Awesome Concepts

While the idea is not new, Seon-Keun Park’s Braille E-Book concept is beautifully executed; it would use electro-active polymers to dynamically raise and lower dots on the reader.

Talk about “iconic” design: beyond looking like a familiar desktop element, Tryi Yeh’s Apple Mac Folder features a multi-touch screen and ultra-thin design; still, what’s with that keyboard?

Diego Silverio’s Tetris Furniture concept doesn’t just resemble bricks from the classic puzzle game–the pieces have real functions, from doubling as storage to serving as a low-slung couch.

Bridging the virtual and physical worlds, Mike Neumann’s Poly.Touch concept is a “tangible” synthesizer which lets you dynamically configure real objects to serve as controls.

TechCrunch’s CrunchPad tablet now sports a slimmer design, an Intel Atom chip, bottom-up Linux OS and new Webkit browser version; Michael Arrington calls this the B.5 version.

Hao Hua’s D-roll concept resembles an artist’s tube, except canvas is replaced with a roll-up OLED screen and a slide-out keyboard; the mouse and camera serve as caps to the tube.

And we thought the E71x was slick: Paris student Fabien Nauroy’s Nokia Envelop Cellphone is a trippy concept with a tear-off LCD screen that allows for dual orientations.

Kia is one of the last manufacturers we’d go to for inspiration, but this KND-5 concept actually looks sweet; it’s Kia’s version of the Hyundai Azera and will likely hit US shores next year.

The final project for U. of Derby student Jason Heredia, the Arcus Collapsible Guitar folds down to half its size; Floyd Rose locking nuts reduce the need to retune after collapsing.

The fascia for Hyundai’s hybrid concept is more blue whale than BLUE-WILL, but we’re intrigued by the tech: roof solar panels and a Li-poly battery that plugs into a wall socket.

Designed by trainees, the Mercedes Benz F-CELL Roadster is an extreme blend of old and new; it’s based on the 1886 Benz Patent Motor Car but with a hybrid fuel cell powerplant.

The results of Nokia’s Music Almighty Headset Competition are in, and boy are they zany: you’ll see everything from Graveyard Shift (inspired by MJ’s Thriller) to Daft Punk cans.

Sebastien Sauvage’s radio and speaker system concept compliments the Mac Mini with a stackable design; the radio features five USB ports, a card reader and access to 10k stations.

Looking like a cross behind a King Cobra and a golf club, Ben Wahrlich’s wireless Serpent Speakers feature a base that can be easily bent to suit your desk’s space requirements.

A great place for your Kama Sutra collection, this Sex Bookshelf puts to bed the idea that you can’t be literate and lascivious at the same time; it’s designed by Arun Kumar Francis.

We’re not sold on the silver scroll wheel’s ergonomics, but Alexi Mikhailov’s iStick is more functional than the Shuffle yet just as minimalist; all four sides serve as touchscreens.

Frantz Lasorne’s Augmented Reality Tangible User Interface breathes new life into old toys; using AR glasses and a base, real life toys can participate in virtual turn-based battles.

It’s not every day you get the chance to own a concept vehicle, let alone two: Ford is auctioning their GT coupe and convertible concepts, along with the first 2010 Shelby GT500.

The last thing we need is a physical impression of our weight, but Jim Ruck’s Bathroom Scale has some prankish value: we advise leaving a buttprint for the next person to use it.

Mac Funamizu’s SnowCorn is a bit outlandish but still cool: it’s a bracelet with a touchscreen, built-in projector, camera and Wi-Fi that projects information overlays on real-world objects.

The UK government is offering Land Rover roughly $37 million USD to bring the its successful LRX concept to market; it’ll be a two-door turbodiesel hybrid with a 2.0L engine.

Ideal for musicians, KRE-8 concept features a mix mode, a record mode and a play mode; the latter takes place by shearing the unit in two and simulating a violin, drums or guitar.

The battle lines are being drawn for this Lamborghini Insecta concept; it’s the work of Romanian Iulian Bumbu and takes the brand in an organic direction inspired by insect exoskeletons.