In 2002, Beijing University developed a Bamboo material that can be used to make clothing, which is starting to gain traction in the marketplace, given its superior qualities, including softness, biodegradability, and antibacterial properties. A pioneering bamboo apparel company is Bamboo Clothing, which utilizes bamboo grown without pesticides or fertilizer.
[via Trend Hunter and Evan Orensten]
1) Tesla Motors is accepting pre-orders for its amazing electric sports car, which will be built in partnership with Lotus, and delivered by next summer for between 80K and 120K. For a video of the Tesla at its debut, click here. I highly recommend “Who Killed the Electric Car,” a documentary produced by Chris Paine about the GM EV1, by the way.
2) Terrafugia is accepting pre-orders on a flying car/airplane hybrid. A prototype is currently being constructed and deliveries are projected to start in 2009. Mike Elgan has an interesting critical analysis of the “mythical” flying car here.
3) Jim Carroll has an awesome prediction for the future of the automobile - a “Google car” (a prediction not too far fetched, given Larry and Sergey’s involvement with Tesla), and Mike even concedes a flying car for the masses might be possible, if it is computer controlled…
I will be on a summer break without computer access until Monday, July 31. Regular posting will resume then. Thanks, Matt
Water Bank of America is marketing ice cubes made of fresh spring water. The Ice Rocks brand will be target the luxury consumer for use in fine alcoholic beverages, for example, and to tourists in developing countries who desire fresh ice cubes. The company is also developing an ice cube product for kids made of frozen fruit extracts. [thanks, Evan Orensten]
Hennessy Hammock has reinvented the conventional hammock and has four patents granted and three patents pending on its revolutionary design. The hammock has an entrance through the bottom that automatically shuts after you’re safely inside, and allows for easy entrances and exits without tipping. The hammock supports your lower back via its patented asymmetrical shape, a typical problem with conventional hammocks. In addition, the hammock has a shelter-cover to provide a wind-proof, bug-proof, and waterproof environment. The hammock is lightweight, and can also be used as a tent, or lounger. [thanks, jeremy lyon]
PrevYou has developed and patented a virtual/real retail mechanism, which allows real-time connections between consumers and their friends via mobile and other Internet connected devices. Two potential applications are: 1) consumers could use their mobile camera to upload images to a secure website which friends or family could access, and supply real-time feedback of the product in question. 2) Retail stores could build cameras into changing areas and a shopper could model her outfit for friends or family on a retail branded website.
Another interesting changing room concept is being developed by researchers at the Hong Kong Polytechnic Institute of Textiles and Clothing: “An intelligent Simulator for Cross-selling & Up-selling using Smart Fitting Room & Smart Dressing Mirror.” RFID technology communicates with a system that can mix and match and suggest clothing options, which would be displayed on an interactive screen. The changing room is utterly important for influencing consumer purchasing, and has enormous untapped potential to do so much more to encourage consumer spending. [via and cool business ideas and ilya vedrashko]
Jose Garcia of Meme Therapy, a future and science fiction blog, asked me to answer the following question: The world’s commercial airline fleet vanishes overnight. What do you replace it with?
If the entire fleet of commercial jet aircraft vanishes overnight, it would represent a huge opportunity to rethink aviation transportation in a broad context. Perhaps an investment in networks of high-speed, zero-emission trains, for example, would be viable. Of course, air travel would continue to be a preferred mode of transportation for overseas travel. However, the basic design of commercial jet aircraft hasn’t changed in 35+ years, and an opportunity would exist to entertain innovative ideas. A common design concept for future aircraft is a highly aerodynamic triangular design, which does nothing to address the basic human-centric inefficiencies of current aircraft travel, including airport transport, parking, check-in lines, security hassles, frequent delays, cattle-like boarding methods, and waiting for luggage.
There are people working on personal transport vehicles capable of driving on roads, and flying (see SUV with retractable wings here (link), but I have an additional, possibly complimentary, vision for the future of aircraft mass-transport. Futurists, for many years, have proposed personal rapid transport: a private, light-weight pod-car hybrid would travel on monorails within cities, and exit an elevated monorail network to travel on roads and freeways to suburban areas, or to other cities. My aircraft vision embraces this future. I would propose building jet aircraft that have the capability of holding hundreds of pod-cars per fuselage or body (think of a Swiss train or a Ferry that accommodates cars), so a person or a family could leisurely board their pod-car at home, travel to an airport, pass through security, and board an aircraft — without ever needing to leave the comfort of their pod-car!
Commercial aviation pioneer Juan Trippe audaciously pushed for larger and larger aircraft, in an effort to reduce the consumer cost of air travel. The future of aviation, however, will likely favor more numerous, smaller aircraft. Air taxis and relatively inexpensive personal business jets, which are currently being developed, will proliferate, in the near future. Perhaps the pod-car aircraft concept would require more aircraft bodies to accommodate the pod-cars, which require more space, for a comparable number of travelers, than current aircraft herd seating. These realities may cause more airport congestion and delays, if we maintain status quo thinking of aircraft physics, which requires a long runway for takeoff and landing. VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) technology for commercial aircraft will likely one day be a feasible reality, and this would alleviate current bottlenecks for takeoff and landing, which will become more of a problem, as aircraft proliferate.
Japan-based Astro Research Corporation is designing and launching custom 10-inch, solar-powered satellites. The cost: $860,000, which covers the cost of the satellite, launch and operational services, as well as a satellite launch field trip and a satellite location notification service, which favorably compares to current satellite development costs of between $10 and $20 million. The MySat satellites can be used for a number of purposes, including earth observation, component testing, disaster monitoring, remotesensoring, and even advertising. Once in low earth orbit, the MySat-1 will circle the earth about 14 times per day. Owners can also tune in to their satellite’s radio signal on a Web site to monitor its location and listen to it as it passes overhead. [via discovery news]
SkySails GmbH, a German company, is developing a kite towing propulsion system for ships. On average, fuel costs can be reduced by up to 35%. The sail is computer controlled, and automatically adjusts for direction and strength of wind.
[thanks, Nick, for the tip]
Invisible Heating Systems is pioneering the concept of leveraging the heat absorbing capabilities of asphalt by burying a network of pipes under a road, or parking lot, which functions as a quasi solar hot water heater. In addition to generating hot water, the system also potentially reduces the use of salt in de-icing roads in the winter. The idea originated in the Netherlands, where it has been used in flyovers and airports. [via treehugger]
Fraser of Disruptive Thoughts, Eric of Venture Week and of Feedburner and I discussed several months ago the potential of Feedburner to ID RSS subscribers (possibly by an offering where you can elect to give your name and/or email address at the point of subscription), an idea I fully endorse, so bloggers know who our readers are. In a conceptual extension of this, MyBlogLog has developed a service that essentially allows for more robust and dynamic communities to build around weblogs. The service just rolled out, and the functionality is very limited at this point, but the potential is huge: imagine sorting readers by profession, or imagine seeing a person’s picture beside comments, or having the functionality to sort comments by readers etc. To view the front page widget in action, and to see an example of a nascent community, visit Fred Wilson’s A VC and check out the widget box on the left side of the site.
