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Blogging the future

Scientists at UC Berkeley, California have engineered materials that can modify the natural visible direction of light, and make the object appear invisible to human eyes. These 3D materials curve light waves around the object in which they are applied. Thanks to this new technology, it may actually be possibility to walk around with an invisibility cloak in the near future.

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It was 1961 when Stan Lee and Jack Kirby designed “The Fantastic 4”, giving life to a very popular series of comedies, including personalities that entertained millions of readers. Out of you readers, who has heard of the adventures of Susan Storm, the “invisible woman”. After around 40 years, the fiction that seemed to remain confined to comics, spread to scientific laboratories.

Some interesting trials have been conducted since 2006. Researchers from Duke University, directed by Prof. David Smith, created a “meta-material”, made from electromagnetic waves, which rendered objects visible only to specific detectors. In only 3 years, this field has taken a giant leap forward.

At the University of Berkeley in California, a team of scientists led by Prof. Xiang Zhang, from the Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center put together for the first time a 3-D material capable of deflecting the natural direction of visible light through infrared lighting. Xiang has created a carpet cloak from nanostructured silicon that conceals the presence of objects placed under it from optical detection.

This discovery could contribute to further create a base material that will have an optic effect on images and render them invisible. A creation like this would be a hit with fantasy film fanatics. One can only wonder than limitless possibilities and applications that will come from this discovery, and hoping that not only the military sector will benefit from the innovation.

More Info.:

• http://berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2008/08/11_light.shtml
• http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2009/01/15/invisibility-cloak.html
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4zwzlnExVU
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQ-aLyiU_i0&NR=1
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ja_fuZyHDuk
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeiFcJC7diA

Brammo’s Enertia Electric Motorcycle is first in its class. Running solely on a rechargeable battery, The Enertia is a combination of speed and energy efficiency. With its sleek and simple style, this new motorcycle makes saving the planet look easy.

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As the greenhouse gas scare came out into the media spotlight earlier in the decade, people all over the world decided that change was needed, to save our planet and allow a healthier way of living. Reducing pollution required many new steps to be taken, namely: the new wave of electric models of cars which replaced the gas consuming, earth polluting ones.

In 1885, the first motorcycle ever was built. It was a direct descendant of the bicycle, but had a loud, smoky, and slow engine attached to it. Recently, motorcycles have become a symbol of fearlessness and sheer mechanical prowess. The only problem is that most conventional motorcycles ran on pure gasoline, so what would environmentalists ride?

The motorcycle industry has finally produced the environmentally friendly version of the electric car. It comes from Craig Bramscher’s Brammo, On June 2009, the business magazine Fast Company voted Craig as one of the top ten most creative people in ethonomics.

The Enertia Electric Motorcycle, the first of its class which runs solely on a rechargeable battery capable of covering distances of over 45 miles. Only 99 Enertia Carbon Motorcycles are set to be released in the near future. The lithium ion battery is designed to last for ten years.

I think that this motorcycle has nearly every ingredient to be the upcoming trend on wheels worldwide.  The only downfalls are that it’s still too expensive and goes too slow. However, it can be used by plugging in the electric battery into a wall, and has enough speed to be taken onto the highway as well as a very lightweight body, making it ideal for zipping around crowded cities.

More Info.:

• http://www.brammo.com/

San Francisco designer, Joanna Borek-Clement has created an innovative architectural urban design that could alleviate pollution and overcrowded streets. Sky-Terra is a structural system based on the concept of adding a new and eco-friendly level to major cities, adding new public spaces to already crowded cities.

Although skyscrapers might be beautiful, complaints have come from some of them ruining the horizon, by sticking out like a sore thumb in the middle of a vast wilderness. Look around any large metropolis and you will note the same things: no room for expansion, pollution, crowded city streets, a vast array of buildings that take away sunlight from the avenues below. They cast an ominous, eerie shade on the city below, taking away the suns warmth, and replacing it with the shades chillier temperature. The need for public spaces is crucial in any busting metropolis.

Joanna Borek-Clement is a designer from San Francisco who has envisioned a new way of constructing high-rises using a new architectural design. Her design is inspired by the shape of a neuron cell, and would allow the streets below to be filled with parks, and recreational community buildings. Her idea shows buildings sprouting up from the ground, and branching out wider towards the sky, sort of like building an alternate layer far away from the ground. These interconnected towers would also be built of mass-produced materials that would allow for the conservation of critical energy and precious resources.

