Solar-powered cars require surface area for the panels, and designers have come up with different solutions for this. Clean energy company GoSun envisions a roofrack-mounted unit that unfurls its panels when the vehicle's parked.

Engineer Omid Sadeghpour built a similar system for his Tesla Model Y, using telescoping carbon fiber tubes.

Worksport, an American manufacturer of tonneau covers, has proposed this Solis Solar Tonneau Cover.

Now Italian industrial designer Danilo Petta and Turkish architect Öznur Pinar Cer propose a solution for motorcycles. Petta and Cer's firm, Mask Architects, has released images of this Solaris concept, an electric motorcycle intended to be charged exclusively by solar.

Tucked beneath the tail...

...are two deployable solar panel wings.

This being an architecture firm, the concept is extremely light on details—how exactly do those wings unfurl?—and heavy on social-good theory:

"SOLARIS® is more than a vehicle—it is an environmental intervention. Operating exclusively on solar power, it eliminates CO2 emissions, reduces noise pollution and demonstrates a decentralized model of clean mobility. By removing the need for fuel or charging stations, SOLARIS® brings renewable transportation to remote regions, developing communities, protected natural areas and countries with fragile infrastructure. It becomes a catalyst for social, economic and ecological transformation, enabling mobility where it has never been accessible before."

It's an interesting concept, but without the intervention of a Honda or a Yamaha, will likely remain just that.

Canadian engineer Tej Grewal is working on a component for his company, Qube Technologies, which monitors oil and gas emissions. The desired end product, a dial, will have a translucent 3D-printed PETG cover through which readings can be viewed. To that end, he's been messing around with the slicer settings for his 3D printer to maximize the part's translucency, and now he's nailed it:

In a nutshell, he advises:

"Reduce all the speeds to 20mm/s."

(The slower speed provides a smoother and more uniform extrusion, which is better for clarity.)

"Set the number of wall loops to 1."

(So the part is mostly a solid infill block, instead of lots of overlapping lines.)

"Remove the top shell and bottom shell, number of top and bottom layers 0."

(So that the whole part is just infill.)

"Set the infill density to 100%, and change the infill direction to 0° or 90° (slicer specific)."

(This is so that the inside is completely solid and with straight, aligned lines, letting light through.)

"Nozzle flow 1.01 if your printer set flow is <0.99."

(In other words, don't under-extrude; you want to avoid gaps, which would make the part cloudy.)

Thanks to Grewal for sharing the tips!

This bent plywood Tokyo bench is by Portuguese furniture designer João Teixeira.

The bent plywood form references the Japanese torii (the traditional gates you see at shrines), while one end of it curves over the upholstered piece to provide a landing pad.

Teixeira already has a smaller version of the bench, the Tokyo Bench Kids, in production by British furniture company Curve Lab.

As for when the grown-up version will go into production, Teixeira says only that it's launching "soon."

This Nimble Prosthetic Fin is by industrial designer Alberto Essesi. While most prosthetic legs we see are designed for walking, here the Milan-based designer has addressed the activity of swimming instead.

"The Nimble prosthetic fin redefines mobility for below-the-knee amputees. At its core is an innovative, 3D-printed flexible lattice structure. This centerpiece is engineered to reduce stress on the user's limb while simultaneously generating powerful thrust with each kick, all within an incredibly lightweight carbon fiber construction."

3D-printed rubber and plastic round out the carbon fiber.

This appears to be a concept, as opposed to something headed for production; Essesi doesn't say.

We started off with a clear goal - how to make eyecare at home easier, more comfortable, and effective. We were working on a product family of eye-care masks — the Hydrating Sleep Mask (2nd Gen), the Moist-Heat Eye Compress, and the Rechargeable Heat Mask — each built with a specific function in mind.

The Hydrating Sleep Mask creates a soft, sealed environment that helps your eyes stay moist overnight. Designed with thoughtful materials - soft silicone eye cups, adjustable parts, and a knit fabric exterior to stay comfortable in any sleeping position. Small vents ensure a pressure balance while still maintaining a seal, and the whole system is adjustable . It's lightweight, breathable, and designed to disappear on your face.

The Moist-Heat Compress is a simple, single-use warm compress for moments when you need quick relief. It's easy to activate, easy to use, and designed to fit naturally into your routine without any setup or tech. Even though it's disposable, it still follows the same design language as the rest of the line, so the whole family feels consistent.

The Rechargeable Heat Mask brings in a bit of high-tech comfort. Soft padding, a performance-knit fabric, and a vaulted design keep heat where your eyelids need it without applying pressure. Dual-zone heating and multiple temperature settings let users personalize the experience. A USB-C battery makes it portable and simple to recharge, and the travel case lets you take it anywhere.

Across all three masks, we kept the design language tight and intentional — shared materials, similar silhouettes, familiar touchpoints, and packaging that feels like part of the same system. This cohesion matters. When a customer buys one Blinkjoy product, they instantly understand the next one. The result is a line that feels unified, purposeful, and familiar.

