Robotic Prosthetic Knee sweeps the Luminary at the Red Dot Design Award: Design Concept 2020

During one of our Q&A’s, a reader asked our founder, Takashi Yamada, what a design should be according to him. “Innovative”, he said, “It is not about making something bigger, better, stronger, faster, cheaper, etc. than your previous product or service. Innovation is about creating something that makes what you already have obsolete. And that’s why I love concepts so much – they always push the boundaries.” And that same love for concepts echoes through all of Yanko Design.

This year, the COVID-19 pandemic has surged through the world, changing things as we know it. But one thing that could not be dampened was the sense of enthusiasm with which the design community rose up to this new challenge. Red Dot Awards are not just an award, but a seal of quality that helps the designers distinguish their design and gain a spotlight to help their talent shine. Undeterred by COVID, the Red Dot Award ceremony was held online this year, the celebratory moments captured and shared during a two-day award celebration. Let’s jump into the list of the 2020 Red Dot Awards: Design Concept winners with the Red Dot Luminary Award, presented by the Red Dot Juror – Mr. Tanaka Kazuo!

Click Here to See More Award-winning Projects

Announcement of the prestigious Red Dot: Luminary Award 2020

The Robotic Prosthetic Knee by BionicM Inc. (Japan) is the winner of the Red Dot: Luminary 2020 award for their innovative, motor-powered design that helps above-knee amputees restore their physical functions. As Mr. Kazuo Tanaka explains “The Robotic Prosthetic Knee completely changes the concept of prostheses up to now. It is the fusion of body neural information and robot technology. As a result, the user can obtain a natural walking sensation that is completely different from that of a conventional artificial leg. What’s more, its appearance is fashionable and gives the user confidence.”

Robotic Prosthetic Knee by BionicM Inc.

The top accolade winning design serves as an inspiration to designers and takes a huge step towards building a more inclusive world. How do they do that? By merging robotic technology and the human body! The design is very personal for its CEO, Dr. Sun Xiajun since he is a prosthetic user since age 9. While he got his first prosthetic at the age of 15, Dr. Xiajun understands the importance of merging design and engineering to create a product that excels in everyday life. Especially in the prosthetics field, functionality and aesthetics hold equal weightage in making the design feel socially acceptable, helping the user be comfortable in using this design to improve their day-to-day life. The result is a compact, lightweight, and futuristic design that the user is actually proud to show-off instead of hiding it.

Yanko Design curates the team’s favorite designs that are pushing the boundaries for a better tomorrow and it ranges from urban architecture and automotive to smart home appliances and toys!

Deployable Emergency Shelter by Samuel Barratt and Henry Glogau

This design has an intrinsic connection to its environment and stands on the pillars of biomimicry and symbiosis. The concept explores how snow can be used as a natural insulator and protective layer in extremely cold environments through fractional origami skin combined with lightweight lattice structure – think Eskimos but in 2020 with design skills and their traditional knowledge of snow. “We wanted to design a shelter which looks to embrace and utilize these extreme conditions to its advantage, rather than fight against them. Snow became a building material rather than a burden,” said the designers of the Deployable Emergency Shelter.

UN/LIMITED by Chou Kuan-hua

UN/LIMITED explores the requirements of volume and material through a daily backpack because we don’t have Hermoine’s Undetectable Extension Charm to fit everything in our regular bags. It is expandable to accommodate unexpected items and can also be compressed into a more streamlined form to allow for better mobility. Guided by the design philosophy of ‘design by reduction’, it is sealed by heat welding and made of a mono-material, DuPont Hytrel, or similar recyclable thermoplastic elastomers with different levels of hardness and also making it easier to recycle – the objective is to design a product with recyclable plastic that is sustainable, improves with age and has a genuine bond with the user.

TOGOther by Pan Yu-Ting and Wu Ya-Cheng

This is an electric transporter that can be attached to all kinds of wheelchairs giving mobility a dimension of modularity that makes it more adaptable to people and places. Depending on the needs of the disabled, it offers three mobility modes: Independent Mode, Assisted Mode, and Personal Transporter mode. The modern aesthetics and universal design details help move away from the stigma of disability. This challenges our long-standing stereotypes and perceptions of assistive devices. Rooted in the idea of an inclusive mobile society for everyone, TOGOther aims to lighten the load of both the disabled and their caregiver, thereby supporting an aging society.

Ultra-Thin Air Conditioner by Ningbo AUX Electric Co., Ltd.

Tired of the bulky split Air Conditioners or the rattle-y window ACs? This is your solution – a slim, telescopic air-conditioner with an accordion-like panel as a cool air outlet. Ultra-Thin Air Conditioner’s panel expands and contracts to change the angle of the airflow that is exiting. The more the panels expand, the bigger the area of airflow. This accordion design replaces the traditional swing-flap blades of air-conditioners that usually guide the airflow. In a standby state, the space of the air duct is compressed, the panel collapses and closes, hiding the air vents to leave behind an ‘ultra-thin’ form. Sleep, simple, and super ‘cool’.

POSEIDON by PSD Pte. Ltd.

This automotive design is a first of its kind product that enables divers to reach deeper depths with great speeds by equipping them with the environmental parameters from an integrated LCD screen. The unique built-in GPS positioning system helps users return to their set locations when the propeller goes into in low-battery mode. For user-friendly ‘smart return’ function the slots are filled with a hollow glass micro-bead type of buoyant material – this ensures that the body is not affected by the high pressure of the deep waters and that it would actually float to the surface and start the GPS positioning function after being let go. In order to create highly efficient products with perfect safety, A123 lithium-ion batteries are used because they offer no risk of explosion, therefore reducing stress for divers. Truly, the Poseidon of the automotive world with its amphibian-like design.

