Tag Archives: Velodyne

Packaging as Inspiration

by on November 28, 2012

Our limited edition experimental vPulse packaging, designed by Alfredo Muccino and inspired by the art of sculpture.

Well, I’ve finally returned from my unofficial sabbatical…and am thrilled to be blogging again. Although I took a break from writing, I can assure you I did not take a break from working.

As you already know, we recently debuted several new lines of headphones. In addition to the vPulse, the vFree and vTrue are now available for purchase by Velodyne fans everywhere.

It goes without saying that the process of developing a product for a crowded marketplace is multi-layered and complex. But the creative process for developing the packaging of a product can be just as complicated

Henrik Persson’s literal take on packaging for a limited edition book about NYC, modeling it after a city skyscraper.

And that’s where I’ve been the last few months…deeply embedded in the packaging process. As with all developmental and creative processes, we began with meetings to discuss what we wanted from our packaging besides the obvious, selling the product.

This prompted me to think a lot about how packaging impacted me as a consumer. Typically, I walk into a store with no expectations. I take a step back, scanning the shelves and waiting for something to jump out at me. It’s as if I’m saying, “I’m here now. Impress me with something.”

What is the “something” I want?

I want a package to make me feel something meaningful. I want to feel inspired. I want to feel happy. I want to laugh. I want to be amazed. I want that package to stand up and make me smile, to compel me to pick it up and hear the promises it makes to me about what I can find inside.

This limited edition Nike shoebox, designed to mirror a sports stadium, is embedded with sound chips, causing a crowd to cheer when it’s opened.

Ultimately, I want that package to make me feel that I can’t leave the store without taking it with me. And once I get it home and remove what’s inside, I often treat the packaging as a product itself .

In fact, I’ve been known to save beautiful packaging and boxes for weeks or months, claiming, “Just in case. I might need it again some day. Really, I might.” The truth is that I just can’t bring myself to throw away something so beautiful, something that inspires a connection to emotions.

Personally, these are some of the things that appeal to me when it comes to packaging:

  • Russian designer Arthur Schreiber designed this beautifully crafted and clever take on packaging that visually reflects the name and concept of the company itself. Incidentally, an American liquor company purchased rights to the conceptual design.

    Texture: I do love to see a package that makes me want to touch it. It can be the actual texture of the paper or material. It can also be a design that gives the illusion of being three dimensional, prompting me to want to touch it to confirm that it’s flat. Our limited edition sculpture-inspired headphone packaging is literally molded into headphones and begs to be touched. That’s the appeal.

  • Conceptual/literal: This is what I would call “clever” concepts. Arthur Schreiber’s design for Samurai vodka would fit into this category. It’s brilliant in that it presents a literal interpretation of the actual company name and, at the same time, embodies the entire concept of a samurai. I’ll not only remember the packaging after I walk away, but I’ll remember the name of the company and the concept behind the name. Henrik Persson’s packaging for a limited edition book about New York City is also a great example of this. This type of packaging might be my favorite. It doesn’t just make me feel something. It also makes me think.

Hiroko Sanders created illustrations for “Perfect Slice of Summer,” a series of boxes for Kleenex.

  • Shape: An unexpected shape in a world of square boxes is another type of packaging that appeals to me. Kleenex did a great job with their summer series called “Perfect Slice of Summer.” The thing I find most appealing is that it is also conceptually relevant, reflecting tones of summer and evoking an emotional reaction about the season. Brilliant.
  • Subtlety: Granted, I’m a minimalist at heart anyway. But sometimes the shelves are glutted with so many items screaming, “Look at me! Look at me!” that they all begin to look the same. And that’s when the one package that stands regal, demurely looking back at me without too much effort…that’s the one I can’t resist.

What kind of packaging speaks to you?

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An homage to the best city in the world: Velodyne rocks CE Week in NYC

by on July 7, 2012

The view from Avenue nightclub right before the Velodyne party

So, I’ve had a week to shake off the jet lag and catch up on some sleep. Of course, I couldn’t have been happier to attend the CEA LineShow in NYC during CE Week (June 25-29). Typically, shows can be overwhelming and a bit crazy. But this one was small and somewhat relaxed. The attendees are mostly press who live in the area and take the short trip down to Chelsea to the Metropolitan Pavillion. And Chelsea is also where Avenue nightclub is located…and where Velodyne hosted the “Real Music Pure Sound” party.

