Tag Archives: Red Dot Best Of Best

Portable kettle can fit in your luggage when folded

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Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you are traveling and you find yourself in need of hot water but there isn’t anywhere that you can get it at the moment? When you’re craving for a cup of coffee, tea, or just hot water, wouldn’t it be convenient if you could just whip out a kettle from your luggage and plug it in to boil some water? There are several portable kettles already available but this one is probably the most portable and eco-friendly.

Designers: Guo Jianhong, Pan Sui, Deng Kairui

This portable kettle with foldable structure doesn’t have a unique name just yet except for that very description. The folding kettle is actually inspired by another every day, portable item: the umbrella. It has parts like a foldable handle, a support frame, and expandable silicone. When not in use, it folds into a cylindrical form, just like an umbrella, and can fit into a suitcase, backpack, or even a big bag.

When you’re ready to use it, the cylindrical form expands into a kettle with a triangular support frame to make sure that it’s stable especially when you put water into it and plug into a power source through its magnetic power connector. It also has a top pull lid that should make it easy for when you’re ready to pour out the hot water.

This kettle is also eco-friendly as it’s made from environmentally friendly materials like food-grade silicone, 304 stainless steel, and safe plastics. Because of this, it becomes recyclable once it reaches end-of-life. It’s an interesting traveling item to have if you regularly crave a cup of hot liquid whenever you travel.

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Award-Winning Electric Cooktop with DJ Console Design gives you Ultimate Cooking Control

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The deejay console is a thing of marvel – it’s designed to be highly intuitive and accessible at any given moment. Think about it, you’re at the console, you’ve got a crowd of thousands in front of you. One mistake and the entire atmosphere of the room changes. Heavy stakes require heavy design intervention – which is why the deejay console is made the way it is. Controls and knobs are located precisely within grasp based on how important they are or how often you need them. If you’re working with a 4-deck set, the four discs are located in a 2×2 layout, so you don’t have to move around to change songs, load up tracks, or scratch beats. The deejay console encourages creativity and is built for impulsive mixing, scratching, and production where milliseconds matter.

The Impulse Cooktop, as its name suggests, is designed around this very concept too, with a format that emulates the 4-deck console. The four cooktops are laid out like spin discs on a console, with the control panel being right in the center, within reach, and with controls that are both intuitive and easy to operate. Here’s where things get even more interesting – the entire cooktop is designed to be electric, and run on a combination of a power outlet as well as batteries, working even during a power cut. Individual elements are modular and repairable, so cooking meals should be just about as easy and creativity-driven as cooking fire beats.

Designer: Studio Blond for Impulse

Designed by Studio Blond for Impulse Labs, the cooktop is made to plug and play right out of the box. Drop it into your worktop, plug it into a socket, and you’re ready to cook. Four knobs at the center control the four electric ‘burners’, while a display helps you understand how hot or cold your burner is. The text is big, has a high contrast, and is accompanied by visuals that help anyone grasp the temperature they’re cooking at. Unlike conventional burners or induction stove that just show flames or power levels, this display gives you actual temperature readings so you’re more well-informed while cooking. Meanwhile, an LED strip around each burner glows to let you know which burners are active and how hot they are. A white strip indicates low or sim, while a bright orange or red means your burner is on full power.

Touchscreens are fiddly, and deejay consoles don’t have them for that reason – everything should be so intuitive that you can work it with your eyes closed. Similarly, the Impulse ditches touch-sensitive screens for an all knob-based interface that feels much more grasp-worthy. You don’t need to worry about heat affecting the touch-sensitivity, or water/oil/gravy spilling on the screen and messing up your stove’s settings. The raised cooktop surfaces (which really look like spinning discs) prevent the heat from reaching the screen, and four minimalist knobs let you do all the controlling you need to. The knobs are removable too, leaving you with a flat plate that’s easy to wipe down between uses. The only thing really missing is a child lock and we’re absolutely perfect.

