Author Archives: JC Torres

AI-powered calculator concept can solve even handwritten math problems

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Like it or not, and some definitely don’t, the things that AI and neural networks can accomplish these days are nothing short of mind-blowing. Never mind the rather dated speech recognition that has now become all too common, AI has now become famous and notorious for being able to analyze just about anything and generate something from those data points, whether they’re images, novels, or even the chicken scratch that is our handwriting. Turning human scribbles into digital text that computers can process has long been one of the Holy Grails of computing, but being able to make sense of those scribbles is a different story. AI has come to a point where it can not only understand but even solve handwritten equations, and that’s a capability that this smart calculator is harnessing to ease the pain of cross-checking math problems, almost like magic.

Designer: Divyansh Tripathi

It’s relatively easy for computers and even phones these days to recognize handwriting and turn it into their digital equivalent, but AI goes the extra mile by understanding those words and, in this case, numbers and symbols. Math solvers, just like AI text generators, are somewhat controversial because of their potential for abuse, but the technology itself is quite impressive and, just like any other tool, could also be put to good use.

That’s the potential that the OBSCURA smart calculator concept is trying to harness, offering an all-in-one problem-solving device for any and all numerical problems. Unlike your typical advanced calculator, this one comes with a camera so that you can take pictures of a handwritten formula and run it through a solver such as Photomath, Microsoft Maths Solver, Socratic, and others. It doesn’t stop at “seeing” formulas and problems, however. It also has a built-in mic so you can verbally ask it about the problem.

Of course, you can also just type out the numbers like with any regular scientific calculator. In terms of the device’s interface, what sets this calculator apart is a touch control that lets you adjust the viewfinder or move the cursor around on the display. In all other aspects, it’s pretty much like any other powerful calculator, just that it has AI running inside.

Of course, that raises the question of the purpose of such a device, especially when smartphones have access to the same hardware and AI services. A smartphone, however, also has plenty of distractions that can drag you away from the work at hand, especially if that work happens to involve disagreeable numbers. Obscura, at least, offers to do some of the rote work, especially with cross-checking solutions, but it’s still up to the user to be responsible with such great power in their hands.

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Wireless earbuds concept turns listening to music into a social experience

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Headphones, earphones, and earbuds have become a common sight wherever you go. It helps us be more immersed in our music and podcasts even when outdoors, while also respecting others around us who might not share the same preferences as us. At the same time, however, these devices are designed not only to isolate sound but also to isolate us from people, preventing us from actually sharing our favorite tunes with like-minded people. Sure, we can just turn on the loudspeaker, but that also means blasting the sound for everyone to hear, whether they like it or not, turning it into an all-or-nothing kind of deal. It shouldn’t have to be that way, though, especially not with our current technologies, and this concept tries to offer a more social earbud design that can easily share the music we love with a select number of people only.

Designer: Kusi Boateng-Arthur

Earbuds are intentionally designed to keep sound in so that you can enjoy your tunes without worrying about outside noise coming in or your music “leaking out” to others. Nowadays, there are features that do let some ambient sounds through for safety or communication reasons, but it doesn’t work the other way around. Unless you have a poor fit or extremely loud volumes, no one around you will hear what you’re playing, no matter how much you want to share your new favorite album.

“more. than a bud” is a design concept that tries to remedy this unsociable situation by providing a way for earbuds to share music with each other without having to broadcast it over a loudspeaker. We already have the technology available for this, as demonstrated by wireless speakers that support multiroom modes. The idea is the same but on a smaller and more personal scale.

Inspired by the Aslatua Ghanian percussion instrument, these earbuds simply tap each other to establish a connection. Smartphone users might be familiar with a similar gesture that existed a while back to initiate a file transfer between two phones. That’s pretty much all that’s needed to share your music with another person, letting you develop a closer relationship that goes beyond being a bud.

Aside from that special feature, the “more. than a bud” buds also have a distinctive design which is basically just two halves of a sphere. The actual speaker, however, is angled at 30 degrees in order to maximize the path that sound travels in your ear. The concept also claims that the in-ear design offers a secure fit, but some might have reservations because of its small, stemless shape. While the two halves join together to form a sphere when not in use, charging the buds requires them to attach to opposite sides of a small puck, turning the shape into a capsule. It’s definitely an interesting design, though it will probably be more noted for its ability to turn listening to music back to its original form: a social experience.

