Tag Archives: Concept Designs

Paper clip-shaped device concept helps develop habits by tracking activities

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We have all these fancy hi-tech trackers today that monitor our health and our activities, ranging from simple fitness trackers to complex smartwatches. While these activities might be important on their own, they’re often made in some context like forming good habits. Unfortunately, these devices and their connected apps often simply log physical activities and states and file them under the category of healthy living. Trackers don’t take into account activities like reading a book, drinking water regularly, and things that a smartwatch can’t really monitor. That’s what this tracker design concept is trying to address, and it takes its inspiration from one of the most common things we attach to other objects: the classic paper clip.

Designer: Andrea Mangone

Although it does have “paper” on its name, we often see a paper clip attached to other objects, even those thick enough to bend the metal clip. The tool serves not only to put two things together but, more often than not, as a reminder to do something at a later time. Likewise, this activity tracker that takes the form of a large paper clip serves as a reminder to do the activity related to the object they’re attached to, and it actually tracks whether you did that or not automatically.

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Named after a popular daily journaling app, the DAY ONE tracker combines the functionality of physical activity trackers with the behavior-forming features of habit-tracking apps in a simple yet pleasing design. In essence, you set one such clip-like tracker on a base accessory that’s connected to a smartphone, assign that tracker to a particular habit you want to build, and then attach it to the physical object associated with the habit, like running shoes, a book, or a water bottle. Whenever you pick up and use one of these items, their activity will be detected and registered on the app, sort of like checking a box to indicate that you’ve done that habit for the day.

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The trick to ONE DAY is to clip it to objects that you use for that habit. This is where the paper clip design comes in handy as it allows the tracker to be attached to almost anything, regardless of the thickness. If it’s thin like a paper or a page of a book, you can simply slip it in like a regular paper clip. For something thicker like a tablet or a yoga mat, you use its longer side to attach to the object’s edge. Or you can simply hook it to a carabiner or loop, though that seems to also risk having it move around and drop accidentally.

DAY ONE is an interesting idea for giving more relevant contexts to activity trackers, making them relevant beyond exercise and physical activities. It still requires the person to exercise some willpower to actually put those into action, but the clips at least serve as a very visible reminder of what they need to pick up to develop the habit. That said, the paper clip design is a bit too bulky for something that might need to squeeze into tight spaces, and it could end up getting dislodged and lost somewhere along the way.

The post Paper clip-shaped device concept helps develop habits by tracking activities first appeared on Yanko Design.

Paper clip-shaped device concept helps develop habits by tracking activities

Posted on by

We have all these fancy hi-tech trackers today that monitor our health and our activities, ranging from simple fitness trackers to complex smartwatches. While these activities might be important on their own, they’re often made in some context like forming good habits. Unfortunately, these devices and their connected apps often simply log physical activities and states and file them under the category of healthy living. Trackers don’t take into account activities like reading a book, drinking water regularly, and things that a smartwatch can’t really monitor. That’s what this tracker design concept is trying to address, and it takes its inspiration from one of the most common things we attach to other objects: the classic paper clip.

Designer: Andrea Mangone

Although it does have “paper” on its name, we often see a paper clip attached to other objects, even those thick enough to bend the metal clip. The tool serves not only to put two things together but, more often than not, as a reminder to do something at a later time. Likewise, this activity tracker that takes the form of a large paper clip serves as a reminder to do the activity related to the object they’re attached to, and it actually tracks whether you did that or not automatically.

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Named after a popular daily journaling app, the DAY ONE tracker combines the functionality of physical activity trackers with the behavior-forming features of habit-tracking apps in a simple yet pleasing design. In essence, you set one such clip-like tracker on a base accessory that’s connected to a smartphone, assign that tracker to a particular habit you want to build, and then attach it to the physical object associated with the habit, like running shoes, a book, or a water bottle. Whenever you pick up and use one of these items, their activity will be detected and registered on the app, sort of like checking a box to indicate that you’ve done that habit for the day.

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The trick to ONE DAY is to clip it to objects that you use for that habit. This is where the paper clip design comes in handy as it allows the tracker to be attached to almost anything, regardless of the thickness. If it’s thin like a paper or a page of a book, you can simply slip it in like a regular paper clip. For something thicker like a tablet or a yoga mat, you use its longer side to attach to the object’s edge. Or you can simply hook it to a carabiner or loop, though that seems to also risk having it move around and drop accidentally.

DAY ONE is an interesting idea for giving more relevant contexts to activity trackers, making them relevant beyond exercise and physical activities. It still requires the person to exercise some willpower to actually put those into action, but the clips at least serve as a very visible reminder of what they need to pick up to develop the habit. That said, the paper clip design is a bit too bulky for something that might need to squeeze into tight spaces, and it could end up getting dislodged and lost somewhere along the way.

