Smart « 360Photography

RSS

Posts Tagged ‘Smart’

LED Buddha Vaults & Smart Card Entry: High-Tech Cemetery in Tokyo

05 Mar

[ By Steph in Culture & History & Travel. ]

rurden high tech cemetery 1

When visiting a deceased loved one at this Tokyo cemetery, you’ll swipe a smart card upon arrival at the door so that the particular LED Buddha statue representing the correct vault will light up, making it easy to locate on a wall of identical figures. At Ruriden, a futuristic charnel house belonging to Koukoko-ji temple, cremated remains are kept in storage lockers in this unusually high-tech environment, eliminating the need for loved ones to maintain graves.

Traditionally, each family in Japan would own a plot of land and a stone tomb in a physical cemetery, costing up to $ 40,000 and requiring upkeep and maintenance fees. But as space gets tighter in the urban areas, the prices for those tombs are getting out of control, and cemeteries like Ruriden are stepping in to offer an alternative.

ruriden high tech cemetary 2 ruriden 5

You may not even be able to touch the glass separating your hand from that little glowing buddha if your relative’s vault happens to be high up on the wall of 2,046 altars, but seeing the statue illuminated can help provide a sense of connection to the gravesite, and you can still access the remains.

ruriden 3

ruriden 7

When you visit, the remains will be delivered to a communal vault in the floor via a forklift and conveyer belt system. A digital slideshow puts images of your deceased loved one on display. Ashes are stored in these vaults for 33 years for family visits, before being buried below the Ruriden.

flow ruriden 4

600 of the plots are currently in use, and 300 more have been reserved by elderly Tokyo residents planning for their own deaths. Vice recently took a tour of the complex and spoke to people shopping for their own high-tech graves. Employees at the cemetery even speculate on the possibility of interactive, holographic representations of dead relatives in the future. Read the whole story at Vice.

ruriden 6

Top two images via Vice/Emiko Jozuka; remaining images via Ruriden.jp

[ By Steph in Culture & History & Travel. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]

WebUrbanist

Comments Off

Posted in Creativity

Smart Move: Domino Loft Maximizes Space in Micro Apartments

27 Feb

[ By Steph in Design & Fixtures & Interiors. ]

domino loft 1

A 500-square-foot condo feels a lot larger when you can manage to fit a bedroom, guest bed, dining area, work space and closet in one tiny room without cluttering every possible surface. To prove that it’s possible, the designers at ICOSA teamed up with Peter Suen to make the most of a very modestly sized residence in San Francisco’s Financial District, creating a clean, contemporary, adaptable solution that translates to other small spaces.

domino loft 2

domino loft 3

The Domino Loft is the result of testing a wide variety of space-saving features within the limited apartment, which has high ceilings, but only one room to work with aside from the kitchen and bathroom. The designers tried drop-down ceilings, movable walls and other more complex ideas, but ultimately settled on the tried-and-true loft concept as the simplest and most effective way to maximize every inch of available space.

domino loft 4

domino loft 5

The room-within-a-room features a partially enclosed space topped with a sleeping loft, which is accessible via sliding library ladder from the closet area. Inside, a thin and light bed comes down from the wall, and its bottoms surface acts as a whiteboard when stowed away. There’s a built-in bench next to a fold-down dining table, a standing desk and lots of storage. The closet fits an impressive number of shoes and offers drawers as well as space for hanging garments.

domino loft 6

domino loft 7

Made of concrete panels, wood slats, metalwork and custom cabinets, the components were fabricated off-site in an Oakland workshop before assembly within the apartment.

[ By Steph in Design & Fixtures & Interiors. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]

WebUrbanist

Comments Off

Posted in Creativity

Using Smart Objects to Add Text With a Reflection in Photoshop

21 Dec

Photoshop is a massive program, with many ways to do things. To help you learn Photoshop it’s great to just pick one thing, one new tip, and try it out.

