Francesco Sommacal: 360

Adrenaline nuts searching for the latest extreme sport have a new toy, the 360. A recent recipient of a the Red Dot luminary design award, the 360 simulates the mechanics of snowboarding, surfing or skating, using a pair of wheels connected by a flexible, highly adjustable crossbar. The innovative design places the rider's feet inside the hole at the center of each orbital wheel. The …

Reuben Margolin: Magic Wave

Kinetic sculpture remains one of the most enchanting fusions of technology and high art. A perfect example opened recently near Zurich at the Swiss Center of Technorama. Artist Reuben Margolin worked with museum staff to suspend 450 aluminum rods by 256 wires and connect 3,000 pulleys and sliding bars. The resulting specimen uses pure mechanics—not computer-controlled servomotors—to create almost limitless figurative shapes. The effect isn't …

GeniusRide Smart Car Rentals

by Laura Neilson Despite all the steam and excitement generated by the long-awaited arrival of the Smart Car on U.S. roads, rental companies for the little roadsters are surprisingly scarce. In fact, (other than our beloved Zipcar) GeniusRide is currently the only company with a fleet of Smart Cars available for daily, weekly and monthly rentals in the New York metro area. While other rental …