Author Archives: JC Torres

3D Printed lamps made from cornstarch plastic exude cute candy-like vibes

Posted on by

3D printing has truly revolutionized the design and production industry, giving anyone the power to create almost any form they can think of. That revolution, however, came at a price to the environment, increasing the use of plastic material even further. Thankfully, there has been some significant pushback and changes in this young industry, as different kinds of material become printer-compatible, including food, metal, or even wood. There are even attempts at using alternative source materials for plastic, like this playful 3D-printed lamp that uses a base that you might have never thought of: corn starch.

Designers: Alexandre Touguet, Lise Rissel

Of the many types of materials used for 3D printing, PLY or polylactic acid plastic is one of the most popular. Unlike most plastics that are made from petroleum, this thermoplastic uses organic material, in this case, corn starch. This gives PLA a more sustainable character, although sometimes minimally so. It is biodegradable, but only under specific conditions that aren’t always easy to meet naturally.

It’s still a step in the right direction, nonetheless, especially since it opens the doors to more interesting designs when used in 3D printing. ALT Light is one such example, using 3D printing to bring not only light but also a joyful atmosphere to any space. Although its design might be possible to execute using traditional manufacturing processes and harmful plastic, the product demonstrates the economic and environmental benefits of a more sustainable approach to design and production centered around 3D printing.

ALT Light starts from the bottom with a normal rectangular block, if you could call a block with vertical ridges “normal” in the first place. As you lift your eyes, higher, you are the block seems to flare open, creating the semblance of a traditional conical lampshade. It stops halfway through this transformation, though, creating a sense of instability and dynamism simply through forms, as if the lampshade is trying to break free from its confines.

The lamp can come in different combinations of colors for the base and the lampshade. The transparent top gives it a jelly-like appearance, while the translucent version is like hard candy. The ribbed surface does more than just make the forms look interesting, they also create an interplay of light and shadow that mesmerizes the viewers. In addition to their unique designs, these lamps are all made in order to cut down on material waste, and each creation has minute imperfections that give each ALT Light lamp its own unique character.

The post 3D Printed lamps made from cornstarch plastic exude cute candy-like vibes first appeared on Yanko Design.

Wireless headphones concept sits on a charger that doubles as a speaker

Posted on by

Although they have been around for a long time already, it was the retirement of the 3.5mm headphone jack from smartphones that really caused a surge of interest in wireless headphones and earbuds. There is a wide variety of designs for over-ear cup headphones, most of them naturally focusing on the headphones themselves. The experience of using these accessories, however, doesn’t stop after you’ve taken them off, but most manufacturers seem to make charging headphones an afterthought. This design concept, in contrast, offers a more holistic experience, one that ensures you can continue enjoying your tunes even when your headphones are charging.

Designer: Zeta ID

Although it’s only too easy to lose one or two wireless earbuds, the small objects at least have a proper place to call their home. In contrast, larger wireless headphones have to be hung somewhere if they’re not left lying on a desk, and even then you have to remember to plug them in to charge. And, of course, you’re left with your phone or laptop speakers while its charging, perhaps with a noticeable loss in sound quality.

If earbuds and charging cases always come together, then maybe wireless headphones should also come with a wireless charger out of the box. That’s what the Eko concept tries to bring to the table, almost literally, offering a standard place where you know you’ll always find your headphones. Of course, it also charges while resting, so you can be sure that your personal listening device is always ready by the time you leave.

That stand, however, does more than just charge the headphones. It also functions as a Bluetooth speaker, so you can enjoy high-quality audio even when the headphones are docked. The concept doesn’t exactly say whether it can work independently of the headphones, but that’s often the case with Bluetooth speakers anyway. There can perhaps be a feature that could make it seamlessly switch between the headphones and the speaker as needed.

Eko also has a modern and stylish appearance, one that uses a streamlined band design instead of the usual circular cups. The speaker charging dock is a triangular prism that matches the dark motif of the headphones. One concern about the concept design is the comfort of the headphones themselves, as its speaker don’t seem to go over the ears like most designs and would instead press on it.

The post Wireless headphones concept sits on a charger that doubles as a speaker first appeared on Yanko Design.

Aesthetic speaker concept adds decorative value to your home entertainment setup

Posted on by

As people become more aware of the role that sound plays in immersive content, the number of speakers in homes also begins to rise. This means that these audio equipment are starting to make their presence not just heard but also seen, and sometimes not in pleasing ways. Fortunately, manufacturers are also becoming more sensitive to this aspect of product design, and we’re seeing a growing number of speakers that extol aesthetics as much as audio quality, though the side effect of this trend means getting locked into a specific design the moment you make your purchase. This customizable speaker concept, on the other hand, offers some flexibility that not only lets you decide how the speaker will look but where you want to put it as well.

