Tag Archives: Concept Designs

AI-powered machine concept helps you sort and dispose of waste properly

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According to studies, almost 83% of our every day garbage is not sorted and recycled. That means a lot of it is just thrown into landfills and most of them just stay there rotting for years, maybe even decades. If we are able to properly sort them properly, even just a small percentage, and dispose of them in a more circular manner, including recycling and upcycling, then it will be better for our planet. The problem sometimes though is that people and even machines still don’t know how to sort and recycle properly.

Designer Name: Romain Pellat

With the advent of robotics and A.I, our garbage disposal should be better. This is what Binko aims to do. It is an AI-powered recycling robot that should help homes and offices to improve the way they do their waste disposal. It is able to auto-recognize the different kinds of garbage, sort them properly, and then crush them accordingly.

The concept device looks like a vendo machine but instead of it giving you your drink or snack of choice, you feed it your garbage. The machine and the accompanying app should be able to recognize more than 2.6 million waste items. Then it will compress or crush the garbage into small pieces and is able to hold an average of 8 times more resources. The system is able to sort it into one of the 7 transparent compartments that can be adapted according to location.

The app will be the first to launch and it can immediately help people into recognizing how to sort their garbage using the AI-powered photo recognition process. It also gives you a map of nearby recycling bins and even reminds you to take out your trash. That in itself is useful even as Binko will probably take more time to be created.

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Split box cutter concept has a neat trick for keeping spare or dull blades

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Box cutters, or simply cutters, are a common sight in any office or workshop. The basic design hasn’t changed much over the years, with the most common style using a long segmented blade where you can snap off a section when it has become dull. This simple design, almost like a stackable “push-point” pencil, offers an efficient mode of operation, but not without its drawbacks.

One big problem is that the actual section of the blade you can actively use might be too small since you can’t push it out too much or it will snap and break if you apply too much pressure. A single, unbroken blade might still be the most stable design, but it’s also the most wasteful. This concept tries to find a middle ground by employing a rather unorthodox design for a box cutter.

Designer: ZOZ Works

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Given how you need to have a secure and firm hold on a cutting tool, you might presume that you need a large unibody handle design. As small EDC knives and cutters have proven, however, that’s necessarily the case. And just because something comes in parts that can be separated doesn’t mean that it will be structurally unsound and unreliable.

Split is a concept that uses these ideas to design a cutter that can split into two halves. It isn’t just a gimmick, though, as the upper half houses the currently “active” blade while the other half holds spare blades or blades you have removed but have yet to throw away. It suggests a box cutter that’s still self-sufficient yet more efficient than current designs, at least in theory.

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The cutter still uses a retractable mechanism to deploy the blade, but you will have a larger blade to work with. This means you can push it out further without worrying that the blade will break along its segment when applying force. At the same time, you still just have a short blade, so you don’t need to throw a long blade should it become dull.

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The Split box cutter concept houses those replacement or used blades in the lower half. The concept doesn’t exactly mention it, but you might be able to store more than one blade there. The blades seem to be clamped down to keep them from moving inside, and a simple screw loosens or tightens the cover. The one disadvantage to this design is that you might need some other object or your fingernail to turn that screw.

The cutter concept has a rather asymmetrical design when the two halves are connected, with one part extending a bit further than the other. This imbalance almost creates a jimping part or at least a finger rest, allowing you to hold the cutter with a firmer and more confident grip.

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Control panel concept brings buttons and knobs to your creative workflow

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With great power comes great complexity. We’re way past the time when only TVs and entertainment systems needed remote controls. Now with multiple smart home appliances, devices, and apps, the need for a single place to control all these becomes even more important. You could use your smartphone, but switching between a master control app and your other apps puts unnecessary steps in between.

The Stream Deck paved the way for a specialized control panel for, as you might have guessed, live streaming, but its use has now expanded to other places as well. There are now more players in this somewhat niche market, many of whom simply try to copy the pioneering product. This design concept, however, envisions something a little different, offering not only more precise controls but also more flexibility to cater to almost any need.

