Scotland’s Skoog Music is all about making music easy and fun. Five years ago the company launched a touchy-feely cube on Indiegogo that could be picked up and played in minutes. Now a new big-buttoned melody maker has been announced called the Skwitch. Again being launched on Indiegogo, the Skwitch combines an iPhone dock that’s home to a big single […]
Making Melodies Made Easier With This App
Smart Sunglasses
Although we’ve seen devices such as wrist bands that warn of excessive ultraviolet light exposure, users still have to, you know … look at the things. Glatus sunglasses instead verbally notify you, plus they’ll reportedly let you know if you’re too drowsy to drive. Offered by Seoul-based startup Innocean Worldwide, the glasses feature UV sensors in each arm, which transmit […]
Twisting Pavillions In Tallinn
SoomeenHahm Design, Igor Pantic and Fologram have built a twisting pavilion for the 2019 Tallinn Architecture Biennial using augmented reality and old-fashioned woodworking. Fologram provides architects with applications that use Microsoft HoloLens, while SoomeenHahm Design is a London-based design studio founded by Soomeen Hahmand Igor Pantic is a teaching fellow at the Bartlett. The design team combined traditional methods such […]
Circular Economy Exclusive
Brands that don’t embrace the circular economy will go out of business, according to Dutch designer Richard Hutten. Speaking at the Warsaw Home fair in Poland last week, Hutten said that consumers are demanding sustainable products. Companies that don’t respond will fail, he said. “If you don’t have a circular business, you won’t have a business,” he said. “If companies […]
In-Flight Meal Reinvented With More Environmentally Friendly
Design studio Priestman Goode recently revealed an innovative and sustainable in-flight meal tray concept that includes edible packaging. The eco-friendly design is part of the studio’s “Get Onboard” project, which addresses the impact of plastic waste, with a special focus on the aviation industry. “Each year, an estimated 5.7 million tonnes of cabin waste is generated on passenger flights, ranging […]
3Doodler App Lets You Draw To Your Heart Content
Almost 6 years after launching on Kickstarter, WobbleWorks has announced some new product lines, and an iOS/Android app that will have 3Doodlers creating 3D pen art directly on smartphone or tablet screens. The free-to-download 3Doodler App comes with more than 10 tutorials at launch, with more projects added weekly. The idea is for the app to provide everything needed for […]
PLA Composite More Environmentally Friendly Than Carbon Fiber
While bio-based polylactic acid (PLA) thermoplastic is relatively eco-friendly and easily recyclable, composites such as carbon fiber are much stronger. German scientists are now claiming to have combined the best features of both, with a new all-PLA composite. Unlike traditional petroleum-based plastics, PLA is made from renewable sources such as corn starch, tapioca and sugarcane. Not only is it fully […]
Taking Texting Out Of Driver’s Seat
It’s no secret that a great deal of car accidents are now caused by distracted drivers who are calling or texting on their smartphones. The SafeHalo system is designed to address that problem by disabling a phone if it’s on or near the driver’s seat, but leaving it be if it’s not. Developed by Calgary, Canada-based 4D Driving Technologies, SafeHalo […]
Tracking Baby’s Breathing Movement
An innovative new system is suggesting white noise from a smart speaker can be used to monitor breathing and movement in sleeping babies. So far the prototype device can detect respiratory rates with accuracy matching standard vital sign monitors, pointing to a future where smart speakers can wirelessly monitor one’s health. “Smart speakers are becoming more and more prevalent, and […]
Sustainable Suitcase?
Irresponsible disposal of waste like plastic has led to very serious problems in our oceans, and the creatures that live there. Efforts are underway to clean up our mess, and find new uses for waste before it gets into the environment. London-based startup Phoenx is focusing on the eco-conscious traveler by creating sustainable, modular luggage made from old plastic bottles, […]