Clothing made of paper is becoming the new frontier of fashion.

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Paper already has many uses, and now it even clothes. And in today’s video, you will be able to see how.

It is called “paper dressing”: Wearable clothing designed and manufactured completely out of recycled and recyclable paper. The versatility of this material guarantees dependable clothing, while demonstrating a new way of making a distinct and eco-friendly statement.

Future perspectives are interesting: think about when we will have personal clothing factories in our homes. A small machine, capable of printing, cutting, and coloring clothing that we design. Every day a different style, and a different outfit. And in the evening, instead of throwing our clothes in the washing machine, we will recycle our outfits in order to make tomorrow’s clothes.

Come tomorrow, the Devil wears paper.

More Info:

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbmttNtn6f4

The Universal Exposition of 2015 (Expo 2015) will be held in Milan, Italy. Designers and innovators from around the world will come together to display their new products and technologies.

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Man is the true protagonist of Expo 2015. Most people are under the impression that the point of Expo 2015 is to show off all of the innovative and wonderful technology of tomorrow. Well, it is. But in reality, all of those innovations are to better improve our lives. If there are no improvements, if these innovations don’t change a thing, what is their purpose?

Working on the future of a city is a challenging experience. I have designed 25 solutions for the Expo that will make it a much more enjoyable and relaxing experience for the visitors. Solutions such as automatic RFID identification will allow for automatic identification and access to permitted areas and reduced waiting times. Biometric scanners will be used to ensure that only the authorized personnel are allowed in restricted areas. And visitors will be able to connect to the Expo online to better manage their time and visit. These are just some of the many ideas and solutions that I have created to enhance the visitor’s experience at Expo 2015.

The purpose of the Expo is not only to show where technology and where the world is going, but also to show where technology is, how far it’s come. The Expo will be a place to show the visitors all of the services available to them. The enhanced security and more personalized service that is available through many forms of media and technology. Visitors will feel more at ease and more at home than ever before, while at the same time they will be able to admire countries, cultures, and people from around the world all from the city of Milan.

The Expo will illustrate all the advances man has made to live a better life. It will put on display the great strides we’ve taken, and where we are headed in the years to come. At the Expo, we will feel more connected than ever before thanks to all of the resources that will be available to us as visitors. Because after all, we are guests of honor.

More Info:

• http://www.milanoexpo-2015.com/indexe.htm

During his campaign for presidency, President Barack Obama talks to YouTube News Editor Steve Grove about his technology and innovation platform. According to President Obama, technology should be integrated into American government in order to enhance democracy.

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In a YouTube interview, conducted by YouTube News Editor Steve Grove on November 14, 2007, back when President Barack Obama was still the Senator of Illinois, explains how important technology is for the American government. According to President Obama, “technology really gives us the opportunity to make progress that we haven’t seen in a very long time.” During his campaign for presidency, President Obama utilized technology to enhance his campaign and gain notoriety through his own YouTube channel, MySpace profile, and personal website. As the Senator of Illinois, President Obama stressed the importance of connecting directly with the people; in fact, he had over 15,000 policy ideas submitted to his website from average voters.

Why is technology so important to a campaign or to a government? President Obama doesn’t see technology as something separate from other issues. Instead, he sees technology as a tool to help solve other problems such as health care and education. Furthermore, technology allows the government to be more transparent, and more accessible to the average American. One of President Obama’s best attributes is his ability to use modern trends and technologies to his advantage. If the goal of a campaign is to reach the most people possible, why not use all that technology has to offer?

In the interview President Obama talks about his future plans for the American government, such as implementing a Chief Technology Officer, and conducting online chats directly with the American people. Although some of these ideas have not yet become a reality, President Obama raises many significant points about technology. His willingness to use technology in order to achieve other goals illustrates how science and technology actually play important roles in public policy.

More Info:

• http://www.barackobama.com
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziSsCXx7JeM

Severn Suzuki is a thirteen year old girl who spoke at the United Nations out of fear for the future and the health of planet Earth. Filmed more than fifteen years ago, her words still resonate with the fears that we still have today.

