Solar Powered Soft Rockers (Video & Gallery) By MIT Professor & Students

Professor of the Practice of Architecture, Sheila Kennedy, and a group of Design, Architecture and Engineering students from MIT have designed solar-energy storing modern wood rockers on which you can lounge and chat or charge. Smartphones, cell phones, mp3 devices, laptops and other gadgets can be connected via USB. What's more, the soft rockers are designed with a solar powered ambient light that gives them a soft glow in the dark.











above: Image by SOFT ROCKER TEAM: Sheila KENNEDY, MIT Professor of the Practice of Architecture; James BAYLESS, KVA UC Intern; Kaitlyn BOGENSCHUTZ, KVA UC Intern; Wardad INAM, MIT PhD Candidate, Electrical Engineering; Jungmin NAM, GSD March I 2009, KVA Designer; Shevy ROCKCASTLE, MIT Smarchs 2011; Phil SEATON, MIT March 2012; Matt TRIMBLE, MIT March 2009, RADLAB; Adnon ZOLIJ, MIT BS 2010, Electrical Engineering

Soft Rockers description and video from MIT:
Recharge yourself and your electronics while relaxing with friends outdoors in Killian Court. The MIT SOFT Rockers are smart, clean energy charging stations disguised as outdoor rocking lounge furniture. Unlike conventional ‘hard’ urban infrastructure, The SOFT Rocker leverages its environment in a dynamic manner by using the human power of balance to create an interactive 1.5 axis 35 watt solar tracking system. Soft power electronics designed for this project charge the 12 ampere-hour battery and store solar energy harvested during the day. Put your body weight in play with an interactive, real time energy harvesting feedback loop that senses how you orient the rocker to the sun. Charge or run any USB device from speakers to cell phones and bring your friends to enjoy cool lighting loops at night for social gatherings.



The leaf-like loop form of the SOFT Rockers explores how standard softwood panels can be mass-customized to adapt to the latitude and sun angle of any site using parametric design software and automated fabrication with a lightweight Kuka robotic arm. The SOFT Rocker combines hi-tech and low-tech design strategies: it produces electricity but engages the body and works like furniture “by hand”; it mixes sun tracking and social dynamics; it is a site specific object and a flexible form family of ‘soft’ wood construction. The SOFT Rocker blurs distinctions between pleasure and work and recasts power generation as an integrated and distributed public activity rather than a centralized, singular off-site project of ‘engineering’.  

SOFT ROCKER TEAM: Sheila KENNEDY, MIT Professor of the Practice of Architecture James BAYLESS, UC MArch 2014, KVA Intern Kaitlyn BOGENSCHUTZ, UC BS Arch 2013, KVA Intern Wardah Inam, MIT PhD Candidate 2015, Electrical Engineering Jungmin NAM, GSD MArch 2009, KVA Designer Shevy ROCKCASTLE, MIT SMarchS 2011 Phil SEATON, MIT MArch 2012 Matt TRIMBLE, MIT MArch 2008, RADLAB Adnon ZOLIJ, MIT BS 2010, Electrical Engineer Vicor, Inc. MIT gives special thanks to: • Vicor, Inc. Applications Engineering provided power electronics support. Picor, a subsidiary, provided Cool-O-Ring controllers for battery/load interfacing. • Global Solar, Inc. Technology Development Team provided advance samples of Gen II flexible photovoltaics. • LightTape, Inc. Assisted with manufacture of custom electroluminescent lighting materials • Peter Murray at Fine Finish, Inc., in Waltham, MA.  

images and info courtesy of Arts at MIT

Kohler Numi, The High-Tech Luxury Toilet That Does Everything But Take The Crap For You.

Kohler introduces Numi, Kohler’s most advanced toilet. The Numi toilet is a state of the art, modern, automatic and motion-sensor, self-cleaning toilet combination bidet that also warms your feet, your tush, can play music with its built-in speakers, audio input jack and docking station and keeps itself odor-free.


above: the Numi remote in its magnetic docking station

That's not all, it has ambient lighting that gives it an inviting glow in the dark, the lid is hands-free and motion activated, the seat has adjustable heating options and it has a built in automatic charcoal filter deodorizer. It even cleans itself with your choice from three patterned water sprays. And everything can be controlled by a modern looking remote.




