Tag Archives: Red Dot Product 2022

LG Libero monitor can hang from office cubicles to free up desk space

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Trends come and go, and some designs even return with a vengeance. That applies not only in the fashion world but in other industries as well, including interior and even office designs. In the not-so-distant past, cubicles were torn down to give way to open floor plans. That more social and more democratic design, however, also came with costs to focus and productivity, which has resulted in some offices bringing back those boxes that try to give you a small sanctuary in a storm of distractions. Rather than just confining space, however, cubicles also offer opportunities to personalize and optimize, and this new computer monitor takes that to heart in a rather novel way.

Designer: LG

Desk space is always limited, whether you’re working in a cubicle, an office floor plan, or even at home. It can be even more limited, however, when those work dividers are involved because they put boundaries in three dimensions. That’s why some people have become a little bit more creative by utilizing the vertical space that these walls provide, but the desk space occupied by a computer monitor still takes a whole chunk out of what’s left.

The aptly named LG Libero 27MQ70QC monitor frees up that space so that your desk is actually left for things that you actually use rather than just look at. You can technically buy some mounting accessories for a plain computer monitor, but this LG screen comes with one built-in already. Plus, it does so in a rather innovative way so that you can actually use the monitor on your desk like normal if you no longer have any wall to hang it from.

The trick to the Libero is a folding stand that also acts as a handle that can hang on hooks over your cubicle or any wall, for that matter. That stand even lets you tilt the monitor forward or backward to your preferences and comfort. Everything about the Libero’s design revolves around this duality. For example, the included webcam is removable and has dedicated ports top and bottom so that it will always sit on the “top” of the monitor, regardless of the orientation.

The 27-inch LG Libero isn’t just all about this gimmick, though, and it has the trapping of a quality monitor you can expect from the brand. The original $500 price tag, however, might feel a bit too steep since you can MacGyver your own hanging monitor solution for so much less. That said, you do get the benefits of a product that was designed to be used in such configurations rather than having to struggle to make things work on your own.

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These marvelous fire extinguishers will make you feel like a superhero

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Very few of us probably think about being ready for fires. We might have emergency go-bags prepared for disasters like earthquakes and floods, but most of us will still be caught unprepared if a fire breaks out. Fire extinguishers are, or at least should be, a necessity in any home, but that’s hardly the case. Even those that do have one or two keep them out of sight, rendering them inaccessible in an emergency. A major reason for that might be the unsightly appearance of these cylindrical tanks that create an eyesore that makes our minds averse to their presence. Unfortunately, that may come at a price of human lives, so this new breed of fire extinguishers rethink that design and turn it into an almost literal shield that you’d actually be proud to display anywhere in your house.

Designer: Premysl Kokes

The problem with emergencies and accidents is that you never know when they will happen, which is why they’re called emergencies and accidents. That’s why we need to be prepared for any eventuality and have the tools ready to aid us. Fire extinguishers are supposed to be easy to access and easy to use, but the reality is quite the opposite. They’re often placed in hard-to-reach corners and are cumbersome to operate, adding to the panic and stress that people would have already been suffering.

Designed by architect and fire survivor Přemysl Kokeš, the Hussechuck and Shield fire extinguishers completely redefine what you thought fire extinguishers should look like. While there’s very little to be done for the weight, simply changing its shape and manner of use can drastically improve its usability. In this case, turning the device into a circle like a giant steering wheel or shield frees one hand for other things and offers some protection for your body as well.

Whether it’s the basic Hussechuck or the covered Shield, the way you use it is the same. You slip your left arm into the strap and use a trigger to release the fire retardant from the front opening hole. There’s also a short hose for those times when you really need to use it like a traditional extinguisher. Otherwise, it can all be used with a single arm, freeing your other arm to support it or hold something else. It also makes you look cool, like a firefighting superhero donning a veritable shield.

Although the Hussechuck itself is already more presentable than a conventional tank, the Shield and Shield Plus add even more reasons for you to show it off on your walls. These two offer a variety of stylish covers, including some with a self-extinguishing textile surface, that turn them into decorative pieces for your interiors. With this redesign, you have fewer reasons to forget where you placed that life-saving device and even get to look a little cool under literal fire.

