A greenhouse inside a supermarket!

 

A supermarket in Berlin is currently selling the freshest vegetables in Europe. In the Metro Supermarket in the Friedrichshain district, herbs and vegetables are being grown in the store itself. Fresher and more local than this is not possible, unless you grow your own vegetables in the garden, but who has time for that? The local approach provides advantages in transportation, storage and cooling, and simultaneously used less water than a regular farm. The technology that makes this possible is called vertical farming, where food is grown in an artificial and space-saving manner, similar to a greenhouse.

InFarm, the company behind the initiative, claims to be the first to be profitable on a small scale. The technology is modular, that means it is just like Lego to assemble, very efficient. For now, only specialty vegetables as mizuna mustard and wasabi plants are being grown, but with a few modifications it can also produce other types of vegetables according to InFarm. Tomatoes and chilli peppers are on the agenda. InFarm is planning to start with mass production by the end of this year.

The trend ‘localisation’ is written all over this initiative. We want our products fresh and local. There are a lot of products with shallow descriptions and very unhealthy substances. We want transparency and products that are as natural as possible, just like the products of InFarm!

Bronnen: https://www.facebook.com/trendtoepassers/posts/535272153324350

Chill! It’s only purple o’cock.

The American designer Scott Thrift has designed a clock with the help of kickstarter to make people experience time in a different way. This clock, with the simple name of “Today”, does show the specific time in minutes but it gives you more of a sense of where you are in the time at that time. Without being too woolly, the device provides a different way to experience time than we are used to in this busy and stressful “always on’ era.

“The way we see time has everything to do with how we see life,” says Thrift. That is why he made the clock numberless, you cant even see minutes and seconds because there are no pointers. It consists of a single pointer, which moves in the course of 24 hours and the colour levels functions as a symbol for the time of the day. So, according to the maker, you get a much simpler, more meditative idea of a day, and especially the feeling that you have more time. Somehow it is much more natural, when you think about it. In our drive to measure the time we divide it into neat cubes – hours, minutes, seconds – but that’s just a human fiction. In reality, the time is a spectrum, a sliding scale. The idea is that the clock Today brings you in touch with the ‘natural’ time.

However, I don’t think this clock will be very practical for me. I will miss every deadline and appointment.. But besides that, I really love this idea.

This coolhunt is a reaction against the trend ‘24/7 community’. We live in a society where everything continues and where everything is measured with time. Especially work. This can be very stressful. We nowadays have the urge to sometimes escape from our busy life and be more connected with our inner selves. This clock can be a starter.

Bron: http://www.designboom.com/design/scott-thrift-today-24-hour-timepiece-06-03-2016/

For the lovers of clean sheets

If there is something I love it is clean sheets, I love the smell and the feeling.

Since we spend a third of our lives sleeping , our bed has a lot to endure, it is not surprising that we maintain that bed to keep it fresh and clean. But from now on we can spend less time refreshing our sheets. The kickstarter start-up called ‘silvon’ recently introduced a line of bacteria resistant sheets. Unique is that Silvon not intoxicate the bedding with chemicals and nanotechnology, but with silver, a natural anti-bacterial substance.

According to the company, the concept can best be explained with the help of a little chemistry. Silver contains positively charged ions, while bacteria contains negatively charged ions. If the sheets with silver comes in contact with bacterial cells, the positively charged silver attacks the DNA of the bacteria, the effect is that the bacteria aren’t able to reproduce anymore. Silvon says that the unique combination of cotton and silver together constitute an extremely comfortable set of sheets. But no matter how brilliant it may sound, the bedding of Silvon does not mean you never have to wash your sheets anymore – only less frequent. The company recommends to wash your bedding once every ten to fourteen days because of dust and debris that may lodge in it which is inevitable.

Since we live in a world that is very busy we want to spare time on the things that are not so important. That’s why we come up with concepts to make our lives easier. This is an example of this fact. I don’t think many people will buy these sheets yet because it is still a little weird, but it is definitely a signal that we want to simplify our daily tasks.

Bronnen: https://nl.pinterest.com/pin/350788258450429287/

http://www.elle.nl/lifestyle/wonen/Deze-bacterievrije-lakens-houden-zichzelf-schoon

 

Billboard saves people from Zika virus.

