Designit » Transportation http://blog.designit.com Designit thinks aloud Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:49:35 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Product finish – a matter of a willing heart http://blog.designit.com/2009/09/06/improve-your-product-finish/ http://blog.designit.com/2009/09/06/improve-your-product-finish/#comments Sun, 06 Sep 2009 11:05:01 +0000 Mikal Hallstrup http://designit.com/blog/?p=576 One of my colleagues circulated a series of 70′s Trabant commercials. Watching them with both amazement and ostalgia, I realised that I’d almost forgotten about this automotive impossibility which survived more than thirty years. Including most of its strange signature features. 15 years delivery time. Under-the-hood, fast refuelling. Its funny two-stroke sound. Its signature 50 meter smoke tail dragging behind it. And not to forget, the innovative body work in Duroplast composite (which unfortunately wasn’t really water resistant). But even more fascinating is how more than three million of these things were put together – finished off with both passion and frustration. Have a look, and rediscover that superior product finish is nothing but a matter of creative craftsmanship and a willing heart.

]]> http://blog.designit.com/2009/09/06/improve-your-product-finish/feed/ 0 Automation rules! http://blog.designit.com/2009/02/22/automation-rules/ http://blog.designit.com/2009/02/22/automation-rules/#comments Sun, 22 Feb 2009 15:48:41 +0000 Mikal Hallstrup http://designit.com/blog/2009/02/22/automation-rules/

Tired of getting out to refuel? Tired of getting hands and shoes ‘dieseled’ every time? Here is the solution. Automatic refuelling! It might be your most unrealised need.

The retailer will be happy as well. According to Fuelmatics, Easy-Fill® doubles customers per hour, increases their loyalty and rocket sales in shop! The latter is quite amazing as most auto-refuellers stay in their cars and never make it to the shop. Must be some new kind of remote shopping.

Anyway, I’m an automation geek and just I’m longing to do that drive-through fill up!

]]> http://blog.designit.com/2009/02/22/automation-rules/feed/ 0 The next big thing in urban commuting? http://blog.designit.com/2008/04/12/the-next-big-thing-in-individual-transportation/ http://blog.designit.com/2008/04/12/the-next-big-thing-in-individual-transportation/#comments Sat, 12 Apr 2008 09:12:29 +0000 Mikal Hallstrup http://designit.com/blog/2008/04/12/the-next-big-thing-in-individual-transportation/ BigDog2

If you’re fed up with your Hummer, Segway, monowheel, fixie, wakeboard or whatever your means of commuting you prefer – switch to BigDog. This beast beats ‘em all. It hit the news this week because of the attention it’s attracting on YouTube. Watch the video and you’ll see why.

The US military has invested millions in creating this robot with characteristics of people, dogs and horses. Although it’s designed to help troops transport heavy loads in tough terrain, the general public is expected to be able to buy it soon.  

Could this be the next trend in commuting? It’ll guarantee you an extraordinary ride to work. And it’s a breakthrough in parking, driving your kids around and getting your shopping bags home. Amazing work from Big Dog’s designers at Boston Dynamics. I think it’s got potential…even if it looks a bit odd!

Watch the video

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