AMBI- by Baek Ju Yeon

A regular mouse is still a major cause for ‘carpal tunnel syndrome’ because a mouse’s angle is generally not ergonomic for the hand, especially if you are left-handed because the mouse market often forgets about you. Sandwiched between the shell of the vertical AMBI- mouse is a collapsible accordion-like structure made with flexible plastic that allows users to adjust the tilt angle of the mouse. When the structure changes, a setup window will intuitively appear on the screen. This can be modified to fit both hands. The upper and lower shell can also be used alone (by detaching the accordion structure) just like a regular mouse. Left-handers finally rejoice!

WM Fresher by Nanjing Chuangwei Household Electronic Appliances Limited

By combining the functions of a front-loading washing machine, a small top-loading washing machine, and a shoe-care machine, WM Fresher offers users a ‘head-to-toe’ clean. Its unique three-layer washing space can wash and care for different clothing materials and dirtiness at the same time, saving time and energy. It is user-friendly, even for the elderly, and it is possible to customize and personalize the washing parameters for the optimum cleaning result. It uses an innovative steam washing function to sterilize and disinfect clothes. The shoe sterilization area is right at the bottom and automatically detects, sterilizes, and deodorizes footwear according to the material and size. Making laundry easier for everyone!

Moving Z by ZINUS Design Department

Moving frequently and constantly having to buy/discard furniture is a huge hassle, especially for Gen Z who are just venturing into the real world. Cities around the world are seeing a gradual decrease in personal living space, and the increasing movement in and out of the city. People need furniture that is suited for small spaces and frequent moves. Moving Z is a new furniture concept that is compact and easy to move. It is designed to reduce the time and effort needed when moving to a new home. For frequent movers, Moving Z can be easily packed, assembled, or used in different configurations – pushed down or upright to fit any space. The modular boxes are made from a variety of materials and can be stacked/arranged freely while the wheeled frame functions as a cart which can be used to move things conveniently.

Little Hoppa by Sofie

Many children’s toys on the market are bulky, not designed to last, and non-renewable. Little Hoppa is a 3-in-1 children’s play gym, jumper, and activity table. This durable, innovative, and multi-activity toy transforms and adapts with children as they grow (from birth to 4 years old). It is easy to clean and recycle, the simple nut-and-bolt fit makes it super simple to put each stage together; most parts are also reused in each stage. It can be used by newborns for tummy time, for babies with interactive hanging toys, and for slightly older babies who start to pull themselves up, it can be used as a jumper toy. The final stage has been created for the toddler and pre-school years – the tabletop is dual-sided so younger children can use the built-in road, storytelling forms, and interactive toys for imaginative play, while older children will enjoy drawing or reading using the flat side of the table.

Click Here to See More Award-winning Projects

This piano-inspired wifi router is like music for your eyes!

The same way a skyscraper doesn’t fit in amongst brownstones, the classic WiFi router is an eyesore in any room. Typically, they’re clunky, blockish, and wire-twisted. They always get in the way and seem to epitomize user-unfriendliness, with indistinguishable blinking signals and difficult, hard-to-reach dimensions. Thankfully, designer Lee Haupenn has come up with a solution: his new Piano WiFi 6 router that resembles a chord’s worth of piano keys, designed to appear less obtrusive and more as it belongs.

The fully realized WiFi 6 router is emotive in its appearance and, with its sleek body, allows you to enjoy any room for what it’s meant, without any black, plastic network boxes to distract you. The black ‘keys’ lift up to reveal the router’s antennae and the indented base diminishes some of the visual thickness that’s commonly expected from routers. Certain to improve user-friendliness, the L-shaped indicator light provides comprehensible insight regarding signals and product operation. Familiarity was a vital aspect of the router’s conceptual stages as Lee Haupenn incorporated the image of the piano, emoting a feeling of cohesion to any room. The classic white and black color scheme provides the router with another chameleon-like feature: interior adaptability for all spaces, that of which bulky, wire-heavy routers do not have. That seamless bridging between the world of technology and our intimate home spaces is the true essence of this design.

Red Dot issued 2020’s Best of the Best award to the Shenzhen-based design team for their cleverly tasteful reimagination of the classic router. Offering the latest generation of wireless capabilities, this router is as charming as it is operative, bridging the power of technology with the comfort of home. Collectively, it seems that we’re retreating further and further into the cyber world, which means that the demand for efficient wireless technology and network is high. However, the designers at Lee Haupenn seem to understand that when it comes to routers, as demand increases, creativity in design seems to fall by the wayside. Due to this imbalance, routers look cold, even unapproachable, just the tangles of wires look too complicated. With such a necessary product of the times, Lee Haupenn gave the antiquated router a much-needed fine-tuning. Even though this piano can’t really be played, it is visual poetry for your eyes!

Designers: Lee Haupenn

Red Dot Award: Product Design 2020 Winners announced! Check out the Best of Best designs here!

Along with the Summer Solstice, International Music Day, International Yoga Day, and Father’s Day, the design community has one more reason to look forward to the present. It’s also time to reveal the winners of the Red Dot Product Design Awards for the year 2020! The Red Dot Design Awards are considered one of the preeminent award programs in the design field. Being hosted since 1955, the Red Dot has become one of the most sought-after symbols of great design and innovation. Now in its 65th year, we look at some of the ‘Best of Best’ winners of the 2020 Red Dot Awards: Product Design, right from the home of the award in Essen, Germany!

Click Here to See 2020 Winners

YD Handpicks: Best of Best Winners – Red Dot Product Design Award 2020

01. AirPods Pro by Apple

The AirPods were ground-breaking for making truly-wireless earbuds the status quo. Now, with the AirPods Pro, Apple hopes to upgrade its wireless technology to provide better, clearer, and more advanced audio to its listeners. The AirPods Pro take the features of the AirPods and introduce it to better drivers, active noise cancellation, adaptive EQ, and a new design that fits better in the ear, thanks to silicone tips.

