Around The Home
Some time ago, astronauts on the International Space Station needed a way to eliminate the ethylene gas that was being produced by plants growing aboard the station. NASA collaborated with the University of Wisconsin, and the result was an air-purifying system known as Airocide. Flash forward to the present, and that technology has been licensed for use in a household product that reportedly eliminates all sorts of airborne nasties. Read More
Super Mega Mega Toaster prints images on your bread
Contrary to the impression the name may give, the Super Mega Mega Toaster isn't a giant version of the humble bread-browning electrical appliance, but it does have some big artistic pretensions. Read More
I think it's fair to say that if you want a Bluetooth loudspeaker to stream music from your phone or player, the marketplace is somewhat generous with its choices. To stand out and be noticed, manufacturers need to add something extra to the pot – such as being able to change shape like the novel Transformative Bluetooth Hi-Fi System or really feeling the beat with the ONBEAT-X1 portable speaker. Taiwan's Yantouch has taken a decidedly more visually-stimulating route with its third-generation Black Diamond speaker, and Gizmag spent the last few weeks being mesmerized by its stunning light show. Read More
NV01 is a prototype shelving system that can be extended and adapted to fit the available space in any room – in terms of both width and height – by assembling the identical modules in different configurations. Read More
Whatever you personally think of flat pack furniture, it appeals to many people. Thanks to a combination of availability and affordability, it's become insanely popular for those who don't want to spend a fortune on unique pieces for their home. It's these unique pieces we tend to cover here at Gizmag, and the Stratflex Collection from Wintec Innovation offers a form of flat pack furniture that is anything but banal. Read More
Not so long ago, a smoke detector and possibly a wall-mounted thermometer and/or barometer were generally the extent of indoor monitoring devices for the home. But a number of devices are appearing designed to increase our knowledge about the environment in which we spend most of our time. Joining the likes of Netatmo’s Urban Weather Station and the Lapka personal environment monitor are CubeSensors, small sensor-packed wireless cubes designed to “measure everything that can be measured about indoors.” Read More
As we've discussed many times previously here on Gizmag, having enough space to live well in big cities is a costly endeavor. Residents are increasingly being squeezed into smaller apartments in order to make room for everyone who wants to live in these urban hot spots. This makes multifunctional furniture more of a necessity than ever before, and a variety of designers are eager to make it their niche. Read More
There's a smartphone-operated device available to control pretty much every area inside the home these days, so it makes sense that smart devices should extend beyond four walls to manage outside spaces as well. The team at 22seeds have developed just such a system, known as Greenbox – it uses local weather data to determine and set customized plant-watering programs. Read More
Good news for lovers of things that look like books but are not books: the Lumio LED lamp we wrote about in January has bulldozed through its US$60,000 Kickstarter target, nosing ahead of $450,000 with 7 days of the campaign remaining. Read More
Multi-purpose furniture is a great way to keep clutter to a minimum in cramped confines. A new couch concept from designer Matthew Pauk called the Slot Sofa is designed to maximize available space with a hideaway dual ottoman and coffee table. Read More
