Creator Kayla Kromer takes her love of hamburgers to the next level with this custom-made Hamburger Bed. Had it not been for the little tomato swatch, I’d swear this functional piece of furniture was a spot-on ode to the Big Mac!

The designer purchased a round mattress from the 1970s to create this mouthwatering masterpiece. The bed stands about 3 feet tall, is 8′ in diameter, and would cost approximately $2,000 to recreate.

The bed itself is not for sale, but instructions on how you can make your own burger oasis can be found at hamburgerbed.com.

Now all that’s needed is a side table shaped like a milkshake and you’d have the makings of a perfect combo.

Via Toxel

French entrepreneur Romain Jarry has come up with a new way to wash and fluff Fido. Just load him into the Dog-o-Matic and let the groovy grooming begin.

This doggy washing machine was originally introduced in St. Max, France and was such a success that the inventor hopes to bring this pint-sized pet wash to Britain in 2010.

How it works:

The washing itself is quick, but the drying time takes a bit longer.

You can even clean cats, though I have a feeling that won’t go over so well with the feline persuasion.

The inventor insists the animals do not suffer any discomfort while in the Dog-o-Matic. I certainly hope so, but judging from the pawsitively terrified look of that doggie in the window, I may have to keep washing my pooch the traditional way…at least for now.

Via Craziest Gadgets, Daily Mail

Given the hot temperature the last few days and the upcoming summer heat, I thought I’d cool down the Gadgetgrid readers with last years winner of the Electrolux Design Lab competition.

The “Flatshare Fridge”, created by Stefan Buchberger for last years competition is an enviromental optimal gadget that will help you compartmentalize your food and energy consumption.

The fridge consists of a base station and up to four stackable modules. The modules allow each individual user to have his or her own refrigerator space and can be customized with various colorful skins as well as with add-ons like a bottle opener or a whiteboard. This would also make a great fridge for university room mates (i.e. you can separate your food into compartments for each roomie).

Specifications

• Created by Stefan Buchberger from the University of Applied Arts in Vienna
• Consists of a base station and (max 4) stackable modules / compartments
• Each compartment can be programmed for specific temperatures for energy savings
• Comes with side handles making it easy to transport.
• Winner of the 2008 Electrolux Design Lab competition

Electrolux Flatshare Fridge

Looking for a way to save on the energy and water bills? A typical washing machine uses about 35 kilograms of water for every kilogram of clothes. Xeros Ltd has provided an innovative technical solution that is an alternative to the traditional aqueous and solvent based cleaning technologies.

The Xeros washing machine uses less than 2 per cent of the water and energy by using thousands of reusable plastic chips to remove and absorb dirt. The solution offers potential reductions in water usage, energy consumption,chemical use, drying time, processing times and cost.

Specifications

• Invented by Professor Stephen Burkinshaw
• About 20kg of the chips are added, along with a cup of water and detergent
• The chips can be used up to 100 times
• Originally projected to be available in late 2009
• Environmental benefits
• Reduction in home energy consumption

The Xeros Alternative Washing system

The temperatures are already starting to creep up and its not even June.

This summer, use the Viteo Garden Shower to cool off. Activated by your body weight this shower, just step onto the white, round play (made up from no-slip plastic) and be prepared to be revitelized by the water shooting up from the floor. The device can be hooked up directly to your house via the standard ½-inch hose connector.

The water sprays from 16 jets, which an reach heights of 13ft (depends on your water pressure). Given the easy portability and storage, this device is ideal for cottages and vacation homes.

Specifications

• Designed by Danny Venlet
• Winner of the red dot design award 2007
• Activated by your body’s weight
• Constructed out of plastic and stainless steel
• connects to a standard garden hose
• Dimensions: 30.7″ diameter x 4.3″ high
• Weight ~ 14 kilos

Viteo outdoor shower pdf

I love it when form meets function (and safety!).

This illuminated manhole concept won a Red Dot Design Concept Award in the Protection category. With all the hazardous scrapes and falls that occur each year from open manholes, I’m surprised someone didn’t think of it sooner.

Unlike traditional manholes which are hard to spot while walking or driving at night, this concept uses light to alert unsuspecting persons to the dangers of an uncovered manhole up ahead.

The system’s lid is built with a light ring around its outer edge, and the interior ring contains the same luminous strip.

Remove the lid and it’s easy to spot the highlighted strip in the darkness. Replace the lid and it covers up like a regular manhole. Smart.

via Cool Design

Being a parent with a young child, there is nothing like the fear you have of losing your child in a crowded mall or worse.

Link Child Locator is designed to help you locate your children location by telling you the distances and direction with its small LCD display.

Unfortunately for this parent, this is a concept design and it doesn’t exist in any form other than these images. Lets hope that some company sees both the opportunity to not only make money with this great idea, but more importantly look at this as an opportunity to help save some children.

Specifications

• Child’s bracelet: transmitter module that works at a range of up to 100’
• Parent’s watch: receives the child’s signal and indicates its direction and distance on a small LCD display
• Designer: Continuum
• Status: Concept –doesn’t exist in any form other than these images.

Link Child Locator

This being the week after the launch of the latest Star Trek movie, I thought I’d go back in time a few years to reminisce about a vehicle by Nissan called the Terranaut, which was described as being “perfect for Picard and his crew”.

An European concept car, according to the Nissan, was designed for “observation and communication in all four corners of the world.”

Beyond the design, one has to think that Kirk would have loved the vehicle for the “wow” factor for picking up the alien babes.

Specifications

• Accommodates / seats three people
• Spherical laboratory” is accessed via a swiveling (360 degree) seat
• In built workstations
• One passenger-side door
• Two swing-out driver side doors
• Dimensions: 4,965mm (stem to stern), 2,150mm tall, 2,100mm wide
• Advanced four-wheel drive
• Refrigerated storage space for 1 week of food, water and other provisions

The Terranult courtesy of Autoblog