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.
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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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: 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: 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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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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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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Funny USB Memory Stick #6 Final
This transparent USB memory stick covers all the convenient functions of the memory sticks I’ve introduced so far. The light inside the glass represents the data saved in it: No lights means no data, lights filling the glass means there’s no more space. The kind of data is recognized with colors. For example pink is for images, blue is for documents and green for movies, etc. It would be more fun if the lights can move in the glass when you shake it.
Synced with the icon on your desktop of course.
Inspired by Japanese Soma-Toh or a revolving lantern, which beautifully shows colored silhouette.
Also visit the other series of this gadget.
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Mobile Phone Concepts “Floater”
About 80% of the day time, my mobile phone sits on my desk. I have it in my hand or in my pocket for the other 20%. I was just wondering why not make it look better on a table if it’s in the idling mode most of the time. Just sitting flat on the desk is not fun to look at.
Floater A
Wouldn’t it be fun if your cell phone sits up by itself (or tilt up a little) when put on the desk and starts moving when there’s a phone call or an incoming message? The curved bottom allows itself to tilt up a little bit when put on a flat surface and left idle for some time. It starts nodding or rotating when it receives a phone call or an email etc.
Floater B
This one doesn’t move by itself, but it has a supporter on its back to make the round body stand on a flat surface. You slide the supporter the other way and you can use it as a physical keypad.
“Floater” comes from a surfing technique. Both look like a surfboard, don’t they?
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3D Desktop Concept
I’m back! Thank you so much for all the get-well messages and comments. As I wrote on Twitter, the operation went OK and I’m 90% back to normal. I drew some sketches in my Moleskine while I was in the hospital, and this is one of them.
This 3D hologram video just makes me want to have a desktop like this.
When you’re not using it, it works as a desk lamp.
Bring the black curtain down so that the hologram can be seen more clearly in front of you.
There are tiny projectors installed, giving off 3D hologram in front of the curtain.
A browser window can be resized by actually “pinching” and dragging the tab at bottom right.
It would be fun if a document could be made as if you were using a typewriter. The curled paper hologram comes out of the keyboard.
Touching the 3D objects would be really fun. Dragging, throwing, resizing, etc., but crushing paper to dispose it would be the most interesting.
You have to adjust the “depth” of the cursor on screen, so how about a mouse like this? By pressing the mouse body downwards, the cursor sinks (goes deeper) on screen. When you release it, it goes back to the default position (front).
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See also a related post.
Trou – Hologram Projecting Flexible Mobile Phone Concept
This is the second idea I submitted for a future mobile design competition held last month. The theme was “Design the mobile phone of 2020″.
The technology of holography is progressing day by day. In 10 years, I hope it will have already been developed for mass production and will of course used in our mobile phones. The area conventionally used for a display in a mobile phone will no longer need to be a screen with 3D projecters. Instead, it could be a hole, which allows another useful purposes.
At the same time, the materials used for the outer body of a mobile phone will become softer and softer. By successfully combine those attributes, there could be a mobile phone with a flexible vacant frame, which projects hologram in the vacant area.
When you have it in your hand, you can use it just as a conventional mobile phone except for the fact that what you see is 3D holography!
Because its frame area is flexible enough to let your wrist go through the hole, you can wear it around your wrist. A quick phone answering can be done while you are wearing it.
3D projectors are located inside the flexible frame, which project dramatic holography.
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PHYDI – Physical and Digital Message
This is one of two ideas I submitted for a future mobile design competition held last month. The theme was “Design the mobile phone of 2020”.
We all know how great a touch screen is and the reason doesn’t have to be mentioned. But have you ever thought that a touch screen is a nightmare for the blind? You never know what you’re touching because everything is flat. All the information and status are on the screen, so a user has to take the device up from a pocket, touch the necessary buttons and see with his eyes even when he just wants to know if he’s got a single email or not. In the future, information is told in 3D or with something that a user can FEEL by touching or just seeing so that the above problems can be solved.
This PHYDI mobile phone is just that. The front face and the sides of a PHYDI transforms the shapes according to what information or status is expressed. It makes concavity and convexity on the surface. For example, the face can be customized with contoured graphics. It could be dressed up with a kimono-like graphic or it could have a concave clock so that a blind user can know the time.
The status is shown on its sides.
A convexity means a “+” notice, for example there’s an unread email message and unanswered phone call. For a negative status, for example, the battery running out soon or having a bad reception, a concavity appears at a certain location. With this function, you can know without even touching or looking at the phone if your current location has a good reception to talk on the phone, if the battery has to be charged and if you have unread emails or unanswered calls. You wouldn’t have to travel around a place to find a good spot to talk on the phone, taking a look at the small icon on the screen many times.
