Shengge, also known as “The Tireman” on his YouTube channel, actually modeled this fearsome creature after a fandom addition to the Alien universe, the “Alien King.” In 2016, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the thriller movie franchise, designer toy studio Sideshow Collectibles created an Alien King maquette – an artist’s preliminary rendering – of the rare form of Xenomorph, meant to complement the famous Queen character from the movies.

Even though it has not yet been added to the official Alien history, Shengge used that grizzly maquette as the basis of his savage, rubbery monster. The original figure was just 20 inches tall, but this new iteration towers six feet above the ground.

In a video of the process, Shengge shares how he first started with his own mini polymer clay replica before moving on to the giant, real-life version. Next, the Tireman shaped a Xenomorph skeleton out of wire before wrapping that huge form with bike inner tube pieces for stability and a layer of “muscle.” Then, with 200 used tires, he got to work on the painstaking art of applying the “skin.”

“Unlike ordinary aliens, Alien King has more tentacles. He has a lot of gully and scales on his body. It is necessary to cut the tires into very thin strips to simulate the texture of his skin, which is very difficult to make. But I feel quite satisfied with the presentation of the finished product,” the artist said in a statement on his YouTube channel.

The Xenomorph is one of the most iconic and villainous extraterrestrial species of all time, and Shengge has done an exquisite job in recreating it. The final artistry is stunning in its incredible detail. Thanks to its piercing claws and teeth and a real sense of movement, one could almost believe this Alien King could attack at any moment. And to top it off, Shengge says the sculpture took him only 20 days to complete.

The Tireman states that his goal “is to bring new life to those disused tires.” It is unclear where he gets his supply of discarded tires from, but the fact that all his magnificent creations are made from recyclable materials gives them an extra “wow” factor.

Shengge has produced more than a dozen full-size characters out of tires since 2020 and has gathered a following of 100,000 viewers. His “War Elephant” from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIV video game is spectacular with its red and gold paint, while his Kong versus Godzilla sculptures are nothing short of epic in their texture and kinematics. His model of Eren Yeager from the Attack on Titan manga series is his most popular conception yet, racking up over 12 million views so far. An oversized statue of a Lycanthrope from the Chinese anime Incarnation is also well-liked, with the Youtube video receiving over a million views in six months.

The post Recycling Sculptor Makes Life-Size “Alien King” Out of Used Tires first appeared on Dornob.

First thing’s first: check out that silhouette. The UJET’s faceted alloy and carbon fiber bodywork give it a futuristic edge, and its cool spokeless orbital wheels are equipped with single-wall carbon nanotube tires. The scooter weighs just 95 pounds and folds up so it’s easy to take on public transit or throw into your trunk, taking up very little space when stored.

“Our wheel design has been drawing significant attention,” says Hugues Desires, CEO of UJET International. “The spokeless orbital wheel includes a suspension system and larger-diameter lightweight brakes, which offer a smooth ride, and the in-wheel electric motor combines optimized size with [the] powerful performance of 5.44 horsepower and 90 N.m (Newton meter) torque, ensuring great acceleration in any conditions. The first nano-augmented wheel to ever hit the market, UJET’s approach to tire design will make navigating a city landscape easier and safer than ever before.”

But looks are just the beginning. One of the most interesting aspects of the UJET scooter is its connectivity, which gives riders an unprecedented level of control over its operation and maintenance. A smartphone app allows users to lock, unlock, and locate the scooter, as well as activate an alarm and disable it remotely if it’s stolen. If the scooter is moved without permission, you’ll get a notification and step-by-step directions on how to find it.

An array of 20 digital sensors monitors the scooter’s diagnostics, including battery level, mileage, and the amount of carbon emissions saved versus driving a car the same distance. The UJET’s voice-controlled app also enables the rider to stream music, place calls, navigate, and even record video using a front-facing HD camera.

The scooter features two swappable battery packs in different sizes, with an estimated range between 43 and 93 miles per charge, respectively. Both batteries are about the size of a rolling suitcase, so you can easily tote one or both along whenever you need extra juice. All that’s required to charge the UJET is a standard power outlet; the charging cable stores conveniently inside the seat.