Designers: Mariana Aréchiga, Isaac Saldaña, Ricardo Zerón

Cooler Master just launched its innovative modular MasterHUB, but there are still other ways to skin the proverbial feline, as they say. In theory, modular design might be able to adjust to almost any use case, but that also sometimes brings unnecessary complexity for people who need a powerful yet compact tool. They might need all the bells and whistles, but they will still probably appreciate the dials and buttons.

The Master Deck concept tries to condense the power of the MasterHUB into a simpler form that still has the basics you need. There are six dynamic buttons whose icons can change depending on the app or mode. There are two dials on one side that can be used for incremental changes, with a display strip beside it that shows what setting it’s set to affect. On the opposite side is a large “master control” dial with a hexagon-shaped button at its center for confirming actions.

Those, however, aren’t the only things that make this concept design unique. The foldable legs beneath it, for example, allow you to set it up at an angle in either direction, supporting both right-handed and left-handed people. It would also function wirelessly, letting you set it up anywhere on your desk as needed. There’s also the idea of making the design available in different colors to match different aesthetic tastes, not just the typical white and black of other products in the market today.

The concept also comes with a sidekick display panel that, with the right stand or dock, can be placed anywhere on your desk or even on your monitor. This can act as a second screen for displaying stream chats, the currently active settings, or other pieces of information you want to see at a glance. Even without this, however, the Master Deck concept is already a step up from other Steam Deck alternatives, offering more flexibility without the added complexity.

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Portable moka pot lets you enjoy coffee in the middle of nature

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While I will most likely not be going camping anytime soon, there are a lot of people who enjoy this kind of thing. There are also a lot of campers or outdoor enthusiasts who like to enjoy having a cup of coffee once they have pitched their tents or reached their mountainous destination. Sure they can just bring a flask or heat water for their instant coffee but wouldn’t you rather “brew” your own coffee when you’re marveling at nature?

Designer: Militello Design

This product concept is called Moka-mp and based on that name, you kind of already know what it is. It is a portable moka coffee pot that is light enough but still durable enough that you can bring it with you when you’re climbing a mountain or spending the night camping outdoors. It’s meant to help you enjoy your time with nature while still drinking a cup of brewed coffee.

The moka pot doesn’t look like your usual stovetop coffee brewer. If you didn’t know that it brews your coffee, you might think it’s just a regular portable cooking pot, albeit smaller. The bottom part holds the water while just above it is a safety valve and the space where you put your coffee powder and where the coffee magic happens.

This can become an essential part of your camping and outdoor gear if it becomes an actual product eventually. Those who love both coffee and the outdoors will have a good time as they sip their (hopefully) delicious cup while enjoying the wonders of nature. However, I’d stick to my cup of coffee in an air-conditioned coffee shop, thank you very much.

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Spherical bottle opener concept adds a playful touch to your dining table

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Many of our everyday tools at home have designs that go back decades or even centuries. Although they might not be inherently broken, there’s no reason why they can’t be changed or improved as long as functionality isn’t compromised. Just taking a look at the dozens of screwdriver designs and laser-based measuring tools shows there’s definitely room for improvement and experimentation.

The bottle opener, for example, has a head that provides the actual functionality and a handle that adds leverage. But what if you can ditch that long handle for something more interesting but equally useful? That’s what this concept design tries to offer, resulting in a version that’s not only functional but also decorative when not in use.

Designer: Younghyun Kim

The current conventional bottle opener design isn’t exactly bad. It’s practical, easy to make, and leaves some room to use different materials for the handle. At the same time, however, they can be longer or bigger than they need to be, and the majority of designs are pretty uninspiring. There’s a reason why bottle openers are often stored in drawers, lying in wait until they need to be used.