I like this project: it makes a lot of sense for the environment and for bettering the general life of city dwellers. I find that its practicality could lead the project to materialize into something concrete within the next several years. A new, intricate layer in the sky could better the quality of life for the ones who seek to stay below it.

More Info.:

• http://joannaborek.com/index_welcome.html

Moy, the futuristic car created by Croatian designer Elvis Tomljenovic, is a concept car for a technologically-driven generation. Moy is completely customizable, made with polycarbonate layers and LED fibers. The driver is once again the commander of his vehicle, as he is able to choose any design or pattern for his car.

Henry Ford, at the time of the presentation of the Ford T in 1908, said that the cars would be available in every color as long as it was black.

The imposition to the market of a single car color coincides with the beginning of marketing interpreted as “product orientation”.

The 1900’s was the century of mass production: standardized product, thought of to please as many people as possible. The new millenium on the other hand, started a new trend: personalization. Today at the center of the production process, lie our desires, and that is what leads companies to design products which allow us to express our inner creativity.

100 year have passed since the release of the Ford T, and today we can change the color of our car anytime we want.

It is called Moy, and it was projected by the Croatian designer Elvis Tomljenovic, who won a contest for the Automotive Design Conference in Zagreb.

Moy is the concept car for the “generation that will use technology as a basis to express themselves and to communicate”. The body of Moy is composed of thin layers of polycarbonate that contain a layer of liquid crystals, also with LED’s and electro-chromed fibers. Outside of the technical specifications the principle is the same as a screensaver, all one needs is a computer. One picks an image he likes, or creates one, and then sends it via wi-fi to the car, which applies it to the car’s body. The concept surely will draw interest, even because Tomljenovic thought of equipping the car with an electric motor, to demonstrate his support for environmental sustainability, which is now in the DNA of this young designer.

The real test now is to make the Moy secure while driving in the bustling traffic of our crowded streets, and to transform it from being a brilliant idea to an actual successful product. Aesthetically pleasing, personalized, with an electric motor, respectful for the environment, safety. Will this be the car of the future?

More Info.:

• http://www.yankodesign.com/2009/04/08/have-a-different-car-everyday/
• http://tomljenovic.carbonmade.com/projects/2271356

Imagine watching your favorite TV show from your living room sofa undisturbed while someone right beside you listens to their favorite song play on the stereo. The development of such a device that would allow us to do this was practically unimaginable only a decade ago. However, we may all have the privilege of owning such a device in the near future.

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In the late 19^th century, when Thomas Edison invented the phonograph, projecting recorded sounds was a byproduct of his efforts to “play back” recorded telegraph messages and to automate speech sounds for transmission by telephone. Certainly, he could have never imagined the extent of the evolution of his and his successors’ technologies. Today, we not only have the means of projecting sound, but we now have the capability of directing or “aiming” sound to a specific point.

There is a revolutionary technology, created by researcher Joe Pompei of MIT, where sound is focused to target a specific area. Pompei’s “Audio Spotlight” was no mistake either. Joe explained where his inspiration came from, “I started to become interested in really what the shortcomings of traditional loudspeakers were.”

Traditional speakers transmit non-directed sound at wavelengths of several feet. Pompei’s Audio Spotlight transmits millimeter-sized, ultrasonic waves in a very narrow beam of sound, which becomes audible as it travels through the air. Essentially, Joe has figured out a way to use ultrasound that “excites” the air and causes sound to be made “in midair.”

These new waves can travel much further, and more focused, than normal sound waves.  The signal processor/amplifier are integrated into a system about the size of a traditional audio amplifier, and they use about the same amount of power as well.

Pompei has founded the company, “Holosonics” in which he sells the Audio Spotlight. “Environments that need ’sound without noise’ are our workhorse application: museums, corporate visitor centers, event or gallery installations and retail sales displays. But our ultimate destination for Audio Spotlight’s is the home.” Look out for the Audio Spotlight as it may be on store shelves sooner than expected.

More Info:

• http://www.holosonics.com/
• http://web.mit.edu/
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-aLJ4Kjm3A

Looking for a car that is both innovative and resilient? Then look no further than BMW’s new car, GINA. Designed by Chris Bangle, GINA, which stands for “Geometry, Infinity, and Adaption”, is the car of the future. With its fabric-skinned shape-shifting concept, GINA is the beginning of a new style of motor vehicle.

