Patrick Branigan

May 25, 2012

InstaCRT – Just a Bit More Genuine Than Instagram

Designer: Harald Martin, Ruben Broman, Erik Wahlstrom

So. This is quite the venture. A group of individuals set out to create an app that achieves a visceral quality in photos… something that Instagram can’t always achieve perfectly (not to say this is a perfect solution either). Rather than recreating a retro effect with software, InstaCRT actually uses the aging titular tech to achieve its goals.

The concept is simple. You take a photo on your iPhone using the InstaCRT app. You upload that photo to a developer. This developer displays your image on a 1 inch CRT in a defined space (office or otherwise). A picture of the photo is then taken with a DSLR, and sent back to your iPhone.

The results are really nice. The scanlines are genuine, the distortion doesn’t follow any equation, and the look and feel are pretty spot on. It results in a standard that many other apps are striving for.

However, it has to be equally as inefficient. The more people begin to use the app, the more time is needed to deliver a result. So what if this app soars? Would it take days, maybe weeks to get an image sent back to you? Is there a better way to streamline this process? There are plenty of possibilities, as well as many conflicts begging to be solved. But nevertheless, the idea is nice, and the effort is present. The results could potentially be fantastic.

You can currently buy InstaCRT in the app store for $1.99.

May 21, 2012

LEAP Motion Is A Big Leap Forward

Designer: Leap

The mouse and keyboard have been essential parts of the computing experience for years now. Touch technology has further progressed our interaction with computer experiences. Now, Leap wants to bring us beyond both. This product represents an entirely new way to interact with computers. Leap Motion claims to be more accurate than a mouse, more reliable than a keyboard, and more sensitive than a touchscreen.

We now can officially control a computer in three dimensions with natural hand movements.

In fact, the technology behind this product can distinguish your individual fingers and track your movements down to 1/100th of a millimeter – an incredibly precise scale. Do we even need an instruction manual to use our hands?

Pre-order LEAP Motion here: http://live.leapmotion.com/pre-order-the-leap/

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May 18, 2012

Nordik Impakt Festival Materials

Designer: Murmure

Electronic (and EDM) music fans might be familiar with the Nordik Impakt festival, and if they are, then they’re most likely familiar with latest promotional and packaging materials related to the event. Murmure agency had the pleasure of developing the most recent conceptual products for the invitations. They’re obviously based around electronic music and, more interestingly, phosphorescence.

Murmure created posters and invitation cards which extend beyond the typical graphic approach, and reveal an electronic spirit when the lights go out. The innovative design makes for electro-phosphorescent glasses that are light weight and applicable to just about any environment as they’re made out of paper. The aesthetic itself is very futuristic and “technologic” – a familiar vibe for us EDM fans. Murmure has done a pleasant job of accentuating a taste of culture surrounding this genre of music, in a simple, precise manner.

April 2, 2012

A Macro Look at Nanoscopic Material Structures

Designer: Zeitguised

I’m unfamiliar with the name(s) behind Zeitguised, but I can tell you it wouldn’t matter because I’ve fallen hard in love with their work. Zeitguised boasts the intricate biography, “The strange, obscure twin of contemporary zeitgeist imagineering.”

From what I gather, they’re a motion and 3D creative studio that dabbles heavily in obscure, abstract, and visually stimulating work that proves effective both in motion and in print.

This piece in particular is a more recent example of the experimental nature of Zeitguised. “Sample Sample” is the portrayal of nanoscopic materials inspired by images of fabric materials. In essence, this is creating the simulation of photographed space which seduces the viewer to imagine an existing material reality.

The piece is created with two different levels of translation of textile pattern. The first is color – where a scan of the textile is taken to directly color individual parts of the structure. The second is fabric weavings – 3D dimensional stacks of interlocked platonic bodies. The key then is to offset these layers in relation with each other which results in the visual effect we see here.

It’s no wonder the work was shown at Kiss The Design Gallery in Lausanne, Switzerland. It’s smartly constructed, and visually gorgeous.

By all means, explore their portfolio…it’s pretty intriguing stuff.

(If I happen to misread or misunderstand the making of this piece, I apologize in advance!)

March 2, 2012

René Lee’s Bean Device

Designer: René Lee

There are plenty of impressive industrial designers and product visionaries out there. René Lee happens to be one who’s portfolio is filled with tech specific wonder. One of the most intriguing pieces, however, is the Bean. It’s actually a simple device: a mouse. It’s attention to ergonomics and universal behavior are what sets it apart.

Bean is essentially a mouse device containing only one touch sensitive bottom that clicks both edges. Its shape is symmetrical, making for easy use no matter what your primary hand is. The hot areas for clicking, scrolling, etc are all familiar and structured off the common layout. At the very least, it looks pretty beautiful…