02. Aquno Select M81 by Hansgrohe

The Aquno Select M81’s purpose, apart from elevating the kitchen’s style, is to also provide unparalleled functionality when it comes to using water to wash utensils. Not only does it feature a slick pull-out spray on the top, it even comes with an array of horizontally positioned sprays that help focus water in a way that rinses food off plates easily without splashing water in every direction (or on you).

03. Touchswitch by Niko nv

Have you ever walked up to a switchboard and spent a good 5 minutes trying out every switch to see which one controls what appliance? Well, that indecisiveness is what the Touchswitch hopes to tackle, with its smart touch-enabled display interface. The touchscreen becomes a fresh, more informative interface that overhauls the rudimentary switchboard. Not only can it display information, it uses intuitive elements, colors, and visuals to help you understand what you’re doing too. Besides, rather than just switching things on or off, you can now tap, slide, and turn elements. Now who wouldn’t love that?!

04. 1919 Globetimer UTC by Porsche Design

“If you analyze the function of an object, its form often becomes obvious,” was the credo of Ferdinand Alexander Porsche and the starting point of many of his designs. The 1919 Globetimer sports the appearance of an elegant wristwatch, albeit with a slight difference. Built into its side are two buttons that allow you to easily and conveniently switch time-zones, cycling through all zones across the world.

05. MotoRAZR 2019 by Motorola

The 2019 MotoRAZR easily remains one of my favorite designs of all-time, so the fact that it’s deserving of a Red Dot Award feels pleasantly validating! The phone, which debuted in 2019, reimagined a classic, bringing a new, cutting edge flexible display to the incredibly sleek iconic design from the 2000s. It’s every bit a RAZR, and also every bit an incredibly capable smartphone. What more could one really want?!

06. Sema Whirling by Hefei LCFC Information Technology

The Sema Whirling is to barcode scanners what the Rolls-Royce is to automobiles. Absolutely captivating, convention-challenging, and just a reinterpretation of designs that we usually take for granted, the Sema Whirling is a barcode/QR-code scanner that looks like a million bucks! It retains the ability to be gripped and pointed at objects, but ditches the weird gun-shaped design for something that looks more like a luxurious bottle of perfume!

07. Mabot by Shenzhen Bell Creative Science and Education

Learning is a complex process that is always centred on and guided by individual interests. Children learn much easier and faster when they encounter something that piques their curiosity by challenging them. Mabot is an educational robot that was developed to present children with a challenge and the ability to build the toy they want. As fundamental as LEGO blocks, but equipped with motors, sensors, and electronic parts, Mabot equips kids with the ability to plug modules together to build their own robot and define the distinctive functions of their tech-wonder!

08. ThinkPad X1 Fold by Lenovo

The ThinkPad X1 Fold is perhaps the best use-case of a flexible display. Designed to make tablets as accessible and portable as notebooks, the X1 Fold gives you a device with a 7.2″ screen, but in a footprint that’s small enough to fit in your palm as you dash from your cabin to the presentation room. The ThinkPad X1 Fold, true to its name, also comes with a nifty stylus that lets you articulate your thoughts, note down points, and capture graphs, minutes of meetings, and slip in a doodle or two between long meetings too! Besides, its folding screen format and bookish design make it perhaps the best e-reader ever!

09. CleanAIR® UniMask by MALINA

The CleanAIR® UniMask comes at an absolutely opportune time. Designed for use around industries with exposure to gases like aerosols, the CleanAIR® UniMask is a mask with a full-face visor that creates a seal around your entire face with a soft cushion that enables you to wear it for prolonged hours. UniMask weighs in at just 380 grams and offers good optical and mechanical features that make for an extraordinarily light face shield with high functionality. The inner airflow regulation enables users to adjust the direction and intensity of the air to be delivered and direct it either to the face or directly into the breathing zone. The visor possesses high mechanical resistance and a special anti-fog coating that prevents fogging and delivers a clear and undisturbed view at all times.

10. Ferrari SF90 Stradale by Ferrari S.p.A.

Ending this countdown on a high note, the Ferrari SF90 Stradale reinterprets the well-known sporting proportions of the Berlinetta model with its mid-rear-located engine the SF90 Stradale, and is the first PHEV model (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle) manufactured by Ferrari in series. The use of a pioneering technology based on a combination of a combustion engine and three electric motors also represents a step into a new stylistic direction, while always staying true to Ferrari’s design DNA and rich automotive heritage.

Click Here to See 2020 Winners

Concepts to watch out for! Here are the best 2018 Red Dot Design Concept Awards winners!

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You can’t envision any future without conceptualization. Concepts have always interested us and been the backbone of Yanko Design because they present an image of products, technologies, experiences, and consequently, futures. They showcase an inventiveness and creativity that’s truly worth appreciating and that’s where we see a massive overlap of interest with our friends who host the Red Dot Concept Design Awards.

This year’s Red Dot Design Concept Awards: Best of Best honors some exciting concepts. Whether it’s cutting-edge technology used in consumer electronics, or in the health sector, or design that uplifts user experiences and environments, Red Dot’s Best Of Best is our annual go-to for designs that speak of creativity, cross-discipline collaboration, and marvelous execution. Here are a few of our favorites from this year’s Red Dot Design Concept Award: Best of Best! Scroll right to the bottom to see which project won the Luminary Design Award! You saw it here first!

01. Manovivo by Guiyoung Kim, Prof. Jieun Kim & Hyejeong Lee
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The Manovivo is a wearable smart-glove that helps assess and monitor the activities of daily living (ADLs) of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

02. Futura Project by Ye Seul Oh & Hyeon Ji Park
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Inspired by the first typeface that made its way to the moon, the Futura Project visualizes the font’s letterforms as 3D objects and furniture, bringing the elegance of a font that’s a favorite of Wes Anderson and Stanley Kubrick, quite literally into one’s home!

