The Rainpod, by designer David L'Hôte of France, takes a cue from ol' Momma Nature on how to water lawns: with rainwater. Working like a rain barrel, the conceptual Rainpod collects water in a large tank and, standing taller than a man, has the height and reach to cover a large area around it, sprinkling the area using nothing but gravity. Obviously this design would only benefit those who live in a locale where it rains often enough, though some say that rainwater is more effective than water from the tap for lawn care.

"Many people are willing to switch to rainwater," says the Rainpod website, "but won't buy water collectors that look like big garbage cans." So maybe they'd buy one that looks like a Martian tripod.

David L'Hôte, via Designspotter