The turn of the 21^stcentury ushered in an era full of technological innovations and advances. These innovations have made our lives easier in multiple ways, simplifying even the most complex tasks and impacting almost every aspect of society. With everybody a single call away and vital information a single click away, we must appreciate the positive implications of such dynamic technology. However, every rose has its thorn. The highly digitalized world has caused us to lose our personal touch. From children as young as five years to senior citizens, almost every age group is engrossed in their smartphones, tablets, laptops, etc. Looking away from the screen has become an impossible task, and spending time as a family? An entirely rare affair. Disillusioned by this world where social interactions have become a myth, product designer Troy Linklater from the design studio Alloy, created ‘Orbit’.

Orbit is an interactive projector on steroids! An ultra-short-throw projector, Orbit can project a 360-degree view. Shaped like a Minion, the matte black gadget possesses one important feature that sets it apart from other projectors. Orbit connects with your smartphone! Place the smartphone on top of the projector and watch as it’s magic unfolds! Whatever you choose to play on the screen of your smartphone is reflected onto the corresponding surface Orbit has been placed upon. Equipped with 4 ultra-short-throw projectors, Orbit projects a 360-degree interactive touch interface onto any surface. Such a visual experience creates a central focus for the entire family, allowing them to come together to watch movies and shows, engage in fun study sessions or even have makeshift karaoke sessions to music videos! Orbit promises to connect families together through a fun, interactive and visual experience. Though the projector is still a concept, we can’t wait for the day when we can use our smartphones to share some fun moments with our loved ones!

Designer: Troy Linklater of Alloy