Man Gives Ordinary Toys an Action Figure Upgrade
A Japanese sculptor is taking simple toys and other objects, cutting them up, and reassembling them as articulated action figures.
Tomohiro Yasui is known for creating intricate robot wrestlers out of paper in a mix between origami and pro-wrestling. The sculptor has created more than 600 different Kami-Robos, and they have spawned an entire universe of cartoons, merchandise, and even a bible. The figures are half paper dolls, half highly articulated Transformer.
In his latest work, via designboom, he has taken a rubber duck, toy hammer, jumping frog and toy mask, cut them up, and reassembled them into superhero-inspired poseable action figures.
Now, it's not exactly a one-for-one upgrade. For example, the rubber duck figure took nearly seven dismembered rubber ducks fastened together with metal wire.
It's an interesting form of upcycling for an artist who is an example of how innovation and design are only limited by our own imaginations.
Rescue Drone Flies Patients Out On Stretcher
The School of Design and Human Engineering (DHE) at UNIST has designed a rescue drone concept that recently received an iF Design Award, though it's likely for the renderings and not the name.
The drone is essentially a stretcher connected to eight propellers attached to a leash, but there's more.
The drone is powered by a four-hour, rapid charge battery pack worn by a single EMT who shepherds the victim to safety.
The team calls the concept the 911$ Rescue Drone, and the dollar sign throws me. It's typically good practice to forgo anything that trades in words for symbols.
The drone could help pull patients out of hazardous locations with much less human effort. The user pulls it behind him/herself using the leash, and an onboard gyroscope keeps the person horizontal. The wire, which is actually attached to the battery, guides the drone, so there is no need to steer or otherwise control the drone.
Next, the 911$ Rescue Drone is moving from concept to reality. The Drone Dome company is going to work with the team to mass-produce it, and since it's a relatively simple design, it shouldn't be that expensive.
Lazzarini's Electric Limousine
Pierpaolo Lazzarini, the designer behind the floating UFO houseboats, recently unveiled a new car concept. He calls it the Lazzarini One, and as one commenter described it, it looks like something a supervillain would drive. Kind of a loose superhero thread on this one, sorry about that.
Lazzarini describes the 1,200 horsepower four-seater as an electric limousine. I understand that the definition is fluid, but I think "supercar" is more appropriate, maybe "luxury sedan."
The vehicle is about 21.5-feet long with a wheelbase nearly eight feet wide. It has a Bosch electric engine, all-wheel drive and a stunning canopy door that opens the roof like a hatch from the back. He did attach a price tag, or at least a development cost, and it is steep—about $2.8 million.
According to his website, Lazzarini is a freelance designer who "believes in taking a different design approach." I'd say he's sticking to that motto.
