Mike Thompson, the arts graduate from Design Academy in Eindhoven now introduces a seemingly unheard of algae powered lamp, which he names Latro Algae Lamp. He takes inspiration from the findings of a research conducted by Yansei and Stanford University scientists that concluded that algal cells can draw electrical current through photosynthesis. The lamp, basically, draws its energy from a glass chamber of algae.

Via Green Diary

The Highway Aircraft Corporation’s “Tomorrow’s Car Today” definitely catches the eye.  Rolled out in the late ’60s, the Fascination’s streamlined shape rang out echoes all the way back to the Dymaxion car (Small wonder. It started life in the 1930s as the “Airomobile”), but what really makes it really interesting isn’t the all-aluminium engine it originally had, but what was claimed would be in the newer models: the Nobel Gas Plasma Engine.

What’s that?  Apparently, this:

This engine is a closed two-cycle reciprocating engine that has no intake, uses no air, emitting no exhaust at all! The fuel is self-contained and hermetically sealed in the cylinders which are initially charged at the time of manufacturing, carrying their own power supply that will last approximately 60 to 75 thousand miles with no fall of efficiency.

Needless to say, only five were built very little was heard of the Fascination or the Nobel Gas Plasma Engine again.

Info via Future Car

www.youtube.com/watch?v=5el1A5B-h3Q

German version of the video.

I can’t draw, hate focus groups, love prototypes

Apple’s senior vice president of industrial design Jonathan Ive partially lifted the veil on the secretive machinations of the Apple design process at a special “Innovation Night” event held at London’s Royal College of Arts (RCA).

Ive is due to receive an honorary doctorate from the RCA tomorrow. Ive was interviewed on stage by outgoing RCA rector Professor Sir Christopher Frayling.

“I can’t imagine designing without making [physical products],” Ive told the assembled horde of 700 UK design gurus.

“I love making prototypes. We go right from idea to prototypes. I just love making objects.

“Prototypes create this dramatic shift in the conversation – suddenly it becomes tangible and the silence goes away.”

Ive explained why Apple limits its product range: “When you do everything to make the very best product, it also means your very focused on just a few products.”

Ive admitted that his drawing skills are “terrible”: “And I’m a lousy presenter. So I focus on designing instead,” he joked.

Read the rest on Macworld

www.youtube.com/watch?v=aa59oCWqqgE

Greenwood  Maintenance Shop

Greenwood Shop is one of two heavy repair and overhaul facilities for the TTC. It is part of the 31 acre Greenwood Complex which opened in March 1960.The shop covers approx. 190,000 square feet and is the workplace of almost 200 employees. Major vehicle overhaul work and component rebuilds to support the fleet of subway vehicles is done here. The Shop also maintains the TTC fleet of workcars that are used by other TTC Departments in the maintenance of subway track, tunnels and wayside equipment.

Visitors will have a behind-the-scenes tour featuring machinery and equipment used in the overhaul and repair of big subway cars and the various work cars used by the TTC.

Eglinton Garage

Eglinton Garage/Division opened on March 31, 2002 and consists of 121,000 square feet situated on a 15.7 acre site. The garage services a fleet of 250 buses. The facility also features two bus wash racks, 12 indoor repair spaces and an outdoor bus storage area with a unique heating system which allows parked buses to be connected so that their engines are warm and ready to drive during the winter season.

A behind the scenes tour of the garage including a ride on a bus through the bus wash.

A ride through a bus wash!

More information on Doors Open Toronto and more places to visit.

P.S. Here’s a tip, City of Toronto – why not use a free open map API (Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, etc) to place all of the locations on one map and give users an opportunity to print out customized lists instead of putting them all in one loooooong list. Even your downloadable PDF seems to be maintained by an accountant in Excel.

More photos and instructions

I still think it’s quite beautiful and evokes visuals of dwellings in an alternative universe with enormous wind farms shaped like gigantic pastry beaters slicing through the air.

Via Gizmodo