Space X BFR Earth to Earth Service

Elon Musk has his eyes set on using the BFR — short for "Big F*cking Rocket" — to colonize the Moon and eventually Mars. It might just get used here on our home planet, too. Space X BFR Earth to Earth Service is a plan to use those same rockets to move people between cities with remarkable speed. To travel, you board a boat (or Hyperloop, we presume) that takes you to a loading platform. Enter the rocket, get buckled in, and you blast off into low-Earth orbit. The passenger section breaks away from the main thruster, with the former heading off towards its destination and the latter heading back to its origin, both landing vertically using the same techniques developed for their current rocket fleet. At its peak, the ships would reach speeds of roughly 18,000 mph, meaning most common long-range trips, such as London to NYC, can be completed in under 30 minutes, and you can reach anywhere in the world in under an hour.

Tjep Eau Electric Yacht Concept

Drawing cues from both electric cars and the water itself, the Eau Electric Yacht Concept is a stunning vision of the future of high-end aquatic transportation. Developed by Amsterdam-based Tjep, the 63-meter vessel has a sleek design with a ribbed aluminum hull and a droplet-shaped wheelhouse that floats high above the main deck. There's room on board for a swimming pool, helipad, tender storage, and 12 cabins, and its 100% electric propulsion system provides a cruising speed of 25 knots.

Instagif DIY Camera

Part camera, part handheld factory, the Instagif DIY Camera is an interesting photographic concept. Designed by Abhishek and inspired by the classic Polaroid OneStep, this one-off project is powered by a pair of Raspberry Pis, batteries, and a lot of ingenuity. The result is a camera that can snap a GIF, transfer it to a "cartridge" consisting of a screen and battery, and eject it just like an old Polaroid, letting you instantly hold your moving photo in your hands.

Herrera Bladeless Drone

Winner of a 2016 Red Dot Design Concept award, the Bladeless Drone from Mexico's Edgar Herrera takes on the two biggest problems with traditional drones: blades and the noise they create. By using a series of air ducts and vents, it achieves flight without the dangers posed by exposed blades. The main central propeller supports take-off and landing, while the two forward propellers and rear propeller control direction by rotating 20 degrees front-to-back and clockwise or counter-clockwise, respectively, changing their orientation based on the amount on headwind received. No development plans have yet been announced, but based on the advantages it offers, we wouldn't be surprised to see a real-life example built shortly.

Enea Walking Stick

The result of extensive research, the Enea Walking Stick aims to make this medical aid simultaneously more functional and more fashionable. On one end is a three-axis handle that makes it more comfortable to hold and allows the stick to stand on its own or rest securely against a wall. On the other, near the bottom, is a small branch-like extension that's precisely placed to allow the stick to balance on a desk or counter. To keep weight down, the stick is 100% 3D printed using a bone-like porous structure developed in collaboration with Mhox Design and engineering firm Arup.

Third Thumb Prosthesis

When most people think of prosthetics, they think of replacements for lost body parts. But the origin of the word meant "to add, put onto," and it's in this spirit designer Dani Clode created the Third Thumb. It attaches to your hand opposite your real thumb and uses two motors pulling against a flexible 3D-printed material to mimic the movements of your most prominent digit. The motors are controlled via pressure sensors hidden in your shoes, which communicate via Bluetooth with the wrist-bound controller.

Moby Mart

It sounds too good to be true: a store on wheels that comes to you. That's exactly what Moby Mart promises. This autonomous, staffless mobile store offers up milk, medicine, clothes, and even electronics on-demand, with an app that not only summons the store but also serves as the checkout. Developed by Wheelys in collaboration with Hefei University and Himalafy, the Moby is also self-powered, relying on solar panels to provide energy for the electric drivetrain, while an integrated air purifier cleans the air around it — making it very eco-friendly. The company estimates that each store will cost under $100,000, and the concept is currently beta testing in Shanghai.

Bottomless Joystick

Joysticks are a natural control for VR interfaces — problem being, they mostly only work on desks. The Bottomless Joystick overcomes this limitation by attaching the stick to a counterweight. Connected by a gimbal, the counterweight stays planted downward no matter the angle of the stick. It comes from the Smart Systems Institute at the University of Singapore, who also added two servo motors to replicate various force feedbacks and allow for the adjustment of resistance to better replicate real-world experiences.

Giant Sequoia Skyscraper Concept

For all their grand height, the roots of the giant sequoia don't go down very far — and thus they fall quickly when the trunk starts to rot. The Giant Sequoia Skyscraper Concept aims to merge architecture with nature, filling in the empty trunks with spaces for education, observation decks, labs, and exhibitions. In addition to providing usable human space inside, the design's central core and the lattice-like exterior attached to the bark would help keep the tree upright long after its roots would have failed.