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In this interview, Chris Bangle announces the fascinating “Gina Light Visionary Model”: the amazing new concept developed by BMW, right before he resigned as head of design. An automobile of the future that introduces to us a philosophy of innovative manufacturing, not compared to vehicles of the past, but also to ones being designed for the future.

Chris Bangle is an automobile designer, known best for his work as Chief of Design for BMW Group.

Bangle started his career at Opel, he later moved to Fiat and then became the first American chief of design of BMW on October 1, 1992, where he designed the Z9 Gran Turismo concept car. His styling themes have generated intense controversy among automotive designers, and have often had a polarizing effect.

On February 3, 2009, Bangle announced that he was to quit both his position at BMW and the auto industry altogether, to focus on his own design-related endeavours.

Chris explains that GINA – is an acronym for “Geometry and Function in “N” adaptations. His design matches the fantasy of BMW’s owner while also inspiring many who see the intricate design. The structure of the auto can be modified thanks to an electro-hydraulic system in real time. Other than its velocity, the tail end of GINA can change form, and the motor and doors open in a way never seen before, with surprising effects. Even the seats change form, and the headlights are hidden beneath a feline mask.

Individualization and flexibility are the two main factors in the project. To get noticed by buyers, the car will be customizable like no other, and will be “personalized to the fullest extent possible”, which will make this vehicle a metaphorical extension of our own bodies, and an object of our wildest imaginations.

Swedish designer Camilla Diedrich has found a way to combine wallpaper with electric lights in order to create a fashionable and innovative way of illuminating a room. By incorporating fiber optics into wallpaper, Diedrich delivers a beautiful and interesting way of brightening our homes in a way never thought possible.

Wallpaper and illumination systems allow us to decorate our homes with plenty of space to express our inner designer. Today however, thanks to optic fibers we can integrate the two together.

In 1879 the era of artificial lighting was born under Thomas Edison. Not only was the first prototype of a lamp and an incandescent light bulb created, but also the acceleration of an entire industrial sector. Very few people remember that optic fibers are contemporary to the light bulb, and that significant progresses in the field were only starting to be made in the 1960’s. In reality, the optic fibers are very efficient conductors of electricity, and in this case, also a potential lighting alternative.

Nature Ray Charles is special wallpaper that entwines strings of optic fiber in a luminescent flower pattern, giving the room a truly amazing look. The Swedish designer, Camilla Dietrich, idealized the concept with the intent to find an innovative way to illuminate any room without having to use electrical lighting methods. The Swedish stylists are committed to rendering the design accessible to the public.

Imagine what type of scenarios we would be able to surround ourselves with if this optic fiber was powered by solar energy and sold at a cheaper price. The price of this wallpaper is still too high to be considered a product entering the mass-market, but the energy saving advantages it has will certainly draw public interest.

More Info.:

• http://online.diedrich.se/

“Pay what you want” is a formula that produces a new form of marketing, and is aimed to deliver more appealing services and products to customers. The growing popularity of this trend is the direct investment that the customers have with their desired products. If it is possible to personalize every type of service or product in today’s society, then prices should also be negotiable.

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We have all, at least once, believed to have paid too much for something, whether it be a vacation, dinner, or cellular phone. It is now possible, however, to pay for a meal according to what we think is fair. “Pay what you want” is a formula that produces a new form of marketing, and is aimed to deliver more appealing services and products to customers.

Let’s see how this idea works. In Längenfeld, Austria 200 people were offered the possibility of a weekend vacation in the snow; and each person chose the price. The tourists were asked to pay an “honest” figure, and to fill out a questionnaire about the quality of the trip. The main objective of this “test” was to gain publicity for the hotels and restaurants in the area, to adapt prices according to the results of the experiment, and to use the gathered information to improve the vacation package.

The same strategy has been adopted by the hotel Ibis Singapore on Bencoolen, where for a limited time it was transformed into a pay-what-you-want structure. Customers paid anywhere from 70 Euro all the way down to 40 cents per room (the equivalent of about $100 and $0.60, respectively). Thousands of people logged onto the website and all of the rooms were booked within minutes on the first the day of the promotion.

