Interview with Nico :

What was the inspiration for your concept?
The inspiration was the experimental approach to molecular cooking. Even after several decades of molecular cuisine, it still seems to be an exclusive game for specialists. So it became my main goal to bring some of the fantastic possibilities and ideas of molecular cooking to all ambitious cooks with an easy to use, affordable appliance.

How does your concept fit into this year’s competition theme “Designs for the next 90 years”?
I think the idea of molecular cooking is forward-looking, but the procedures and methods of preparing molecular dishes are still conventional. I would like to change this with my concept. At first, the idea of printing food seems to be something straight out of a science-fiction movie, but on second thought it is not unrealistic at all. I even think that Moléculaire could be the future kitchen tool that opens up possibilities for food-makers interested in molecular cooking.

What are the main consumer benefits of your concept?
Moléculaire is a futuristic kitchen appliance that offers several new possibilities to professional chefs as well as home users. It’s based on a layer-by-layer printing technique that arranges small particles from a set of ingredients. Within minutes, it prints out three-dimensional desserts, complex structures, shapes for molecular dishes, and patterns for decorating a meal. In addition, it’s easy to use. You simply insert a blister pack into the reservoir, place Moléculaire on top of a plate, and press the start button. Users can also create their own recipes with special software and their own ingredients. Ambitious users can download recipes and share them with other users in an online community.

Describe the consumer research behind your concept.
I conducted interviews with chefs and did a lot of research on the Internet. These approaches helped me to understand users’ interests, concerns, wishes, needs and desires. The outcome shaped my initial ideas and helped them grow. The most difficult thing about designing for the future is predicting the possible social and technological developments (their direction and speed). Therefore, it was very useful to read reports like sociological studies about cooking and future scenarios about the development of new technologies.

What kind of materials would you use to build your concept?
For my concept, I would use polycarbonate as the main material. I plan on applying this material in three different variations, each providing the right characteristics for the different parts of my design. Transparent polycarbonate can be used for the window, black tinted for the lid/display, and white for the body. The robotic printer arm and head could be made from aluminum. A blue (O)LED backlight accentuates the processes inside the printer.

Who is your favorite designer?
I don‘t have a favorite designer.

What are your career goals?
After I graduate in 2010, I want to gain more professional experience in a product-design company. In the long term, I want to further develop my conceptual and strategic skills and step into product-related design management.

Designer : Nico Kläber

Tribons are designed as digital mentors, that support kid’s personal interests and show pathways to boost knowledge and development of skills. Moreover, it offers experiences and information, and make possible the understanding and participation in environments. By using Tribons, an urban child would be introduced to the natural and biological world, and similarly, a rural child can enhance their knowledge about the urban landscape. The accessories developed to comprise an earpiece that is controlled by a spontaneous 3D interface that projects various educational materials and features a safety system that allows parents track their children. Not only that, this gadget includes an additional medical module that offers surveillance of the wearer’s health parameters that will take care in case of chronic sickness and the probability of injuries.

Designer : FrogDesign

The 4 hydraulic legs of Landstorm can move independently and are providing great functionality by navigating over tremendously difficult terrain and raising itself up to reach the target. The use of these hydraulic drive-train attached with several powerful electric motors and powered by hydrogen fuel cell, have made the vehicle lightweight by removing the mechanical parts to impel the wheels. Moreover, it can be airdropped when the destination is far from the closest depot and then continue to reach the target on land.

The wheels of Landstorm are uniquely designed that feature small pods, allowing more grip on surfaces like loose dirt, mud or snow by increasing to compress surface area or just by using the edges to grip onto the surface. These are not just wheels, they feature a grapple gun or hook winch that lets the vehicle drag heavy debris or towing a standard vehicle. Once the Landstorm reaches the destination, the team will start rescuing and treating the survivors for emergency injuries.

The driver and navigator of Landstorm will have no problem finding out how far the destination is and how to get there by using the state of the art HUD technology along with a built in MultiSight camera (Infra Red, Night Vision and Cold Vision) powered with an advanced Computer AI. The heads up display features the most interactive information system which is controlled by the user’s neural patterns, which means, the information is controlled by the users thoughts. The rest of the cabin remains free for storage compartments for various equipments. There is a small backup unit that will start working if the main power source fails for any reason.

Designer : Peter Spriggs

Designer : Freescale

Source : PublicBikeSystem via Engadget

Designer : Parth Sharma via EcoFriend

Well this wireless headset looks cool and uses the Bluetooth technology to connect to the mobile phone and RF to connect to the actual ear buds. So technologically this sounds a cool concept.

Targeting various market segments Plantronics Versa comes in different shapes and sizes for men and women and teenagers! Well for men it is long, slim and metallic targeting the gizmo flashing man. While for women, it is in the form of a chrome necklace thus encouraging it to be more of ornamental value. While for the teenagers it’s a colored combo of necklace and clip made of anodized aluminum (whatever that is). As per plantronics, the device can be launched within next two years. So shouldn’t be long when you catch hold of this one gadget in your hands.

Designer : One & Co

Clear and simple lines, it is a prototype of design with the cube and the rounded angles. Purified and elegant, but such an ultra space technological. For the Gorenje mark this kitchen tendency is also a technological window. The kitchen of the future Gorenje was nominated in early January 2008 to compete at a price of the best design products that have marked the previous year organized by the magazine Wallpaper.

One finds the last innovations of the mark in term of electric household appliances like the cooking surface to induction tactile along with the refrigerating, furnace and mural hood design. In short, thanks to Ora-ïto’s design, the kitchen of tomorrow is already there. Well with this design seems like Gorenje already has a winner at hand.

Designer : Ora Ito [ProductPage]

Now the scenario given above is not from any ‘sci fi’ or James Bond movie, but could be something you and I might be using in the future. This foldable concept gadget might be one to watch for, as it chooses various angles to fold up. With more and more emphasis been given to less is more, it can be said that this is what the doctor ordered for a busy technocrat like you.

This revolutionary foldable design will surely be grabbing eyeballs once it is out in the market, only hitch being, what does Ori Ori Mochi Mochi mean?

Source : AntennaDesign via GizmoWatch