Author Archives: Ida Torres

Underwater camera drone concept can autonomously capture high quality footage

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I love looking at underwater sea footage with all the plants, corals, and swimming creatures that the divers and swimmers show off. But I know I probably will never go down there myself so I have to live vicariously through these videos. Holding a camera or using a body cam are not always that comfortable though so there should be a better solution for underwater videography.

Designer: JiHoon Park

This concept for an underwater camera drone tries to solve those issues. The DSP mini will function as your companion as you dive and swim underwater and you don”t need to hold it or wear it which can sometimes be restricting. It should be able to sort of swim beside you and capture video footage of everything that you see underwater.

The idea is that this underwater drone should be able to autonomously track your movements as you swim underwater and capture video footage from all angles and in high quality format. It doesn’t need any manual operation so even if you’re a beginner in diving and in video capture, it should be easy.

The design of the DSP mini looks like a mini robot that will be your underwater diving companion. Of course this is still a concept but it would be interesting to have a tool like this that will not interfere with your actual diving activity but also can bring high quality footage so people like me who don’t dive can see what’s actually down there.

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Gourmia Panorama Digital Air Fryer gives you a complete view of what you’re cooking

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In the short time that I owned an air fryer, I wasn’t confident when using it because I kept thinking about what’s happening inside the device, if I’m overcooking it or something. Of course I’m not the best or most frequent cook so that may also have something to do with it. But I thought to myself, wouldn’t it be better if there was an air fryer that was transparent so I would feel better knowing that I’m not ruining what I’m air frying?

Designer: Gourmia

The folks over at Gourmia probably thought the same as we’re now getting the Panorama Air Fryer which gives you a front row view of the cooking process. It has a transparent top and bottom so you can see what’s happening while it’s cooking. It also has a state-of-the-art bladeless fan technology so that everything is cooked the way it’s supposed to be and you also get reduced fat content for healthier eating. It comes with a dishwasher-safe basket and crisper tray so it’s easier to clean up as well.

The air fryer also has an LED touch interface with 12 one-touch presets for cooking noobs like me. This includes things like air fry, bake, roast, broil, and dehydrate among others. You also get a preheat option, turn-food reminders, and even 30 exclusive recipes and cooking charts so your entire cooking experience is painless and seamless. The hologram display also shows the temperature, time, and Guided Cooking Prompts.

You also get different colors for this 7-quart air fryer so it can match your kitchen aesthetics. That is, if the colors that you want are red, green, orange, and salmon. The Panorama Air Fryer made its debut at the ongoing IFA 2024 but will be available in the market in the 4th quarter of 2024. It should make a perfect Christmas gift for people like me who need all the help they can get in the kitchen.

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Pizza Hut brings you a Moving Box Table for your pizza break

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As someone who has moved houses a lot, I can attest that the food of choice during breaks is pizza. You don’t need any utensils to eat it and oftentimes, you end up just plopping the box on any surface as you partake of a delicious slice and chat with your friends who are helping you move. It’s not the most sanitary of course since there’s probably a lot of dust and dirt lying around on the floor.

Designer: Pizza Hut

Pizza Hut is offering a quick and simple solution for this problem, especially during this time when a lot of people are apparently moving in the U.S. The Moving Box Table is a simple to assemble miniature cardboard table that you can use to place your box of pizza on as you snack. This limited-edition box is perfect for peak moving time so that you can enjoy your slice while not thinking about being sanitary.

The Moving Box Table has a corrugated structure that folds into a base or mini table that is sturdy enough to hold your pizza box. It has of course the iconic red checkered design of Pizza Hut. Setting it up is pretty easy as you just have to unfold and assemble and you’re good to go. It doesn’t really say if you can re-use it, but most probably you can, unless you get all kinds of sauces and toppings on it while eating.

This comes for free if you order a large menu-priced pizza but is exclusive to the cities of Dallas, Charlotte, and Orlando. This is apparently three of the most popular U.S cities to move to especially during this time.

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From Nature to Design: The Journey of a Plant Pod-Inspired Pendant Ligh

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When it comes to design inspiration for all sorts of things, nature is one of the most popular sources. From architecture to technology to lifestyle products to product concepts, we see all sorts of designs that take its cue from nature all around us. Lighting fixtures are no exceptions and this project in particular is based on plants and transposed to a pendant light.

Design: Sujeet Kakad

From the name of the project itself, Nature Inspired Pendant Light, you already know where the designer got its inspiration from. It’s a Chinese Lantern like lighting fixture but with a combination of organic curves and the visuals of a plant fruit pod inside a husk. This is an aesthetically pleasing design and the challenge was to produce an actual product that can keep the original idea.

