Tag Archives: Future Mobility

Transparent cockpits, VR headrests, etc. Here’s what flights could look like in the future, based on real patents

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Over the course of 120 years, air travel has undergone a remarkable transformation.

Gone are the days of long flights with nothing to do except for stare outside the window as you eat your overpriced peanuts. Nowadays, passengers can enjoy perks like high-speed Wi-Fi, gourmet meals, and an endless selection of entertainment options. Yet, the quest for innovation continues. As shown by the latest patents from aerospace engineers, we can expect to see even more exciting developments in the near future. From VR-equipped seating, communal bathrooms, and robotic in-flight service carts, the airplanes of tomorrow promise to be even more incredible than ever before.

These rendered versions of actual patent files from airlines and aerospace companies paint a rather vivid picture of what the future of flight could be like, for pilots, crew, and even passengers. If the future is even half as exciting, we’re definitely in for a ride!

Designer: NeoMam Studios for HawaiianIslands.com

Virtual Cockpit by Airbus

Admittedly the flashiest patent file of the lot (not by a big margin, though), is this Virtual Cockpit by AirBus, which puts the pilot literally on cloud nine. With a panoramic glass facade on the front, and transparent OLED displays, this cockpit definitely feels a lot more interesting than the current kind we have. The various displays might offer a live video feed or 3D/augmented reality reconstruction of what’s outside; the 3D reconstruction could be loaded from a database and/or updated in real-time using live data. Can’t wait to try this one out in Flight Simulator…

First Class Interactive System by Airbus

Airbus further extends this holographic technology to the passenger’s seat, with holographic infotainment systems on the front, and even on the window, letting you see your flight path against the stellar view of clouds. You might as well ditch your eye-mask at this point because there’s no way you’ll even want to sleep with this kind of information and technology at your fingertips. Author Will Self once lamented that we’ve lost our sense of awe at “being hurled by vast jet engines six miles high, then impelled down an Aeolian slalom into another time zone.” This patent by Airbus brings back that sense of awe.

Herringbone Seating by British Airways

Business passengers tend to spend much of their time in the sky, which certainly calls for the need for a more comfortable riding experience for these premium customers. The sleek, herringbone formation of the seats optimizes space, providing ample room for business passengers to stretch out into the recess of the seat ahead. The seats are wide, rather than deep, and curve sideways like a chaise lounge to offer a way to recline and sleep without actually reclining the seat itself. Each seat is paired with a tail-shaped table of the same size, which offers enough space to store essential items underneath.

Foldable Swivel Seats by Boeing

While the previous patent focused on space and comfort, this one plays around with the idea of offering space in an optimized fashion. Instead of lining up seats back to back, the patent rendering shows seats placed at an angle, so as to offer more legroom by making you sit at an angle instead of straight. There isn’t much compromise in this format, thankfully, and instead of reclining, the seats slide forwards with the backrest collapsing downwards as a result to turn into a railway-style berth. It’s a privilege that Boeing only extends to its Business Class members, unfortunately…

In-Flight Meeting Room by Safran Seats

This one is reserved for the business class by virtue of the fact that it’s quite literally meant for business! Designed by Safran Seats, this in-flight meeting room is modular, allowing different configurations and meeting safety requirements. In the air, the room serves as the perfect environment for a long, important business discussion. During take-off and landing, however, partition walls can be stored away and furniture such as tables can be moved from the aisle to allow for easy access. Each seat unit has the capability to accommodate one or more passengers, with the added convenience of being able to convert at least one seat into a comfortable bed.

Upright Sleeping System by Boeing

Speaking of comfortable beds, this one from Boeing hopes to give you a better alternative to hunching over your table or collapsing on your co-passenger as you try to get through a red-eye flight. The upright sleeping system is a decidedly odd seat design that helps passengers lean forward and sleep comfortably. Sort of like emulating a massage chair, the seats come with a head pillow to rest your face in as you sleep, and a looped sleeve to rest your arms in so they don’t dangle aimlessly beside you. Doesn’t look great, admittedly, but it’s a lot better than collapsing out of your seat as you try to find a surface to lean against.