The post Paper clip-shaped device concept helps develop habits by tracking activities first appeared on Yanko Design.

Herb growing panel concept can help restaurants reuse water

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Have you ever wondered what happens to all that water that customers leave at their tables in restaurants? We sometimes see glasses and pitchers left on the table which obviously, the staff can’t reuse anymore for drinking purposes. If the management or staff are conscious about water usage, then they will be used for other things like washing dishes or watering plants. But a lot of times, they’re just thrown into the sink. This concept proposes a more intelligent and eco-friendly way of saving and re-using that water and involving the customers in the process.

Designer: Sebastian Delerba

Withless is a concept for herb growing panels that restaurants can put up in their spaces. This way, not only do they have plants around for decoration and for environmental purposes, but they can also encourage customers to raise awareness in saving and reusing water. The stackable panel can hold up to twenty pots and has a grid design which can be expanded to multiple grids depending on the space and the needs of the establishment.

If you’re like me that doesn’t really know much about plants, there is a risk of over-watering plants if there’s no one to tell me that it’s too much. This is where the Withless concept comes in. The pot and the front area are connected so the water reaches the textile when you pour into it. It will show you when the ring and the textile have the same color which means the plant is growing efficiently. When there is a contrast to the color, then it means there needs to be some adjustments. The humidity of the area also affects this so it will reflect that as well.

The establishment can also use this to grow their herbs and other edible plants and get the customers to help them take care of the plants. This is an interesting way to teach people to reuse water and help grow plants as well. Hopefully, something like this gets made and that restaurants and cafes can adapt it.

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Singing Bottle concept rewards kids when they take their pills

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According to my friends who are already parents, one of the most difficult things to get their young kids to do is to drink medicine. Aside from the fact that most of the pills actually taste bad and may be too big for their little throats, it’s also hard to convince them to do something if they don’t really understand why they need to do so. Some actually use rewards just to get the kids to take their meds but there should be better ways to get through this every time they need to do it.

Designer: Fengrui Wang

The Singing Bottle is a concept for a different kind of pill packaging and dispenser for kids ages 6-10 to help them take their meds a bit more easily. It is shaped like those ship in a bottle things that your dad or uncle probably displayed. But instead of a ship, you get personalized pills and a corresponding paper card strip with an NFC tag attached which is the secret to getting the kids to get the pills down. The dispenser also has a built-in speaker in which the cards, which contain music and stories, can be played.

The idea is that parents need to purchase the first pack of 14-21 personalized pills from the pharmacy and the dispenser. Turn the handle to dispense the first pill, separate the card strip and then insert it into the NFC reader. The first card is actually inspiring words to get the kids to take the pill and explain why they need to do so. Every two days, a new strip is unlocked and this can be a story or a piece of music to serve as their “reward” for taking the pill.

This is a pretty interesting way to encourage children to take their much needed medicine. This concept will work with Dozer, a start-up that specializes in 3D medicine printing which is able tp provide personalized medicine which should be less expensive and maybe also makes the taste a bit better, since that’s one of the major reasons why kids don’t want to take their pills.

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Spiral Storage Tray concept shows a minimalist way of organizing small things

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The table near the door to my apartment is witness to the fact that I have a lot of stuff. Whenever I enter the house, I dump some of my stuff there for easy access to when I need to leave. But over the months, it has accumulated a lot of small things that I forget to put away or bring with me. As a hoarder and also a naturally messy and lazy person, it’s really hard to organize all these things. So I need all the help I can get, including organizing accessories and furniture.

Designer Name: Ping-Lun Chung

This concept for a Spiral Storage Tray is a pretty simple and minimalist idea but one that can be helpful to people like me eventually. The basic idea is that it is just a simple, circular tray but you get a spiral storage. This way you can compartmentalize little things like coins, keys, eyeglasses, medicine, and other small items that you may need to have easy access to when entering or leaving the house. It’s meant to be placed in the tables located in the entryways of houses or apartments.

The design isn’t that complicated. The base is a small round disk and then you have two semicircular pieces of wood placed on top to create the “compartments” to separate your small items. There is even a hidden spiral compartment if you need to place small items that you want to conceal for some reason. Knowing me though, I’ll probably forget that I placed something there which means I may get a surprise or two when I decide to clean the tray by lifting up the top pieces.

The “seamless, continuous spiral surface” that we see in the rdners actually looks pretty satisfying. The renders show different wooden textures and colors for the Spiral Storage Tray so we may get different options if it gets turned into an actual product. Who knows, because of this I might actually start organizing my table in my entryway?