By the looks of the promotional lifestyle product shots, Kohler is marketing the Numi like a piece of modern luxury furniture. The stylized, and come on, let's face it.. over the top, images were shot in the famous Pierre Koenig Stahl House (also known as the Case Study House #22) in Los Angeles.



The Numi combines modern design, technology and engineering to bring you the finest in personal comfort and cleansing. From its striking form and features to its unrivaled water efficiency, the Numi toilet marks a new standard of excellence in the bathroom.



Features:

• Motion activated lid and seat:
Front sensors react to your movement when you enter the room for hands-free opening and closing of the cover. Motion at the floor-level engages sensors to raise and lower seat.

Side view of the hands-free, motion-sensor lid and seat activation:


Front view of the hands-free, motion-sensor lid and seat activation:



• Advanced Bidet Functionality:
Self-cleaning wand features multiple options for water spray pattern. Adjust wand position, water pressure and temperature to your preferences



• Integrated Air Dryer:
Located in the wand for more efficient drying.



• Deodorizer:
Air is pulled through a powerful deodorizing charcoal filter.

• Heated Seat:
Warms the seat to your comfort level.

• Feet Warming:
Warm air from floor-level vents, heats the floor surface and warms your feet.



• Numi Remote Interface Home Screen:
You can remotely control everything from the basic functions to the music, heating and lighting.


• Illuminated Panels:
Ambient lighting illuminates your space with a soft, inviting glow.




• Music:
Built-in speakers allow you to play a selection from the Numi toilet’s pre-programmed audio, FM radio or to connect your MP3 player through the audio input jack in the remote docking station.

The Kohler Numi has a retail price of $6,500 USD.

Learn more here

Watch & Warm. A Flat Screen TV And Fireplace In One.

The Scenario from MCZ and Loewe combines sound, image and heat. A fireplace that incorporates a flat screen LCD TV complete with audio speakers.



The front cladding is made of tempered glass with a painted steel shelf and painted black steel framework. Scenario integrates a closed fireplace (either the wood-burning Vivo 90 Wood or the gas burning Forma 95 Gas) and a Loewe 37" LCD TV complete with two 60 W speakers.



It also comes with a rail for remote controls (which are included for the tv and the gas burning fireplace) and comes in an integrated cabinet for a dvd player or a satellite receiver, etc.

The wood burning Vivo 90:


The gas burning Forma 95:


overall dimensions:
width = 750 mm
length = 2050 mm
Depth = 100 mm



Learn more here

The Wallee - A Colorful, Cool & Convenient Wall Mount Case For The Apple iPad.

The Wallee, designed in Melbourne, Australia, is a seamless, hard case and wall mounting system made especially for the iPad. Available in five cool colors, the nicely designed, low profile case allows you to easily mount your iPad horizontally or vertically just about anywhere that viewing it hands-free is convenient.



Keep it from getting wet while you're in the tub, follow along a recipe while you're cooking in the kitchen, mount it to the dash in your car or put above your desk to keep it clutter free.







The Wallee is comprised of two main parts; the hard shell case and the wall mounts.


When not docked, The Wallee does double duty acting as a durable, comfortable and sleek protective case for your iPad.




All of the physical buttons are left easily accessible and integrated thumb tabs means your iPad can be removed from the case quickly and easily.

The patented wall plate with integrated locking 'X' mechanism means your iPad mounts confidently to any surface, comfortable in both landscape and portrait orientations.



A simple turn and click & your iPad is locked into position, another turn and click and it is released together with its hard protective shell.

Wall plates can be purchased individually to provide mounting options wherever they are needed, whether around the house or at the office.

Dimensions:
Shell 9.75" w x 7.6" l x 0.75" d
Mount 2.75" dia x 0.70" d

$49.95 USD
Buy it here