Design Focus: Music Vortex

The Music Vortex’s mission is to visualize music using the natural movement of water as it’s influenced by sound waves. Its bottom section function like a normal speaker, but check out that little bowl of water on top that vibrates and ripples with the music, all lit up with a spacey blue glow. You adjust the volume on the speaker with a little knob in the middle. What, no remote?

Designed by Eric Zhang, this concept was the bronze prize winner at a Chinese design competition held by speaker manufacturer 3Nod. Maybe the company will take this idea and expand it into a larger scale, perhaps turning it into a swimming pool with a giant subwoofer at the bottom. That might be a good way to experience your music firsthand, and at the same time get sweet revenge on those neighbors with the constantly barking dog.

filming luigi

Drew and I filmed Luigi, the inventor of jazz dance technique, for Steve Hand today. We filmed at his studio on 68th street and then at his home in the city. Thanks to Luigi and Francis for letting us tag along. Pictures coming soon.

Event Design 2007

The Second Annual Event Design Conference in New York was really great this year. If you’re thinking about going next year, we highly recommend it. Great weather, great location and an incredible lineup of speakers and sessions.

People at Event Design/Friends of Radar: Dan Hanover (Event Design Magazine); Ryan Fellabaum (XL Video); Jesse Seppi and Vivian Rosenthal (Tronic); James Frederick (Landor Associates); Sam Caban (Show Designers); Hillman Curtis (hillmancurtis); Jayme LaForest & Michelle (GO West); Irma Hardjakusumah & Tony Timms (Ethos Design); Margaret Aro; Davin Reich; Diane Murphy (Robert Boyett Theatricals); Steve Hand; Julie Johnston (Filmcore); some of the 53rd Street Girls.

Where You Could Find Us: kittichai, Thombar and rooftop bar (60 Thompson); Washington Square; SoHo; Midtown; The New School; Lucy’s in the East Village; Wined Up; momofuku (the smaller one); Burger Joint (of course); Joe Jr’s (6th & 12th); Pen-Top Bar and JFK Terminal 9 (Dear Tronic: check the monitors in the walkway, they’re glitching again!).

Click here for highlights.

Clean Taxis in NYC?

Reportedly, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has ordered that every last one of NY’s taxis operate on hybrid engines by 2012 as a part of an obvious plan to reduce emissions in the state. Once the transition is complete, Bloomberg noted that it would be the “largest, cleanest fleet of taxis anywhere on the planet,” but considering that only 375 of the approximate 13,000 licensed taxis are currently in compliance, we’d say they’ve got a long ways to go. Currently, NYC has approved nine gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles for use as taxis, and while it has yet to be set in stone, officials are purportedly looking into extending the hybrid initiative to encompass garbage trucks and buses.

Google DNA Venture

Here’s an odd story. Google just took a $3.9 million stake in a biotech company called 23andMe Inc. The company was co-founded by Anne Wojcicki, who married Google co-founder Sergey Brin earlier this month. Brin had personally loaned the company $2.6 million prior to the round. This debt was repaid after the Google investment.

The company is going to help people take DNA tests to get more information on their genetic health.

Zoomr Mark III

Zooomr has launched its latest version, Zooomr Mark III today with over 250 additional features, enhancements and upgrades.

The photo sharing company headed by the just turned 19 Kristopher Tate provides a range of appealing features including unlimited storage.