Posted on 08/07/2006 11:49:16 AM PDT by Junior
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - A young Dutch architect has created a floating bed which hovers above the ground through magnetic force and comes with a price tag of 1.2 million euros ($1.54 million).
Janjaap Ruijssenaars took inspiration for the bed -- a sleek black platform, which took six years to develop and can double as a dining table or a plinth -- from the mysterious monolith in Stanley Kubrick's 1968 cult film "2001: A Space Odyssey."
"No matter where you live all architecture is dictated by gravity. I wondered whether you could make an object, a building or a piece of furniture where this is not the case -- where another power actually dictates the image," Ruijssenaars said.
Magnets built into the floor and into the bed itself repel each other, pushing the bed up into the air. Thin steel cables tether the bed in place.
"It is not comfortable at the moment," admits Ruijssenaars, adding it needs cushions and bedclothes before use.
Although people with piercings should have no problem sleeping on the bed, Ruijssenaars advises them against entering the magnetic field between the bed and the floor.
They could find their piercing suddenly tugged toward one of the magnets.
I've seen ball point pens that float like this in their special platforms. But these magnets suspending a whole bed would have to be so very strong. You could not trust your compass in bed. I wonder if these are electromagnets? If the electricity went out you'd thunk.
I am in the rope bed generation. Gotta tie them tight for a good night's sleep (seriously).
Yeah but where is the smoke and the green helmet guy? Somebody is not using all of Reuter's historical database.
>>Nobody can do YOU as good as YOU can!
Sorry, I can't tickle myself either...
Gotcha.
Please keep the rum/buggery/lash stories to yerself, matey.
< |:)~
I got a waterbed handed down from a 'hip' cousin when I was still in highschool . The old,one bag filled with water kind. I got it near Christmas and decided to use it right away. So I took down my bed, put the waterbed frame up, ran a hose through the window and started filling. Icy cold water. About halfway done-at night- I noticed the leak.
To make a long story short, it was late, I was exhausted with no bed, and I had to drain the bed-bag somehow. Since our house was and old-fashioned raised shotgun, that meant out the front door.
The thought of the bed bursting and flooding the living room, Christmas tree and presents was horrifying.
I'll never forget the look on the face of the old black man who happened to be walking by when a Niagra Falls of cold water poured out my front door and onto the sidewalk!After midnite, and I had a wet floor and still had to reassemble my regular bed!
Despite that- I think waterbeds are the ultimate in comfort ,wouldn't mind having a modern one someday.
This floating bed is fantastic! Might be a problem for stashing stuff under, or the dog sleeping under there tho.
I own one almost identical to the one shown. One chage I made was that I made a canopy on it for my wife.
Carolyn
Man, that's horrible.
Am lucky my waterbed mattress never broke. Used one -- the old-fashioned, wavy, no-baffles kind -- from 1983-1990.
>>I gotta hand it to you.
>>Or maybe better to let you hand it to you.
My hands are clean...
That's not good On the other hand...
No, that won't do either, Um how about the most popular answer on surveys of teen aged boys "I have no idea what you are talking about" /Humor
How long before every radio talk show host is cutting commercials extolling the virtues of the amazin' magnetic floatin' bed? 8^)
It was that- I still remember being desperately cold, tired and having no place to sleep until I reconstructed the bed.
One fun thing about that bed tho-when my cousin had it. BIG hit at parties! It had a transparent top, so we thought it would be great to put goldfish in it! Caused quite a sensation at the party, everyone wanted to lie on the bed and see the fish.
A couple of days later tho, seeing DEAD fish in the bed was gruesome. We just didn't think about that. Draining that sucker was just brutal.
Anyone else ever do anything this stupid with a waterbed?
Actually, would still prefer a waterbed . . . but a much deeper one.
Wife and I were . . . uhhhh . . . not impressed with literally uhhhh bottoming out during certain exercises.
Reuters, we have a problem.
Some magnets at the head--temples area I think--can evidently truly cure depression for extended periods.
And some insist that it helps align or some such the iron in the blood to function more healthfully.
I do think more research of a quality nature should be done and prevented from being trashed by the greedy drug companies.
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