Reebok and mc10 team up to build CheckLight, a head impact indicator to help diagnose concussions (hands-on)
Concussions have always been a concern for those who play contact sports. However, there’s been a renewed focus in recent years by the sports community — the NFL in particular — to learn more about concussions in the interests of promoting player safety. Pro leagues aren’t the only folks tackling the problem, though. Verizon, Intel and Ridell are all building systems to help identify concussed players. Reebok and mc10 have collaborated to create CheckLight, a head impact indicator meant to make it easy to see when an athlete has taken a dangerous blow to the head. The CheckLight itself is comprised of two parts: a sensor device built by mc10 and skull-cap made by Reebok.
The sensor itself is a strip of plastic filled with flexible sensors connected to a small microcontroller module with three indicator LEDs and a micro-USB port. One LED serves as a battery level indicator, one flashes yellow after moderate impacts and a third flashes red for severe blows. mc10 wasn’t willing to share the exact hardware inside, but we know that it’s got a rechargeable battery and has rotational acceleration, multi-directional acceleration, impact location and impact duration. Data from those sensors is then run through the company’s proprietary algorithm to determine when to fire the LEDs. We got to chat with Isaiah Kacyvenski — mc10′s Director of Licensing and Business development and ex-NFL player — about the CheckLight and the role it has to play in keeping athletes safe, so join us after the break for more.
Filed under: Wearables
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Leave a commentSmall Finnish Paint Company With Huge Visual Impact
Finding the perfect way to make a brand stand out implies a unique design solution that puts miles between the brand and its competitors. Waldo Trommler Paints (wtp) commissioned Reynolds and Reyner to prepare their small Finnish company for making a great entrance on the U.S. market. The entire branding process relies on drawing attention to finishing touches by using dazzling colors and simple objects silhouettes that hint towards the firm’s offering of simply stunning range of colors. The results are described as a combination of design elements that focus on the company’s main features – friendliness, quality and innovation: “No doubt, WTP is the most friendly and remarkable brand of paints on the shelf now. WTP has no corporate colors – it has the corporate identity, common for each design element – from business cards to packaging. Every item is bright and memorable combination of colors and objects that all together form whole the entire brand.” Spotted on Design Milk, the packaging and visual identity of “the brightest brand of paints” is evoked through a series of design elements that make WTP’s branded products put themselves in the shopping basket.
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Montreal Impact Earns a Crest
The Montreal Impact first played soccer in 1993 in the American Professional Soccer League. Despite finishing last in their inaugural season, they went on to win the championship the following one. They have been a staple of Canadian soccer ever since, most recently playing the in the North American Soccer League, and next year they will bump up to the big league as the latest expansion team of Major League Soccer. This, of course, warrants a new logo, designed by Montreal-based Pigeon*, who also designed the previous logo.
“Today, we are writing a new page in our history,” said Montreal Impact team president Joey Saputo. “This logo is more than just a logo, it’s a symbol of our engagement towards every soccer fan in Quebec. This new logo is primarily our supporters’ logo. I truly believe that Montreal can become the biggest soccer market in North America.”
— Press Release
Logo introduction video. Love how they build the other MLS logos.
“The new Impact identity conveys the club’s evolution towards another major level of soccer,” explained Olivier Chevillot, creative director for Pigeon* branding + design. “The new logo is more sophisticated, modeled around renowned international clubs. We are proud of our participation in the development of this major league symbol.”
— Press Release
Explanation of design elements. Bigger view here [PDF].
The previous logo was a clunker, especially that flaming-entering-into-Earth’s-orbit soccer ball. I know some readers are getting really upset about me bashing sports logos constantly but this is a solid example of what’s wrong with sports identities. Nonetheless we are focusing on the new logo which represents the Soccer Nouveau Crest style, a much more pleasant category of logos that aims to rejuvenate and modernize the classic (read “flat”) crests of the mythic European teams. This one succeeds quite well in that regard. There is good tension between all the elements: the cropped Fleur de lys, the stars hugging it, the subtle black and blue stripes, and even the black ribbon (or “scarf” as they are calling it) works well with the shield shape. The typography on the team’s name is simple yet also manages to meet its pointy-end quota. Not sure about Bank Gothic on the team’s motto, but I do think it’s one of the typefaces that takes best to a curve. Even the use of gradients is restrained. Overall, the logo is pretty solid.
Thanks to Michael Sinanan for the tip.
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Quantum effect transistor is the world’s smallest, hopes to make a big impact
[Thanks, Rohit]
Quantum effect transistor is the world’s smallest, hopes to make a big impact originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 May 2011 13:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Modern Aquarium Kitchen With a Strong Visual Impact by Darren Morgan
Kitchens are no longer static zones, where nothing interesting ever happens. Northern Ireland based designer Darren Morgan aka Kitchen Mogul created this Dynamic Kitchen to demonstrate just how “alive” a kitchen may become. Here is some information from the designer: “I wanted this kitchen to literally come alive within the architecture surrounding it while still performing beyond expectation on functional level. My aim is to encourage a relationship between user and kitchen right down to knowing the names of the fish and having the functionality tailored to the user’s lifestyle. The remotely operated doors and custom made aquarium breath life into this kitchen while the island introduces softer geometry and mood setting colour. This kitchen fits any social occasion or time of day. Achieving ergonomic efficiency and aesthetic satisfaction on every level is the reason for this design.” The design below features a three meter long aquarium, interactive light settings and low energy LEDs that can transform a common dining area into a night club, a restaurant, a coffee shop or a living room, whatever the user feels is appropriate. Could this kitchen design be more versatile?
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