Hasta La Ideas

Although we found the Microsoft Research technologies demonstrated here mostly uninspiring (unlike last week’s cool multi-touch demonstration by BumpTop), they will be of interest to anyone studying or working on interface design. Microsoft’s five experimental mice use a variety of sensing technologies to translate user gestures into on-screen actions, giving us entirely new ways to develop carpal tunnel.

Oh, and the boys at Microsoft haven’t lost their touch for naming products and technologies–as you’ll see in the vid, one of the mice operates via something called “Frustrated Total Internal Reflection.”

via engadget

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Way back from 2007, via @GuyKawasaki

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The Boston Globe asked local artists and architects to re-imagine the sites of construction projects that have stalled in response to the recession, becoming eyesores that remain separate from the rest of the city’s cultural fabric.

Our favorite entry is Howeler + Yoon and Squared Design’s imaginative proposal for the 32-story Filene’s development downtown: a network of algae eco-pods which will turn the entire site into a large bio-fuel reactor. The reactor would serve as a center for energy production, while supporting bio-fuel research by allowing scientists to test the effectiveness of different algae species and perfect methods of fuel extraction. The structure would have other benefits as well—in addition to producing energy, micro-algae reduces carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere without relying on arable land.

To maximize the effectiveness of the project, the whole thing would be reconfigurable by a set of robotic arms. Powered by the fuel produced by the reactor, the arms will move the algae pods around the framework to ensure that the plants have access to favorable growth conditions.

The Boston Globe is holding a vote to determine the best proposal, so go see the other projects and cast your ballot now.

For more information about the eco-pods, read Building Design’s writeup here.

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