-bending effect of light droplets dripping from the ceiling onto the floor. The installation is composed of 50 seperate mechanical devices with custom cut Swarovski crystal optical lenses, a computer controlled motor and a white LED light. The LED moves away from the crystal lens, which acts as a prism, and the resulting diffraction gives the light droplets a flowing life.
Created in response to poet John Keats’ commentary on Sir Isaac Newton’s experiments with rainbows, the light experience, combined with the hum of the motors, provides a multi sensory experience and enforces, “Troika’s agenda that science does not destroy, but rather discovers poetry in the patterns of nature.”
Sadly, folks, the most mind-blowing thing I saw at AU cannot be adequately conveyed through words or video (though I get paid to try). A company called Infinite Z was demonstrating their Z-Space display platform, a 24-inch monitor laid nearly flat on a table. You put on a special pair of glasses–no bulky headset, they’re like a super-light pair of spectacles–and the display turns into a freaking holodeck.
3D objects appear to be perched on top of the screen. Using a light pen, you can grab objects, pick them up, flip them over with millimeter precision–it’s like you have the object skewered on a long laser beam, and as quick as your hand turns over, the object turns over at the same speed. You can’t see any rendering happening, it’s like you’re holding the real thing.
During my demo I was presented with a complicated piece of machinery, and using the light pen I was able to pull different parts off of it, flip them around and examine them from all angles. The detail was insane. For small or convoluted parts that don’t lend themselves well to manipulation, they have a solution too: You use the light pen to pick up a tiny camera, the size of a Matchbox car, and you can then manipulate the free-floating camera inside, around or under your object. A screen pops up and shows you what the camera is seeing.
Infinite Z has doctored up a demo video (which we’ve intercut below) with the 3D elements faked in, but it is a poor substitute for seeing the real thing in action and does not at all do a good job of conveying the experience. Seen in person, this thing will absolutely blow your mind. Hopefully you won’t have to wait too long–the guys at IZ are forecasting a release for 2011.
Un excellent travail de Rekiem Skateboard, une fabrique française et artisanale de skateboards. L’intégralité de la production est réalisée dans ses locaux en France et dans une démarche respectueuse de l’environnement. Un procédé à découvrir en vidéo dans la suite.
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Une interface musicale intéressante par le designer japonais Yuri Suzuki, en collaboration avec Matt Rogers. Un écran tactile doté d’un menu et d’actions grâce au principe de l’incrustation. Organisé par Emiko Oki, ce travail a été exposé à l’ambassade du Japon au Royaume-Uni.
“Blinput” is a concept intended to make the lives of the visually impaired that little bit easier.
Bearing something of a resemblance to Gordon Bell’s legendary, lifelog pendant-cam, this concept harnesses the capabilities of the smartphone to allow the user to engage with an increasingly networked world. Blinput uses the phone camera to interpret the user’s surroundings—as well as certain hand gestures, providing something of a navigation interface.
Developer Erik Hals, a recent Edinburgh College of Art graduate, had originally envisioned a new smart product to address the needs of the blind, but soon found that the network and camera technologies in the already widely available, and relatively cheap, smartphone were more than enough to build a solution around.
Blinput, still at a conceptual level, may need some work and testing—we’re wondering, for example, how comfortable a visually impaired user would be in impairing an otherwise healthy sense of hearing with headphones—but you’ve got to give credit to Erik for an undergraduate project well presented with the video below.
Un excellent concept de téléphone par Kiki Tang et Daniel Yoon, issus du Art Center College of Design. Le BlackBerry Empathy est doté d’une interface qui intègre les émotions humaines afin de s’adapter à l’humeur de son utilisateur. Un design moderne et transparent en “mode veille”.
Un projet de téléphone basé sur l’interactivité et l’émotif. Sa forme est double face : d’un coté tactile et de l’autre un clavier physique. A noter la bague biométrique qui l’accompagne, elle permet en effet de capter les émotions de l’utilisateur jusqu’au smartphone.
Organized on the go with Nau’s elegant carrying case
A modern day tool kit, Nau’s Fluent Stash organizes all of your cords, chargers, notebooks and other essentials into an elegant origami-style wallet. Made from 100% recycled wool, the Stash reflects Nau’s commitment to creating environmentally-friendly, performance-driven products. Folding pockets snap shut to keep items from moving around while in transit, and the top flap closes with a 100%-recycled aluminum buckle through a fabric loop—perfect for turning the Stash into a toiletries case hung by the sink.
Other standouts from the collection include the Traveler, a 100%-organic cotton duffel, and the Doc, a zip-wallet made from 100%-recycled polyester packed with pockets for passports, credit cards and cash.
The Stash sells for $80 online from Nau.
Check out our video on Nau to learn more about the brand.
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