Winner of a 2010 Red Dot Design award, the SEIL (Safe Enjoy Interact Light) bag concept was created by Lee Myung Su to provide a safer way for cyclists to signal. Technically when signaling with their hands a cyclist is only riding their bike with the other hand, which can be dangerous. So the SEIL fixes that problem with an LED-equipped backpack and a detachable wireless remote which can be mounted on the handlebars. And besides signaling your turning intentions, the SEIL bag can also be used to let others on the road know when you’re about to slam on the brakes, or even if there is an emergency.
Yeah, I know. While we try to avoid concepts here as much as possible, every once in a while I come across a fairly convincing rendered product shot that gives faux credibility to an idea that will probably never come to fruition. Such is the Vertrax treaded skateboard. It looks incredibly cool, I’ll give designer Bryson Lovett credit there, but I see a host of issues that will ensure this probably never replaces the traditional skateboard. From anything and everything getting caught up in the rear-wheel mechanism, to the inability to grind on any surface. It also appeals to reduce cube gleaming by about 35%. According to the ‘specs’ it would be electric powered and whisper quiet though, but since it’s just a concept, the designer can really claim it could do anything.
Currently up for a much deserved James Dyson Award, David Graham’s Move-it concept consists of a set of self-adhesive cardboard parts that turns any box, up to 45 lbs in weight, into an easy to transport rolling trolley. The cardboard parts include a set of wheels and two different types of handles depending on the box’s shape and size, and when you’re finished moving whatever’s in the box the parts can be re-used elsewhere, or just recycled, including the glue which is a specially designed repulpable contact adhesive that disperses harmlessly in water.
Basically the success of this concept all comes down to the price. If I can buy a set of wheels and a handle for any cardboard box for less than $5, I may never have to lift anything ever again!
The Z-Cart concept, designed by Mete A. Mordag, is supposed to make grocery shopping excursions a little easier and more organized thanks to a set of removable baskets and a unique expanding design for extra large loads. But I couldn’t care less about those features. What piques my curiosity is the rechargeable electric scooter accessory which attaches to the back of the cart and lets you stand while zipping around the store. On one hand, power-sliding around the corner into the cereal aisle is one of my many childhood dreams, but on the other hand, since I already get rammed by seniors with non-powered carts, grocery shopping could end up being a total free-for-all. Still, far more entertaining.
This Folding Shower, which is a concept by French company Supiot that is currently looking for a manufacturer and a distributor, is a unique design that’s supposed to allow people living in small apartments to install a shower that doesn’t take up too much of their limited space. I’m a bit confused though, as even the smallest of apartments always have at least a shower since they already have a smaller footprint than a bathtub. And if your budget is so limited that you have to rent a place that doesn’t have a shower, something tells me you’re not going to be able to afford a renovation like this.
Anyways, I think Supiot has actually missed the mark when it comes to who they’re marketing this thing at. Small apartments with limited space? Nope. Single bathroom homes with multiple teenagers? Bingo! Just install a folding shower into every bedroom in the house and the morning battles over bathroom time will be a thing of the past. Sure, there’s the issue of running the requisite plumbing and drainage to every single room, but that’s nothing a few lengths of garden hose and some extra camouflaging rugs throughout the house can’t solve.
While this chesterfield sofa might look like it’s made from a bland gray leather, believe it or not it’s actually made from concrete. It was created by a UK-based company called Gray Concrete, appropriately enough, for the 100% Design exhibition in London, and the incredible amount of detail in it was captured using the company’s special molding techniques. Not only does it look like it’s made from actual leather, but they went the extra mile by ensuring the cushions have ‘bum prints’ and you’ll even find a concrete fifty pence coin stuck behind one of them. Now obviously the piece was created to show just how versatile concrete can be, but I think you could really class up a city by replacing its traditional park benches with durable, concrete reproductions of famous pieces of furniture.
While running in the water provides a grueling workout wherever you are, it’s particularly difficult in a swimming pool, but not in a good way, given the minimal traction between your feet and the pool’s smooth bottom. So in order to allow people to run in their pools until there heart’s content, Finnish designer Pyry Tamminen came up with the Pool Sprint which is essentially a combination of a submersible running track and a pair of specially-gripped underwater shoes. The video I’ve included below pretty much explains and demonstrates the whole concept, and the ridged grip used on the track and the bottom of the shoe is probably a bit more effective than my own design (patent rejected) which consisted of laying down a long row of rubber bathmats.
While functional test models have been built, the Pool Sprint is not yet ready to go into production as Pyry Tamminen is still looking for investors and/or partners so he can design a real prototype. So if you’re interested, you can probably contact him here.
Designer Marc Graells Ballve claims this anti-theft armor he designed for scooters called ‘Protect 486′ was actually inspired by mother nature, particularly the armor worn by armadillos. But anyone who saw Tim Burton’s original Batman film will find a striking resemblance between the Protect 486 system, and the armor deployed by the Batmobile while Batman was out cleaning up the streets of Gotham. I’m not accusing him of ripping it off or anything, I’m just saying. And while it looks like a half-decent idea for protecting your ride from vandals, theft and even rain, I have to wonder what effect the extra weight and drag would have on the scooter’s gas mileage.
At first glance I thought this Roller Buggy concept, which combines all the safety aspects of a baby seat and stroller with the reckless abandon of a scooter, was just a terrible idea. Particularly when used in a busy urban environment like seen in some of the product shots. But according to designer Valentin Vodev, a lot of care and safety concerns were taken into consideration when it was designed. In addition to an extra safety belt on the child seat, the Roller Buggy also features a set of hydraulic disc brakes on the front two wheels allowing the speed to be easily reduced at any time. Though taking it down a hill or riding it off a sweet plywood ramp in your driveway is probably still a terrible idea with a baby on board.
The Roller Buggy can also be transformed into a standard push stroller for use in places where scooting is frowned upon, and while I’m sure there will be plenty of uproar over child safety if this somehow ever becomes available for sale, with a little common sense it seems like a faster and generally more entertaining alternative way to get around with your little one.
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