Designer: Eshant Kumbhakarn

Compared to TVs, the true value of speakers lies not in their appearance but in their audio output. Unfortunately, these products still take up physical space, and hiding them doesn’t exactly work because that can negatively affect the way sound travels. Some audio equipment brands try to disguise speakers as art objects or minimize their footprint as soundbars, but this speaker concept design tries to combine both ideas to deliver the best of both worlds.

Aura is a concept for a speaker panel that delivers audio in 360 degrees. Rather than pushing sound from the front as you might expect from a flat box, the actual speakers are located around the edges. Thanks to this design, it is possible to place Aura anywhere and in any orientation, whether vertically on a wall, horizontally below a TV, or even lying flat on a long meeting table.

To help make this flexibility more practical, Aura has a special feature that very few speakers have. It has physical controls as well as input ports on both long sides of the speaker, letting you control it directly regardless of the position or orientation. Admittedly, that does add a complication to the internal implementation of the speaker, but it’s not entirely impossible given today’s technology.

That alone already makes it notable, but Aura’s real value comes from its customizable and interchangeable front panel. In theory, this lets you select a design that would match the motif of the room or even the material of the table on which it will be placed. Whether it’s a marble-like finish, wood, or a typical gray mesh, Aura puts the owner in control of how the speaker looks and blends into the background. Even better, you can always change that panel when you change your interior design, prolonging the speaker’s usefulness for years to come.

The post Aesthetic speaker concept adds decorative value to your home entertainment setup first appeared on Yanko Design.

Astropad Bookcase turns iPhones into slightly more ergonomic e-Readers

Posted on by

E-book Readers, a.k.a. e-Readers, are becoming popular again thanks to the introduction of new technologies like Color E Ink, as well as the proliferation of new brands like Onyx BOOX, Bigme, and reMarkable. That said, some people prefer to stick to the slightly large screens of their smartphones rather than carry a separate device, but that kind of digital reading experience brings its fair share of discomfort. Even disregarding eye strain, reading for long periods on a smartphone means potentially blocking part of the screen or giving your hand cramps in the long run. This iPhone accessory offers a solution that tries to make reading on a phone slightly more comfortable, even if it only addresses one very specific problem.

Designer: Astropad

While smartphones and tablets are banishing bezels, e-Readers are insistent on keeping them around. It isn’t because they can’t make screen borders incredibly thin but because they want to offer an ergonomic design where one or two hands can comfortably hold the device without worrying about accidentally touching the screen or blocking part of the content. Without that kind of “margin,” holding a smartphone can become awkward and uncomfortable for an extended period of time.

Astropad Bookcase is an accessory that adds handles to the sides of a phone without forcing owners to put on a protective case. A MagSafe-compatible phone attaches to the middle of the tray-like accessory when you want to read, giving your hands something stable to grasp. And when you’re done, you simply detach the phone, put away the Bookcase, and be on your merry way. The accessory is made with lightweight polycarbonate that makes it feel like you’re adding nothing to the smartphone, and it uses vegan leather to add a bit of style and elegance to the design.

The Astropad Bookcase has a few gimmicks that make the e-Reading experience a bit smoother. A companion app, for example, can automatically launch your favorite e-Reader app the moment you attach the iPhone to the Bookcase thanks to an NFC chip inside the MagSafe mount. Although it’s primarily compatible with iPhone 12 and later models, the package includes a MagSafe conversion kit to support older iPhones as well as Android phones.

While the Bookcase does solve one part of the smartphone ergonomic problem, it doesn’t fully address the reasons why it’s not ideal to read on a smartphone for too long. For one, there are no convenient physical buttons that would let you turn the page without having to swipe or tap on the screen, similar to how some apps allow you to use the volume buttons for the same purpose. And there’s no escaping the fact that LCD and OLED screens, regardless of advertised advanced technologies, cause eye strain over prolonged use compared to eye-friendly E Ink displays.

The post Astropad Bookcase turns iPhones into slightly more ergonomic e-Readers first appeared on Yanko Design.

