Awesome Prototypes

Leslie Nooteboom’s Komorebi projects soothing computer-generated light shows. While it can project anything, Leslie intends for Komorebi to display visuals that mimic natural light, such as a silhouette of a window or light bouncing off of a body of water.

Students at Carnegie Mellon University’s Future Interfaces Group proposed a computer interface that is meant to be projected or displayed on a desk. Aside from responding to touch, apps or windows can also latch onto or avoid objects to maintain visibility.

In Ukiah, California, there’s a sixth-scale train set quietly ambling over a vineyard. But it’s no mere toy. It’s a proof-of-concept for Flight Rail’s Vectorr – a rail system that uses vacuum to push or pull a magnetic carriage, which in turn takes the train above with it.

Pixar animator and robot designer Alonso Martinez dropped by Tested to show off prototypes of his upcoming robot toys. Alonso wants Mira and her siblings to evoke empathy and joy through nonverbal cues, and we think you’ll agree that he’s on the right track.

Designed by a group of students from ETH Zurich and ZHdK, the Voliro is a hexacopter that has tiltable rotors, allowing it to fly parallel to walls, hover diagonally and even flip in place. The students also plan to give the Voliro an omnidirectional wheel for ground movement.

Researchers from Tokyo University and Keio University designed a pair of robotic arms and hands that are controlled with the user’s legs and feet. Called MetaLimbs, the extra limbs can be modified with different “hands” and even provide haptic feedback. Think Doc Ock IRL.

The Shirley Ryan AbilityLab rehabilitation center is working on a wheelchair that will let users move while either sitting or standing. A belt integrated into the armrest lets the user move as well as adjust the wheelchair’s height.

Coming soon to Google’s Assistant and Photos applications, Lens offers information or actions based on a photo or what your device’s camera is seeing. It can identify objects, detect Wi-Fi passwords, offer to show you a restaurant’s reviews and more.

Design students Zuza Gronowicz and Barbara Motylińska came up with a shoe that’s 100% 3D printed and biodegradable. Aside from being customizable, it uses significantly fewer materials and less energy to make compared to conventional shoes.

Airvada is working on a drone with inflatable arms for ease of transport. The Diodon’s appendages can be inflated or deflated in just a minute. Its electronics are housed in a waterproof case for added durability. The drone will come in different sizes for various payloads.

Jeep and Mopar will debut several concept vehicles at the 51st Annual Moab Easter Jeep Safari on 4/8/17. The highlights of the collection include the powerful Quicksand off-road hot rod, the see-through Safari, and the 1990’s Grand Cherokee-inspired Grand One.

Kyle McCabe shows off a neat prototype he put together a few years back – a car brake light that gets wider and brighter as more brake force is applied. A simple, yet smart idea we’d love to see go into production vehicles.

A winner of Android Japan’s Experiments: Object contest. Kosho Tsuboi’s Magic Calendar is a large digital calendar. Tsuboi’s prototype uses a low reflection display, but he hopes that in the future there will be an E-ink display that looks and feels like paper.

A four-door offshoot of the AMG GT-R. And it’s a hybrid. On paper, it seems like the folks at Mercedes-AMG have lost their minds, but in this case, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. A twin-turbo 4L V8 and an electric motor combine to give this AWD up to 805 hp.

LEGO Ideas member MProtagonist’s proof-of-concept for a LEGO set based on the tearjerking fantasy pet simulator. Trico stands nearly 10″ tall and is almost 12″ long when assembled. Best of all, you can make him do what you want 100% of the time.

To promote its high capacity batteries, Kreisel converted a Mercedes-Benz G 350 d into a fully electric vehicle. It has two motors that produce up to a total of 360kW and goes from 0 to 62mph in 5.6s. Its batteries last up to 186mi and can be quick-charged to 80% in just 25min.

Honda’s one-off Riding Assist motorcycle uses an advanced steering actuator to keep itself balanced at rest or at low speeds. Its front wheel and fork can also be adjusted to provide greater balance. As a bonus, it can move on its own and follow a subject.

Oscar Boyson traveled around the world to interview people working to create new cities or improve existing ones under a humane and optimistic mindset: that real estate companies and governments will build cities not for buildings or cars, but for people.

We’ve seen laptops with more than one display before, but Razer takes things to the next level. Its Project Valerie is a proof-of-concept that adds two additional 17.3″ 4K displays to the Razer Blade Pro, with a mechanism that automatically deploys the side displays.

LEGO Ideas member Chiho Kim’s proposal for a kit based on the iconic off-roader. The model even comes with a net to secure things at the back as well as emergency cones. Chiho has since updated the model with larger tires, a light bar, fog lamps and a winch.

LEGO’s new BMW R 1200 GS set is boss, but we think this proposal for a 1967 R60/2 has the potential to be even better. Designed by LEGO Ideas member maximecheng03, it’s a tad skinnier than the actual bike, but we’re pretty sure LEGO can easily fix that.

Inspired by the Tenere XT600Z enduro motorcycle, the T7 concept is a long-range off-roader with a lightweight midsize chassis, an aluminum tank, carbon fiber fairing and skidplate and 4-projector LED headlights.

Minifigs with attitude. LEGO Ideas member bruceywan presents this spot-on concept for a Mighty Morphin Power Rangers LEGO set. It comes with all seven Rangers, each with a removable helmet, Zordon, Alpha 5 and the Command Center.