A winner of this year’s Red Dot Award: Design Concept in the Best of the Best category, the Impulse Cooktop combines visual appeal with true user-friendliness. It helps homes transition to 100% electrical energy, without a fuss. A power socket is all you need to run the cooktop, and if you’re in a place with frequent power cuts (like I am), an internal battery allows you to continue cooking even during a blackout – something that induction cooktops struggle to do. The modular design simplifies repair, upgrade, and disassembly, paving the way for future accessories too.

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Life-Saving Pneumatic Inflatable Helmet declared the 2024 Red Dot Award: Design Concept Luminary Winner

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The Ventete aH-1 Cycle Helmet, awarded the prestigious Luminary Winner title at this year’s Red Dot Award: Design Concept, is an innovative take on personal safety for urban cyclists. At a time when cities are embracing cycling as a sustainable and efficient mode of transport, the aH-1 helmet emerges as a design-forward solution, combining portability, comfort, and protection in a way that challenges traditional helmet conventions.

What sets the aH-1 apart is its pneumatic design—a notable departure from the foam helmets that have dominated the market for over five decades. Instead of bulky, rigid foam, Ventete utilizes an inflatable air chamber system that collapses to a thickness of just 3.5 cm when deflated. This compact form allows the helmet to fit easily into a bag or even a large pocket, addressing a key pain point for cyclists who often struggle with where to store their helmets off the bike. When it’s time to ride, a small USB-C pump inflates the helmet in under 30 seconds, providing a quick and convenient transition from portability to protection.

Designer: Ventete Limited

Click here to view more Award-winning designs from the Red Dot Award: Design Concept

Beyond the obvious convenience, this inflatable structure offers functional advantages. Ventete has engineered the aH-1 with a chambered design that significantly improves airflow around the rider’s head. Traditional foam helmets trap heat, often making them uncomfortable during longer rides or in warm weather. By contrast, the air-filled design of the aH-1 promotes natural ventilation, keeping the rider’s head cool. Testing conducted by the Swiss Federal Lab for Material Science (EMPA) confirmed that the helmet’s cooling performance matches that of riding bareheaded, a remarkable feat for a safety device.

While inflatable, the helmet is far from fragile or ineffective. It is fully certified to CE/UKCA standards (EN1078), meaning it meets stringent European and UK safety requirements. Extensive research at Imperial College London’s HeadLab revealed that the aH-1 offers superior protection, particularly against rotational impacts—a leading cause of brain injuries in cycling accidents. With over 15 global patents protecting its design, the aH-1 is a product of nearly a decade of research and development, marrying innovation with practical safety.

The design process, led by Ventete’s team of architects and engineers, was guided by a philosophy that integrates functionality with minimalism. The helmet’s understated aesthetic reflects a growing trend in urban mobility design, where products are expected to seamlessly fit into the user’s lifestyle. Its compact and foldable nature speaks to a more flexible, spontaneous approach to transportation. Produced in Switzerland, the aH-1 also embodies the precision and craftsmanship for which the country is known, ensuring that the helmet is as durable as it is stylish.

The aH-1’s innovative design aligns with the broader cultural shift towards sustainability and urban mobility. As more cities promote cycling as a key component of their transport infrastructure, there is an increasing demand for gear that is not only safe and functional but also adaptable to the fast-paced, space-conscious lives of urban dwellers. By addressing the limitations of traditional helmets, the aH-1 positions itself as a forward-thinking solution for the modern cyclist.

Click here to view more Award-winning designs from the Red Dot Award: Design Concept

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Red Dot Award 2024 Highlights: Groundbreaking Design Concepts You Can’t Miss

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Innovation isn’t just a buzzword; it’s the lens through which we envision the world of tomorrow. At Yanko Design, we’re endlessly inspired by concepts that serve as the bedrock for future advancements in products, technologies, and experiences. This shared passion connects us deeply with the Red Dot Award: Design Concept, a celebration of visionary thinking that pushes boundaries.