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Foldable game controller concept solves portability in a different way

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Gaming on the go is quite popular these days, whether it’s on a mobile phone, a handheld device, or even a laptop temporarily parked at a cafe. While video games have traditionally been divided into PC and console camps, this latest trend has made many gamers reach for controllers or devices with built-in controllers, regardless of their platform of choice. Wireless game controllers have become quite numerous because of this, ranging from typical designs to telescopic mechanisms that stretch to grip smartphones or even tablets. Of course, these two aren’t the only designs possible for portable gamepads, and this concept tries to approach the problem from a different angle, one that takes a page out of one of the trendiest smartphone designs of late: foldable phones.

Designer: Przemysław Wolnicki

The basic problem with game controllers is their innate bulk. You can’t really shrink them without sacrificing comfort and ergonomics. This makes them less appealing to quickly stow in bags, much less pockets, as you dash out the door in the hopes of being able to play later on. Even those who prefer to game at home might find the permanent presence of a large chunk of plastic to be visually distracting and might look for ways to minimize their footprint when not in use.

Swift is a game controller design concept that adopts a folding mechanism to make the device more compact in transit. Despite the fact that foldables aren’t new, it’s curious that this design hasn’t been adapted for game controllers at all. There are, of course, advantages and disadvantages to such a design, but those can hardly be verified unless tested in the real world.

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This controller concept adopts the more symmetrical button arrangement of a PlayStation controller, which would make the folded form also more balanced when folded. One curious detail about the design is the ribbed surface covering the middle and back of the controller. It’s not clear whether the choice of material is simply aesthetic, but it will definitely have an effect on the texture of the controller, which in turn affects comfort and ergonomics.

While a foldable controller design is definitely interesting and curious, it also raises a few questions as well. While the design does halve the width of the device, it doubles its thickness in turn. There might also be some concerns about the wear and tear this mechanism will incur over time, especially given the wires that have to run through the middle to connect the two halves. Perhaps that is the reason why a foldable design hasn’t been adopted for controllers, but this concept at least tries to encourage pushing the boundaries instead of just adopting the status quo.

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Tea maker lets you smell your tea while steeping and relaxing

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Making and drinking tea is highly relaxing for a lot of people, even more than making coffee (at least, for some people). When you need to relax or destress, people tell you to drink tea rather than another kind of drink like caffeine and alcohol. Another way to destress is to light up your diffuser or scented candles. If you could combine the two plus add some other relaxing techniques, then you can come up with a pretty great nighttime relaxing routine.

Designers: 빈 허 (Heo Been), Jaewoo Jang, 이 지호 (Jiho Lee), 최 예은 (Choi Yea eun)

U Soo is a concept for a tea maker that can help you “relax and chill”. The difference with this compared to other tea makers is that you can also smell the tea as it steeps so you also get an aroma diffuser with the machine. The machine itself looks like a coffee maker or something that belongs in a laboratory. You see the whole process from the boiling of the water to the steeping of the tea to when it pours out to your cup. The transparency actually adds to the therapeutic feels of the machine.

The tea to be used in U Soo are dried leaves that are compressed into balls. They will “unfurl” once in the machine being steeped into the water. There is a cylinder like part in the machine with a tube inside where you put the water in and then it goes to the other side where the tea ball is dropped, unfurled, and steeped. The water then goes back onto the other side through a small tube and then dispensed to the cup that is in the middle.

There are of course controls on the machine to help you through all those processes. On paper, it’s a pretty interesting product. And for someone who is incorporating tea drinking into her routine, this is something that can definitely help me with that.

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Robot wheelchair concept puts a friendlier face on caregivers of the future

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More than just the population problem, we are also facing a crisis in terms of care for the aging segments of that population. Traditional geriatric care centers are sometimes filled beyond capacity, and caring for elderly people living alone can be expensive and at times even risky. Futurists and visionaries would have us dream of a future where robots, whether humanoid or not, would take the place of household help, and we’re starting to see some of those rolling boxes in homes, often for less critical conveniences like bringing things from one place to another. Human care, however, is a very different matter entirely, so this concept design for a service robot and an advanced wheelchair duo tries to paint a different picture by making the experience look and feel a little bit more human and, therefore, more humane.

Designer: Sungmin Hwang

Geriatric patients living at home need more than just having things brought to them, which is what many home service robots are designed to do. They will also want to move around, on their own or with assistance, and motorized wheelchairs try to make that activity more convenient. These two mobility activities might be related, but they’re provided by two very different kinds of products. But rather than having disparate and disconnected machines, this design concept presents an integrated system that acts like a whole, even if they function separately.

The actual “companion” is a service robot that looks like a tall board with arms and wheels, unlike the common design that’s practically a self-driving cabinet. It has a simplified face, basically just eyes that can express emotions and a dot matrix display that can spell out words, but it’s enough to give it a more personable character. Rather than having shelves to put items on, the robot has harms and hands that can grab and hold objects to hand them over to the patient, making the action feel more personal rather than clinical.

