Archive for Household
November 6, 2008 at 3:23 pm · Filed under Household, electronics, Keio University
Oto-Shigure, a high-tech umbrella that functions as a personal audio speaker system, gives music lovers a reason to dance in the rain. Developed by Keio University and IT company Toa Engineering, Oto-Shigure looks like an ordinary traditional Japanese umbrella made of bamboo and oiled paper, but the entire object emits sound when connected to an iPod or other portable audio device, thanks to a tiny built-in amplifier and four small vibrating motors mounted along the periphery, which effectively turn the canopy into a large speaker cone. The umbrella produces a highly localized three-dimensional sound space audible only to the people underneath, so it can be used in public without disturbing the peace.
After filing a patent application for Oto-Shigure last September, inventors Yusuke Kamiyama and Mai Tanaka worked with Toa Engineering to complete a prototype earlier this year. They are now showing it off to the public to gauge […]
Original post by Edo
November 5, 2008 at 5:27 pm · Filed under Art, Simulacra, Household, Mt. Fuji, Wearable
Eleven winners of the “Japanese New Souvenir” competition — a public contest to recognize novel souvenir concepts that creatively express elements of Japanese culture — were exhibited last weekend as part of the Design Touch festivities at the Tokyo Midtown complex. Coming soon to a souvenir shop near you.
Moustache Fuji (Mariko Takeuchi)
“Moustache Fuji,” a fake moustache resembling a snow-capped Mt. Fuji, is a subtle but bold fashion statement that pays homage to Japan’s most sacred landmark. Described as a “moustache communication tool,” this fun-to-wear facial accessory lets you inject a little Japanese flair into meetings, parties and summits.
Air-Bonsai (Wabisabi)
“Air-Bonsai,” a vinyl toy shaped like a potted dwarf pine, gives the traditional Japanese art of bonsai a pop-culture makeover. The soft vinyl tree packs flat into your suitcase for easy transport home.
Japanese, Face (Kozue Kojima)
These “Japanese, Face” beauty masks moisturize the skin while giving you a traditional Japanese kabuki-esque […]
Original post by Edo
September 19, 2008 at 6:26 pm · Filed under Simulacra, Household
These TETRA erasers spotted at the recent Good Design Expo in Tokyo are the perfect editing tool for pencil-pushing tetrapod enthusiasts. Produced by Sun-Star Stationery Co., Ltd., the shapely erasers come in 9 colors and are available at stores like Tokyu Hands for 120 yen (about $1) a pop. Pile them on your desk to inspire daydreams of the beach in Japan.
Original post by Edo
August 27, 2008 at 9:08 am · Filed under Environment, Art, Household
Meet Rabbit-kun, a plastic trash sack with pink eyes, an X-shaped mouth, and a pair of bunny ears that double as handles. Designed by Tokyo-based creative group MAQ, Inc., Rabbit-kun aims to inspire a more responsible attitude toward waste by providing a cute and stylish way for people to carry their trash home after a day outdoors. Whether it’s a picnic in the park, a hike in the mountains, or a day at the beach — or any place without public trash cans — Rabbit-kun is charming enough that you might actually enjoy carting your garbage all the way home.
The bunny-shaped sack is the latest in a line of eye-pleasing Garbage Bag Art Work trash bags by MAQ. Their previous creations include a series of color-coded bags imprinted with patterns of trees, fish and flowers, which are designed to add convenience and character to neighborhood garbage collection […]
Original post by Edo
August 8, 2008 at 12:38 pm · Filed under Household, Material, Architecture, Kyushu
Styrofoam dome houses at Aso Farm Land (Photo by: Erika Snyder)
While styrofoam may be most commonly associated with disposable coffee cups, meat trays and packaging, prefab home manufacturer Japan Dome House Co., Ltd. uses it to construct easy-to-assemble modular kit homes.
Dubbed the “habitat for the 21st century,” the Dome House is an igloo-shaped structure built from snap-together wall sections made of 100% expanded polystyrene foam (styrofoam). It might seem like an odd choice of material for a house, but the company lists a number of advantages that styrofoam has over traditional materials. Unlike wood and metal structures, for example, the styrofoam Dome House does not rust, rot or attract termites. It is also highly resistant to earthquakes and typhoons. In addition, the walls, which are treated with a flame retardant, emit no toxic fumes in a fire.
Dome House interior
The styrofoam used in the Dome House’s 175-millimeter (7 in) […]
Original post by Edo
June 26, 2008 at 3:27 pm · Filed under Illumination, Smart Tech, Sentient Tech, Imaging/Display, Household, Display
IT company Kayac has teamed up with researchers from Keio University to develop a high-tech brainstorming room that listens to its inhabitants and feeds them a barrage of related data and images in order to boost creativity and fuel the imagination.
The system — called “Kage Roi” — relies on a speech-recognition capable computer that monitors the brainstorming session via microphone, identifies keywords, and automatically crawls the web in search of related information and images. A ceiling-mounted projector then casts the retrieved data and imagery onto dark, human-shaped shadows on the table during the course of the meeting. The brainstormers can free-associate on the projected data, use it as a tool for discussion, or rely on it for helpful cues if ideas are running short.
Read the full post (254 words, 1 image)
Original post by Edo
June 19, 2008 at 8:10 am · Filed under Safety, Household, Wearable
In an unsettling sign of the times, the new “Smoke Block” emergency mask by Tokyo-based Rescuenow, Inc. is being touted as an effective means of protection against hydrogen sulfide, the trendy “detergent suicide” gas created by mixing household cleaners, which has claimed hundreds of lives across Japan in recent months. The mask has a special three-layer filter that keeps your lungs clean for up to 20 minutes, allowing you ample time to flee from smoke and/or toxic fumes. A full-face mask sells for 20,000 yen ($180) and a half-face version goes for 14,000 yen ($120).
[Source: Iza!]
(99 words, 1 image)
Original post by Edo
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