Photos: Ko Jinhyeuk, Cheong Changwon, Cho Kyuhyung, Choi Sunwoong

Conductive Wallpaper Concept

Nearly every house is built using the same concept: electric runs through wires in the walls, to lights, outlets, and switches. The Conductive Wallpaper Concept does away with this, instead embedding circuitry into wall coverings. Lines of conductive ink run across each panel and are linked together with short strips of metal, terminating in either novel controls or the lights, fans, and other electronics they operate. While it's very much a concept for now, it's not hard to look and see how it could easily be adapted to carry power to your wall-mounted TV or sound system in a far more subtle fashion.

Scewo Stair-Climbing Wheelchair

With oversized wheels and a set of rubber tracks, the Scewo Stair-Climbing Wheelchair can overcome obstacles traditional chairs can't even attempt. It uses self-balancing technology to tackle curbs, stairs, and other obstacles, including spiral stairs. The tracks and smaller wheels can also work together to raise the seat up, allowing for more natural interaction with others, and the user can control the chair with the joystick or simple shifts in body weight. It's currently a prototype, and the company has a Patreon setup for those who want to support its development.

Orion Cycling Navigation

Knowing the route to your destination isn't the only way to help improve your urban cycling experience. Orion Cycling Navigation would help you maximize your efficiency by giving you info on traffic lights as well. Created by designer Clement Dauchy, it displays the direction on a LED ring placed on the outer portion of the disc-like computer, while the inner color e-paper display gives you details like the distance to the next stop light, and how long you have before it changes. As a result, you can time your ride to hit only green lights, limiting your stops and getting you from place to place as quickly as possible.

Endless Runway Circular Airport

Traditional airports are are the mercy of wind directions and speeds when it comes to takeoffs and landings. This limits their capacity and can also cause delays. The Endless Runway Circular Airport is a new concept that would use a circular, 3.5 km banked runway to ensure planes always land and take off with a headwind. Big enough to fit even a major hub airport inside, it would also take up less space than some conventional layouts, allow up to three planes to take off or land at once, and seamlessly adjust to the conditions outside without needing to make runway changes.

Norwegian Banknotes

You might not ever encounter one, but the new Norwegian Banknotes are worthy of attention regardless. Developed using proposals from some of the country's top designers, including Snøhetta, Metric Design, and Terje Tønnessen, they unify the company's paper currency with a sea theme fitting for the country's relationship with the water. The designs are printed on cotton paper, with a literal depiction of a sea-related subject on one side and a pixelated interpretation on the other. Multiple security measures are also integrated into each design, as are a system of short raised lines designed to let the blind and visually impaired sort through the denominations. Norges Bank will begin issuing the new notes this year.

Pouncer Edible Drone

It sounds ridiculous on the surface. But when you consider the difficulties in getting aid to those in hard-to-reach or disaster-struck places, the Pouncer Edible Drone makes far more sense. The proposed UAV would have a wingspan of nine feet, big enough to let the shell serve as shelter, the frame as fuel for a cooking fire, and the contents provide food and water for dozens of people. With the ability to land within a roughly 25-foot target and launch from over 20 miles away, it's a novel, potentially life-saving way to deliver aid.

Airbus Pop.Up Flying Vehicle Concept

Based around a passenger capsule that's adaptable to all sorts of transportation methods, the Airbus Pop.Up Flying Vehicle Concept is a bold suggestion of how to streamline traffic in megacities. In developing the concept, Airbus worked with Italdesign, creating both drone-like air transport and platform-based ground transport modules. The passenger would interact with the system via an app, which would manage their trip using AI and pilot both modules for them. In addition to the already-imagined air and ground modules, it's suggested that the individual passenger capsules could also intermingle with trains, subways, and hyperloops, creating a seamless mobility solution.

TetraBin

Take a look around nearly any populated area, and it becomes clear that getting people to dispose of trash properly is harder than it sounds. The TetraBin aims to make throwing away your rubbish fun by turning it into a game. A series of sensors inside the bin measure the size and shape of your litter, then trigger the release of a block inside the Tetris-like game shown on the outside of the can via a LED screen. As a result, people are encouraged to throw their trash away, the streets stay cleaner, and the trash bin becomes a meeting place instead of a foul-smelling obstacle.

Dragonfly Cyborg

Drones grow more capable by the day, yet they still pale in comparison to the designs nature has already created. This Dragonfly Cyborg is a perfect example. By genetically modifying dragonfly neurons to make them more sensitive to light, scientists control the insect's flight using a minuscule backpack apparatus. Optical fibers transmit light signals to the dragonfly's nerve cord, letting the researchers not only control but better understand how they hover, dart, and turn with such remarkable precision. Don't worry, though — the creators have no plans on building an army of sentient cyborg insects, excited instead by the underlying technology's potential medical applications.

Micro Wind Turbine

Even in remote areas, you might need a charging port — if not for your phone, then maybe a camera, light, or radio. The Micro Wind Turbine can provide power in nearly any location using nothing but a breeze. It uses a vertical axis rotor to harvest energy, a telescoping design to making packing it more manageable, and an integrated battery pack to ensure it's making use of the available wind even if nothing's plugged in. Unlike solar panels, it even works at night. Sadly it's still just a proposal, albeit one with a working prototype.

