FORX is a New-Zealand-based manufacturer of cranks for EMTBs, or electric mountain bikes. Australian ID firm 4Design was called in to develop FORX's products."In the rapidly emerging world of electric-assisted mountain bikes," 4Design points out, "many components have been inheri … | Continue reading
Here's what we looked at this week:Som, by industrial designer Eva Dugintseva, is an easy-to-assemble 3D printed chair. Industrial Design student work: Chiara Torterolo's MedGum is an alternative to traditional drug delivery systems.ID studio Intenxiv reveals the tons of mock … | Continue reading
A decade ago, the National Corvette Museum in Kentucky suffered a bizarre incident: A massive sinkhole opened up beneath the museum's Skydome, swallowing eight rare Corvettes. Thankfully it happened after hours. (The security camera footage of it is here.) Weirdly, the freak eve … | Continue reading
Here's an object category I had no idea existed: Floating coolers. These are apparently popular among people with swimming pools, people who vacation on lakes, and kayak campers. (The latter category travel to their campsite by kayak, carrying their camping gear on-board.) Being … | Continue reading
It has come to our attention that this ChillBeam cordless lamp, by a Wyoming-based manufacturer of the same name, is actually a knockoff.Chillbeam, a knockoffIt is a shamelessly direct copy of the Africa lamp, designed by industrial designer Francisco Gomez Paz in 2022. Paz's ori … | Continue reading
An eyewear company called Chamelo has developed electrochromic sunglasses that can instantly change tint level or color. Check out their Dusk model:Their tint-adjustable Music Shield (so named because it has built-in speakers): Their color-changing Euphoria model can cycle throug … | Continue reading
Core77 has partnered with the Design Intelligence Award (DIA)to promote the organizations Call for Entry. Final Deadline to enter is July 14, 2024. Enter now using this exclusive invitation code US2024-LBJ9RIU. The Design Intelligence Award (DIA) is an international competition c … | Continue reading
Some years ago, Nendo participated in an exhibition where designers were asked to create bottles for defunct perfume brands."We were asked to undertake the perfume named Fandango by Koehler, which gained popularity in Russia in the 19th century. However, apart from the image of t … | Continue reading
Orthoses are medical devices that provide support to the patient's body. This unusual orthosis was designed by Luke Hale, a doctor in the UK. Hale founded a company called Pi-A Health, which uses technology to assist with patient recovery. "I designed a new way of making orthoses … | Continue reading
I can't decide if the proportions are right or wrong here. That keeps my eyes stuck on this oddly appealing ChillBeam, a cordless lamp by a Wyoming-based manufacturer of the same name.Made of powder-coated aluminum, the USB-C-rechargeable lamp delivers warm 2700K light for up to … | Continue reading
The CMF Phone 1, by upstart brand Nothing, features two unusual (for a smartphone) physical design characteristics.First off, it actually comes with a little screwdriver. That's because the back is held on with honest-to-god screws you can undo. I'd thought this might be for main … | Continue reading
Duane Gitzel is a Canadian industrial mechanic. He's also a talented design entrepreneur who launched a business called 3 Five Design, which allows him to make money in a relatively risk-free way while also indulging his passion. "I'm a small time Digital Creator for 3D Printing, … | Continue reading
The CX20 is a portable shelter that combines "the adaptability of a tent, with the durability of campers," according to manufacturer CMAX System Inc. Originally designed to house refugees, the units fold up to just 37" in width, making them easy to transport. Once on-site, the s … | Continue reading
If you're a dedicated follower, complete newbie, or somewhere in between, Core77 wants to hear from you! It's been a while since we ran one of these reader surveys so we're pulling out all the stops, splashing money on expensive branding — see below — and $50 Apple gift cards for … | Continue reading
These tree stake support bands are for tying plants or saplings to stakes, so that they'll grow straight.They might seem to be glorified zip-ties, but they have more design in them. The crosswise ribs stand off of the plant, steadying it without strangling it, and lock into the c … | Continue reading
Estonia-based artist Aleks Melnyk makes metal stencils for a living. He has literally hundreds of offerings, with the most visually interesting (to me) being his Astrological & Alchemical Symbols series… …and his Nordic & Celtic Symbols series: As for the application, they're fo … | Continue reading
