concepts

Eric and Donald run though the latest in desktop haptic devices, including a weather forecaster you can feel, and a USB kissing robot cow.

"Tron"-inspired electroluminescence makes a comeback with some neat shades and an eco-friendly charging cable. And in Geek News, we take a longer look at "The Avengers" and a preview of the upcoming "Amazing Spider-Man."

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Even if you're rocking the Motorola Droid Razr Maxx, you know smartphone battery life leaves a lot to be desired. Carrying an extra battery or your phone charger is one way to ensure you don't run out of juice during the day, but what if it could be easier than that?

Enter the Autonome. This concept smartphone charger by designer Francois Rybarczyk is both simple and elegant. It consists of a magnesium unibody frame that attaches to the back of your smartphone and incorporates a power adapter right into the case. When you need a charge, simply flip up the adapter and plug your smartphone right into the outlet. … Read more

At the 2012 International Motor Show in Geneva, Nissan will show off a small car concept with striking new design language.

For the last couple of years it seemed like Nissan's design department was playing exquisite corpse with its vehicles, one designer taking over where another left off, not looking at the previous section of the car. Both the Juke and the Quest seem a mishmash of styles, while earlier design cues, such as the boomerang headlight casings from the 370Z and GT-R, haven't made it past the sports cars.

Then there's the coherent but conservative design of the Versa, leading to a nondescript little car that will have people wandering around parking lots for hours trying to find it.

But the photos just released for the Invitation concept show a car with a solid and attractive design. The wide grille stretches across the front of the car, fitting into cutouts in the headlight casings. The lower air intake and parking lights mirror the upper half of the front.

The side shows a powerful contour line that runs down the back, then forward, hooking back again in the front doors. Nissan calls it the Squash Line. To paraphrase The Dude, it really ties the car together.

Nissan has not released many details of the concept, which will be the basis for a new European B segment car alongside the Juke.… Read more

"Gorilla Glass" could one day become a household phrase, but Corning has even larger ideas.

"A Day Made of Glass 2" is a montage of "how highly engineered glass, with companion technologies, will help shape our world," according to Corning. It is mind-blowing to imagine everyday objects suddenly having rich, interactive displays and multiple functionalities.

After watching the video, I began to think about how intelligent glass, installed on a broad scale, could change the world. There are two key integrations: in the education and medical fields.

In the video, kids sit in rows … Read more

If you're sick and tired of looking for the tiny L and R printed on your headphones every time you want to plug in, this news will be music to your ears.

Researchers at the Igarashi Design Interfaces Project in Tokyo have developed a pair of "Universal Earphones" that automatically switch the audio channels when they detect that you've placed an earbud in the wrong ear.

The team achieved this by attaching a proximity sensor on one of the earpieces to measure the distance to the ear.

When placed in the right ear, the sensor detects the ear behind it and points to the back of the head. The position of the sensor serves as a cue for the auto-correcting earphones. If you accidentally insert the right bud into your left ear, the sensor ends up facing the front. Noticing this change in position, the sensor triggers a small embedded audio circuit to adjust the audio so you're hearing the proper stereo mix in your left and right ears. … Read more

Designed by Vilner, this high-end audio system brings the tailored interior of the Rimac Automobili Concept One out of the garage and into the home.

Months after the Croatian automotive startup introduced its electric supercar at the 2011 Frankfurt International auto show, Rimac continues its brand building by introducing a high-end home audio system.

The Vilner Concept One Sound System is a collaboration between the Bulgarian automotive design firm, which designed the Concept One's cabin, and Rimac. Vilner outfitted the 1000-hp sports car with rich red and stone leather, and its ex-Pininfarina designers used the same leather, aluminum, and … Read more

We love our concept phones here at Crave, and you can now add the stunning Brick concept to that list.

Created by designers Shaocheng Huang and Yuyin Huang, the Brick's main attraction is a large transparent display that acts as the gateway to the phone's many functions. This includes some things we can already do on today's smartphones, such as taking pictures and connecting wirelessly to TVs, as well as some new ideas.

In the video below, you can see how Huang and Huang imagine using the Brick as a magnifying glass, and my favorite, as a translation tool.

Much like Samsung's see-through tablet concept, the Brick looks like it has a ways to go before it becomes a reality. However, if it ever does, might we offer one tiny suggestion to the designers? Change the name. … Read more

At the 2012 Detroit auto show, Lexus gives us a sneak peek at a coupe concept that is highly stylized and very aggressive.

With the Tripod Bicycle, or T-Bike, you no longer have to lug around a heavy tripod while searching for photo opportunities on two wheels.

This concept bicycle, imagined by Indonesian designer Reza Rachmat Sumirat, lets users attach any make or model of camera between the bicycle's handlebars. There's also a panhead that lets your capture panoramas or panning shots of your subjects.

Three sliding bars can be used to adjust the height of the bicycle according to the cyclist's size. A kickstand on the front wheel helps stabilize the whole bike when it's being used as … Read more