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Recreating the Barbie Magic With These Products that add Barbiecore to the Real World

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“Come on Barbies, let’s go party! And bring your Ken, too.”

Image Credits: Warner Bros

“Barbie World” is a place where imagination knows no boundaries, and there’s nothing like “too pink.” Steeped in creativity, Barbie Movie (2023) unfolds a kaleidoscope of possibilities, allowing you to enter a glamorous realm filled with fantasy and adventure. While Barbie World is a realm of make-believe, we have carefully selected design elements, street art, and products that seamlessly transition Barbie’s World into reality. So, let’s begin!

1. AR Magic

“Since the beginning of time, since the first little girl ever existed, there have been dolls. But the dolls were always and forever baby dolls, until…”

Eye Studio, a social media agency headquartered in Dubai, crafted an augmented-reality video depicting a colossal Barbie emerging from her iconic box and proudly standing alongside the towering Burj Khalifa. Dressed in the very attire donned by Margot Robbie in the teaser trailer of the film, this larger-than-life Barbie creation brings a touch of enchantment to reality.

“Barbie is a doctor and a lawyer, and so much more than that. “

“Because Barbie can be anything, women can be anything.”

2. Sunglasses

Image Credits: Warner Bros

“Barbie has a great day every day, but Ken only has a great day if Barbie looks at him.”

The Swap sunglasses by Nikhil Kapoor and Sujay Samant offer a stylish solution to customize your look daily. With an innovative click-in click-out design, you can mix and match frames and tinted lenses, allowing for a unique style tailored to your mood and occasion. Avoid compromising eye health and style – a fresh look every day.

3. Watches

Ken wears three Gold Tag Heuer Watches at once in the real world ‘Barbie’ Movie, making this the perfect option for Barbie’s World.

ZIIIRO made waves in 2010 with hands-free watches, championing artful timekeeping. XS, their latest range, boasts a compact 31mm size, catering to small wrists or those seeking understated elegance. Minimalist yet impactful, XS watches feature a recessed crown, 316L stainless steel body, and a Japanese Miyota movement. The Celeste and Horizon styles play with color via a transparent rotating disc, altering the watch’s visual composition as minutes tick by.

4. Cake!

“I don’t have anything big planned. Just a giant blowout party with all the Barbies, and planned choreography, and a bespoke song. You should stop by.” says Barbie to Ken.

This remarkable cake by Rustam Kungurov is the perfect centerpiece for Barbie’s girls party, draws a striking resemblance to Fordite. A captivating material, Fordite is formed by layer upon layer of paint within Ford’s car paint workshops, and shares its artistry with this confection.

5. Speakers

Barbie’s party is incomplete without music!

Zhipeng Huang’s Incloud stands as an innovative, wireless smart speaker design, seamlessly integrating a light fixture for acousto-optic modulation. Your music experience is shaped by your speaker choice. A beach-friendly speaker differs from a home system in sound and appearance. Durability matters outdoors, while home speakers prioritize acoustic excellence. Zhipeng Huang’s Incloud envisions a wireless home speaker. Its cylindrical form, featuring an open center, transforms Incloud into a dual-purpose smart speaker and programmable lamp, adapting to your sleep routines.

Designer Alex Casabò reimagines floating speakers, infusing familiarity with intrigue. Unlike typical levitating speakers, Casabò’s creation features a textured sphere above a metallic base, reminiscent of granite. This tactile contrast, akin to fabric-adorned smart speakers, offers a pleasing aesthetic. Visual feedback, including text, adds to its futuristic charm. The levitating smart assistant concept elegantly blends contrasting elements for an enchanting and harmonious effect.

Music embodies life, a conduit for audiophiles to harmonize with the universe’s melodies. The expansive music market fuels a craze for audio accessories. Portable speakers, a versatile trend, now unveils the XL Speaker – whimsically resembling giant AirPods, a playful nod to Apple’s realm. Beyond its aesthetic appeal, this colossal earbud emanates powerful sound with deep bass, 3D base stereo, and true surround sound. A visual treat with versatile connectivity, the XL Speaker boasts Bluetooth 5.0, TF card, USB, and 3.5 mm audio jack support. Coupled with a high-definition microphone for hands-free calls, its 1200mAh battery ensures 3 hours of full-volume playback, perfect for dynamic gatherings or immersive gaming. Whether in hand or resembling a hairdryer, this portable speaker is an irresistible accessory.