The other half of the duo is a motorized wheelchair that’s designed as much for comfort as it is for mobility. In addition to the cushioned surfaces and curved parts, the chair features plenty of storage space not just for things but also for medicine. The patient can exercise their own agency by driving the wheelchair on their own, but it can also be pushed by the companion robot when it connects to the chair. This recreates the experience of having someone push their wheelchair, hopefully making them feel less lonely and less detached.

The “Companion” robot and wheelchair concept is designed with many of the existing technologies already available today, from self-navigating home robots to intelligent charging docks to precision robot hands for carefully grabbing objects. Of course, such a machine would still need to undergo rigorous testing, not to mention regulatory scrutiny given its medical applications, but it’s definitely an interesting take on what a home service robot can do, especially when it’s designed to take care of elderly people or people with mobility disabilities.

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Donut-shaped Bluetooth speaker concept inspires a more playful way to enjoy music

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Wireless speakers have become all too common now thanks to multiple factors, from the rise of voice-activated smart home assistants to the popularity of streaming services to the demise of the headphone jack from smartphones. These audio devices have also outgrown their initial designs which seemed to be limited to blocks or cylinders, adopting more fluid forms that are almost artful than technical. Of course, there is no need to go to opposite extremes to have a good speaker design, as this concept proves with a simple and clean shape that immediately strikes one as something that isn’t your regular wireless speaker while, at the same time, clearly tries to deliver the basics of an omnidirectional audio source.

Designer: Fran Rossi, Javier Bianchi

Many wireless speakers today try to deliver sound in 360 degrees to cover the entire room, which is especially needed if it’s meant to respond to voice commands coming from anywhere in the area. Thanks to the likes of the Amazon Echo, Google Home, and Apple HomePod, cylindrical shapes seem to have become the most common design for wireless speakers. Of course, there are conical or even spherical speakers, but these aren’t the only round objects that can be used to the same effect.

Orbit adopts a lesser-used shape that, along with a sphere or ball, is immediately associated with fun things. A torus can be a donut, a wheel, a piece of candy, or even a floatation device, and the way it can roll on a floor and wiggle and spin before falling down flat is often a game played by children. That playful charm is further emphasized the by concept’s choice of colors and materials, with a bright orange accent against a cool white body, and reflective plastic instead of fabric. It looks almost like a toy, though its functionality is far from being child’s play.

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Thanks to its ring shape, it can also transmit audio 360 degrees, though it also has more freedom on where the sound is sent. When standing, it can bounce the sound off the ceiling, though it can also be placed down on its back for a more conventional horizontal output. The Orbit is almost a perfect torus, so it requires a stand to, well stand up. Its other functions, however, are all built into the device itself, like the large backlit power button in front and the embossed playback controls on top.

Despite the playful nature of its shape, small variations to the design can result in a totally different character. Covering the entire ring with dark gray fabric and switching the accents to wood or gold gives it a more luxurious appeal that could proudly stand as an art object in your living room. Switching up the colors and materials also generates different imagery, turning what looks like a simple design into a highly flexible and customizable one.

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Memoraphy is an aromatherapy device that can produce perfume to alleviate mood issues

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Among all the senses, smell is probably the one that I don’t really pay attention to (or may be the least popular for ordinary folks). But it is actually the one that is most associated with memory. We associate specific smells with memories of our childhood or with certain episodes in our lives. It is also something that can help you manage your emotions as evidenced by the popularity of aromatherapy. This concept for one such product is pretty interesting especially if your nose is sensitive to smells and moods.

Designer Name: Kanglee Lee, Jiwon Lee, Jeongmin Ham

Memoraphy, a combination of the words memory and therapy, is a concept for a device that can “prescribe” a scent for you depending on your mood and need. It looks like one of those laboratory devices with different pods or a coffee machine but instead of dispensing liquids or caffeine, you get different fragrances that can help you uplift your mood, relax, or whatever your emotional need is that can be helped by smelling something. You can choose to use it as a diffuser or to produce a perfume or a plaster air freshener.

There are six types of main fragrances available: bergamot (for depression, anxiety, and apparently, UTI), rose (to give a positive mood), orange (to relieve stress and enhance taste bud), sandalwood (relieves nervous tension and anxiety), chamomile (helps relax the mind, counter insomnia), claysage (mood stabilisation). You start off the process by inputting into the machine your current mood and drawing or writing to get a “diagnosis” for the right scent. Then you choose the output type and the machine will then create the product for you.

This is a pretty interesting product to have, at least on paper. There may be some feasibility questions if it gets turned into an actual product since there are different outputs for it but that’s a problem for another day. If you’re a believer in aromatherapy, you’d probably want something like this in your home to help lighten your mood, help you fall asleep, and even combat other mental health issues.

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