When i first heard about the Zika virus I was shocked. But what shocked me even more were the photo’s of the babies that where infected by the Zika virus, carried by the Aedes mosquito. Pregnant women who get infected, seem to deliver babies with, in some cases, too small skulls and immature brains. The WHO discovered this after months of scientific study.

Sometimes it is not science that comes with solutions, but the advertising world. In Brazil, where the infamous Zika virus has struck the hardest , the agency Posterscope Brasil has developed an ingenious campaign that does more than just advertise. The Mosquito Killer billboard functions (as its name suggests) as a mosquito catcher and killer. The billboard uses an ingenious trick to lure and kill the mosquitoes that carry the dangerous disease.

With a mixture of lactic acid and CO2 the smell of human sweat and breath, which mosquitoes love, is in fact mimicked . To a distance of four kilometers mosquitoes are attracted to the smell, which is distributed from a reservoir in the billboard. Once the mosquitoes are lured in the board, they can not get out , and they eventually fall in a container that hangs underneath. The billboard is especially design just for the Aedes mosquito, so no other insects will be hurt. The first billboards are already in use in Rio de Janeiro , one of the cities with the most Zika infections. Currently about a hundred dead mosquitos are daily removed from the billboards.

I really adore these kind of concepts. About two years ago I posted a blog about another billboard that provides people with clean drinking water. It really strikes me that advertising is developing in a multifunctional tool, of course they advertise, but they are also saving people in very innovating ways by using technologie and science. A winning combination if you ask me!

 

Bronnen: http://www.techtimes.com/articles/152202/20160424/mosquito-killer-billboard-helps-prevent-zika-spread-in-brazil.htm

http://www.nu.nl/zikavirus/4201878/we-weten-zikavirus.html

http://www.newsweek.com/zika-virus-billboards-mosquitoes-brazil-450562

http://www.thedrum.com/news/2016/04/20/billboard-attracts-and-kills-zika-spreading-mosquitoes-while-educating-public-its

A billboard to eradicate Zika virus

 

 

 

Plastic six-pack rings feeds marine life instead of killing them.

My heart breaks if I see animals victimized by our garbage. Last week I was at the train station in Dordrecht. I saw a girl unwrapping het pack of cigarettes. She threw the plastic on the ground without thinking. It really made me angry. I was at a different platform so there was to much space between us for me to remind her of the damage of plastic. I have to be honest, a few years ago I was also acting brainless regarding waste. But luckily that changed over the past years.

Plastic is especially a problem for ocean life (the plastic soup in the middle of the ocean). Animals are poisoned by our waste , they swallow it or become entangled . Bit sad when you know this plastic of your six-pack of beer seems to end up as a depressing corset for a turtle..

But the solution is so simple : just pack your stuff into degradable material. Preferably also edible. It is possible: an American beer brand, called Saltwater Brewery,

in the state of Florida does not pack their six-packs of beer in plastic anymore. Instead of plastic they use a material made from the waste products of the same beer and it is also edible for animals!

Saltwater Brewery hopes to inspire bigger beer brands to follow. I really hope they catch up with this amazing initiative. This way both the environment as the animals will be better off.

This concept is a great combination of technology integrated in sustainability.

Bron: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/saltwater-brewery-edible-six-pack-rings-beer-plastic-marine-life_us_573b796ce4b0ef86171c5fe4

Be gentle with this package, it is very shy.

A package that shows an emotion when you touch it ? How cute is that? That’s exactly what Russian designer Stas Neretin was wondering . He designed a cosmetics packaging, if you touch the jars or bottles , they will blush. The ivory ‘skin’ turns into a warm red glow on the spot where you are touching it, so they are simulating a human respond to touch. He achieved this by applying a thermo chromic coating. The jars and vials which Neretin created for Naked Skin Care are anyway different. The shape of the package also simulates the human body.

Brands nowadays really need to impress consumers to grab their attention. It is not only about the product itself anymore but about the total package, literally…Brands these days want consumers to emotionally attach with their products and lifestyle.

This signal is part of the megatrend ‘the experience economy’. This trend is about exploring, experiencing and satisfaction. We want to live to the fullest, in everything we do. Many brand are anticipating on this trend. I think many more brands will integrate ‘simulated human characteristics’ to products. This way people will be emotional involved with the brand on a next level, they will see the product not as a product anymore but as a living part of yourself.

