Science of the Time, formally known as Signs of the Time

Spotted by Juliana Oliveira, ESAMC Coolhunt ‘10, Brazil.
The D*Light is a pillow and a light in one. The by Diana Lin designed pillow shows another aesthetic and another design sense at work. It can be functional and cozy at the same time. After making its initial splash as a supposedly novelty item, therapists have now been recommending the pillow to their patients who suffer seasonal affective disorder and depression. The LED’s used in the pillow also makes sure that it doesn’t burn up and through the fabric. There have been complaints by some that the shape and hardness of the LED cocoons within the pillow are a bit off putting and do not make it all that comfortable, we can however see the innovative thought process at work here. The designer put forward another way of look at lights, at pillows and how we use light for our own well-being.

Spotted by Marcela Benassi Fernandes, ESAMC Coolhunt ‘10, Brazil.
Although it shares its name with another interesting project surrounding decision making and computer Deep Green is a robotics project by the Robotics and Computer Vision lab in Queen University Canada. The project seems like something that would be found in a modern day John Tradescant the elder’s cabinet of rarities. Or it could be the first step towards the robotic version of a Vincent Lauria. This project is part of the Robotic Pool research field and has as its aim of producing a robot that can compete with and beat the best pool players in the world. Its name is derived from Deep Blue, the computer program that beat chess grand master Gary Kasparov in the late 1990s. The research field is focused on pool because as they say it’s a game of strategy, accuracy, the playing field is static and must come to rest before you can engage with it again and it’s a popular game. By visualizing how the computer lines up its shots its now taking the notion of Augmented Reality beyond just giving information on people and places and things. This is enabling decision making and action not unlike another project with the same name.

Spotted by Lucas Rossi, ESAMC Coolhunt ‘10, Brazil.
No this is not about the the heart of Leicestershire, but it’s a massaging wrap. The B(l)aby is one of those rare concepts that crosses the threshold and becomes an actual product.
Geof Ramsay’s product is a product that takes the Mozart effect and caters to mothers’ wishes to communicate with their fetuses. It’s a wrap that mothers place around their tummies that plays music or lullabies or just the mothers voice talking. After the child is born the wrap can be used as music device that can be hung above the crib. 

The best books about why and how Eco Cool continues.
Some politicians, and trendwatchers for that matter, proclaim that the Cool Eco trend is over.
We think them breathtakingly shortsighted.
This is not our (superficial) opinion.
It is based on the very best books on the Environmental issues we have on earth. (Click on Read Why it’s cool for more)

Spotted by Mateus Pinto & Luana Carvalho, ESAMC Coolhunt ‘10, Brazil.
The ColorOn Eye Shadow Applicators have a long history, but a history that attest to the strength of the business’ core ideal: “providing women with simple, time-saving and innovative technology, making it a little easier to be beautiful every day.” Irina Iosilevich, the founder of the company, spent years experimenting until she, her husband and her brother got the formula right and the innovation struck a sensitive cord. The product itself is applied via a hypo allergenic strip that is placed on the eyelid. Over the last few years blogs in the know have been going crazy over this product. Each starting with skepticism and then after trying the product itself appreciating what it brought to the table.

Spotted by Luana Carvalho & Marcela Paffaro, ESAMC Coolhunt ‘10, Brazil.
The Reef Fanning sandal is a design that REEF developed together with Mick Fanning, a two time ASP World Tour surfing champion. In the sandal REEF put a bottle opener. In 2007 when Fanning won for the first time REEF brought partnered with Fanning to bring out his sandal. Now in 2010, with Fanning once again crowned the world champion, the sandal is as popular as ever.

Science of the Time is proud to present the Brazilian Student Top 15. 300 students from the Escola Superior de Administração, Marketing e Comunicação, ESAMC, in Campinas Brazil took part in this coolhunt. We asked the students to turn their material and immaterial worlds inside out and upside down looking for what they found cool. They came back with genuinely surprising finds and interpretations. Out of the hundreds of contributions a transatlantic team of trend analysts has selected the very best finds.

Science of the Time, in coöperation with Fontys Universities, is conducting Cool Hunt research projects with 25 universities worldwide. Last year we put together Science of the time’s Student Top 25 of the Coolest Worldwide by looking at 10.000 contributions of the participating students. This Brazilian Student Top 15 coolhunt was conducted and analyzed together with Luis Rasquilha of AYR Consulting and Thiago Aimi.

This weekend you will find our three Olympic Very Best Books about the Internet and how it is influencing our lives and business online (Click on Read Why it’s Cool for the selection):
With the best book on the mentality of the Digital Natives. At number 3.
With the best book about How Google is predestinated to win, win, win – and all the arguments. At number 2.
With all the new media truths in the very best book ever on the subject. At number one.

