Saturday, December 28, 2013
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Concept cars that could change transportation as we know it
By C.C. Weiss
December 23, 2013
The average concept car experiments with styling, technology and packaging to explore potential new ideas. Some concept cars take it a few steps further, not just rethinking the car but redefining what a car is and exploring ideas that could completely revolutionize the way we get from point A to point B. From vehicles that drive themselves, to cars that fly and fold, some of 2013's most interesting concept cars provided a lens into a very different future.
The mechanical chauffeur
We've been hearing about automated car technology for years, but the chatter picked up pace in 2013, with numerous automakers highlighting new self-driving technologies, revealing research vehicles and laying out future plans. There seems to be widespread agreement that fully autonomous cars will arrive within the next 12 years.
The manufacturers have been taking measured steps, but those not bound by the realities of existing technology and research and development costs (i.e. designers) have been pole-vaulting up the staircase to put us right in the car cabin of the future. The Zoox Boz presented the most comprehensive view of a fully autonomous vehicle that we've seen, and the upcoming Rinspeed XchangE promises another vision.
Both those concepts skip over the technological underpinnings and show the autonomous car from the passenger-formerly-called-the-driver's point of view, highlighting relaxing interiors that allow for more natural conversations, digital entertainment and full-commute naps. It's a future where all the driver has to do is forward a destination from his phone, hit the "start" button and sit back for the ride. The Zoox vision shows a car structure redesigned around the concept of automation – a low, windshieldless body with improved aerodynamics and symmetrical front and rear-ends.
We're certain to hear much more about the autonomous car and the technologies that will get us there as the 2014 auto show season gets underway.
When cars fly
Generation after generation of children have suffered adulthoods of somber disappointment because of the nagging lack of flying cars. Such cars have been a part of the "future" vision for decades but have yet to find their way to the "present." We're not all that confident that a Jetsons-like cityscape of stilted high rises and flying buggies is on the immediate horizon, but 2013 showed some steps toward the dream.
In August the Terrafugia Transition made its first public appearance, doing a flight demo at the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. The Transition isn't the airborne commuter-car folks have been wishing for, but more of a light airplane that transforms into a street-legal vehicle and fits in a single-car garage. The two-seat car essentially eliminates the need to drive to or get dropped off at the airport, allowing the private pilot to drive himself right in his plane. The wings fold up for ground travel, and engine power is redirected to the wheels from the propeller. Inside, the driver-pilot will find a familiar steering wheel and floor pedals for driving, along with a stick and rudder pedals for air control.
As the "Transition" name hints, the road-capable airplane isn't the end of Terrafugia's vision for the flying car. The company's TF-X concept is designed with vertical take-off and landing hardware, eliminating the need for a runway and airport. The company believes the vehicle can be designed in such a way that it takes only five hours to learn how to operate, self-avoids hazards like other flying vehicles and bad weather, and auto-lands itself.
The TF-X concept looks like the start of the flying car that you and three passengers can hop in at home, fly to the mall - with speeds up to 200 mph (322 km/h), that mall could be a state away - and commute back home with in time for dinner. If Terrafugia's eight to 12-year TF-X development estimate holds up, those that can afford it are in for a tough choice between fully autonomous road cars and flying commuters in a decade or so.
Other flying car concepts we visited this year included the Aeromobil 2.5prototype, which is similar to the Transition in function, and the Zee.Aero design that has vertical-takeoff capablities.
Trains gone wild
Thanks to the fact that it was presented by start-up virtuoso Elon Musk, and not just some kooky designer or skunkworks team no one's ever heard of, the insane-train called the Hyperloop was one of the biggest transportation headlines of the year. While the specifics of the train's feasibility and future are up for debate, its purported benefits are very clear: Los Angeles to San Francisco in 30 minutes by way of levitating pods being shot through elevated structural tubes at 800 mph (1,288 km/h). The pods would leave every 30 seconds, so there would be no need for reading schedules or sitting in the station. With the possibility of bringing cars directly onto the Hyperloop, commuters could theoretically drive on in LA and drive right off into San Francisco.
Beyond California, Hyperloop technology could be used to create fast, convenient connections between other major cities within about 900 miles (1,448 km) of each other. That opens up all kinds of intriguing routes: Washington to NYC, San Francisco to Seattle, Chicago to Toronto, etc.