The rising popularity of this new system has put the power into the hands of the customer. Today, every potential customer is empowered in a way that was never possible. Thanks to the internet, people can now find information about every product or service available. Furthermore, websites that allow people to comment on products and experiences help both future customers and the producers create better products and prices.

This rising phenomenon has found its way onto television as well, as seen in the following ABC News video clip. The Wrigley Mansion, in Phoenix, Arizona, has also started using the “pay what you want” strategy, and so far, it has proven very successful.

More Info:

• http://www.clientrevolution.com/2009/08/how-do-you-set-your-prices.html
• http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=8015840

Roger Harrop directs Speakers With Content, an American group that connects audiences with experts and specialists who provide practical information, solutions, and materials in an inspiring and insightful manner. Based on experiences and personal observations, Roger Harrop outlines the 10 key concepts of a successful entrepreneur.

As the Group Chief Executive of Servomex for seven years, Roger Harrop helped the company become the world leader in gas analysis. Now the President and Fellow of the Professional Speakers Association, Harrop is a keynote speaker for international corporations, business leaders groups, and associations. Here are his ten tips for our leaders:

1. Know what your weaknesses are, and always have a number 2, someone that can complement you and your weaknesses.
2. Know what your purpose is. What is it that you want to achieve? Knowing one’s purpose can help direct people in the right direction.
3. Belief is of upmost importance. If you don’t believe in yourself and your work, people will see right through you.
4. Passion is key. If you don’t have passion for your work, it will never be as good as it could be.
5. Demonstrate courage by taking risks in order to move the business forward.
6. Respect people. There aren’t any successful entrepreneurs who treat people badly.
7. Always have a Plan B. Never forget Murphy’s law: if a project takes a bad turn, be ready with another plan.
8. Keep it simple.
9. Work smart, not hard. Clever people know how to get the job done in the most efficient way possible.
10. Enjoy what you are doing, and above all, make the most of life.

You can hear all about Roger Harrop’s tips from the man himself in the following interview:

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More Info.:

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qh7c_o9xI6s

According to Pete Alcorn, we are only 150 years away from a new Enlightenment period due to a decrease in population and raised wages and opportunities. We should be looking towards the future with more optimism than ever before.

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This is Pete Alcorn’s theory. At the beginning of his explanation, he admits that he was once a follower of Malthus, but now he understands the need to overcome this way of thinking. In 1798, the English economist published An Essay on the Principle of Population, as it affects the future improvement of society, in which he explained his theory that population was held within resource limits by two types of checks: positive ones, which raised the death rate, and preventative ones, which lowered the birth rate. The positive checks included hunger, disease and war; the preventative checks, abortion, birth control, prostitution, postponement of marriage, and celibacy. Population, according to his theory tended to grow in a geometric progression.

Malthus’ theory, while seemingly negative, is not without justification. Pete Alcorn, at a conference held by TED (a non-profit group that organizes events and conferences), invites us to step away from Malthus and embrace his theory on the new Enlightenment. According to economic models, a declining population has two main benefits. One benefit is a reduction in land prices, which lifts a burden off of the poorer populace. Secondly, a drop in population brings about a scarcity of labor, which then creates wage increases. After 30% to 60% of Europe’s population was killed during the Black Death in the 14^th century, Europe saw these changes come about, including technological innovation and the birth of the middle class. The immense decline in population gave rise to a forward social-economic movement in Europe: the Renaissance and the Enlightenment. Pete Alcorn, the head of podcasting for Apple, believes that we are only 150 years away from another Enlightenment period.

Alcorn points out that according to the UN’s population data, the world’s population is expected to top off at about 10 billion in the late century. It is also projected that the population will most likely begin to decline afterwards. Although it seems natural to assume that a declining population is a negative thing for our society, it is, in fact, going to lead to positive social movements.

More often than not, we tend to romanticize the past, while fearing the evitable downfall of the future. Instead, Alcorn believes that we need to start romanticizing the future, for he foresees only positive changes for our world. One should consider, however, that it is crucial that people keep a positive outlook; transitions in any form are dangerous times and often lead to rash decision-making. With all of our technological and scientific advancements, coupled with a declining population, we should look forward to the fact that our future generations will be able to benefit from the 22^nd century Enlightenment.

More Info.:

• http://www.ted.com/speakers/pete_alcorn.html
• http://www.ted.com/talks/pete_alcorn_s_vision_of_a_better_world.html