03. Cookacross by Zaviè Design Studio
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The Cookacross grabbed a nomination for the luminary prize, for its inventive rectangular matrix of gas burners. Place any utensil anywhere on the stove and only the burners directly under the utensil light up. Rather than having a big flame onto which you place your cooking utensil, Cookacross uses multiple smaller burners that light up when directly under a vessel. This not only saves fuel, but also helps heat get evenly distributed across the cooking surface!

04. Martians by Igor Lobanov
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For its incredibly slim circular light-panel, and the tripod base that gives it an unusual look, the Martians floor lamps win a Red Dot. The legs are individually angle-adjustable, allowing the lamp to practically pose, rather than stand erect. The light panel can be adjusted too, to face at a wall, directly downwards, or at a seating area.

05. Revive by Franziska Heuck & James Skeggs
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Designed to act as a highly accurate robotic arm capable of intricate operations, Revive works a lot like Apple’s Daisy robot. It assists humans in pulling apart waste electronics to harvest and recycle parts that may not have been accessible to humans. The highly specialized robot arm comes with multiple attachments that help it open and pull apart complex electronic products with relative ease.

06. Grit – Resistance Training Shoes by Aarish Netarwala
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With a 3D printed sole that has my heart, the Grit offers resistance training by mimicking the feeling of standing/running on sand. The soles come with an interwoven pattern that collapses gently under pressure, just like how your foot sinks into the sand. Wearing the Grit allows you to exercise more efficiently, and build muscles by battling the resistance!

07. Nonnos Smart Insulin Watch by Inno-Partners
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The Nonnos is in every sense a breakthrough. While the Apple Watch Series 4 focused on the EKG ability, there was initially a lot of speculation that the watch would be able to measure the wearer’s blood sugar levels (externally and using non-invasive tech), a feature that, if executed, would perhaps make the Apple Watch the greatest wearable of all time. Rumors are that the Apple team is still working on the technology and developing ways to make it a reality. The Nonnos Smart Insulin Watch, in that regard, seems like the perfect wearable to complement that feature. The Nonnos is a wearable that is capable of providing you with a dose of insulin without any needles or injections. The device uses a process called Thermophoresis that allows insulin to directly be absorbed into the skin.

08. Etnisk – Food Storage by Alejandro Mandrion Moreno
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The Etnisk is an eco-friendly food-storage system that uses traditional techniques and indigenous materials to prolong the shelf-life of food without expending any energy. If perfected, Etnisk could reduce the use of single-use plastics, tetrapaks, or even refrigeration!

09. DSLRUOK? by Dustin Brown
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Completely altering the ergonomic design that you’d associate with DSLRs, the DSLRUOK? (I love the name) camera sports a unique aesthetic that’s easy to grip, fun to use, and interesting to look at. It also allows you to use your phone (with its high definition screen) as a viewfinder. DSLRs officially have a lot to worry about now!

10. MOTOROiD by Japanese Yamaha Motor Co Ltd [Luminary Winner!]
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Well worthy of the Luminary Prize of this year’s Red Dot Design Concept Awards, the MOTOROiD is a beautiful blend of visionary thinking, industrial design, transportation design, engineering, sprinkled with a touch of futurism.

The Motoroid, like many futuristic concept vehicles, is complete with an AI system, but not just any AI system… Motoroid’s AI can recognize its owner and even go as far as interacting with the user in a manner that seems fitting for a living object. This comes as no surprise when Yamaha also boasts the ability to evoke the experience of ‘Kando’ for the rider – the Japanese philosophy which simultaneously inspires a deep satisfaction, appreciation, admiration and emotional impression.

The self-balancing electric bike is currently in its proof-of-concept status, which is remarkable news, showcasing that a future where you communicate with your bike like it’s your companion, isn’t that far off!

Doesn’t get better than the Red Dot Concept Design Best of Best!

The end of the year is quite special to us, because this is when new designs unleash themselves on the world. From Design Awards to Design Weeks, all of them happen around the last quarter of the year… which means this overwhelming wave of great industrial design hits us, and translates into articles like these… Just choc-a-bloc with great design.

This round-up is doubly special because it epitomizes the term “great design”. I’m talking about the Red Dot Design Concept: Best of Best. These products and concepts stood out as inspirational, innovative and well-detailed, and in a year like 2017 that’s difficult because it isn’t as easy to do new things now as it was a decade back. However, these ten designs concisely capture innovative thinking, and in a lot of ways the direction in which Industrial Design and our world is heading. Stay tuned till the end where we debut this year’s Luminary Award winning design for the first time on YD!

01. Fan+A Stick by Hamee
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Simple, sophisticated, and with the perfect bit of flair, the Fan+A Stick is an external charger that connects the old-world charm of the oriental folding fan with the new-age technology of consumer-based solar charging. The stick, in its wonderfully portable avatar, opens out into a fan of solar panels that can tap into our solar system’s largest power supply and use it to charge your mobile devices!

02. KIN Wallet by KIN Studio LLP

Until cash transactions are completely done away with, we’re going to have to deal with wallets that have separate enclosures for banknotes and coins. Most transactions involve a mix of both and when a vendor hands you a bunch of notes and coins, what do you do? You first separate them, and then put the notes away neatly in their slots, and then the coins in their pouch. Seems like a headache to me. The KIN Wallet gives you one less problem to worry about. Just dump all your change into one single enclosure and the wallet does the sorting for you! When you open your wallet again, the coins are miraculously segregated and placed in a separate pouch! Alakazam!