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“In spite of my fear, I am not afraid to change the world in the way I believe it should be changed”.

These words were spoken by a thirteen year old girl, the spokesperson of an environmental group called ECO, at the United Nations. During her speech, she moved and captivated her audience with her firmness, clarity, and farsightedness. But then we forgot about them. Today, I would like to try once more.

Severn’s speech was political and not technical. It was through this approach that made the whole world stop and think, and it is because of this that her speech is still extraordinary and relevant.

The video speaks about the future. It underlines the fear of a future that could no longer exist, and what we should be fighting for to prevent this from happening. The price of our future, of the technological change, is in the resources that we consume in order to generate wealth. We must first think about the sometimes irreversible changes before we proceed any further. And if we are making our ecosystem pay too high of a price, we should ask ourselves if we need to slow down and think about alternative solutions.

Bob Dylan says in his song, “The Times They Are a-Changin’”, “Come mothers and fathers throughout the land. And don’t criticize what you can’t understand”. I am a father. Like many of you will do, watching this video I imagined my children asking the same questions that Severn posed, and I thought that her response was the best one that we could give: “In spite of my fear, I am not afraid to change the world in the way I believe it should be changed”.

More Info:

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbmttNtn6f4

Sigmund Freund’s intellectual curiosity has rendered him a profound connoisseur of the human life and psyche. Here are five of his wisdoms that refer to the future and human existence, ranging from love to culture, and from his own thoughts to the relation with others.

Sigmund (Shlomo in Hebrew, which means “the wise”) was the first son of Amalie Nathanson, the third wife of Jacob Freud, a Hebrew wool merchant from Galicia. When Sigmund was only four years old, the family had to move to Vienna in 1860 due to political-economic upheavals. Jacob was a freethinker although he had studied the writings of the Jewish tradition, and did not give his son an orthodox education. Sigmund passionately immersed himself in reading and studying the Bible at an early age, and was fascinated by Jewish history. This fascination would greatly influence him later in life. At the time, Vienna was a city full of strong anti-Semitic sentiment, which was a source of great limitation. At the same time, however, this did not stop Sigmund’s inspiring thoughts.

Things did not become much easier with the passing of time. Sigmund was dedicated to his studies, but he graduated behind schedule (in March, 1881), because the life of a student was too constricting. He disliked the way the teachers taught their classes, and it left him feeling unsatisfied and critical. His thoughts and curiosities needed to be free to inquire about the aspects of human existence that so often attracted his attention.

His sensibility of thought was not easy for his wife Martha, with whom he had six children. He saw her in the role of wife and mother, but not as a lover and confidant. This drove him to find comfort elsewhere, causing many problems in his relationships. Sigmund’s life was one indeed fully lived, in every aspect; an experience of a grand mind that serves as a great providers of wisdom and warnings for the future.

More Info:

• http://www.cla.purdue.edu/academic/engl/theory/psychoanalysis/freud.html

In this interview, conducted by Weird Science, physicist and entrepreneur Elon Musk talks about future models of the Telsa Electric Sports Car, and explains how motor studies and development has brought about the growth of space transportation.

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At an interview at Weird Science, an American TV program, Elon Musk explains the success of his company Telsa Motors to Brian Unger: “It’s faster, better acceleration than any Porsche currently in production, and it’s twice the energy efficiency of a Prius.” Telsa Motors is not only the leader of electric car manufacturers, but it distinguishes itself combining speed with energy efficiency. At 38, Telsa Motor’s CEO and Product Architect, Elon Musk, has already lived a life most people can only dream of. Co-founder of PayPal, Space-X, and Telsa Motors, Musk is one of the most fascinating entrepreneurs in the world. He is currently the CEO of Space-X and Telsa Motors, as well as Chairman of SolarCity. Whether on the road or in the sky, Musk has the motor/tech market covered.

All of Musk’s ventures are on the cutting edge of their respective fields. Telsa Motors created an electric sports car, the Roadster, which is 100% electric, and can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds. Not only is it fast and beautiful, the Roadster is twice as energy efficient as a Prius. Two updated versions, the Roadster Sport and the Model S, improve upon the original model and will be released in the near future. Space-X, another of Musk’s companies, develops and manufactures space launch vehicles, with an emphasis on low cost and high reliability. Currently, Space-X has contracts with NASA and the United States Air Force.

