Hasta La Ideas

Tiny photo.
Huge impact?

The tech blogs have been aTwitter with news of a potential portable energy breakthrough. Heralded as possibly bringing “The End of Batteries,” researchers at UCLA have succeeded in creating high-energy-density graphene micro-supercapacitors with a ridiculously cheap fabrication tool: The laser in an off-the-shelf DVD burner.

Let me back up a sec and cut through the tech jargon. What these supercapacitors can do is quickly absorb, store, and release energy. If they could be produced inexpensively—which they now can—they promise to do the same things batteries do, but way better. A supercapacitor-equipped cell phone would charge in seconds, not minutes. If scaled up to integrate with an electric car, overnight top-ups would become a thing of the past.

As far as the impact on product design, supercapacitors are made of graphene, which is thin, flexible and super-strong. Battery real estate is one of the big constraints in the design of portable objects, whether we’re talking about cell phones, cordless drills or emergency lighting; imagine the freedom of form possible when that barrier is minimized.

But the greatest benefit of supercapacitors would be realized not just by individuals, but by the planet. Batteries use up metal and contain nasty chemicals required to create portable juice, and creating/disposing of these things causes environmental problems. Graphene, however, is just carbon—biodegradable and compostable. When you’re done with the thing, throw it outside and let it go back into the Earth.

Here are the two researchers, professor Richard Kaner and grad student Maher El-Kady, explaining the possibilities:

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While some of my friends argue that an iWatch would be a failure, the success of TikTok and LunaTik go to prove that wearable gadgets on the wrist are more than welcome. Keeping this in mind, designer Tolga Tuncer capitalizes on the iWave with his version of the iWatch concept.

With the ability to communicate and Cloud sync with the iPhone, iPad, iMac and MacBook, this slim concept watch features a non-touch screen OLED screen teamed with a slim touchpad. Specs include a slim touchpad with MP3 controls at the lower end of the body. It measures only 3.3 cm wide and consists of several sections that are attached to a flexible bracelet body.

Designer: Tolga Tuncer

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Yanko Design
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(The iWatch Wet Dream was originally posted on Yanko Design)

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This new Magic Metal Mouse is quite an innovative thought. Slim and only 4.3mm thick, the mouse is like a second skin in the palm of your hand. Flat when left alone and eager to please when you cup it, the mouse is highly portable and easy to fit within the pages of your book!

Designer: Wang Hui

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Yanko Design
Timeless Designs – Explore wonderful concepts from around the world!
Yanko Design Store – We are about more than just concepts. See what’s hot at the YD Store!
(New Magic Mouse was originally posted on Yanko Design)

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I was in for a rude shock when I realized that my hotel in Milan did not provide for an electric kettle in my room. This is a given standard, however sometime we need to carry our kettles with us. For such situations (yes, I am picky about making my own coffee) the Novel is apt; it is a patented folding travel kettle, which is unique, thanks to its simple design.

It is designed in such a way that it folds into a minimum shape and can be put in the back pocket of your trousers! Even a travel bag or a laptop bag!

The body of the kettle is ergonomic and made of special heatproof plastic, which is pleasing to the touch when heated to the boiling point. The inside of the kettle is made of 100% silicone, which allows its horizontal folding. A bayonet adapter provides the source of the electric power with a supply connector to the source of the electric energy (wall sockets at home, car socket, socket of solar panels). There are magnetic elements included in the body of the kettle, in the lid and in the adapter, which allow us to pack the kettle simply and safely and provide its fixation into operating or storage position towards the magnetic base (minimum requirements for storage space). Folded or unfolded kettle can be fixated on metal components of the side walls of vehicles, vessels or planes for medical, security, rescue and humanitarian forces!

Designer: Stanislav Sabo

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Yanko Design
Timeless Designs – Explore wonderful concepts from around the world!
Yanko Design Store – We are about more than just concepts. See what’s hot at the YD Store!
(Folded Java Maker was originally posted on Yanko Design)

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Romain Tardy (AntiVJ) a réalisé cette superbe installation de VJing sur la façade du Musée d’Archeologie de Toulouse en France. Inspiré par le terme latin « Paganus » en faisant référence aux traditions polythéistes ou indigènes, cette superbe création aux formes et symboles énigmatiques est à découvrir en vidéo.