The “Best of Best” selections this year unveil a tapestry of creativity that defies conventional limits. From avant-garde consumer electronics to trailblazing health innovations, these concepts exemplify a daring spirit combined with ingenuity. We find ourselves particularly enchanted by designs that redefine user experiences, showcasing the harmonious blend of art and practicality. In addition, Red Dot even unveiled two new awards – the Next Gen Award that highlights winning projects from creatives under the age of 30, and the Peter Zec Prize for the most convincing concept (which is also entitled to a cash reward of SGD $10,000)! “Design concepts are mental experiments and sometimes small things can make a big difference. The future depends on today’s creatives and their visions,” explains Professor Dr. Peter Zec, founder and CEO of Red Dot. “Therefore, it is important to support existing talents and empower them to fully flourish.”

Each year, the Red Dot Award: Design Concept ignites our imagination, spotlighting creations that embody collaboration and artistic precision. We’re excited to unveil our standout picks from this brilliant array. Dive in to discover the Luminary Award winner—an extraordinary vision brought to life!

Click here to view more Award-winning designs from the Red Dot Award: Design Concept

Red Dot Award: Design Concept 2024 Best of the Best Winners

Innovative Design of Products and Systems for Forest Fires by Jiangnan University

Jiangnan University’s project focuses on designing innovative systems and products for forest firefighting, especially in the face of increasing forest fire risks due to extreme weather. It emphasizes a modular and portable equipment system tailored for the challenging conditions of the Daxinganling area in Heilongjiang, China. This system integrates six key dimensions of firefighting operations: function division, information transfer, firefighting modes, mobility, resource mobilization, and emergency risk avoidance, making it ideal for professional forest firefighting teams.

The tailored equipment encompasses a range of advanced solutions for specific firefighting scenarios. This includes full-body protective gear with a multi-functional helmet featuring heads-up display (HUD), communication systems, nightlight, respirator, and environmental detectors. Additional features include an emergency fire cover, oxygen cylinder, coolant valve, vital signs monitoring, protective clothing, and a powered exoskeleton for better mobility and protection. The conceptual fire suppression module employs innovative foam agents for efficient fire extinguishing, while an off-road motorized sprayer enhances material deployment and firefighter maneuverability. Additionally, underground fire detection is facilitated by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and auxiliary robots, assisting in the critical task of residual fire clean-up. This project aims to optimize integration and control for improved firefighting efficiency, safety, and risk management, leveraging existing command systems to address the unique challenges faced by forest firefighters in this region.

Down-less Down Jacket by Droga5 Tokyo, Part of Accenture Song

In an industry often criticized for its environmental impact, the Down-Less Down Jacket bursts onto the scene as a symbol of sustainable style. Created by the innovative minds at Droga5 Tokyo, this jacket isn’t just eco-friendly—it’s a groundbreaking fusion of fashion and future-ready technology. As insanely gimmicky as this jacket looks with its inflated transparent design, it utilizes an innovative super-material that keeps you warm and insulated without a single down feather, thanks to its SOLAMENT™ material.

But what makes it truly remarkable? This transparent wonder absorbs sunlight’s near-infrared rays, transforming them into instant, cozy warmth that rivals traditional down jackets. No feathers, no fuss—just ingenious use of agricultural nets and packing materials. This approach doesn’t just cut down on resources; it flips the script on apparel manufacturing, demanding a rethink of what’s truly necessary. SOLAMENT™ technology doesn’t just change how we dress; it could revolutionize how we live. Its heat-shielding prowess allows it to let in light while blocking out heat, offering a zero-fossil-fuel approach to climate control in buildings and greenhouses. The Down-Less Down Jacket is more than an item of clothing; it’s a bold statement for a sustainable tomorrow and a harbinger of innovations that could reshape industries far and wide.

Future-X by HD Hyundai XiteSolution

Introducing Future-X by HD Hyundai XiteSolution—a groundbreaking leap in construction equipment design, crafted for tomorrow’s autonomous sites. This cabinless marvel part of Hyundai’s Future Builder vision emphasizes adaptability and efficiency. Equipped with a 4X4 crawler system, it smoothly navigates challenging terrains, while its auto-balancing counterweight dynamically adjusts to varied loads, ensuring seamless operation.

