Urban Life Special: Small Homes and Smart Transit

On today's podcast, Nora Young talks about Ordine, from Italian design studio, Adriano (via Core77). It's a smart solution for people who don't need an oven, and don't want to dedicate full time real estate to a stove top. The Ordine burners hang on the wall when not in use. Simply put them on the counter when you're ready to go. They use induction heating, (they refer to it as an "induction hub") so you don't have to worry about blazing hot burners sitting out on your counter. See pics and other smart home designs here. So, you have your small urban space, how are you going to get around in our increasingly crowded cities? Romanian company, Carpii has the 4ciclet, a four-wheeled bike/Segway sort of thing designed for covering relatively small distances (via New Atlas). You 'pedal' the 4ciclet using a couple of treadles with your feet while standing, so it doesn't require the same effort as conventional cycling, suggesting its use for older people. See videos here.