Astropad Bookcase turns iPhones into slightly more ergonomic e-Readers

Posted on by

E-book Readers, a.k.a. e-Readers, are becoming popular again thanks to the introduction of new technologies like Color E Ink, as well as the proliferation of new brands like Onyx BOOX, Bigme, and reMarkable. That said, some people prefer to stick to the slightly large screens of their smartphones rather than carry a separate device, but that kind of digital reading experience brings its fair share of discomfort. Even disregarding eye strain, reading for long periods on a smartphone means potentially blocking part of the screen or giving your hand cramps in the long run. This iPhone accessory offers a solution that tries to make reading on a phone slightly more comfortable, even if it only addresses one very specific problem.

Designer: Astropad

While smartphones and tablets are banishing bezels, e-Readers are insistent on keeping them around. It isn’t because they can’t make screen borders incredibly thin but because they want to offer an ergonomic design where one or two hands can comfortably hold the device without worrying about accidentally touching the screen or blocking part of the content. Without that kind of “margin,” holding a smartphone can become awkward and uncomfortable for an extended period of time.

Astropad Bookcase is an accessory that adds handles to the sides of a phone without forcing owners to put on a protective case. A MagSafe-compatible phone attaches to the middle of the tray-like accessory when you want to read, giving your hands something stable to grasp. And when you’re done, you simply detach the phone, put away the Bookcase, and be on your merry way. The accessory is made with lightweight polycarbonate that makes it feel like you’re adding nothing to the smartphone, and it uses vegan leather to add a bit of style and elegance to the design.

The Astropad Bookcase has a few gimmicks that make the e-Reading experience a bit smoother. A companion app, for example, can automatically launch your favorite e-Reader app the moment you attach the iPhone to the Bookcase thanks to an NFC chip inside the MagSafe mount. Although it’s primarily compatible with iPhone 12 and later models, the package includes a MagSafe conversion kit to support older iPhones as well as Android phones.

While the Bookcase does solve one part of the smartphone ergonomic problem, it doesn’t fully address the reasons why it’s not ideal to read on a smartphone for too long. For one, there are no convenient physical buttons that would let you turn the page without having to swipe or tap on the screen, similar to how some apps allow you to use the volume buttons for the same purpose. And there’s no escaping the fact that LCD and OLED screens, regardless of advertised advanced technologies, cause eye strain over prolonged use compared to eye-friendly E Ink displays.

The post Astropad Bookcase turns iPhones into slightly more ergonomic e-Readers first appeared on Yanko Design.

Modular cat furniture system helps save space in small households

Posted on by

People these days are adopting more and more pets, sometimes more than their homes can accommodate. Dogs might have no problems staying in outdoor doghouses, but domesticated felines tend to prefer indoor accommodations. Of course, there’s no shortage of furniture for cats, ranging from litter boxes to scratching posts to climbing trees. The problem is that the majority of them are all designed to take up space on the floor, which leaves less room for human furniture. Just like how humans realize they have plenty of unused vertical space, this cat furniture concept grows upward rather than sideways to let you comfortably accommodate one or more furry felines, even if you don’t have much space for yourself either.

Designer: Arthur Zheng (Kuang Hsu)

Vertical furniture is definitely becoming a trend as we realize how precious little floor space we actually have. Unfortunately, that’s only part of the solution, because just like floor space, the vertical situation in our homes can change as well. Unlike regular furniture, however, vertical designs often have a fixed height and configuration, preventing us from easily rearranging these pieces of furniture.

FROHZ Cat Castle is a design concept that solves both those problems with a simple modular design. The furniture system is made of five pieces that can be freely rearranged as needed. Of course, they have certain limits given their fixed shapes, but you can, in theory, combine them in many ways without permanently committing to a particular configuration.

The largest part of the modular furniture system is the cat litter box, a tall cabinet with two doors at the top, one of which has an oval opening for the cat to crawl into. A “Play/Rest” box has a slightly similar design, except it’s a simpler and smaller box designed only to be a resting spot. An even simpler version of this is an arched structure with openings at the front and the back. There’s also an L-shaped scratching “post” and a simple storage box to keep kitty toys and accessories.

Arranging these pieces is as simple as stacking them on top of each other or putting them side by side, with some connectors to keep them from easily falling apart from the cat’s movement. The open-ended design even allows for more than one piece of each type to accommodate more than one feline in the house. And should the number of pets you own increase or decrease, you can quickly add or remove modules as needed. You might even be able to challenge yourself to come up with a creative design, one that would truly make your cat feel like a king or queen in its own castle.

The post Modular cat furniture system helps save space in small households first appeared on Yanko Design.

