Call Me Lazy!

SmartShade: by Quirky

The SmartShade lets anyone enjoy the benefits of motorized window shades without even stepping on ladder. Unlike traditional motorized shades, SmartShade converts your EXISTING manual shade into an app-enabled SmartShade. While existing solutions require replacement of the entire roller system or complicated retrofit, SmartShade installs with basic hand tools in minutes. 

This product is extremely updated as a large portion of the world has smart phones and is extremely technology savy. Of course many would be opposed to this technology because it is viewed as being lazy. Here is where many are wrong with that assumption, it is an excellent solution for multitasking. Many have small childrens at home and this is one less reason a parent would have to take their eyes off of their child. This is also a great technology for senior citizens that are disabled, not being able to get up to do something as little as changing the shades could make life a little bit easier. 

As one can see it isnt any bigger or smaller than a regular blind string.

Problems with conventional manual shades:

1. Snooze on. Manual shades don’t sync to open with your morning alarm.
2. Ouch! They require uncomfortable bending and reaching to operate.
3. Eco-Fail. It’s unrealistic to adjust manual shades throughout the day for optimal energy efficiency.
4. Bad Vibes. You can’t easily adjust in-room lighting, so it’s tough to set the mood the way you want it.

Can be installed within minutes!

Benefits of SmartShades by Quirky:

1. Wake Up Naturally. Set your SmartShade alarm to wake up naturally with the light of the sun.
2. Pain Free. Operate your SmartShades from across the room with just one finger.
3. Energy Efficient. Using eco-mode SmartShade will automatically adjust your shades throughout the day to reduce energy bills while helping the environment.
4. Set the Ambiance. Instantly change the ambiance of any room with the touch of a button.

http://www.quirky.com/ideations/328118

Let There Be Light!

Stardust – Via Lattea by Mario Bellini for Meritalia

Stardust is a set of sofas and pillows that illuminate from within the “textiles”. Being in the modern world that we are in today, having simple side lamp is not the way to go anymore. These new models are called Mappamondo (Globe), Bucco Bianco (White Hole) and Galassia (Galaxy). Each individual product is made with Italian kick, Via Lattea- raspberry flavored Milky way- a white fabric assembled around carbon-based black threads, which is claimed to be indestructible. 

What better way to entertain your guests than be able to role in your own home. These products have been inspired from movies like Austin Powers etc. 

They are also a great way to add some flavor into young bachelors and professionals home. 

http://gizmodo.com/5225188/stardust-light-furniture-opens-plenty-of-possibilities-for-tasteless-bachelors

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://retaildesignblog.net

Green Pod

 

 

GREEN POD

 

Green Pod is a state-of-the-art environmental technology company that combinessustainable materials and luxury, health and comfort. Their exclusive interior packages feature 100 percent organic, naturally antimicrobial, biodegradable materials derived from plant fibers. In addition, all of  their interior wood products contain no chemical dyes or finishes. They specize in sustainable textiles that are derived from certified organic cotton, hemp, plantation grown bamboo, bio-wool and other natural materials.

 



 

They understand the need for water and energy conservation. So they have a line of products

 in each Pod energy-efficient appliances, heating sources, lighting, low flow toilets, sinks, and showers. This is a really easy fix for home owners to not only save money on energy consumption and their water bill. But it helps the environment. These are simple, and relatively inexpensive ways to make your home more sustainable. Adding a low-flow toilet to your home can save up to 3 gallons of water per flush!

 

 

Green Pod also wants customers to switch to LED lights. LED lights can save up to 75% more energy than the regular incandescent bulbs! This helps the Earth and the electric bill your parents are always complaining about.Their website has a lot of simple ideas to transform your home to a happy Earth friendly environment! Work on lessening your carbon footprint!

 

The biodegradable home furnishings are a great way to think about the future of your furniture, rugs, and upholstry. It is also safer to use dyes that have less chemicals in your home. With a lower impact usage of water. Transforming your home to safer proudcts and more sustainable products is a bandwagon that is not going away. So it is important for homeowners to understand what is out there and use it to their advantage!

 

http://www.greenpoddevelopment.com/interiors.php

The Snoozerpedic MD DreamWeaver Body Pillow

The unique, patented Snoozerpedic MD® Dreamweaver conforms to the natural curves of your body in all sleep positions. The pillow is constructed using a high-tech “pillow core” technology. The outer layer of the pillow core is constructed out of Memory CoolTM temperature sensitive visco-elastic foam and the inner core of the pillow is filled with a premium quality synthetic down.

The unique shape of the pillow follows the natural motions and positions of your body and minimizes repositioning throughout the night.