Since this is a pendant light concept, there is an adjustable fitting to hold it in place and it represents the stem of the plant although it’s located at the top. The top cover is made from aluminum sheet base with. Then you have the glass globe with the LED light inside and then steel rods surrounding it. At the bottom of the fixture is a leather cord with tassels to give it another natural looking element.

The final output of this project looks like a combination of a plant pod and a jellyfish which still gives off natural vibes. This is still just a project and a prototype so commercial production doesn’t seem to be in the cards. But it’s an interesting take on the pendant light which is sometimes more industrial or elegant looking than natural.

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Jaeger-LeCoultre intricately replicates Monet’s Venice pieces on case-back

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One of my most memorable visits to a museum (so far) is the first time I saw a Monet painting in person at the National Gallery Singapore a few years back. Seeing something in real life that you only previously saw in books and online is a always a magical experience for art lovers. Now imagine being able to carry a replica of this painting on your wrist every day. Well, that is, if you can afford it.

Designer: Jaeger-LeCoultre

Jaeger-LeCoultre is releasing a very limited edition collection called the Reverso Tribute Enamel Monet “Venice” series. These luxury watches have three of Oscar-Claude Monet’s most famous paintings, the Venice series, hand-painted on the case-back of each watch. The three models – “San Giorgio Maggiore”, “The Doge’s Palace”, and “The Grand Canal” – are reproduced paintstakingly on the 2 centimeters squared case-backs by these master enamellers. They also had to recreate these using the impasto technique to retain the dream-like and ethereal quality of the original paintings.

To make things even more intricate, the three dials are decorated with hand-guilloché distinctive patterns underneath the translucent coloured enamel. Enameling takes nine hours work for each dial since it has up to five layers of enamel and seven separate firings. Each of the models have separate, distinct colors with “San Giorgio Maggiore” and “The Doge’s Palace” sporting two shades of blue while the “The Grand Canal” has a green finish. All three sport the brand’s distinct appliqued hour markers and dauphine hands.

Since the creation of these watches call for extensive man hours and a certain level of intricacy, only 10 pieces for each model will be produced. And if you want to know how much it costs, you’ll have to inquire directly with them, which probably means us mere mortals will not be able to afford this.

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Nintendo Museum to showcase 132 years of the company’s gaming history

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At one point in most people’s lives, they have probably played with or interacted with a Nintendo gaming device. Now what device that is is of course depends on the generation but with more than a hundred years of experience in creating games, there are a lot of things to choose from. And if you’re a die-hard fan of their various games and consoles, then you’ll want to book a ticket to what will surely be the hottest thing in town in a couple of months.

Designer: Nintendo

Yes, we are finally getting a Nintendo Museum opening this October and built on the very space where they started creating hanafuda playing cards in 1889. Because this company has gone through many evolutions since then, you can expect a fun and interactive history lesson spanning a century of family entertainment. There will be various exhibits as well as a cafe and of course, an extensive merchandise shop that will celebrate all kinds of games and technology. There will also be arts and crafts and workshops section where you can do things like create your own hanafuda cards.

The first floor of the Exhibition Building 1 has eight interactive play experiences. Each visitor will get a card that contains ten digital coins to be able to try out the exhibits. They did not specify it but you will probably be able to top up the card if you want to try out everything. The Shigureden SP lets you explore Hyakunin Isshu poems using your smart device and viewing it on the giant screen. The Ultra Machine SP rooms lets you hit balls pitched by a machine and hit items in the room that will react. The Zapper & Scope SP gives you a shooting experience in the world of Mario while the Ultra Hand SP lets you grab balls rolling down lanes and dropping them in pipes. You can also play Nintendo games in areas like the Game & Watch SP, Nintendo Classics, and Big Controller with giant game consoles. There’s even a Love Tester SP where you can see if you and your loved one are compatible.

On the 2nd floor is the museum part where there are exhibits of everything that Nintendo has created throughout the years. This includes the era before they created gaming devices and it includes copying machines, baby strollers, and of course the hanafuda cards and various board games. But of course the highlight would be all the gaming consoles and games that have made them arguably the most popular entertainment company in the world. The Nintendo Museum opens in October but you can already buy your tickets, although if you’re familiar with Japan ticketing, you know that it’s via a randomly selected drawing.

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Modular mini projector can also be a speaker and wireless charger

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It’s probably not something that we really think about but electronic waste is a growing problem since we see a lot of new gadgets released every month. There will probably be even more products conceptualized and created over the next few decades so what we have to think about is how to lessen or at least repurpose e-waste. One idea is to think about modular product designs so that one gadget can have multiple purposes.

Designers: Tae Hyeong Kim and Yu Jeong Choi

One conceptual product is bini, a modular beam projector that can also be used as a mini speaker. It can be used as a single unit with the projector on top of the speaker but it can also be separated into two devices if you need to use either of them individually. There’s even a third purpose for it as you can use the top of the device as a magsafe wireless charger.