Leftover date seeds become 3D printer filaments to enable sustainable creations

Posted on by

3D printers revolutionized the manufacturing and design industries, enabling almost anyone to bring their ideas to life and iterate over designs quickly. Unfortunately, this flood of creativity also resulted in a surge in the use of plastic, specifically the thermoplastics used as filaments for fused deposit modeling or FDM 3D printers. Even the more sustainable PLA type of filament is only biodegradable under very specific conditions, so there is a dire need for more eco-friendly but accessible alternatives. This particular idea tries to harness and reuse the equally growing volume of food waste that we throw away, particularly fruit seeds that really serve no other purpose unless they’re planted again.

Designer: Nawa Tek

Dates are a very popular fruit, especially in Middle Eastern countries like Oman that produce and process tonnes of the fruit yearly. But like many fruits, only the flesh of dates is consumed, and the seeds or pits are simply discarded. These are biodegradable, of course, but they only decompose after a certain period of time, resulting in tonnes of garbage taking up space and potentially polluting waters as well. You can also plant some of the seeds but not all can be used this way.

Playing on the word for date pits and “repeat,” RePit is an emerging technology that puts these previously unusable food waste to better use. Rather than simply reusing the pits as they are, which could bring other complications like longevity and durability, the seeds instead becoming the foundations for a completely new material, one that can be woven into 3D printed products. In other words, what would have become garbage is ultimately transformed into art object, machine parts, and more.

In a nutshell, crushed date pits are mixed with limestone and clay to create a water-resistant composite material that is not unlike traditional Iranian “sarooj” that’s used for building houses. The composite is then transformed into filaments compatible with FDM 3D printers to create any shape imaginable, at least in theory. For a demonstration, decorative tiles were 3D printed and then fired and glazed to give them a ceramic-like appearance.

RePit is still a work in progress and it’s one of the growing number of sustainable 3D printing filaments being researched and developed today. The 3D printing industry has already expanded to support materials like metal, wood, and even chocolate, so it’s only proper that a more environment-friendly and long-lasting option is also developed, preferably one that embraces a circular economy that also reduces the waste we heap on landfills.

The post Leftover date seeds become 3D printer filaments to enable sustainable creations first appeared on Yanko Design.

Sleek clock and wireless charger concept offers a distraction-free experience

Posted on by

Thanks to Apple’s adoption and improvement of the technology, wireless chargers for smartphones have grown and thrived. There are quite a number of different designs, though the majority of them have a common purpose. They make it easy to still use the phone even while charging, or at the very least see its display. That could be useful in some cases but it is Kryptonite for those who actually want to keep their phones out of sight. That’s especially true in bed when phones tempt you to scroll all the way to morning. This concept design proposes a simple yet elegant solution that keeps the phone out of sight while charging but still displays the most important information you need to see at a glance.

Designer: Ahmed Rashad

Although flat horizontal “beds” are the most common design for wireless chargers, the most popular put the phone at an angle so that you can still see the phone’s screen while charging. This position is useful for taking video calls or watching a video, and some even have special modes that show a minimalist UI like a clock. Unfortunately, this also increases the potential for distraction, or at least the temptation to reach out for your phone. You could, of course, simply charge your phone far away, but then you lose access to important and timely information like your next appointment.

This wireless charger concept suggests a solution that is simple yet also ingenious. It combines the functionality of a simple, horizontal wireless charger with a digital clock. The clincher is that the clock also displays data like the weather, today’s most important event, and your next appointment. The concept doesn’t exactly make it explicit, but this information is possibly taken from the charging phone itself, whether through NFC or Bluetooth.

The big difference here is that the wireless charger lies behind the clock, so the phone will not only be hidden from view but also difficult to reach. It puts physical and conceptual barriers that discourage instant gratification by increasing the friction and amount of effort to do that action. The design would be best used on a bedside table, ensuring that the phone is really out of reach but still charging conveniently.

The wireless charging clock also carries a striking aesthetic that will fit many minimalist motifs, including and especially Apple designs. The sleek curve gives it a rather elegant appearance, while the clean and white finish makes it stand out against most furniture colors and materials. There’s also a distinct absence of extraneous features, including buttons aside from the power and charging switches, making the accessory effortless to use.

The post Sleek clock and wireless charger concept offers a distraction-free experience first appeared on Yanko Design.

