WebUrbanist » Green Technologies

Riding High: 30 Outrageous Bike Mods

Marc — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 18:00:50 +0000

The green revolution would be a lot easier if everyone rode a bike. One way to get more people to start traveling via pedal power is to add a little creativity to an otherwise mundane form of transport.

(Images via buzzfeed, geekologie, xcitefun, damncoolpictures, gz250bike)

Some bike mods are exceptional; they embody a spirit of adventure and require a certain amount of funds that would blow up most budgets. These are the beautiful bikes of the mod world.

(Images via spicytec, spicytec, two-wheels-better, two-wheels-better)

More tires are better, right? These adventurous bikers have no issue pushing the limits of locomotion. Some may see these bikes as more of a circus than a means of transportation, but nobody denies that they’re fun.

(Images via vitalbmx, organicherbs, flickrhivemind, dham2u, cutefunnystuff)

Long, tall, short, who really cares how a bike is, right? For one, the designer does. Some of these bikes are amazingly articulated considering the height and difficulty of creating such wild inventions. There’s no longer a excuse for not carpooling.

(Images via damncoolpictures, loyalkng, dham2u)

Want more power for the bike in the family? Look no further. These bikes are super-powered masterpieces of engineering. Every ounce of thrust has been dedicated to the desire for speed. These bikes are fast, and dangerous, no doubt about it.

(Images via xcitefun, everydayfunnyfunny, impactlab, atomiczombie)

What makes a bike, a bike? These inventors have gone to the core of that question with an intense investigation. One thing is sure… don’t expect to see many of these rolling down the street any time soon.

(Images via discovery, designboom, ventilxp)

These vehicles are terrifying. An all-terrain bike looks ludicrous, but fun, while the other looks more like a beautiful torture device.

(Images via bocaberta, flixya, autonewsjunction)

Bigger is better! What cooler way to show off your modding skills than by adding the largest possible tire to your ride?

(Images via wired, twowheelforum, wired, mikehulsebus)

Not all mods are made equal, though each serves its own purpose. These low-budgets modifications are certainly handy, even if they aren’t the most gorgeous engineering feats.

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Sink Different: Macquarium Gives Used iMacs New Life

Steve — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 18:03:11 +0000

“I’m a Mac… and I’m a PC”. The Macquarium is both, if you spell the latter “P Sea”. Call it smug or just a clever way to recycle Apple’s iconic iMac G3; either way the Macquarium is an aquarium well worth monitoring, and the only floppy drives included are the tails of your finny friends.

Different Thinking, Outside the Box

(image via: Gigazine)

The late Steve Jobs challenged us to “Think Different”, and the iconic computer lifestyle products designed and engineered by Apple Inc were a reflection of that philosophy. Some might say we’ve become so attuned to Apple’s unique aesthetic sense, everything else looks “different” – and not in a good way.

(images via: Geeksugar and TechnoComps)

What we may call “Apple Style” lends itself to the warm & fuzzy, kinder and gentler decor most of us choose to surround ourselves with at home, work and play. It’s really no surprise, then, that a host of artistic Apple fans have endeavored to adapt, rework and modify some of Apple’s most-liked products so that they can continue to add joy to our lives and beauty to our abodes. Take Jake Harms, for instance, the man behind the Macquarium.

(images via: Geeksugar, Newton Poetry and Glasses Direct>)

Harms isn’t a full time iMac modifier, the Nebraskan runs a successful wedding photography and videography business with his wife, Stephanie. The urge to create couldn’t be denied, however, and in 2007 Harms began looking into ways to build unique aquariums – presumably for fun and profit. Doing a one-off concept was one thing; building a standardized product that could be sold over time was another. Enter the iMac G3.

(image via: MAC2214JV)

Apple’s iMac G3 was produced from August 1998 through March 2003, a staggeringly long run as computer designs go. Of course, the inner workings (and a few less obvious outer ones) were continually upgraded and fortuitously for Harms, new colors were introduced adding a dash of variety. Originally trimmed in Bondi Blue (a sort of aqua hue), iMac G3′s eventually displayed a range of “fruity” tints augmented by the multicolor Flower Power and the blue & white spotted Dalmatian (above).

iMac Remake

(images via: SMORG and Internet SIAO)

By basing his offbeat aquarium on the iMac G3, Jake Harms took advantage of the model’s long production run and eventual ubiquitous nature: there were plenty available and the design was familiar and friendly.

(images via: Gigazine)

In addition, iMacs were built tough and if anything was going to wear out it was the internal electronics – which Harms wasn’t interested in anyway.

(images via: Church Mag, Imod.co.za and DigCool>)

Even in deepest, darkest Nebraska, used and discarded iMacs were easy to find. Cheap too; Harms pays under $10 per iMac from local recyclers and the components required to upcycle the cases into aquariums are inexpensive as well.