Overall, bini looks like any ordinary smart speaker. When used as just one device, the top part of the projector becomes like a mini robot as you can adjust the head with its hinge. There’s also a focus wheel so you can adjust the focus when projecting on a wall or any surface. The buttons intuitively look like actual buttons so it can be easy to touch and use them. The device also has several ports like USB-C, HDMI, and even a headphone jack.

bini is a mini device so you can just hold it in one hand and is also pretty easy to combine and separate the modular parts. It would be interesting if they can make an actual, working prototype as its value depends of course on the quality of the projector and speaker features.

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Office furniture tries to find balance between rest and productivity

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A lot of offices and workplaces now have realized that the furniture and the design in their spaces can contribute to the productivity and the stress release of their employees. We’re seeing some add subtle and not-so-subtle touches to their offices to help people destress or at least have some sense of rest and relaxation while at the same time contribute to the eventual productivity of these employees.

Designers: PD Group X design studio

Cortina is a concept for a series of office furniture that gives users in the office their personal time and space and at the same time, increase work concentration. It is made up of three different pieces that are also multi-functional. Of course we’re fans of designs that can serve more than just one purpose to its users. The three items in this concept series are: the Pause Lounge Stand, the Peep Desk Wall, and the Tab Document Rack, which their names show off what their main functions are. They are meant to have multiple functions so as to save space and your office’s budget as well.

The Pause Lounge Stand lets users take a pause at work while also not overstaying in the rest area. Before you settle in your lounge chair or rest area, pull the handle that will set the time and as the minutes tick by, the shade parts of the tower-like stand goes down and the subtle lighting slowly disappears. Once the shades are all down, it’s a sign to go back to work. It also doubles as a phone charging station so you can let your device rest. The Peep Desk Wall is a divider placed on your table which is able to control the field of view between you and the other occupants of the table and the degree of light diffusion as well. You can also attach magnets and sticky notes on the metal plates so you can reach them easily.

Lastly, the Tab Organizer sorts papers of different sizes when you close the “blinds” after placing the different pieces into the tabs. The product renders don’t really show how the sorting happens but at the very least, it lets you store different documents into a standing piece of furniture and lessen clutter on your table. These carefully designed piece of office furniture would be an interesting addition to your workspace if these are functionalities that you need to implement, working on both rest and productivity.

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IKEA brings makeshift pillow bag to sleep-deprived Singaporeans

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Sleep has become a luxury for a lot of people because of the fast-paced work lifestyle and also the distraction of our gadgets. Singapore is apparently the third most sleep-deprived country in the world and people taking naps in public is a common sight in this Southeast Asian country. IKEA Singapore has come up with a new product for those who may need to take a quick nap while commuting or at other public spaces.

Designer: Secret Little Agency for IKEA Singapore

The RESTEN bag looks like the iconic blue FRAKTA bag of IKEA, but this one also doubles as a huggable bag or pillow for those who need a quick nap. The padded design of the bag resembles that of a pillow but keeping the blue color and design of the IKEA reusable bag. It was made with ultra comfortable fabrics and stuffing with enough space to put your daily essentials.

The main appeal of this bag though is that when you’re commuting on a bus or train or studying at the library, it will double as a pillow when you need a quick nap. It also has a strap that has the words “Leave the rest to IKEA” so you can also remember to take a quick break every once in a while.

The RESTEN bag is a limited edition item that will be available at IKEA Singapore branches from September 6-8, 2024 as part of their RestFest event. It would be nice if they can also make this available in other sleep-deprived countries like mine.

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Shell-shaped smart speaker brings cool minimalist feel to a home staple

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Smart speakers in our homes aren’t luxury items or just for early adapters anymore. It’s become a common gadget for the digitally savvy to have as it performs a lot of functions aside from just something to play music or podcasts or audio books from. While there are a lot of devices already available in the market, there’s always room for concepts or designs that want to take a different look at these smart devices.

Designer: AICO Designs

The Shell Intelligent Speaker is one such concept that wants to play around on the shape of the smart speaker. Taking its design inspiration from shells from the ocean, they wanted to combine the round and square shapes instead of the usual concave and convex shapes of shells and then use a dot matrix outline. Supposedly, the adductive character and the hole shape of the device will add to how the acoustic sound of the speaker will be better.

What you get is a round speaker that evokes not just a seashell but also an egg timer, albeit bigger. The round screen gives you enough space to view things like your music and videos, the weather and date information, etc. Of course since it’s a smart speaker, you can also just not look at the screen and listen to the shell for the information you’re asking from it.

Of course since this is a concept, they didn’t really delve into the functions of the smart speaker, which is actually a big part of why someone would buy a particular device. But from a design standpoint, this one looks pretty solid with its minimalist concept and its light, pastel colors.

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