This bottle opener design concept, on the other hand, is something you might want to keep on top of the table or the kitchen countertop even after you’ve used it. Rather than a long handle and a head with a hole in the middle, the concept uses a dome for the opener and a sphere for the handle. That means it also won’t take up space in the unfortunate event that you do want to put it away.

More importantly, however, this spherical bottle opener becomes more than just another tool in the drawer. Because of its interesting shape, and the fact that it can stand upright, it becomes a sort of decoration that adds some aesthetic value to your table or kitchen. It can even be used as a paperweight to keep paper napkins from flying away.

In theory, it doesn’t lose any of the benefits of the traditional bottle opener design. The ball-shaped handle can still be made from different materials that can change its character. It might be questionable, however, if the design provides the same leverage as a conventional long handle does, but it probably wouldn’t take too much effort to pop a cap.

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Spherical bottle opener concept adds a playful touch to your dining table

Posted on by

Many of our everyday tools at home have designs that go back decades or even centuries. Although they might not be inherently broken, there’s no reason why they can’t be changed or improved as long as functionality isn’t compromised. Just taking a look at the dozens of screwdriver designs and laser-based measuring tools shows there’s definitely room for improvement and experimentation.

The bottle opener, for example, has a head that provides the actual functionality and a handle that adds leverage. But what if you can ditch that long handle for something more interesting but equally useful? That’s what this concept design tries to offer, resulting in a version that’s not only functional but also decorative when not in use.

Designer: Younghyun Kim

The current conventional bottle opener design isn’t exactly bad. It’s practical, easy to make, and leaves some room to use different materials for the handle. At the same time, however, they can be longer or bigger than they need to be, and the majority of designs are pretty uninspiring. There’s a reason why bottle openers are often stored in drawers, lying in wait until they need to be used.

This bottle opener design concept, on the other hand, is something you might want to keep on top of the table or the kitchen countertop even after you’ve used it. Rather than a long handle and a head with a hole in the middle, the concept uses a dome for the opener and a sphere for the handle. That means it also won’t take up space in the unfortunate event that you do want to put it away.

More importantly, however, this spherical bottle opener becomes more than just another tool in the drawer. Because of its interesting shape, and the fact that it can stand upright, it becomes a sort of decoration that adds some aesthetic value to your table or kitchen. It can even be used as a paperweight to keep paper napkins from flying away.

In theory, it doesn’t lose any of the benefits of the traditional bottle opener design. The ball-shaped handle can still be made from different materials that can change its character. It might be questionable, however, if the design provides the same leverage as a conventional long handle does, but it probably wouldn’t take too much effort to pop a cap.

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Movable trolley cabinet lets you be more mobile in your work space

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Whether you’re working from home or from your office, you probably have just one desk or workspace where you spend most of your time. But there are also those that for one reason or another love to move around the room when working. It can be a hassle to keep moving your stuff when you need to move from one place or another. This product concept might just be the solution if you have that problem.

Designers: Keetae Kim, Jinsu Du, Young Jin Kim

Kimmipak (named after the three designers) is a concept for a steel trolley that you can help move around the stuff that you need to work on if you’re moving from one place to another in the room. It looks like a piece of luggage except that it opens up like a cabinet. But just like your luggage, it is something that you can store things in and then roll around if you need to bring stuff to and from your other workspaces.

When you open the cabinet, there are two layers but it can probably be modified as well if you need more shelves. You can ise it as a bookshelf, cabinet, and the top can also be a mini table. There is a removable toolbox at the top where you can place items like garden supplies, tools, beauty stuff, etc, if you need them carried around but you don’t need the whole trolley.

It’s an interesting concept for those who move around a lot in the room and you need your tools or stuff with you. Some steel or filing cabinets also have wheels for easier moving around if needed but this one was specifically designed to be portable and movable like your luggage.