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Huggable robot concept delivers warmth, power, and comfort during disasters

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Natural disasters can take a heavy toll on life and property, even when we’ve prepared for the worst. Floods, earthquakes, fires, and volcanic eruptions can send people running to evacuation centers where they may be safe but are hardly intact both in the body and especially in the mind. These refuge centers are often only able to provide the bare necessities when it comes to shelter and food, with electric power and heating sometimes taking a lower priority. That’s not even considering the psychological pain that all evacuees experience during these dark times, which often take a backseat because of the state emergency. Of course, all of these are important factors to consider, and this concept for an add but cute robot tries to address them in its own little way to provide both physical and mental comfort to people who have been displaced by these calamities.

Designers: Taejeong Kim, Yeji Jeon

To be fair, such shelters have to focus on what human needs to survive, like food, clothing, and a stable roof over their heads. Electricity often isn’t even viable during natural disasters when power lines are down, but considering how much we rely on electric appliances and devices these days, it has become almost just as critical. Depending on the location and the nature of the disaster, keeping warm is also important, especially if the person is shivering from shock.

POWER HUG is a product design concept that tries to bring some of that on a personal level, just enough power and warmth to bring a little comfort and ease the worries of the person. It is pretty much a big power bank, one with outlets for both USB cables as well as typical power adapters. It also has a built-in warmer to keep the person toasty, especially at night when temperatures tend to drop drastically.

What makes the design notable, however, isn’t just the features but also its form. POWER HUG comes as a cylindrical robot with two soft, bendable tubes that wrap around each end like a wheel. It has a screen in the middle to show the robot’s face and deliver a more humane touch to the design. Unlike what you might expect from robots, however, this one is covered with a thin cushion and soft fabric so that you can wrap yours around it in an embrace. Paired with its heating capability, it can deliver much-needed warmth, comfort, and perhaps even peace to a troubled person.

Considering its use in emergency situations, it’s almost necessary for POWER HUG to be made accessible and sustainable materials. Its batteries can be sourced from unused electric vehicle batteries, while its fabric can be made from recycled materials. It’s definitely an interesting idea, even if the production of such a device might not be practical, as it emphasizes humans’ need for more than just food and shelter to survive a disaster.

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Modular speaker concept creates an immersive audio experience anywhere

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Portable wireless speakers are becoming quite ubiquitous these days as a way to enjoy your favorite music anywhere you are, whether you’re outside or just in another room. In exchange for their portability, however, the quality of the sound these speakers produce is less impressive compared to bigger and more stationary equipment found at home. It would be nice if you could have the best of both worlds, enjoying an audio system that follows you around the house without missing a beat. You could try to buy multiple wireless speakers and hope they can be connected to each other, or you can hope that this peculiar speaker system concept becomes a reality, allowing you to pick up one or two speakers from their base as easily as you would pick up your takeout meal.

Designers: Junwoo Kim, Yoonjeong Lee, Heeyeol Yang, Jaehoon Jeong

For an audio experience to be considered truly immersive, it has to sound like it’s coming from all around you. More specifically, the right sounds have to come from the correct direction rather than equally from all directions. Making this possible with a single speaker or even a pair of headphones is possible but difficult to accomplish, requiring sophisticated algorithms and precise control to create the illusion of surround sound. Of course, you could set up a surround sound system in your entertainment den, but then that magic only takes effect in that room.

TakeOut is an LG-inspired concept for a modular speaker system that lets you design your own audio space in a snap. At its core is a 360-degree soundbar that tries to bring the sound to you wherever you are in the room by blasting it in all directions. But when you push down on one of the circles on the top of the soundbar, a short cylindrical wireless speaker pops up. It’s not a completely independent speaker and it works in tandem with the soundbar, but its most important feature is that you can take it anywhere with you in the house.

This portability means that you can set up your audio experience just the way you want it, whether you’re listening in the same room or elsewhere. Need to go to your home office for a while? Just pop out one of the speakers and let the music follow you there. You can also create your surround sound setup in a flash by positioning the four “sub-speakers” around the room, though that doesn’t necessarily mean that the system will know which sound needs to come from which speaker.

While the design of TakeOut is quite interesting, there might be some practical issues with it as well. For one, the concept doesn’t clarify if the individual speakers can be used separately from the soundbar or if they’re completely dependent on it. If it’s the latter, it also means that the speakers won’t function properly if they ever go out of range of the soundbar or if the data can’t reach them because of obstacles like walls. Those details, however, could actually be ironed out with some features that don’t take away anything from the spirit of this modular and immersive audio system.

