BMW's Cyberpunky CE 04 is Going Into Production

As much as I disdain their auto designs, I'm digging BMW Motorrad's two-wheeled, electric CE 04. When they unveiled it as a concept, the comments here were mixed. That's bound to continue, because BMW has just announced the production version is ready. The deconstructed aesthetic … | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

Another Plastic Reduction Technique: 3D Printing Using Orange Peels

A plastics-free future doesn't seem possible, but we are seeing manufacturers cutting their percentage of plastic use by combining it with more natural, non-petroleum-based materials. As one example, Japanese toymaker Bandai is using Limex, an injection-moldable mixture of polyst … | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

"Shrinkflation:" When Companies Sneakily Shrink Products, But Keep the Price the Same

Edgar Dworsky's Mouseprint.org is dedicated to catching them in the act | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

Product Design Student's Stab Wound Emergency Remediation Device

Joseph Bentley, a product design student at the UK's Loughborough University, knows "several friends who have been the unfortunate victims of knife crime," he says. "Thankfully none of the incidents were fatal." They were the lucky ones; reviewing statistics, Bentley learned that … | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

Furniture Design Experiment: A Styrofoam Chair That Takes Your Shape (Eventually)

Here's an unusual furniture piece from South-Korea-based industrial designer Donghwan Song: The Tamable Chair, which is made from the unlikely material of Styrofoam. In the spirit of experimentation, Song played around with the material in a variety of profiles. Styrofoam of cour … | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

Pot Packaging: Pocket-Friendly, Child-Resistant Sliding-Lid Tins

Got some joints, edibles or a weed pen that you don't want the tykes getting their mitts on? Check out this sliding-lid tin, which fits in your pocket and is like an Altoids can but with a child-resistant closure: To open it, you simultaneously squeeze | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

REFRAMD Is On A Mission Make Glasses More Inclusive  

With their custom, 3D printed frames, the brand is breaking the one-size-fits-all model and providing a revolutionary fit for Black faces. | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

Product Designer Chris Borge 3D Printed That Fractal Vise That Can Hold Any Shape

Last week we showed you Steve J. Lindsay's incredible fractal vise, which can hold any shape: In his documentation, Lindsay referenced an antique design for a fractal vise, which is probably the one restored by Hand Tool Rescue in a recent video: Now Christopher Borge, a product … | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

Three Great Ideas on What to Do With Old Bowling Balls

We asked you for ideas on what to do with old bowling balls, which are unrecyclable. Comments piled in, and at press time at least three stood out. Photo by Persnickety Prints on Unsplash 1. I'd mentioned wanting to use bowling balls to hold in mulch beds, but worried | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

Miniature Exhibition Design: Dismantled Cell Phones as Artwork

Kevin is an obsessed computer engineer with an artistic flair | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

Inside a Robot Swarm Grocery Packing Facility

Ocado Group's massive supermarket has no customers inside, but 2,300 robots | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

DeWalt's TStak Storage Clipboard Attaches to Their Tool Totes

Designers for companies like Apple and Festool like to keep you attached to their sprawling product systems. For power tool manufacturers, it's pretty easy; get the customer invested in your cordless batteries, and you've got 'em. Designing tool-hauling systems that latch togethe … | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

Who Knew? They Make Silent Tape Guns

I don't know how to transcribe the noise a tape gun makes: Maybe "CCCCCCCCK"? The sound is distinctive, unmistakable, and probably maddening in an office environment. For that reason 3M makes the H150 Low Noise Tape Dispenser, which "incorporates a unique pressure bar that reduce … | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

Industrial Designer Kerstin Pfleger's Kit Kitchen Concept for Affordable Custom Kitchens

Custom kitchens are big business, and likely a point of pride for homeowners who can afford them. For those who can't, Vienna-based industrial designer Kerstin Pfleger has designed the Kit Kitchen system. Pfleger's concept is that complete kitchens can be sourced for much cheaper … | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

Grypmat Flexible Tool Mats Expand Offerings, and are 15% Off Today

It's been more than four years since former Air Force mechanic Tom Burden invented the Grypmat, a flexible, chemical-resistant go-anywhere tool tray. We just checked in and are happy to see Burden's company is still going strong. In addition to the small, medium and large sizes G … | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