I was fortunate enough to not only attend the show and the party, but to visit friends and family in my old stomping grounds. Although, I’m a full on California transplant who no longer owns a pair of snow boots or gloves, New York will always be my true home. It made me feel quite nostalgic and I thought this would be a great opportunity to do a mini virtual tour of some of my favorite landmarks in the West Village, where I lived on 9th Street and 6th Avenue.

Former site of The Women's House of Detention

I’ll start with my favorite building in the city, known now as The Jefferson Market Branch, New York Public Library. It may just seem like a pretty brick building sitting on a triangular plot formed by Greenwich Avenue and West 10th Street. But the history of this building is lengthy and rich. It actually served as the New York Women’s House of Detention, a woman’s prison, from 1932-1974. Longtime residents of the West Village will tell you that they used to hear husbands and boyfriends calling up to their wives and girlfriends in the middle of the night. That’s because its unique location gave inmates the opportunity to communicate with people walking by on the street. The New York Women’s House of Detention is believed to have been the world’s first art deco prison. It was designed by Sloan & Robertson in 1931.

This building and site is featured prominently in the 2004 film, House of D, which was David Duchovny’s feature film writing and directorial debut. Check it out.

The Empire State Building, lit up in red and white, as seen through the Washington Square Arch

The Jefferson Market Branch, New York Public Library is located just around the corner from my favorite park in NYC, Washington Square Park. The park itself is also rich in history and home to one of New York’s iconic structures, The Washington Square Arch. This 77 foot marble monument was modeled after the Arc de Triomphe in Paris and was erected in 1889 to celebrate the centennial of George Washington’s inauguration.

The iconography of the Arch centers on images of war and peace. An inscription on the attic of the monument contains a quote attributed ot George Washington and reads:

“Let us raise a standard to which the wise and the honest can repair. The event is in the hand of God.”

There are many other notable historic structures and memorabilia, including the Hangman’s Elm, which stands in the northwest corner of the park during the time that Potter’s Field was used for public executions.

Click here to find out more about the rich history of Washington Square Park.

The front of the Washington Square Park Hotel

It only seems fitting to end this mini tour by mentioning the historic hotel me and my colleagues called home during CE Week in NYC. The reason it’s so fitting is because the Washington Square Park Hotel is located on the northwest corner of the park at 103 Waverly Place. This hotel was built in 1902 and recently celebrated its 110th year in business. This quaint and unassuming gem evokes a 1930′s Paris in one of the best locations in New York. I highly recommend a stay here, as well as a tour of the art deco building and interior.

Incidentally, Babbo is right across the street. For those unfamiliar with this restaurant, it’s one of the most famous in the city. It’s considered to be the restaurant that put its owner, Mario Batali, on the map. And for those who don’t like Italian, there’s Cafe Asean right up the road. In my opinion, the best Vietnamese food in the West Village.

I won’t subject you to any more of my indulgent nostalgia. This is the end of my love letter to NYC and the West Village. I’ll see you next year at the end of June.

 

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Velodyne subs are the perfect canvas for up-and-coming Northern California artists

by on May 31, 2012

Multi-talented visual artist, FORCE 129, brings his vision to our sound

This week begins an exciting new chapter for Velodyne. We currently have some top-secret projects in the works that promise to deliver an innovative mix of audio technology and modern art. And I just got the go ahead to give you a preview of one of these projects.

Velodyne has been collaborating with art gallery Anno Domini to marry the world of audio with the world of art.

Located in San Jose, Anno Domini features exhibitions by renowned international and local artists, as well as up-and-comers in the art world. And we’ve been teaming up with hand-selected artists who are bringing their inspiration and passion to our audio products. These artists will be transferring their style and vision to our subwoofers by custom painting them, turning what has traditionally been a square box into a thing of beauty.

