Design
No more distraction: these glasses block all the screens around you
In many public places, it’s hard to avoid distracting screens. News and commercials keep streaming at you—even if you don’t want to watch. These glasses help. A special film turns screens black while you keep seeing everything else around Read More...
Is this finally the beginning of the end for the password?
Passwords are under attack in a war on multiple fronts. Just today, Microsoft announced the rollout of password-free login using its Microsoft Authenticator app while the digital security company Yubikey announced a new version of its USB security keys that forgo the need for passwords Read More...
How to design bike lanes fit for the 21st century
City streets and pavements in the United States have been engineered for decades to keep vehicle occupants and pedestrians safe. If streets include trees at all, they might be planted in small pavement pits, where, if constrained and with little water, they live only three to 10 years on Read More...
According to IKEA, autonomous vehicles will look like living rooms on wheels
From IKEA’s point of view, the inside of a self-driving vehicle shouldn’t mirror that of a regular car, but rather it should be a small space that we can have experiences in. Instead of sleek self-driving cars, IKEA wants autonomous vehicles that look like bright-colored living rooms on wheels. Read More...
New bike path in the Netherlands shows roads can be made using recycled plastic
A Dutch city by the name of Zwolle has created a bike path made almost entirely out of recycled plastic. Although the road looks like red asphalt, the path path makes use of plastic that typically has little value, like old plastic bottles and beer cups from festivals. The design also makes use of Read More...
Someone finally created an accurate map of the world
Most maps of the world depict Greenland as a behemoth piece of land that’s comparable in size to Africa when, in reality, the African continent is 14 times the size of Greenland. This happens because creating a precise flat map of our spherical planet is incredibly hard. The maps we often Read More...
Reebok’s newest sneakers are almost entirely made out of plant-based materials
The shoe industry has a massive carbon footprint. That’s why Reebok is now creating shoes using plant-based materials to clean up both production and post-consumer use in an industry that typically relies on petroleum in manufacturing. In addition to using 100 percent organic cotton for the Read More...
These retractable sunshades can open and close without using electricity
In order to release seeds at the most opportune time, pine cones open their scales in warm and dry weather, and remain closed and sealed up when it’s cold and wet. Based on this phenomenon, engineers have created retractable sunshades that can automatically adjust to the amount of sunlight an Read More...
Swiss engineers are revolutionizing the way ceilings are constructed
Inspired by gothic architecture, Swiss engineers have invented an entirely new way of constructing ceilings. The new construction technique uses a mixture of concrete, rebar, and carbon fiber that form a super-light, super-strong slab ceiling. And the amazing thing is: not only does it make for a Read More...
Want to change your life? Use these design-thinking strategies to guide you
If your life isn’t meeting your expectations, you may think it’s time to make some changes. But rather than randomly deciding what to change, the best thing you can do is follow a structured path for identifying your problem and making a carefully considered shift. Here are 6 design-thinking Read More...