Link About It: This Week’s Picks
Space gas samples, the dishwasher reimagined, architecture ethics and more in our look around the web
Japan Space Agency JAXA Confirms the Contents of Asteroid Mission “Treasure Box”
In 2018 and 2019, Japanese space agency JAXA’s space probe Hayabusa2 spent 16 months following the asteroid Ryugu—and touching down on its surface twice. Hayabusa2 landed in Australia this month and JAXA confirms that its “tamatebako” (or “treasure box”) contained not only dark debris and small rocks but also a gas sample—the first-ever gases captured from deep space. Read more about JAXA’s milestone findings at Engadget.
Image courtesy of JAXA
American Institute of Architects Prohibits Involvement in Spaces for Execution + Torture
Through an update to its Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) prohibits its members from participating in the design of spaces intended for execution, torture and prolonged solitary confinement (22 hours or more per day, for 15 days or longer). This is driven by the institution’s efforts “to meaningfully address structural racism in the built environment” and align with the “profession’s fundamental responsibility to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public and uphold human rights.” For context, the AIA is made up of more than 90,000 members and comprises a substantial majority of the architects in the US. Read more at AIA.
Image courtesy of AIA
2021 Will See the First Remote-Controlled Car Race on the Moon
Earlier in 2020, space education organization Moon Mark launched a “lunar race car design challenge” for high school students across the globe. They’ve followed this competition with news that they intend to host the first-ever remote-controlled car race on the moon’s surface in 2021. With the support of aerospace and motorsport experts (including Mclaren P1 designer, Frank Stephenson) two vehicles will get the green light to enter space—after eight weeks of Earth-based qualifying rounds. Intuitive Machines, potentially the first private aerospace company to land on the moon, will ferry the cars over. Read more at designboom.
Image courtesy of Moon Mark
Nendo Designs a Smartphone that Folds Down to the Size of a Credit Card
With the Slide-Phone concept, Japanese design studio Nendo proposes a smart device that can fold down “like an inch-worn” to the size of a credit card (or 54 by 86 millimeters). Users slide the device’s OLED screen upward to reveal more functionality below—ultimately revealing the complete, seven-inch touchscreen. From its camera to its gaming capabilities, no modern convenience is lost. Though, the design inspiration certainly turns away from the digital world: as Dezeen explains, “Nendo wanted the phone to feel like a book or notepad, with the action of retracting and extending the screen being like ‘flipping the page.'” Read more there.
Image courtesy of Nendo
China’s Ningbo Fotile Kitchen Ware Co Reimagines the Dishwasher
With their Fotile 3-in-1 Sink Dishwasher, Chinese appliance company Ningbo Fotile Kitchen Ware Co embeds the unit right into the countertop, directly beside a complementary sink. Its name references the fact that the equipment doesn’t just wash dishes—it also safely cleans produce and seafood. One variation of the dishwasher features touch-sensitive controls on the lid, which were designed to respond to dry or wet hands. Read more about the unit, and why the form factor matters, at Core77.
Image courtesy of Ningbo Fotile Kitchen Ware Co
Link About It is our filtered look at the web, shared daily in Link and on social media, and rounded up every Saturday morning. Hero image courtesy of JAXA
