Here’s short description about Grätzel panel :

“There’s a revolution going on in solar energy, which is about to become part of our daily lives in unexpected ways – appearing with multiple forms, richly coloured and with multiple functions. A new generation of solar cells has been born : thin, coloured, translucent and even flexible. The source of this revolution is EPFL (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne), where Professor Michael Graetzel, inspired by plant photosynthesis, began to use molecules from colorants to transform the sun’s light into electricity. His work drew heavy praise from the scientific community, resulting in a World Technology Award. While many other technological developments have followed, designers need to take advantage of the extraordinary potential of these “dye-sensitized” solar cells. It will ultimately be up to them to fully explore the possibilities of this form of solar energy – to render us conscious of the significance of this major change.”

Designer : Léa Longis, Photographic credits to Véronique Huyghe.

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

Martin interview with Electrolux :

What was the inspiration for your concept?
In my opinion, everything I have ever seen, read and heard is my inspiration. Every experience stays somewhere inside you, and if you are lucky, it will come out at the right moment. If I look back, this particular concept was definitely inspired by the book The Naked Sun from Isaac Asimov, the R2-D2 robot from Star Wars, an egg, insects, and whatever else I see every day.

How does your concept fit into this year’s competition theme “Designs for the next 90 years”?
Ninety years is very long time. Nearly four generations will pass through, every one of them with its own dreams, desires and possibilities. One long lasting dream is to reach the stars, but before that, we will have to reach Mars to see whether or not we can live without Earth. This is the time where my concept is relevant. At that time, we won’t think of machines as dumb boxes with buttons, but more as partners that obey our commands, but still have their own minds. They will be more autonomous and think and make decisions on their own. It may sound frightening, but it isn’t scarier than the first arrival of trains to the cities.

What are the main consumer benefits of your concept?
One thing you notice on Mars is the silence and serenity. That’s quite good for one week’s vacation in the countryside, but for modern people it’s very depressing to live in such a place for several months or years. Therefore, the main benefit of Le Petit Prince is that it’s not just a machine, but more like a pet or silent friend that you can speak to when you aren’t in the mood to talk to people. On top of that, it is a good gardener that grows any plant you want or need to bare life or just for its beauty.

Describe the consumer research behind your concept.
Well, I must admit it’s difficult to do any real research behind the concept since it’s designed for Mars. However, some of my friends said it’s cute (I always thought some of them have to be from Mars) and I consider their feedback sufficient.

What kind of materials would you use to build your concept?
Metallurgy, glass production and synthetic plastics have been used for a long time and will probably continue to be used in the next hundred years, so I didn’t feel an urge to use new yet unknown materials. Nanotechnology made giant leaps in the last few years and it will improve properties of material surfaces in the future, so they will be even harder and more resistant than anything we know today. More effective (even transparent) are solar panels, etc., but this evolution will not affect the fundamentals of my concept.

Designer : Martin Miklica

BeoTime can make every morning an enjoyable one with its discreet own chime or customizable wake up sounds from your favorite radio station, TV program or a piece of music and can be switched off at a preset time when you are leaving the house. It also includes a built-in sleep timer which is able to switch all the Bang & Olufsen apparatuses in the room to standby mode after a chosen time interval of up to 120 minutes. This feature is very much convenient for those who want to stay up late to watch TV, or fall asleep with a preferred music without worrying about turning off the music. Aside from the alarm and sleep timer features, you can use this gadget for basic functions of the bedroom loudspeaker, television or light control.

The ease of handling and operating of BeoTime is really noteworthy; you can hold it in one hand and can operate it with your thumb. The built-in tilt sensor shows the information and button functions modify orientation as per the BeoTime is held by the user.

BeoTime is a magnificently polished and anodized aluminum tube, with a trumpet-shaped button that protrudes from one end when you will activate the alarm by pressing it. The tube’s other end comprises a cover that conceals the battery chamber for three batteries that can last around one year. Two rubber feet ensure steady footing to BeoTime when lying on the table and the almost unseen magnetic wall brackets are used to mount it on the wall. The square navigation button along with three separate displays with dark text on a vivid background performs the navigation when setting the alarm time.

From : Bang and Olufsen via Dvice

[Press Release]

Inspired by the brilliant inventions of Jean-Eugene Robert-Houdin in the 19th century, the Tambour Mystérieuse embodies peerless watchmaking genius: with the finesse of a conjurer, this Louis Vuitton montre à complication somehow completely conceals its own mechanism. The hands hover on an astounding system of transparent sapphire discs; no trace of the watchworks is detectable by the eye. Prowess beyond compare, causing time to float as if by some other-worldly bewitchment.

