Kawasaki Robotics has released a line of intelligent cobots that include Ai-enabled R and BX Series robots for welding, multi-SKU palletizing, and depalletizing.

This Space-Frame series of furniture, by Berlin-based architect Gustav Düsing, was designed over a decade ago as an experiment. It's a pity it wasn't pursued further. Made of Baltic Birch plywood, the pieces could conceivably be cut on a less-than-full-size CNC mill and would obviously ship flatpack.

"The Space-Frame series…are based on space-consuming structural elements (space-frame). The aim was to test architectural principles of scale, structure and production on a real object. Digital and manual techniques have been researched and developed in a series of prototypes. The resulting furniture was produced in small series with a network of workshops."

I found the Chair23D the most visually arresting of the bunch:

"The Chair23D is based on the typology of a lobby chair, similar to the Barcelona Chair by Mies van der Rohe. The complex three-dimensional structure can be assembled without adhesive or screws to form a stable, self-contained system. The construction is an extension of the human skeleton, with a spine connected to a series of ribs and a kind of pelvis from which the rear legs are held."

The form has fantastic splay and gesture. Moreover, while I've seen plenty of CNC-cut, slot-together furniture, Düsing's intelligent design conceals all of the unsightly dogbones and half-rounds while still celebrating the joint, turning it into its own visual element. I think if pursued, this could've found its place.

It's been two years since we first saw the 2x2 Ultra Bike prototype, which had electric motors—and gas tanks!—in each wheel.

Produced by Russian company Robo Systems, it's now being offered for sale through mobility company TheArsenale. The current version of the bike looks like renderings for a vehicle in an apocalyptic videogame:

"This electric two-wheel-drive, balloon-tired motorbike is a highly specialized machine built to overcome difficult, inhospitable terrain at slow speeds and as effectively as possible," TheArsenale writes.

"The 2X2 Ultra bike is powered by a 1,000-watt brushless DC motor that sits in each wheel. The motors are powered by a 48-volt LifePo4 battery pack that is housed in a watertight enclosure in place of the motorcycle's traditional gas engine. It takes just an hour to recharge and is large enough to provide for a 50-km range between charges."

The 133-lb. bike tops out at 30 mph. And if you're wondering why an electric motorcycle needs a jerry can and gas tanks in the wheels, it's because you can attach a gas generator to the bike for longer-haul trips.

FEATURES

Tires: The wheels' buoyant property, brought on by their higher volume, enables you to swim over obstacles in the water. They are difficult to pierce because they exert little pressure on the ground. You can move securely on sand and marshy terrain and go over big snow drifts thanks to the wheels.

Generator: When planning a long journey the bike's chassis allows for the attachment of a portable gasoline generator. While the generator is running, the built-in battery charger charges the battery, giving you practically infinite range. This is complemented by the 2 fuel tanks located inside the wheels.

Charger: On board, there is a built-in pulse charger with an adjustable charging current. Up to 15 amperes of electricity can be used to recharge the battery while the vehicle is moving or parked.

Inverter: The bike comes with a built-in inverter that allows you to power electric tools and other electrical appliances up to 3000W.

Brakes: The bike features a hydraulic brake system on both wheels with a disc diameter of 190mm.

Two years ago the projected price was a suspiciously low $1,990. That optimism has met production reality: The asking price is now $15,000.

A company called Elements Eden is taking square aim at the "design lover's" crowd with their repurposed airline galley carts. The staged photographs present them as Mac workstations, Monocle storage units and shrines-in-waiting to Dieter Rams.

The company says these are designed in Thailand and manufactured in China. It's not clear if these are off-the-shelf designs kitted out with stock or bespoke drawers; at press time the company's website was down, and there's virtually no information (beyond price) on the company's social accounts.

The smaller footlocker-sized units are 14,500 Thai Bhat (USD $392). The shorter of the two carts goes for 24,500 Thai Bhat (USD $662), or 26,500 THB (USD $716) for a version with a transparent door. The taller versions go for 28,500 THB (USD $770), or 31,500 THB (USD $851) with the transparent door. The drawers are an additional 650 THB (USD $18) apiece and the felt pads, 420 THB (USD $11). Shipping isn't included.