6. This Installation

“You have to go to the real world. You can go back to your regular life, and forget any of this ever happened. Or you can know the truth about the universe.” – Weird Barbie

The modern Pop-Sundial installation by Pierre Brault reimagines the traditional design with vibrant colors. By utilizing the sun’s trajectory, it unveils the precise hour through overlapping circles. Mirroring the sun’s rhythm and the day’s natural flow, this installation encourages Barbie to pause, savor the moment, and embrace the present as she transitions from Barbie World to the real world.

7. A Wine Table

“Every night is boys’ night”. Ken

When Ken takes the lead in hosting his friends, Gustaf Westman’s Wine Table is the perfect furniture piece to consider. Embracing the Barbiecore trend, this robust yet elegantly curved table offers stability and style. Its distinct center cavity cradles a wine bottle, with dual flat surfaces for snacks and double-pronged extensions for wine glasses. Blending form, function, and captivating aesthetics, Gustaf’s modern wine table embodies practicality and visual allure.

8. Comfortable Shoes

“I would never wear heels if my feet were shaped this way”. Barbie

A comfortable shoe for Barbie’s flat feet in the Real World.

Dewayne Dale’s 3D Surprise shoe emerged from direct conceptualization in 3D CAD software, resulting in a distinct unibody design. Its subtle gradient elegantly separates the shoe and outsole without a surface break. Inspired by the foot’s anatomy, the modern hiking boot features an ankle bone protrusion and an industrial yet organic textured sole. The shoe’s material, possibly TPU or a flexible 3D printed elastomer, aims for both comfort and durability, showcasing the stunning vertical gradient.

9. Earbuds Makeover

“It is the best day ever. So was yesterday, and so is tomorrow, and every day from now until forever”. Barbie

Introducing the ultimate fusion of Nike and Apple: Air Jordan cases designed for your AirPods by YAMCASE! Get ready to experience this exciting crossover.

10. A Fun Ride

Image Credits: Warner Bros

Meet VOOK, the Go Kart’s street-legal sibling, boasting a low-hung chassis and dual 3000W rear-wheel motors. This electric trike offers e-bike advantages with an added seat, wheel, 110-mile (180km) range, and a touchscreen dashboard. Its unique design blends a low chopper front and a hoverboard-like rear for an attention-grabbing ride up to 40mph (65kmh). A robust aluminum frame and off-road tires ensure versatility on various terrains.

11. A Comfy Rug

Image Credits: Warner Bros

“Thanks to Barbie, all problems of feminism have been solved”

Derived from Barbie and Ken’s attire and their vibrant skates, this rug by @rugs.craft draws inspiration and eyeballs. The captivating rug’s creation process proves more intriguing than its impressive end result.

12. Accessories

Image Credits: Warner Bros

“I’m not Adventure Barbie, I’m Sterotypical Barbie!”

Crafted using the Voronoi 3D technique, this inventive bike helmet by Zhecheng Xu and Yuefeng Zhou minimizes materials for a lightweight yet secure design, ensuring safety while cycling. The 3D printed outer shell incorporates Voronoi patterns, enhancing stability and resilience against external impacts.

Returning to Barbie Land, the underlying message is, “You are complete just as you are.” While humans have a single conclusion, ideas endure eternally and Barbie is just one of them.

“Barbie changed everything. And then she changed everything again.”

The post Recreating the Barbie Magic With These Products that add Barbiecore to the Real World first appeared on Yanko Design.

How the Schools and Classes of The Future Merge Tech with Hands-on Learning

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In today’s digital age, children are growing up with a deep familiarity and comfort in both the real and virtual worlds. As technology continues to evolve and become more pervasive, there is an opportunity to enhance traditional teaching tools with virtual reality (VR) devices. SQUASHY, a groundbreaking virtual reality wearable device for children, aims to bridge the gap between the digital and physical realms, offering a transformative formative education experience. By stimulating the five senses, SQUASHY replaces traditional teaching aids and introduces an exciting and immersive approach to learning.

