Designs for the Better World

technology

Video

Infographic Movie for National Institute of Informatics

I made the concept and designed all the elements in this fun infographic movie for NII (National Institute of Informatics) a while ago. Really enjoyed the whole process of making this.


Slam Down the Receiver with iPhone (Concept)

Miss the action of slamming down the receiver when I’m so mad I don’t want to talk any more on the phone. So how about a fast-slide-to-slam-down-receiver slider? It’d be nice if there was a slamming sound when I hang up. But I hope there won’t be a chance to get mad enough to use this..


URL-Shortening Gesture Concept

I need this function by yesterday.


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Dream Paper Concept – 4D Paper Printing Technology

When you have something you want to make with paper, you cut/fold paper to make the shape.
I wish however, there were paper and ink that do the ‘folding’ and ‘cutting’ automatically. You send the data of the shape you want to make from your computer/mobile to the printer. The paper you printed out automatically starts to cut and fold itself!

If that really happens, you’d be able to make various complicated paper models with no efforts. It’d be even cool if you could download 3D data from a gallery like Google 3D Warehouse, print it out and you get it in your hand. You download a physical thing!

But wait! If you could even control not only where and how far to fold but also when to fold via bluetooth or wifi, it means you could move paper as you like without touching it. (It’s like embedding Javascript in paper!)

And the shape-shifting concepts like the below one wouldn’t need any complicated mechanisms if such paper technology were available.


Futuristic Concept Mock-ups for Personal Exhibition

I’m hoping to hold a personal exhibition in NY or somewhere else for my future concept designs I’ve made. Although the mock-ups are just non-working prototypes, it must be a lot of fun for people to see, feel and touch very futuristic devices that we dream of. With some 3D movies and cool animations, I believe lots of people will visit the exhibition.

(Photoshopped just a bit)

These are some of the first rough mock-ups I made last year. I was planning to bring them to Re:publica in Berlin for my speech there. However on the very same day when the first mock-ups arrived to my house on March 11th, the earthquake happened (I was miraculously at home waiting for the delivery), which caused catastrophic damages not only in this country but places all around the globe, and my business was also affected from it. So I had to hold the plan for some time. And now I’m restarting to make the dream come true.




They are the very first mock-ups and pretty roughly made, so it’s not the level to show anyone yet, but I hope you can picture what it will be like to hold it in your hand.

I’m now looking for a sponsor to make this dream come true. Contact me if you’re interested.


Works for Tokyo Motor Show 2011

As I tweeted, I worked on a lot of concept designs for the movies of AGC (Asahi Glass Company) and TOYOTA for Tokyo Motor Show 2011.


 

Movie by AGC: Glass Can Change The World

Concept Car

Dashboard UI

Smart House



UI for Glass Fridge / Energy Management Pane

Roll-up Newspaper / Newspaper Graphic


Robot


Car Dashboard Mockup Panel Screens

It was my first time ever to design a car and a robot, but I had lots of fun making them.
Asahi Glass now introduces their great technologies in a booth for “Smart Mobility City 2011” in Tokyo Motor Show.
http://www.agc-smc2011.com/en/

 

TOYOTA Smart Mobility City 2011 Concept Movie

(I’ll post the movie when it’s officially uploaded on YouTube. This is the old version.)

One of my mobile phone concepts “Glassy Glass” was again picked up and used in the movie.


Dial to Unlock (Concept)

Please email me if there’s anybody who wants to develop this app.
I have other more practical ideas waiting to be developed!

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Dial to unlock by Mac Funamizu is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
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See also the similar previous post.



Kaya – Future Microwave Oven Concept

I’m not a cook, but I know what the food should be like for me to eat. I know it shouldn’t be burned or it should be defrosted. I just don’t know exactly how long it should be cooked. I wish there were a microwave oven like this that ‘shows” me what the food will be like after cooking.


But first, I wish a microwave oven was movable so that it could get close to the table when necessary.


Put a dish in it and this oven tells what kinds of foods are in it.


Adjust the ‘look’ of the food displayed on the glass by dragging the button. You can control the cooking time while looking at what it will be like after cooking the adjusted length of time. You’ll know exactly when it boils or burns.


