As varied as the cars that James Bond has driven in the various 007 movies, few have proven as inseparable from the Bond image as Aston Martin. But what of the boats? Bond’s watercraft have ranged from hovercraft to submarines, Sunseeker speed boats to megayachts and even naval ships. But one designer has sought to bridge the gap with the Aston Martin speed boat you see here.
Called the Voyage, this 55-foot speedboat design is the vision of naval architect and Aston Martin owner Luiz de Basto, who has several Magnum yacht designs to his credit. The name follows traditional Aston Martin nomenclature evident in the Vantage, Virage, Vanquish and Volante models, but goes far beyond semantics with a raft of design elements familiar to the British automaker’s svelte GTs: the grille shape has been interpreted into the windshield, the side vents into hull portals, the center console into a cabin access hatch.
The result isn’t just a boat inspired by Aston Martins, but an Aston Martin designed for the water. We’re already imagining Daniel Craig pulling up in San Tropez or Monte Carlo in this bad boy for a future flick.
Toilet paper isn’t exactly the most versatile of napkin products, seeing as how it is mostly just used to wipe our bottoms and blow our noses. It’s difficult to write on, so you can’t exactly use it for cute little memo notes or anything. Well, unless you happen to have Mario Lukas’ Toilet Paper Printer that is.
An entry for the hardware hacking contest, “Mach Flott Den Schrott” held by German technology magazine c’t, the Toilet Paper Printer uses a roll of toilet paper to print small sheets of text. At first it may not seem like the most practical of ideas, but designer Mario Lukas has gone one step further by integrating an Ethernet port into the printer.
The networking support allows Lukas to print internet content such as Tweets, Facebook posts and even RSS feeds. So if you’d like to create an art project with a toilet paper roll filled with tweets and Facebook posts, head on over to Lukas’ page and make your very own! (If you can read German) Of course, never use it when you’re in an emergency.
It’s not often that cars and whiskey cross paths on these pages, but it does happen. One distillery manager began charging his EV off of spent barley. Another blended special bottles for Formula One drivers. Now Porsche Design has teamed with Johnnie Walker for the exclusive scotch packages you see here.
The Bar Tailed Godwit is an incredible creature that currently holds the record for the longest non-stop flight traversing 7,258 miles along a route from Alaska to New Zealand. Inspired by this bird’s abilities, designer William Brown created the Lockheed Stratoliner, a futuristic commercial airliner that is designed to fly any distance without the need to stop and refuel.
With an aerodynamic, bird-like design, the Stratoliner achieves maximum efficiency by utilizing oversized wings that allow the jet to generate enough lift to fly at very high altitudes. In addition, four Cryogenic Hydrogen Turbofan engines power the Stratoliner allowing it to fly massive distances while operating in a lower-power state with zero emissions.
Brown’s concept may be a bit unconventional with its bird-like shape and ambitious goals, but it is definitely an interesting design that draws inspiration from one of the many wonders of the natural world. It’s only natural to pay homage to the world’s incredible birds every once in a while, considering the fact that they have been flying a lot longer than we have.
Close your eyes and picture a motorcycle. Chances are, you’re seeing something with two wheels, an engine sitting right in the middle and a spot for the rider splayed out on top. If you’re Joey Ruiter, though, you might have something else entirely on your brain. Says Ruiter:
We want to re-set the definition of a motorbike, stripping away historical attributes that make them so great. It’s hard to imagine a motorcycle without fancy paint, overpowered motors, exposed mechanical genius, and sweet exhaust tones.
While it’s true that we love seeing exposed elements on our motorcycles, there’s something intrinsically cool about Ruiter’s concept and the way it makes a rider appear as if he’s floating down the road on an appliance… if only because it’s unique.
Taking the concept a step further, this machine is powered by an electric motor and it sends its ride data (speed, distance traveled, etc) to the rider’s smart phone.
Designed by Russian architecture and design firm Arch Group, the Sleepbox is an interesting concept turned reality. The company first released its concept design of the Sleepbox back in 2009 and has now officially released trial units to be installed at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport.
The Sleepbox is a small sleeping chamber meant to be rented out in large airports or other popular transportation hubs. These small structures would provide passengers with a place to relax and rest while waiting for their flights. Arch Group has begun installation of its trial units which have been given a “hostel edition” design.
The design features two small beds in a bunk bed position complete with its very own ventilation system, power and lighting. Although the original proposed design featured an internal vending machine, Wi-Fi and an alarm clock, the hostel edition lacks these features. The Sleepbox definitely sounds like a great way to have a nice and quiet nap while waiting for a delayed flight, but we can definitely see a quick nap turning into a long nightmare without the use of a trusty alarm clock.
Basic helmet design has come a long way since… wait, no it hasn’t. Sure, Snell ratings change every few years as our understanding of head trauma increases, but the basic skull bucket remains pretty much the same as it has for decades.
Voztec is looking to add a bit of innovation into the industry, and it’s rear access system looks quite interesting. By way of a rear access door, the rider/driver puts their head into the lid and the door clamps shut behind them. In case of an emergency, the helmet can be lifted away from the person’s face without having to move the injured person and risk further injury.
Voztec is working on rear access helmets for motorsports, horseback riding, snow spots, firefighters and the military. It’s even penned a concept design for an NFL version of the rear access helmet.
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