Bondi is a smart little hanger with astonishing multi functions. According to your real needs, the Bondi can be used to hold a wide range of things, including your cellphones, keys, or even your books. With its flexible but practical design, Bondi can be used anywhere too, such as in your cars, on your bicycles, in your kitchen and so on. The possibilities are endless- as you think of a new possibility, the Bondi then manages to make it true.

Selling Price: $20

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Work smarter, not merely harder. FLEXiT is an ultra-flexible light that can be wrapped around tubes, bent into tight corners or magnetically fastened onto metal objects to serve as different types of lights: table light, camping light, work light, directional light and so on. Except for it adjustable shapes, the FLEXiT’s light functions can be changed too, offering low, medium and high light according to your various needs.

Selling Price: $29.99

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Audio Wrap is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a bag wrapped with flexible speaker on the surface, allowing the users to enjoy music in a more convenient and fashionable way. The flexible speaker adopted to make these bags is developed by the governmental Industrial Technology Research Institute of Taiwan, and it can produce the same volume as a small mobile speaker. So, when you wanna listen to music on the go, play your bag!

Designer: Jules Parmentier and Nancy N’Guyen

New developments have been found in the Electronic Skin field, because researchers from the Lawrence Berkeley Lab have created both flexible and stretchable electronic skin using semiconductor-enriched carbon nano tubes. The electronic skin is proved capable of detecting and responding to touch, and expected to provide lithography-free fabrication of low-cost flexible and stretchable electronics in the future in combination with inkjet printing of metal contacts.

Designer: Lawrence Berkeley Lab

Robots are no more solid and cold machines as we’ve ever known. From Harvard University, the new robot is an ambidextrous automation featuring flexible polymers. Its inspiration comes from starfish, worms and squid, and thus the robot is built with inflatable chambers within its legs and central spine to help it move.

These chambers can change their shapes, and they will bend the robot’s skin when filled with air, due to which the robot would then make certain actions. The current robot is 18cm long and is capable of lifting one leg off the ground when other three legs ate on the ground. It moves fast too, crawling through a 2 cm high gap within one minute. Apart from those, the robot can even help to accomplish some difficulty works usually finished by human hands.

The first high-efficiency OLED on plastic was claimed by researchers from the University of Toronto recently, which is deemed as an important development that may lead to more durable and “impact-resistant” displays. The flexible OLEDs were invented by adding 50-100 nm thin layer of tantalum oxide onto plastic, thus to achieve the same refractive index as that of heavy metal-doped glass. The new technology is believed to be producing OLEDs with a low cost, while promoting the efficiency and durability of OLEDs in the meanwhile.

Designer: Z.B. Wang, M.G.Helander

Metal seems cold while wood makes you warm? Well, then welcome you to a new age that prefers folding wood as iPad cases, cellphone cases, or laptop cases. The folding wood is made by a Dutch digital manufacturing company Snijlab, who uses laser cutting technique to make tiny cuts on wood sheets and thus makes them fully bent in all directions without breaking.

Designer: Snijlab

Selling Price: 25Euro

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Can solar cells become as flexible as paper or fabric? The answer from a MIT group is “yes”. Instead of producing solar cells, the researchers actually printed solar cells onto fabric or paper substrate, thus making the cells quite flexible. On the other hand, this technology reduces the production costs as well.

With the innovation of design concepts and the progress of technology, remote controller is now approaching its new period that features great changes in both appearance and functionality. The Leaf Grip Remote Controller by Murata is a creative one that requires the users to control their TVs with a bending and twisting motion. Furthermore, it is built with a photovoltaic cell, providing the device with a battery-less feature.

Designer: Murata

“Just Fold It” is a flexible and portable room divider that fits in different locations. Its unique design allows the room divider to be adjusted by adding some extra modules. The product is wind-resistant too, as there’re some perforations built on the surface.

Designer: Kutarq

Did back discomfort ever annoy you when you just sat before computers to visit the I New Idea? If so, we need to apologize and we really wish we would have found this Koala HUG Lumbar Support for you much earlier.

Developed to relieve lower back discomfort, the device features a sturdy yet lightweight and flexible skeletal design so that it can ensure the users complete freedom of movement when reducing their discomfort.