Senik Fire Extinguisher Concept

Inspired to make a fire extinguisher that would work better for low-income settlements in India, designer Sailee Adhao created the Senik Fire Extinguisher Concept. It improves on traditional safety equipment in several important ways. For one, it's less expensive, using a combination of water and non-toxic gas to propel a fine mist into the heart of the fire. It can also be refilled and reused. Finally, it's far more intuitive than traditional options — simply break it free from its yellow support and it assumes its angled form and begins to spray. Adhao has built and tested a functional prototype, providing help that it might be available to those who need it sooner rather than later.

Uber Elevate

We've been promised flying cars for decades. Turns out they might be coming, just not with you behind the wheel. Uber Elevate is the rideshare company's initiative to move beyond the road and into the sky. Headed by new hire and longtime NASA engineer Mark Moore, the system will use vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft to carry passengers from place to place. Not meant to replace traditional airlines, the system is instead being designed for distances of 50-100 miles — just long enough to make a car ride unsavory, without necessitating a trip to the airport. While autonomous flight is the obvious goal, Moore says that human pilots will be relied upon when the service first comes online, hopefully within the next three years.

Alo Phone

Imagining a future where phone's don't even need screens, the Alo Phone is an intriguing concept. It was created by French designers Jerome Olivet and Philippe Starck and is crafted from an aluminum unibody coated in natural resin. The combination works to provide haptic and even temperature-based feedback, and also allows the skin to repair scratches and scrapes automatically. An advanced AI is built into the phone, getting rid of the need for a screen by responding to your commands, reading texts it detects with its camera, and letting you respond to emails and texts in your natural voice. Currently just a concept, Olivet is working with Thomson to create a working prototype.

JFK Airport Overhaul

Once a world class transportation hub, the JFK airport is now one of the more difficult airports to navigate and access. Despite serving a record 60 million passengers in 2016 and welcoming more international passengers than any other airport in the country, JFK's terminals and facilities are badly out-dated and low on capacity. Governor Andrew Cuomo recently announced a $100 billion infrastructure plan to transform JFK into a state-of-the-art facility prepared to meet the demands of the 21st century. The plan calls for a redesign of on-airport roadways to eliminate bottlenecks for commuters to and from JFK. They'll also be expanding terminals and redeveloping and relocating older terminals to create a better experience for travelers. In addition, fine dining, duty-free shopping, high-end retail, and conference and meeting room facilities will help return this important transportation hub to its former glory as one of the greatest airports in the U.S.

Ichelle Im 001 Drone

Tesla designer Andrew Kim, along with his artist wife Michele Park, have launched a place online to share products and product concepts. One of the first concepts unveiled is the Ichelle Im 001 Drone, a modular drone beautifully designed by the Los Angeles-based couple. It's meant to be easy to maintain and use, with a detachable panoramic camera that can be mounted to the drone body or handle. The smooth, comfortable look and feel of the 001 give it a more approachable and almost friendly vibe.

Movie User Interfaces

The Dark Knight. Kingsman. Skyfall. If you saw a decent action film in the last few years, odds are the interface was designed by the geniuses at Blind Ltd. From screens that serve as nothing more than background filler to shots that convey important plot information, they've become increasingly adept at making each interface unique to the world it inhabits, yet instantly familiar. For their latest project, they faced the challenge of making the screens, knobs, buttons, and blasters of Rogue One feel fresh, yet tie seamlessly in with the comparatively primitive creations of A New Hope released nearly 40 years earlier.

BMW HoloActive Touch

It's not coming to any production model soon, but BMW HoloActive Touch isn't that far fetched as an in-car interface of the future. Using a series of reflections, it displays a full-color readout right in the middle of the cabin. A camera tracks your hand movements and fingertips, letting you to navigate menus and make selections, and pulses are emitted when you make a selection to provide a bit of tactile feedback. And while this all sounds well and good, BMW's putting it to the ultimate IRL test by brining it to the sweaty, cord-filled confines of CES next January.

The Beast Hoverbike

With a Tron-like form and flying capabilities, The Beast Hoverbike is a concept we'd like to see become a reality. The single-person vehicle is powered by a radial fan, rather than a motor, drawing inspiration from vintage hair dryers and graphic cards. A set of wings on the bottom aid in steering, while two large thrust reverse brakes slow the bike down. Although things are merely in the conception stage, the design did earn second prize in the "A Roadtrip in 2116" contest, giving us hope for possible production within the next 100 years.

Project Utopia

Part vessel, part island, part sci-fi fever dream, Project Utopia is, as the name suggests, an envisioning of a perfect place to live. Set on four legs that support the upper decks with help from a central pillar, it measures roughly 100 meters across and 100 meters high, giving it outstanding ocean views. All that room is capable of housing hundreds of people, with amenities ranging from swimming pools, a theater, a casino, and a bar to a private docking station, convertible decks, and up to four heliports. Engines mounted on the legs give it the ability to move — albeit slowly — from place to place, meaning it can bring your friends, family, and even distant acquaintances along wherever you roam.

Photos: Yacht Island Design