Transforming Tables

I saw the Braunwoodline table over at NotCot. As interesting as it is to have this transforming table, it has nothing on the DB Fletcher Capstan Ilona Expanding table. I will give the Braunwodline credit for having some interesting design in its chairs though. The Capstan has size and wow factor way beyond the Braunwoodline.

DB Capstan Illona Expanding Table

Of Course, the next step to all of this is combining the technology of these tables with that of other table technology. Say a walking table?

Let's throw in some super digital high tech of the Microsoft Surface, and this conceptual table of the future will be able to rule us all. All it really needs now is the ability to smell the items on the table to inform people about what they're eating.

Funny Graphs

I have been visiting Indexed for sometime now because of the interesting commentary and moment of relief Jessica Hagy's little notecards provide me. Then I noticed other people over the web doing similar experiments in humorous graphs; dating reasons graph, personal pie chart, flickr song graphs pool. The fantastic thing about all of these, is the level of filtering they've done. The world is a complex place, they've narrowed it down for just a moment so we can think about just a part of it.

Virtual Pandemic

Scientist simulate a pandemic in a virtual simulation to study results for dealing with. The goal was to come up with recommendations for how to contain possible pandemics, such as avian flu, in case of a break out. Information via Science Friday, more information here.

This article reminded me of an interesting virtual plague, called Corrupted Blood, I heard about in World of Warcraft. People's reactions to this were increasingly interesting, first that of the players, then of some social scientist studying this. Listen to the NPR article here, and a follow up article from Tufts University here, and the Lancet Article.

video via Los Alamos National Laboratory

Latte Prototyping

Latte art meets rapid prototyping [found via communicadores.info]. My passion for food leaves me excited about the possibilities this opens up. Of course there is no practical application... yet! I'm going to put all my day dreaming hours to come up with a good use. I imagine Molecular Gastronomists would love to play with this.

It would also be interesting to take a note at where Latte Art started, and now how it has ended up in the hands of machines. 

[image via krassy can do it blog.]

What other food arts are currently performed by people that might be enhanced by machines? Maybe someone could rapid prototype a cake by sifting all the dry ingredients in layers, then adding liquid, then cooking each individual section with a laser. You could have nine different cakes right next to each other! You could have pink polka dot cakes, where the white was vanilla flavored and polka dots were strawberry!

Or maybe some intricate chocolate sculpture that was prototyped...

[image via barrels and bottles, the first google image link at the time]

Free! Art Night

On Art Night, the city of Pasadena opens the doors of many of its cultural institutions, for free. Even better, there are free shuttles running from each place. It is a great way to sample what this community has to offer. Art Night is part of Pasadena Art Weekend.

image via art night.

Honey Comb Vase

The honeycomb vase, by Studio Libertiny, is an amazing concept of alternative prototyping. It looks good enough to be a final product for me. Someone please throw some LEDs inside that thing, I think it would be a fantastic lamp. Or maybe a more chemically inclined person could duplicate firefly bioluminescence in there!

Studio Libertiny has some amazing projects with paper on their site too. A paper vase that has the properties of wood! And a paper table that they describe as feeling like "erotic suede." Check out all of their projects, quite inspiring.

Electronic Nose

"An electronic nose approaching the cability of the human sniffer, remains a dream despite twenty-five years of research" say German Scientist at Thuringia International School Weimar. Electronic noses are great at picking up non-odorous chemicals. Deciphering smells such as fruity, grassy and sweet are just beyond the nose. Information via Science Elements Podcast #51 March 10, 2008

This follows along the concept used in Japan about Pollen Sniffing Robots. Though it doesn't explain to me how this little guy thinks "people taste like bacon." I guess there in lies the difference between olfactory and gastronomic senses. I still think robots will rise up against us in revolution, tracking us down like pigs so they can eat our flesh.