Forethink Design

Left is a control panel of an elevator I found in my company's Beijing office (I guess it is a Schindler's elevator). Right is usual one at my home. In case of left, you have to input your floor number where you want to go and it will display elevator index which is probably a result from optimized calculation. It is very smart idea for a building which has multiple elevators and especially it can optimize path for people who want to travel to multiple floor together by selecting path-through route. Of course, it seems needs little more intelligence of passenger. In case of right, it is general design but when I was young I wondered I have to press down or up arrow for going up from base floor when it was at upper floor. I wondered I have to manipulate the elevator come to me at first? Do I need to press down arrow to let it descend? It was just an alternative idea for elevator system before building a model of it in my mind yet. Both designs want you to input where you want t...

My town has a brand new bus which has new passenger charge system. Because I have nothing to do while seating at bus and have a brand new mobile phone, I decide to observe what is environment around bus drivers. 1. Bus arrangement table on big sun cover over driver's head 2. Surveillance camera: It is watching boarding passengers and ticket machine. Sometimes it can record unpleasant episode between driver and angry passenger. 3. Ticket monitor: Driver has to change mode if passenger want to pay multiple charge or change passenger mode for teenager or kid. 4. Exchange buttons: By pressing button, it will give changes to passenger who pays in cash. 5. RF Card reader: For transportation card passengers, it provides voice feedback. Same module is installed at rear gate. If you want to continue travel to other bus or train, you have to check it out. 6. Handbrake and announcement amp console. 7. Green tea bottle on towel: It seems there is no cup holder. What a future. Isn't it? But...

One day I spend my time with my new MacBook at Starbucks. Actually there is another people who use Macbook at the Starbucks located in Jungja-dong, Bundang, Korea. I just tried to search Bluetooth device nearby and found a girl's name who is seating behind me probably. I could know her name and her digital address. If I want to send a note, it is possible. You know, you can't do that through your mobile network. It can make a connection with any one in the world but it is useless to send a message to a girl overthere. A young saudi man actually use this Bluetooth flirting method to be connected with a girl. In kingdom of Saudi Arabia, there is cultural barrier between boys and girls. Even a religious police can arrest a guy who violate the rule of local culture. (I hope it is a joke) But it is about a human nature. A young man is designed to fall in love with a glance from a girl. Isn't it romantic or pathetic? Of course, you can just walk to the girl and ask to go out toge...

A week later, the national university entrance examination will be held in Korea (Just like a SAT for US students) Nowadays any mobile phone, calculator and smart watch which can be used for cheating is not allowed in the exam. This watch is specially designed for examiners. It shows current time and remaining time of exam at same time. You can figure out how much time is left and how to control your pace for solving questions. Now educational ministration doesn't approve this device for exam but it seems quite smart enough for examiners. Price is around 20USD(19500KRW). P.S (Add at 17 Nov.) This count down clock is really needed. First exam is language (90min), second is math (100min), third is Foreign language (Of course it is English, 70 min), fourth is social/science/job research (126 min) and last is 2ndary language/Chinese (40min). No same time for a exam unit. Total 426min exam for a day. Hew~ Reference http://www.nirwana.co.kr/shop/goodalign/good_detail.php?goodcd=115795031...

Car window tinting (Sunting in Korean-English) is quite popular among drivers in the world. While I'm going to Beijing airport today, I observe Beijing cars don't cover all front windows with tinting film. They cut out tinting sheet to see rear mirror (Both side) more clearly. Interestingly those area is same with old A pillar position. Nowadays a sedan has A and B color but there were 4 separated windows. It is counted as A,B,C,D. In US, regulation regarding tinting on car window is different by states. Ex. In Connecticut, 35% or more of light should pass through. In Korea, you can see who is inside from 10 meter away. The purposes of regulation on it are about safety reason to see out side from driver's viewpoint and to see inside to watch out what some wrong thing might happen in the car by police. Anyway, it may be safer but doesn't looks good. Reference Sunting regulation in Korean Wikipedia: Window Tinting US Tinting Law

It is really fun to travel around exotic place like a Wangfujing , Beijing, China. I visited the night market and look around. Actually most fascionating thing is people for me than skewered scorpions. At a corner plaza of Wangfujing, I can see a Chinese opera show on second roof. Naturally people stop, watch and take a picture of costumed singers. It makes a center place of Wangfujing. Reference Wikimapia: Wangfujing

Quick ink seal making service at Tokyo Ink seal (Do-jang in Korean, YingZhang in Chinese and Inkan in Japanese) is a personal identification and approval tool which is used as a Signature. It is one of common tradition among east Asian countries. In Korea, you need to register your seal in government office for an important official document. For example, you need to make a contract with registered seal for purchasing a house. The official seal should be designed unique and made by skillful & licensed craft man. Art of Dojang is one of beautiful craft art in Korea. You can choose a variety of material such as jade and calligraphy style. Otherwise, there is more casual ink seal for every day business such as approval. It might save some time than hand written signature conveniently. Photo above is a display of quick seal making service at front of a stationary shop in Tokyo. It has 5000 kind of ready made name seal and covers 80% of a variety of Japanese name. In Korea, computerized...