"Haptic Reader" Now you can Read A Non-Braille Book

Haptic Reader is a concept device that features an innovative way of helping blind people on reading non-Braille books. This device incorporates a flat glass surface that converts the letters of a page into Braille characters and projects them on the flat surface of this device when the user places it on a book. Moreover, this device also helps those people who don’t know reading Braille characters through the embedded speaker. The device can scan the text and convert it into voice which is played via the speaker. The handy device is designed in a simple way and is very much convenient to use.

Designers: David Lee, Yuna Kim & Hansub Lee

Futuristic EPINE Concept Car

Epine concept car derived from a project to create a hybrid eco-friendly vehicle that is able to provide a racing track experience to its occupants while at the same time offering a new way of being in touch with the nature. The minimalist design of this car gets inspiration from racing vehicles – Formula One cars and motorcycles – and comprises a whale skeleton as a token of natural element. The major technical feature of this car is the Epine system that allows a complete seating arrangement by adopting the drive-by-wire technology to run the steering system.

The storage compartment is located in the front and the powerplant is at the rear side of the car. Michelin Tweel concept which actually is airless wheels has been used in the suspension system of this car and is housed within the wheel itself. The structure and the materials of the wheel spokes allows to compress and decompress, offering a collection of motions. The total length of the compact car is 4,260mm, width 1,882mm and height 1153mm.

Designer : Daniel Schumpert

Butl R Bot (Butler Robot)

Dumbledore’s Pensieve would come in handy here, but the thing is, I need you to look into the future and not in the past! The scene is this, you’re as lazy and rusted in the kitchen as Irona coz you now have a full-fledged butler-robot to do your cooking; Butl-R-Bot. It’s compact, intuitive, cooks, cleans and flies like Tinker Bell; only the fairy dust is missing! This futuristic kitchen-o-bot relies on “Responsive Artificial Intelligence and advanced technologies.”

Oh, these techs would include “humanetic arms, fan arrays (allowing movement), cameras and advanced sensors that allow it to cook meals, order and collect food, manipulate all tasks a human can around the kitchen and interact with all available kitchen utensils and appliances.”

Lazy or not, this what Electrolux Design Lab Finalists Tim Leeding foresees for you in the future…90 years from now…

Designer: Tim Leeding

Ferreti 560 Yacht

The Ferretti 560 is the latest and final model of Ferretti Yachts, waiting to be unveiled on the International de la Plaisance 2009 festival in Cannes, which took around two years to get into its current redesigned shape of the flying bridge of its previous versions. In this connection, Ferretti Yachts has signed a long-term partnership again with Studio Zuccon International to realize the ambition of the F560. Studio Zuccon was mainly responsible for lightning and space guiding principles, additionally; they conceived an innovative window design for the project, distinguished by portholes on the main window’s sides. This creative design really worked well with the blanched oak wood furnishings and warm tones of the interiors, increasing natural light in the lower deck.

Despite the relatively modest size of the yacht, it houses three cabins – a comprehensive master cabin, a double cabin and a twin cabin, each with own private bathroom. The F-560 comprises two MAN V8-900 engines and has a top speed of 32 knots.

Designer : Ferretti Yachts

Universal Phone for Blind People

Usual mobile phones contain a small dot on the 5 key that allows the user to press the other keys even without looking on the keypad. Thus, even blind people can write text messages with conventional mobile phones. But what will they do when it comes to reading a text message? The Universal Phone concept is specially designed for blind people, but sighted people can also use it even efficiently. The keypad contains thousands of micro pins that are lowered and raised according to different modes. Moreover, these pins transforms in a Braille platform to facilitate blind people with reading and writing text messages.

Designer : Seunghan Song

"LineCraft TR" Futuristic Aircraft Concept

LineCraft TR is a single seater concept aircraft that comprises a collection of “Ludicrous Speed” engines, generating massive amount of ‘g’s. The engine contains eight miniatures and two large speed brakes to control the roll and yaw of the aircraft. LineCraft was designed for racing short to medium distances on the sky or over desert areas. This aircraft is specialized in high speed and mid altitude flight. The giant air brakes are required to control the aircraft because of the compact size and light weight. The ultimate speed of the aircraft has made it a good racer but an experienced pilot is required to fly this extraordinary piece.

