Tag Archives: iF DESIGN TALENT AWARD 2020

This electric autonomous ferry is the future of emission-free public water transportation!

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Mobility and transportation are rapidly changing to become greener in an effort to reduce carbon emissions. From electric cars to sustainable yachts, talented teams are working in every transport category to provide a better alternative. One such project is the CAPTN Vaiaro which proposes two autonomous electric ferry concepts that offer a glimpse into the future of the industry. The team of designers developed CAPTN under the coordination of Kiel University in Germany because the concept was designed keeping the port city of Kiel in mind.

The city of Kiel is quickly turning into a bustling hub which is posing a challenge for city planners who want to make the public transportation network more efficient while still being aligned with the city’s climate goals. They are anticipating a spike in the ferry traffic between the west and east shores of Kiel Fjord and therefore need a solution that can keep up with the growth while also running on clean energy. Those two conditions are fulfilled by CAPTN Vaiaro, which stands for Clean Autonomous Public Transport Network, as it is specifically designed to integrate the ferry crossing into the city’s clean mobility network. The two different elements – the ‘floating platform’ and the ‘passage’ – allow for rapid carriage of buses and cyclists/pedestrians across the Fjord.

Using electric propulsion, the ferries make public transportation quiet and emission-free with electricity from renewable sources. The autonomous operation also will increase the frequency of service significantly. The ferry is designed to be available on-demand at all times, and operation is possible around the clock, every day, with integrated smart tech. The design addresses the entire mobility chain, specifically connections between bus and ferry services, to increase efficiency.

CAPTN’s team goes beyond the designers and includes several scientists and working groups from Kiel University, Kiel University of Applied Sciences, Muthesius University of Fine Arts & Design, as well as representatives from politics, administration, and industry. It also was one of the winners of the iF Design Talent Award 2020 and the jury described this project as one that takes a highly creative and innovative approach to public transport, imagining how a car-free city can nonetheless span two sides of a major waterway. CAPTN’s motto is ‘making innovations visible,’ and it shows!

Designer: Simeon Ortmüller, Vincent Steinhart-Besser, Yigang Shen, Jingyue Chen, and Tobias Gehrke

The do not disturb doorbell twists to give keep visitors away!

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Imagine this, you’re wrapping up an important business call, hitting your stride on a deadline-based project, or just catching up with some good friends when suddenly the doorbell rings and interrupts the moment. You have three options: one, you can tune the sound out until it goes away, two, you can greet whoever’s at the door at the risk of losing quality time, or, you can install a doorbell that decides for you. The designers at Ontario-based 1Byone Products Inc. recently won 2020 iF Design Award in Discipline: Professional Concept with their ‘Do Not Disturb’ Doorbell, which thankfully provides the third option. While the residential device is not yet on the market, the targeted development time could take up to a year.

The concept is simple: by displaying the green or red button on the DND doorbell’s exterior dial, users can either let visitors know that they’re around and available or encourage them to come back once they’re free to chat. When the doorbell’s button is set on ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode, visitors will feel discouraged from, well, disturbing. Better yet, if the visitor decides to ignore the message, then the doorbell still will not produce any sound despite the visitor pressing on. Of course, when the design is turned to its opposite setting, it works exactly as the common doorbell would.

Along with the waterproof, outdoor dial, the designers with 1Byone Products Inc. designed a wireless transmitter that can be plugged in any three-prong outlet throughout the house. The design is extremely user-friendly, which only enhances the product’s basic functions. The three-prong transmitter’s dual-horn speaker produces a clearer and more concentrated doorbell ring. The dial that adheres to your chosen door is purposefully and visually simplistic, appealing to the product design’s universality. Whichever color the dial’s holes reveal, 1Byone designed the product so that the ‘Do Not Disturb’ message can be seen from all angles and in any light, which only enhances the doorbell’s user-friendliness. So, whether you’re self-quarantining for personal reasons or rushing to meet your deadline, there’s no need to explain, just turn the dial.

Designers: 1Byone Products Inc.

This 3-in-1 dishwasher was designed to fit in your sink – a 2020 kitchen essential!

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Safe to say that the most hated chores are either doing laundry or doing the dishes. There is something about warm, dryer sheet scented laundry that kind of makes it worth it, so doing dishes is the most annoying household task in my list. I also feel like dishwashers are so awkwardly located, you have to bend too often and that can be a problem if you have a physical disability or if you are over the age of 26 because you have spent a good amount of time slouching over your devices. To make life easier for us all, Fotile has designed a 3-in-1 dishwasher that actually fits in your sink! Yes, that is correct – your sink is now a place for dirty as well as clean dishes.

This clever design hides your dishwasher and dryer elegantly by welding it to your stainless steel sink. The dishwasher has a larget fillet that facilitates accelerated rotation of water flow to improve the efficiency of wash cycles. Another great perk of it being fitted in your sink is that it reduces the hassle of cleaning inside the appliance. It also has a flat embedded ‘lid’ which makes it easy for you to keep your countertop clean while not sacrificing surface space. Apart from killing 99.99% of bacteria from the dishes, it also doubles up as a fruit and vegetable purifier. Using ultrasonic technology and a turbulent spray, it removes 90% of pesticide residue from your produce. This dishwasher claims to have no blind spots – 360-degree cleaning and drying!

The Fotile dishwasher is perfect for any home but especially urban homes because they don’t come with appliances (trust me, I had to apartment hunt in Manhattan which meant I chose dishwasher over having a living room), even more so when they are traditional bulky washers. Not just small apartments, but any home could benefit from space optimization with this in-sink dishwasher. It is also uses resources more efficiently and cuts the time + energy taken by existing dishwashers into half! Clean, convenient, and (very) cool.

Designer: Fotile