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Award-winning Smart Guitar comes with a foldable design and a beginner-friendly interface

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A winner of both the Red Dot Product Design and iF Design Awards, the U-Lab 001 isn’t your average guitar. Sure, if you glanced at it, you’d recognize it as one, but the U-Lab 001 is far from the traditional Spanish-style guitar you’ve come to love. For starters, it has a hollow cutout, doesn’t have any strings, and folds in half on demand. The reason why the U-Lab 001 does all these things is because it’s designed not on the principle of acoustics or electromagnetics (in the case of an electric guitar), but rather on the framework of a smart electronic music device.

Designer: inDare Design Strategy Ltd. for Unknown Galaxy Ltd.

Designed for novices with little formal training in guitar-playing,  the U-Lab 001 provides the perfect launchpad in strumming, chords, finger-picking, and all-around musical theory. For starters, it comes with an impressive folding design that allows it to occupy 1/3rd of its original space when closed down (made possible thanks to the absence of strings). Open it up, however, and the U-Lab 001 becomes a blank canvas for you to sonically paint on with your left and right hands. The right hand rests on two rocker switches that emulate the act of strumming all strings or picking on individual strings, while the fretboard under the left hand comes with a touch-sensitive light-up surface that teaches notes, chords, and overall music theory, along with a companion smartphone app.

The U-Lab 001, being an electronic device, also comes with a built-in speaker that plays back the audio, allowing you to listen in on your performance without needing an amp. A rotary knob above the speaker lets you control volume, and instead of tuning keys at the end of the fretboard, a single knob lets you change your guitar’s scale on command. Want to practice/jam solo? There’s even a headphone jack built into the U-Lab 001 for silent jamming!

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This origami-style fashionable helmet folds flat like paper to be stored conveniently in the backpack

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Another day, another folding helmet!

Foldable helmets have grown into a trend we’re constantly following – as helmets become necessary for bikers and electric kickboarders in almost all countries across the globe – yet nothing really tends to stick to the mind as a definite solution. As a biker, you would have seen this helmet that collapses in two halves to save space or this one that folds to a 50 percent smaller size than the original volume.

Now there is another entrant coming in from a South Korean company called Nature Mobility, which intends to disrupt a biker’s daily life. From how it appears, the Raba helmet is meant to fold flat, like a sheet of paper, to be placed in the handbag. Making life exceptionally convenient for daily commuters who struggle with their helmets after locking up their bikes at the stand. With the stylish Raba, you’ll not have to think. The decision is made the moment you put it on: when you take it off, simply fold the hive structured helmet flat and pop it conveniently into your backpack.

Designer: Nature Mobility

As transportable as it can get, the easy-to-store Raba helmet is also as comfortable and substantially protective. The helmet inspired by the honeycomb structure features individual components supporting each other to fold down flat without a twitch. Nature Mobility introduced the foldable helmet on the crowdfunding platform Wadiz but it was the recognition at the Red Design Awards that propelled Raba’s international fanfare as a complete foldable helmet that gives both the wearing type and the folding type helmets stiff competition.

The 410g helmet uses PC/ABS material construction on the exterior and nice foam cushioning on the inside, which makes it comfortable and really protective. The exterior is impact and heat resistant and it has the same safety certification as traditional bicycle helmets. Durability is a concern with foldable helmets, the makers seem to have perfected the design for long shelf like: according to Nature Mobility, it has gone through 59 different prototypes over three years before arriving at the perfect design. This reflects in Raba’s ability to unfold within seconds to reduce its volume by 35 percent of its original stout self.

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This two-piece floating rotor for bicycles improves braking performance + increases service life considerably

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Heat degradation can wear down the rotors on a bicycle, thereby adversely affecting the disks and the overall braking performance too. Also, the brake pads create abnormal noises due to this problem as the disk continues to rub against the brake pad. This all is attributed to the rotors wrapping in different amounts while braking. Most modern bicycles have hydraulic disc brakes as the standard which can cause such issues and a Taiwanese company wants to eliminate the evident issue with its innovative Two-Piece 3D Floating Rotor.

Obviously, a rider cannot control the overheating or deformation inherent to the hydraulic disks as rotors currently available on the market don’t spring back to position once they cool down. The new rotor design by PSB wants to address this problem with its elastic and floating outer disk. There are spring rivets on the back of the rotor that create insulation between the outer and inner discs which ultimately prevent deformation. The cuts on the 6th and 12th ribs bring elastic function that further aids in achieving the intended result.

