To make a living, our mind works incessantly and our feet tread unaccountable miles. There comes an age when you slow down deservedly because you’ve been a worker and a provider during all your hay days. It’s time to indulge a little, make things easier for you for a change. It’s time to make all those ups and downs more negotiable. AscendAid ascends your convenience to much undemanding levels as changing stories within your home becomes a cinch.

AscendAID

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AscendAID

AscendAID by Gareth Webb

It blends mobility and steadiness of a walker with stability and strength of staircase railing to form a free gliding hold up into the hand railing of the stairs. The whole setup is basically composed of two parts i.e. wall components and steel handle. Wall parts consist of plastic end caps, aluminum extrusions, wall support and 90 degree wall turn panel, and steel handle consists of a styling plastic caps and a sturdy steel handle to hold. Safety is the basic priority of this design therefore, standard cross head screws are provided to secure railing to the wall bracket.

The steel handle has also been made with the same caution and intellect. Cantilevered handles are cushioned with the soft foam comfort padding for spongy grip. Free movement to the wheels is provided by the articulating swing arms. Brake handles to provide optimum comfort and to avoid injury makes the design ergonomic. Thus AscendAid could prove to be a great help for elderly and partially disabled to ascend and descend stairs conveniently without being dependent on anyone.

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This intellectual game invented in India has devotees all across the world. Historically, chess traveled from India to Persia and from there to Europe. The game gained an ardent fan following in the 20th century and since then finely crafted chess boards have become a fad. Collectors and diehard fans of the game usually go for fashionable and exclusive pieces. In most of these elite versions, the conventional white and black pieces with king, queen, bishops and pawns are substituted by a more theatrical theme. Here are a few pieces to declare checkmate in style.

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Setting up a home office can be really stressful especially if you live in a small apartment and do not want to see your work documents spilled all over the place. If you can’t bear the sight of your workstation when you’re not working and would like a way to be able to pack up your work when you’re done with work, Restoration Hardware’s BlackHawk Secretary Trunk might just be the thing for you. The workstation basically looks like an oversized trunk, like the kinds that were used by frequent fliers of the past.

BlackHawk Secretary Trunk

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BlackHawk Secretary Trunk

BlackHawk Secretary Trunk from Restoration Hardware

The BlackHawk Secretary Trunk Office features a cupboard with drawers and shelves on one side and an open space for placing a computer on the other. The chair unfortunately is not part of the sett though arranging one that matches the trunk shouldn’t be that difficult.

The trunk office comes with exposed steel screws accenting and polished aluminum panels finishing which gives it a distinct aviation inspired feel. To give it a vintage feel. Small scratches, nicks, dings and other forms of intentional distressing have been applied to the trunk. Three hidden hinges allow the entire trunk to fold open easily and stand without any additional support. One the inside, the trunk features three shelves and black cotton canvas-lined drawers. The trunk weighs a staggering 525lbs since its frame is fashioned almost entirely out of wood. The BlackHawk Secretary Trunk retails for $4295.

Via: Gadget Review

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Modern life comes surrounded with a lot of electronic gadgets that need to be charged every now and then. Apart from gadgets, a home has many more items like lamps, mixers, grinders, refrigerator, etc. that need electricity to get powered and work efficiently. But, one major hitch is the shape of the plugs and plug outlets that vary with every product and even from country to country. Keeping all these issues in mind, Fitorio Leksono has come up with an electric socket system named Hub.

Hub

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Hub

Hub is an user friendly electric socket system

The socket system is very user friendly and will kill all complications and irritations that come while plugging in the socket. The shape of the easy to use system is round, which means setting the angle and looking at both the switch and the plug in system take a backseat. Most of the times electric sockets are concealed behind furniture items to maintain the aesthetic appeal of a place. So, this is an additional set back while charging gadgets as setting the angle of the plug becomes tricky because of the lack of a clear view that makes it difficult to reach the socket.

The round shape of Hub will directly fit into the electric socket and has a much better grip that ensures improved handling. The hole of this universal socket also ensures better handling of things around that too without checking the angle of the hole. So, locate difficult to reach spots without any trouble and keep all sorts of irritations at bay.