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FreePower turns your beautiful stone countertop into a wireless charger

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Wireless charging is finally becoming more common but despite the freedom from tangling cables that the technology offers, wireless chargers still have a few inconveniences, especially when it comes to aesthetics. Only a few of these products can be considered pleasing to look at, especially when mixed with the rest of your room decor. And they still have at least one cable snaking out of their bodies, which might be difficult to hide depending on where you place the chargers. In an ideal future, almost any flat surface can become a wireless charger, immediately juicing up your phone or device the moment you put it down, anywhere you put it down. Part of that future seems to already be here, with a creative wireless technology that can hide that wireless charging space inside stone countertops, seamlessly blending with your choice of interior design.

Designer: FreePower

Wireless chargers remove the messy cables from the charging equation, but the current state of technology requires you to still make physical contact between the device and the surface of the charger. Add to that the hard requirements on materials for the surfaces of wireless chargers and you will find yourself with a few of these products scattered around your house, often sticking out like a sore thumb. Some designs are admittedly more elegant and stylish, but they still add to the visual baggage on what would be an otherwise pristine table or countertop.

FreePower is a technology that tries to offer the best of both worlds, combining the liberating convenience of wireless charging with a clean and unblemished tabletop surface. In a nutshell, it embeds the wireless charger inside the countertop, and not just any countertop, mind you. It is compatible with different stone materials, including quartz, granite, or even marble, materials you’d never think could be used for wireless chargers. Thanks to this innovative design, you don’t need to actually put a charging mat or stand on your kitchen countertop, side table, or bedside table, because the countertop itself is the wireless charger.

Of course, only a portion of the countertop actually functions as the wireless charging zone, but you don’t have to worry about ugly and conspicuous markings that ruin the aesthetic of your beautiful stone top. A customizable LED halo glows around the area where you can place your devices, and you can even turn this light off when it’s not in use. FreePower does even better than most wireless chargers because you can place your phone or earbuds anywhere within that zone, no need to perfectly align with markers.

FreePower is the latest in a growing number of designs that aim to integrate wireless charging technology into every surface inside your home, completely freeing you from unsightly cables. Of course, such a design is also less flexible in that you have very little choice when you want to change furniture or designs. You’ll have to hope there’s also an invisible wireless charger version available for that or else you’ll have to go back to old-school wireless charging mats.

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Sony Xperia 1 VI phone design might lose what makes it special

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It might come as a surprise to some that Sony actually makes smartphones. Actually, it might even come as a bigger surprise that it still makes smartphones at this point in time. Its mobile business has definitely fallen on hard times, forcing the brand to exit some global markets and sell only through online channels in others. Despite all that, Sony still believes that a smartphone has a place in its portfolio, especially as a means to access its treasury of entertainment-related content. That has been the guiding principle behind the design of its premium Xperia 1 smartphone series, but it seems that the product line’s sixth iteration will make some small but significant changes that almost undermine all of that in one fell swoop.

Designer: Sony (via zackbuks on Weibo)

Truth be told, the Sony Xperia 1 design has always been an oddity among its peers even today. It easily stands out from the crowd almost literally because of its extra tall and narrow body, designed to support a 21:9 screen aspect ratio that Sony has been advertising as the perfect format for ultra-wide content. It also distinguished itself with its 4K display resolution when all its competitors continue to play in 2K or even 2.5K figures only.

The latest rumor, however, changes the narrative a bit. According to the source, Sony will be downgrading that 4K resolution to something like 2K+ or QHD+, more in line with other high-end smartphones in recent years. More importantly, it is also making the screen a bit wider and shorter to achieve a more “normal” 19.5:9 aspect ratio, again similar to flagship devices from the likes of Samsung and Apple. It’s by no means going to be significantly smaller, as these leaked images show, but it definitely changes the shape of the phone to be less distinctive.

It sounds perplexing that Sony, which has never really minded smartphone trends and fads, would make such drastic changes, but it might all boil down to price. Sony Xperia phones have been notorious for their higher price tags compared to their peers, so downgrading one of the most expensive and uncommon components could actually do a lot to drive the cost down. Unless, of course, Sony decides to offset those savings by including features and hardware that incur just as much expenses.

That’s not to say that the Xperia 1 VI will be bereft of any notable features. Another selling point of the phone is its use of camera hardware close to Sony’s own Alpha line of mirrorless cameras. That said, its photography prowess has rarely been praised mostly because the phone barely reaches people’s hands, so making the next Xperia flagship more affordable could actually help remedy that situation.