Inspired by a dome tray when I was watching Ratatouille.

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Koriko – iPhone Dock Concept

I want an iPhone dock that can change its forms reflecting various kinds of notifications needing attention as well as some simple controls for applications. The feelings you can get with that kind of tangible output & input are what touchscreen lacks.

Koriko is a simple iPhone stand with speakers and a flexible long arm (tail?).

Notifications are represented with the tail forming simple shapes.

When a song is played, it works as music control buttons you can push directly.

It not only changes forms, but also makes certain movements for some time. It waves good-bye when you turn it off.

There are so many possible other applications that would work with Koriko. It would be really fun to see it working.

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Future Mobile Device Sketches – URSLA & BERTHA

URSLA is a future pendant that emits 3D projections in the air.
Synced with the mobile phone, notifications such as emails, phone calls, schedule reminders, etc. appear right in front of you for a few seconds.

BERTHA is a future mobile phone that works with URSLA.
3D projections from the pendant can be ‘captured’ in the air with this phone to see what the notification is about in detail on the screen. Yes, just like getting an item box in Mario Kart!

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Mobile Phone Sketch: Von

Von is a mobile phone that is sensitive to sound, especially the knocking sound when it’s hit. It looks like a piece of xylophone. It’s almost as tall as an iPhone, but it’s narrower.


Knock it to check if you have unread emails or new phone messages. If you do, Von knocks back. The knocking sound varies according to the kind of the message (email or phone).


Shake it to see if you have unread RSS feeds or Tweets. The more unread items there are, the more it rattles. Remember when you were a kid, you shook a box of candy to see how many were left. I wanted to bring back that small happy moment with this device.


Keep tapping it on the rhythm of your favorite song. After a few seconds, it detects what song you’re tapping. Then it starts playing the song along the tap.

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Polaroid iPhone Dock Concept

I wish there were an iPhone dock that instantly prints out the photo you take.


If you upload the photo to a website, you can add an QR code for the url on the back. For a geo-tagged photo, you can also include the map to show where the photo was taken.
Yes, I’m one of those people who still relish the feel (and smell) of photos.

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Mobile Phone Sketch: Zimmer

This post is to tell all of you that I’m OK.

After the tragic magnitude 9.0 earthquake hit Japan on March 11th, I’ve received many many messages from around the globe asking how I was or even if I was alive. As I tweeted about my situation, I’m doing fine. I truly appreciate all your considerations not only for me but for those who have been badly affected by the earthquake, tsunami and the nuclear power plant issues. I’ll keep tweeting how I’m doing on my Twitter.

Also I wanted to tell you that Japan will get back to its feet for sure. Currently I’m going through many inconveniences that I have never experienced in my life (lack of water, gasoline, vegetables, power etc. etc.), so I’ll be able to think of ideas to overcome those difficulties. But for now, let me show you sketches I’ve been making since before the earthquake. It’s a mobile phone concept named Zimmer. (There’s nothing new or innovative here this time.)




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User Interface Concept: Universal Remote Controller

Lamp, stereo, TV, air conditioner, heater… Just point at it on the transparent screen and select the menu item you want to make a change to (speaker volume, channels, brightness, etc.).


A charging stand with a magnet so the remote can stand on a table.

Of course, you can use it for an internet TV.


Switching channels.

Also visit the other series of this gadget.

User Interface Concept: Air Conditioner
User Interface Concept: Air Conditioner

User Interface Concept: Light Switch
User Interface Concept: Light Switch

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Klipp — Future Camera Concept

I was really impressed with the WVIL camera shown in CES 2011 and I’m very much inspired by the concept. I was wondering what it would be like if there were a WVIL for amateurs. So I made it smaller and thinner. The lens has a clip on its back so that you can place it on various places. No matter where you clip it, the lens sends the images to the screen wirelessly.





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Peel –Moving Notifier Concept

Basically it’s a clock.

It’s wirelessly connected to your PC and mobile phone; your calendar, schedule, email account are synced.
You get a notification with a peeled screen on a face.

The more serious the thing is, the wider it’s peeled.

