“The art of experimental interaction design” is a great book to have if you want to see some of the best interaction projects that merge and question the physical, interactive, and interface world together. The book contains projects by ideo, antenna design, daniel rozin, golan levin, and many others. It also includes a CD documenting several of the books projects. I’ve had a hard time finding great books dealing with the physicality in interaction design and electronics, but here it is. Most interaction books only cover interfaces and rarely bridge back to the physical world. I’ve had this book for about a year, and it’s been an everlasting source of inspiration.
inspiration
I attended the RISD alumni sale recently and came across some great fun jewelry by LeeAnn Herreid. Her moto is, “Jewelry that works”. She has a wonderful collection of work using compasses, thermometers, rulers, bubble levelers, dust, bolts, and other small elements we all encounter in our curious lives. The bubble level pieces are awesome!
Bertendennis brings to us the cute button watch which you can pin onto anything your heart desires. Reminds me of the tempo time clip by vessel.
Young&Rubicam has created some beautiful blueprint poster ads for preserving our national parks. Taking a glimpse at these ads make me cringe at the idea of nature becoming manufactured mechanical elements. I know lots of things are getting teched up these days, but I’d rather not see nature go in this direction. There are three pdf posters in this series: Delicate Arch, Yosemite Falls , and Giant Sequoia.
Also reminds me of the Climate Crisis movie that everyone should watch, “An Inconvenient Truth”.
The cute “ugly dolls” that I love so much are now available in larger 2 foot sizes, mini 7 inchers, the original 12 inch sizes, and itsy bitsy keychains sizes,. They also have a few other goodies based on their popular series. Their great dolls to have in your studio space…nothin like a goofy, ugly, cute, doll to have around to keep ya inspired!
Here’s some freakin kick-butt robots made out of styrofoam!!!
Via NotCot Gallery (more images)
Artist: Michael Salter
I’m a bit late on this one, but KidRobot released an aweseome new LA Dunny Series a few months back, and of course, they are sold out. I own a few from the first series and they rock out my lil work space! Hopefully I’ll be able to get my hands on some of these somewhere, cause they rock!
I’ve been playing around with Glad’s innovative product “Press’n Seal” which is a super easy to use plastic wrap for food or pretty much anything. As it’s called, you simply press around the edges, and a seal is formed on any surface, even holding water or pressed air. I’ve played around with the material a bit have to say it’s hard to let go of. Once you start playing with it, you’ll start to get ideas for other applications for this post-it note like flexible material. Go buy a roll, cut it up, blow air into it, and think up another million dollar idea.
Another video to follow from 1998, Water Power Car.
I’m a huge advocate for greener cars but my question is where are they? These videos are 8 years old. I’d pay well over 100k for a car now that just needed water as fuel. Hopefully I’ll see them soon, cause we need them. If your not motivated, you should watch the movie “An Inconvenient Truth”.
update: another water as fuel invention Daniel Dingel of the Philppines has been trying to get made for 30 years!!!
Update: Yet another option, air as fuel car, yes, I said AIR!!!
NotCot just launched NotCot.org which is a visually rich library of inspiring products! Part of their collection is a somewhat eerie but cool project by StudioJSPR. (I’d be buying the white version). These cover tiles are customized in such a way to make them visible but still covered.(kinda makes me think pressed elastic or rubber) Anyhow, check out their site, get inspired, and return to designverb!
Here’s an awesome array of graphics, videos, drawings, and just plain cool visuals by artist Moon. I’d put this work in the layered, energetic, cultural, urban, graphic field.
Ian Hundley creates some awesome quilts inspired by maps! Yes maps… He was introduced to the sewing machine at a young age, got hooked, and eventually blended his fascination with maps with has passion to sew, creating these incredible quilts.