View the full project here

IDD Cologne 2025 premiered this fall as the new interior design event to complement the long running trade fair mothership of IMM in January and its alternative urban off-show, Passagen. Whilst organized by Koelnmesse, the century-old giant of Germany's expo world, IDD itself is a new decentralized urban affair, held at design locations throughout the city and focussing on premium brands.

I spent some time at Design Post, the show's unofficial nerve center, where a few refreshingly interactive pieces where on show, and lectures, panels and workshops let the visitors get involved.

Designpost Cologne. Photo by Anki Delfmann.

Design Post sits in a former post-and-freight depot from 1913, now repurposed as one of Cologne's most distinctive design hubs.

Cabrio by Extremis. Photo by Anki Delfmann.

A crowd-favourite was Cabrio by Belgian brand Extremis, inspired by convertible cars.

Cabrio by Extremis. Photo by Anki Delfmann.

The soft top of the two-seater outdoor sofa closes to give shelter and privacy, also somewhat similar to a covered chairlift.

Cabrio by Extremis. Photo by Anki Delfmann.

Potentially the most fun marketing add-on of the expo were the vintage "Scenery Simulators", letting visitors enjoy sofa perspectives from around the world, on the moon, and with a bear sitting next to them.

Surfbench by Kim André Lange. Photo by Anki Delfmann.

Another stunning interactive piece was Surfbench by German designer Kim André Lange. The wooden ribs convert playful kinetic energy into a beautifully organic wave motion that makes the bench come alive like a sea slug.

Surfbench by Kim André Lange. Photo by Anki Delfmann.

As an added effect of the meticulous design and engineering, the bench can be used flexibly from both sides, without the wave movement being perceptible by the people sitting on it.

Wagner Design Lab at IDD Cologne. Photo by Anki Delfmann.

German chair company Wagner had a big space inside Design Post, enhanced by a mini airstream caravan outside that was converted into a tiny hotel room.

Wagner Design Lab at IDD Cologne. Photo by Anki Delfmann.

The caravan showed off their modular interior systems and the Nesting Sofa, which can be opened and closed to adjust the desired amount of interaction with the outside world.

Wagner Design Lab at IDD Cologne. Photo by Anki Delfmann.

The interactive idea was carried on in shelf components reminiscent of Verner Panton…

Wagner Design Lab at IDD Cologne. Photo by Anki Delfmann.

…And the 3D-printed W3D rocking stools designed with Hadi Teherani, aiming to improve back health.

Hannes Bäuerle of Material Bank. Photo by Anki Delfmann.

The most crowded event was the completely booked-out lecture and workshop about Material Trends with Hannes Bäuerle of Material Bank, in collaboration with Dornbracht. Trend predictions ranged from Sensual Rawness and Techno Poetry to Neo Nature, Circularity, Tactile Statements and Emotional Colours.

Hannes Bäuerle of Material Bank. Photo by Anki Delfmann.

Workshop participants (mostly architects, interior designers and students) were tasked with assembling material systems for hotels and explaining and defending their choices to the audience.

Hannes Bäuerle of Material Bank. Photo by Anki Delfmann.

Tom Dixon lighting. Photo by Anki Delfmann.

Last but not least, lighting claimed its space at the exhibition, led by Tom Dixon's iconic lamps that have had some structural, material and texture updates like frosted glass, textile and ribbed surfaces.

Tom Dixon lighting. Photo by Anki Delfmann.

Tom Dixon lighting. Photo by Anki Delfmann.

Quasar Lum Leather Wall Lamp. Photo by Anki Delfmann.

Dutch lighting brand Quasar showed their Lum Leather Wall Lamp and Moonlight Suspension.

Adilo by Secto Design. Photo by Anki Delfmann.

Secto Design from Finland, who hand-craft wooden lamps, presented their newest model Adilo, made from ultra-thin birch plywood with an innovative fold-out structure,

Design Post Cologne. Photo by Anki Delfmann.

Looking forward to see what the future will bring for this brand new design event – in Europe and overseas!

Ed. Note: Check out this short video postcard to get a feel of the scene:

Last week we looked at Franz Kuhlmann's mid-century adjustable drafting table, which was drool-worthy. Here's another one from the same antique re-seller, Mid-Century Friends, which is a good deal sleeker:

This one was manufactured in the 1950s by Sweden's Nike Hydraulics.

(The branding on the frame, "Nike Eskilstuna," references both the company and its location. Eskilstuna was something like Sweden's Cleveland, in terms of being a center of industry.)

They were selling this one for $3759, but it's been snapped up.

Last year we looked at this $349 Tiger's Teeth invention, which resharpens oscillating tool blades.

The company has since released a drill-powered version, which runs $149.

Now there's a competing product from the Netherlands, called SharpTool. It's a lot smaller than the Tiger's Teeth gizmo, and is also powered by a drill.

The tool appears to be new; at press time it wasn't yet listed on the company's website, nor had the price been announced.