The scooter’s official website reads: “Technology lies at the heart of our vision to pioneer the future of urban mobility. Smart connectivity, precise engineering, leading electronics, and advanced composite materials come together to make our dream of futuristic mobility a reality. Technology can be beautiful. Form and function meet to create an amazing machine. We believe that beauty lies in union of practicality and design. We believe in freedom of movement and expression. We innovate to enable city lovers to move anywhere and anytime, always in style.”

“The UJET is our answer to the need for a high-tech and stylish urban mobility solution. With today’s and tomorrow’s issues in mind, we created a futuristic solution that works seamlessly within the existing infrastructure and fits any lifestyle.”

The UJET is expected to hit the US market by the end of 2018, with a price tag starting at $8,900.

The post UJET: Silent Electric Scooter Boasts a Removable Bluetooth Speaker first appeared on Dornob.

Carrying the load at the top of the tire rather than the bottom is a key part of developing an airless tire that actually works in the real world, as it allows it to maintain a smooth ride and prevent issues caused by compression. Removing the sidewalls also gives the tires a unique look, and you can see just how well the tire reacts to obstacles in the road as a result of it, flexing slightly to protect the wheel. Michelin says the Uptis tires will just last as long as regular tires, too, because they eliminate the kind of irregular wear and tear caused by under and over-inflation.

Michelin is co-developing the tire along with Detroit-based auto manufacturer GM, which expects to start testing the prototype tires in Michigan later this year — fittingly enough, on a fleet of its Chevrolet Bolt electric hatchbacks. If all goes well, they’re hoping to have Uptis-style tires on passenger vehicles as soon as 2024.

Once it makes its debut on the consumer market, different versions of the tire will likely be available for different vehicles and driving characteristics, according to Cyrille Roget, Technical and Scientific Communication Director for the Michelin Group. GM’s testing will simply help the Uptis developers finalize details like the right number of spokes and type of rubber for the outside of the tire.

The Uptis is the latest evolution of Michelin’s VISION concept, which was first presented at the Movin’ On Summit in 2017 as an illustration of the company’s strategy for research and development in sustainable mobility. The concept introduced four main pillars of innovation: airless, connected, 3D-printed, and 100-percent sustainable (meaning it’s made from entirely renewable or bio-sourced materials). The Uptis will specifically reflect achievement of the first pillar, and Michelin hopes to keep refining the design over the next few years.

In addition to keeping passenger vehicles safer on the road through a reduction of blowouts, Michelin says the Uptis could help operators of passenger vehicle fleets “minimize downtime and improve efficiency resulting from flat tires and near-zero levels of maintenance” while also introducing environmental savings “through reduced use of raw materials for replacement tire or spare tire production.”

“The Uptis Prototype demonstrates Michelin’s capacity for innovation — in both the mastery of these high-tech materials, and also the development approach in close collaboration with GM, which validates our VISION concept as a roadmap for innovation,” says Eric Vinesse, the company’s Executive Vice President of Research and Development who also unveiled Uptis at the Movin’On Summit. He adds: “Uptis represents progress toward Michelin’s vision for tomorrow’s mobility, and also embodies our commitment to better sustainable mobility for all.”

The post Michelin’s New Airless Tire Design Will Never Go Flat first appeared on Dornob.

“One day, I entered a large sporting goods store, where a large number of wheels were displayed in the bicycle department,” recounts Antinori. “As a daily cyclist, I was fascinated by that vision, so I decided, almost instinctively, to take three (wheels) of different sizes.” This was an example of an impulse buy with a creative purpose that was not fully formed. At first, Antinori had no idea how he was going to repurpose the wheels, but felt like there still must be some way he could use them. Then something happened that had nothing to do with cycling that gave his creative instincts a clear direction.

“A few years ago, the first high-capacity LED strips began to appear on the market, so the idea of associating a known object — a wheel — with a new emerging one — the LED — led me to the first experiment,” he adds.

When you bike to work everyday like he does to his studio, you form a personal connection to it — or at least more so than you would to driving or taking public transit. This closeness is undoubtedly another part of the inspiration that helped Antinori realize his vision.

“I have always loved (Marcel) Duchamp’s art, so perhaps it was my subconscious that guided me there,” he reveals. “The fact remains that all the people who came into the house and saw this strange object — an illuminating wheel — hung from the ceiling, were struck by it.”

