Researchers and engineers at the University of Essex in England develop robotic fish to help in monitoring levels of water pollution. They are able to move swiftly in the water and turn quickly just as normal fish, but as they swim they control that the chemical levels in the water are not perilous. They collect this information, and when they have enough data, they surface and transmit this data back to the main hub. Making sure that we know as soon as there is any contamination in our oceans and seas making containment of oil or chemical spills easier.

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More Info:

• http://cswww.essex.ac.uk/staff/hhu/jliua/index.htm
• http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/03/26/monitoring-water-pollution-with-robotic-fish/
• http://www.robotic-fish.net/

Lichen Guo, a Chinese industrial design student, identifies the conventional washing machine as an unnecessary use of space. His design, the Dismount Washer, addresses this problem by combining the washing machine and the laundry basket together to create a compact and versatile washer. The dirty laundry capsule is mounted on a wall motor called an ‘energy stick’, which dispenses steam as part of the cleaning process.

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More Info:

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8omgScH9hc

With the growing costs of carbon-fuelled transportation, the necessity for a new form of public transportation is becoming increasingly important. MISTER, short for “Metropolitan individual transportation on an elevated rail”, is a Danish prototype that would allow us to glide across the city suspended by rail. Unlike trains and above-ground metro systems, MISTER is run solely by electricity, thus drastically reducing noise pollution to city residents. Tomorrow’s means of public transportation will be energy efficient, innovative, and traffic-free.

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More Info:

• http://www.mist-er.eu/home-page.html

Conceived by the designer Kyung Kuk Kim, Wind Lamp is built with LEDs and powered by a specialized wind-harnessing generator that also powers other street lamps. Taking advantage of a beautiful curve found in nature, the lamp was created in the shape of a water droplet. Both beautiful and environmentally friendly this lamp will be used to light the underside of a bridge over the Han River in Seoul.

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In the future, real estate for parking will be scarce, and people may need to find a new method of parking and driving an automobile. Roman Mistuik, an industrial design student at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, has designed a solution to this plausible problem: the Peugeot Metromorph Concept, a car that is able to travel vertically alongside buildings, and take a parking spot at your apartment window.

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More Info:

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kO-yonpKjq4

Torafu Architects, a Japanese interior design company, has designed a new vase made completely of paper. Air Vase can be molded and reshaped freely by stretching, pulling, or compressing it providing opportunity for innovation and creativity every time. It is also colored on both sides to provide a particular and unique perspective of it every time you look at it. It can even be used as a cover for a glass vase to show off some fresh flowers.

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More Info:

• http://www.torafu.com/
• http://www.youtube.com/user/TORAFUARCHITECTS

Matthew Gilbride’s Elements Modular Kitchen provides all-in-one kitchen shelving, with a focus on the living conditions of people living in 2050, when more people are predicted to be living in compact spaces in urban settings. The wall mounted device has diverse capabilities such as modes for cooking, refrigeration, air conditioning, and lighting. The Elements Modular Kitchen runs electricity wirelessly and the units can be placed together to work simultaneously. The modular shape allows for space and energy conservation through powermat technology.

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More Info:

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7a5Q3ZeosE
• http://www.electroluxdesignlab.com/2010/08/electrolux-design-lab-2010-finalist-matthew-gilbride/

Green buildings have become a new trend for architecture around the world as the idea of environment protection has gained more and more popularity in society; however, there are few buildings with both green features and architectural beauty. The new Green Roof Building at the School of Art, Design and Media at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore is one of them. This building innovatively integrates natural scenery and the business world through glass walls and new architectural technology. This structure’s roof is covered by turf, which helps circulate air around the building, thus reducing its temperature.

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More Info:

• http://www.cpgcorp.com.sg
• http://www.ntu.edu.sg/

Italian designer Pierpaolo Lazzarini has created a prototype for a new type of boat named the SeaJet Capsule, which is the first eco-friendly nineteen-foot yacht. The SeaJet Capsule has a seven-person seating capacity, transformable beds, photochromic windows, and hydro jet engines. This compact yacht is not only more practical for those looking to own a personal boat, but it also utilizes solar panels and hybrid engines to ensure sustainability.

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More Info:

• http://www.lazzarinidesign.net/
• http://www.seajetcapsule.com/