In some way it is also kind of creepy, it is strange and has a sexual touch at the same time. This is exactly what makes people curious about this product, it intrigues.

 

Bron: http://www.mesh-magazine.com/blog/naked-packaging-stas-neretin

Donating organs and body parts to damaged stuffed animals to stimulate organ donation among children

Two days ago I was sending a document to one of my friend trough Wetransfer when I saw an incredibly cute background. It was an image of a broken stuffed animal that, on the next photo, was fixed. They repaired the leg with the leg of another stuffed animal. It looked so cool, I clicked on the link and then I discovered this great initiative!

An elephant with a squirrel tail as a trunk or a dragon with a dog paw – these animals are not just for cuddling, but they also convey an important message. The project Second Life Toys is in fact intended to call attention to organ donation in Japan.

Japan has a good health system, yet the organ donation system is – especially for children in a terrible state. The number of child donors is extremely low. In Japan currently there are about 14.000 people waiting for organ transplant. Among them, only 300 people receive the actual organ transplant they need. That is merely 2%.

Children haven’t got good associations with organ donation yet. This is partly caused by their culture where bodies are required to be intact for cremation, but also due formerly strict laws/rules, which have been eased over the past years. And what is the best way to change children’s mind set about almost everything..? Right, toys!

Second Life Toys sews donated organs or body parts from good and intact toys, on stuffed animals that are damaged. When they get to see the toys, they first take a careful look how they can implement the best transplant. After ‘the operation’, they will send the toy back to the owner. So people send stuffed animals that need a transplant and others send stuffed animals that can be used as donors. These are stuffed animals that are in good condition, but are no longer used by its owners. After a “sick” stuffed animal is healed and returned to its original owner, he or she will be asked to send a ‘thank you letter’ to the owner of the donor toy. This cycle of need, compassion and gratitude lies at the core of organ donation and it is exactly what ‘second life toys’ wants children and their family to become aware of.

I really really like this concept. It is a perfect example of a concept that matches the perceptions of the target audience. I think it is also very cool that toys, which aren’t being used anymore, are recycled to repair another toy and make another child happy again. But the thing I like most about this concept is the fact that is makes both parents/family and children aware of the purpose of organ transplantation.

Check here the amazing toys!

 

Bronnen:

http://www.secondlife.toys/en/

http://thecreatorsproject.vice.com/nl/blog/knuffeltransplantaties-doorbreken-het-taboe-rondom-orgaandonatie-in-japan

 

 

 

L’Oréal launches smart wearable : My UV Patch

 

AUWW.., burnt again. In our little rainy country this can only happen during summer.., we think. But we can also get burned on a rainy of cloudy day. It’s not about how sunny it is, but how much you are exposed to UV radiation. We all know what to much UV radiation can do to our skin and health, but still to often we don’t realize we are actually putting our skin in danger or we intervene to late

Beauty giant L’Oreal has recently been introduced into the world of electronics with the launch of its first smart skin patch, which is smaller than a regular patch. These special solar patches use a sensor to analyse the UV-radiation on the skin. The ultra-thin My UV Patch helps consumers to measure exposure to UV radiation and is designed to assist the user in choosing the proper sun protection , based on the skin type of the user. The My UV patch was first presented at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2016 in Las Vegas under the banner of La Roche-Posay , one of the brands of parent company L’Oréal . “The technology behind this smart patch could mean a fundamental change in the way we monitor exposure of the skin to various external factors such as UV radiation, ” says Guive Balooch , Vice President of Research & Innovation at L’ Oréal . “Previous technologies were only able to display the amount of UV radiation per hour. For the first time in history, consumers can measure their sun exposure much more accurate. And with an ultra- thin patch, “said Balooch .

But how does it work? The product contains a light-sensitive blue dye ( the so-called ‘ dosimeter ‘) that changes colour when exposed to UV – light. This way, the consumer knows that it is necessary to use sun protection. The smart patch is launched in 16 countries and is coming to Europe this summer. The patch will be offered for free, as L’Oréal has set itself the goal to tackle skin cancer from sun damage.

The solar patch contains a sensor that communicates with an app (My UV patch of La Roche- Posay , available for Android and iOS) . This app measures both the local UV – radiation as the cumulative ( summed ) UV radiation for several hours , or even days. To ensure the accuracy of the analysis , L’Oréal advises to wear the waterproof sun patch on the back of the hand , with a maximum of five days. After this period the patch of about 2.5 square centimetre with a thickness of 50 micrometres can simply be thrown away.