In this video from Phlearn Aaron Nace will show you how to add text with a reflection to an image, but with a neat little twist that allows you to edit the text any time and have it update your finished image automatically using Smart Objects. Have a look:

He even goes over the steps as a summary at the end of the video.

This is a fun project to try on a rainy day – give it a go.

If you want more Photoshop tutorials check out these:

Create Your Own Watermark using a Custom Shape in Photoshop
Photoshop Tip: Using the High Pass Filter to Sharpen Images
How to use Color Grading for Effect and Tone Control in Photoshop
5 Tips for Using the Blend If Feature in Photoshop
5 Photoshop Tips You Probably Didn’t Know

googletag.cmd.push(function() {
tablet_slots.push( googletag.defineSlot( “/1005424/_dPSv4_tab-all-article-bottom_(300×250)”, [300, 250], “pb-ad-78623” ).addService( googletag.pubads() ) ); } );

googletag.cmd.push(function() {
mobile_slots.push( googletag.defineSlot( “/1005424/_dPSv4_mob-all-article-bottom_(300×250)”, [300, 250], “pb-ad-78158” ).addService( googletag.pubads() ) ); } );

The post Using Smart Objects to Add Text With a Reflection in Photoshop by Darlene Hildebrandt appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School

Comments Off

Posted in Photography

Smart Style for Small Spaces: 12 Compact Sets & Modules

31 Aug

[ By Steph in Design & Fixtures & Interiors. ]

compact apartment accordion shelves

City dwellers are making do with smaller and smaller spaces these days, but that doesn’t mean we have to sacrifice style and function. From bathroom fittings that clamp onto a towel bar to luggage-like portable kitchens and even furniture that folds down as small as a notebook, these 12 clever designs for compact spaces make the most of the limited square footage that tiny apartments have to offer.

Bathroom in a Box

compact apartment bathroom in a box

compact apartment bathroom in a box 2

Inspired by the cabins on ships, this wooden all-in-one bathroom design looks like a wardrobe when it’s closed, but opens to reveal a sink, mirror, towel holders, drawers and shelves for all of your toiletries. It’s small enough to fit inside most standard bathrooms, so the only other items you need are a toilet and shower.

Simplify: Flexible Bathroom Fittings

compact apartment bathroom set 2

compact apartmetn bathroom set

A space-saving set that’s easy to adapt to virtually any existing bathroom, the ‘Simplify’ set by Groupworks slots small accessories onto a special towel bar to keep them up out of the way. There’s a soap dish, a vessel for small items like rings, and a larger box that can hold toothbrushes and combs.

Make the Most of Balcony Space

compact apartments balcony set

compact apartments balcony set 2

Even apartment dwellers who are lucky enough to get access to a balcony usually don’t have enough space for tables and chairs, planters and clothes drying racks all at once. The ’Sigh’ set by Spanish designer Pola Clapés is made specifically for such small outdoor spaces and includes tables in three sizes, a three-tier hanging planter and a clothesline, all of which easily hook onto a standard railing.

Luggage-Like Modular Kitchen Set

compact apartment modular kitchen

compact apartment modular kitchen 2

Literally any space with plumbing and a bathroom can become a studio apartment with the addition of the ‘Gali’ module by designer Ana Arana, which makes most basic kitchen functions portable. Four luggage-like modules come together to offer an induction cooktop, refrigerator, sink, drawers and a combination prep/dining table. The idea is that single people who do minimal cooking can just take their kitchen with them from one living space to another, and don’t have to sacrifice precious square footage for functions they don’t need.