03. Peninsula – Floating Docks by Jean-Benoit Clermont & Tara Harb
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Designed to give Montreal’s coastline a bit of verve, the Peninsula are interlocking floating modules made from eco-friendly glass concrete that can easily be interlocked to create pathways, river-fronts, and floating gardens… all on water!

04. Vitreous Robot by Ron Ferencz
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The Vitreous Robot takes the human expertise out of retinal surgeries, which means no matter where you are, you can get retinal surgeries done without the need of an expert surgeon (who are a rare bunch). With high demand and less skilled surgeons, Ron Ferencz gives robots the job. These robotic arms can perform highly precise and complex medical procedures with stunning ease. Remember that one video online of a robotic arm stitching a halved grape back together?!

05. Vario by Rik Oudenhoven
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Designed to be the first and the last kitchen appliance you’ll need, Vario comes with an induction baseplate that’s central to the entire cooking experience. Just mount a series of utensils from grills to non-stick pans to casseroles all calibrated to fit like modules onto the baseplate and you’ve got one shape-shifting all-purpose cooking appliance! Of course, Vario comes with all the utensils you need to mount on its base, so it’s literally your entire kitchen in a single appliance.

06. Travel Kit by Choi Jaewan, Kim Kyuseok, Kim Myungnyun & Youn Heejin
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Wouldn’t travel be a whole lot easier if we had something as streamlined as the Travel Kit above? Designed to be modular, and compact, and most importantly, be together, the Travel Kit bases its design on a principle a lot like the Vario. The motor and battery house themselves in one base component and a hair-dryer module, electric toothbrush module, and shaver module just simply snap on top whenever and wherever needed. No need to carry three separate appliances when you have something as unified as this! (And you won’t be forgetting any of the separate gadgets either!)

07. Bamboodia by Huang Yu-Man, Wang Yu-Chi
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Rather than developing specialty materials with custom physical properties, Bamboodia relies on nature’s very own Bamboo to replace metals and polymers in prosthetics. Designed to be low on cost, and high on efficiency, the prosthetic uses bamboo sheets bent into a specially designed shape to mimic the way an ankle behaves. The name Bamboodia comes from a portmanteau of Bamboo and Cambodia, where the designers hope to begin production and help provide employment to local craftspeople.

08. P-Scooter by Husky Design
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So, just how backpacks started becoming designed specifically for laptops a little over a decade ago, Husky Design is trying to usher in an age where backpacks will be able to carry your mode of transport. The P-Scooter is an electric last-mile vehicle that folds so thin, it can literally fit into most regular backpacks, making you carry your vehicle around the city when the vehicle isn’t carrying you around the city!

09. Gettou by Panasonic
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Designed around an illusion of a lampshade producing light without a lamp within it, the Gettou uses a rather alluring and hypnotically designed acrylic and bamboo combination to make a lampshade that looks like an artpiece… but where is the light bulb within it?! The trick is in acrylic’s light refracting properties. The light-source hides itself at the frosted base of the lamp, and therefore all you see is the light emanating from a source you can’t really identify as the acrylic glows like magic fire, creating a beautiful illusion that you won’t want to stop looking at.

10. Halo City by Beijing Onemile Technology [Luminary Winner!]
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While we imagine a world where the conceptual P-Scooter is a reality, the Halo City is actually making serious strides (can scooters make strides?) in the last-mile commute department. The electric scooter can literally be folded into a compact trolley-esque design and be wheeled around like a suitcase (at just 15.5 kilograms, it also weighs as much as one) and even placed in the boot of a car. The scooter comes with an intelligent app that shows transport related information, allows users to switch between drive modes, and even remotely operate the vehicle. With over 13 national patents, the Halo City is on its path to become China’s next go-to zero-emissions vehicle for its vast population!

Best of Best: Top 30 Posts on Yanko Design, 2014

As Einstein once said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge”, 2014 has been a year of acquiring more imagination than anything else. For dreamers are the crazy lot that can achieve the impossible! The world of design saw dreamers translating their imagination into path breaking innovations; the iPhone 6 and Apple Watch serve as a good example. At Yanko Design we saw some clever inspiring designs, and we’d like to recap them for you. Here’s the Top 30 Designs from 2014 … take a look…

30) Straw Humidifier by Kyuho Song

29) By the Book – Book Display by Kiril Gitman

28 ) Predictables – Future Prediction Projector Concept by Dor Tal

27) Split&Go – Concept Vehicle by Kenan Haliloglu

26) [BRIC+]xtreme – iPhone 6/6 Plus Case by BRICWAVE

25) Meditation Seat Ware by NANOIN Design

24) iPhone 6 Concept by Federico Ciccarese

23) iPad Pro Concept by Ramotion

22) Transit Bicycle Lock and Carrier System by Seth Chiam

21) MEDA – Motorcycle Backpack by Angela Wang

20) Nimbus – Concept e-Car by Eduardo Galvani

19) SlatePro – Personal TechDesk by Nathan Mummert

18 ) AWWA Sky Whale by Oscar Viñals

17) YolkFish by Peleg Design

16) Air Umbrella – Air Flow Rain Protection

15) Mars Levitation Speaker with Subwoofer by Crazybaby

14) Apple iPhone Plus Concept by Faisal Semari

13) dataSTICKIES – USB Sticky Notes by Aditi Singh & Parag Anand

12) Travel Tent by Chung-Jung Wu, Pei-Chun Chen & Li-Fu Chen

11) Nokia FIT. Hands-free Cell Phone by Issam Trabelsi

10) Rolls-Royce 450EX yacht concept by Stefan Monro

9) Vespa Camera Concept by Rotimi Solola & Cait Miklasz

8 ) The Cosmos Bed by Natalia Rumyantseva

7) First Ride – 2015 Yamaha FZ-07

6) Bike Washing Machine by Li Huan

5) Carbon Flyer – Crash Proof Video Drone by Trident Design

4) Barisieur – Coffee Maker/Alarm Clock by Joshua Renouf

3) Jumbo – Cutlery Dryer by Peleg Design

2) Mini Power – Portable Mobile Phone Charger by Tsung Chih-Hsien

1) Triton Oxygen Mask For Diving by Jeabyun Yeon

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(Best of Best: Top 30 Posts on Yanko Design, 2014 was originally posted on Yanko Design)