Designer: PSB

When the rider brakes, the angle cuts provide support as the margin space reaches the threshold and doesn’t affect the disc strength. This gives the disc ample space to move freely and deform – in fact about 85% larger than currently used floating rotors. According to PSB, this design brings a 1.8mm thick rotor at par with a 2.0mm rotor. As a result of all this, the uneven clamping can also be avoided to bring top braking performance to the fore. Overall, the service life of the bicycle is hugely improved with this invention. An additional bonus is the application of this rotor design equally well for electric bicycles, making it a commercially viable solution.

This article was sent to us using the ‘Submit A Design’ feature.
We encourage designers/students/studios to send in their projects to be featured on Yanko Design!

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The Autel EVO Nano+ is a US-made pocket-sized consumer drone with a cinematic 4K camera

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There’s a new sheriff in town. The homegrown American robotics brand released a tiny 4K drone that directly fires shots at DJI.

The EVO Nano+ from Autel is impressive for a lot of reasons – its most significant one being that it’s a stellar 4K drone that proudly says ‘Made in USA’ on its label. The award-winning drone also weighs under 250 grams but still packs a 48 Megapixel camera that comes with a 1/1.28-inch sensor. The camera, capable of HDR 4K video, sits on a 3-axis gimbal for smooth stabilized footage. It’s also equipped with object detection and collision avoidance protocols, can track subjects and shoot them in a variety of styles, and simultaneously beam footage to your smartphone from as far away as 6.2 miles… and when you’re done, the Autel EVO Nano+ folds down and slides right into your pocket.

The Autel EVO Nano+ is a winner of the Red Dot Product Design Award for the year 2022.

Designer: Autel Robotics

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The tiny pocket-sized drone takes on its China-based rival by being well under 250 grams but still packing a tonne of features, along with a one-of-its-kind 3-way collision detection system. Its 1/1.28″ CMOS sensor has a modest 86° FOV and is capable of shooting 4K at 30fps or 1080p at 60fps. The camera has the ability to track fast-moving subjects (animals, humans, and vehicles) with incredible precision through PDAF + CDAF autofocus system, and can even retroactively apply a portrait blur on humans!

The EVO Nano+ comes with a unique 3-way sensor array that helps it maneuver around obstacles and even air-brake to avoid collisions. It can either be controlled via the remote controller that comes along with the bundle, or even through Autel’s own Autel Sky app. The app lets you program the drone, set subjects, flight paths, and even edit the footage your drone captures. The EVO Nano+ has a max flight distance of a whopping 16.8 kilometers (10 miles), although the remote controller has a transmission distance of 10 kilometers or 6.2 miles. Data captured by the EVO Nano+ can be transmitted to the app over a distance of 6.2 miles too, and once you’ve captured footage, the drone can automatically do a video dump to your phone simply by bringing the two of them close together. The app is available on both iOS as well as Android smartphones.

The EVO Nano+ can fly continuously for nearly 30 minutes, which means plenty of time to experiment with creative angles and dream up inventive shots. To charge it, a USB-C port on the drone lets you hook it to a power bank or socket.

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Meet the Blossom, an award-winning ceiling fan with a minimalist flower-inspired aesthetic

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Ceiling fans never got their ‘Dyson’ moment… for the most part, they’re still the same boring-looking bladed structures that spin from your ceiling. The Blossom challenges their age-old aesthetic with fresh, nature-driven inspiration.

Titled Blossom, for the way it looks like a blossoming flower in the center of your ceiling, this fan + lamp was designed for the discerning Indian market that’s currently saturated with ‘boring’ fans that look like ‘engineered appliances’ that hang from your ceiling. The Blossom adds a breath of fresh air (quite literally) to the category, by creating a fan that’s just as aesthetic as it’s functional.

The Blossom Fan is a winner of the Red Dot Product Design Award for the year 2022.

Designer: Ticket Design for Crompton Greaves Consumer Electricals

The Blossom fan replaces the traditional blade with a more organic petal-inspired form that still drives air efficiently. There are no engineering details, no rivets, no fixtures in sight. The entire fan takes on the role of a kinetic sculpture, with a dimmable light right at the center. On the inside, a quiet brushless DC motor powers the appliance, giving the entire experience a complete upgrade.

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