“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.

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.

I think I’ve seen it all now. News rolls, black rolls, and now english lessons on toilet paper rolls. Toilet paper is due for some creative innovation in todays tech world, and would be a great brainstorm exercise to start off a day. It’s a funny idea for disposable literature though. Start your engines and send in some ideas!

update: another great mix that will leave ya stunned..learning english and exercising here!

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.

Here’s a pretty intuitive way to switch back and forth from OS systems, programs, or windows…yah smac it!

Watch video

update: heres the code/hack to do it on your own!

A must watch video!

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!!!

Check out these z-coil shoes, loaded with a massive spring coil under your heel. The z-coil technology is suppose to reduce impact and reduce pain. I kinda dig how you can rotate the spring heel, kinda like a wheel. Not sure if I’d be sportin these anytime soon, but perhaps a worthy try.

z-coil video

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!

Give it up to Glad for coming out with a new trashbag (ForceFlex) that doesn’t get punctured easily. The new bag is made of a “proprietary plastic technology known as SELFING (Structurally Elastic-Like Film.) The plastic is deeply embossed with a diamond-like pattern that gives the material unique elasticity. Pressure is diverted away from the point of impact so that the trash bag will absorb force and stretch instead of breaking.”
The nytimes calls this bag “the Mercedes of trash bags”. Anyhow, the material in all is pretty sweet but makes me think of spidermans outfit for some odd reason.
A funny commercial review

I’m not sure about black toilet paper for the trendy and stylish. From my design knowledge, people like to know, know how dirty they are. Admit it, you look!!..There’s a reason why toilet paper, towels, and tissue paper are white. You sneeze, and you look…you wipe and you look! Dyson revolutionized the vacuum by letting us know and see how much stuff we picked up. People enjoy the fact that they just vacuumed up a big ball of dirt.

via thecoolhunter

Here’s a survival tip I’d never think up! Starting a fire with a balloon, ice ball, or condom.

link