Designer: Eunhye Sim

The application of virtual reality and digital technology opens up new possibilities for education, providing children with a broader and more captivating learning experience. SQUASHY recognizes that while digital education offers convenience and accessibility, it is essential to preserve and complement the unique aspects of reality-based education. The device seamlessly integrates virtual and physical worlds to provide a comprehensive educational experience that sparks curiosity and fosters engagement.

SQUASHY acknowledges the invaluable role of hands-on learning and the tactile experiences that traditional teaching aids offer. Clay, as a symbol of formative education, has the power to stimulate children’s creativity and imagination. With SQUASHY, children can experience the multidimensional nature of formative education by transforming virtual clay into desired shapes using their hands. By combining the freedom of self-expression with systematic guidance, SQUASHY empowers children to explore various formative gestures and processes.

Understanding the importance of comfort and accessibility, the creators of SQUASHY have taken into consideration the average hand size of 6-year-old boys and girls. The device’s size allows children to hold it effortlessly, regardless of whether they use one or both hands. This ergonomic design ensures that children can fully engage with the device, maximizing their learning potential and enjoyment.

SQUASHY’s training program offers a diverse range of forms for children to complete. With the guidance provided, they can learn step-by-step formative processes and gestures. The device incorporates a Time-of-Flight (ToF) sensor within its silicon column, which recognizes the user’s hand motions to deform the virtual clay. Should the device lose its shape, a simple press of the top reset button restores it to its original circular form. This interaction is made possible by the integration of memory foam and an internal air blow device.

Charging SQUASHY is a hassle-free experience thanks to its magnetic coupling cradle. When the device is placed on the cradle, it securely connects and charges. Additionally, the cradle doubles as a Bluetooth pairing hub, allowing the VR device and SQUASHY to pair effortlessly. This functionality ensures that children can carry SQUASHY with them without the need for any further operations on the device itself.

One of the remarkable features of SQUASHY is its ability to bridge the gap between the virtual and real worlds. Children’s virtual modeling data can be 3D printed, enabling them to hold their creations in their hands and experience a tangible sense of accomplishment. This seamless integration of digital data with physical objects adds a new dimension to their learning journey, further enhancing their satisfaction and sense of achievement.

While SQUASHY offers convenience and state-of-the-art technology, it lacks the importance of children interacting with real materials in a natural manner. By introducing textures and encouraging the use of SQUASHY in conjunction with traditional craft lessons in schools, children can enjoy the best of both worlds. They can explore the convenience and creativity of virtual reality while still experiencing the tactile nature of real-world materials.

SQUASHY represents a transformative shift in children’s formative education, combining the immersive capabilities of virtual reality with the physicality of real-world experiences. By stimulating the five senses and seamlessly integrating digital and analog learning, SQUASHY offers a holistic educational approach. With its intuitive design, tailored size, and convenient features, SQUASHY empowers children to unleash their creativity, explore diverse forms, and embark on a captivating educational journey that prepares them for the evolving digital landscape while preserving the unique qualities of reality-based education.

The post How the Schools and Classes of The Future Merge Tech with Hands-on Learning first appeared on Yanko Design.

How this sensorial playpad focuses on sustainable design to adapt with your growing child

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For all the parents and caregivers out there, if you’re looking for a game-changer in the world of play mats, then you’re in for a treat. Let’s dive into the wonderful world of the Stokke PlayPad, a play mat that’s all about fun, comfort, and learning. Trust me, you won’t want to miss out on this awesome creation! 

The Stokke PlayPad is a game-changer in modern playtime. Say goodbye to dull, simple mats that do nothing to stimulate your child’s imagination. This play mat is jam-packed with interactive elements that will keep your child delighted for hours on end as it adapts to your children’s changing interests, abilities, and personalities, assisting them in their growth throughout their childhood.

Designer:  Marius Kindler

Imagine this a soft, cushioned surface ideal for small hands and knees to explore. The Stokke PlayPad is made of high-quality materials to provide optimal comfort for your little adventurer. No need to be concerned about discomfort or irritation—your youngster will have a comfortable and secure play place to enjoy. 

The PlayPad’s interactive aspects are an excellent combination of visual and audio engagement. This play mat is a sensory delight, with vibrant designs and diverse textures. Your youngster will be able to touch, feel, and explore a variety of hidden surprises, which will encourage curiosity and fine motor skills. 