PHYDI’s front face (left) and back (right)
customized front look
an email notice
poor reception status (top) and running out battery status (below)
unread email message (top) and unanswered phone calls (below)
When a PHYDI is making a continuous movement, it means you have an imminent status to take action. For instance, when its surface is moving like a wave, you’re getting a phone call. The movement can be customized freely.
wave movement on the face for an incoming phone call
With its flexible surface, the information on the screen could be dramatically expressed. Even an email message could be on a protruded paper.
Your file management could be done in 3D. Open a folder to take out movies and photos in it just like you do in the physical world.
an email message
file management control in 3D
The biggest merit with this feature could be a 3D map. you can get a much greater feeling of locations with “heights” because in most cases, a landmark is something very high, which can be difficult to be expressed in 2D. Can you imagine how easy it would become to search where you are and which way to go with this function?
3D map
When you want to make your email message stand out, you can put an embossed present box on the screen. A calculator will be much easier to use if you can feel the keys. An RSS feed could be read on a book-like shaped surface. The curl on the bottom right corner means you have a next page to read, A flipping gesture takes you to the next page. A physical keyboard of course makes your texting faster!
email with a graphic image
calculator with embossed keys
RSS feed on a book-like surface
of course, keyboard
For advanced functions, there are limitless ideas to be realized that could never have been done with a conventional flat screen. For example, you can leave a hickey mark and handwritten message to send your love to someone! Text information could be rendered in braille for the blind. This might make even copy-and-paste possible for the blind people.
hickey mark with a handwritten message
text in braille
Touch&feel Tetris you want try? The control would be much more instinctively done.
An idle screen could be customized in dramatic ways. If you like gentle ripples on the water, just put it with heights. Try other textures such as fur, chocolate or even tatami mat!
tetris with embossed blocks to turn and move with your fingers directly
various customized idle screens
I’ll make a post of the other mobile phone design later.
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Snowcorn: Another Sixth Sense Device Concept
It took a few days to render these images and while I was rendering them, I was surprised to see this demo at TED. The concept is almost identical! How nice!
Mine’s a bracelet like flexible device with a camera, a projector and Wifi installed. You can also put it on anywhere on your cloth around your chest or neck.
The transparent part is a screen to show basic function or the time. Customize it with the colors and style you like.
Complicated controls can be done in the projected UI.
Scan a business card to add the person’s name and other information to your address book through wifi.
Translate a word/phrase you’re not familiar with in a book.
Look for a way to get to a station on a train map.
There could be a lot more ways to use this device, so I’ll make the posts later.
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Speech Balloons for the Hearing-Impaired
Speech balloons in comic books show very well how the characters speak. If we could instantly visualize how people speak, wouldn’t it be nice for the hearing-impaired? It means they can SEE our voices.
Stressed words are rendered larger than those spoken less loudly.
Arrows of the balloons show from where it’s spoken (of course).
A scream is shown in a balloon with jags.
Imitation sounds are also rendered, but with other colors than spoken words.
When spoken to from out of the screen, it shows the words with the direction the voice is from.
A pair of glasses with the same functions could replace the device if we could figure out a good way not to block visual information.
Also visit the other series of this gadget.
Part1:”Future of Internet Search: Mobile version”
Part2:”Future of Mobile Internet Search: Applications”
Part3:”Look at What You Don’t See Through Glass”
Part4:”Future of Mobile Search for Diet”
Part5:”Future of Mobile Search- Search Beyond Time”
Part6:”Future of Mobile Search- Power of Visualization”
Part7:”Future of Mobile Search: Virtual Shopping #1″
See also the iPhone version of this concept.
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Horizon
If we can build flexible OLED like this, we won’t have to worry about what size of a monitor you’ll buy any more.
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Future Mobile Music Concept
Connect yourself with the outside world
Perfect music on the perfect spot at the perfect time
Body
Wear it around your wrist, just like a watch. It also works as a watch.
By default, it’s transparent, but when you want to make it stand out, just change the colors/patterns or use your favorite photo on the background.
The lucent screens are flexible to be transformed to a device you can put in your pocket.
Earphones
It changes your ears a concert hall.
Built-in microphone detects your voice (and humming).
Hear beat can also be detected with the built-in censor.
Sync with your mobile phone when you talk to someone on the phone
(Humming search technology is already available, I guess.)
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Lupa
“Lupa” is loupe in Spanish, Czech, etc.
It’s fun to design a mobile phone based on a certain concept.
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petitinvention 