The My UV patch was developed by a team of 25 scientists and researchers from various cities ( including New York, Paris and Singapore ), in collaboration with electronics company MC10 . This company has extensive experience with biometric sensors and smart innovations , particularly in the health sector. According to Scott Pomerantz , president of MC10 , the partnership with L’Oréal is a wonderful opportunity to show the application of electronics in the beauty industry.

This signal is originating from the trend technologisation and digitalisation. We are increasingly integrating these trends in our daily life. In this case (and in more and more cases) these features are used to monitor our health. We are becoming more aware of our health and we want to be in direct control of it. I call this macro trend ‘self-control’. Self-control is an increasing need of being in charge of your own health and body. We want to avoid any health issues by monitoring our health and body through digital and technical gadgets. Instead of going to the doctor we become doctors ourselves.

Bron: http://www.cosmeticsdesign-europe.com/Brand-Innovation/L-Oreal-enters-wearables-market-with-My-UV-skin-patch-to-better-protect-against-sun-damage/?utm_source=newsletter_daily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=GIN_CDEd&c=lUDu4VAJNMtrgn3dAMd%2Bsg%3D%3D&p2=

Losing 30 kcal per meal, only by changing your plate.

 

We’ve all been their (like 100 times) at some point, your hungry and all you want to do is eat something greasy. After you have absorbed your meal you feel a little bit guilty… well not anymore!

Suppose someone would say that you can eat healthier without changing anything in your meals – not your portions, not what you eat, nothing. All you need to change is your plate. It sounds a bit funny, but this a typical example of the ‘’why haven’t I discovered that?!’’ ideas, It is the AbsorbPlate . The AbsorbPlate is the answer of advertising agency BBDO Bangkok and Thai Health Promotion for Thai cuisine, where a lot of fried and fatty food can be found (Thailand has the second- highest obesity ranking of South-East Asia). The plate was inspired by the texture of a sponge, and includes 500 holes each of which suck oil from a meal. The holes can suck up to 7 ml of fat and oil, which is approximately equivalent to 30 calories per meal. It is a bit like a high-tech version of a napkin to dab your pizza.

The technology is modest and simple , but effective. The fat that remains in the holes can simply be rinsed away. Unfortunately this plate is not for sale yet, so be patient. The AbsorbPlate is part of the trend I call ‘fitstyle’. It now is a well known trend, people want to be healthy and fit. They want to integrate this lifestyle in their everyday product. Fitstyle is also a way for ‘fit people’ to further shape their identity, and that means gadgets/products that matches their fit lifestyle.

 

Bron: http://www.elle.nl/health/behandelingen-producten/Dit-bord-haalt-letterlijk-de-calorieen-en-het-vet-uit-je-eten

 

 

 

A plant charging your phone…

Sockets are so 2015. Especially now when environmentally friendly alternatives are apearing to boost the battery life of your phone. In one of my previous posts you saw the IKEA table that charges your phone miraculously. Now is the time for even greener alternatives: Charging with a plant.  Arkyne Technologies, a company from Barcelona, created , a plant pot called the BIOO Lite, which extracts electricity from a plant.

A little biology lesson: it has to do with photosynthesis, a process that occurs naturally in the plant. The BIOO Lite is no joke – the technology has been refined and contains organic molecular decomposition, active microorganisms, organic nanowires and other difficult words. Easy language? Photosynthesis uses sunlight to carbon dioxide (CO2) and water to be converted into oxygen and organic constituents. The bacteria in the pot make sure those components are cleared and let electrons loose that are converted via nanowires into electricity – which can drive an ordinary USB input. The system collects on all day and night electricity, which can be used to charge your phone or tablet up to three times a day – what would be needed with the iPhone battery. Plug your charger into the stone with USB port and let nature do its work.

I many times blogged about products that generate energie through unusual channels. We saw the window that generates energy from colour, the Ikea table and im sure I have written more posts about these kind of concepts. We now are becoming well aware of the fact that we have to take action to save our world of pollution and other damage. It is also a cool thing to have products that are good for the planet. This coolhunt is part of the trend sustainability.

Bron: http://www.elle.nl/lifestyle/wonen/Lege-telefoon-Gebruik-een-plant