The Playpad is made up of two layers: an upper sleeve made of recycled polyester and EVA foam with embossed icons and a lower sleeve containing the LED and sensor grid. These two layers are detachable, allowing you to wash and clean any mess your toddler makes on it. 

This PlayPad is also all about convenience. It’s lightweight and foldable, so you can take it with you everywhere you go. Are you paying a visit to friends or family? Are you going on a picnic? Not a problem! Simply pack up the PlayPad and your child will have a familiar play environment wherever they go. 

We are all aware that playtime is about more than just having fun; it is also about learning and development.  The embossed icons provide visual and tactile cues to your child’s visual exploration and cognitive recognition. To interact with. The brilliant colors and contrasting shapes draw their attention and aid in the development of critical cognitive and perceptual abilities. The sensors and LEDs spread across the pad are powered by a battery, a speaker offers audio feedback and directions, and an RFID reader allows you to select and switch between numerous games and activities so kids never get bored!

This PlayPad is not only for your children but also for you to interact with them and create memories together. By placing different discs on top of the play base, you can switch between different play modes. Each play disc activates a unique setting for the PlayPad’s sensors, speakers, and lights, enabling the stated play activity. 

The variety of available play discs keeps the PlayPad appealing throughout childhood, and adding additional discs to the collection allows families to upgrade over time based on the child’s age, abilities, and interests. So that parents can provide their children with more play with fewer toys.

It is a perfect combination of all things that you need in a play mat that’s fun, comfortable, and educational. It’s designed with love and care to provide your child with a stimulating environment where they can learn, grow, and let their imaginations run wild. 

Since the PlayPad is both an interactive toy and a home interior piece, it was a natural fit to work with Stokke, a well-known luxury brand known for creating long-lasting items with a design sense that reflects its Scandinavian background and excellent material and craftsmanship standards. Most young families prefer Scandinavian minimalism, which is reflected in the PlayPad’s materials and colors.

This is a great way to unwind with your little ones and keep them engaged throughout the day. It is a practical and sustainable way to keep your children learning subconsciously throughout their childhood.    

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This sleek ‘Inception Top’ is a world-record-setting toy that spins for more than 4 hours

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Spinning tops are one of the oldest and most recognizable toys there are, and apparently, they date back to 1250 BCE in China! Of course, spinning tops have come a long way since then, and have morphed into newer and more exciting versions of their predecessors. But have you ever come across one that spins for not mere seconds, but for whole hours straight?! If you haven’t, then say hello to LIMBO. This beautiful CNC-machined spinning top promises to spin for +4 hours! Designed to absolutely mystify you and make you wonder whether you’re in a dream or not, the sleek and shiny spinning top defies the laws of physics by spinning like a beautiful ballerina for hours on end.

LIMBO is a wonder to watch since it doesn’t need a special base and can spin on surfaces that other tops can’t even imagine spinning on. From a coin to even the tip of your finger –  LIMBO’s spinning skills are quite versatile, allowing it to spin on the most unique surfaces, and letting you put them to the test by placing it on a whole range of diverse surfaces. Oh, and did we mention LIMBO won the Guinness World Record for the longest-spinning mechanical top – it spun for 27:09:24 hours in an incredibly controlled environment and under near-perfect circumstances.

Designer: LIMBO

Click Here to Buy Now: Starting from $67 $99 (25% off and an additional 10% off with exclusive coupon code “YANKO2022”). Hurry, deal ends in 48 hours!

LIMBO doesn’t fall short on quality at all, it is crafted from premium-grade metal – utilizing CNC, high polish, and powder coating. Its cutthroat tip has been created from stainless steel to provide it with a flawless and effortless spin, excellent durability, and the power to spin for hours on end. LIMBO’s custom-made motor provides the little top with an angular momentum that allows it to spin steadily at 1000 RPM.  Although it functions as a beautiful spinning top, it is truly a smart, self-balancing electric gyro – which is the secret to its long hours of spinning. It features a rechargeable 3.7 battery, which needs to be charged for 40 minutes, to support LIMBO in spinning for more than 4 hours.