This is a first in the luggage master’s history: a timepiece entirely created, developed, and assembled in the Louis Vuitton watch-making workshops in Switzerland. Perpetuating the prestigious institution of traditional craftsmanship, every element of the calibre “LV115” is rigorously handmade, a technical masterpiece of 115 components. The unprecedented power reserve, too, stands as testament to pure watchcraft virtuosity: 8 days – 8 hours. A tip of the hat to this lucky number, this timeless talisman. Three models have materialized: the first, a resolutely technical creation of clean, minimal lines; the second is classic, sophisticated, accented in brown or gray; the third, a supremely feminine model radiating an aura of jewelled artistry. Though such a triptych may cast the semblance of a silhouette, only the owner of the Tambour Mystérieuse holds the key to the true identity of the timepiece. For, to ensure each Tambour is unique in the world, Louis Vuitton provides a thousand and one ways to claim it as one’s very own.

From a vast spectrum of possibilities, each personality summons its own reflection; yellow, white, or red gold or platinum…diamonds, rubies, or sapphires…brilliant or baguette cut… Reminiscent of a conductor nightly bringing forth a new symphonic spectacle with his baton, the owner of the Tambour Mystérieuse weaves a myriad of choices into an original composition, in which sameness and conformity shall never hold a place. And for the ultimate chic, the watch’s oscillating rotor can be inlaid with one’s own initials, golden marquetry on an unseen sapphire heart. It is far from a mere accessory; the Tambour Mystérieuse is the very breath of a lifestyle.

Lastly, as homage to such extraordinary watchcraft, Louis Vuitton has conjured a case that itself is pure originality: a genuine trunk, prepared exclusively for the Tambour Mystérieuse in the historic Louis Vuitton workshops in Asnières. All the traditional practices are honoured in its making, every standard that has meant the longstanding success of the brand. This tiny treasure chest can also be personalized, from the choice of leathers to the lining’s colour; even the legendary LV lock, with a wave of the wand, can have a number matching that of other luggage pieces brought to life by their Monogram maker.

It is a passion for excellence that has drawn such acclaim for Louis Vuitton in the very exclusive world of fine watch-making. Only an elite few – chronometer connoisseurs and luxury timepiece aficionados – will capture the magic, the exceptional savoir-faire of the Tambour Mystérieuse.

From : Louis Vuitton

[Press Release]

MIT unveils EyeStop: an iPhone‐like interactive bus stop for the City of Florence

May 14, 2009. MIT architects and engineers have unveiled EyeStop, an interactive bus stop designed for the city of Florence. On Saturday 16 May the project will be presented officially at the Genio Fiorentino by the President of the Province of Florence Matteo Renzi (dubbed ‘The Italian Obama’ by TIME Magazine).

EyeStop, developed by MIT’s SENSEable City Lab, is an exploration into the next generation of smart urban furniture; it aims to enrich the city with state of the art sensing technologies, interactive services, community information and entertainment. The project is partially covered with touch sensitive e‐INK and screens, so that it can deliver information to people seamlessly. Users can plan a bus trip on an interactive map, exchange community‐relevant information on a digital message board, surf the web, monitor their real time exposure to pollutants and use their mobile devices as an interface with the bus shelter. “Interacting with EyeStop could change the access to urban information in a similar way to how the iPhone has changed our mobile life” commented Carlo Ratti, Head of the SENSEable City Lab at MIT.

At the touch of a finger users can indicate their desired destination; the system will then display the shortest bus route from where they are and the position of all relevant buses real‐time. The EyeStop will glow at different levels of intensity to signal the distance of an approaching bus. Riders and passers‐by can also post ads and community announcements to an electronic bulletin board placed on the bus stop, enhancing its functionality as a public space ‐ a place to gather and exchange community relevant information.

In addition to displaying information, the bus stop also acts as an active environmental sensing node, powering itself through sunlight and collecting real time information about air quality and the urban environment. “EyeStop is an experiment into urban computing: it may be considered an “info‐tape” that snakes through the city, rising up like a pole or cropping out of the sidewalk like a shelter. It senses information about the environment and distributes it in a form accessible to all citizens” – commented project leader Giovanni de Niederhousern.

A generative parametric model produces a unique design for each bus stop, providing both optimal sheltering for users and maximum sunlight exposure for direct photovoltaic powering. Unlike the typical mass‐produced bus stop, EyeStop is designed to fit the physical characteristics of its surroundings, with each unit being slightly different from the others. Furthermore, simple materials like shiny steel, extra clear glass and gray local stone (pietra serena), together with its minimalist design, serve to optimize how it blends into the historic urban fabric of Florence.

“Since the Renaissance, there has been an interplay between the physical form of the city (urb) and its citizenship (civitas),” added Carlo Ratti. “Today’s technologies are adding new possibilities to that age‐long relationship, thanks to the addition of digital information to physical space. It is as if a new materiality were emerging in architecture, with the seamless blending of bits and atoms…”

EyeStop was developed at the SENSEable City Laboratory by Giovanni de Niederhousern, Shaocong Zhou, Assaf Biderman and Carlo Ratti, in collaboration with the Province of Florence and the local public transportation authority ATAF.