The positive feedback that he received from friends, family, and associates soon got him thinking more in commercial terms. He recounts: “I understood the potential of the idea, and so I started to think of it as not only an extravagant object — a unique but approximate piece in the realization — but instead as an object that had all the characteristics of a product to be reproduced in series, of high quality, which could be part of the large family of lamps.”

To go from having an inkling of undefined inspiration to thoughts of productization is the path that many successful entrepreneurs take. It is proof that a simple idea born on a day that you were not expecting can quickly put you in front of customers all over the world, like at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) in New York, where I had the pleasure of meeting with Antinori in May of 2019.

It took Antinori two years to develop the technical aspects of the lamps. In case you were wondering, the wheels themselves are stationary and cannot spin. He also came up with the marketing campaign for the lamps, which in turn got him thinking about his idea in broader terms. “I created an image and a communication strategy, (which included) conceptual films, the website, and graphic design,” he explains, “until I found myself creating a brand that could contain these curious objects, named CYCLAMPA.”

A trademark brand of his company Kaleideas, CYCLAMPA resonates with customers because of its relationship to the environment. It would be wrong to create a product that blends energy-saving LED technology with a zero emissions bicycle, only to wrap and ship it in an excess of plastic. For this reason, Antinori only uses plastic for a few components, but the majority of the packaging for the lamps is recycled cardboard. “The bicycle (and the light) become a cultural object,” he explains. “Watching it stimulates us to return to environmental issues, where sustainability can marry beauty.”

Along with their environmental significance, these lamps also carry an emotional meaning for Antinori. He says: “These lamps represent for me the desire to look beyond (the usual), and to discover everyday objects, like a banal wheel, that can still suggest something new.”

The post CYCLAMPA: The Upcycled Bike Wheel Lamps Born from a Trip to the Local Sporting Goods Store first appeared on Dornob.

Each tire is uniquely hand-painted with a different design and has holes cut into its sides for handles. The dog’s name then gets painted on the outside of the bed for a lovable personalized touch. Of course, the beds are not just for dogs, as some of the local cats have also been using them to take naps in. Silva has also been experimenting with other ways to utilize these tires, thus far crafting a series of quirky flower beds, succulent planters, and even a tire Christmas tree! Even more recently, he created four recycling bins out of them and a set of bright cushioned futons for human use.

After acquiring the tires, Silva washes, cuts, and paints them, using spray paint and stencils to create the quirky patterns and pet names that adorn the outsides. He then uses a sewing machine to stitch together the fabrics he uses for the bedding and pillows, ensuring his furry patrons quality comfort. Unfortunately, many of the strays that Silva and his friends find are not in great health and require immediate medical attention, but the team does their best to bathe the animals and nurse them back their energetic, adorable selves.

Silva’s designs have stormed the internet in recent months, his Instagram feed filling with motivational messages and praises from the 20,000-plus people who admire his heart and imagination. He’s also taken a public stance on his desire to eradicate unnecessary violence in Brazil, captioning one of his posts: “The Brazil that I want is a Brazil with less violence and more work. I’m not making an apology for crime, quite the contrary. Do as I do. Instead of a weapon, put a tool in your hand and go fix your life. Who knows, it might even change the reality of our Brazil.”

The craftsman says that he always enjoyed DIY projects and was looking for a way to reduce waste in the streets of Brazil while simultaneously funding his own lifestyle. To this day, Silva continues to run his upcycling business from his own backyard, bringing joy to the streets of Campina Grande as much as he can. Silva hopes that his upcycled dog beds will have a fruitful future in inspiring other positive impact products that contribute to a more sustainable way of living.

What an inspiring and incredible journey!

The post Brazilian Craftsman Upcycles Old Tires into Dog Beds for Local Strays first appeared on Dornob.

The design was “inspired by the principles of the circular economy, with emphasis on reducing material waste, emissions, and energy loss.” This is evident in four ways. The first is the tire’s inclusion of living moss within its sidewall, a feature that’s meant to filter carbon dioxide (a compound that cars normally emit) out of the air. The tire has also been given an open frame and a smart tread design in order to pull water from the road for photosynthesis. In theory, these tires would turn your car into a photosynthic organism that could rid the air of one of its greatest pollutants and and feed a healthy supply of oxygen back into it.