Next Page – Click Below to Read More:
Smart Style For Small Spaces 12 Compact Sets Modules

[ By Steph in Design & Fixtures & Interiors. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]

WebUrbanist

Comments Off

Posted in Creativity

Light Footed: Smart Shoes Paint with Light As You Dance

27 Mar

[ By Steph in Design & Products & Packaging. ]

orphe smart shoes 6

Paint with light in real-time with a pair of shoes that not only have 100 LED lights embedded into the sole, but are also fitted with advanced motion tracking sensors to put on a dazzling show matched to your movements. Orphan by Japanese startup No New Folk Studio is a programmable performance shoe that can be set to blink and change color according to the speed and orientation of the dancer’s movements.

orphe smart shoes 5

orphe smart shoes 7

orphe smart shoes 1

“The 9-axis sensors embedded in each sole pick up the movements of each shoe in real time. This data can then be used to wirelessly control various external devices, allowing the shoes to function as musical instruments, video game controllers, foot switches, etc.”

orphe smart shoes 4

orphe smart shoes 3

Orphe smart shoes 2

Each shoe contains a small circuitboard with an ARM Cortex-M3 microprocessor, a tracking device, a wireless module and a charging circuit as well as the LED light strip. The project is

The Orphe shoes are essentially an artistic medium, bringing technology, dance and light painting together in a highly customizable experience. Users can either use the accompanying app to communicate with the shoes via Bluetooth, or pre-program their own effects. But the functionality goes beyond personal expression. “The 9-axis sensors embedded in each sole pick up the movements of each shoe in real time. This data can then be used to wirelessly control various external devices, allowing the shoes to function as musical instruments, video game controllers, foot switches, etc.” Each shoe contains a small circuitboard with an ARM Cortex-M3 microprocessor, a tracking device, a wireless module and a charging circuit as well as the LED light strip. The project is currently seeking funding on IndieGoGo, with backers snagging their own pair for $ 270 as a reward.”>currently seeking funding on IndieGoGo, with backers snagging their own pair for $ 270 as a reward.

[ By Steph in Design & Products & Packaging. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]

WebUrbanist

Comments Off

Posted in Creativity

Sustainable Food in the City: 10 Smart Urban Farm Designs

19 Mar

[ By Steph in Architecture & Cities & Urbanism. ]

urban farming korea 3

The world’s largest indoor farm has already proven just how amazingly successful food production can be outside of standard agricultural setups, and these 10 urban farm designs and concepts take the possibilities even further by taking advantage of disused spaces, reaching high into the sky and employing modular, portable, prefabricated configurations.

Jenga-Like Urban Farming Ecosystem by OVA Studio

The Hive-Inn City Farm is a prefabricated, modular farming structure that could brig fresh, locally grown food to busy urban districts. The structure reclaims shipping containers and stacks them in a Jenga-like configuration, with each container dedicated to a specific function from growing a certain type of food to recycling waste. The design echoes that of OVA Studio’s original Hive Inn concept, which uses the containers as individual hotel rooms.

SPARK Senior Living Center and Vertical Farm Concept

urban farming spark 1

urban farming spark 2

This concept by SPARK Architects solves two problems in one by combining housing for Singapore’s rapidly aging population with urban food production. The ‘home farm’ creates a lush, vibrant garden environment that’s pleasant to live in while also catering specifically to the needs of seniors and using a vertical system to grow edibles, offering part-time employment for residents in the gardens

Mini Harvesting Station for Forgotten City Spaces

urban farming harvesting station

urban farming harvesting station 2

On a smaller scale, various spaces around the city that aren’t being put to good use could serve as temporary locations for miniature farms. The Harvesting Station by Conceptual Devices can grow up to 200 plants within 43 square feet, and is topped with a water harvesting tower that irrigates the plants automatically.

Vertical SkyFarm for Korea

urban farming korea 1

urban farming korea 2

Downtown Seoul, South Korea could become a powerhouse food production center if concepts like Aprilli’s vertical farm are actually built, potentially sustaining a significant number of the city’s large population. The tree-shaped structure frees up space on the ground while raising ‘leaf’ platforms far above street level for access to sunlight, and serves as an iconic symbol of sustainability.