For reference's sake, in the U.S. you can buy decommissioned carts of the taller size in the $220 to $400 range.

I don't know whether to be impressed, terrified or skeptical. This is startup Astribot's eponymous robot competently performing domestic tasks: Tidying up a worksurface, preparing food, vacuuming, ironing, folding clothes, etc., purportedly without being teleoperated:

My kneejerk skepticism is probably because I don't want to believe these kinds of strides have been made, this quickly. And I'd never heard of this company, which hails from Shenzhen. Then again, just a few years ago I'd never heard of BYD, and now they're poised to outsell Tesla.

At press time, the company has released virtually no info about the robot aside from the video. And based on the footage, we assume it's currently an upper-body creation only.

Astribot's video is perhaps a response to competitior Sanctuary AI's video from a few weeks ago. Sanctuary's update shows their 'bot doing fewer tabletop tasks, but with more fluidity, and also reportedly autonomously:

When installing raceways or conduit brackets, each installation screw requires two holes on opposite channel walls. One hole is sized to fit the shaft of the fastener, while the opposite hole must be larger than the fastener's head. This is so the installer has enough room to drive the screw. An example photo is below.

For the installer to create these holes is time-consuming, with three options:

A. Mark both sides of workpiece, drill the smaller hole in one wall, flip the piece, change bits, drill the larger hole;B. Mark one side of workpiece, drill the smaller hole through both walls, change bits, bore out near hole with the larger bit;C. Mark both sides of workpiece, drill the smaller hole in one wall using a stepped bit, flip the piece, drill the larger hole (without needing to change bits).

As you can see, none are ideal. Both A and B require changing bits, or dealing with two drills (and the attendant increased charging hassle). A and C require laborious double-sided marking and flipping the workpiece.

Enough electricians described this problem to Star-M, a Japanese manufacturer of specialty drill bits since 1923, that the company designed a special bit to speed the task. Their new Raceway Bit has a tapered flute that enables an installer to mark just one side, then drill both holes (6mm and 12mm) in one go.

The company also points out that for hanging bolts which require two 12mm holes, the bit can still be used by drilling one side, flipping the piece and using the 6mm hole to guide the 12mm hole on the other side. While this still requires flipping the piece, the double-sided marking step is eliminated; and if you're completing both of the tasks described here, you've already got the bit chucked up and handy.

This is a good example of improving the UX of an existing product by listening to customers' pain points.

Starting with the Boeing Starliner flight, NASA astronauts have a new ride to the launch pad.

Advancements in MiR’s flexible AMRs include the new MiR1200 Pallet Jack and new AI capabilities designed for faster ROI.

The manual transmission maker won’t be left behind by industry trends away from its original business.

Are you interested in an upcoming event but unsure how to gain approval? This quick guide is for you.

RobOps Copilot leverages generative AI algorithms and InOrbit’s data infrastructure to help end users manage robots without the need for programming.

Here's what we looked at this week:

The strange story of how lefty abuse led to the formation of a successful mid-century design duo.

Microsoft's new AI face animation technology turns a single snapshot into a convincing talking head. "Make anyone say anything."

Outside-the-box thinking: The Seabike is an aquatic bicycle, without the bicycle.

Industrial Design student work: This M–W256 bag, done by Sven Abplanalp at ECAL, features androgynous clips.

Does anyone know who designed/built this chair?

Surprisingly, this bentwood chair actually folds.

"I got the psychological aspect of the product wrong," said Italian industrial designer Bruno Munari, of his Cubo ashtray.

Image: Di Albertozanardo - CC BY-SA 4.0

The Harlow Chandelier, by Scott Richler: When an architect/jewelry designer designs lighting fixtures.

Artist/designer Oneseo Choi's wildly successful "Pattern of Industry" series of furniture is made from aluminum extrusions.

Anonymous artist Muddycap has a deep portfolio of insane chair designs.