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2-in-1 retro device concept brings an AI speaker and record runner together

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The recent retro craze when it comes to devices and even just designs of devices isn’t limited to just the people who actually experienced these things. The younger generation has a fascination with everything “old”, which can sometimes make older people really feel old. We’re seeing all kinds of product designs and concepts that play on this pseudo nostalgia (because it shouldn’t be called nostalgic if you didn’t actually experience it right?) and this trend will probably last for a long time. The best ones are those that are able to bridge nostalgia with modern sensibilities to get something that doesn’t just repeat what was done before.

Designer: Seunghyeon Kim (Focus Studio)

This concept for an AI speaker and record runner plays on the nostalgic feel that people are looking for. This is a 2-in-1 device for those who want to experience the convenience of a regular Bluetooth/AI speaker with the added different old school way of playing a vinyl record. The full device is a minimalist gadget that doesn’t give you a lot of features to maintain the external retro feel that you may be looking for.

The main part is a rectangular box shaped speaker complete with grills, a slider control for the volume, and the simple play/pause, rewind, and fast forward buttons. The power button and the slider control are the only colored spots in a silver monochrome device. There is a round thing on the left that at first looks like a detachable speaker but is in fact a record runner. This is a small record player that you place on top of an LP. It plays the record by pushing and pulling on the grooves, thereby earning the nickname of the vinyl killer (since some records get broken because of this).

The idea of a retro-looking speaker will most likely interest both those who want to get back to the good ole days and those that wanted to experience it in one form or another. The record runner feature may not be appealing though to those who prefer their vinyls to be played the regular way.

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Power bank concept is not only ergonomic but even comes with a mirror

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If you’re staying outside your house or office for a certain period of time, it’s almost always required that you need to bring a power bank. Well, unless you’re one of those people who can live without looking at their smartphone (or your device has a lot of juice). But for the rest of us that need our smartphones almost always, a power bank is attached to our bag as well as our devices. We don’t really think about the design of our power banks but some product designers do.

Designer: Anil Ramesh, Arun Kumar, Joel D’silva (Analogy Design Studio)

The folks over at Analog thought about adding a bit more functionality to the power bank and make it easier for users to carry it around. They focused on “usability, portability, and aesthetics”, the latter of which we don’t really think about as long as it gets the job done. But since we probably hold the power banks alongside our phone, it makes sentse to make it look better and also make it ergonomic.

The power bank has an elongated design rather than the normal brick version that most of them have. It actually looks like a cosmetic case and since that’s the look they’re going for, they added a beauty aspect to it. There’s a mirror inside of the power bank so you get another function for it aside from juicing up your device.

The power banks come in various pastel colors and because of the added mirror function, it might appeal more to women or at least those who need mirror on the go and like the color scheme. The ergonomic function will also be useful for those who may have some grip or muscle issues from holding phones for a long time.

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Aztec architecture inspires unique mug concept

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While I have a lot of mugs at home, most of them are just your normal liquid vessel. They just differ in color and the design printed on the cup itself, but otherwise they’re just your typical mugs. But I’m always open to adding more to my collection if I see a design that is pretty eye-catching. Whether I actually use it or not sometimes depends on my mood though.

Designer: Luminous Design Group

If this concept for a mug for a conceptual chocolate brand gets made, it’s something worth adding to my collection. The Horeca mug is a concept for Xocoyo, a brand that doesn’t actually exist but can possibly in the future. It draws heavily from Aztec architecture since the fictional brand also draws inspiration from that ancient civilization. You would think that steep staircases and ancient design would not have anything to do with a coffee or hot chocolate mug, but they were able to incorporate it.

The matte dark ceramic brings back the feel of the earthenware vessels from the Aztecs. The mug itself has geometric shapes from their architecture including the stairs-like bottom part and an angular-shaped handle. The wooden base complements the “steps” and adds a more organic look to the entire product. The name of the brand is etched into the mug.

This kind of design blends storytelling and functionality into what is usually a utilitarian object. But if you can sip your hot liquid of choice from such a mug or even if you just have it on display, wouldn’t you want to add something uniquely designed to your collection?

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