 

It is designed to improve sleep quality by helping to:

• Promote proper spinal alignment
• Enhance muscular relaxation
• Promote healthier circulation
• Reduce head, neck, and back strain 

The outer layer of the pillow is constructed using 1 ½ in thick sheets of 2 Lb. density Memory CoolTM temperature sensitive visco-elastic foam to provide advanced contouring ability.

The inner core of the pillow is filled with a premium quality synthetic down that reduces heat buildup as well as the overall weight of the pillow

The entire pillow is lighter and softer than solid memory foam products to improve ease of use

The outer memory foam portion of the “pillow core” is covered with a zippered tan velour case for added durability

Pillow comes with a luxuriously soft 500 thread count 100% SATEEN cotton removable pillowcase for ease of cleaning

High-Tech Blanket.

This is the new wave of blankets. Studio NMinusOne says their blanket, IM Blanky, could be a very useful tool. It collects data about people's sleeping habits and communicate the data to a dedicated IP address that could provide an important glimpse into that third of most people's life spent under a blanket.  The IM Blanky may look uncomfortable but actually drapes like a regular blanket. It has 104 tilt sensors along with lots of other small sensors built into the pretty floral pattern. The blanket also monitors vital signs in the ill or elderly or it could just give feedback to troubled sleepers. IM Blanky could actually count the cuddles shared by couples or provide a hugging sensation for those who are lonely. This blanket really could tell you a lot about a persons sleep habit and give feedback on what is right or what their problem could be.

The above picture shows the senors on the blanket. It was developed in the RAD lab at the University of Toronto.


The link below is a video that shows the blankets capabilities and how it works. 
http://vimeo.com/41284785




*http://gajitz.com/space-age-snuggie-blankets-become-high-tech-babysitters/

A New Way To Nap!

Pillows play a huge roll in how we sleep. Adding technology would be the next sensible thing in this day and age where technology is king.

The first type of pillow is called d'light huggable pillow.



 Designed from Diana Lin Design, this pillow not only lights up but warms you up. It's powered by 4 AA batteries and will last for four hours. You can also connect it to electricity with the help of an AC adapter which can last for days in the winter!


 The second type of pillow is Glo Pillow.

Made by Ian Walton, this pillow is an alternative alarm clock. It uses light in place of sound to wake you up. This pillow uses an LED fabric below the surface to wake the user with light. 40 minutes before the alarm is supposed to go off, the pillow begins to glow so it wakes you up gently. 


Third type of technological pillows are LED pillows.

 Invented by Zuzka, these pillows use Luminez, which is a light emitting fabric. It blends optical fibers with other fibers and is connected to a light source, which can be activated by battery or directed current. This price range up to $500.

 The last type of pillow is the Digital Pillow.

Made by a Turkish Designer Erdem Selek, this pillow connects to a webcam and it transmits to your computer the images of your child. 

 These pillows will make sleeping and napping easy and more fun!


*http://www.hometone.com/entry/15-hi-tech-pillows-that-geeks-would-love-to-sleep-on/

When The Cool Side of the Pillow is No Longer Cool Enough

 Ever have that issue where the bed just gets too hot but it is too cold to not use the covers?

Sick of sleeping with that foot hanging out?

Does this scenario look familiar (not necessarily including the monster under the bed)?

  

Finally, there is a solution that does not include sleeping with the bed and/or blanket plugged in and attached to the wall.

Our friends at Sleep Number created the answer; the In balance Layer

These covers minimize temperature swings while you sleep and absorbs excess heat; additionally they products are hypoallergenic so almost everyone can use them!

Simply place the mattress pad under the sheets (which adds a bit more padding to increase comfort) and put the zipper enclosed covers on the pillows; now instead of tossing and turning do to lack of stable temperatures one can escape to an oasis of comfort.

 

The cooling itself is strong enough to make a difference but subtle enough to not be disruptive during sleep; the pads regulate the temperature of the bed rather than setting a specific one.

So how does this work?     

The fabric is made by Outlast, a company whose technology is increasingly found in a variety of products. The fabric uses phase change materials that absorb, store, and release heat in order to maintain a comfortable temperature using thermocules that are permanently enclosed and protected in a polymer shell. Simply, they absorb heat and disperse it away from the skin when the body becomes hot and does the opposite when the body becomes cold; creating a perfectly conducive temperature for rest.

 

No longer do we need to toss and turn until we find a level of coverage that is comfortable (and safe from the bed monster)! Sleep Number and Outlast has once again brought sleeping to a new level.

http://www.hightechdad.com/2012/06/06/powerless-cooling-technology-in-your-bed-check-out-sleep-numbers-in-balance-bedding-solutions/