Here's an assortment of stunning furniture designs by Australian designer Brodie Neill.

As wearable speaker designs continue to evolve, Sony decides, atypically for a tech object, to scale them up.

Japanese bamboo spice vessels, both traditional and modern.

Form follows function: Stange glasses for Kölsch beer, and their special tray for servers.

This GO, a die-cast aluminum streetlight, is by industrial designer Jörg Boner.

The corner detail on this Piloti Alu Table, by industrial designer Hugo Passos.

Max Space's revolutionary inflatable space station design provides "more volume, less cost."

This Grasp Lamp, by industrial designer Thomas Albertsen, has no wiring. Instead you pop in a rechargeable bulb.

Industrial design case study: Speck Design realizes a smarter medical drill.

The most common surgical implant is a screw; surgeons insert billions of them in patients each year.

Screws need holes, and holes need drills. When wielding these drills, "Surgeons currently use their 'feel' to stop on the far side of the bone," writes McGinley Orthopedic Innovations. Because that "feel" can leave a lot up to chance, company founder Dr. Joseph McGinley conceived of an Intellisense Drill Technology. This would "automatically stop the drill motor upon breach of the desired cortex. This may help ensure that critical structures past the bone are not damaged."

To actually develop this technology and get it into a physical product, McGinley tapped industrial design & engineering consultancy Speck Design. "Our team collaborated closely with Dr. McGinley to turn a visionary idea into a tangible, innovative product that simplifies orthopedic surgeries," writes Speck. The goal was to "transform orthopedic surgeries with IntelliSense Drill Technology® for enhanced safety and efficiency."

Industrial Design

We crafted a design that merges advanced functionality with ease of use, tailoring the drill to the demanding environment of surgery.

The industrial design process focused on creating a product that not only met the rigorous demands of surgical environments but also enhanced the user experience for surgeons. By meticulously studying the workflow and needs of orthopedic surgeries, we designed the IntelliSense Drill with ergonomics, precision, and reliability at the forefront. This design philosophy ensured the drill was intuitive to use while incorporating advanced functionalities that set new standards in surgical tools.Electrical EngineeringIntegrating smart sensor technology to automate and refine the drilling process, ensuring unparalleled precision and safety.

The IntelliSense Drill's breakthrough comes from its advanced sensor technology, meticulously integrated by our electrical engineering team. This innovation allows for real-time bone penetration detection, halting the drill instantaneously to prevent over-drilling. Our engineers focused on creating a seamless interface between the drill's mechanical functions and its intelligent sensing capabilities, ensuring that the technology was not only effective but also reliable and easy for surgeons to use in high-stakes scenarios.Mechanical EngineeringEngineered for precision, the drill's mechanical components are designed to respond flawlessly to the intelligent sensor system.

Our mechanical engineering efforts were centered on ensuring that every component of the IntelliSense Drill was optimized for both performance and safety. By developing a mechanical system that works in perfect harmony with the drill's sensor technology, we ensured that surgeons have a tool that delivers precise depth measurements and automatic stopping mechanisms. This level of engineering precision guarantees that the IntelliSense Drill can offer consistent and reliable performance in the diverse range of procedures it's used for, making orthopedic surgeries safer and more efficient.User TestingConducted comprehensive user testing to validate design choices and ensure the product meets surgical needs effectively.

A pivotal aspect of our project was extensive user testing, which involved gathering feedback from orthopedic surgeons to validate our design and engineering choices. This phase allowed us to refine the product further, ensuring that the IntelliSense Drill not only met but exceeded the practical and ergonomic requirements of its users. Testing in real-world surgical scenarios provided invaluable insights, leading to adjustments that enhanced the drill's usability, functionality, and overall acceptance within the medical community.

You can see more of Speck's work here.

Sometimes you nail that one component that makes the whole piece. In the case of this Piloti Alu table, by Portugese industrial designer Hugo Passos, it's the corner connector:

The frame is aluminum, and the tops are available in stone or laminate.