Designer : Giovanni de Niederhousern, Shaocong Zhou, Assaf Biderman and Carlo Ratti via Core77

Designer : Yoo, Byungseok via HomeDosh

Text from Hans :
Immaculate is a concept that explores new possibilities for prosthetic devices. It aims to question the strive for normality and imitation in prosthetics, and instead attempts to incorporate identity and new functionality. Immaculate means flawless, and reflects on the amputee not being less of a person.

As of today prosthetics are technological skeletons covered in silicone. They imitate the look of a natural arm perfectly, but as soon as someone touches it one realize it’s a prosthetic. The consequence is then a phenomenon researchers call “The Uncanny Valley”, whereas something is so lifelike the realization of it being artificial leads to shock and revulsion.

To avoid this, and to promote the interests of the prosthetic users I want to apply the same philosophy used in eyewear. These support products have gone from being purely functional to become objects of fashion and identity. Furthermore it turns it into an object of beauty instead of a technological object masquerading as a natural arm.

Immaculate is a neurological prosthetic, connected to the users central nervous system. The exterior of the prosthetic is textile clad in Corian plates. The Corian allows embedded technology to be seamlessly integrated, and in union with the textile gives the prosthetic a clear graphical identity. Each joint is a globe joint, allowing a larger freedom of movement than a normal human arm.

Instead of imitating the ordinary Immaculate strives for the extraordinary.

Designer : Hans Alexander Huseklepp

From the website :

The Versadome combines the grace of traditional arches and domes found in ancient architecture with the smooth form and clean details of a yacht. Aesthetically modern and sophisticated, the Versadome’s innovative design is also functional and utilitarian.

The Versadome building system is uniquely designed for easy and affordable transportation, assembly and expansion. It is energy efficient and low-maintenance. The adaptability and flexibility create limitless possibilities for a wide range of multi-purpose usages, meeting the needs of many in search of a light and open space solution.

Designer : Deger Cengiz via IGreenSpot

mPower consists of 2 units: Generation and Collection.

mPower Generation is a plant-shaped human-powered unit that produces electricity for immediate and future use. Users access their account using fingerprint recognition, stand on two pads at the base of the unit, and shift their weight from one pad to the other every ten seconds. The system, developed to take up the least amount of a user’s time and effort, can be adapted for the handicapped. A small portion of the electricity generated is used to power the interactive touch-screen at the top of the unit, which offers a broad range of informational services pre-customised by each user. The remaining majority of the electricity generated is sent to the city’s main power plant, to be used or stored. At their convenience, users receive payment for the electricity they generated by accessing their account at mPower Collection.

mPower Collection is a unit that, using the same fingerprint recognition technology, distributes payment and allows for account customisation to users of mPower Generation.

mPower taps into our greatest natural resource: people. Rather than expending energy to create more, mPower harnesses the excess energy we generate by providing a platform for individuals and companies to create electricity, make money, and improve lives. By offering payment to individuals, including those that are homeless, in exchange for a few minutes of minimal movement via a free-to-use system available to everyone, economic and environmental sustainability and empowerment is made available by involving citizens in generating what has become one of our most essential needs: electricity.

mPower units are established by electric companies. Businesses pay electric companies to advertise on mPower Generation touch-screens; these ads are geared to individuals who previously expressed interest in particular products/services as per information entered upon account set-up, thus negating . This negates the need for expensive market research, PR and advertising campaigns. Electric companies pay consumers for generating electricity via mPower; these payments are competitive with fees paid by consumers for power provided by the same electric companies.

The base of the unit consists of two pads, each mounted on a hydraulic cylinder. The cylinders are connected by a micro-hydro turbine. When a person steps onto one of the pads, the resulting pressure forces fluid from one cylinder into the other, causing it to rise. The more a person repeats the movement of shifting his/her weight from one pad to the other, the more electricity is generated. This system can be replaced with piezoelectric pads or other technologies as appropriate.

In addition to the exercise users get while generating electricity, they can also benefit from services available on Generation’s interactive network, including news, community events, traffic information, public transportation information, calendar, time, date, music, weather, radio, product and service information, mobile device charging, internet, widgets, city maps, games, phone calling services.

mPower fits into our daily activities and ways of life without disrupting them. Generation and Collection units can be placed on, in, or near streets and pavements, public transportation waiting areas, airports and other areas where waiting is involved, parks and community areas, schools and universities, libraries, common areas in apartment blocks, and countless other places.

The concept of mPower can be modified to fit into homes, casinos, gyms, phone booths, internet cafes, and wherever generated energy can be used as direct power or in exchange for services and products such as climate control, public lighting, charging mobile phones and other devices. Other generation methods can also be implemented, such as walking, pedaling and running, see-sawing, swinging, and using body weight/heat. The possibilities are endless, sustainable, and empowering.

Designer : Sofian Tallal