Reinventing a bathtub is not an easy job and maybe this is why we see little innovations in this field. For a moment picture a bathtub with one side as an inflatable vinyl portion that collapse to provide you easy access. A powerful integrated pump not only inflates the tub but also doubles up as water propeller for the built in Jacuzzi fixtures. Use it as a tub or a walk-in shower; use it as the Inflatable Bathtub! Simply love this concept!

Designer: Su Pin Chia

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(The Clever Bathtub was originally posted on Yanko Design)

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Tetra Pak and similar gable-top cartons have many advantages such as keeping food fresher for a longer period of time.  However, one drawback has been that these polyethylene-coated packages cannot be processed in most curbside recycling programs.  The ReWall Company, on the other hand, can’t get enough of the stuff.

Iowa-based ReWall uses poly-coated cartons to make wall board, tile backer, sheathing, and decorative panels.  One product, NakedBoard, is suitable for supporting tile in wet areas, or as a decorative panel when a design calls for highlighting the recycled nature of materials. There is no paper facing.

Another product, EssentialBoard, is paper-faced for additional strength and comparable to sheathing products or plywood.  The paper-facing also makes it a suitable drywall substitute.  Both products are light weight, rigid, and have a water-resistant core.  Pricing is comparable to mid-grade OSB or plywood.  The company also makes a ceiling tile product suitable for clean room manufacturing.

The need to get enough raw material has the Iowa-based company considering building a new plant near packaging companies.  And, it is negotiating with recyclers and waste haulers to harvest these cartons from the landfill-bound waste stream.  Currently ReWall uses 100 tons of material a month, but by securing material sources and with planned equipment upgrades, the company expects to triple that number later this year.

The production process starts with poly-coated cups, cartons, and their components.  This material is shredded and then moved through a patented process that heats and compresses all of the plastic, paper, and ink into one product.  The manufacturing process is environmentally friendly to the extent that it does not use added glue, water, or chemicals.  ReWall is 100% recycled material, primarily post-consumer now, but the company may need post-industrial sources to get enough product.

The manufacturing process was developed in Europe, where PE-coated packaging was popular long before it caught on the United States.  ReWall has technical product review, material specifications, and installation guides online, and a Des Moines television station also produced this video on the manufacturing process.

[+] More about ReWall Company products made with recycled materials.

Photo credit: The ReWall Company.

Related Articles on JetsonGreen.com:

1. Vibrant Recycled Tiles from California
2. Boral Intros Cradle to Cradle Exterior Trim
3. Express: New Recycled Ceramic Tile

Decorating your home can be a rewarding way to spend your time and money – and investing in beautiful, eco-friendly furnishings is a great way to express yourself and give any room a boost while supporting the environment. There is still a lingering stereotype about green design being boring or crunchy, but nothing could be further from the truth. There are many high-end designer furniture pieces that are as light on the earth as they are easy on the eyes. From a spectacular chandelier made from recycled coffee stirrers to a modernist sofa that doubles as a punching bag, read on for 7 gorgeous, green, one-of-a-kind furniture designs that are inspiring, provocative, and sure to get your friends talking at your next dinner party.

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Post tags: "green furniture", 2modern, antique quilts ottoman, biodegradable zebra chair, brave design, champ sofa, coffee stirrer chandelier, cork chaise lounge, cortia lounge chair, designer furniture, eadie armchair, eco design, eco furniture, eco interiors, eco minded furniture, furniture to transform your home, green design, green interiors, luxury furniture, papervore coffee table, pigeontail, punching bag sofa, recycled coffee stirrer lamp, tetris shelf, The Future Perfect, top 7 furniture designs, Transforming Furniture, white mod lodge sideboard

The Concept Old people are considered as a treasure of knowledge and experiences, but the only problem is today’s young generation is not actually connected to them. They spend most of their internet time on social networking sites. Wouldn’t it be nice if they could connect with older people to learn about things they know, for example rituals, recipes, costumes etc? Youngsters are really losing a grip of their traditions due to lack of communication. There should be a way that could use technology to bridge up this gap. Iris and Soma are two devices designed from research initiated by Intel. The two devices serve completely different purposes. Iris is a recording device that can be used to make video tutorials whereas Soma is a specially designed communication device. Both these devices can interact to make a bond between the two generations: young and old.