Unlike some multi-millionaires who retire early on remote tropical islands, Elon Musk isn’t planning on stopping anytime soon. With his background in physics, his ingenuity, and his eye for innovation, it is no wonder he has accomplished so much. With an already accumulated fortune of over $328 million, Musk always has an eye on the future, and sees space exploration as playing a crucial role in the future preservation of human life. His position at Telsa Motors has allowed him to influence the world and change the way we look at our current mode of transportation. Elon does not only address the issue of being environmentally friendly, which is currently one of the main priorities in every society, but also luxury and speed. The result? Musk has the car industry elegance, speed, performance, and efficiency. He has shown the world that you can still save our planet without having to give anything up. Thus far, Musk’s innovations have allowed for many advances in the fields of technology and transportation, and much is expected of this promising physo-entreprenuer in the future.

More Info:

• http://www.teslamotors.com
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Onajosm9PWo

Design does not have to be seen solely as creativity applied to the necessities of consumerism. Instead, it should be the vehicle and the expression of a type of thinking, of a formula of creativity that is built on three axes: desirability, feasibility and viability. The future of design must be oriented as such, as the outlook of new designers shift to collaborative “design thinking”.

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In today’s society, it is not farfetched to say that consumerism dictates many aspects of our lives. It is also not surprising that the most profitable products on the market are the most aesthetically pleasing and innovative, thanks to designers whose job it is to make products sell. Tim Brown, the CEO of the firm IDEO, a design and innovation consultancy, believes that this concept needs to change.

Tim Brown wonders when design got so small. By focusing on a design or a singular product, design has become pigeonholed into simply being a tool of consumerism. Design has become incremental and does not make the impact that it could. This does not mean, however, that making products easier to use or more attractive is a pointless endeavor; instead Brown stresses the need for “design thinking” in order to see the bigger picture.

Design thinking begins with integrative thinking, which is the ability to exploit opposing ideas and constraints to create new solutions. According to Brown, design thinking, when applied to design, is accomplished by balancing desirability (what humans needs), technical feasibility, and economic viability. Instead of focusing on the design of a singular object, we should be using design thinking as an approach to solve problems and create new solutions. Brown also believes that smaller design is a recent phenomenon and that design now stands for image, fashion, and aesthetics, when it should stand for innovation.

Is design getting big again? Looking around at the latest changes in the world, one would be inclined to say yes. Design needs to start with what humans need, not just what new objects would look good on someone’s shelf. Thanks to current technology, companies are now able to use design to help tackle world problems by taking into account diverse cultures. While design is useful in both a large and smaller realm, it should start once again living up to its full potential.

More Info:

• http://designthinking.ideo.com/
• http://www.ted.com/talks/tim_brown_urges_designers_to_think_big.html

Scientists at Delft University in the Netherlands have developed a self-healing polymeric material that is both reusable and durable, and can be our solution to make regular plastic bags obsolete. CB26KJW2DS54 Y23HY9RTZ79W

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Most people are aware of the ongoing crisis with plastic bag build up all over the world. Plastic is one of the hardest materials to recycle, and is not easily biodegradable. The average plastic bag has a lifespan of 20 minutes, before it is thrown away. This massive build up has had a negative effect on the environment, but in the future this will change.

Ever since the mass usage of plastic bags became an environmental problem, many stores have come up with some helpful solutions. Green-wise is a shopping bag that does not rip, and can be used over and over again, unlike those flimsy, thin plastic shopping bags that often break after the first use. Along with Greenwise bags, some superstores are giving consumers the choice to use paper bags as well.

A team of scientists at the Delft Centre for Materials, at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, led by co-chairman Sybrand van der Zwaag, have developed a thermally self-healing polymeric material which is made by using a simple and efficient processing method. This material can be reused countless times, and can save millions of tons of waste each year. This new type of plastic is hard, and allows ground up post consumer pellets of their invention to be turned into “virgin” materials at a higher temperature.

