Design WOO

Eco Factor: Zero-emission concept superbike powered by electric motors.

The Hornet is a concept zero-emission superbike by designer Liam Ferguson, which has emerged as the winner of the prestigious VACC competition. What sets the superbike away from the crowd is not just its single-wheeled frame, but its ability to turn around on a dime. The bike is powered by dual 74hp in-wheel hydrogen fuel cell six-phase neodymium-iron electric motors.

The Hornet integrates two side-by-side small wheels to balance it gyroscopically when parked. However, when the rider accelerates, the bike tilts forward and lifts its rear stabilizing wheels off the ground to run on a central wheel. Weighing in at 176kg, the zero-emission bike has been designed to be surprisingly easy to maneuver with an amazing turning radius of zero meters.

Eco Factor: Concept bicycle with shape shifting capabilities.

Designed by Claudia Baer, Anna Wiesinger and Marlene Klausner, the Big Eye Cruiser is a concept bicycle that has been designed to fit your child perfectly over the years of his growth. Made for the ages between 10 years and 15 years, the bike features a frame that stretches horizontally, while the angle of the frame determines its height.

The handlebar is also adapted to this and fine-tuning can be done by moving the saddle backward and forward. The concept has been designed for younglings who want a bike that can adjust according to their growing needs.

Eco Factor: Electric bicycle to reduce the number of cars on the streets.

Due to increasing urbanization, our cities are getting bigger and have to carry much more people. As a result of this, the living space will run short, same as the traffic area in the near future. The infrastructure can’t be changed, so there have to be some new ways for the mobility of the people. Beside the public transport options like buses and trains, there is a rise in demand for individual transportation, where bicycles could be the answer.

Most commutes in urban areas are shorter than 20km, which is an optimal distance to ride by a bicycle. If you take an electric bicycle, you have an individual means of transport for nearly all ages. If you combine this with a folding bike, you get the benefit to carry the bicycle into your flat or your employment area as well. Designer Thorsten Wickert has tried to realize this concept in a folding bicycle that eases transportation. Since it’s foldable, you can take it through a narrow stairway and into an elevator as well.

The folding mechanism is concentrated around the pedal unit, which serves as the center of rotation. There is no mechanical drive unit, i.e. there is no chain. Therefore, the hub motor makes the whole work and the pedal moving just charges the battery. Nowadays this concept is already being utilized in hybrid cars, where the gas engine just works as a generator to produce electricity. Through an electronic control, the resistance can be changed while pedaling, so a gear shift can be simulated. In a higher gear more electricity is generated, which reduces the external power.

Gourmet Guru Michelin star chef Juan Mari Arzak, thinks Molecular Cooking is the next step in gastronomical heaven. Presented here are three design concepts – Lunar Eclipse (bowl), Fama (long plate) and Bocado de Luz (serving plate), that take culinary expertise to celestial planes. Juan Mari & his daughter Elena Arzak feel that presentation skills not only entice the palate but also dynamically alter the sensory experience during a meal. “The simple act of placing food on the plates or pouring liquid into the bowl triggers sensory stimuli and causes them to react.”

Juan Mari Arzak says, “Molecular gastronomy has developed from a handful of exponents into a global phenomenon. It has led to the adaptation of scientific laboratory equipment and the invention of new kitchen technology, which makes it a small step to explore the presentation of dishes. The combination of our food creations on the multi-sensorial bone china concepts adds an extra dimension to the dining experience.”

Images Courtesy The Philips Design Food Probe Project.

Designers: Philips Design

The idea of a lit-up handrail for public places is not quite new, but adding the features of an e-paper display with laser-engraving tech is unique. The Light Handrail is just this concept, with e-paper displays lined at appropriate distances. Usage scenario includes doling out advertisements, mock-up scenes or useful information like how to find the nearest exit during an emergency. In auditoriums and dimly-lit places, this hand-rail can be an added attraction, like the exotic flower one greeting the visitors!

Designers: Zhi-Jie Liu & Si-Jie Wang