Iris and Soma

The inspiration

Older people are less flexible in learning about new things. There is a need for the device that could help them interact with other people at home. This would in a sense benefit young people and would give them opportunity to learn about customs and traditions. People need to preserve their traditions to know who they are and for this very purpose, learning from experienced person is the best thing one could desire for. Audio visual medium is the best since it is informative, takes less time and is not boring and also provides a practical knowledge of the situation. Also, making things clear by visualizing them is far easier than using words to explain them.

The design:

The technology is incorporated with the help of two different devices namely Iris and soma.

Iris

Iris is basically a motion capturing device with a camera. One can record tutorial with it and share it with the loved ones. You can make a cooking video to teach your granddaughter the recipe that she has been asking for. Also you can teach them a lot about old customs to preserve traditions in your family. People always learn quickly through videos, any other printed media and audio rather than books. You can slower down the speed to your own specific learning capabilities. This device could be a whole archive of different cultures and customs for collective use of family members.

Soma

Soma can be looked as a modified mobile gadget that could be used for fruitful interaction with a whole new feel. This device would help to remove the communication gap between generations. Aging weakens all the senses but the touch of sense is the most unharmed sense in older people. The simplistic touch is the unique characteristic of this device that lets older people communicate through simple touch interface. The device has a folding screen like old Chinese scrolls made of bamboo. Hence this device shares valuable media in form of audio and visual. The conventional touch surface is modified for utility purposes like a keypad, scroll down and power On/Off. Older people need something that is large and more importantly easier to understand. Soma’s touch interaction can serve various purposes according to the need and situation. The arc lightning system provides alternative to alert people who develop hearing problems in old age through visual patterns. This also buffs their visual capabilities.

The Fabulous

The design has been made as straight forward as possible. Difficulty in learning new things at an older age is the root cause of making everything minimalistic and simple. It is a great medium to teach your kids about the culture in depth through experienced people in the family. This will also create a bind between them which seems to be fading out nowadays. This also provides older people a medium to interact with family members like their grandsons and granddaughters sitting at home.

Picture Gallery

Iris and Soma

Iris and Soma are designed by Alvin Chan for Intel research

The Target

The device related research has been conducted in Asian society. So the main target audience is them but, this is essential for most of the societies. Young generation is unaware of their customs and traditions that would lead to a fading culture. It is desirable to preserve ones history and tradition. This device is a great learning tool and avoids boring printed medium. This would be a big hit in the Asian society where customs and traditions are being followed for hundreds of years.

Related Trends

1. Jive

Jive is specially designed for elderly people so that they can interact with their dear ones. In jive you have an ID which is linked with your digital life. User simply attaches a friend pass to their account. All of the information appears on the display storage device Betty. To know more about the friend you just flash the respective pass on the screen.

Jive

2. Sonamba

Sonamba is a communication device made for older demographic. The touchscreen device looks like a photo frame and is designed for older people who live independent. This would help them get in touch with their family and friends. It can also serve a lot of other functions like creating notes, adding reminder alerts and even play games to kill time. There is a special button that can be used to let to set away or home. This is for people who check up on them. There is an integrated pendent with the device that can be worn around the neck. The pendent has a panic button which can be pressed to make a call in emergency situations.

Sonamba

3. Smart Table

The smart table system has a messenger that uses infrared and pressure sensors for interaction. The best thing is it does not need any computer to function. The home television can be used for video calls and the table serves as the interface. The built in IR sensor detects the presence of person in the room. As soon as it detects presence it displays the messages and online friends. The pillow has pressure sensors on which the user sits. It indicates if the person is online or not.

