The idea that fashion, industrial design and engineering would be blended to create stylish, efficient, and practical personal transportation is being explored by a collaboration of students at the Instituto Europeo di Design (IED) and BMW at a recently opened exhibition in Barcelona.
BMW has long sought opportunities to connect with the marketplace in innovative ways. In the 1998 the company set-up the BMW Group Technology Office in Palo Alto, specifically as a listening post for trends and breakthroughs coming out of Silicon Valley.
There are five designs that were created, each a unique response to the challenge of the task assigned. All designs are environmentally-friendly as they are electric and solar powered.
The first prototype, Svala (swallow in Swedish) is inspired by the wings of this bird. Conceived with the intention of promoting a change in city planning in 2025, the project consists of a single-use power pack that is activated by a magnetic jacket. Svala is parked on poles, vertically, and incorporates a system of solar panels that feed power LEDs on the vehicle, turning it into a city street light at night (check out the video).
The second project, B-Motion, has its origins in the world of animation and consists of two components: a full-body suit of conductive fabric, and a digital skate that's carried in a backpack. The full-body suit reacts to the user's feelings lighting up and changing color, and inflates air chambers as protection. The skate has an interface that, by foot pressure in different areas, directs the movement.
Comme des Voitures is a technology ensemble consisting of a helmet, spinal protection and Segway smart boots connected to four roller wheels. The helmet has the capability to protect, inform and communicate to the user. All commands are projected onto helmet visor, which incorporates a system that provides information and a panoramic view of the city.
City Skiing is part of an urban trend to make cities greener and healthier places to live. City Skiing is based on cross-country skiing, and its mission is to bring sports from the countryside to an urban setting. It's conceived as a smart suit, customizable, and a pair of boots worn over the user's own clothes. All pieces are using non-visible applied technology to create a lighting system that allows the driver's arms to indicate the brake light and signals to turn right and left.
Flymag consists of a vest with elastic extensions and a vehicle. The garment, which holds itself against the driver's back, connects to the wheel axle of the vehicle with elastic extensions. Flymag driving torque is achieved when the driver moves right or left. To expedite the movement and create a new transport concept, the vehicle has been reduced to a mere skeleton and slim size to fully adapt it to the human body. Flymag can double as a suitcase or backpack.
There you have it: five concepts of what the future of transport might look like. Whether elements from these concepts ever reach mass production is a enormous question, but what's for certain is that these young designers see the future as a positive place.