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Bubble-inspired pendant lamp can hang horizontally or vertically as desired

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Lamps these days come in all shapes and sizes, especially ones that are designed to elicit certain positive responses through their aesthetic. That said, most of these lamps are also designed to be used in a single manner only, especially if they’re mounted on walls or hung from ceilings. That’s why it’s interesting to come across lamp designs that offer a bit more flexibility, even if it’s just in the way they’re made to hang from ceilings. This concept, for example, tries to add a bit of whimsical fun to a room’s atmosphere by calling to mind the ethereal beauty and joy that floating bubbles bring to the air.

Designer: Begüm Kılınç

There are lamps that try to literally imitate the appearance of bubbles, and while they might be things of beauty, these chandeliers aren’t always the most practical lighting solutions. Just as bubbles convey characteristics of fragility, this kind of lamp is, more often than not, used for more delicate and posh settings. They are beautiful, yes, but they also don’t bring the kind of flexibility and fun that this lamp concept proposes.

The Bubbles pendant lamp design looks more like a toy than a luxurious crystal-clear chandelier. Bubbles, after all, tend to bring out the inner child of anyone who sees or plays around with them. The pastel colors represent some of the hues reflected off the surfaces of bubbles, though toned down a bit to be a bit more discreet with some interior designs. The cylindrical body and rounded ends are akin to bubbles that, despite normally spherical, would sometimes join with other bubbles to form a longer mass.

And just like how bubbles can float vertically or horizontally depending on how the wind blows, these lamps can hang either way as well. When it is held up by two cords, it can hang horizontally as you would expect from such a long lamp. However, it can also hang from a single cord to hang vertically, giving it a more striking presence, especially if the lamp is now at eye level. Interestingly, the clear ends of the lamp have spherical “stoppers” that let you adjust how those cords behave.

Such a simple difference can have a profound effect on the ambiance of a room. Imagine multiple Bubble lamps hanging vertically, creating an almost magical atmosphere with their collective lighting. It’s definitely not a ground-breaking feature, and there might be practical and safety issues with such a design. It’s still an interesting experiment that tries to take inspiration from the ordinary things in life that bring us joy and translate that into a product design that does the same.

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Wall-mounted drawers offer storage that leaves your floor clear and free

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Storage containers are inescapable facts of life, especially in this day and age where we collect so many material possessions. These vessels can range from plastic boxes to wooden furniture like shelves and cabinets, all of which trade floor space for that storage capacity. Unfortunately, floor space is also becoming a luxury these days, and we can’t simply expand the area in proportion to our growing storage needs. We need to be smarter about the way we use storage and what we use for storage, and no, stacking them up to the ceiling isn’t a viable solution nor a safe one. These drawers, in contrast, do offer a better alternative by taking advantage of the free space that we have found on our walls.

Designers: Camille Paillard and Romain Voulet

Storage boxes are a common sight in many households. They’re simple, convenient, and often stackable. They also take up precious floor space, and stacking them so high can become a safety hazard if left unchecked. Ideally, we’d “Marie Kondo” our excess possessions, but we’ll always still end up with stuff we can’t simply throw out. We obviously need more storage, but we also don’t have more floor space to use. What we do have, however, is plenty of free wall space that isn’t even taken up by decorations.

The KGT Wall Units evolved from metal storage boxes that could be individually stacked just like any conventional storage box. As the name implies, these boxes are mounted on a wall rather than lying on the floor. In this manner, they actually behave more like drawers rather than boxes, but the function and purpose are the same: to hide your possessions from view.

Of course, these can’t be stacked like normal boxes because they have to be screwed to a wall for stability. In fact, each unit has a fixed number of drawers, either one, three, or six in a vertical arrangement. There is one other variant where the drawers line up side-by-side, creating a long horizontal row instead. Of course, there’s no limitation on how you combine those units and how many you use. You could even have a whole stack of three six-unit drawers for a total of 18, or 18 individual drawers, presuming you have enough vertical clearance.

More than just their practical utility, however, these wall-mounted drawers add aesthetic value to a space, something ordinary stacked boxes don’t often provide. The gaps between each drawer bring some negative space that visually balances the unit, and the top of each unit becomes yet another space to utilize for things you want people to see. With a powder-coated finish, these seemingly floating drawers provide more than just smart storage but also visual interest to your space, all without cluttering your floor even further.

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Deskterior accessory collection helps keep late-night workers productive

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We all know it’s bad for our physical and mental health, but there will always be times when we have to go through the late-night crunch at home. That’s not even considering how some actually have work hours that begin only after the sun has set. Working long hours into the night in the solitude of your home or room can be physically taxing and emotionally draining, which is why there’s now a trend to bring some joy into workspaces through accessories and decorations. This “deskterior” movement tries to energize and even help people remain productive even in the dead of night, and this collection of dark-themed product design concepts injects a little ingenuity and even some attitude to your nighttime quests.

