As futuristic as it sounds, we all knew that the day would come when all of our ‘smart’ wearables are embedded into … well, the things that we’re already wearing. While MIT students and various tinkerers have been experimenting with ‘smart’ fabrics for years now, few concepts have been viable enough to bubble up to the surface as a go-to-market product. Thanks to a recent partnership between Levi’s and Google, however, the days of swiping our sleeves to change Spotify tracks or activate a bike signal are now here in the form of … yep, a denim jacket. Built using ATAP’s Project Jacquard technology, the connected denim smart jacket uses…
No matter how you spin it, headphones can be a nuisance when it comes to desktop organization. Despite the array of headphone storage options out there, it’s still all too common to just place them wherever is convenient on the desktop But what if headphones could actually be a centerpiece of your desktop (after your workstation, that is)? Designed by Korean industrial designer Kyumin Ha, the Gravity headphones are designed to stand upright without the support of a headphone stand when not in use. When worn by the user, their balance translates over to the user’s head for a comfortable and stylish music listening experience. Says Ha: “The position of…
We’ve said it time and time again, but the Raspberry Pi is just so dang cool and we think everybody should have one in their toolkit. While there is a bit of a slight learning curve, it’s nothing that today’s designers and engineers can’t handle on a leisurely Saturday. To get things up and running with the latest Raspberry Pi 3, The Complete Raspberry Pi 3 Training Bundle has 21 hours of training content to get started creating your very own Amazon Echo or even a ‘vintage’ streaming internet radio. Really, the opportunities are limitless! For a limited time, The Complete Raspberry Pi 3 Training Bundle is 91% off of…
With the continual introduction of new 3D printer filament materials, it’s become hard to keep track of them all. Until you see this terrific chart. The chart was produced by UK-based ThreeDotZero Studios, who provide “support service to fast-growing technology-based businesses.” Currently, they offer services in VR/AR, Home Automation, UAVs/Drones, Maker Market, Gaming Hardware, MVNO/MVNE and “Other Gadgetry”. As a result of their work, they have no doubt become involved in 3D printing and have been exposed to the myriad of 3D printing materials. And their experience caused them to produce a very interesting chart that covers quite a bit of ground. The materials covered include: ABS, ASA, Carbon Fiber,…
It’s time for another round of apps that cover the spectrum of your beloved mobile device, be it iPhone, Android or Windows! The Weekly App Smack is the best of new or updated design and productivity apps (and maybe a couple of fun ones, too) for the busy design or engineering professional and this week we have a list sure to make you more efficient. Do you have an app suggestion that has made your life easier or changed up your workflow? Let us know in the comments below or send it into tips@www.solidsmack.com. Hit it! Haiku Deck Haiku Deck makes it a snap to create beautiful presentations that will…
When you drop $65K on a Confederate Hellcat X132 motorcycle, the last thing you want to do is crash it. If the unfortunate does happen, in the case of one individual, you can always turn to Austin-based Revival Cycles and have them redesign and rebuild the bike to make it even more badass. They did just that when creating the Revival 140. Transforming the 2012 Hellcat X123 into the Revival 140 was no simple feat considering the amount of hand-formed alloy that was added to the original frame. In fact, most of the bike’s original parts were retained, including the 132ci, 56-degree X-Wedge V-twin engine, suspension and a majority of…