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Top 20 Red Dot Awards: Product Design – Best of Best Winners for 2014

We love compiling lists because they bring upon elements of reflection and contemplation. For example, to create this list of Top 20 Best of Best Winners for 2014 from the Red Dot Awards: Product Design list, we had to factor in the YD audience, our experience with Good Design and resonance of what YD stands for. In short, it has to be the perfect marriage between YD’s pick and audience expectations. To see if we are on the same page…browse through the list below and let us know.

Minta Touch Kitchen Tap by Grohe AG

The Minta Touch kitchen tap gives the user a magical experience. It integrates two types of operation: a manual mode and a highly sensitive electronic mode, whereby the water flow is activated with the back of the user’s hand or forearm.

Paper Silicon LED Table Lamp by Retang Electronic Co., Ltd.

The Paper Silicon LED table lamp is based on an innovative combination of silica gel, metal and other materials. Silica gel is waterproof, non-toxic and has good thermal conductivity. This lamp can be bent to any desired angle and is flexible.

Ora-ïto Table – Dining Table by Roche Bobois

The Ora-ïto table exudes the perception of a spinning top and looks like as if it were moving and spinning upon itself. The optical illusion of motion is complemented by the use of a mirror in the lower part of the table.

AURA Breathalyzer – Alcohol Breath Tester by Ho International Design Inc.

The Aura Breathalyzer alcohol breath tester is a new, stylish way for drivers to find out their current blood alcohol concentration (BAC) quickly. With this information readily available, drivers are less likely to endanger themselves and others. Inspired by glamorous fashion, the design of this alcohol breath tester turns it into an extremely stylish fashion accessory.

adidas miCoach SMART RUN – Running Smartwatch by adidas AG

The adidas miCoach Smart Run was developed to offer runners optimized possibilities for individual training and self-monitoring based on the latest technology.

Springfree Trampoline Medium Oval by Dr. Keith Alexander

The Springfree Medium Oval Trampoline features an innovative safety design that changes the traditional trampoline completely. With flexible fiberglass rods instead of metal springs and a frame that has been moved under the jumping surface out of harm’s way, it was designed to eliminate 90 per cent of product related injuries associated with traditional trampolines.

JURA Elektroapparate IMPRESSA F8 TFT – Fully Automatic Coffee Maker by Iseli Design und Partner

“Three things are necessary for a good cup of coffee: first of all coffee, second of all, coffee, and third, more coffee,” reads a simple definition by French playwright Alexandre Dumas. We need not say more!

Stokke Crusi Stroller by Hans-Cato Slotteroy, Hilde Angelfoss, Alf Vegard Fjelland, Anders August Kittilsen and Permafrost

Closeness was an important factor in the design of the Stokke Crusi, thus the baby carrier pod or seat of the stroller is placed in a high position. The carrier has been ergonomically well thought out and is of generous proportions so that it offers enough space even for bigger babies.

Philips DesignLine LED TV

Through the innovative use of full-glass integration in its screen, the Philips DesignLine LED TV allows viewers to see and experience television images in a completely new way.

nemus CAJALUN Bicycle by LignoTUBE technologies GmbH & Co. KG and Robert Taranczewski

The design of the nemus Cajalun opted for a frame made of wood, a material that is rather unusual in the field of bicycle construction. The frame is produced in a large part from thin veneer layers of real wood, lending it a highly natural and organic appearance: the visible wood texture underlines this.

LG G Flex Smartphone by Hongsik Kim, Donghwan Lee, Hyunjin Yoon & Jeeyoung Yeon

The concept of the G Flex interprets and redefines the smartphone as a medium of communication that adapts to its user. Promoting a fascinatingly innovative curved shape, it leaves the conventional flat shape of phone design behind. The phone integrates curved elements in order to match the facial contours of its user. This eliminates annoying environmental noise during calls.

Hansgrohe Axor Showerpipe by Front

The design of the Axor Showerpipe by Front aims to draw attention to the hidden aesthetics and is a collection of pipes, valves and funnels that turn into charming design objects which relate to traditional forms. The clear form of the showerhead takes a funnel as its model.

A-Chair – Stacking Chair by Brunner and jehs+laub

Public events would be considerably more complicated if it weren’t for the stacking chair. The A-Chair is the expression of an entirely new appreciation of the form and functionality of the stacking chair. The chair is crafted using an innovative glass-fibre reinforced plastic, which gives it its sturdy body and the frame high stability. Available either as a plastic chair or with an aluminum frame combined with a wooden seat, the A-Chair always has a harmonious appearance.

Phiaton Bridge Headphones by TEAGUE (Youjin Nam, Tad Toulis, Clement Gallois, John Mabry, Benoit Collette, Devin Liddell, Roger Jackson & Ashley Newcomer)

The design of the Phiaton Bridge headphones blends innovative use of form with advanced sound quality. These headphones have a unique look and are made of premium materials such as high-quality, perforated leather and machined aluminum. Cables covered in a signal red fabric provide an eye-catching contrast.

Fissler Bionic Permanently Sharp Knife by via 4 Design GmbH

The Fissler bionic is a completely hand-made knife for versatile use in the kitchen. It has been modeled on the structure of a beaver tooth, which consists of two layers that are worn down at different rates.