Designer : Brian Moy

"Chukka" Kinetic-powered, tactile music player

Inspired by the Greek komboloi and begleri (worry beads), The Chukka is a kinetic-powered, tactile music player. Better that twiddling your thumbs aimlessly, you can keep shifting the beads and in turn charge up the player. Sourcing energy thru electromagnetic induction, the device uses easy-to-recycle Thermoplastic polyurethane for its outer casing and stainless steel for the innards. A highly flexible data cable links the two sections together, making it easy to dismantle for repairs.

"Watch The Video"

Designer: Thomas Mascall

Bowler Raptor 4WD Vehicle

Raptor is an extreme all-terrain vehicle designed for the British brand Bowler, features unique exposed chassis, a whole electric drivetrain and minimal bodywork to run up to 130mph and was inspired by the vehicles that compete in the Baja and Dakar rallies. Although the design contains the elements of a traditional four-wheel drive vehicle, it also incorporates echo-conscious materials and modern-day technology to create an exceptional off-road buggy.

The angular bodywork of this vehicle takes inspiration from both superbikes and modern architecture which results this unique vehicle, from both in aesthetic aspects and highly functional body panel mechanism. The body panels are independently attached onto the vehicle with hex-head bolts and can be replaced easily when damaged. The tires were designed to form a contrast by combining digital technology and dune buggy paddle tires, and both the alloys and tires are interlocked to create a strong image.

Raptor is based on an exposed carbon fiber chassis that provides closer sense of speed to the occupants, whilst providing comprehensive safety. The cantilever roof offers an unrivalled view from the front seat, giving a close panoramic view of the landscape. The vehicle is powered by Lithium-Titanate batteries that can be recharged through a standard wall socket or dedicated high powered outlets. It features unique “hot-swap” battery system that allows the user to replace the batteries easily and quickly.

Designer : Ryan Skelley

"Leaf" The Wearable Bracelet Phone

Inspired by photosynthesis, the Leaf is a wearable bracelet phone that incorporates solar cells on its front panel for juicing it up. If that’s not good enough, the cradle into which it docks also hosts the cells on the back. Alternatively, on a dark dingy day you can use the trusty electricity to recharge the phone. A pretty basic phone with calls and messages functions only, it’s main objective is to “remind people that they can contribute to energy efficiency.”

Designers: Seungkyun Woo & Junyi Heo

The "VIU" Contact Lens

Akin to Photoshopping the images to suit your requirements, the VIU Contact Lens blurs out the stark realities of life that you don’t want to see. Transforming your vision to suit your preferences, it can obscure and twist the realities of a stinky dumpster down your alley or block out that offensive Ad on the billboard. Intrigued? No, I’m scared, coz if we have a choice to block out the visions that we don’t like, we may end up as far away from reality as this concept.

More than the images that you see in this post, I urge you to view the video clips that explain the concept in totality.

Designer: Christofer Kummerer

"Ibex" Speedboat Concept

Ibex is a concept speedboat that allows the user to determine the attributes of the wake with adjustable trim planes sited at the base of the tower. The user can adjust the planes from the driver’s seat to increase the water displacement which will lead to a more defined wake. Or to have smooth driving, user can adjust the planes for decreased drag, enhanced fuel efficiency and quality ride while not disrupting other boaters. The tower, below dash consoles and lower swim deck area is featured with ultra-thin OLED lighting which is completely unnoticeable during the day, but can produce any number of colors at night to offer a unique boating experience.

Ibex comprises high-end multimedia system including video, audio, wireless network connectivity and on-board memory storage, controlled through touch-screens located at the passenger console and swim deck. Moreover, the tower of this boat is equipped with rear facing cameras that will offer the rear-views to the driver for better driving. Within the front hatch, there is a color-matched and flush-mounted hard top that can be removed to reveal a luxurious foredeck bench. This boat features direct drive propulsion mechanism that eliminates the probability of injury or unexpected situations on an exposed prop while lessening the boat’s draft also.

Designer : Peter Carrasquillo