By Wei Chen, Kamloops Coolhunt ‘10, Canada: HYmini is a handheld, universal charger/adapter device. It has an internal rechargeable battery that save power to charge most of your gadgets through USB, such as iPod, iPhone, MP3 player, GPS etc. As long as the product is able to use USB, then it can be used on HYmini.
The idea is that with its build-in generator, it capture winds to charge its internal battery. People can simply hold it in their hands in a windy place to charge the battery. It can also be attached on a bike or a snowboardhelmet, so the HYmini can also be charged when you’re in movement.
And it’s not just that. HYmini can also be charged by using solar panel, handcrank, and of course it can use conventional wall plug to charge.

-Insights from the Land of the Olympics-
By Katy Stowell, Kamloops Coolhunt ‘10, Canada:

Recently, I discovered a “job” on the Sun Peaks website that entails being the local designated “Snow Bum”.  This position is designed as a marketing tool for Sun Peaks to target today’s technologically inclined society who is connected through sites like Facebook and Twitter.  This position/competition is an excellent example of the rise of the social web.  The job description for the “Snow Bum” is as follows:
 Have daily communication on social media platforms, including, but not limited to, Facebook™, Twitter™, YouTube™ and the official Snow Bum blog, among others.
 Communication must be a mix of video, images and written content.
 Participate in media stories about the contest or other Sun Peaks content. Besides the obligations of the job the great advantages are: being able to ski/snowboard as much as you want and use all the luxurious facilities of Sun Peaks. This is the more glamourous way of making a profession in (winter)sports, versus the honorable but hard-working ethics of the olympics.

By Yousaf Tousif, Kamloops Coolhunt ‘10, Canada: This is a set of underwear which is created by NIKE, together with the Spanish soccerteam F.C Barcelona. The idea of creating this special set, which keeps the player away from cold, was taken into consideration when F.C Barcelona went to Russia to play a Champions League match. The temperature in Russia can be very harsh in wintertimes with temperatures somwhere around -30 degrees celsius.

Of course for the olympics every country put their best scientists to work to develop apparel to achieve new worldrecords. For example, the Dutch skate-team that doesn’t want to reveal exactly what their skatesuits are made of, but are hoping for a slight advantage and a bigger chance for gold. 

By Ansari Azadeh, Kamloops Coolhunt ‘10, Canada: The Rise of the Social web - Geocaching.com 
Geocaching is a worldwide game of hiding and seeking treasure. A geocacher can place a geocache in the world, pinpoint its location using GPS technology and then share the geocache’s existence and location online. Anyone with a GPS device can then try to locate the geocache. The basic idea is to locate hidden containers and then share your experiences online. Geocaching is enjoyed by people from all age groups, with a strong sense of community and support for the environment. There are 933,169 active caches worldwide! 

Insights from the land of the olympics. About:
The Winter Olympics kicked off in Vancouver this year. The world’s best winter athletes are taking part in competitions in which they push themselves to be the best there is. The coming together of countries also shows how sport unities and that the celebration of athletic achievement is without borders. What needs to be noted however is that the winter Olympics do privilege some countries over others. But even that is being leveled in some sense as Miss Cellania of Mental Floss shows us. We have also seen how culture jammers have taken the design of the Vancouver Olympic flame and have made us all read it as a marijuana joint.

With this top 5 of Cool Olympic Canada we take a closer look at the country and at sports through Kamloops University students’ coolhunt findings.

-Insights from the Land of the Olympics-
By Wei Chen, from Kamloops Canada Coolhunt ‘10: Justin.tv is the largest online community for people to broadcast, watch and interact around live video. With 40 million unique visitors per month and over 500,000 channels broadcasting live video, Justin.tv is the leading live video site on the Web, enabling users to create real-time connections with others around the world. And most important, especially now, when everyone is gathering around the tube to watch as much olympics as possible, you can watch whatever you want, whenever you want. Name it, they have it. Livestreams of the curling quarterfinals you’re unable to see because of the limited offer of your tv-provider. Or stream the opening ceremony live. 

Science of the time’s latest Top-15 of the Coolest worldwide, with contributions of the best trend watchers and market experts worldwide, documents convincingly that it is all about AUTHENTIC AUTHENTICITY. With Distrust & Dishonesty on the rise as a cultural driver on almost all continents, especially the recession-prone ones, Authenticity alone is not enough anymore. It must be a more proven Authenticity: Authentic Authenticity. Read my summary below (click on ‘Read Why it’s Cool’).