In-flight VR Helmets by Airbus

If the idea of a weird contraption to sleep against doesn’t inspire confidence in you, allow me to present a future truly worth being excited about. Detailed out by Airbus, this Economy Class seating arrangement doesn’t have an infotainment system – instead, it has a dedicated VR headset for each passenger, allowing you to truly immerse yourself in a new world as you fly over your existing world. The helmets offer movies, music, and other VR experiences while also allowing you to get some privacy if you want to just sleep in them. They’re even optimized to work as air conditioning units so you don’t have sweat rings on your forehead after 3 hours of binge-watching movies.

Monorail Food Cart by Sell GmbH

Ever found yourself on a flight that’s just taken off and you absolutely can’t wait for the refreshments trolley because you barely got to eat before the flight? To make matters worse, you’re seated in the middle of the plane, so it’s gonna take a while for the flight crew to get to you. In comes the Monorail Food Cart – a robotic cart that simply glides down the aisle to give you your food. Orders are placed electronically, ensuring the monopod has an efficient itinerary, serving everyone in good time instead of cruising down the aisle row after row and taking practically forever.

Zig-Zag Seating by Zodiac Seats France

I vaguely remember an airline suggesting a ‘standing section’ for passengers (it was Ryanair, I believe) to help cut costs. While that sounds like a disastrous idea, I don’t put it past airlines to think of new ways to make flying more ‘efficient’. In come the Zig-Zag seats from Zodiac Seats France. They aren’t as bad as Ryanair’s standing seats, but they do propose something weird – a bus-style seating arrangement with people facing each other to help efficiently pack more passengers into the same space. This new setup involves giving each passenger their own private space without having a co-passenger leaning against them. Everyone gets their dedicated space with leg-room, with a significant caveat of not a single seat having armrests. Sigh…

Communal Lavatory by Boeing

All good things come to an end, and ours ends in the lavatory (quite the metaphor, I say). This communal lavatory by Boeing presents a more natural toilet arrangement where multiple people can access the facilities without having to wait in line. The lavatory comes with one outer area for washing up, and three cubicles for deploying the goods. Boeing also apparently proposes a standing urinal, although I wouldn’t want to step into that lavatory after turbulence…

Image Credits: HawaiianIslands.com

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Alphabet-shaped mobility vehicles imagined and visualized in this fun collection

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What if Letters Were Mobility A

When creativity flows, it flows and what we see here from car designer Siddhesh Bhogale is a collection of fascinating mobility advancements. These creations are born out of wild imagination that perhaps most guys have thought since they were little boys.

Siddhesh Bhogale is a car designer, so we know his passion for technology and things that move is real. He imagines all 26 letters of the alphabet as a form of advanced mobility. It’s not just any kind of mobility, but with advancements, you and I can only dream about, at least for now.

Designer: Siddhesh Bhogale

What if Letters Were Mobility

What if Letters Were Mobility YANKO

This set reminds us a lot of the Alphabet Project by Marius Longo, but this isn’t an NFT collection. It could be, but that’s another topic to consider. This series also reminds us of the alphabet-shaped desks. You can see the creativity and innovation in every design.

What if Letters Were Mobility B C

The mobility solutions are shown off in stunning visuals and illustrations. All 26 letters were rendered into units that move or allow mobility. Who knows, someday, these mobility letters could find their way into reality.

The designer imagined the letters as a unique form of mobility. He utilized appropriate but differing visual scenarios to justify such expressions. This particular collection is an expression of creativity that touches on the area of mobility.

What if Letters Were Mobility D E

What if Letters Were Mobility F

What if Letters Were Mobility G

Enjoy this fascinating lineup of letters fashioned into something unique and extraordinary. Of course, we can’t figure out everything, but we’ll try to think and use our imagination. Actually, we don’t have to identify each and every concept design, but we’ll try as it can be fun.

Let’s start with ABC, as they are supposed to be the easiest to do. The A looks like a futuristic rocketship, but at first glance, we thought is some sort of a high-tech angle grinder. B appears like a twin spacecraft that will someday launch and head to Mars. C looks like a robot or some mechanical animal that could roam around the earth once the aliens have left.

F seems to be an autonomous vehicle that can pick up and deliver food. We see the Uber Eats logo so we’re assuming this has something to do with food deliveries and more. G is a floating pod where you and I can rest and “recharge.” The light above a person could be for light therapies.

