Coffee As Unique As Your Handprint

Memory-by-Wenyao-Cai-Electrolux-Design-Lab-2012-finalistA small but important part of many people’s lives is the intimacy of having a barista who remembers who you are and more importantly how you have your coffee. Memory is a coffee maker that uses hand print recognition to act as your personal barista and make the right cup of coffee for the right person. Set it to your preference of weak, medium or strong coffee or even an espresso to a ristretto. When you’re ready for your perfect cup of coffee, Memory will scan your hand and get it right every time. The machine was designed by WenYao Cai from China, an Electrolux Design Lab 2012 finalist.

No matter how hard we wished it wasn’t, Memory is still in the concept phase and isn’t ready to be on the market just yet.

What Sparks Our Fire: An innovative gadget that allows you to get your perfect cup of coffee with a simple scan of the hand.

Do you wish Memory was out on the market? Let us know your thoughts.

The Invisible Umbrella

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If you dream of a world where people use air-powered umbrellas to fight the rain, you can wake up. The future is now. To be honest, the umbrella is one of those gadgets that hasn’t really been updated much in the last 200 years. Sure, technological advancements have allowed them to become easier to handle and more durable, but overall, it’s pretty much the same deal. But a new Kickstarter campaign has launched an idea that changes the umbrella game completely. It is called the Air Umbrella and it makes use of the airflow to form an umbrella without a visible cover.

Put simply, the gadget releases air that pushes the rain away. Currently, there are three sizes of the Air Umbrella available: small, medium and large. You can also fit two people under the Air Umbrella. The air umbrella will be ready to launch by December 2015. Head over to the Air Umbrella Kickstarter page to find out more.

What Sparks Our Fire: Engineers that strive to bring innovation to the most basic objects.

Would you consider investing in an invisible umbrella once it becomes available?

Get On Cloud 9

Screen Shot 2014-11-19 at 4.47.10 PMDo you sometimes wish you could fly? Well, Hong Kong-based designers David Koo and Zheng Yawei developed something close to sitting on cloud 9 with this astonishing concept design. Yes, a couch that floats in the air. The levitating couch uses a magnetic force from the bottom base to stay afloat. And is designed like a cloud for ultra comfort and relaxation. Sadly, this Cloud sofa remains a concept for now, but it looks like something anyone would try out for sure. And if this isn’t magical, we don’t know what is.

What Sparks Our Fire: Though only a concept, the Cloud may be the coolest idea and most aesthetically pleasing couch, ever.

What do you think of Cloud? Would you be willing to relax up in the air like the Mario Bros?

Travel The World While Staying Home

the-world-yachtClose your eyes and imagine waking up every morning to a different view without ever leaving home. You can have this luxury if you fancy living on the World, the only private residential  yacht on the planet. The World has 165 luxury apartments with full kitchens on board from studios to six bedrooms. Residents are allowed to fully own their apartment and decorate it to their own tastes. And if you think you are already blown away by what it has to offer, wait until you read the list of amenities: a cigar club, a library, conference rooms, a gourmet market, a spa, themed restaurants, bars and more. But, if you don’t want to eat out of your apartment and don’t feel like cooking, you can book a top chef that will prepare a meal in the comfort of your own home. Also, if you are a wine lover, the World also has everything for you with over 12,000 bottles of wine from 18 different countries.

Screen Shot 2014-11-13 at 6.02.47 PMThe most interesting thing about the World is that each year, residents get to pick their itinerary with two to three major expeditions. For 2015 for instance, the trip begins in Singapore via Southeast Asia. For the late winter, residents will have a taste of warm weather in Maldives and Seychelles followed by an adventurous trip in West Africa. Finally, the luxurious yacht full of residents will stop in Morocco, the Mediterranean, the UK and Iceland to end up in Canada, US, Panama Canal, South America and more. Check here to see the full itinerary. While residents range from 30 to 80 years old, the minimum to be considered for residency is a net worth of at least $10 million. So if you like the idea of spending your years traversing the globe instead of settling down in your vacation home, The World may be the address for you.

What Sparks Our Fire:  A dream project brought to life.

Is the World yours? Check out more details on this amazing yacht here.

The Reverse Commute

equs-cargo-motorcycle-winner-of-the-red-dot-design-award-2014We all know the advantages of motorcycles over cars. There are easy to park, take up less space in the garage, require less gas, and tend to be much cheaper. One major downfall is the number of passengers or belongings a bike can carry each ride. Since we are in the age of high-tech design innovation, it is no surprise someone had the excellent idea of how to tackle one of the issues…

Meet EQUS, an electric cargo motorcycle created by three designers that allows you to bring along a variety of goods on your commute, while running errands or just out for a spin. The bike’s structure was built in reverse with a remote steering designed around a convenient cargo area between the rider’s seat and the front fork. The cargo section can carry objects of different shapes, volume and weight. And you know what’s even better? It’s environment-friendly.

The team wanted to develop a vehicle that would contribute to better mobility in large cities while allowing riders to bring everything of importance with them. Get all details about the unique EQUS design, colors available for purchase and different features here.

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What Sparks Our Fire:
  A bike that maximizes convenience and functionality while reducing your carbon footprint.

What do you think of EQUS and if you could add an additional function, what would it be?