Spinning tops are a fleeting beauty. Just like a snowflake dancing in the skies before landing on the floor, a spinning top only dances for a few seconds, maybe a handful of minutes. However, this is where LIMBO is a major upgrade to the usual spinning tops – those few seconds of magical spinning are transformed into hours of captivating motion, that you can watch as and when you please. It provides you with plenty of time to relax and clear your head, and also allows you to get back to work, and return to LIMBO when you feel like taking a break! Not only is LIMBO a technological feat, and the most mesmerizing desk accessory – it also invokes a deep sense of curiosity and wonder in anyone who comes across it, despite featuring a rather minimal form factor.

The beauty of LIMBO is that it transcends the tabletop toy. Not only is it a pop-cult icon, referencing Christopher Nolan’s Inception, but it’s also a pretty incredible device in its own regard, spinning for hours. It’s the kind of toy that gets people noticing, talking, and constantly engaging with it. Seconds turn to minutes, which turn to hours as people are absolutely baffled by how the LIMBO dances on and on, without breaking a sweat! You’ll literally feel like you’re in a dream…

The true value or strength of LIMBO lies in its innate ability to elicit an awe-struck reaction from the people viewing it. Anyone who watches LIMBO spinning for hours on end is bound to go ‘WOW’.  It’s the kind of EDC that not only helps you relax but looks super sharp on your desk, is pretty easy to carry, and makes you Mr.Popular at work too!

Click Here to Buy Now: Starting from $67 $99 (25% off and an additional 10% off with exclusive coupon code “YANKO2022”). Hurry, deal ends in 48 hours!

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Optimus Prime Bluetooth speaker is the real deal – it transforms and plays music in robot or truck mode

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It’s perhaps the most interesting thing to watch the Optimus Prime shape-shift from a robot to a truck. If you like the fictional universe of the Transformers and indulge in music pretty often, a designer has visioned the Prime Speaker – a Bluetooth-enabled speaker in the shape of the transforming robot for our cause – and I am already contemplating the idea of having it on my work desk!

It’s a fantastic, color-themed speaker, that most importantly can really transform. So, it’s a given that you can use the Prime Speaker in form of a truck – with the speaker cylinder on its cargo bed – or use it in a full-blown Autobot with the speaker in the right hand, mimicking an oversized cannon. Optimus Prime has been an inspiration for many portable speakers in the past as well, however, what distinguishes this one is that – despite its toy structure – it is the first real transforming speaker, shaped completely like the one in the franchise.

Designer: Seunghwan Ra

As a resurrection project of Transformers: Music label, the transformable toy speaker transports the iconic character into a real-life audio device, instantly becoming more than a mere toy for the kids to play with. The Bluetooth speaker delivers exceptional quality audio that can compete with the best in the portable audio player industry. Controls are integrated on the top of the cylindrical speaker while the Optimus Prime is made from die-cast metal parts and is supplied with a 48-step guideline to help you through the intricate transforming procedure.

Though we are not sure of the durability of the speaker, but over 25 core articulation points (also of die-cast metal) employ ratchet joints & pin joints to ensure this guy can transform without a hiccup thousands of times. Well, you may not be able to take the transformer to your pool party, but I’m definitely sure this guy would look great on the bedside table or a workstation. It will be an instant conversation starter without an iota of doubt!

 

 

 

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Tiny Boston Dynamics robot dog is a cute, affordable android pet that can follow commands

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Say hello to Bittle – he isn’t as dangerous-looking as his elder brother, the Boston Dynamics robot dog Spot. In fact, Bittle’s name rhymes with ‘little’ for a reason. Weighing just 10.2 ounces (290 grams) and measuring a mere 7.9 inches from nose to tail, Bittle is quite literally palm-sized… although don’t let its diminutive size fool you. Armed with 10 servo motors that power its limbs and neck, Bittle is just about as capable as the Boston Dynamics robot dog. In fact, it can even follow commands, learn tricks, and perform them at will! Sounds like Bittle’s a pretty expensive little pet, right? Well, designed to be more of a robot building system and STEM education tool for people to learn and play with, Bittle just costs around $299.

Designer: Rongzhong Li

Click Here to Buy Now: $278 $299. (7% off with coupon code “yanko7”). Hurry, sale ends May 20.