Geodesic Rooftop Greenhosue for Urban Farmers

urban farming geodesic 1

Another small-scale rooftop ming solution is the Globe (Hedron) by Conceptual Devices, a geodesic dome for flat urban rooftops that’s framed with bamboo and functions as an aquaponic system to produce both fish and vegetables. Each greenhouse can feed four families of four year-round.

Next Page – Click Below to Read More:
Sustainable Food In The City 10 Smart Urban Farm Designs

[ By Steph in Architecture & Cities & Urbanism. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]

WebUrbanist

Comments Off

Posted in Creativity

Smart Space Solutions: 14 Innovative Japanese Home Interiors

03 Mar

[ By Steph in Drawing & Digital. ]

japan interiors house na 1

Extremely narrow lots and busy urban locations are no big deal for ingenious Japanese architects creating comfortable, daylight-filled residential interiors with a few crucial design tricks, like the use of staggered open platforms instead of closed-off rooms. Interior courtyards, faux facades concealing secret gardens, strategically placed windows and totally transparent walls make the most of limited space.

Transparent House NA by Sou Fujimoto

japan interiors house na 3

Few Japanese houses are quite as eccentric as this one – a multi-story, glassed-in home with no stairs, no closed-off rooms and no privacy. House NA by Sou Fujimoto is built on a thin, split-level steel frame full of small platforms that don’t have a preset function, so they can be used however the inhabitants like. The house is almost more like an experimental installation than a real residence, given all that glass – you’d have to be quite an exhibitionist to live there. The further you walk into the home, however, the more complex and opaque all of those built-ins become, obscuring the vision of neighbors and passersby at least a little bit.

Translucent Rooftop Shed Skylights by Tato Architects

japan interiors shed 2

japan interiors shed 3

The need to extend the availability of daylight in an area of Japan that stays dark for much of the winter led to this novel solution by Tato Architects: placing transparent sheds on the roof of a partially subterranean home to act as giant skylights. From outside, the sheds look like greenhouses, while inside, they are bright, light-filled spaces for working, playing and lounging.

Treehouse Residence by Ryo Yamada

japan interiors treehouse 1

japan interiors treehouse 2

japan interiors treehouse 3

Envisioned as a treehouse in an urban context, this home by Ryo Yamada doesn’t actually look anything like a treehouse from the outside. The interiors, however, bear that tacked-together, DIY feel, especially given the wooden walkways that connect one open upper-level platform to the next. Located in Sapporo City, the house is essentially a large shell filled with individual ‘treehouses’ that can be moved around within the space, added to or removed altogether.

Courtyard Home with Street-Like Hallways by Suppose Design Office

japan interiors buzen 1

japan interiors buzen 2

japan interiors buzen 3

This unusual house by Suppose Design Office is set up like a neighborhood block rather than an enclosed residence, with individual disconnected rooms under a large glass roof. The resulting spaces between the rooms function more like streets than hallways, with each room feeling like its own little house.

House H by Hiroyuki Shinozaki Architects

japan interiors house h 1

japan interiors house h 2

japan interiors house h 3

A stark white house on the outskirts of Tokyo conceals a complex, completely open interior in this project by Hiroyuki Shinozaki Architects. Eschewing interior walls, the design uses Y-shaped supports stretching from the pine floors to the ceilings and a series of staggered platforms to create individual spaces.

Next Page – Click Below to Read More:
Smart Space Solutions 14 Innovative Japanese Home Interiors

[ By Steph in Drawing & Digital. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]

WebUrbanist

Comments Off

Posted in Creativity

Wundershine smart frame prints, displays and stores your favorite images

05 Feb

Dutch startup Wundershine has re-imagined the photo frame with Makerframe, a wooden frame that can print and display your images thanks to a built-in inkless thermal printer. Still in the development phase, the system is controlled via Android or iOS app. A simpler model called Reframe that doesn’t include the printer is also in the works. Read more