Smart table

The concept

The Solo Electric Wheelchair Concept provides users with the same ease of use as an electrical wheelchair without compromising on the functionality provided by manual wheelchairs. The wheelchair is designed to be foldable into a compact mass for easy storage and transport. The concept provides users with the mobility of manual wheelchair with its premium ergonomic design being enhanced by the electrical assist system that also improves its range. The Solo Electric Wheelchair Concept also focuses on avoiding the medical use like feel of ordinary manual and electrical wheelchair and its aesthetics focus on destigmatizing wheelchair use.

Solo Hybrid Wheelchair

The Target

The core user of the Solo Electric Wheelchair Concept would be a person who uses a car to travel frequently and is an avid outdoors person. The target user for the Solo Electric Wheelchair Concept would be someone who is used to a manual wheelchair and has the upper body strength to maneuver one through the course of their day the office or at home.

The need

The target user of the Solo Electric Wheelchair Concept would preferably like to commute to short distances without using a car but doesn’t have the strength or the time to push a manual wheelchair through that distance everyday. Since this user also like the ease of use that a manual wheelchair brings, the Solo Electric Wheelchair Concept could be a great middle ground alternative for them. Most manual wheelchairs have a limited range and most electric wheelchairs are not foldable. In a manual foldable wheelchair, lack of back support prevents users from sitting in them for longer durations without getting uncomfortable.

Picture Gallery

Solo Hybrid Wheelchair

Solo Hybrid Wheelchair By Øystein Helle Husby

The solution

Since the target user of the Solo Electric Wheelchair Concept doesn’t like the medical-device like look and feel of regular electrical wheelchairs, they would not like to invest in a heavily mechanized wheelchair that does not offer them the freedom to move around like a manual wheelchair does. However, since the Solo Electric Wheelchair Concept comes with improved aesthetics that bypass the medical device like feel, users are able to bond with it on an emotional level without being reminded of them handicap. Also equipped with electrical assist, the Solo Electric Wheelchair Concept allows the user to freely switch from electric mode to manual mode. The ergonomic wheelchair can also be used for longer durations without any discomfort. When the user pushes the wheelchair manually, the assist adds an extra push so users can get their daily exercise in without overexerting themselves.

Key features

The Solo Electric Wheelchair Concept is fitted with a kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) that regenerates power and recharges the battery when user brakes while going downhill. An auto braking system prevents users from rolling backwards when going up a slope and stops the wheelchair when the user stops pushing it. The Solo Electric Wheelchair Concept is powered by a 24 volt lithium battery and features a compact folding form. Castor wheels are attached to the high strength retractable aluminum spine to offer the wheelchair a greater power to weight ratio. The lightweight and ergonomic wheelchair features an injection molded polymer mesh which allows the wheelchair to be easily folded.

Source: Oystein Husby

As someone who has to go through a lot of international press releases, I always admire the precise, no-nonsense wording of a proper German missive. "Outline your innovative competence by participating in [our] award," reads the brief for the MATERIALICA Design + Technology Award 2012. If the language doesn't tell you these guys ain't playing around, the entry fee will: 190 Euros if you enter by May 31st (though students get a break with a mere 25 Euro ante).

So what are the MD+T Awards? The eight-year-old competition is meant to "demonstrate the importance of materials for industrial design-oriented applications" and is broken into four categories:

Nike's continued materials experimentation has yielded Flyknit, their proprietary blend of "yarns and fabric variations [that] are precisely engineered only where they are needed for a featherweight, formfitting and virtually seamless upper." The benefits of employing materials in this way are 1) a lighter weight product, and 2) less waste, as the Flyknit materials comprise the bulk of the upper, and 3) combining the comfort of a sock with the structure and support of a traditional hard-material sneaker.

As the company explains: