Tag Archives: coral

Coral-inspired radiator turns an industrial appliance into an organic artpiece

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Inventor of the Nest thermostat Tony Fadell famously expressed his disgust for thermostats of the past. They were clunky, ugly, and nobody who bought them actually liked them – they were purely a necessity and almost always hidden away in closets where nobody saw them. Nest changed that by being a radically different product that people bought because they loved. Paolo D’Arrigo’s Coral Electric Radiator does pretty much the same thing for those godawful old-time radiators found in most European and American apartments. Applying the same principle of increased surface area, these electric radiators instead use a coral-inspired design that actually looks like an art sculpture instead of an industrial appliance.

Designer: Paolo D’Arrigo

These coral-inspired radiators were designed using algorithms that mimic how cells multiply in corals, our brain cells, and other areas of nature. The patterns were created by the generative algorithm, and were then cut out of aluminum sheeting. “The goal was to define elements with an extremely extended perimeter, to generate a high thermal output and propose a distinctive aesthetic”, said designer Paolo D’Arrigo.

High-performance electric radiators, made entirely of aluminum, can be controlled with the management app which allows you to set times and days of ignition, heating speed, and temperature. Their shape is optimized to distribute heat efficiently without looking overtly industrial or engineered. The coral shapes, available in rectangular or circular formats, can be mounted on walls, and are available in a wide array of colors. What really marks a major step for these radiators is their ability to look pretty while remaining functional. Aesthetics, for a long time, have been separated from traditional functional requirements – a ‘functional’ chair must allow you to sit on it, etc. – but one could argue that looking aesthetic is a function too. In the act of problem-solving, making desirable products does solve a user’s problem too!

The Coral Electric Radiator is a Silver Winner of the A’ Design Award for the year 2022.

The post Coral-inspired radiator turns an industrial appliance into an organic artpiece first appeared on Yanko Design.

This drone + carrier monitors, protects, and restores reefs by planting 100 corals per day sustainably!

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Climate change is not leaving any sphere of life untouched and a lot of that damage is irreversible. Coral reefs are one such natural treasure that is facing the harsh effects of global warming and they are dying at an alarming rate. If things continue at this speed, 90% of coral reefs will vanish by 2050. While they only occupy 0.1% of the total area of the ocean, they actually support 25% of all marine species on earth! Nemo is an award-winning device designed to assist with coral restoration in an efficient, sustainable way, with large-scale capacity. It can plant 100 corals a day and only requires 2-3 people to complete the operation.

Coral reefs help us breathe, protect us from storms, provide us with food and support the economy of coastal communities – and that is why we need to save them at all costs. Nemo consists of a digital platform, a specialized transport box, and a collaborative drone that works within its four-stage service program to help municipalities. The digital platform helps scientists to research and monitor coral reefs more accurately and at the same time, it spreads global awareness about coral reefs to citizens. The platform keeps a record of all the data gathered from monitoring the reefs. The specialized transport box protects corals during their relocation from the nursery site to the outplant site by regulating the temperature of the saltwater and pH value to give the young corals the best chance for survival during their journey. Meanwhile, the collaborative drone helps scientists monitor by 3D scanning and mapping the coral reefs. This information is uploaded to a digital platform for the benefit of coral restoration agencies. The main parts of Nemo are made from recycled plastic to reduce its environmental impact.

“We used a human-centered design approach to help solve an environment-centered design problem. We combined the best of both processes and implemented our findings from both approaches. The process behind Nemo was also highly iterative and involved multiple experts from different sectors. During our research, we got feedback from experts on our concepts and ideas to verify them and to make sure we were heading in the right direction. We also hosted creative workshops to get input from more designers across disciplines to make our product better which included digital prototyping and iterative sketching exercises,” said the team while describing their process of creating Nemo. The system uses a combination of growing corals on pre-manufactured locally recycled structures using bioadhesives and drilling holes into the ocean floor to optimize the process for 2-3 people instead of the traditional 10-15 team which saves the restoration agencies’ resources.

Nemo was created to rebuild and support healthy ecosystems which is crucial for a sustainable future, it was the answer to the question “How can the journey towards a more sustainable, efficient, and simple coral restoration process be designed?” While there are many coral restoration efforts and technology, none are as comprehensive as Nemo because it goes beyond just planting new corals and takes the entire lifecycle as well as education about the crisis into account. It allows coral restoration organizations to scale up their efforts and accelerate the positive impact. Nemo has been shortlisted for the James Dyson 2021 National Winner and has also been recognized at the Red Dot Concept Awards 2020, the Core77 Design for Social Impact Notable, and Core77 Transportation Notable.

Designer: Elias Thaddäus Pfuner and Mario Kapsalis

These 3D-Printed lamps were designed using algorithms that copy coral growth patterns

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John Mauriello, the designer behind the Coral Lighting Collection, has a very beautiful way of describing his creation. You’re not looking at a lamp, or a coral… you’re looking at a moment frozen in time. These lamps are the work of complex algorithms simulating natural growth, but they’re also just as equally the moment that John decided to press pause on the simulation.

Say hello to Timor, Sargasso, and Celebes, three members of John’s Coral Lighting Collection. Inspired by different styles of corals, the lamps come with varying aesthetics that reflect the visual characteristics of each coral-type. The way John went about creating these unique lights was to first develop the computational design algorithms that mimic growth patterns found in nature. “The lighting collection is my way of paying tribute to the beauty of the ocean. As a veteran surfer, I’ve experienced the power and beauty of the ocean while enjoying each wave as its own unique moment in time. One of many magical living structures in our great oceans is coral. With a diverse range of color, shape, and scale, coral is an entire ecosystem of thriving life. My lighting celebrates this life”, says Mauriello.

Designed to look just as pretty even when switched off, the lamps are part installation, part lighting design. As pretty as any ornate vase, each lamp comes with a stable design that allows it to stand on its base without tipping over. Printed in a white cloudy material (almost resembling ceramic), the lamps come with LED lights built-in, which shine through the lamp’s uneven cross-section to create brighter and duller regions based on the form. It’s captivating to look at when switched off… but switch it on and it looks hauntingly beautiful! In an effort to reduce waste and curb carbon emissions, all lamps are 3D printed in the USA, using processes that allow for recycling of any waste material in the manufacturing process. The lamps will be up for presale soon, you can head down to John Mauriello’s website to leave your email and get notified when the collection goes on sale.

Designer: John Mauriello

This tree-shaped home speaker branches out into 360° surround sound!

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You’ve heard of 2.1 audio, 5.1 audio, even perhaps 7.1 audio… but have you ever heard of 12.1 surround sound? That’s what the Actinia speaker is about. Inspired by the tree-shaped sea anemone, the Actinia Speaker has 12 tweeters on its radially symmetric top, and a woofer right at the base. With a gradient-tinted glass body, the Actinia is virtually see-through, bringing an element of transparency to the uniquely shaped organic speaker body, almost reminiscent of how curvy Harman Kardon’s Soundsticks were, back in the day.

I don’t imagine the Actinia has smart-speaker abilities, but with 12.1 audio, I doubt you’d really choose to hear Alexa’s voice over some good old, immersive Hans Zimmer or Ramin Djawadi soundtracks… am I right?

Designer: Lingsong Jin

Spear-toting robot can guard coral reefs against invasive lionfish

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Lionfish are threats to not only fragile coral reef ecosystems, but the divers who keep them in check. They not only take advantage of unsuspecting fish populations, but carry poisonous spines that make them challenging to catch. Student researcher...