This month a new law went into effect in the EU, requiring that all plastic bottles (up to 3 liters) incorporate tethered cap designs. The initiative is meant 1) to reduce litter (plastic bottle caps are reportedly the most-littered object on EU beaches), and to ensure that caps … | Continue reading
Jeweler and silversmith Kathryn Reid gained her degree at the Edinburgh College of Art. After graduating, she returned to her family's farm in Ballymoney, Northern Ireland. There she was able to combine two of her passions, jewelrymaking and animals. Reid's unique offering are t … | Continue reading
Clara Mu He is pursuing her Masters in Architecture at Harvard's GSD. Her thesis project asks: "How to (un)build a house?" Mu He seeks to design a reversible framing system, using strapping rather than fasteners."In recent decades, as we recognize that our extractive practices ar … | Continue reading
South Korean industrial design studio Intenxiv designed this Airshot U Plasma hair dryer. The distinctive looped handle was designed to be "more comfortable to use by the general consumer while meeting the requirements of professional hair designers," the studio writes.As you can … | Continue reading
This MedGum concept is by Chiara Torterolo, done while pursuing her Masters in Product Design at ECAL. Unusually for student work, particularly in the medical products subspecialty, Torterolo's target is the form of medication itself:MedGum: Effective Alternative to Traditional D … | Continue reading
This cleverly designed Som chair is by industrial designer Eva Dugintseva. It's made from recycled polystyrene and was produced on a Kuka 3D printer. The chair doesn't require any fasteners to assemble; you simply slide the parts together.Model: Finished Product: "It can be used … | Continue reading
Here's what we looked at this week:The Nike x Hyperice Vest offers on-body climate control for athletes.The Windsible is a desktop wind tunnel for toy cars. Ronan Bouroullec's humble Maasto Dining Chair is made of pine and pine plywood.Teaser for a beautiful Ross Lovegrove de … | Continue reading
Quite a bit of design has gone into this Demi Next stroller, by baby products brand Nuna.This is the base of the system. The mounting position for the infant carrier is relatively high, to ease eye contact between the pusher and the baby. The angle is adjustable. The infant carri … | Continue reading
ID consultancy Bluemap Design was hired by Squid, a startup that had an idea for the bathroom."Shower curtains are a hassle to keep clean due to their tendency to accumulate mold and mildew. Additionally, they require frequent replacement, which is not environmentally friendly. G … | Continue reading
Whether you're modelmaking for an industrial design studio or a movie set, foam is a go-to material for creating large, fake objects. It's a fairly economical way to build up mass.However, foam can be messy and time-consuming to work with. You of course need a skilled artisan to … | Continue reading
Depending on who you listen to, this Cylinda ashtray was first created in either 1959, 1964 or 1967. In any of those years, smoking cigarettes was still acceptable in hospitality spaces. Arne Jacobsen designed these for the SAS Hotel Copenhagen, and they went into production by S … | Continue reading
Now that drone light shows are stealing fireworks' thunder, pioneering firm Sky Elements is upping their game. The Texas-based company has figured out a way to attach fireworks to drones. They're calling these Pyro Drones, and say that "Sky Elements is the first US-based drone li … | Continue reading
A company called Shenzhen Samore Design & Research created this Accordion Paper Cup concept. The intention is to add functionality to the paper sleeves used on to-go coffee cups. The idea is that if you're carrying multiple cups of coffee (think new guy at the construction site), … | Continue reading
Polish architect Robert Konieczny and his firm, KWK Promes, were presented with an interesting challenge by a client:"[The client] wanted to live in a quiet area, on the outskirts of a German village near Bremen. The plot is located in the vicinity of a forest, which became its g … | Continue reading
This device is so cool-looking, I almost don't care what it actually is.But I'll explain. If you're an industrial designer, when you hear "deflectometer" you probably picture the machine that tests how far a material will deflect; you may have seen one in a chair factory. However … | Continue reading
Here's a unique take on an under-desk trolley, which offers storage, a little extra worksurface for your desk, a bag hook, and an extra seat, in a pinch. The C9 Trolley is by Washington-based Watson Furniture, who writes:"Its steel tray can easily convert from a storage hub into … | Continue reading