Artist Lacey Bryant explores the subtle tension between the beautiful and the unsettling

The first four of these experimental painted subs will be shown during the SubZERO Festival in San Jose, California. But this is the just the beginning. Get ready to see some incredible custom subs in the coming months, as we bring in artists from all over the world to create limited edition audio works of art. You’ll see a multitude of styles and techniques, from fine art to graffiti art to spray paint.

And we’re not stopping at subwoofers. But that’s one of the other special projects that needs to remain top secret…for the time being, at least

Check out some of the first hand-picked artists featured at the SubZERO Festival:

Lacey Bryant

“As is common in Lacey’s work, there is a subtle tension between beautiful and unsettling elements. Though the settings are usually very light and airy there is a certain heaviness in the atmosphere and a distinct melancholy about the girls with wild hair and confrontational stares. We are presented with things we are uncomfortable with-spiders, holes, crack and decay. This contrast is constructed to create a sense of mystery and mood, enticing the viewer to linger and embrace their own hidden dark sides or even to find the beauty in something that scares us.”

Poesia

“His recent work has transitioned from abstract graffiti towards a more evolved version of his past letter based work. Creating a hybrid style of work that is able to bridge the gallery with the street. Abstract in nature yet structured in letter based form. Poesia’s work explodes with color and form, creating a cryptic version of his wall work. Layers upon layers of paint, Poesia is able to build a deep dialogue between fine art and graffiti with his pieces.”

Force129

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Getting your groove on…during your lunch break? Swedish “lunch discos” keep the work day fun

by on May 3, 2012

She may have to go back to work in an hour, but right now it's party time!

How do you stay motivated and keep your energy up during the work day? Do you listen to pump-up music through a pair of headphones? Take frequent short breaks? Sneak in a nap when the boss isn’t looking?

 

How does a midday dance party sound?

 

If your answer is “pretty freaking awesome,” you’re not alone. A new Swedish craze called “Lunch Beat” is another European trend that puts a spin on traditional dance club practices (see last week’s post by AudiOdysseus on the “silent disco”). It combines the best thing about the work week–lunch breaks–with the best thing about the weekend: getting your dance on. The concept was created in 2010 in Sweden, and has since spread to other European countries. The gatherings are not-for-profit affairs, though a small entrance fee is required to cover the cost of the venue and provided lunch.

The idea behind the lunchtime discos is to encourage “playfulness, participation & community,” according to the movement’s official website. An hour to let loose and get your blood moving has positive effects on the workday as well, giving workers a burst of energy and helping them avoid a mid-afternoon slump. Plus, in my humble opinion, dancing is its own reward. Who doesn’t need a little joy in the middle of their day?

If you’re inspired to organize your own lunch disco, check out the organization’s guidelines. If we start throwing these at Velodyne headquarters (and possibly give some DD-18+ subs a workout), you can bet offices in a 5-mile radius will want to join in on the party. Keep an eye on our YouTube channel just in case we start to get some blackmail-worthy videos of dancing Velodyne employees…

 

-Benevolent Siren

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Wireless headphones and the “silent disco”

by on April 25, 2012

Honestly, when I first came upon this, I thought it was a joke. The term “silent disco” is, in and of itself, a kind of paradox. But it turns out that silent discos are a serious matter for people all over the globe. In fact, the term was added to the Oxford Dictionary Online in February, 2011.

Hold on just a second. What is a silent disco, you ask?

It’s just like clubbing, but with one major difference. Everyone is listening to the music on a pair of wireless headphones. The music is broadcast through an FM transmitter. This would present an odd looking party scene to those sans headphones, appearing as if people were dancing to the sound of nothing. These silent gatherings often feature dueling dj’s competing for listeners, as well as live musical acts.

The concept of the silent disco was born in 2005, as the result of noise restrictions at the Glastonbury Festival in Pilton, Somerset, England. A Dutch company called 433fm coined the term “silent disco” and circumvented noise restrictions by turning the festival into a large-scale wireless headset event. This was their first large-scale event, although they had been developing a plan for hosting a number of the same type of smaller music events across Europe since 2002.