Designed on an open-source platform, Bittle is a nifty patent-pending robot that makes learning how to code an absolute ‘treat’! The robot building kit comes with a plastic body that you can buy flat-packed and assemble yourself, or pay 10 bucks extra to get shipped pre-assembled and ready to use out of the box. Each Bittle comes with 10 servo motors, plastic body parts, a proprietary circuit board compatible with Arduino Uno, Bluetooth and WiFi dongles, a 7.4V rechargeable battery, and an infrared remote to control your dog and have it perform tricks. For the most part, Bittle sports a modular design and you can add/subtract elements to create the dog you dream of (if you’re looking for something akin to the Boston Dynamics bot, the head pops right off).

They say an old dog doesn’t learn new tricks, but that isn’t really the case with Bittle. Your programmable bionic buddy understands many languages, C++ through Arduino IDE, Python, Codecraft (a Scratch-like drop and drop coding environment), and a bunch of human languages(requiring the use of a Raspberry Pi for voice command recognition). It can also be programmed to walk, jog, jump, and climb up obstacles with ease. You can attach an infrared sensor that’ll help Bittle with obstacle detection, and the incredibly nimble and flexible limbs help Bittle even get up if it collapses over. Moreover, its open-source design based on Petoi’s quadruped robotic pet framework OpenCat, means that all of Bittle’s code sits in a GitHub repository for you to immediately begin tinkering with, and an ever-expanding community is always providing new tips and tricks that you can use to make Bittle do your bidding… just promise us you won’t turn it sentient.

Build a robot dog on your own!

Self-righting after falling from a slope (triggered by an infrared remote)

If you want a little more out of Bittle than just shaking paws and sitting on command, its modular design really gives you the freedom to explore this tiny canine’s true capabilities. Bittle’s mouth can be clipped with something like a tiny camera module that allows the dog to capture a video feed and see things and react programmatically. Even though the dog weighs just a few ounces, it can carry nearly double its weight, making it perfect to do odd tasks like carrying Oreos for you (sometimes you really want an Oreo) or other tiny objects. Bittle’s battery pack provides one hour of continuous usage, unlocking a bunch of fun possibilities, and adventure-loving tinkerers can also swap out Bittle’s head with other 3D-print structures or paint Bittle’s body, tweaking its appearance to make Bittle look like some other animals.

Petoi Nybble

Petoi, the creators of Bittle (and its cat counterpart Nybble), designed the robot quadruped to be everything from a cute toy to a powerful learning platform that gives you insight into how robots work and how they understand cues and commands. Bittle ships with an infrared remote that lets you control it, and also has companion mobile/desktop apps that forms a perfect foundation for experimenting with robotics… without breaking the bank!

Click Here to Buy Now: $278 $299. (7% off with coupon code “yanko7”). Hurry, sale ends May 20.

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Tower Blocks bring a more eco-friendly version of Jenga

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One of our favorite games to play during casual dinner parties is Jenga or tower blocks if you want to be generic. It doesn’t take a lot of thinking or physical prowess, although strategy is also important. What if you could have a version of this game that is more eco-friendly and can help reduce plastic waste? Of course, that would be better if you’re conscious of the carbon footprint that you leave behind with your purchases.

Designer: Intops

Korean global manufacturer Intops wanted to lessen its global footprint even as they make products using various materials that, unfortunately, include plastic. So they came up with a “revive project” that will use all of these discarded materials and turn them into something useful. They used materials from discarded, defective items that they manufactured as well as creating composite materials from their production plant, specifically discarded plastic, wood, and leather.

The first creation that they’re currently crowd-funding is a version of Jenga but made from eco-friendly materials simply called Tower Blocks. The composite materials are made up of 540g of discarded plastic and 143g of discarded wood. Compared to making the original game with its regular material, these blocks can reduce CO2 consumption by 81%. They say that a set of these blocks can be compared to recycling 44 disposable coffee cups or 135 disposable spoons.

 

In terms of its design, these Tower Blocks have a leaf pattern for aesthetic purposes embedded on the blocks instead of just the smooth surface on most blocks like these. And instead of just the wooden color that we’re familiar with, the set has off-white (sand), pink (flower), and green (leaf), making it more colorful and pleasant to the eyes. The words “recycled plastic and wood waste” are also etched in each block, lest you forget what it is made from. Even the packaging uses eco-friendly paper made from 100% sugar cane residue with soybean oil link.

The pandemic has reportedly worsened the plastic consumption globally so having projects like these that try to reduce or at least recycle these materials are always welcome. They have already more than met their original funding goal so expect this to become available in the market soon, at least in South Korea.