What if Letters Were Mobility H I

Both the H and I look like spaceships we’d probably see next in ‘Lost in Space’. J and K combined (JK Rolling) seems to be a pun, but it looks like yet another floating vehicle (or an alternative to Hedwig). L appears like a building under construction.

What if Letters Were Mobility J K L .

What if Letters Were Mobility M N

M looks like another spacecraft descending on a snowy mountain. The letter N is a pair of roller skates that is now trendy these days. We imagine O as a portal that appears out of nowhere, offering itself as an escape. The P looks more like a giant robot that can protect you from an alien attack.

What if Letters Were Mobility O P

The next two designs are for letters Q and R. The Q could be another space pod. The R could be a flying vehicle that could easily transport humans over short distances in the future.

What if Letters Were Mobility Q R

What if Letters Were Mobility S T

The S looks like a heavy-duty machine while the T could be a spaceplane.  We’re not sure, but U looks like something used underwater. The VW Dockwing is one fancy, futuristic spacecraft.  What if Letters Were Mobility U V

What if Letters Were Mobility W X

X reminds us of a portal that lets you travel through space and time–something like you’d see in The Flash Universe. Y isn’t a Batmobile but it’s definitely Batman’s. Last but not least, the Z here appears like another spacecraft ready to leave Earth again.

What if Letters Were Mobility Y Z

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Project DORO future mobility vision uses street lamps as parking spaces

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Most of the concepts for cars of the future simply focus on getting from point A to point B, but one design gives an interesting solution to the problem of parking.

Carmakers naturally tend to focus on how advanced cars will be in the future. They often put an emphasis on the conveniences of self-driving vehicles in an effort to reassure the public that today’s mishaps won’t exist in the future, at least ideally. Vehicles, however, won’t always be in transit, and while those visions and concepts might help solve traffic problems, many of them don’t address today’s parking problems. A more holistic mobility vision has to include the entire ecosystem, and that’s the idea behind this street project concept that makes a rather unusual proposition for solving parking space problems.

Designer: Park Chanwoong

The idea starts with street lamps, which the designer considers to be one of the more wasteful and underutilized spaces on streets. Of course, street lamps can be utilized for other purposes, like collecting environmental data, holding security cameras, or even using projectors to display ads on the ground. Project DORO, however, tries to put that unused space beneath the street lamp to better use as a parking space of the future, but it also requires a different kind of car to go along with it.

Project DORO is actually a rather complex system that involves three parts of mobility. There is the actual base platform that actually has the wheels and the engine. It can detach from the cabin, which is the part where human passengers and drivers sit and connect to other cabins. This means that parked cabins that don’t need to go anywhere any time soon can have their platforms used on other cabins, potentially reducing the number of “complete” cars that have to be manufactured and be on the road.

The cabin itself is an interesting exercise in design, where the interior is not unlike a living room, with the use of materials like wood, ivory, and fabric. Unlike most future car concepts, however, the capsule-like cabin has large windows that give passengers a clear view of the outside world, almost doing away with walls entirely. Presumably, these are one-way windows for the sake of people’s privacy.

The street lamps in Project DORO serve as the home for unused cabins that are detached from their bases. The cabins are raised high above the ground to serve as shelter from rain or shade from the sun, though it might be debatable if anyone would want to stand underneath a heavy cabin. In the project’s vision, however, these street lamps line roads and highways, so cars will be traveling underneath these hanging capsules. Sidewalk parking that clogs up traffic will be a thing of the past!

Project DORO is admittedly a rather grandiose and complex system, one that presumes there will be a reliable network of bases, cabins, and parking street lamps available in the future. That said, it is one of the few concepts that actually give the problem of parking some thought and doesn’t simply presume that the cars of the future cars will always be moving on roads and highways.

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This future mobility concept uses a magnetic plate to have an electric car scaling vertical walls

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Trois is a mobility concept that envisions two-person electric vehicles scaling vertical walls and traversing the underside of bridges to imagine a world without automobile pollution and traffic.

There was a time when self-driving cars seemed so far outside our realm of reality that they weren’t taken seriously, but Elon Musk wasn’t about to go down without a fight. Enter Tesla, the actualization of the futuristic cars we imagined way back when in grade school.

Designer: WookZoon Kwon

With their sight set on revolutionizing the automobile industry even further, student designer WookZoon Kwon conceptualized Trois, a mobility concept that sees two-person vehicles not only driving off-road but scaling vertical walls and the underside of bridges as well.