Lucas Lappe on Product Development Through a Pandemic

Head of Product at DorisDev discusses remote work and their first in-house project | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

Brickit App Counts Your LEGOs, Then Shows You What You Can Build With Them

Part of the fun of LEGOs is improvising with them. But for those who prefer more structured play, a new, free app called Brickit may be the ticket. You use your phone to snap a photo of whatever LEGOs you have on hand, and the app tallies up their | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

A Clever Magnifying Orb for the Apple Watch in Nightstand Mode

NightWatch is closer in size to an actual alarm clock | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

Ideas Needed: What to Do With Old Bowling Balls (They're Unrecyclable)

Curbed has a fantastic feature on the problem of old bowling balls. They're discarded on a daily basis—one NYC recycler receives 3-4 each day—and being made of thermoset plastic, they can't easily be melted and are thus considered unrecyclable. Breaking them up for use in asphalt … | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

DIY Plastic Recycling: Brothers Turn Plastic Bottle Caps Into Cutting Boards

An easy way to upcycle wood cut-offs is to laminate them into cutting boards, which is why they're common at your local crafts fair. But UK-based siblings and content creators Matt and Jonny, a/k/a Brothers Make, decided to make an upcycled cutting board out of a more pernicious … | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

Aircar Successfully Flies Intercity, Then Transforms Into Car and Drives Off

Klein Vision's flying car "has turned science fiction into reality" | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

In the Midst of Radical Workplace Change, This Project Offers Innovative Collaboration Tools for Remote Teams

A collection of four products made in collaboration with Western Washington University and Anvil Studios elevate work tools into the ever-evolving post-pandemic | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

VW's Remote Control ID.4 Scale Model Serving as Ball Carrier for Euro 2020

Those of you watching the Euro 2020 matches may have caught this bizarre sight: As for what's going on here, Volkswagen is the Official Mobility Partner for the competition—and also the sponsor of the Official Match Ball Carriers. They've used their leverage to bump at least one … | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

The Honda That Gets 188 MPG: The Handsome New Super Cub

What the Beetle was to Volkswagen, the Super Cub is to Honda. Since its launch in 1958, the Super Cub nameplate has sold over 100 million units; UK motorcycle website Bennetts calls it "the most successful and influential motorcycle ever designed." While Super Cubs are common sig … | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

TCL's Wearable Display, Supposedly Like Sitting 12 Feet Away From a 140" Screen

They look like chunky, dorky sunglasses. But users won't care | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

DIY Plastic Recycling: Brothers Make turn Plastic Bottle Caps Into Cutting Boards

An easy way to upcycle wood cut-offs is to laminate them into cutting boards, which is why they're common at your local crafts fair. But UK-based siblings and content creators Matt and Jonny, a/k/a Brothers Make, decided to make an upcycled cutting board out of a more pernicious … | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

Kneepads with Wheels, for Tradespeople Who Work on Floors

I was watching this clip of workers laying tile using a jig… (via u/BigGreenHeads) …but became more interested in the wheeled green thingie than the jig. I looked them up, and found these knee creepers go for about $40 on Amazon or from suppliers like Global Industrial. | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

A Sweat-Proof Gaming Mouse

"The right mouse is the most critical weapon in your PC-gaming arsenal," says product designer Gary Lin, who admits he has "glands that produce excessive sweat while gaming." Lin, a designer for PC hardware manufacturer Marsback, was in a position to do something about it. Lin de … | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

Couple Builds $30K Garage for $6K, Using Prefab Quonset Hut Manufacturer

After years of living in NYC, Jean and Joe moved to Minneapolis, where they could afford to build a house. But one thing that wasn't in their budget was the freestanding garage required by local housing ordinances. They took bids from contractors, and the price for building a gar … | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

Helinox's Ultra-Lightweight Folding Outdoor Chairs

This Incline Festival Chair by outdoor gear manufacturer Helinox caught my eye. It's minimalist and lightweight, and I think this category would be a good assignment for an ID school class. I guess "lightweight" is relative; the Incline weighs 2 lbs. 9 oz., which | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

German Overdesign: Wera Tools' Color-Coded, Round-Handled Hex Keys

What's the Porsche of hex keys, a set where some designer or engineer has really sweat the details? Well, check out this 9-piece set from Wera Tools, which are color-coded by size, have abrasion-resistant etchings of the size in the handles, and also feature debossed size numbers … | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