Masterpiece Mystery Wristwatch by Maurice Lacroix

The Masterpiece Mystery features a strikingly skeletonized dial and is highlighted by its mysterious seconds indicator. Driven by a durable and reliable movement with a self-winding mechanism, this second hand marks out a linear reading in alternating horizontal and vertical cycles. The direction appears to change every 15 seconds. Users gain the impression of movement and is the result of an optical illusion caused by the blued or rhodium covered hand, which appears to rotate weightlessly on its own axis.

Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera – Compact Digital Cinema Camera

The Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera is designed specifically for shooting in remote locations and confined spaces that are common to documentaries and photojournalism. The magnesium alloy body is strong and durable.

Audi quattro Bar, St. Moritz 2013/2014 by SCHMIDHUBER and Atelier für Szenografie – Tim John

To coincide with the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup 2014, Audi is opening the Audi quattro Bar in the heart of the Swiss Corviglia ski region at a height of 2,486 meters.

ThinBike – Urban Bicycle by Schindelhauer Bikes (Jörg Schindelhauer & Stephan Zehren)

The ThinBike is well adapted to the contemporary lifestyle of self-reliant mobility. The bike folds together in a jiffy into a package that is easy to carry.

Fresh Air Kitchen Compost Collector by Full Circle

The Fresh Air compost collector convincingly conveys that composting can be easy and clean. The design tackles the issue of molestation by odors and flies often associated with indoor compost collectors by eliminating them through a patented system: the innovative combination of an airway and compostable bag system allows waste to decompose aerobically.

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Yanko Design
Timeless Designs - Explore wonderful concepts from around the world!
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(Top 20 Red Dot Awards: Product Design – Best of Best Winners for 2014 was originally posted on Yanko Design)

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Top 20 Best Of Best red dot award: product design 2013

For those who attended it, the red dot awards ceremony and gala was a night to remember. Dr. Peter Zec presided over the ceremonies and the attendees had the pleasure of rubbing shoulders with fashion icon Jimmy Choo. Into its second glorious decade, the Red Dot Gala took place on July 1st. in the opera house at Essen, Germany. From an up-cycled soda can watch to flipping alarms, this year’s selection for the Best Of Best red dot award: product design is truly innovative. Come have a look…

CAN-WATCH by Ching Yin Kat Ling, Tien Sum Samuel Siu, Chun Kin & Kenneth Ho

The Can-Watch combines the maxims of sustainability with a social mission. The dial of this watch is made from the bottom of an ordinary soda can in an upcycling process that lends it a new meaning.

Invisible Table by Tokujin Yoshioka

The Invisible Table is an innovative piece of furniture that appears rather nondescript because it is transparent and its unobtrusive shape maintains a low profile in the room.

Suunto Ambit GPS Watch by Tom Hinskens, Björn Bornemann & Timo Yliluoma

Suunto Ambit GPS watch is outdoor sports equipment featuring an accurate, highly reliable GPS system complemented by a user-oriented interface that is intuitive to use.

FLIP Alarm Clock by DesignWright (Adrian Wright & Jeremy Wright)

Flip alarm clock interprets the act of turning the alarm off by simply turning the whole clock over, flipping it from the “on” side to the “off” side! So Cute!

Aura Sofa by Studio Mikko Laakkonen

The Aura sofa aims to find a clever way to create pools of privacy and peace even in open plan spaces.

PV Premium Photovoltaic In-Roof System by Stafier Holland (Ruben Beijer)

The PV Premium photovoltaic in-roof system is an innovative system, which offers new possibilities for architecture in the field of solar energy. Instead of installing solar panels on top of the roof, the modules of this system replace the roof tiling and are integrated directly inside the roof surface.

Saya Chair by Lievore Altherr Molina

The Saya chair sharply designed to resemble a graphic symbol and its lines flow thanks to the warm appearance of wood.

Welded Table by Alain Gilles – The Studio

The Welded table is a combination of materials that seem heavy with the simple, clean lines of the support. The inspiration for this table came from the manufacture of heavy machinery. The legs are made of laser-cut sheet steel, which are subsequently welded together.

New Order – Domestic Waste Separation Bags by böttcher+henssler (Moritz Böttcher, Sören Henssler & Clémentine Caurier)

The New Order reinterprets waste separation by taking an entirely novel approach: the waste is collected in a series of colored bags hanging on the wall in full view.

Pia Kitchen Furniture, Kitchen System by Pia Würtz Mogensen

Designed with gently rounded corners, Pia kitchen system looks as if it has been framed by an all-encompassing delicate passé partout. The frame is painted and covered at the edges with a decorative durable stainless steel border.

EDA Cutlery by Ken Okuyama Design Co

The natural shape of a tree with branches and twigs lending it a highly organic appearance inspires the design of the EDA cutlery.

OSORO – Open Tableware System by MTDO Inc. (Manabu Tago)

Osoro defines contemporary tableware and comes in different size. The various tableware items are compact in design, easy to stack and offer users a multitude of individual variations and combinations.

Axor Starck Organic Bathroom Fixtures by Starck Network

We wouldn’t mind fitting in the Axor Starck Organic collection in our bathroom. The clear and harmonious lines of the fixtures are reminiscent of shapes found in nature.

Varioline (Special Edition) Sauna Cabin by bittermann industriedesign (Jochen Bittermann)

Varioline sauna cabin is the perfect place to unwind after a day full of stressful work!

Lyria Bicycle Bag Series by Culture Form GmbH

The Lyria bicycle bag series make the perfect match for your cycling expeditions to the grocery store.

Ultimate CF SLX Road Bike by Artefakt industriekultur

Ultimate CF SLX road bike optimizes the characteristics of the carbon frame, which was developed to achieve an even better stiffness-to-weight ratio. This innovative frame weighs only 790 grams and internally routes shift and brake cables, improving the aerodynamics of a road bike considerably.