Selling Price: $99.95

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Researchers from Queen’s University in Kingston have invented a thinnest cellphone we’ve ever met. It looks no thinner than a credit card and features a good flexibility that allows the users to bend it in various ways. Moreover, as you bend it, you’re actually controlling the phone: making a corner to bookmark a page or flipping the corner to get a new page. Really amazing and possibly such “bend gestures” method will be an overwhelming trend of the future too.

In ancient China people used to write on silk when there was no paper created, while nowadays researchers from Taiwan still prefer to use silk as basic materials for e-reader displays. The process begins with “liquid silk”, which is turned into insulating membranes to make the TFT (thin-film transistor) screens. These new e-reader displays are not only flexible, bendy but also cheap compared to existing ones. As a result, we may conveniently roll up e-readers just as we roll up books or newspapers, sounds really amazing!

Via

As more and more designers take care of the living environment of the disabled, Kaylene Kau also shows concern and brings out this new Prosthetic Arm. It is announced to perform as well as men’s hands, bending flexibly to get the users their needed items. In other words the Prosthetic Arm is just as smart as an elephant’s trunk, so that would be quite an important help to the disabled people.

Designer: Kaylene Kau

We humans are really clever: we put our foot into the waste basket to compress the discarded paper, so as to make room for trash. But apparently the designers are much clever, as they’ve collaborated with a flexible waste bin that allows the users to make room for trash much more quickly and neatly. When the basket is almost full of paper, you simply need to get its mouth together and compress the trash, and you’ll find more room is made once you release its mouth to let the bin will then go back to its original shape. Fantastic!

Dubbed Push Up, the flexible waste bin is an iF Concept Design 2010 winner.

Designer: Sung-Hyeun Shin, Jeong-Hoon Cha & Chang-hyeun Lee

Different furniture has their own secrets of success: excellent quality, reasonable prices, exquisite shapes, or unique techniques. And as for this chair designed by Gilli Kuchik, it has drawn forth exclamation of praise at the Milan Design Week 2010, because of its amazingly perfect flexibility and durability as wooden furniture. Elastic material is also used to make the chair, and its main task is to join one board with another so as to transform the 2D spread into a 3D shape.

More pics after the jump.

Page Chaser is a flexible and folded bookmark that automatically shifts its position to mark the pages as they’re turned. Furthermore, you won’t lose your pages coz the new bookmark will stay attached to the book. Cheap, convenient and practical, Page Chaser obviously would attract everybody that loves reading and books.

Designer: Hyeon Joo Lee

More Information Here

Obviously the design shown here is a flat mat set, but it is also a table, a stool, and a chair. What, you don’t think so? Well, guys, after you lift the panels and fold them, you’ll find all those are possible.

Designed by a Japanese industrial design student Shin Yamashita, the furniture comes with an interesting name, ‘Land Peel’, which indicates that the mat can be peeled off from the ground and be used in other purposes. Stating that simple: adjust the panels along the fold to change them into chairs (or tables), and restore them to the original flat form when you don’t need them.

Plus, the flexibility of the mat set also ensures you a comfortable seating and lying.

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Nobody would refuse a trip around the world, but the premise is to have enough money and also a lightweight backpack. Otherwise, you’ll walk with a slow dragging motion…So why not replace the big torch with the FLEXI lightweight LED lights? As a collaborative work of Kyeore Kim, Jaesuk Han, Sungkuk Hong and Sena Joo, the flexible light is made out of a thin rectangular silicon pad, with a powerful but energy-efficient LED lights on the edge. It can be rolled up into different shapes, to serve as a directional light or a flashlight when needed. But in most conditions, the kids prefer to make it open like a sheet and use it as an ambient illumination.

Designer: Kyeore Kim, Jaesuk Han, Sungkuk Hong, Sena Joo

No doubt the development of technology has greatly changed our life, and we wouldn’t agree with that more after we’ve seen the continuous improvement of LED films. Dubbed LightForm, the world’s first flexible LED lighting film measure 254mm long and 12.7mm wide, with an average thickness of less than 1mm. Moreover, it could be easily cut into various shapes, according to your different needs—attaching them onto your car or even sew them onto your clothes. Available in red, amber, green and blue colors, the LED film is priced from $ 26.95 (no battery included) to $29.95 (a battery included).