(images via: Gigazine)

The only custom-made part is the plastic tank, ordered from a local plastics manufacturer and designed to fit the iMac’s unique interior space. It’s the custom 3-gallon tank that really completes the Macquarium, as a standard tank’s flat front would ruin the smooth, curved, flush-fitted look of the original iMac’s screen.

(images via: DigCool and Swag So Fresh)

The main concern when one wants to build an aquarium is that the finished product should not leak. Harms filled his finished Macquariums with water and placed them in a bathtub to catch any leaks before putting them up for sale. Leakage onto customer’s floors wasn’t the only concern: the Macquarium’s interior is lit by a light installed beneath the transparent tank. Besides, current Apple owners just might expect the same level of quality control they’re used to with official (not of-fish-shell) Apple Inc. products.

Living Screensaver

(images via: Geeksugar and Jake Harms)

Harms’ Macquarium has received extensive publicity over the past few years and he continues to receive purchase inquiries from around the globe. Not bad for an idea that began as a prize in a hospital raffle to benefit child cancer patients… Harms raffled off the original Macquarium but kept a second prototype in case he needed to use it as a template for further production. Wise move, Jake!

(images via: Free Image Finder, Windows 7 and More! and Swag So Fresh>)

Got an iMac attack even a half-dozen MacDonalds Fish Filets won’t satisfy? The Macquarium just might fill that gap. Jake Harms recommends owners avoid stocking their Macquariums with goldfish in favor of guppies and/or tetras, and not too many at that. If you’re on Harm’s waiting list and your number comes up, be prepared to pay $250 for a finished Macquarium or $175 for a provide-your-own-iMac kit.

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13 Energizing Batteries: Mini Nukes to Hand Cranks

Steph — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 17:00:07 +0000

The batteries we use in dozens of gadgets every day have stayed more or less the same for many years, but that doesn’t mean designers aren’t dreaming up innovative and sometimes perplexing new versions. From human-powered rechargeable alkaline batteries to nuclear batteries the size of a penny, these 13 designs seek out new energy sources in small packages.

Wind-Up Batteries

(images via: design boom)

Wouldn’t it be nice if, when the batteries in your gadget die on the go, you could just crank them back up? This battery concept by Qian Jiang has a built-in crank and a light indicator that turns green when you’ve got enough power.

Finger Battery Charger

(image via: design launches)

Just spin this cell phone battery around your finger – um – 130 times, and you’ll have enough power to chat for hours. This unusual concept by Song Teaho and Hyejin Lee gives fidgeters something productive to do with their hands and eliminates the need for chargers and wires.

Jump Rope Battery Charger

(images via: yanko design)

Get your exercise and power your gadgets at the same time with an energy-harvesting jump rope designed by Jooyong Kim and Sungkyung Kim. Rechargeable batteries are placed inside the jump rope’s handles; as you jump, the display tells you how many revolutions you’ve competed, how many calories you’ve burned and how much charge you’ve produced for the batteries.

Hungry Batteries

(images via: johnnyholland)

This design is purely conceptual – with no details worked out as to how it would actually work – but it’s interesting nonetheless. Mac Funamizu imagines batteries that would make it physically clear when they’re out of juice by growing thinner as they wear down. One glance tells you how much longer you’ve got before you need to recharge.

Penny-Sized Nuclear Battery

(images via: munews.missouri.edu)

You can hold nuclear power in the palm of your hand – literally – in the form of a penny-sized nuclear battery created by researchers at the University of Missouri. Providing an ultra-concentrated power density, the secret to this radioisotope battery is a liquid semiconductor. These batteries are used in underwater systems, pacemakers and space satellites.

Continuance USB-Powered Battery

(images via: yanko design)

Not only does the USB-powered battery function as a universal power source on the go for all USB-equipped devices, it also eliminates the need for a battery charger. Plug the batteries into your computer to charge them up and then, if you’re caught with a dead iPod or cell phone, just hook it up to the battery for a quick fix.

Direct Plug-In Batteries

(images via: yanko design)

A similar idea bypasses the battery charger by placing outlet prongs right in the battery itself. Designed by Qian Jiang and Yiying Wu, the IF battery ensures that you’re never without battery power as long as there’s an outlet around. Of course, the downside is you can only charge one battery at a time when a charger can take on four or more.

One-Size-Fits-All

(images via: gizmag)

Don’t you hate when you buy a new gadget and realize you don’t have the right size batteries on hand? The AtoD battery concept by Pyeong Joo Goh, Jong Seung Choi & Ji Soo Hong aims to eliminate that problem in a rather strange and surprising way: it’s made of memory foam, so it can squeeze into any battery slot. Of course, you’ve probably already realized there’s a problem with this concept: there are different sized batteries for a reason, and this nickel hydroxide battery, with the capacity of a AA, isn’t going to cut it for devices that need a D.