All that sounds a little too good to be true now, when the Hyperloop is little more than a white paper, but the idea of shotgunning back and forth from New York to Boston for a lunch meeting, or St. Louis to Chicago for the Cubs-Cardinals game is certainly enough to keep us dreaming.
A start-up called Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Inc. has stepped up to develop a prototype and expects to have it done within two years. In the meantime, Gizmag's Brian Dodson provides an in-depth look at how the Hyperloop works.
Transformers: less than meets the eye
The folding car was another trendy concept in 2013. Such cars use folding mechanisms to fit into parking spaces typically reserved for motorcycles while offering larger driving layouts for space and stability.
The most radical folding action of the year belongs to the Armadillo-Tdesigned by the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). The rear of the helmet-shaped car closes up and over the front-end like a big mechanical eyelid, cutting its length from 2.8 m to 1.65 m (9.2 to 5.4 ft). The folding action is controlled remotely via a smartphone, which can also be used to reposition the car, allowing three individual Armadillo-Ts to fit in one parking spot.
At 2.3-m (7.5-ft), the full length of the Casple-Podadera is right in between the lengths of the folded and unfolded Armadillo-T. This folder uses a simpler shortening mechanism in the form of retracting rear wheels that slide under the body and cut its footprint down to 1.9 m (6.2 ft).
The future of the Armadillo-T and Casple-Podadera were both big, bold question marks when we looked at them, but a third folding car has laid a bit more track. The Hiriko Fold was inked into a car-sharing program with Deutsche Bahn about a year ago. A Japanese-market version is also in the works. The Fold's extendable rear-end tucks underneath the pod-like cabin, cutting the overall length from 2.5 to 1.5 m (8.2 to 4.9 ft). The car's windshield serves as its door, so you don't even have to worry about banging into car or concrete in a particularly tiny spot.
The neighborhood know-it-all
The car will gain more and more awareness of its surroundings as it gets more and more sensors, Car-to-X communications and self-driving elements. Another function of these technologies that a few designers have experimented with is interactivity, not just with other cars and the greater transportation infrastructure, but with nearby humans.
The information gathered from onboard sensors and the cloud could not only prove valuable for the driver and greater driving ecosystem, but also for those around a parked car. Daimler's smart car-bot vision uses the car's advanced sensor set (GPS, radar, cameras, etc.), along with communications equipment like external projectors, to share information. For instance, it could monitor traffic with its radar and camera systems to help pedestrians cross the street, or provide GPS-derived directions. Daimler provides no indication of how those systems might be powered in its conceptual vision, but presumably the car would have to be hooked into the grid to prevent battery drain.
About as a rough a draft as Daimler's interactive car, the Willie bus conceptbrings the idea of information-sharing to the larger scale of a city bus. The concept's LCDs are built into its structure, running from end to end. Many of the ideas for usage are non-interactive (i.e. advertising), but designer Tad Orlowski shows them communicating routes and schedules and mentions the idea of using touchscreen displays to provide interactive access to information.
Man in the machine
New car technology has been pulling the human away from the machine for decades. Electrical systems and computers have taken much of the mind and muscle out of driving, assisting or completely taking over functions like gear shifting and steering. With the growth of automated driving systems, the human element is facing outright extinction.
However, there's also a movement to use new technologies to forge a closer, more intimate relationship between human and machine, a movement that's largely manifested itself in small personal mobility devices. These concepts are designed to be more closely connected to their drivers, serving almost as an extension of the body.
"Toyota envisions an ever-developing driver-vehicle relationship similar to the relationship of trust and understanding that a rider might have with his or her horse," Toyota says of its FV2 concept.
As creepy as it sounds at first, Toyota qualifies that relationship by both physical and emotional elements. On the physical side, the FV2 relies on its driver's forward-back and side-side movements in place of a steering wheel. It also heightens the driver's sense of awareness with sensor-based warning systems and an augmented reality windshield. Things get emotional in that the FV2 is designed to use voice and facial recognition to learn the driver's moods and make driving suggestions and exterior appearance changes based on those moods.
