For those who haven’t tried it yet, Overwatch is a cartoonish multiplayer video game set in the not-so-distant future. With a diverse roster of characters—from the giant talking ape Winston to the gun-slinging cowboy McCree—Overwatch’s cast is as wacky as it is all-inclusive. One of these wacky characters—a Swedish engineer by the name of Torbjörn—is…

It’s usually never official until a sizeable multi-national company does it. While smaller electronics companies have been using paper and other recyclable materials for their products for years, Samsung is only now catching onto the environment-friendly trend. In a recent press release, the electronics division of the company has announced that instead of using plastics…

In possibly his oddest/coolest video yet, designer Eric Strebel breaks down the making of a one-of-a-kind toilet paper holder. But unlike the version you have at home, which has no technology whatsoever, this rectum-cleaning receptacle holds a couple of smartly-designed magnet discs to make pulling the right amount of toilet paper squares a one-handed process.…

Despite it being used often in manufacturing, carbon isn’t the most biodegradable material; meaning, it will take years to decompose that excessive carbon fiber waste from a multitude of design projects these days. Further, recycling carbon fiber isn’t necessarily an easy process either. Because the mixture of resin and carbon is so stiff, it becomes…

SolidSmack is honored to feature this article by Jesse Newton, CEO of Simplify Work and Author of Simplify Work: Crushing Complexity to Liberate Innovation, Productivity, and Engagement. Learn more about Jesse’s approach to problem-solving at simplifywork.com. Organizations today are complicated messes. They are a scramble of matrixed structures, reporting lines, disparate systems and bureaucratic processes. Navigating…

Three years ago, we covered the Ghostkube – paper engineer Erik Åberg’s origami-inspired creation made from wooden cubes of different shapes. Instead of using scraps of square paper though, the Ghostkube is composed of small, interlocking wooden cubes designed to move together in unison. The result is one “master” cube–a kinetic sculpture which can be…

The only kind of pens that you’d like to pass down from one generation to another, are in the range of the expensive Cartier and Mont Blanc kinds. Definitely not falling into this bracket, is the ManualPen as it’s not super expensive and neither glam-ed up with celebrity endorsements. However, it holds the distinction of…

Thomas Ollivier isn’t like some designers – he was born in the 20th century. There are so many products from that time, that inspired the products of this time, but Thomas has made the correlation even more direct. Using decades-old products as an inspiration, the French designer rebranded the ancient gadgets with apps and programs…

Even though most people can’t play a lengthy rally, almost everyone can have a good time playing ping pong (or table tennis, if you live in other parts of the world). The games are fast, the equipment isn’t expensive, and the ping pong table itself makes a nice place to store junk whenever you’re not…

Building a guitar is as much art as it is science, and chances are if you’re playing one, you’ve probably entertained the notion of making one of your own. While most all electric guitars are CNC milled (even those considered ‘handmade’), acoustics are a different story, consisting of a myriad of steps that range from…

Back in 2001, when Apple was still known as just a computer company with fruit logos on its computers, it released the first iPod. Unlike other media players before it, this white block used a touch-based scroll wheel to play songs, skip tracks, and scroll through menus. This may seem old hat by today’s standards,…

Take one look at an empty soda can, and you may think “trash,” but to sculptor Noah Deledda, he sees an aluminum canvas ripe for setting his hands on to create something truly unique. Though Noah is a sculptor by profession, he doesn’t work with just any sort of wood, rock, or conventional metal. Neither…

Shadow Creator’s new Shadow VR System is the new kid on the block and they are changing up the VR experience. Namely, they are outpacing their nearest competitors by bringing to market a standalone 6DoF VR headset. These features enable Shadow Creator to lose VR users from the shackles of computers and cables. Even better…

Would you say bottle openers are useless? Some would… until they find themselves in a situation which needs one. But since most bottle openers are single purpose and slightly more useful than a rock, not too many folks carry one on their person. But, what if it had more uses? When designer David Enrico came…

Chances are you have a ton of plastic containers at home with even more plastic lids that never fit the particular container you want. Though plastic containers are sturdier than plastic bags, they aren’t very space-efficient. Why not blend the two to create the best of both worlds? Such is the premise behind Zip Top…

Believe it or not, quite a number of people still use analog cameras. Whether it be for the nostalgia or the thrill of knowing the number of shots you have are finite, analog cameras still have a place in this digital, selfie-taking world. What is a Pinhole Camera? A pinhole camera is a type of…

