MiCasa Lab

II love these guys. The new skunkworks project from Swiss retailer MiCasa - MiCasa Lab, based in Zürich - is all about giving scientists, engineers, and crazy people a safe place to work on the types of projects that might otherwise go unsupported due to a lack of "practicality" or "commercial vialbility" or "any reason whatsoever."

--

Idea #1: The wonderful, life-affirming pleasure of looking upon a tiny-hat-wearing puppy called Daniel atop a magic carpet. Yes. A magic carpet people. The levitating rug makes use of six sets of neodymium magnets—the strongest type of permanent magnet currently produced—and is currently able to support a pet weighing 5lbs up to 3in, approximately. An upcoming incarnation, though, promises to hold a 22lb pet up to 8in high. So let's hope Mr. Jingles ain't scared of heights.

--

Idea #2: how the iPad generation will grow old. A 21st Century take on an 18th Century idea. Under development, the iRock is an updated version of the traditional rocking chair. It's a self sufficient iPad dock and sound station, making that rocking motion worth while. If you use iRock for 60 minutes you can recharge an iPad 4 to 35%. iRock is hand built in Pine wood and painted in 5 layers to give it the flawless, shiny white look. At the moment iRock is only available in white but will be shipped in black, red, yellow and striped. Specifications: Length: 1200 mm Height: 1150 mm Weight: 18 kg Material: Painted wood Estimated price: €1300

--

Idea #3: The Nebula 12 is a lamp that uses meterological data from Met Office, the Nebula forms a vapour structure to represent outside weather: wake up to a flooding yellow light on a sunny day, or below a real cloud on that overcast winter morning. The cloud involves some peculiar techniques, liquid nitrogen, WiFi, and high power vacuum suction.

--

These are just some of a cornucopia of innovative products (mobile phones worn as piercings, air-powered motorcycles, etc.) to come out of MiCasa, which is being built into a product development center called the Nordic Society for Invention and Discovery. As yet, none of the projects currently have plans to become commercially available, but that's not to say that won't change...