Created using the design language of French automobile manufacturer Renault, Trois is named after the French word for ‘three,’ in a nod to the three main driving modes it offers: ground, bridge, and wall. Keeping with the theme of three’s, Trois is shaped like a curved triangle.

Drivers can access the vehicle’s interior through a set of circular wing doors that reveal the car’s spherical seating compartments. The seats are also connected by a pillar and hinge mechanism that maintains the seat’s upright position even when traversing bridges’ undersides and scaling vertical city walls.

When the car is driving on the road, its positioning remains the same as current car models. Through a system of magnetic docking stations, Kwon ideated Trois so that only the vehicle’s exterior shell rotates when transitioning between different driving modes.

Embedded magnetic hubs attach to the magnetic modules on docking stations, allowing the car to secure a fastened grip on vertical surfaces and suspend in midair underneath bridges.

The docking station operates similarly to a wheelchair lift, sending the car up to the underside of a bridge or a nearby vertical wall. From there, the car attaches itself to the surface and moves forward like it’s on a conveyor belt.

While it can be hard to imagine such a new way of driving our cars, Trois seems to usher in a new wave of mobility concepts that will inevitably take shape in coming years.

The triangular shape of Trois allows it to transition between its tree driving modes.

Even the steering wheel keeps a triangular shape to keep up with the theme of three’s.

The dashboard hosts the conventional array of gear systems and information screens.

Trois was designed in the language of Renault to embrace a clean, yet minimal look.

The vehicle’s wheels operate the same way as a conventional car’s wheels.

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Polestar’s autonomous mobility design transforms between two modes for urban driving and the open road!

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Polestar Röna is an autonomous mobility concept that transforms between two modes for urban driving and the open road.

While travel restrictions have put a pause on all of our wanderlust-driven tendencies, the idea of uninhibited traveling has never felt more exciting. Getting closer than ever to a tomorrow where we avoid traffic in flying cars and commute to work in jetpacks, designers have been envisioning travel concepts that redefine our ideas of what the future of mobility might look like.

German designer Yida Li contributed his own travel concept called Polestar Röna, an autonomous automobile that transforms between two modes according to different travel needs.

Li calls Polestar Röna’s first mode “Urban Mode,” which finds the automobile in its upright, slim position to be as compact as possible to swerve through packed city streets. In Urban Mode, Polestar Röna accommodates two travelers, leaving enough room for luggage and plenty of leg space. Li also equipped Polestar Röna with a modular build that allows other automobiles to stack on top of cabins, creating a sort of vertical caterpillar of Polestar Rönas.

In Polestar Röna’s “Adventure Mode,” Li turned the vehicle 90-degrees and gave the automobile less ground clearance to resemble the build of conventional sports cars, encouraging drivers to move fast and freely. In this mode, additional automobiles can connect to Polestar Röna like train carts.

Ideal for open, country roads, Polestar Röna’s adventure mode makes the perfect travel companion for long, cross-country road trips. Li also equipped Polestar Röna drivers with the option of autonomous or manual driving modes, optimizing the sense of freedom even in the future of AI-controlled cars.

Designer: Yida Li

Following multiple ideations, Li settled on Polestar Röna’s final form.

Following a period of sketching, Li developed CAD models of Polestar Röna.

In Adventure Mode, Polestar Röna reveals a small ground clearance reminiscent of a sports car.

In both Urban and Adventure Mode, Polestar Röna leaves enough room for luggage. Its design makes Polestar Röna the future of modular mobility. 

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This futuristic mobile home comes with mechanical legs to traverse the remote terrain of alien planets

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Encho Enchev’s futuristic mobile home concept traverses rough terrain on mechanical legs that bring the home and its residents to even the wildest and most remote destinations of tomorrow.

The future is mobile. In recent years, mobile home designs have changed the way we approach work, living, and travel. Working from home and travel restrictions have inspired many of us to take on a more mobile lifestyle, allowing us to work on the road and travel as we please.

Born out of this collective movement towards mobility, designers across the world have issued their own interpretations of mobile homes and workspaces. Looking ahead to a more futuristic concept of mobility, 3D visual artist Encho Enchev designed a mobile home propped up on mechanical legs that can traverse all kinds of terrain to bring residents to remote and treacherous destinations.