In this era of near-all-day-long screen time for many, issues like eye strain, headaches, and poor vision are becoming the norm. If you aren’t wearing glasses or contacts already, you may need them soon enough if you’re not glancing away every now and again. In the meantime, you can also make the jump over to…

Only the most gullible of people would believe hypnosis works, but dang it anyways, it sure is alluring to see a bunch of swirls rotate in place. The Mezmoglobe is in no way a portable hypnosis apparatus. Composed of aerospace grade aluminum rods, these 54 mm spheres have stainless steel bearings inside them which allow…

When you think of furniture designs in the far future, you might think of crazy generatively designed stools that hover in mid-air or chairs that push themselves around like a Roomba to fit your Feng Shui taste of the moment. But these designs don’t actually SOUND comfy now, do they? Apart from the unease of…

It doesn’t necessarily take a car nut to stop and stare at a cool vintage car. In fact, it can easily become an instant conversation-starter; a timeless way to break the ice. This attraction to the classics is exactly what watchmaker Willer Chronometers is going for. Inspired by old-school sportscars and the Mile Miglia open-road…

Some people say a design is at its best when it’s at its simplest, but I’m pretty sure the statement doesn’t apply to everything. Take the NU:RO for example. Created by Anton Repponen of the Anton & Irene New York Studio, the analog watch is a heaven sent for minimalists but may be a bit…

Seeing one’s ideas come to life right before you is a thrill! That’s what can happen when you set out to explore your creativity by making stuff. You may have questions such as “Where do I start?” Or, “What materials and tools do I use to construct my idea?” Look no further (at least for the…

Barring martial arts, American football is certainly one of the most violent sports out there. I mean, why would you go out of your way to tackle somebody at full speed when you know he’s running headfirst into you with the same idea? Broken bones sprained ankles, concussions – these are risks every player takes…

In an age where humans generate more waste than they know how to dispose of properly, more designers are continuing to make greener choices with their creations. We have kitchen knives made from old skateboard racks, furniture made from bricks made from recycled newspapers, speakers which use plastic bottles as bass boosters, and now… aluminum…

Even though centuries have passed, the act of designing and making objects is still primarily the same: the human mind comes up with a project, the human hand sketches it down, and finally, human hands get to work on manually making the dream a reality. Throw in some modern computer-know-how and manufacturing technologies in there,…

Now I personally don’t carry around a portable speaker. Not because they’re heavy and totally inferior to headphones (though those are pretty valid points), but because I rarely come across a mini speaker which doesn’t sound like it’s blasting five layers of static along with what it’s supposed to be playing. Long story short: there…

I’ve covered my fair share of household hardware here on SolidSmack: from an intricately-designed LED lamp all the way to a pizza oven made from a Pilates ball. But nothing has been as simple as this: The Vettis Concrete by luxury fittings brand Brizo is as simple as faucets come. No hand-activated sensor or hidden…

They may seem useless at first, but you can’t deny mobile device stands make up a rather quirky part of the consumer market. These hefty, often colorful accessories are for those who lack the extra appendages to hold their devices upright while doing something else. The Montelouro is no exception. Crafted by Rafael Fernández Sánchez…

You may look at the headline and ask, “Wait, what does he mean by 25 pieces of furniture from six pieces”? And to this, I say, “It’s easier if I just show you.” VARIA isn’t some math-defining furniture set, but rather set made from six pieces: 2 stools, 2 barstools (one with a removable cabinet…

In general, a good camping backpack should be lightweight, rugged, and fit properly—while luggage should be spacious, easily portable, and able to withstand the rigors of baggage handlers. A new design from Atlas Sabbatical combines the two in the form of Atlas- a backpack that transforms for different phases of a trip. Atlas Sabbatical designed…

The concept of remodeling a home constantly never dies out. From writing on your bedroom walls as a kid to choosing which fixtures to hang in your house as an adult, the appearance of your dwelling can tell visitors just how creative (or boring) you are as a person. Still, it can be quite costly.…

Young whippersnappers may not know this, but before cell phones could do everything from SMS messaging to your taxes, we had other pieces of hardware to do these tasks separately. Walkmans played music through cassette tapes, accountants did your taxes, and yes, even calculators had their own blocky, hefty designs. Lofree’s Digit Calculator pays homage…

Electronics these days are a dime a dozen. With large companies like Apple and Microsoft duking it out for consumers’ attention, smaller brands need to find creative ways to present themselves to stand out from your run-of-the-mill Beats By Dre. Mapuguaquén (which translates to ‘sound of the earth’ in South American Mapuche) isn’t the easiest…