The new Honda UNI-CUB β is a much smaller personal transporter package that relies on body motion for control of its omni-directional driving wheel system, which moves diagonally as well as in the directions of the cross. Gizmag's founder Mike Hanlon found the system to be so intuitive as to be borderline telepathic.
These concepts may never come to fruition, and they'll likely evolve a great deal if they do. What's clear now is that they provide an intriguing starting point for a long conversation about the future needs and forms of public and private transportation. Looking back over the year helps us look ahead to what new twists and turns might await in 2014 and beyond.
Let us know which of these concepts you'd love to see become reality, which ones need to be improved, and which need to be buried in 2013 and never spoken of again.
Sources: http://www.gizmag.com/
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Hex key be gone! Flatpack furniture assembles using magnets
December 17, 2013
Flatpack furniture may be easier to get home than the already built variety, but getting to grips with fiddly screws, hex keys and "simple to follow" instructions can soon eat away at your free time, and your patience. Designer Benjamin Vermeulen aims to remove the hassle from this chore with his range of magnetic furniture which simply snaps into place, no tools required.
Dubbed Magnetic Assisted Geometry, (or MAG), Vermeulen's furniture line currently consists of a chair, a table, and a cabinet. The furniture looks attractive and is made from steel and wood, snapping together during assembly thanks to carefully placed powerful magnets.
Assuming the furniture remains as structurally sound as one would hope, this idea offers real benefits: no more worry of losing an essential screw during assembly, while also allowing far easier disassembly should you wish to move or sell the furniture. Additionally, replacing parts should be easier since there's no need to unscrew anything first.
We've currently no word on availability or pricing for the MAG furniture line, but will let you know as soon as we hear back.
The video below shows some furniture being assembled.
Source: Benjamin Vermeulen via Dezeen
myLIFTER stores heavy items out of the way with the help of an iPhone
By Nick Lavars
December 17, 2013
Hooks and traditional shelves offer a practical storage solution for overcrowded garages, though they also involve the awkward task of lifting heavy items in a confined space. myLIFTER, a motorized lifting unit that you can control with your iPhone, aims to ease the load by lifting and suspending these items from your ceiling, all at the touch of a button.
The myLIFTER unit is secured onto the ceiling with a mounting bracket and, using a built-in spool and cable management system, raises and lowers large objects such as bikes, kayaks and cargo boxes.
A 25 ft (7.62 m) stainless steel cable connects the device to your objects using a selection of specifically designed attachments: a lifting hook for single items, a bike lifting kit with hooks for the handlebars and seat, and a kayak/cargo box kit incorporating straps to wrap around larger objects.
Connecting to an iPhone or iPad over Bluetooth 4.0, the companion app features standard lift and lower buttons. Users without a compatible device are able to purchase a custom-made remote separately.
One of common inconveniences the team behind myLIFTER has sought to address is the task of storing away the same object on a regular basis (much like one who cycles to work might encounter on a weekday). Dubbed "smartLIFT," a built-in function allows users to program the device to raise and lower objects to the same height every time. This means all that is required is a one-button push, removing the need to stand around waiting while myLIFTER picks up the (or your) slack.
One myLIFTER can bear a weight of 50 lb (22.7 kg), which should be sufficient for a single bike or kayak, while those wishing to lift heavier items can purchase additional units accordingly. Each unit measures 3 x 4.5 x 4.5 in (7.62 x 11.43 x 11.43 cm) and comes with a mounting bracket and hardware, 110 or 240 VAC power supply, and a 15 ft (4.57 m) electrical extension cable.
According to the company, the device has a built-in safety feature that prevents lifting if the attached load exceeds the 50 lb (22.7 kg) maximum weight and an internal brake that locks the spool when it is not moving or power is lost.
myLIFTER's designers have launched on Kickstarter to bring the CNC-machined metal and 3D-printed plastic prototype system to commercial availability. At the time of writing, early bird pledge levels of US$75 for a single device are still available. If all goes according to plan, shipping is estimated for May 2014. Hook and kit attachments will need to be purchased separately.
Hear from the team behind myLIFTER in the video below.
Sources: myLIFTER, Kickstarter
Samsung announces its own smartphone game controller, the GamePad
By Dave LeClair
December 17, 2013
Plenty of companies are releasing controllers designed to bring a more traditional gaming experience to smartphones. Samsung, one of the most popular creators of Android devices, is aiming to grab a piece of the controller pie for itself with the introduction of the GamePad.