The Piloti Alu is in production by Danish furniture manufacturer Fredericia.

The curse of an industrial designer: Slaving over details no one will get to see. It's a pity that this GO streetlight, by Zurich-based industrial designer Jörg Boner, is mounted so high up. From the ground you can't see how attractive the head is.

It's made of die-cast aluminum, with a molded glass cover for the lensed LEDs.

The GO is in production by Italian outdoor lighting manufacturer Ewo.

This Grasp Lamp, by Danish industrial designer Thomas Albertsen, isn't really a lamp in the technical sense: Instead it's a structure to hold lighting. Which is to say, the lamp has no wiring, just a (presumably magnetic) connection point where you pop in a rechargeable LED light.

It comes in three flavors: The Grasp Garden Spear, the Grasp Wall and the Grasp Portable. All are all-weather.

Strangely, manufacturer Frandsen doesn't show the charging set-up. I wonder if it's a dock-type arrangement or a cable.

I guess the key benefit is that you can put a lamp anywhere without having to run wires, and don't need to move the entire lamp to recharge it. Overall I find the concept novel, but I'd have to live with one of these for a while to assess the true usefulness of the arrangement.

Developers can use component technology to create an endless array of products. SDKs can be leveraged across multiple sectors.

Elon Musk has laid off senior management and hundreds of workers in Tesla’s Supercharger division.

Space may be infinite, but it has the same problem we do on Earth: Not enough housing. Builders of space habitats are constrained by shipping capacity. While rocket launches have become cheaper and more frequent, there are only so many building materials you can cram into the payload. "For example, the ISS took more than 40 flights," writes Max Space, "and cost more than $100 billion to build. Max Space can provide the equivalent cubic volume of the ISS in space for $200 million—including launch—bringing the cost down by over a hundred-fold."

Company founder Maxim de Jong, a pioneer of "soft system space architecture," is the world's premier expert on using expandable materials in space. (Two experimental expanding-material spacecraft of his design, Genesis I and Genesis II, have been orbiting the planet since 2006 and 2007.) Here's how his latest design, the Max Space 20, would deploy:

Here are some shots of the full-scale ground prototype:

"Max Space expandables use an entirely unique design approach and philosophy. Our expandables incorporate 'isotensoid' architecture whereby every structural fiber element remains unencumbered and free to assume an ideal geometry for optimum load-bearing capability. The benefits of the Max Space design are enormous ranging from lowest possible mass and cost to unsurpassed predictability and unlimited scalability. Despite the conceptual simplicity of the Max Space design, the challenges of its practical implementation were overcome by the lifelong relentlessness of founder Maxim de Jong's design acumen."

As for weathering impacts from space debris, the company says their material is "safer and stronger than traditional hard modules. This is largely due to the architecture composed of a multi-layered system of fiber-based ballistic shielding of much greater resilience than aluminum and titanium."

The Max Space 20 is so named because it provides 20 cubic meters (706 cubic feet) of interior space. That's a far cry from the ISS' habitable volume of 388 cubic meters (13,696 cubic feet), but the company can't pass the battery of required testing hurdles all in one go; so the plan is to launch the 20 unit in 2026, followed in the next four years by the Max Space 100 and Max Space 1000, the latter of which will properly dwarf the ISS.

"More volume, less cost" is the company's motto. Here's their pitch:

In the UK, where drinking warm beer was a thing, pint glasses were an appropriate vessel for centuries. In 20th century Germany, a new type of beer vessel evolved along with the technology of refrigeration: The stange, which translates to "pole" or "rod," as that's what the narrow-but-tall vessel resembled.

Stangen are used to serve Cologne's Kölsch style of beer, which is best imbibed cold; thus the glasses hold just 100-200mL (3.4 – 6.8 oz), allowing you to get it down your gullet before the room warms it up. The narrow design exposes a minimal amount of beer to the ambient air, and also allows a frothy head to form.

The emergence of these glasses also spawned a new product design for beer hall servers. The kranz ("wreath") tray made it far easier to whisk loads of the diminutive glasses to thirsty customers.