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This robotic cat will nibble on your finger in a quirky attempt to reduce your stress

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More than just looking cute and heartwarming, these animal plushies will try to calm you down in the oddest way they can.

Given the many sources of stress and worry these days, some people might be dreaming of the simpler days of their childhood. In addition to having very few concerns, infants and toddlers also have behaviors and coping mechanisms that they outgrow in a few years. Some of those gestures, however, work both ways and give comfort even to the adults that experience them. That’s what a Japanese robotics company is trying to offer, thankfully without involving any children or anything resembling them.

Designer: Yuki Engineering

“Play-biting,” as it is called, is a gesture that’s almost universal not just among human babies but also some animals. It has the psychological effect of providing comfort, not just for the one nibbling but also the owner of the finger. Of course, that behavior is unacceptable for adults and is dangerous for grown pets, so Yukai Engineering is using robots to act as proxies for babies.

Called “Amagami Ham Ham,” Japanese words that refer to “soft biting,” the robots are dressed up as cute cats and dogs and almost look like regular stuffed toys. The difference, however, is that the toys activate the moment you put your finger inside their mouth. They suddenly spring to life, or at least their mouths, and start nibbling on your finger to help you release some stress.

It isn’t just a simple, mechanical kind of biting either. Amagami Ham randomly picks one of two dozen variations of “ham” or “biting,” making it almost like an adventure each time you put your finger inside. Those might be too subtle to differentiate one from the other, but the company says they’re meant to replicate the different ways babies and pets nibble fingers or other objects.

There is no word yet on when Amagami Ham Ham will land in the market, but you can almost bet that it will happen eventually. After all, Yukai Engineering did launch the Qoobo robotic pillow with a tail a few years ago, and that was no joke, no matter how ridiculous or eerie it initially looked. Now the company is aiming to use cuddly robots to free humanity from the dilemma of whether they want their finger nibbled or not in order to relax.

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How to make your own Squid Game Doll using an iPad and a 3D Pen

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Every hit movie, TV series, or even trailer is predictably followed by two things – memes, and merch. Although Netflix’s Squid Game hasn’t seen any release of official merchandise, designers and builders like Sanago are taking it upon themselves to create their own collectibles. The ‘Squid Game Doll’ isn’t a product you can buy off the shelves, although Sanago’s video shows you how you can make it on your own. All you need is a $50-$70 3D Pen, a length of plastic filament, an iPad, and a couple of workshop tools to create a scaled-down replica of the killer doll from the smash-hit Korean series. If you want, you can even chuck in a stepper motor to make the doll’s head turn 180° for dramatic effect!

Click Here to Buy A 3D Pen

With a YouTube channel devoted specifically to 3D Pens, Sanago makes videos documenting how versatile 3D pens can be. Although the Japan-based YouTuber sells 3D pens under his own brand on Naver, the videos are more about showing what the pens are capable of, as he builds out tiny models of BMWs, Porsches, houses, cartoon/video-game characters, and occasionally also takes it upon himself to repair broken walls, stairs, and pillars with 3D pens. With the Squid Game Doll, however, Sanago taps into a wonderfully creative trick to making perfect collectible toys by simply tracing over images on an iPad. Fundamentally, this ensures that his models are perfect in their basic detail and proportion, and a steady hand always helps too. Sanago starts simply by drawing out the front profile of the doll to act as a guide for the rest of the 3D building.

The next steps involve turning the 2D profile into 3D forms by adding more cross-sections, building out first the legs, then the dress/torso, and finally the head.

Once there’s a rough skeleton to work with, Sanago basically fills in the gaps to create a ‘solid model’. Working almost like a 3D printer would (although taking less time, using less filament, and accruing a fraction of the cost), Sanago fills up the gaps rather rapidly, focusing more on getting the job done fast and well, instead of on proper accuracy. It’s absolutely fun to watch how the 3D pen essentially draws in air, and Sanago’s deft handiwork makes it even more incredible to watch as the rough forms come to life. The following steps will ensure that the model looks absolutely perfect.

The face is built out the same way as the rest of the doll, with a focus on the details like the eyes, nose, lips, etc. Two things are crucial here – firstly, making sure that you ensure the base model looks roughly the way you want it to look, and secondly, ensuring that there are absolutely no inconsistencies or gaps while filling up the rough 3D structure. Just the way a 3D printer adds layers to create a rigid surface, it’s imperative that you do the same, because even though the layers may look completely rough to begin with, they’ll be finished to reveal a much smoother model.