Another way that this invention embodies the idea of a circular economy is through the recycling of its materials. More specifically, Oxygene tires are made with a non-pneumatic (airless) structure that is 3D-printed from the rubber powder of previously used tires. The construction is not only eco-friendly, but it’s also amiable to your wallet and safety concerns. After all, an open airless structure does allow for better grip on wet roads and lower your chances of service or puncture issues.

Additionally, Goodyear boasts that the design will be able to power itself. The energy that is created during the process of photosynthesis could fuel the tire’s onboard sensors, A.I. processing unit, and colorful lighting strips, all of which it would use to communicate with both pedestrians and other drivers. And the final feature promised in this tire? Communicaton at the speed of light. The Oxygene uses Lifi, a light-based communication system, to connect and exchange data with other cars and infrastructure.

Goodyear has been around for quite awhile now, with its foundation dating all the way back to 1898. Still, this long history has done anything but make the company arrogant or lazy, as it is always working to better itself and the impact it leaves behind. Since 2010, it has reduced its releases to the enviroment by 82 percent, and its work is far from finished. The end goal is actually quite hefty: to release zero waste to landfills.

From Goodyear’s website, it’s clear that the organization understands its corporate responsibility, and that it wants to not only improve its own performance, but the world we live in. Though this project is just a concept for now, the company looks forward to “[bringing] the future of mobility to life as a visionary solution for cleaner, more convenient, safer, and more sustainable urban mobility.”

The post Goodyear Releases Living Tire Concept to Clean Air first appeared on Dornob.

Getting a flat bicycle tire is a major bummer even when you’re well prepared. In the already troublesome process of taking things apart and digging into the tire to get the tube out, you end up smearing bike grease all over yourself. Keep in mind that this scenario only applies to those that happen to have repair kits on hand. Those who don’t will have to walk their bikes to wherever they’re going. The reality is that tire punctures are pretty much inevitable. Imagine if you could enjoy a smooth, comfortable ride with no air in your tires at all. Thanks to Tokyo tire manufacturer Bridgestone, that ideal might soon become a reality.

Bridgestone’s “Air Free Concept” builds on a car tire design they announced in 2011, which would eliminate the need for tires to be inflated with air. The tires have an open-walled design and contain several “spokes” that can support the weight of a bicycle and its rider. The spokes are made from synthetic thermoplastic resin: a strong yet highly flexible material that effectively absorbs shock. Plus, the resin is environmentally-friendly, as it is easily manipulated into complex shapes when heated to a high enough temperature. When these tires wear down, they can simply be heated and remolded into brand new ones.

The company seems to have made their tires as sustainable as possible, adding, “by pursuing extremely low rolling resistance and contributing to reductions in CO2 emissions through use of proprietary technologies, Bridgestone believes it is possible to achieve even higher levels of environmental friendliness and safety. Bridgestone is pursuing this technological development with the aim of achieving a ‘cradle to cradle’ process that proactively maximizes the cyclical use of resources from worn tires into new tires and the use of recyclable resources.”

With Bridgestone bike tires, you’ll never have to worry about a puncture again. Sounds great, right? After (hopefully) rolling those out in 2019, the company has plans to perfect a similar technology for smaller vehicles, like golf carts, before making full-sized car tires commercially available.

As stimulating as their psychedelic designs may be, Bridgestone isn’t the first company to introduce the concept of an air-free tire. In fact, non-pneumatic tires, usually made of closed-cell polyurethane foam, have been seen on lawnmowers and construction equipment like backhoes for years now. Similarly, Michelin began developing a tire and wheel hybrid, called the “Tweel” back in 2005.

Airless tires have the potential to improve fuel efficiency and vehicular safety drastically. Unfortunately, getting the tires to handle and maneuver safely at high speeds and in extreme weather will be the main obstacle in making this revolutionary piece of equipment an auto industry staple. The larger the vehicle, the rougher the ride will be and the more setbacks you’re likely to encounter. If we have to wait a couple more years for airless car tires to hit the market, we can at least find temporary solace in the fact that Bridgestone’s design already seems to be perfect for the cycling world.

The post No More Flats: Air-Free Bicycle Tire to Launch in 2019 first appeared on Dornob.