MIT Media Lab $100 laptop : Frog variant

In June 2005 the MIT Media Lab asked frog to explore a $100 laptop for the education markets in emerging countries. With a goal of distributing 100 million computers, the "One Laptop per Child" project has the potential to revolutionize the way the world’s children are educated.

Taking the future for a drive

Honda's experiment of leasing a fuel cell vehicle

Mr. Spallino, a 40-year-old executive at a California construction and engineering firm, and his wife, Sandy, have been leasing the FCX, a car worth about $1 million, for $500 a month since July in one of the more unusual experiments in the auto industry's history.

Article in NYTimes

Sustainability indicators

As we all know that Indicators of sustainability are different from traditional indicators of economic, social, and environmental progress. Above illustration shows web of interactions among the environmental, the economical and societal aspects.
I am trying to develop transportation indicators for a community/context, and come accross this sustainable measures web source, which is attempted to create database of indicators by categories and keywords.

Simputer: simplicity or sustainability?

Aimed as low cost access device that can pervade the rural landscape,especially in third world countries. Is it doing the trick? Linux operated, 32MB storage space and 64MB DRAM! costs around $200 for base model and goes upto $400 to have more features/accessories.
Check out more info at http://amidasimputer.com

It just looks and feels like Palm Tungsten, how penetrative it is in the low end market? only time and its reliability might answer these!!

Reuse and Sustainability

Studio Hergebruik, Coolsingel 47, Rotterdam

Studio Hergebruik is a shop, open workshop and exposition of use and reuse of waste materials. Not much info on the website http://www.studiohergebruik.nl/, but in the shop one can find lot of inspiration!

Conference, Deadline Abstracts December 1st. Sustainable development,the environment, a trade balance between the North and South, an inherent respect for each person, the smoothing out of existing inequalities. The designer as a professional as well as inventor has a lot of pertinent and efficient remarks to make concerning these burning questions. "ETHICS : Design, Ethics and Humanism" will take stock of existing research as well as the experience accumulated and results achieved in various design fields.

And..video of the $100 = €80 MIT Laptop

And a video of this human powered €80 laptop.........

Reanim

"Reanim as in reanimate, a new series of prosthetics for wounded furniture by french designers 5.5. There's a crutch to replace a chair leg and a bandage for a seat top. All of which is compelling in that it juxtaposes the mass produced (read disposable) with re-use and the creation of what is generally unique pieces. The color green is a reference to garbage trucks in France." www.cinqcinqdesigners.com

Via Mocoloco

Oil Price Up...Renewable Energy Companies more successfull: the top 10

Ten Eco-Friendly Companies
Alternative-energy projects used to be the stuff of high-school science fairs. But pricey oil has changed the game, and the stories of these firms show that new technologies are winning over investors and customers, and saving the environment.

Water & Works

Projects by Lucy en Jorge Orta

The work consists of a series of vehicles and machines that can filter and transport water, designed by the artist herself. see the link at Boijmans webpage

Orta's weblink

The Persuaders

"The Persuaders" explores how the cultures of marketing and advertising have come to influence not only what people buy, but also how they view themselves and the world around them. The 90-minute documentary draws on a range of experts and observers of the advertising/marketing world, to examine how, in the words of one on-camera commentator, "the principal of democracy yields to the practice of demography," as highly customized messages are delivered to a smaller segment of the market.
Full documentary at Frontline. Especially interesting the chaper on Emotional Branding.

Behind Philips' "High Design"

Philips Design CEO Stefano Marzano draws on multidisciplinary knowledge to mold the look of tomorrow. His goal: Humanized tech
Read here the article and his views from Businessweek

Get back in the box by Douglas Rushkoff

Innovation from the inside out
yes I agree, what is new about this book? we are D4S blog! what is this link doing here?
after a big buttt... it is interesting to read excerpts from the author Rushkoff's blog itself

About the book: On a landscape that seems to be transforming itself with every new technology, marketing tactic, or investment strategy, businesses rush to embrace change by trading in their competencies or shifting their focus, altogether. All in the name of innovation. (more about the book)

‘Cultural differences’ even in IKEA manuals

'Ikea manuals sexist, says Norwegian PM' in The Guardian International… only men are shown assembling furniture in its instruction booklets…

See funny article IKEA voor iedereen (sorry... it is in NL)

Is it just one indirect example about the influence of cultural differences on the way we do things? or is it really means some thing for the future???

International Conference on Life Cycle Engineering

O.k. I know we are not so hardcore life cycle engineering anymore as we used to be....but for those interested to go to Belgium: May 2006 International Conference on Life Cycle Engineering in Leuven. Deadline abstracts Half November 2005... one week to go.

The 10 faces of Innovation by Tom Kelley

Innovation is all about people. It is about the roles people can play, the hats they can put on, the personas they can adopt. It is not just about the luminaries of innovation like Thomas Edison, or celebrity CEOs like Steve Jobs and Jeff Immelt. It is about the unsung heroes who work on the front lines of entrepreneurship in action, the countless people and teams who make innovation happen day in and day out.

(read more) read here the excerpt from the book

Centre for Alternative Technology

CAT is concerned with the search for globally sustainable, whole and ecologically sound technologies and ways of life.

Look at Green shop for different applications and inspiring ideas...

example...

product for those who have a bike and a mobile phone. Consists of a 6V/3W dynamo and handlebar bracket, quick-release charger unit and power lead. All you need is the car charger cable suitable for your phone. It can charge any make of mobile, as well as other low-powered devices such as radios, digital cameras, videos etc as long as they have a car charger as an accessory. 70 minutes of cycling at about 12 mph will charge an average phone from flat to full; shorter trips will top it up. 450g.

Utrecht Manifest

Utrecht Manifest questionsthe role that industry, cultural field and designers play in a society where consumption and individualism set the tone. Lifestyle, image and profit seem to be the main concern. Utrecht Manifest investigates alternatives for this attitude through exhibitions and theory development: Utrecht Manifest visualises and stimulates the role that design can play in contributing to society through commitment. Sustainability, product quality, and design attitude are important elements raised in the discussions.

The event is over (23-30/10/2005) but you can find inspiring information at the site.

Fairplanet

Fairplanet offers sustainable, functional, and beautiful products that help customers personally develop...

Sustainable Style Foundation Magazine.....

UncommonGoods

An online marketplace offering creatively designed recycled products. check it out Uncommongoods... look for recycled in Collections. I should say it is quite an collection of 65 recycled products.

Hydrogen Lunch Colloquium @ TUDelft

Wednesday the 9th of November, the Energy Technology Section organises a hydrogen lunch colloquium.
The colloquium will take place in the faculty room of the Mechanical Engineering faculty from 11.00 to 13.45
Everybody is welcome to attend this colloquium, please indicate if you want to attend by sending an e-mail to k.vandernat@3me.tudelft.nl

Compensate your non sustainable flights

DfS staff are well known for not D4S travelling... The upcoming flights to Ecodesign 2005 in Japan will create per person 1.86 ton of CO2 emissions. To compensate this, we will have to plant 93 trees! At www.coolflying.nl you can do this... So let's do it!

Design:Green Materials

... make your products greener and more competitive? Start by downloading this 50-page tool created for attendees of Design:Green -- a series of educational eco-design workshops endorsed by the Industrial Designers Society of America and the o2 global network of green designers.