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Frankly, the mug has nothing to do with Van Gogh but the concept is rather intriguing. The Dear Van Gogh is a silicon mug that features an ear-shaped flexible handle. Designed by Mike Mak, the handle feels realistic and could be twisted or pulled hard. That sounds like a perfect way to release your anger!

Designer: Mike Mak Design

Made from flexible materials, the gadget could be easily changed into different shapes and features a perfect heat resistance. It measures 18″ long when expanded, and comes with a touch of stainless on the end. So do you know what it is actually used for?

It’s a jar opener, which also doubles as a kitchen snake. And it’s a multifunctional gadget costing you merely $7.50.

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You need a lantern not merely because you want it to light up the dark room, but also because you would find some fun with it. An interesting, beautiful, but also practical product has been something that every designer hopes to attain, and certainly Charles Jones is amongst them. And he succeeded. The Kutch Lantern is a lighting device which could be turned on when you squeeze its body (which is squeezable of course) or spin the rotary dial at its base, and that’s totally different from other lanterns on the market. How do you like it? Let me know then.

Designer: Charles Jones

Designer: Art Lebedev

‘Adam and Eve’ is a new way for home furnishing. Then what is behind the special name ‘Adam and Eve’? You’ll be interested, right? Actually, Adam and Eve separately stands for two different parts of the furniture set, the former refers to the soft part for you to relax on and the latter is the hard part that allows you to place your stuffs.

Designer: Vanya Jain

How long haven’t you seen a radio? One year, two years, or even longer? God, it is so far from the days we were accompanied by radios. So it is time radio returns to our life. A high-tech radio. An ultra-thin radio powered by solar energy. Though the so-called ‘Flexio’ radio receives only one fixed FM channel, it would be a good gift for girls, who loves anything that is cute and mini.

Designer: Wu Kun-chia, Wang Shih-ju, Chen Ming-daw & Liou Chang-ho

The “Ghost Icon”, due to its special design and material selection, are warning us of the phenomenon of growing warmer and resource waste. In fact, it is encouraging us to use fluorescent bulbs as well as LED or OLED instead of incandescent light bulbs to reduce the carbon content in the air.

What if your chair breaths? It’s weird, huh? But have you imagined the great fun and comfort feeling it will bring to you? Believe me you wouldn’t like to leave the ‘Breathing Chair’ as long as you’re seated. Also known as Tofu Chair, the clever seating by Yu-Ying Wu is just a foam cube if none is sitting on it and once you sit down it turns into the shape of a chair.

Designer: Yu-Ying Wu

Believe me that you wouldn’t mind waiting for a few years to own a futuristic laptop like the Roll-Top, though it’s just a concept product at present. Due to the soft OLED technology, this laptop is a flexible display that unrolls into a multi-touch 17-inch laptop. As it could be rolled up conveniently, Roll-Top is more portable.

The rubber band bookmark is one of the products that you never want to miss. Simply wrap it around your book and you’ll no longer need to worry about forgetting your pages. Featuring an indicator arrow to show the right line you are reading, the bookmark also helps to improve your reading efficiency greatly. How convenient it could ever be!

It’s really a long time since we’re used to reading time via cell-phones rather than watches. Even if sports watches are still popular among young people, you’re sure to agree that it’s more of a hindrance in most conditions. So here is to present a new watch that is really true to its name “sports watch”. Thin and flexible, it could be fixed on your wrist steadily without affecting your sports. In the meantime, the watch could also serve as a timer to record your sports time, heart-rates, etc.

Designer: Max Germano

Not only can clothes increase their flexibility with zippers, bags could also make it. With zippers on, these bags can be totally unfolded into a flat. So it won’t take up too much space to keep them.

Unlike traditional product, this Interactive projector comes with a flexible screen, and so you can press it to reshape the image on the screen.

Video after the break

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This so-called solarcat is actually a solar battery. Oh, no, it is not the traditionally solar battery; instead, it is a solar powered rechargeable battery.

