Walking again with a brain-controlled exoskeleton

October 21, 2019  |  Out There

A 65 kilogram robotic suit has helped a paralyzed man walk again. The suit uses advanced computer software and two brain implants that read and transmit information from the part of the patient’s brain that controls motor function. As reported on designboom.com, the patient had surgery to pla…
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YSL will launch Google Jacquard™ backpack

September 23, 2019  |  Out There

According to Google, Cit-e Backpack by Saint Laurent (YSL), featuring Jacquard™ by Google Technology, is “the first connected luxury backpack that can control music, drop pins on the go, take pictures, and do more with a simple gesture.” According to digitaltrends.com, the backpack comes with …
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Magnetics used to make “anti-gravity” shoes

September 3, 2019  |  Out There

Japanese artist and designer Yukako Hihara has created a pair of shoes that uses magnetic forces to create the physical sense of walking on the moon. The “anti-gravity” shoes were created as part of an experiment to offer consumers a product that made them feel like they were flying. To creat…
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Squid-inspired jacket reflects full color spectrum

August 26, 2019  |  Out There

Innovative sportswear and sports gear company, Vollebak, has launched a jacket that will reflect all colors of the visible light spectrum. The Black Squid Jacket is a fully waterproof and windproof outer shell that mimics one of nature’s most mesmerising innovations – the adaptive camouflage of …
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Robotic tail for humans developed

August 23, 2019  |  Out There

Researchers at Keio University in Japan have developed “Arque,” a robotic tail that humans can wear to improve balance. The device was informed by the ways animals passively use their tails to shift their center of gravity. Arque consists of interlocking plastic vertebrae that use a spring-bas…
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Touch-sensitive robotic e-skin developed

August 12, 2019  |  Out There

Robots and prosthetic devices may soon have a sense of touch equivalent to, or better than, the human skin with the Asynchronous Coded Electronic Skin (ACES), an artificial nervous system developed by a team of researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS). Sciencedaily.com reports that …
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Conductive origami creates novel light switch

August 12, 2019  |  Out There

Industrial designer Yael Akirav has explored a new way of turning on light fixtures by using 3D printing of conductive filament directly on a textile, which is then folded using origami techniques. When the printed material conducts electricity, the origami-like intersecting folds of the fabric …
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Probiotic clothing activated by sweat

July 29, 2019  |  Out There

Researcher and designer Rosie Broadhead recently unveiled Skin II, a probiotic clothing concept activated by sweat to reduce odor and promote healthy skin. The clothing was developed in collaboration with microbiologist Dr. Chris Callewaert of Ghent University, to explorethe beneficial effect g…
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Biopack offers use, plant and grow packaging

June 27, 2019  |  Out There

Greek designer George Bosnas thinks the traditional waste management process is lengthy and uses a lot of energy. In response, he created the sustainable approach to a traditionalegg carton – the Biopack. For this designer, an alternative to “reduce, reuse, recycle” is “use, plant,…
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Seafood shells for better plastic, packaging and textiles

June 24, 2019  |  Out There

Scientists are tackling the world’s need to keep plastics out of landfills and waterways. One method may be found in making the most of seafood waste. A Science News article reports that the shells of crustaceans contain chitin, a material that has many of plastic’s desirable propertie…
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