A silent disco stage at the Exit Festival, 2011 in Serbia

The silent disco caught on quickly in The Netherlands with appearances at festivals like De Parade, Lowlands, and Pinkpop. And these days, 433fm takes it on the road to venues like Amsterdam’s Club 8. Each year there’s also a silent disco stage at the Exit festival, an annual summer music festival held in Novi Sad, Serbia.

After sweeping across Europe, the silent disco show is now popular in places like Brazil, China, Indonesia, Singapore, Australia, and the United States.

The silent disco is not just for dj’s anymore. Each show is unique and can feature a variety of acts, including; live bands, comedians, rappers, actors, dancers, and video artists.

If you’re intrigued by the idea of the silent disco, be sure to check one out in your area. They seem to be popping up in major cities all across the United States.

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Velodyne LiDAR’s technology isn’t just for driverless cars and Radiohead videos

by on April 4, 2012

The Velodyne LiDAR HDL-64E

There’s a good chance you’ve seen Velodyne in the news recently…and didn’t even know it. Although Velodyne’s HDL-64E LiDAR sensor has been the main force behind autonomous vehicles for some time, the media pitch is clearly on the rise.

It began with the State of Nevada, which recently became the first state in the nation to formally approve legislation authorizing the use of autonomous vehicles on its roadway. Among other things, Assembly Bill No. 511 authorizes the state’s Department of Transportation to develop rules and regulations governing the use of driverless cars.

The public also recently saw the real-life benefits of this technology when California resident Steve Mahan, who is legally blind, was “chauffeured” to a local Taco Bell by a driverless car…

Did you notice the distinctively shaped cylinder spinning on the roof of the car? That’s the HDL-64E LiDAR sensor hard at work. It contains 64 fixed-mounted lasers that are continuously measuring the surrounding environment. Each laser is mechanically mounted at a specific vertical angle, reading its surroundings while the entire unit spins. It generates 1.3 million points per second output rate.

And you may have seen this technology a few years ago without realizing it.  If you’re a Radiohead fan, you already know they were nominated for a Grammy Award in 2009 for Best Short Form Music Video for “House of Cards”.

The inspiration for the video idea came from Aaron Koblin, an electronic artist and researcher at UCLA. Koblin created the flight pattern map featured at the Design and the Elastic Mind exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Koblin said he thought Radiohead would be the only band out there willing to take a risk by making a music video without cameras. Check out how Radiohead used our HDL-64E to create their vision for the song:

Thom Yorke, Radiohead’s lead singer commented on the creative process for the video. “I always liked the idea of using technology in a way that it wasn’t meant to be used, the struggle to get your head round what you can do with it. I like the idea of making a video of human being and real and time without using any cameras, just lasers, so there are just mathematical points – and how strangely emotional it ended up being,” he said.

You can be sure this is not the last you’ll see of that spinning cylinder.

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Haute tech: Making a statement with wearable electronics as fashion accessories

by on March 9, 2012

The back of this gown literally lights up a room

It’s a crazy world we live in today. I feel that technology is a large part of the craziness, for better and for worse. And in the case of modern electronics, for wondrous and a little weird.

A German-based fashion label called MOON Berlin is the perfect example of this. Founded in 2010, this company has transcended pure entertainment (think the Black Eyed Peas’ performance during the Super bowl Halftime show) and taken wearable electronics directly to the streets. The company philosophy states, “The main idea is to combine light technique with high fashion in a sensitive way.”

Pause.

I’m not really sure what that last part means either. But I digress.

What I find intriguing is the mix of companies working together to create this electro-fashion. This label is working in cooperation with jewelry designer Damir Antolovic, DAAN Designstudio, and Stretchable Circuits. Stretchable Circuits is a company that provides engineering services and project management for flexible and stretchable electronic systems, with a specialty in integration of electronic functions into textiles.

Stretchable electronic systems. That is something to think about.

I’ll admit that I’m a fan of pretty things that sparkle and shine. I am also a firm believer in function over form. There is no reason something functional cannot be pretty, but I don’t think form should ever trump function. If you build something that contains both form and function, you’ve hit on something fantastic.