Mando Footloose E-Bike by MAS Design Products Ltd. (Mark Sanders)

The Mando Footloose E-Bike features an innovative and compact design, it folds quickly and even rolls when folded. It is powered by an innovative chainless drive and flexibly adapts to different road conditions.

Superkilen Urban Park by BIG Bjarke Ingels Group (Bjarke Ingels, Nanna Gyldholm Møller, Mikkel Marcker Stubgaard), Topotek 1 (Martin Rein-Cano, Lorenz Dexler) & Superflex (Jakob Fenger, Rasmus Nielsen & Bjørnstjerne Christiansen)

Superkilen interprets a public park as a space of “urban narratives” – a place that aims to promote social integration with a lively approach. It has three main zones: the Red Square, the Green Park and the Black Market. The Red Square serves as an area for sports activities, the Green Park as a grassy children’s playground, and the Black Market as a communal and picnic area.

Play Yard Travel Cot by 4moms Design Team (Robert Daley, Henry Thorne, Eli Wiegmann, Sean Beaudette, Jared Rosenthal & Jessica Butala)

The 4 moms breeze’s innovative folding mechanism enables it to open in one easy step by pushing down on the ergonomically easy to reach central hub; it then latches automatically. It closes just as easily by pulling up on the hub in one fluid motion.

Husqvarna 550XP Chainsaw by Rajinder Mehra, Pär Martinsson & Joel Sellstrand

The Husqvarna 550XP is impressive! This chainsaw appeals as a well-proportioned tool, conveying the attributes of power and efficiency in a highly convincing manner.

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Yanko Design
Timeless Designs - Explore wonderful concepts from around the world!
Shop CKIE - We are more than just concepts. See what's hot at the CKIE store by Yanko Design!
(Top 20 Best Of Best red dot award: product design 2013 was originally posted on Yanko Design)

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15 Amazing Best of Best red dot award: design concept winner 2012

It was a glittering night that had all the elements of a perfect evening. The trophies shone bright, the smiles were flashy and young designers sashayed the red carpet with the finesse of a celebrity. October 19th saw the unveiling of the winners of the coveted red dot award: design concept in Singapore. It was an honor to be a part of the celebrations and festivities and be in the company of such creative people. Here is a look at fifteen concepts from the Best of Best list, that took our fancy; including the top-award – the red dot luminary!

red dot award: luminary – Float Base Station by Huang Hsin Ya & Huang Pin Chen

Float Base Station is a temporary emergency communication station.

Add Up by Prof. Fan Cheng Kuei, Deng Pei Chih & Hsieh Tsai Ni

Add Up is a cash conversion system for a traveler that puts small change to good use.

AIRTUBE Earphone by Seok Jiwon, Lee Hyunjoo & Hwang Sunmi

Airtube Earphones are automatically activated by air pressure when they are placed in the ears. Similarly, the music is automatically switched off when they are removed.

AmoeBAND by Tsai Cheng-yu, Yi-Ting Chen, Chen Kuei-Yuan, Tay Pek-Khai, Hsu Hao-Ming, Lai Jen-Hao, Chung Kuo-Ting, Chen Ying-Shan, Ho Chia-Ying & Weng Yu-Ching

The amoeba is able to adjust its shape to suit its environment. In AmoeBAND, this quality was applied to the typical adhesive bandage to enhance its adaptability.

ZIPPER by Arman Emami

Zipper is a flying indoor camera nd recording device.

Pojagi Net by Cheon Jae-Wook, Choi Min-Young, Chae Chang-Yi, Tak Hyeong-Ryeol, Han Sang-Wook, Shin Jung-Chul & Ha Seung-Mok

Pojagi Net is a multipurpose dry-compression mosquito net that was designed to address the problem of malaria.

NEST by Yoon Jeho & Zhang Yifan

NEST is transforms from an air mattress to a boat via the manipulation of its internal hooks and ropes.

Rotaress Pouring Pot by Leong Suki & Huang Zhirong

With its rotating handles, Rotaress Pouring Pot offers a simple, low-tech, and very effective solution to the common problems associated with draining a cooking pot.

Sense by Amornthep Treekuna, Soranun Choochut, Kitikhun Chitaphanya, Dome Boonyanurak & Piyawadee Tungkaprasert

Sense is a unique bathroom tap that activates and sets the water temperature based on its detection of the user’s hands.

Kitchen Icicle by Park Ji Yeon & Jo Eun Hee

Kitchen Icicle is a set of magnetic-tipped cooking utensils that bring a touch of fun – and convenience – to one’s kitchen.

JARPET by Zhang Di, Zhao Tianji, Ma Yinghui & Cui Minghui

JARPET is a children’s device for visualizing pets through 3D projections. Kids can enjoy vivid interactions with it via multi-sensory technology.

TenXion 101 by Chuang Chen-Hua

TenXion glasses provide a simple, comfortable, and stable structure, and are made with light, ductile materials.

SAV+0 by Kwon YongMin, Kim MinJi & Hwang ShinHee

SAV+0 enables people who wear artificial legs to enjoy sports more easily thanks to its modular design and specialized detachable components.

Integrated Workstation by Matthew Plumstead

Taking only the most essential components of a workstation and adding a third component, the daybed, the Integrated Workstation provides maximum flexibility in a very modest footprint.

Dog Pack by Wen-Yo Lu

Dog Pack is breathable mesh backpack for dogs that accompany their owners on mountain hikes. It has two detachable bags and can be transformed into a raincoat.

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Yanko Design
Timeless Designs - Explore wonderful concepts from around the world!
Yanko Design Store - We are about more than just concepts. See what's hot at the YD Store!
(15 Amazing Best of Best red dot award: design concept winner 2012 was originally posted on Yanko Design)

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