At this point, the model looks like a cake of ramen noodles before they go into boiling water. This is absolutely intentional because the design process here is a combination of additive and subtractive modeling. Sanago first creates a rough model of the toy, and when he’s satisfied with how it looks overall, he works on the finer details, creating a smooth product from the rough, hollow, plastic mass.

Speaking of hollow mass, Sanago also repurposes electrical components from a toy parrot and places them inside the doll. A control board, microphone, and speaker go in the hollow torso, two AA batteries go into each leg, and a stepper motor sits in the neck, allowing the head to rotate on command.

The finishing process finally begins with a heated carving tool, that Sanago uses to melt the noodly texture on the doll and make it smoother. It’s a laborious process that requires time and patience, but turns the basic rough 3D model into something that looks much more like the final product. It also allows Sanago to carve in details like lips, eyelids, and the lines on the hair. Although Sanago’s MacGyvered heating tool isn’t something every household would have, the easiest way to really get the job done is either a knife and a candle or using a heat-gun or hair-dryer if you’re comfortable. One great benefit to the creative process here is that you can pretty much use any color filament you’ve got lying around. As long as the filaments are of the same material, they should adhere well, and the entire model gets a coat of paint in the end, so any underlying color works for your design.

At this point, it’s sort of like working with any 3D printed, CNC-machined, or hand-made model. Sanago gets to work sanding the surfaces with a Dremel tool and a sanding bit, making sure there aren’t any bumps or inconsistencies in the surface. Parts don’t need to be modeled with fixtures here because the 3D Pen simply lets you glue components together, while the Dremel tool easily lets you sand or buff out welding/joining marks.

When the entire thing’s ready, it gets a coat of paint, applied in this case, using a spray gun (although you could just hand-paint your toys too). Sanago’s toy also comes with movable hands, details that just require a bit of planning beforehand (followed by some sanding and finishing), and a switch at the bottom lets you switch the toy on or off. Cleverly enough, Sanago even outfits the doll’s microphone unit behind its petticoat button, and a buttonhole lets you easily record what your doll’s going to say, while a speaker in the back plays out the doll’s deadpan dialogues. The video ends with Sanago even hacking together a Pink Guard Helmet using a 3D pen, and creating a demo video of the Red Light Green Light game in progress. While it doesn’t cinematically match up to what Netflix pushes out, it’s gotten over 14 million views on YouTube, which is pretty impressive if you ask me!

Designer: Sanago

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The post How to make your own Squid Game Doll using an iPad and a 3D Pen first appeared on Yanko Design.

This immensely lightweight glider with wings of water can fly like the real thing. Watch the video!

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While the wheel of innovation is moving toward powerful motors, electric drivetrains and high-efficiency fuels; a simple instructable water-winged glider puts us back to think how simple things can make a big difference. This is a plastic-based 3D printed glider plane that works with the help of soap and water.

The innovative DIY project of an advanced glider is only a toy for the physics class, but its small form factor, 3D printing makeover and significant flight range make it more than just an experiment. Going forward, the design may not have any commercial significance, but it’s an interesting project for someone beginning to get his hands dirty on a 3D printer. The 3D file to replicate this creation is not available, but if you have some experience, you should be able to figure out the process from the video above.

For the others, this is a small plastic plane featuring wings and a large tail with wide openings. The frame when dipped in a mixture of water and washing liquid, a thin film (like soap bubble) is created in the openings, which then allows this ultra-thin creation to glide to a fair distance. As seen in the video, it can fly for pretty long distances without faulting.

This visually enticing glider is one of the three iterations by viral video lab. The YouTube channel tried out with a smaller version before migrating to this advanced glider. It also has a historical inspiration in the ranks – a water-winged glider based on the DFS SG 38 Schulgleiter, which was designed back in 1938 as a training glider for basic flight training.

Designer:  Viral Video Lab

Wings made out of Water – Advance Glider





Wings made out of Water – Beginner Glider





Wings made out of Water – SG 38 Historical Glider





The post This immensely lightweight glider with wings of water can fly like the real thing. Watch the video! first appeared on Yanko Design.