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

Comments Off

Posted in Uncategorized

Smart Bikes: Connected Parts Use GPS to Prevent Theft

15 Jan

[ By Steph in Design & Products & Packaging. ]

smart bikes 1

Never lose a bike to theft again with smart, GPS-connected parts that alert you when it’s moved without your permission. Two new bike accessories that can be swapped out with standard parts on virtually any bike not only track your bike’s location, but also provide turn-by-turn, eyes-free navigation so you can get to where you’re going without having to glance at your phone.

smart bikes 2

The first is smrtGRiPS by Boréal Bikes, a connected bike grip that offers haptic feedback notifications and can easily be installed within standard bicycle handlebars. Used in conjunction with an iOS or Android app, the grip will tell you when to turn using vibrations.

smart bikes 3

You can also get the bike to audibly ring if you have trouble finding it, and in case of theft, it’ll notify a crowd GPS network so that when another smrtGRiPS user comes within 100 feet of your missing bike, you’ll get the location. It’ll even have your phone call 911 automatically when a crash is detected.

smart bikes 4

Another product, the Connected Cycle Smart Pedal, alerts cyclists when their bike has been moved via a mobile app. The app will also help you track your cycling activity with detailed statistics about how far you’ve ridden over a selected period of time, which routes you take and how many calories you’ve burned. The pedal fits onto any standard bike and made its debut at CES 2015.

[ By Steph in Design & Products & Packaging. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]

WebUrbanist

Comments Off

Posted in Creativity

Transforming Tables: 16 Smart Space-Saving Surface Designs

13 Jan

[ By Steph in Design & Furniture & Decor. ]

Space Saving Tables by Resource Furniture (animation)

In increasingly small urban apartments where every inch counts, a piece of furniture that transforms from a coffee table to a dining table in seconds, hides a lot of storage or folds up to just one inch thick can open up a lot of usable space. These transforming table designs completely rethink the simple surface, sometimes using complex engineering to expand and contract.

Coffee to Dinner Tables by Ozzio Design

transforming tables ozzio 1

transforming tables ozzio 2

Anyone with a tiny studio apartment can appreciate the convenience of a piece of furniture that functions as a coffee table for most of the day, but raises up to dining level when needed. These two convertible tables by Ozzio look clean and modern, have adjustable heights and come in various colors and sizes for maximum adaptability.

Tree Ring Table Cuts Itself in Half

transforming tables tree 1

transforming table tree 2

A table that resembles the cross-section of a tree trunk when compact and placed against a wall opens up to become fully round, a third leg swinging to the side to offer support. Designer Isariya Boon took inspiration from onion rings to create this hardwood and steel table with multiple personalities.

Flip Table Hides Six Stools

transforming tables flip 1

transforming table flip 2

The wooden casing of the Flip coffee table opens up to become a three-sided dining table, the storage underneath transforming into six stools.

Kaleidoscopic Capstan Table Spins to Enlarge

transforming tables capstan

Is this the world’s most highly-engineered dining table? The Fletcher Capstan features six wedge-shaped leaves that pull back to reveal a star shape that grows as the table expands from about 6.5 feet across to a maximum width of 30 feet. The process of transforming it is almost like a performance as the table opens to show off its inner components.

The Daily Shelter: Table to Child’s Fort

transforming tables wood house 1

transforming tables wood house 2

Only those who ‘know its secrets’ would ever guess that this ordinary-looking dining table by Ingrid Brandth doubles as a tiny house. Says the designer, “… it can be transformed into a shelter where one can hide from scary sounds, ghosts or family members. Just like a snail feels safe in its house.”

360Photography

Posts Tagged ‘Smart’

LED Buddha Vaults & Smart Card Entry: High-Tech Cemetery in Tokyo

Smart Move: Domino Loft Maximizes Space in Micro Apartments

Using Smart Objects to Add Text With a Reflection in Photoshop

Smart Style for Small Spaces: 12 Compact Sets & Modules

Next Page – Click Below to Read More:
Smart Style For Small Spaces 12 Compact Sets Modules

Light Footed: Smart Shoes Paint with Light As You Dance