Removable EV Range Extender is Snap-On Power + Space

In these early days of electric vehicles, one of the major points holding people back from making the switch is the lack of available charging stations. What if you’re miles away from home with a low battery and no place to charge in sight? The Dock + Go concept from Rinspeed is a pretty clever attachment for the back end of your electric vehicle that would extend its range as well as adding some extra cargo space. The single-axle packs are simply attached to the back of an electric car to hold whatever you might need for work or play, along with a source of extra fuel. That could be extra batteries, a range extender or even a combustion engine.

Because the modular pack is easy to mount and dismount, different packs could be used for different jobs or different functions. Pizza delivery services could load up special heater-equipped packs for their drivers so the driver has only to attach the right EV pack and go. Specialized tool kits could also be packed into each little attachment so mechanics or maintenance workers would always have the right tools for the job. Rinspeed used a Smart ForTwo to demonstrate the EV pack, but the product could be made for any type of EV. No word yet on when they’ll be available to the public, but Rinspeed is introducing the concept at the 2012 Geneva International Motor Show.

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Modular housing concept boasts 64 possible combinations

Italian Designer Gabriel Aramu has conceptualized a modular housing system that seems to offer endless possibilities. Dubbed "Sliding Hub," these prefabricated cubes join together to create a temporary housing solution for multiple situations. In the event that emergency shelters are required, the modules can be packed and transported to any destination. On arrival, the modules are easily joined together, with the flexibility to house individuals, small groups or large numbers without limitation. Each module incorporates an insulation system suitable for all kinds of weather conditions. In addition, the temporary accommodation units provide a comfortable standard of living, important to natural disaster victims. Constructed with steel reinforcements, numerous modules can be assembled together to create various sizes and shapes, whilst sliding them open creates large internal spaces. According to Aramu, the system can be configured 64 different ways, wh...

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Stick ‘Em Up! Clever Concept Adds Number Pads to Laptops

On a lot of laptops, the numeric keypad is usually the first thing to be sacrificed in order to save space. For those of us who just can’t get used to using the numbers above the alpha keys, this concept is a stroke of genius. It’s called Number Pad Film for Touchpad – despite the cumbersome name, it’s a really clever object + program that makes it simple for even laptop users to enter long lines of numeric data. The Number Pad Film is a small piece of plastic film that fits on over a laptop’s touch pad. Accompanying software maps out locations of the virtual “keys” on the touchpad. Switch to the number input with the use of hotkeys and math away to your heart’s content. Another activation of the hotkeys sends the touchpad back to its original function. The virtual keypad lacks the tactile feedback of a physical numeric keypad, but people who do plenty of touch typing on numeric keypads might not mind. They’ll probably just be grateful to have the freedom to ...

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