In order to charge the rechargeable battery, we usually have to buy an additional charger, but this one can charge itself without any extra device. Thanks to the flexible solar panels skin, this solarcat can be recharged just by bathing in the sunglight.

I guess you have seen flexible screen from Sony, Phillips or even LG Display. If you’re American, you gotta ask a question like “What about us(or US)? ” OK, here we come.

Arizona State University’s Flexible Display Center (FDC) and its military and industry partners are claiming the first flexible touchscreen integrated with an active-matrix display. Sure, it is flexible, but it is also a touch screen. Yes, you can write words with your fingers on a flexible display.

Video after the break

Taking a nap at noon will surly give us extra energy to improve working efficiency. But taking a cat nap at the desk is not so comfortable. Is there any way to have a better relaxing?

Try this one. This napping pod comes with a flexible form of wood along with padded resting structures assure the most relaxing power naps. As a matter of fact, every part of this “micro-bedroom” is following the ergonomics theory and so your napping will be more sweet.

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Because usually used for washing vegetables, kitchen sink should be cleaned frequently, especially for those without a disposal.

Unlike normal strainer, this product is made from flexible material and also comes with a handle. Pulling the handle will make the cleaning process more convenient.

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Conventional umbrellas come with a fixed surface. Although it is changeable, you cannot replace it easily. This eco-friendly design is more flexible. It is actually only a collapsible umbrella skeleton without any surface. So you can put anything such as newspapers, plastic bags or whatever you want to serve as the protecting surface.

Designer: Shiu Yuk Yuen

In sunny days, most people prefer to close the curtain to prevent strong sunshine. Sunshine is blocked but we lost energy at the same time. Is there any way to prevent this kind of energy from being lost?

This curtain is a good idea which comes with a lot of solar panels. Since all of the solar panels are soft, these curtains just like normal ones. But thanks to the sunshine, you will get up to 16,000 watt-hours of electricity by transforming household curtains into flexible, semi-transparent, solar collectors.

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For those fans of iPone and iPod Touch, using iPhone and iPod Touch anywhere is their dream. Therefore, a flexible stand is a preference.

Price: $40

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This is one of the winners of Red Dot 2008. Its ergonomic shaping allows the users to comfortably put one or two hands on it. And the flexible base also adapts any surface even for those curve ones. f

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Made from acrylic, this spiral lamp shade is flexible. You can even combine two shades with different color to a make a personal one.

Designer: soner ozenc

Because this watch is made from waterproof flexible silicone, it will be very comfortable to wear while exercising. The display manner is also different from traditional ones. You have to count the number of lighten LEDs to get the time.

In addition, there’s a box to recharge the watch.

Price: $189

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Different from normal baby walkers, this new design features an elastic part which could support your baby in both seated and upright positions. Therefore, your baby can have more practice.

Designer: Wilson Song

Because of the stick shape, traditional USB drive is easily to be broken while plugging in the computer.

This USBee comes with a flexible neck which is made from flexible silicone. So, you don’t have to worry about the damage.

Designer: Damjan Stankovic

Different from normal rigid bookcase, this one is made from flexible material. Your book could have a better stand position in this elastic bookcase.

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You still remember the Red Dot winner, Flexible hanger? Now, we have another alternative from Qed. This one use a different design to resolve the similar problem.

Just press the hook and then it will be easy to insert the hanger into a T-shirt.

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Sony has released a flexible OLED earlier this year. And now researchers from Industrial Technology Research Institute of Taiwan have developed a new LCD display measuring 10.4 inch. It could reproducing 57 percent of NTSC color gamut. It is said that this LCD is useful for large-size public displays.

This is a Red Dot award winner whose name is Eslimi T-shirt Hanger.

If you always have to put the hanger from underneath of the T-shirt, you gotta like this design. It is actually a combination of two parts, one part is for supporting and the other part is for hanging. With the unique flexible design, you could insert the hanger from the collar.

Designer: Mehdi Mojtabvi

This is a eco-friendly design, with a flexible, recycled bike chain handle, you could put it anywhere without using extra space.

Features:

• Approx 15cm long and 4cm wide at the head.
• Recycled from bicycle chain and gear cogs.
• Please note colours may vary

Price: $9.5

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