optimist prime
we are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the starsArchive for Japan
Tripping the light fantastic…
What a sweet lamp from Ken Ishigiro. Reminds me of the first sculpture brief I had at uni – to make something that was more inside than it was outside. I made a lead pod who’s light inside only tirned on when it was closed so it was tantalisingly useful, but never quite.
Doritos Japan – building a believable brand ;-?
This spicy pack design from Doritos in Japan (courtesy of my good friend John-Patrick) is so wrong, and yet so right… Not sure what it says about them as a snackfood, but the windmill-ee certainly looks pretty happy…
The sky is falling…
What a beautiful visual image this is, courtesy of Pink Tentacle:
“Japanese precision machinery manufacturer Castem has sent nine origami space shuttles to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) office in Houston, it was announced on October 7. If all goes as planned, the paper planes will conduct experimental flights from the space station to Earth early next year.
The 29-gram (1 oz) origami shuttles, which measure 38 centimeters (14 in) long and 22 centimeter (9 in) wide, are made from lightweight but durable sugar cane fiber paper that has been chemically treated to resist heat and water. Developed by JAXA and the University of Tokyo, the special paper has already been used to construct a miniature prototype shuttle, which was tested in a hypersonic wind tunnel in January. In that test, the prototype survived wind speeds of Mach 7 (8,600 kph/ 5,300 mph) and temperatures of around 200 degrees Celsius (nearly 400 degrees Fahrenheit).
If NASA approves, the Space Shuttle Discovery will carry the origami planes to the International Space Station (ISS) in February 2009. JAXA astronaut Dr. Koichi Wakata, who will be living aboard ISS when the origami planes arrive, will carry out the experiment from the Kibo Japanese Experiment Module. It is yet to be decided whether Wakata himself will throw the paper planes or whether he will use the space station’s robotic arm.
In either case, JAXA estimates it will take two days for the origami shuttles to complete the 400-kilometer (250 mi) journey from ISS to the planet surface.
A message printed beneath the wings identifies the plane, explains that it has completed a return journey from the space station, and requests the finder to contact JAXA. The message is printed in 10 different languages, including Japanese, English, Chinese, Hindi, and Arabic.
Japan Origami Airplane Association chairman Takuo Toda, a strong proponent of the experiment, says he hopes the test flights will help engineers develop new types of lightweight spacecraft in the future.”
[Photos: Oriplane]
Incredible styrofoam housing
Pink Tentacle covers the use of styrofoam domes in prefab housing, by Japan Dome House Co. Ltd. I want one! This beats our yurt idea hands down…
Watch one being built here.
Fantasy headgear V1 – Nagi Noda
brilliant hairpieces by the Japanese artist/filmaker/poodle-dancer Nagi Noda.
I just found out today that she has recently launched a clothing label with fellow art-star Mark Ryden. Sweet…
Yellow Mouse Orchestra
Courtesy of Pink Tentacle (again), Kaseo’s modified Pikachu toys playing a version of the original Yellow Magic Orchestra track, Rydeen.
And a punk version:
Robot Sea Bream
Courtesy of one of my favourite blogs, Pink Tentacle.
Engineers at the University of Kitakyushu have developed an underwater survey robot that looks good enough to eat.
The Wonderful World of Nagi Noda
The portfolio site from one of the kookiest, and most intriguing Directors/Art Directors around – Nagi Noda – fresh from Japan.
http://www.uchu-country.com/