This material is an innovative way of solving the world’s waste problems, as it will allow for products to be easily recycled and reused.

More Info:

• http://www.selfhealingmaterials.nl/

New technologies are not only changing our everyday lives and how we work and communicate with others; they are also bringing new customs to our societies. The National Texting Championship, held in New York City, is an example of such a phenomenon. The idea is simple: whoever can write the fastest text message wins.  There have only been three competitions so far, but the event is quickly attracting more and more Americans.

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Do you know what was written in first text message ever sent? “Merry Christmas”. It was the Christmas of 1992, and 22 year-old Neil Papworth sent his Christmas greetings to his colleague Richard Jarvis, who at that moment was at a holiday party near Vodafone’s complex in Newbury, England. To send the message Papworth used the keyboard of a computer. Little did he know what sort of technological revolution he had actually started.

18 years later, the number of text messages sent is now more than 2 trillion. Text messaging has not only created a new way of connecting with people, but it has also brought with it a new way of speaking and new cultural norms. In order to fit an entire message into only 160 characters, people have created new vocabulary, have begun including symbols into everyday speech, and have given numbers a new functionality. Teenagers are the original inventors of this new way of speaking, and their national texting champion for 2009 is 15 year-old Kate Moore. So what does it mean to be the texting champion? A first-place trophy, $50,000, and…bragging rights for the rest of the year.

LG’s US National Texting Championship is no easy feat: there are several elimination rounds, which include a text obstacle course, blindfolded texting, and texting while being hassled. Kate, who averages 14,000 messages a month with bills just under 300-pages long, beat over 250,000 texters to win.

What does this new and innovative competition mean for our future societies? It stands to demonstrate how our culture is evolving quickly. We are constantly looking for better and more efficient ways of communicating and existing in this world. Undoubtedly, the texting trend has grown exponentially, as more adults are beginning to also use text messaging as their main form of communication.

More Info:

• http://www.lgtexter.com/past_winners.php

The Universal Exposition of 2015 will change the city of Milan, as well as Italy as whole. Expo 2015 brings with it great potential for both Italy and the future.

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“In 2015, Milan will transform into a magical city,” This is how I explained the 2015 Universal Exposition on the program Nea Polis on the Italian TV network Rai 3. Milan is a magical city full of new technology that will soon become a reference of innovation and design.

Many Expos in the past have left large changes for the host city. Brussels was given the Atomium, and France was left with the Eiffel Tower. This iron monument was completely innovative for its time. It was avant-garde, unexpected, and even unappreciated by some. It now stands as a monument of innovation and art. This Expo in 2015 will stand in history as the point in which Italy redefines itself as not only a nation of ancient art and ancient civilizations; it will show that it is a nation that is headed for the future and that it has what it takes to be one of the front runners, one of the very best in the fields of engineering, innovation, and design.

When I was planning the project for the Italian candidacy for Expo 2015, I designed innovations such as sidewalks with built in sensors to adapt to you and your feet as you walk, buildings painted with nanotechnology infused paint that changes color as the day progresses, and sunglasses which allow you view the city as it was centuries and millennia ago. At the Expo, we will be marveled by technologies and innovations that seem as unreal as these ideas. But that’s how we move forward, by taking ideas and figuring out how to make them reality. But when people ask me which solutions, out of the 25 that I designed, I treasure the most, my response is the first holographic park in the world that will be capable of displaying buildings and monuments up to 30 meters (about 98 feet) high. It will show the things that made Milan the city it is, the people that helped found it, but it will appear out of thin air, and can be shut off like a light switch.

An exposition that demonstrates where the world is going. That is how the 2015 Expo in Milan is being referred to. We’ll refer to that date to come up with new innovative solutions. We have a lot to look forward to and much to watch out for at the 2015 Expo that is only 5 years away. Milan will most definitely be magical with all of the wonderful and never-before-seen technology at the Expo. There will not be any card ticks or rabbits being pulled out of hats; the magic is in the innovation it took to bring all of those ideas to life.

More Info:

• http://www.milanoexpo-2015.com/indexe.htm