Contained within a cubic frame, Enchev’s mobile home blends the utopian, sci-fi design elements of retro years with futuristic transportation capabilities to create a familiar space that treads new territory.

Supported by a collection of mechanical legs, the mobile home can either remain uplifted, an elevated distance from the ground, or descend from its raised height to merge with the ground.

The mechanical legs are nimble and fortified by a 5cm layer of non-slippery rubber and two deployable spikes on the bottom of each leg, assuring each step the mobile home takes is bolted by some guaranteed friction. Enchev also equipped his mobile home with four deployable harpoons that provide additional support for the mobile home to remain in place even on rough terrain.

Inside, Enchev hoped to achieve a modern and high-tech layout through curved design elements and pops of colors against an otherwise white interior. Finding inspiration in the potential of future architecture, Enchev outfitted the mobile home’s windows with smart glass technology that would function like invisible blackout curtains.

Filled with plenty of household appliances like automated furniture and smart technology, Enchev’s mobile home is all about convenience at the end of the day. While the inside of Enchev’s mobile home is boiling over with futuristic technologies, the living space’s interior design screams the timeless utopian aesthetic that was born circa 1960, when The Jetsons and Star Trek seemed to think of everything the future might hold.

Designer: Encho Enchev

Throughout the home, Enchev incorporated smart technology to bring home into the future. 

Integrated storage space, water tanks, and power cells ensure residents can live off-grid comfortably in Enchev’s mobile home.

Enchev’s mobile home could be stationed anywhere in the world.

Propped up by mechanical legs, the futuristic mobile home can even rise between mountain gorges.

From the desert to the plains, from the mountains to the lakes, the futuristic mobile home redefines the mobile lifestyle.

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Citroën’s autonomous platform with swappable pods is the future of urban mobility

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The burning question for current generation automotive designers is, how will future electric vehicles and their propulsion mechanics be like? Citroën believes it is going to be level 5 autonomy for urban commuting – riding on an omnidirectional electric skateboard platform that can swap the pods/bodies of the vehicle depending on the user’s needs. The result is an intriguing fully autonomous concept by the French automotive giant that seems perfectly in tune with the future.

Citroën says that mobility is a major challenge for future cities, and thus the Autonomous Mobility Vision developed as a part of The Urban Collëctif in partnership between Accor (hospitality company), and JCDecaux (advertising company) is an answer to the upcoming challenge. The skate platform measuring 2.60 meters is fitted with the next-gen Goodyear Eagle 360 ​​wheels and hydraulic cushions for enhanced comfort. It will move in dedicated traffic lanes at a speed of 16 mph, indicating the concept is tailored for urban scenarios.

The main highlight of the open-source platform is the ability to interchange pods in just 10 seconds, making it highly useful for any needs the riders have. This is nothing short of science fiction as the pod attaches and rides on the self-driving skateboard platform to the next destination. For now, The Urban Collëctif has envisioned three different pods for an urban lifestyle with more destined to be added when it finally hits fruition.

Designer: Citroën





JCDecaux City Provider

The JCDecaux City Provider is a shared space for public transport in crowded cities – hence it is a pod made out of robust, weather-resistant material. It is designed keeping in mind accessibility for the disabled. A maximum of five passengers can board the pod at a time and the interior is clad in useful inclusions like USB sockets and interactive screens.

Sofitel En Voyage

This pod is oriented towards the business personnel and professionals for short trips in a luxurious panoramic windowed space clad in French furniture in blood orange velvet tones from floor to ceiling. Up to three people can travel on the Sofitel En Voyage at a time, and there is enough space for bags or luggage. Scrolling LED strip to display the current news, arrival times and real-time weather. While the bar opens up like a flower for drinks and snacks – and the sound system and customizable mood lighting sets the tone.

Pullman Power Fitness

A true reflection of Pullman Hotels & Resorts’ vision for elite fitness, this pod is a gym on the move for busy individuals who want to utilize every minute of their free time. The futuristic interiors on this one have a rowing machine and exercise bike for short training sessions. The system is assisted by a digital coach for a peak fitness routine. For maximum privacy, the windows are tinted and the rhythmic music sets the rider in the groove for prime fitness.