Via: Cargo Collective

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The ACD is an electronic voice sampler that allows users to covertly collect voice samples without holding up a microphone. The device is styled to look like a fashionable sling bag and can be used to collect and record sounds without people knowing that their voice is being recorded. Created by designer Christian Lopez Swafford, the ACD AKA Audio Collection Device allows users to discreetly record sounds and can be a great asset for musicians looking for sound samples as well as undercover cops, reporters and informants for whom not letting people know that their voices and conversations are being recorded is of prime importance.

wearable sampler

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Wearable sampler

A C D wearable sampler

The ACD comes with a microphone fitted to the front of the strap which makes it easier to record clear voices and conversations that take place in front of the wearer of the belt. A discreet record button located at the front of the belt and an external microphone jack can also be used when needed. The ACD records sounds as a .wav or .mp3 file.

The device allows mono sound recording which provides high quality samples. The ACD connects to a computer via a USB cable with drag and drop functionality allowing users to quickly transfer files from the device’s 4GB internal memory. For additional storage, an SD card can also be used with the recorder.

Record, stop, play and volume control buttons are also located at the front of the strap and users can playback the files on device to decide which voice samples they need to keep and which they want to discard.

Source: Christian Swafford

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Traveling by bus is a very common way to move around the city and millions of people take a ride on this means of transportation every single day. But, even after having traveled for years at a stretch one doesn’t really know when the bus will exactly arrive. There is not even a single person who loves to wait for the bus. Ending all such woes will be the Ambient Bus Arrival Monitor, which will put on show live bus arrival times.

Ambient bus

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Ambient bus

Ambient bus that can give live bus arrival times

The design has been created using hacked Linksys WRT54GL and has fetched some inspiration from the Countdown service that has won praises in London. The Ambient Bus Arrival Monitor will be fitted on sides of a bus and will be a digital display. This will make it for people to see the arrival time of at least two buses, which will help them reach the bus stop on time. This will save time as passengers won’t have to wait for long just to board the bus because of the exact calculation of the arrival time.

The crisp display is easy to read and will be visible from a distance. The LED displays will show through the side windows and will not keep people guessing especially when it comes to boarding a bus. So, find buses on busy streets the easy way and never waste a single minute while waiting for your ride to arrive with live arrival times by the Ambient Bus Arrival Monitor.

Via: Jgc

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Anyone who has ever traveled on a Subway or a Metro knows that traveling the same route at roughly the same time each day of the week makes you a wide open target for subway thieves and pickpockets who can make off with your wallets, phones and anything else you might think may be safer in your backpack than in your pockets. However, the Shellpack Anti-Theft Backpack is one such luggage carrier that can help protect your valuables from petty thieves that prey on unsuspecting commuters using public transportation.

Shellpack: Anti-theft backpack

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Shellpack: Anti-theft backpack

Shellpack: Anti-theft backpack by Russell Tucker

The “Shellpack” is made out of rigid carbon fiber, hard enough to stop a knife cutting through, with steel cable reinforced straps. Electronics in the bag and in the straps allow music players to be placed inside and music controlled from exterior buttons, preventing pickpockets from seeing where valuables are. Proportions and elastic properties of the bag alter users’ behavior to prevent them from taking out valuables during their commute.

Created by designer Russel Tucker, the Shellpack Anti-Theft Backpack is targeted at the relatively tech savvy white collar office worker who uses public transport for their daily commute to and from work. Since this kind of a person is more likely to carry a range of portable personal gadgets like mp3 players, cell phones, USB modems, tablet PCs and other portable electronic accessories in their backpack every day, they become a prime target for miscreants. The Shellpack Anti-Theft Backpack is constructed using straps made with steel cable reinforced material and a rigid carbon fiber body shell that is impossible to cut through with a knife or snatch away from the wearer’s back.

To make the backpack more user-friendly, the bag comes with an ergonomic design that prevents the users from taking out their valuables aboard public transportation. However, they can still make use of their music players via electronic controls placed along the exterior of the bag.

