In 1991, Mazda Made a Samsonite Suitcase That You Can Drive Up to 19 mph
In 1991, Mazda engineers designed a prototype vehicle that fit inside a Samsonite suitcase. Known as the Mazda Suitcase Car, this three-wheeled vehicle was powered by a 33.6cc two-stroke engine and could reach speeds of 30 km/h (19 mph). Continue reading »
One and Only, This Hornsby Steam Crawler Tractor Was Constructed in the Year 1910
This tractor, which is propelled by steam, has been in Canada since it was imported from England in 1910. Continue reading »
A Mercedes-Benz M275 V12 Coffee Table That Is Absolutely Incredible, for Real
This is a coffee table made from the block and heads of a Mercedes-Benz M275 V12 engine, complete with cams in the heads to showcase the engine’s top-end mechanics. Continue reading »
Green Leaves Powered Writer’s Shed By Matt Gibson Architecture + Design
Tiny shed designed for a writer by Matt Gibson Architecture + Design, located in Melbourne, Australia. Continue reading »
This Solar-Powered Ecocapsule Lets You Live Off-The-Grid Anywhere In The World
If your fantasy is to live totally off-the-grid anywhere around the world, that dream just got one step closer to reality. Continue reading »
Japanese Designer Creates Solar-Powered Coat That Charges Gadgets
If you’re sick of running out of battery on your smartphone when you need it the most, and don’t mind paying a whopping $2,480 on a coat, you might want to consider getting this solar-powered jacket that can charge your gadgets on the go. Continue reading »
Solar-Powered Cylindrical Treehouse In Mexico Is Made With Sustainable Bamboo
On a lush stretch of beach in Mexico, north of Acapulco, lies a sustainable resort called Playa Viva. They recently opened a bi-level treehouse designed by Chicago firm Deture Culsign. Made of bamboo, the solar-powered cylindrical treehouse offers gorgeous views of the Pacific Ocean. At 700 square feet, the treehouse is designed to “visually intrigue and highlight sustainable strategies to deliver a natural immersive guest experience,” according to Deture Culsign. The treehouse is built six feet off the ground amidst palm trees, which act as “living piers.” There is a bedroom with a king bed, lounge area, built-in hammock, and private bathroom in the treehouse. California-based ArtisTree constructed the the treehouse. Continue reading »
Solar Powered Glow-In-The-Dark Bike Path Inspired By Van Gogh
Dutch designer Daan Roosegaarde’s cycle path, illuminated with patterns based on Vincent Van Gogh’s painting The Starry Night, officially opens in Nuenen this evening. The surface of the Van Gogh-Roosegaarde Bicycle Path is coated with a special paint that uses energy gathered during the day to glow after dark. Continue reading »
Solar-powered Sustainer Homes Give You The Freedom To Live Anywhere
Wish you had the freedom to live anywhere without ever paying another cent in utilities? If so, Netherlands-based Sustainer Homes has developed the perfect home for you. The Dutch company recently unveiled a solar-powered shipping container house prototype that’s not only portable, but also fully furnished and can be taken completely off-grid. Continue reading »
Futuristic Solar-Powered Tree “eTree” In Israel
The first solar-powered station designed to look like a tree provides users with a free Wi-Fi spot charging station, seating and cool drinking water. Continue reading »
London Designers Create Unique Car-Powered Aquaponics Urban Farm that Grows Vegetables
A world first eco+arts+design project, stemming from a sustainability partnership between Hyundai, designers Something & Son and London’s Design Museum.
This week Hyundai unveiled a unique piece of design theatre to educate people about the real-life benefits of hydrogen fuel cell technology. Deputy Mayor of London, Kit Malthouse, showed his support for the project by opening the Hyundai Fuel Cell Farm – the world’s first aquaponics ecosystem powered by Hyundai Motor’s zero-emission ix35 Fuel Cell. The Fuel Cell Farm was positioned outside the front of the Design Museum in London. Continue reading »
Jet-powered Paint by Tarinan von Anhalt
Jet-powered paint splatters an 8-foot-by-8-foot canvas just off the runway of Palm Beach International Airport. A diminutive woman in a black cat suit teeters as she tosses quarts of brightly colored paint into the hurricane-force winds created by a Lear jet’s engine. The question isn’t whether this is art, agree those who pay Tarinan von Anhalt $50,000 a pop to watch this spectacle.
Captain Chad Gilmore readies the engine to start blowing jet wash for the painting. (Thomas Cordy/The Palm Beach Post)
Paint is scattered in the jet wash. (Thomas Cordy/The Palm Beach Post)
Painting is halted so more plastic tarp can be laid on the tarmac. A small private plane near the painting area was speckled in blue paint and had to be cleaned before the princess could continue with the multiple canvases planned for the day. (Thomas Cordy/The Palm Beach Post)
Princess Tarinan von Anhalt manipulates the paint on a large canvas. (Thomas Cordy/The Palm Beach Post)
Von Anhalt paints in the jet wash. (Thomas Cordy/The Palm Beach Post)
Princess Tarinan tosses a column of purple paint into the jet wash. (Thomas Cordy/The Palm Beach Post)
Von Anhalt instructs the pilot to reduce engine power as assistants prepare to move one of her finished paintings. (Thomas Cordy/The Palm Beach Post)
Princess Tarinan works on a canvas. (Thomas Cordy/The Palm Beach Post)
Von Anhalt reloads a blue painting bottle. (Thomas Cordy/The Palm Beach Post)
Von Anhalt’s face bears the paint splatter from her jet wash painting technique. (Thomas Cordy/The Palm Beach Post)
Princess Tarinan von Anhalt poses with a canvas at the event. (Thomas Cordy/The Palm Beach Post)
CHIP House Powered by Solar Energy
CHIP is a prefab, net-zero solar-powered house designed and built by a student-run team from two Southern California schools: Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) and California Institute of Technology (Caltech). The house is the team’s entry for the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2011 competition. Continue reading »
Want to Join the Jet Set? Water-Powered Jetpack Propels Fliers up to 30ft into the Air… but it still Costs $230 a Go
For years their use has been limited to the rich and famous or wealthy James Bond enthusiasts.
But walking on water with a jetpack is now one step closer thanks to a device which uses water from the ocean to propel users across the waves.
The $94,000 Jetlev uses jet stream technology to propel fliers up to 30ft in the air by sucking up water in a huge hose from the ocean and blasting it back out of the pack.
Flying without wings: The Jetlev jetpack propels fliers up to 30ft into the air by sucking up ocean water and powering it back through the pack. (Chris Parsons / Mail Online) Continue reading »
Solar-powered Catamaran Makes a Stop in Singapore
The MS Turanor PlanetSolar yacht arrives in Singapore for a stop on its global tour on October 12. PlanetSolar is the largest solar powered boat in the world and hopes to be the first to circumnavigate the world’s oceans in a 22,000 mile two-year odyssey. (Stephen Morrison / EPA) Continue reading »
E-Ink Powered Watches
A great mix with design and new technologies combined into a Phosphor Watches. Phosphor E-Ink Watch
features an ergonomic black curved case with ultra-thin profile. Electronic ink is a proprietary material that is processed into a film for integration into electronic displays. Revolutionary in concept, electronic ink is a fusion of chemistry, physics and electronics to create this new material.