The Micro Lemon Battery

(image via: instructables)

Make your own decorative battery-light in the shape of a flower with this tutorial by Madaeon on Instructables. The battery takes the lemon-power concept, which normally requires about 3-4 lemons to illuminate an LED bulb, and makes it more powerful. The design requires just a few drops of lemon juice to light up a 3.5V white LED for at least an hour.

Vibration Powered Batteries

(image via: geekologie)

The Vibration-Powered Generating Battery fits in any standard AA slot and is rechargeable, but you never have to put it in a charger. Just shake it up, and it’ll regain its power. Developed by printer/sewing machine manufacturer Brother, these batteries are the gadget-powering equivalent of the Shake Weight.

Bacon Battery

(image via: instructables)

That’s right, you can actually power gadgets with slimy, fatty strips of raw bacon. Instructables offers a number of tutorials for building your own bacon battery, including this one, which can power an LED light.

Wind-Powered iPhone Battery Charger

(image via: gizmag.com)

Need to charge your iPhone, but there’s no place to plug it in? Just strap it into the iFan and hold it up to the wind, and let nature do the work. Designed by Tjeerd Veenhoven, the iFan is made from a modified computer fan. It takes about six hours to fully charge an iPhone, but just hook it onto your bike or fix it to a pole in your yard and you’re good to go.

Kineticel: Capturing Kinetic Energy

(image via: reuben miller)

No time to turn a crank or spin your finger around in the air? Then this is the human-powered battery charger for you. The Kineticel by Yael Miller is a piezoelectric battery that can ‘capture’ energy from everyday activities like working out, running a vacuum or rocking a baby.

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Stop Wine-ing! 25 Popping Examples of Cork Art

Marc — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 17:00:57 +0000

It’s easy to get a collection of corks piling up on the kitchen counter, but it’s not that easy to figure out what to actually do with them. Some fantastic artists and home decorators have conspired to give new life to an overlooked byproduct.

(Images via wicanderscorkoakblog, wicanderscorkoakblog, nola, zimbio)

Wall art out of corks is probably the most doable for the average design-conscious resident. With a little bit of glue and a sense of adventure, a room can have a unique touch that guests will undoubtedly enjoy.

(Images via orlandowineguide, corktruck, odditycentral)

One can always go to an extreme and take the love for cork on the road. The Cork Truck is a local celebrity in its own right.

(Images via ripleys, scottgundersen, catersnews)

Anyone who is a fan of old school arcade games and pixel art will get a kick out of these amazing portraits made out of corks. For a more in-depth look into the artistic process, here’s a video to show how one goes about putting together such an intricate creation: Cork Portrait

(Images via robotnine, thecontaminated)

The warm colors of thousands of corks look wonderful en masse. This wine-inspired mural is one of the largest, and is notable for its size, color range, and appealing design.

(Images via dailyartmuse, inhabitat, homepropertydesign, ecofriend, modernchairdesign, soulofamerica)

Get something back on all those wine purchases! Make some modern furniture out of cork to turn garbage into a slick design.

(Images via blogyourwine, blogyourwine)

Yes, these people have gone too far. But hey, there’s no better way to be a hit with all your wine-loving friends than to show up to a dinner party wearing a cork jacket (except bringing more wine).

(Images via corktruck, homewetbar, housefullofpretty)

Some cork accessories are more manageable for the average homeowner, and can add a classy feel with a little bit of ingenuity, or the right accessories.

(Images via housefullofpretty, freshmom, winestuffs)

If one is a more ambitious DIY creator, a nice cork lamp would be a great touch to the home. The glow is warm like a jack-o-lantern, without the creepy factor.

(Images via cconzemius, ninja-gear, vedderimaging)

These Asian-inspired cork sculptures are incredibly fragile and a great testament to the fact that artistic skill is still very strong in modern society.

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Good Vibrations: Musical Instrument Made of Everyday Items

Delana — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 17:00:45 +0000

Music is all around us – the improvised homemade instruments of old-time bluegrass bands are proof of that. This project is called StereoTank; designed by Marcelo Ertorteguy and Sara Valente for the Zooart Festival in Cuneo, Italy, the installation is an inhabitable musical instrument. The main components are two huge water tanks, lots of five-gallon plastic buckets, some nylon cord and some LEDs. The result is a multi-sensory musical experience.

(all images via: Designboom)

Players strike the eight taught nylon cords to create a full octave of sounds. The tanks and buckets act as resonators to make the sounds louder and more potent to the player and others in the area.

As the player hits the strings, the vibrations cause attached LEDs to light up. The installation then takes on a beautiful kind of ethereal quality while adding another layer of sensory experience to the instrument.

Once the Zooart festival is over and the StereoTank project is dismantled, the various components can be restored to their original functions. The tanks and buckets can go on to new lives doing what they were built to do, their musical purposes only a memory in the minds of those who had the chance to play this remarkable instrument.