Smart ceiling fan concept takes its design cues from a customizable smartphone

Posted on by

Home electronics aren’t just getting smarter, their designs are also getting more sophisticated. It’s not just the usual culprits such as lamps and TVs either, as appliances with less presence like air purifiers and speakers become more conspicuous in the space they occupy. Designs vary widely from minimalist to elaborate, though most seem to use nature as a source of inspiration. In contrast, this design concept for a ceiling fan takes a page from a distance cousin in the consumer electronics market, mixing interactive functionality with minimalist aesthetics to provide a user experience that can be personalized to one’s preferences.

Designer: Eshant Kumbhakarn

Nothing’s new sub-brand appropriated the popular “CMF” acronym to indicate its heavy leaning towards a design-centric approach. By putting an emphasis not just on looks but on the color, material, and finish of the design, CMF by Nothing aims to elevate the prestige of products often simply seen as technological tools. So far, the brand’s designs have revolved around making exceptional design more accessible, which is what this ceiling fan concept tries to achieve as well.

FanPro brings that attention to detail to a smart home appliance, one that seems to be the least likely recipient of such a treatment: a ceiling fan. At the same time, however, it also offers the perfect opportunity to put into practice the design theories put forward by CMF. This design, for example, pays close attention to the engineering involved in the design process, making sure that the four blades are precisely angled at 15 degrees for optimal airflow and minimal noise.

A particularly interesting twist to this design is the full screen display on the base that can show not only information like operational modes or the time, it can even show emotions through simplified faces to give the appliance a more personal touch. All these can be controlled through a remote designed with intuitive use in mind. An easily accessed dial, for example, lets you instantly change the fan speed, while navigating menus is done through directional buttons.

The first CMF Phone garnered fame for its modular and customizable design, something that FanPro also adopts both for the fan itself as well as the remote control shell. Although it’s probably not as easy or probably safe to change the fan’s parts, it does leave the door open for more personalized experiences, even if it means just changing colors.

The post Smart ceiling fan concept takes its design cues from a customizable smartphone first appeared on Yanko Design.

Mech-inspired smartphone Doogee S200 embraces rugged design in an interesting way

Posted on by

Although smartphones are logically designed to be durable and reliable, their premium appearance and elegant aesthetics give these devices a seemingly delicate character. On the opposite end of the spectrum are rugged smartphones designed like tanks and look the part, giving the impression that you can only choose one or the other. There are indeed limitations when it comes to materials that give phones added protection, but with some creative thinking, you can turn that undesirable property into a key feature. That’s exactly what this curious-looking smartphone does, eschewing luxurious aesthetics for a motif that calls to mind the battle-hardened mecha or robots of science fiction. Even better, it can definitely walk the walk as well.

Designer: Doogee

Doogee is one of the remaining smartphone brands that target a niche market that prioritizes durability and longevity over flashy designs and cutting-edge features. Although its early models did exhibit tank-like appearances, it has learned to fine-tune its designs to look more sophisticated without sacrificing its biggest strengths. The Doogee S98, for example, looked like a gadget to be used by secret agents, and that design DNA resurfaces in the brand’s newest product.

Rather than trying hard to reconcile smooth curves with rugged shells, the Doogee S200 embraces sharp angles and straight lines. But rather than leaving them at that, it transforms these design elements into geometric shapes that give the phone a sci-fi vibe, like a panel or piece of a gigantic fighting robot. Of course, that design isn’t just for show, as Doogee took the opportunity to go all out on the materials to give the S200 a much-coveted IP69 and IP69K rating for protection not just against water and dust but also from humidity, sand, and more.

A design element that the Doogee S20 carried over from its predecessors is the 1.32-inch circular AMOLED display on the back, flanked by the phone’s triple camera system and an infrared lamp for improved night sensitivity. It makes the back of the phone truly look futuristic, even if the functionality it offers is just as limited as a smartwatch with a similar circular design. It really drives home the mecha motif, making it look more interesting than other tank-like rugged smartphones.

The Doogee S200 is boasted to be the first 5G phone in Doogee’s S-letter series, which is admittedly not saying much these days. The phone’s specs, as one might expect, are hardly noteworthy, starting with a mid-range MediaTek Dimensity 7050 processor. The 12GB of RAM can be boosted to 32GB by taking some space from the already meager 256GB storage. A killer feature, however, is the gigantic 10,100 mAh battery that will unfortunately be throttled by a fast but inadequate 33W charging speed. Given the $400 price tag, however, it’s not such a bad deal, especially if you’re into phones that look like props from fiction.

The post Mech-inspired smartphone Doogee S200 embraces rugged design in an interesting way first appeared on Yanko Design.