Cool Futuristic/Concept Gadgets That Really Inspire

About 10 years ago, we didn’t really expect the 1.4mb 3.5 inch floppy to evolve into flash drives 10x smaller with storage capacity as big as 32gb. The interesting thing about technology is; it’s just going to get more and more high-end but the size, is just going to get smaller and slimmer.
These concept gadgets you see before you today, have extremely high chance of getting into production anywhere in the future. For example, Microsoft’s Surface Computing Technology certainly tells us they are for real. Here’s some really cool concept gadgets, just concepts for now but we really hope it’ll be implemented, that inspires. If we happened to missed something impressive, please let us know in comment. Full list after jump.

1. Virtual Goggles: Virtual Reality, Oculus Unveils New Goggles

Oculus VR today announced a new version of its developer goggles, dubbed “Crescent Bay”
This new, lighter-weight VR headset is lighter than its Oculus predecessors and feature built-in headphones. According to Oculus, Crescent Bay also boasts “360° head tracking” and “expanded positional tracking volume.”
See Also: Virtual Reality Poised for Mass Entertainment, but Can Hollywood Make It Happen?
In a keynote at the Oculus Connect conference in Hollywood, Oculus CEO Brendan Iribe said Crescent Bay is a step toward a consumer version of its VR goggles, but did not mention a date for that launch. “None of this is perfect, but it’s much better,” said Iribe, adding that Crescent Bay’s new feature set “allows for sustained presence” — that is, the feeling that you are actually experiencing a scene, not just watching it.
The Crescent Bay prototypes were available for demos at the conference.
Iribe reviewed the technical challenges of creating VR products that deliver “presence” to consumers. “If we had known how hard it was, we might not have started,” he admitted. But Iribe was upbeat in his assessment of VR, telling the assemblage of developers that the new platform would change the world.

2.  B-membrane Laptop/Desktop

Concept computer designed by Korean designer Won-Seok Lee. No bulky monitors, just a UFO shape system that displays screen like a projector. [via yankodesign]


Wow, I have seen parsecs worth of concept computer designs during my visit here on Earth, but nothing like this “B-membrane” design by Korean designer Won-Seok Lee. He has taken the need for a bulky monitors right out of the equation and opted for beaming your YouTubing onto any surface you can point the omni-directional projector at. Some highlights of this Kubrick inspired mother ship computer include a membrane keyboard that appears when needed, integrated optical drive and when not used as a computer, the projector can beam ambient light effects on any surface you desire.
Designer: Won-Seok Lee

At night it can be used for mood lighting.

3. Nokia's aeon "full surface screen" cellphone concept

 

 

Nokia's research and development team have kicked it up a gear with an attractive "aeon" concept phone showing up in the R&D section of the company's website. The most prominent design feature of aeon is a touchscreen that stretches over the full surface area of the phone, similar to BenQ-Siemens's Black box concept phone we saw recently. Currently mobile technology isn't quite up to realizing this fantasy, but we'll sleep better tonight knowing that at least one of the cellphone industry's biggest names shares the same dream as we do -- BenQ's dream didn't count, unfortunately.

4. High Tech Napkins

We saw several napkin idea concepts last year but this is the first to utilize e-ink and RF technology. The Napkin PC is designed for group collaborations. Each pen transmits your doodles to the base station which is a PC in disguise. That information gets processed and displayed on the napkin like e-ink paper. Cool idea but someone better make sure nobody decides to wipe their dirty lunch stains with one.
Designer: Avery Holleman

 

5. Cryptex Mobile: Feel the code

Opus Dei has been needing a mobile phone to call their very own since the demise of the Knights Templar. If only designer Marc Schömann was catholic and lived 600 years ago, this baton style mobile phone might have saved them from a Dan Brown style disaster. This phone called “_______” (yup, it has no name) uses haptic technology to provide physical feedback for making a call. To turn it on…twist a section, to dial a number…twist a bunch of sections, to make an international call…break your wrist! There is no display and no buttons. The vibrate feature should prove popular with 50% of the world’s population.
Designer: Marc Schömann


You turn the dial of every element to the desired cipher. If you entered the number you turn the first segment “to phone” (green LED). If you want to hang up the call you turn the first segment to “hang up” (red LED). The phone works without buttons and without a display and based on the old dial phones.