Designers: Jiye Lee, Seoyeong Jang, Junhong Yang, Taeyoon Kim, Jeongeun Kim

There’s no shortage of desk accessories and gadgets that try to boost your productivity at work, but most of them make the presumption that you’re on a regular 8 to 5 clock. Of course, those products would work any time of the day, but there’s something to be said for products designed for a specific purpose or around a certain theme. YAZAK, which is a play on the Korean word for midnight snacks, is a collection of these “deskterior” accessories that help keep you company and stay productive during those late-night shifts, and not just because they have a dark color scheme that better fits that time of the day.

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TEMPO, for example, is both a desk lamp and a timer. In addition to the main overhead light, its arm also has a trail of light that decreases as time passes until it’s completely empty, at which point the lamp itself turns off. It’s meant to tell you to take a break and visually inform you of the passing of time.

TEMPO probably works well with DODULE, a modular scheduler that’s made up of a stack of discs. Each disc represents a project and the deadline for that project. A tiny ball that sits on top marks the passage of time, letting you know how long it will take to finish the project that the disc represents.

Still somewhat related to the notion of time, PLOP is a cup coaster that has a simpler mechanism. You simply push the ball down to its lowest point to start the timer. The sphere will slowly rise and give you a signal when it reaches the top. That’s time for another break, this time to reach for a glass of water to keep you hydrated.

BITLE is a bit more sophisticated and abstract, a device that’s meant to let you know if you’re not sitting properly. It uses sensors to detect your body’s posture and move the top plate to symbolize the lack of balance. The concept doesn’t indicate if the ball will fall off unless you sit with the correct posture, though that’s more likely to increase your stress rather than relieve it.

Last but definitely not least, SWIBLE is a side table with a swiveling top, offering extra space to place other things without messing up your desk, including those “Yasik” snacks you might need to keep yourself awake. It also has a hidden compartment under the lid for even more storage, though you probably need to remember to take things off it before opening it up. And when you’re work is finally done, the underside of the table can actually hold a tablet so you can sit back and relax with your favorite shows.

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Origami-inspired Bluetooth mouse turns a mundane device into a fashion statement

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As odd and unnatural as the computer mouse might be, it has become the standard input device second only to the keyboard. For decades, however, the design of the mouse has changed very little except when modified in the name of ergonomics. There has been a recent spate of concepts that try to breathe new life into mouse design, but many of those remain in the conceptual realm only. This peculiar design almost looks like one of those, but it’s surprisingly a product you can really get your hands on, figuratively and literally. It’s definitely unlike any Bluetooth mouse you’ve ever laid eyes on because when it’s not in use, it can fold so perfectly flat that you can even slip it into your pocket and make it look like a part of your fashionable attire.

Designer: Horace Lam

We’ve actually seen quite a few mice that can fold or lay completely flat, but few have ever made it into production because of the surprising complexity of mouse design. Origami, the ancient Japanese art of paper folding, might be great for paper, but not for something that needs to withstand the wear and tear of daily use, not to mention being carried around in bags or even pockets. That’s the rather impressive feat that the myAir.0 OriMouse claims to have achieved, offering a wireless mouse that is flat, functional, and fashionable.

In its flat and deactivated state, the OriMouse has a “V” shape with a faceted surface. Covered in vegan leather or textile, it doesn’t even look anything like a mouse. Weighing only 40g and less than 5mm thin, it looks and feels more like an art object that you carry in your pocket or in your bag. But with a simple pinching gesture that joins the two divergent ends together, the OriMouse rises to the occasion, literally, to become an essential tool for productivity.

Using the same principles that give origami designs innate stability, this foldable mouse can withstand a lot of pressure from your hand without buckling from the weight. At the same time, however, a simple push at a specific and strategic spot disengages the two neodymium magnets and collapses the structure back to its flat state. In addition to this shape-shifting trick, the OriMouse promises a more ergonomic design thanks to the polygonal structure inspired by the folds and facets of an origami object.

Although the various options available make use of textured materials to give the mouse an even more tactile experience, the OriMouse’s foldable design also lends itself perfectly to more artistic expressions. In fact, one model even has a graffiti graphic printed on its surface, and it’s not hard to imagine branding opportunities for such a design. Granted, the actual ergonomics of such a mouse will probably be a matter of debate, but if you are looking for a highly portable Bluetooth mouse, it won’t hurt to take a hard look at something that’s also so unique and beautiful that you will easily become the envy of the crowd around you.

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