The inspiration of this mobile phone is based on the beauty of reflections on a lake. Using large, transparent display screen as the manifestation of its conceptual inspiration – the beauty and tranquility of reflections on the surface of a lake. When this phone in the off mode, you can see the screen looks like a still water surface. During operation, flowing music, film images, pictures, web pages, articles, and user interfaces appear on the display, reminiscent of the reflections on the water?s surface. As users indulge in the visual experience provided by the large screen, they are reacquainted with the beauty of the lake?s reflections.
Fascinating Figure cell phone can be operated horizontally, diagonally and even vertically. Its interface can also be transformed to give it a curved appearance. The adaptable screen interface is able to adapt to meet various picture display requirements and circumstances, which gives greater user satisfaction. In addition, the screen can be personalized with the background image settings. The user is able to select images according to their moods and preferences, giving a stylish dimension to suit the user?s lifestyle.
Designer : Xiao Zhihua (Shanghai Huaqin Telecom Technology co., ltd)
One of Next-Gen PC Design finalists is Siafu PC Design. The idea behind Siafu was to give people with vision loss an intuitive computer experience. It provides a digitally tactile interface that completely revolutionizes the way that blind people interact with a computer. Siafu lays flat like a tablet and allows the user to fully interact with it by way of touch. The surface of Siafu utilizes a conceptual material called magneclay. This material has the ability to morph upward into any shape. This means that Siafu can generate infinitely refreshable braille and then display it in a book format instead of just one line at a time like current braille displays. Siafu also has the ability to display images as a 3-dimensional relief, allowing blind computer users to experience digital images, and graphic layouts for the first time.
This product is to be used by people who have experienced a loss of sight. Siafu allows users to read text by generating full page braille displays.
The onscreen relief feature also allows users to explore the internet and navigate through websites by physically touching, clicking, and dragging the graphic elements, links, and arrows of the web page. Siafu is also capable of converting all onscreen text to braille relief, so that the user can read whatever is on the screen first hand.
Designer : Jonathan Lucas via NextGenDesign
A new innovation in PC Design for the visually impaired called Zen. The concept of Zen is a hardware called the ‘Sandbox PC’ and Zen edition operating system working together to create a computing environment that can be used with eyes closed. ZEN is for ?Z-axis Enabled,? meaning it is a truly interactive 3D computer. The Sandbox PC features Active Surface, an electronic surface that can take different physical shape and can be manipulated by the user. You can read Braille text on it, make out windows, icons, and different textures. You can press into the surface, or scratch it with your fingers. All input output is made with the sense of touch. ZEN software uses a Tactile User Interface (TUI). The visually impaired are a negated market. It is fitting, then, to bring them to light using the negated sense of touch, by introducing a negated dimension of depth.
Take a look at HITACHI concept of remote controller during CEATEC 2007, which features intuitive user interface.
(Picture: prototype product that is under development currently)
Via AVING
As cellular phones become a standard, the statement they make as a symbol and a fashion accessory has become increasingly important. The Radia phone concept expresses simplicity in form and sophistication in function and user interface. The outer rim, which is made of brushed aluminum makes both a refined and professional statement. The touch-display is large enough to read and display many types of information, yet small enough to maintain a pocket-sized device. Simplicity is also expressed in the power button, which is flanked by the earpiece speaker, and balanced by the microphone which is 180 degrees around the perimeter. The designer, Michael Laut (http://www.mikelaut.com) is currently a student at North Carolina State University’s College of Design (ncsudesign.org)
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