Medical Design: An Inexpensive, Reusable Device to Save Surgical Patients' Own Leaking Blood

IDavid Wojcik estimates his Bloop could be made for as little as $10 | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

Fantastic UX Design in the Ford Bronco's Doors

The designers thought through every element of user-friendly removal and re-installation | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

Limex: An Injection-Moldable Material Derived from Limestone

Bandai is Japan’s leading toymaker, producing models from the Gundam series as well as for tie-ins with Marvel, Disney and the Star Wars universe. The toy giant had a net income of ¥242.8 billion (USD $2.2 billion) in 2019, and because their stock-in-trade is plastic, that means … | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

This Morphing Fractal Engraving Vise Can Hold Any Shape

Steve J. Lindsay, the artist whose work we looked at here, has over 50 years of engraving experience and knows a thing or two about workholding. Lindsay looked at the design of an antique fractal vise, which consists of a series of pivoting "teeth" in the jaws that allow it | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

Japanese Underdesign? A Minimalist Bulldog Clip

The open wire design "does not hide the sandwiched part" | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

Steve J. Lindsay's Incredible Hand Engraving Skills

At the age of 12, Nebraska-based artist Steve J. Lindsay was taught to engrave by his father, an accomplished jeweler and watchmaker. Now Lindsay's been at it for over 50 years, peering into a Zeiss microscope to create these stunningly intricate designs: | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

ShopRite and Mars Debut a Point-of-Purchase Robot

Supermarkets with human cashiers always stock those areas with impulse buys, primarily candy. Customers waiting at the conveyor belt have plenty of time to observe and be tempted by them. But with the rise of self-checkout stations, retailers have made the unpleasant discovery th … | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

Reader Submitted: Op & Meridio

Italian designer Mario Alessiani, in collaboration with Hiro, announces the release of two brand new outdoor furniture: OP and MERIDIO. | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

Reader Submitted: The Loopy Chair Designed Using a Bike Rack

Designed using a single band of tubular steel, The Loopy Chair was designed using the same manufacturing processes of the common tubular bike rack. | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

Reader Submitted: Hoito / Medicine-Dosing Face Mask

The Hoito is a multipurpose facial covering that prevents the transmission of harmful gases and viruses to the respiratory tract and uses the intelligent mechanism of the medication spray system, which allows the people who need to receive their medicine dose at a specific time w … | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

Reader Submitted: Klipur - Wireless Earbuds that Attach Together

Klipur is a wireless earbud system designed to deliver an unparalleled user experience. Klipur seamlessly integrates into your day, helping you to focus on what's important. | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

Deep Optics' LCD Sunglasses Offer Focus Correction on Demand

An Israeli company called Deep Optics has developed sunglasses with liquid crystal lenses that can instantly be changed to reading glasses. These "adaptive focus sunglasses," as the company calls them, "allow the wearer to see at any focal point" and essentially offer "unlimited … | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

Purdue Engineers Develop Treatment for Regular Clothing That Makes Them Energy-Harvesting and Waterproof

Research engineers at Purdue University have developed two novel treatments for clothing that will probably accelerate the development of wearable technology. "The reason why…smart clothing [hasn't taken off] yet is that the fabrication of this smart clothing is quite challenging … | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

Deep Optics' LCD Sunglasses Offer Magnification on Demand

An Israeli company called Deep Optics has developed sunglasses with liquid crystal lenses that can instantly be changed to reading glasses. These "adaptive focus sunglasses," as the company calls them, "allow the wearer to see at any focal point" and essentially offer "unlimited … | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

Crowdfunding Smash: Donut Media Launches Toy Performance Car Line Called Stocky

First up, the Acura Integra Type R, at $325K and climbing | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

Cheapest Ride to Space: $125K, by Balloon-Towed Capsule

A ticket to space on Blue Origin's rocket went for $29.7 million this month, with an additional cost: The winning bidder must share the ride with Jeff Bezos. For those looking to spend a little less, a company call Space Perspective will be selling rides for just $125,000. They c … | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago

Oliver Grabes, Head of Design at Braun, Discusses Good Design and How To Shape Tomorrow

The jury chair for the 2021 BraunPrize looks for designs that will have a meaningful positive impact | Continue reading


@core77.com | 3 years ago