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Thru –Lucent Mobile Phone Concept


Just like some of my previous mobile phone concepts, the transparent body would be pretty attractive.

What’s different this time though is that this Thru has a function to show 3D images behind the screen. It looks as if there were another world behind it because the images are made to look natural on the floor behind the screen.

So the email notification would be made like a game, which sounds fun.

There could be a fierce battle on your desk. In any case, I’m pretty sure it would be so fun that you couldn’t stop watching it.

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FiiL – Post-Touchscreen Interface Concept

Future TUI (Tangible User Interface) mobile phone. This is a post-Looking Glass concept; I’m thinking this type of user interface will be commercialized after touchscreen hopefully within a few decades.

As matter of fact, Looking Glass has two sequels in my head.

Looking Glass –> FiiL –> ???

I’ll make a post of the 3rd concept after I make a few that introduce more application examples of FiiL.

Basically this is a touchscreen, but this mobile phone lets you “feel” what you’re touching. The flexible screen surface makes z-axis movements and takes shapes of buttons, switches and so on.

For example, you toggle a switch to unlock the phone.


Buttons are now real buttons that you can feel the height of. You also feel the pressure when you push it.

Not leveled ground can be instantly scanned and rendered on the screen, which must be helpful for visually disabled people.

Solar charging. How much is completed can be known by its shape.

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Frostie – Digital Music Player Concept

Have you ever tapped a table with your fingers as if you were playing the piano? Or drums? Air guitar? Yes I have and I wish there were real sound made according to the movements of my fingers.

So what about a digital music player that not only plays music like iPods, but also actually plays sounds in your mind?

If it could listen to your song and adjust the tone, it would be more fun. Auto cord sounds would be exciting.


I love music, but I’m not satisfied with a digital music player I can only carry with me. I want something that can be part of me; something that is with me all the time, gives me what I want and creates what I imagine. You know, music is not only for listening.

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Chrystal Cloud

I’ve been thinking about a good way to visualize “cloud”.

You can’t see cloud with the naked eye. Users are using multiple cloud computing providers and saving data here and there. On the other hand, the screen of your mobile is not large enough for you to get a good sense of the structural overview of cloud.

So I wish there were a pair of glasses or opera glasses like device that allows you to “see” and “touch” those data in the air.


When you see through the glass, you can see clouds floating in the air. Touch it and see what you have there.

The difference between the Crystal Cloud concept and the Looking Glass concept is the former is to assist your mobile computer while the latter works alone itself. And with Crystal Cloud, you can touch and control the visualized data in 3D.

For tasks other than cloud management, such as writing a document etc., send files to your mobile device. This way you can get out of the screen and use the air in front of you.

Yes, I just can’t wait to “get out” of the small screen of my iPhone.

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Mobile Phone Sketches: Nagisa

Just a sketch again. A part of it is glass.

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Motion Graphic Designs For SOTBANK 30-Year Vision Movie

I had a chance to design concept models for a movie titled “Information Revolution” which was aired at the 30th Anniversary Event by SOFTBANK.

Here I designed the user interface for a future computer.

This is a concept model of future computer program. I made lots of images and the below movie is the motioned sequel of them. I tried to make it look organic. (Not all of the below cut was used in the final version.)

(View it on Behance Network.)

I also made some concept images of future medical technology.

I was invited to the anniversary event in Budo-kan, Tokyo. I was truly impressed with the vision of the SOFTBANK president Song-san.


Dew – Future Wearable Mobile Device Concept

Like one of my previous posts (Cobalto), I was picturing sci-fi movies when I thought of this wearable mobile phone. It’s something I want to see used in a futuristic scene.

The ball works as a controller and an indicator changing colors. It can slide anywhere on the surface.

Of course it’d be fun to watch 3D hologram on it.

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Hungry Batteries: Rechargeable Battery Concept

It would be so helpful if there is a set of rechargeable batteries that change forms to tell you how “hungry” it is.

The thinner it is, the emptier the battery is. When it’s full, it’s just as straight as a normal battery.

Another merit is that when it’s thin, it’s much easier to take out from a packed battery room, especially if there are multiple betteries packed tight in line. Fat batteries don’t need to be changed anyway.

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