Enter The Orb. This innovative new design is both a Bluetooth headset and a piece of jewelry. Of course, every new product has its own angle in a niche market. The Orb has its own take on the best way to carry your headset with you when you aren’t using it. This innovative new gadget transforms from a wireless earpiece into a ring with one simple twist. It was developed through a partnership between Hybra Advance Technology Inc. and AbsolutelyNew Inc. They’ve promised to cater to those with petite or stubby fingers with the availability of different ring sizes. There will also be a limited edition designer model featuring decorative gemstones with a bling factor.

Ugg ear muffsUgg may be known primarily for boots, but they are one of the many companies out there getting involved in the headphone industry. They are leveraging their well-established brand to sell “tech-savvy knit earmuffs that feature a port for audio devices.” Of course, these are made of shearling, which is the same material they use for their famous boots.

And for those of you who are into using personal audio products as a fashion statement and also enjoy arts and crafts, it’s your lucky day. Click here for a tutorial on how to make a pair of ear muff headphones, which requires “basic sewing and soldering skills.” This tutorial is narrated by Syuzi Pakhchyan, whose blog, fashioningtech, is devoted solely to the idea of wearable electronics.

As you can see, the possibilities are limited only by your imagination. The common denominator in all of this seems to be the mixing of art with technology. It’s no longer all about the way something sounds to your ears or fits on your body. It’s all about adding innovative technology and taking it to the next level.

In fact, there is an organization in New York City devoted solely to pairing artists and technologists together. The Eyebeam Art & Technology Center offers both education and state-of-the-art tools for digital research and experimentation.

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3 inventions that changed personal audio forever

by on February 29, 2012

Velodyne has just thrown its proverbial hat into the arena of personal audio products. The incredible reception to vPulse is exceeding all of our expectations. And as we gear up for some amazing new releases in the near future, our brains are filled with visions of technology that may have seemed like an impossible dream 100 years ago. But we’ve become so accustomed to technology in our daily lives that it sometimes loses its zing. It’s almost impossible to remember life without it.

How did this evolution happen? Pondering the history of personal audio has started some great conversation in the hallways of Velodyne, as well as blissful reminiscing about the good old days.

A set of antique Nathaniel Baldwin headphones

The Invention of headphones

Born in 1878, Nathaniel Baldwin was a natural tinkerer and inventor throughout his life. He was also a devout Mormon and reportedly, grew frustrated when he couldn’t hear Mormon sermons over the noise of the crowds at the vast Salt Lake Tabernacle. Baldwin began experimenting with sound amplification , which led to the invention of the first modern headphones in 1910. Baldwin sold his invention to the U.S. Navy. His headphones were made by hand in his kitchen and, despite the Navy’s suggestion; he never patented his invention because he considered it to be trivial.

It’s not incidental that his imagined headphones were first thought of as a way to block out crowd noise. Workers and soldiers have long used them to mute the din of machines or artillery while receiving one-way orders from someone with a microphone.

Baldwin eventually started the Baldwin Radio Company. He became quite wealthy and used his success to help support the post-manifesto polygamous movement in the 1920s. Many officers in his company were leading polygamists who assisted in creating the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Baldwin himself actually only married once. Sadly, this celebrated genius was bankrupt by 1924 and impoverished when he died in 1961.

That last part had nothing to do with headphones, but I found it interesting.

The first audio cassette player

No way...I was just listening to that song in my car!

The idea for this product came from Masaru Ibuka, the founder of Sony. He challenged Sony engineer Nobutoshi Kihara to come up with a simple, playback-only stereo version of the small Pressman tape recorder. Kihara certainly met that challenge.

The first Walkman model was unveiled on June 22, 1979. Journalists were invited to Yoyogi (a major park in Tokyo) and given a Walkman to wear. They listened to an explanation of the product in stereo while Sony staff members carried out various demonstrations, including a young man and woman listening to a Walkman while riding on a tandem bicycle. Many journalists predicted the product would never take off since it didn’t include a recording device.

In 1986 the name Walkman was included in the Oxford English Dictionary. By 1995, the total production of Walkman units reached 150 million and over 300 different models have been produced.