Samsung, in spite of being a company that produces phones itself, made a smart call in not limiting the usage of its GamePad to just its own devices. Instead, it has built its controller with support for any Android device running JellyBean 4.1 or later, with screen sizes between 4 and 6.3 inches. However, Samsung also says that it is optimized for Samsung devices running Android 4.3, because of the NFC pairing.
As for controls, the GamePad features an 8-way d-pad, two analog sticks, four action buttons, two triggers, Start and Select buttons, and a special Play button. The two analog sticks are offset, in a very Xbox-like design.
The Play button is designed for users to quickly jump to Samsung's Mobile Console app, where they can play and buy games that support the GamePad controller.
The GamePad is available now select in European markets, and Samsung plans to roll it out in additional regions in the coming weeks. The company didn't announce exactly where else it would be launching nor did it release pricing information for the device.
Source: Samsung via Coolest Gadgets
Algorithm makes your face shots more memorable
By Ben Coxworth
December 17, 2013
Software developed at MIT subtly alters photos to make faces either more (right) or less (left) memorable (Image: MIT CSAIL)
Lots of people wish that they were more attractive, but have you ever wanted to just look more ... memorable? Just a few tweaks here and there, to help keep your face from being forgotten? Well, software created by researchers at MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory can now make that happen – to photos of your face, that is.
It would be easy enough for the program to make your face more memorable simply by giving it a third eye or coloring it green, but fortunately it doesn't do that sort of thing. In fact, it was designed specifically to alter the subject's appearance only on a very subtle level.
The researchers started with a database of 2,000 facial photos, each of which had already been given a "memorability score" by human volunteers who viewed and rated the pictures. Those images were then analyzed using the software, which was tasked with identifying traits that the higher-scoring faces had in common with one another. It also noted the recurring traits among the lowest-scoring images.
The team then selected 500 faces, and got the software to use its new-found knowledge to create both more- and less-memorable versions of each one. It was programmed to avoid making any changes that would alter the subjects' basic features (such as age and gender), or make them look less attractive.
In each case, the program started by making thousands of copies of the photo in question, each one incorporating slightly different alterations. It then analyzed those copies, and selected the one that best met the criteria. That photo was then copied a number of times itself, again with each copy incorporating different modifications. The best photo of that bunch was once again selected, with the process being repeated until the software determined that it had reached the optimum result.
When the final more- and less-memorable versions of each of the faces were shown to human test subjects who rated them on their memorability, those ratings matched up with software's goals for about 75 percent of the photos.
Suggested uses for the technology include the ability to enhance photos used on social media sites and in job applications, or to lessen the noticeability of the faces of background extras in movies or TV shows.
Source: MIT
The Metaphone: Is it a building or an instrument?
December 17, 2013
Though not unheard of, the melding of architecture and music is uncommon enough to pique our interest, especially when done on the scale of The Metaphone, by Herault Arnod Architects. The firm recently constructed an unusual combined music hall and instrument as centerpiece of an ongoing project to regenerate a former coal mine in the Pas-de-Calais region of northern France.
Measuring 1,980 sq m (21,312 sq ft), and built at a cost of €6.3 million (roughly US$8.6 million), The Metaphone contains a fully-featured concert hall plus all necessary amenities and service areas within its black concrete walls. The project also nicely illustrates the evolution of our changing views on electricity production thanks to solar panels installed on the building's roof.
Without doubt though, The Metaphone's main draw is its unusual musical abilities.
Essentially, The Metaphone can be thought of as a very large (and rather expensive) instrument to be experienced from within or outside. Its facade sports metal plates which produce musical notes when manipulated by vibration. These plates are played from within the building's musical control room, via MIDI keyboards hooked up to a computer-equipped sound system.
Additionally, within the building's porch area are other assorted instruments such as large xylophones, drums, cymbals and singing bowls – all of which are hooked up to MIDI keyboards in the control room.
The best way to get a sense of what The Metaphone is all about is to check out the short video below, which was made as a smaller proof-of-concept version of the musical facade before the building was constructed.
Source: Herault Arnod Architects
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