Unless you’re some kind of overzealous morning person, no relationship has had a worse breakup than someone who is separated from his bed. Even though more and more folks are working from home, most still have to get their sorry butts out of bed to get the job done. Bedchill might change that. This isn’t…

Kids these days might not have a taste for them, but back in the day, superheroes didn’t rule the movie world; superspies did. And no one was more famous than British secret agent James Bond. Created by writer Ian Flemming, the fictional spy has 24 films and countless novels spanning decades; inspiring both kids and…

For many of us, math wasn’t exactly our strongest subject back in school; just as you’re beginning to grasp the concept of numbers, along come letters, symbols, and shapes to boggle your mind further. Suffice to say, we were lucky enough to pass the subject; but for the current and future generations, understanding 3D concepts…

Contrary to popular belief, there is much more to a bicycle than simply pushing your legs to make the wheels go round. Take for example the bike’s drivetrain, which transfers all your leg power to the drive wheels. While there are a ton of variations, most drivetrains consist of a front wheel, chain, and rear…

From his tribute to the Commodore PET 2001 to a visual synthesizer for building fractal patterns, Swedish designer Love Hultén is a master at combining age-old wood crafting techniques with modern(ish) tech. Inspired by his passions for both traditional craftsmanship and modern technology, the Gothenburg-based designer is capable of commanding thousands of dollars for each…

Lots of toys allow kids to get creative and build their own designs. If you can count the number of times LEGO blocks have furthered a young ones’ learning capabilities, you have way too many fingers on your hands. But what if your kids (or you) want to build something a bit bigger, more practical,…

Zippable is a novel approach to make most any stuffable, huggable 3D fabric-based shape you can think of. As the name suggests, a zipper is used as the closure system. But what’s really cool about Zippables is the super long spiraling zippers. The spiraling motion as the zipper is closed, magically transforms a twisty, curvy…

During his previous cellphone charger project, designer Eric Strebel had the misfortune of having a piece of metal get stuck in his eye. And since injury is something anyone working on a project should be ready for, Strebel has decided to put his skills to work and create a dusk mask with integrated eye protection.…

While designers and engineers may associate developing products with blood sweat and tears, Oki Sato, founder of acclaimed Japanese design firm Nendo, found a way to celebrate the design process in the form of a simple and sweet children’s book—with a cup as its main character. Not Just a Cup tells the story of a…

Oh, if your food could talk. “You can’t mix those foods and expect to live.” “I will produce a mold that will make you wretch five ways from Sunday.” “The omelette lump and I were three weeks old when you ate us–relocate to the bathroom asap.” Perhaps food that actually speaks (after you’ve eaten it?) isn’t the…

As modern video games continue to break out of their mold and become a new medium for immersive storytelling, so too does the need for more accessible—and considered—hardware designs for a growing population of gamers. While we’ve seen a number of brilliant one-off solutions from hardware modders including Ben Heck, whose various one-handed PS4 and…

No, I didn’t make a mistake with the product’s spelling. Created by the father-son design team at Onehundred, Brdis are foldable bird feeders designed specifically for birds. So while humans have Ikea furniture to decipher and build, birds have Brdis (except humans have to make these for them as well). Crafted from .025” (6mm) foldable…

You may take it for granted nowadays, but the simplified nature of current metro maps can be attributed to a single person: Henry Charles Beck. In a recent piece by Eugen Esanu for UX Planet, he talks about how Beck – an engineering draftsman – worked on creating the London Underground Tube Map in the…

Last year, we took a quick peek at the Bollinger Motors B1 – a humongous off-road vehicle powered exclusively by electricity. Big, blocky, and just as transformable as any Transformer, this puppy was made to adjust to almost any outdoor need you can imagine. Now thanks to Bollinger Motors, we finally get to take a…

The gig economy is great. You can hail a cheap cab home with Uber, get McDonald’s delivered with Postmates, beer with Drizly, sit back and watch someone from Task Rabbit assemble your Amazon delivered furniture while your hair is cut with Priv. The positive of the gig economy is that everything can be outsourced, however,…

America is a litigious country.  Without any subjective opinion, many of our founding fathers were lawyers and many of the rights and benefits that we enjoy today are the result of court cases.  In terms of intellectual property, it can be a double-edged sword. While intellectual property and the protection that it affords to companies…

With over 14 million vinyl LPs sold in the United States alone in 2017, it’s no wonder that some artists and hardware manufacturers are putting their lossy MP3 files on the backburner to take a closer look at physical media—including cassette tapes— all over again. But for some extreme audiophiles, nothing beats going straight to…