A single product that changes the course of music, media, and entertainment

On October 23, 2001 Apple publicly announced the introduction of their iPod line. The initial reaction was somewhat hostile because of the $400 price tag, the unconventional scroll wheel, and the lack of Windows compatibility. It was only a few months later that Apple introduced iTunes, the first legal way for the public to download music. It was the perfect companion to the iPod. A decade later, the iPod is a household name along with a small army of other gadgets attached to its legacy.

The iPod was named by Vinnie Chieco, a freelance copywriter who was called by Apple for advice on how to introduce the player to the public. After seeing the prototype, Chieco thought of the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey and the phrase “Open the pod bay door, Hal,” which refers to the white EVA Pods of the Discovery One spaceship. Chieco saw an analogy to the relationship between the spaceship and the smaller independent pods and the relationship between a personal computer and the music player.

At the unveiling of the iPod in California, Steve Jobs told journalists; “No one has found the recipe yet for digital music. And we think not only can we find the recipe, but we think the Apple brand is going to be fantastic, because people trust the Apple brand to get their great digital electronics from…we’re introducing a product today that takes us exactly there, and that product is called iPod.”

The rest, as they say, is history.

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5 Differences between Live Music and Using Headphones

by on February 22, 2012

Visual elements can enhance or detract from live music. Oooh, pretty lights... so green...

It’s happened plenty of times before: I’ll buy concert tickets months in advance, my expectations directly proportional to the price of the tickets, only to wish I could have just heard the tunes on a good pair of headphones when the show was over. On the other hand, I can look back at a few live music events as peak life experiences and never quite recapture the excitement without the pulsing energy of a jazzed crowd. When it comes down to it, live music and the stuff that comes through your headphones is fundamentally different. Here are 5 key distinctions between the live and headphone experience.

 

  1. Technical perfection. Live music is almost never “perfect” the way a recording can be. Auto-tune is a fickle mistress, and it’s painful when an artist can’t deliver the goods live. On the other hand, as Dave Grohl explained following his controversial Grammy speech, little flaws can add authenticity and excitement to a performance. Personally, I’ll happily forgive a few missed notes if the artist is a passionate and energetic performer.
  2. Personal space. Boy howdy, can this one make a difference. Whether you’re fighting it out in a mosh pit, perching on the edge of a stadium seat or reclining on a blanket in the grass, you will invariably have neighbors in a live music environment. Whether or not they act neighborly is up to pure chance–I’ve personally had to elbow my fair share of bubble-violators, which can certainly detract from the magic of the evening. On the other hand, the crowd can create an electricity and energy that headphone listening can’t hope to match. Whether the adjacent masses help or hurt the experience is up to the crowd-sorting fates to decide.
  3. Intimacy. As #2 suggests, there’s plenty of (often unsolicited) physical intimacy to be found at a concert. Aural and emotional intimacy, though, is hard to attain when throngs of people around you are chatting over the music or singing along off-key. By contrast, a pair of noise-reducing headphones can isolate the sound to the point where the whole outside world melts away, and all that’s left is you and the artist playing right into your ear. That’s the kind of intimacy I’m talking about: no distractions, no extraneous noise, no intrusions. And you’re better able to get it with a pair of ‘phones.
  4. Visual aids. Unless you’re prone to using the visualizer option with iTunes or watching music videos, your typical headphone experience will be strictly auditory in nature. This leaves you free to close your eyes and supply your own visual elements, or to concentrate only on how the sounds hit you. At a concert, with light shows or pyrotechnics or even just the band, the visual spectacle can have a big impact on your experience. Whether the production is distracting or engaging depends entirely on the show.
  5. The element of surprise. When you select your favorite track on your MP3 player, you know exactly what’s about to come through your headphones. A familiar album or playlist can act as an aural security blanket or change agent that you can perfect and select for your particular mood and musical needs. Live music has the element of surprise; instead of being in control of your experience, you’re along for the ride.

 

Coming soon: I compare the experience of hearing a few of my favorite songs live to the recorded versions in one of my favorite games, “Live vs. Headphones“–with some unexpected results.

-Benevolent Siren

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