Source: Russel Tucker Design

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An apple a day, keeps boredom away. In today’s apple revolution, almost every gadgeteer says “Aye” to the “i”. Be it an iPod, iPhone or the deliciously trendy iPad, these beauties effortlessly establish themselves into the daily routines of users. It’s only reasonable to provide good after purchase care to these high on entertainment gadgets. So let’s take the apple back to the wood, Manzanita wood which is a very hard and durable variety. It wouldn’t be a complete hyperbole here to call this giving a second life to the wood with your dearest digital mates docked in it. Check out these neat looking wooden docks for your iPad and iPhone.

iPad & iPhone Dock

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iPad & iPhone Dock

Docking Station for your iPad & iPhone in Manzanita Wood with Burl

The collection has been named after a Spanish word Manzanita. The species grow small red berries resembling small apples. The innovative idea was realized after one huge old Manzanita tree was ripped off for making a college. An effort has been made to give new life to this quality wood. While crafting the dock the outer wood is sometimes kept untouched to bestow rich patterns and contrast. The inside of the wood is deep red that looks extremely gorgeous. This dense wood displays very unique twisting patterns.

The beautiful piece has been crafted through seven sanding steps from machine sanders to fine hand sanders and finally polishing. The dock features a round burl like expanded structure attached to the front of its protruding branch. The dock has been given a natural finish using combination of orange oil, carnauba wax and beeswax. This combination also helps in preventing dying and corrosion of the finished wood.

The dock comes with two six foot USB chords to synchronize or power up your iPhone / iPod and iPad. Each and every piece comes fully tested for synchronization, charging performance and wall plug connections. You can make you iPad rest securely at the correct angle without worrying about its casing in both portrait and landscape modes. You can own this stylish dock for $350 only.

Via: Etsy

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Created by Den Older Vleugel Architects & Associates for Hesta Exhibitions, the Xpod is a temporary housing concept that can be put to many different uses. The unit comprises of composite but switchable units that allows the modular system of the housing to be manipulated into multiple uses. The flexible housing unit features a cut ellipsoid with eight identical slabs. The simple and basic slabs allow users to configure the space according to their own needs.

Xpod - Temporary Housing

Easy to move, the lightweight unit can be equipped with household electronic gizmos like air conditioners and electrical wiring and outlets can also be provided accordingly. Thanks to enormous glass windows, the inhabitants of the unit never really feel like they are inside an enclosed and relatively small space. The windows also let plenty of natural light in which reduces the housing’s dependence on electricity.

Xpod - Temporary Housing

The space can be utilized as a recreation home out in the woods, a weekend getaway, as outdoor housing units in resorts and even an industrial workspace that can provide housing for on-site workers. The Xpod occupies a 3.6 x7. 8 meters space on the ground in any kind of configuration and is temporary housing unit is priced around €30,000 without additional taxes and shipping costs.

Xpod - Temporary Housing

Source: Den Older Vleugel

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The Mirage Hair Salon Operation System Concept by designer Akinori Asatomi is a handheld display that allows people visiting a hair salon to keep themselves entertained while they are getting their hair treated or cut. More often than not, visitors at hair salons find themselves being bored out their minds with the only other options being either using their cell phones or flipping through magazines. The Mirage Hair Salon Operation System Concept offers a whole new kind of entertainment to people getting haircuts while providing them with a great new solution to getting the just the hair cut they want.

Mirage: Hair salon entertainment system

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Mirage: Hair salon entertainment system

Mirage: Hair salon entertainment system by Akinori Asatomi

The Salon Operation System concept can be synced with the data brought into a salon by a customer so that when a person comes into a salon, they have their customized hair report with them. This allows the hair stylist to create custom looks and suggest treatments more accurately. Customers can also use the system to browse through the profiles of hair stylists and choose the one they like best.

Users can also brows through hair styles and try on virtual hair styles using the augmented reality camera on the handheld gadget. After having selected just the cut they want, they can show it to the stylist for more accurate results. Coupons, special offers etc. can also be availed using the system and customers can also use the system to browse through the locality for restaurants, theaters, etc. just in case they have arrived at their appointment early and the Mirage Hair Salon Operation System Concept can be used to watch movies while a customer is getting their hair done.

[Cheers Akinori]

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