Transmaterial » rubber

Terrewalks

Blaine Brownell — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 14:00:22 +0000

Terrewalks is an alternative to concrete sidewalks, made of recycled tire rubber and reused PET plastic. Terrewalks is pervious and unbreakable, and suitable for all climates. The interlocking paving tiles assist groundwater recharge and heat island reduction, and provide a safe and comfortable walking surface. According to manufacturer Rubbersidewalks, one square foot of Terrewalks diverts 36 lbs. of waste rubber and plastic from landfills, and each 20 SF installation saves one tree from removal. In addition, the low-energy manufacturing process results in a low carbon footprint.

Contact: Rubbersidewalks, Inc., Fountain Valley, CA, USA.
Find more information in Transmaterial 3.

Zcell

Blaine Brownell — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 15:00:31 +0000

Zcell is an engineered foaming cell-structure technology that provides customizable material solutions related to protection requirements. Developed by South Korea-based DXD Inc., Zcell technology offers a broad range of lightweight cushioning and protective benefits with improved structure, performance, function, flexibility and consistency in cross-linked foam components and products. Zcell allows for unlimited cell structure patterns, multiple molding processes, multiple materials and combinations, as well as unlimited configurations.

Contact: DXD Inc., Busan, South Korea.
Find more information in Transmaterial 3.

Flip

Blaine Brownell — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 14:00:01 +0000

The Flip light is a fun and tactile new luminaire that changes color when it rotates. With no cords to tie it down, this soft rubber sphere is made for the hands as well as the desk. An equilibrium sensor invented by NONdesigns enables every movement of the fixture to be reflected chromatically in its glow. Playing with a Flip light enables the user to find any color in the spectrum of visible light by simply rolling it, tossing it and spinning it, creating animations of light that respond to the interactions taking place.

Contact: NONdesigns, LLC, Los Angeles, CA.
Find more information in Transmaterial 3.

Bicicleta

Blaine Brownell — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:00:08 +0000

Barcelona-based Nanimarquina addresses the problem of waste directly in their carpets. Bicicleta gives a second life to discarded bicycle inner tubes from the city of Panipat, in northern India, where this rug is produced. Its ingenious hand-crafted design makes it possible to transfer rubber from the garbage of village streets to the living rooms, studios, and terraces of houses in various parts of the world. Created by designers Nani Marquina and Ariadna Miquel, Bicicleta requires between 130 and 140 bicycle inner tubes that, once collected, are washed, cut, and woven on a loom.

Contact: Nanimarquina, Barcelona, Spain.
Find more information in Transmaterial 3.

Cartesian Wax

Blaine Brownell — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:00:29 +0000

Cartesian Wax is a continuous tiling system that structurally varies across its surface area to accommodate a range of physical conditions of light transmission, heat flux, and structural support. The surface is thicker where it is structurally required to support itself, and modulates its transparency according to the light conditions of its hosting environment.

Architect and digital fabrication researcher Neri Oxman assembled twenty tiles as a continuum composed of multiple resin types—rigid and/or flexible. She designed each tile as a structural composite representing the local performance criteria as manifested in the mixtures of liquid resin.

Contact: Material Ecology, Boston, MA, USA.
Find more information in Transmaterial 3.

SkinBag

Blaine Brownell — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 13:00:35 +0000

SkinBag is a range of clothing and accessories fabricated from synthetic human skin. The skin is latex that is molded with creases and a texture reminiscent of human flesh. SkinBag comes in a variety of colors, the most common of which emulate known values of human skin.

According to the manufacturer, SkinBag is an extension of one’s body, a type of discarded skin that retains an identity, “a successful alchemy between the captivating and the repulsive, for a sensual fashion without complacency.” Each SkinBag is handcrafted and may be personalized with a tattoo or inscription.

Contact: SkinBag, Boisset les Prèvanches, France.
Find more information in Transmaterial 2.

Noodle Block Cube

Blaine Brownell — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 23:50:00 +0000

Lauren Moriarty’s Noodle Block Cubes represent intriguing experiments in digitally fabricated three-dimensional cellular structures that may be compressed and return to their original form. Moriarty designs the pieces in a digital environment, and they are then laser cut and hand finished. The cubes may be used as decorative seats, cushions, sculpture, or playthings.

Contact: Lauren Moriarty, London, UK.
Find more information in Transmaterial 2.

Tweel

Blaine Brownell — Tue, 29 May 2007 12:43:00 +0000

Michelin has developed an integrated tire and wheel combination missing one ingredient that is vital for traditional tire performance – air. The “Tweel” is comprised of a deceptively simple looking hub and spoke design that replaces the need for air pressure while delivering performance previously only available from pneumatic tires. The flexible spokes are fused with a flexible wheel that deforms to absorb shock and rebound with ease. Without the air needed by conventional tires, Tweel still delivers pneumatic-like performance in weight-carrying capacity, ride comfort, and the ability to “envelope” road hazards.

Michelin has also found that it can tune Tweel performances independently of each other, which is a significant change from conventional tires. As a result, vertical stiffness (which primarily affects ride comfort) and lateral stiffness (which affects handling and cornering) can both be optimized, pushing the performance envelope in these applications and enabling new performances not possible for current inflated tires. The Tweel prototype, demonstrated on the Audi A4, is within five percent of the rolling resistance and mass levels of current pneumatic tires. That translates to within one percent of the fuel economy of the OE (Original Equipment) fitment. Additionally, Michelin has increased the lateral stiffness by a factor of five, making the prototype unusually responsive in its handling.

Contact: Michelin, Stoke-on-Trent, UK.

Acousticel

Blaine Brownell — Thu, 08 Dec 2005 02:30:00 +0000

Acousticel is an acoustic insulation material made from 100% recycled rubber. The rubber comes from old car tires and is broken down into small strips to make this non-woven sheet material. The insulation is supplied in 10mm thick rolls for floors and 1 m2 panels for walls. [via rematerialize]

Contact: Sound Service, Oxford, UK.