Wheelchair users cannot bring their personal wheelchairs onto airplanes. Instead they must check them as luggage, a logistics hassle that means they must be transported onto and off of the airplane in an additional wheelchair provided by the airport. It also leaves the risk that … | Continue reading
In addition to designing the Nike x Hyperice Recovery Boot, the two companies have also collaborated on this Nike x Hyperice Vest. (Hyperice is an athletic recovery technology company.) The futuristic-looking piece of kit essentially lets athletes control the climate--immediately … | Continue reading
Swedish company Meadow is rethinking packaging for sustainability's sake. Targeting the cosmetics and personal care industries, where packaging is typically plastic, Meadow has turned to aluminum instead. They've devised a refill concept that incorporates aluminum cans of standar … | Continue reading
By now we're accustomed to seeing robot arms used in manufacturing. The aesthetic, if they can be said to have one, is form follows function:However, Ross Lovegrove has posted this teaser vid of an eye-catching model he's designed, using generative AI: Are you seeing what I'm see … | Continue reading
Humble materials, humble furniture: This Maasto Dining Armchair, designed by Ronan Bouroullec, uses both solid pine and pine plywood. "Simple and strong, the Maasto Chair by Ronan Bouroullec is an ode to pine. Maasto is instantly archetypal, a hardworking seat for daily dining at … | Continue reading
A startup called Fun Tech Lab is Kickstarting this Windsible gadget. It's a desktop wind tunnel for toy cars, where you can control the flow and theoretical speed of the vapor trails.It comes in three different sizes, to accommodate cars of 1:18, 1:24 and 1:64 scale. Prices are $ … | Continue reading
What is Just. Good. Design?Just. Good. Design. encapsulates the essence of simplicity, functionality, and aesthetic appeal while emphasizing equity and sustainability. This philosophy prioritizes clarity of purpose, ensuring every element serves a meaningful role and enhances the … | Continue reading
Design for the Common Good is an initiative put together by creative agency Alternatives. It seeks to use design education and research to better communities around the world.Design for the Common GoodPositioning, Strategy and Website Design & DevelopmentDesign for the Common Goo … | Continue reading
Here's what we looked at this week:Form follows function: The ultra raintight Ergoldsbacher Karat roof tile.This is what Amazon's Prime Air drone delivery looks like.Manufacturing porn: Making a carbon fiber bicycle. Re-thinking the flashlight interface: A "pop-to-light" desi … | Continue reading
Earlier we looked at this nifty pneumatic detail sander by Shinano:DeWalt has a similar offering, but battery-powered, and larger. This is their DCM200E1 20V MAX XR Bandfile: The company says the 20V battery offers more power than pneumatic.There's a built-in LED light. The arm c … | Continue reading
Here's a transparent Volkswagen ID.3:Large sections of the car's sheet metal and plastic bumpers were cut away and replaced by vacuum-formed transparent plastic, and the C-pillars have been adorned with circuit boards purely for aesthetics. The vehicle is owned by Chinese auto in … | Continue reading
Every face tells a unique, personal story, serving as a central connector between human beings. Our ability to read faces unlocks relationships from the moment we are born. Research shows that newborns have an innate preference for face-like patterns. They are drawn to faces with … | Continue reading
German company Kuka Robotics has a line of AMP (autonomous mobile platform) robots, the largely unseen-by-the-public 'bots that move heavy things around warehouses. Aesthetically speaking, their design is clean, futuristic, and unmistakably German:They won a Red Dot Award in the … | Continue reading
This EMILY Rescue Robot is incredible. It's a battery-powered, remote-controlled lifeguard that can zip out to victims at 23 MPH, far faster than a lifeguard could get there.It's got straps and ropes to hang onto, and can either be used to tow the victim back to shore, or give th … | Continue reading
If you've been to Germany, you've likely seen roofs featuring this type of tile: That's the Ergoldsbacher Karat tile, by manufacturer Erlus, and the design dates back to 1966. While it might not look special once installed, this ceramic tile is known for being particularly rainti … | Continue reading
This Willow Power Supply, by furniture brand OFS, is a softer take on the power strip. In a domestic or hospitality setting, I'd much rather look at and occasionally interact with this than a chunk of plastic.Available in Beech or Walnut, it features a braided cord, a standard ou … | Continue reading