Safety and sustainability are seamlessly integrated into Future-X. Advanced technologies like radar, stereo vision cameras, AVM, and GNSS provide robust site safety, enhancing functionality. Wrapped in eco-conscious ‘Land Gold’ bio paint, it’s built using recycled and recyclable materials, including eco-rubber track shoes, reinforcing its sustainable ethos. Future-X represents more than just machinery; it’s a step towards a tech-driven, eco-friendly future in construction, showcasing HD Hyundai’s commitment to coupling cutting-edge innovation with environmental stewardship.

Dwo by Dogma Design

Meet Dwo, the versatile cooking appliance designed to optimize your kitchen space while meeting diverse culinary needs. With its dual-position functionality, Dwo transforms from a slim multi-cooker when kept standing to a spacious convection oven when laid on its back, adapting seamlessly to whatever you’re cooking. This innovative design saves countertop space when upright and expands to accommodate larger dishes when horizontal, fitting perfectly into any kitchen layout.

Dwo’s intelligent design includes convection trays and a double-door system, allowing you to switch between cooking modes effortlessly. In its upright position, it acts as a multi-layer oven and multi-cooker, perfect for preparing complete meals with minimal clutter. When additional capacity is needed, simply tilt Dwo horizontally to expand the cooking space without requiring extra appliances. Its advanced convection technology, featuring a triple fan and efficient heating system, ensures even and superior cooking results. The upright position also includes an additional heating surface for moisture-rich cooking, enhancing the flavor and texture of foods like rice or pasta. With user-friendly features like a single navigation knob, integrated side handles, and a front roller, Dwo promises not only performance but also ease of use.

i37 Dynamic Ring by Shenzhen Shangtang Design Consulting Co., Ltd.

The i37 Dynamic Ring is a sophisticated health wearable that offers a comprehensive suite of features to monitor your well-being. From sleep quality and luteal phase tracking to monitoring blood pressure trends and temperature changes, this ring covers all bases. It even tracks your calorie consumption and suggests personalized exercise routines, providing real-time feedback to help you make informed lifestyle decisions.

Advanced biosensing technologies, including photoplethysmography, heart rate sensors, and tri-axis accelerometers, ensure precise monitoring. Its Bluetooth connectivity seamlessly syncs data with your smartphone for in-depth health analysis. Users can easily pair the ring with the i37 Health App, activating a range of intuitive monitoring functions accessible to fitness beginners and enthusiasts alike. Designed with fashion in mind, the ring is crafted from premium silver and gold, combining style with functionality. Its sleek, waterproof, and dustproof design ensures it performs well in any environment, while the lightweight construction and ergonomic fit make it comfortable for all-day and night wear. The i37 Dynamic Ring is the perfect companion for health-conscious individuals who value both advanced technology and stylish design.

Impulse Cooktop by Blond

San Francisco start-up Impulse is setting a new standard in high-performance appliances and home energy solutions, starting with its battery-integrated induction cooktop. Designed to blend power, precision, and ease of installation, the Impulse Cooktop not only enhances kitchen performance but also leads the charge toward a more sustainable future. By integrating energy storage and leveraging renewable sources, Impulse is transforming how we approach home energy consumption, setting the stage for homes to transition to 100% electric energy with simple appliance upgrades.

The Impulse Cooktop stands out with its innovative design that echoes the beauty of deejaying equipment instead of looking like traditional kitchen appliances (courtesy Studio Blond). Its built-in batteries allow seamless use of both stored and grid energy, making it a high-performance and eco-friendly option. Installation is as simple as dropping it into a countertop and plugging it in, a marked difference from traditional electric or gas stoves. With raised burners that protect the cooktop’s screen and optimize space for the battery, the appliance is both practical and stylish. Its modular design simplifies repairs and future upgrades, while precision-milled, removable control knobs maintain a sleek glass surface that is easy to clean. The illuminated raised burners provide a functional aesthetic, indicating the power level through varying shades of red, adding both flair and functionality to your cooking experience.

Lifestyle Delivery Vehicle 190 by Canoo

Think delivery vehicles are mundane? Think again. Meet the Lifestyle Delivery Vehicle (LDV) 190, the Class 2 EV that’s rewriting the rules of the road. Sporting a compact, multi-purpose platform, this vehicle excels in cargo density, safety, and comfort, all while claiming the smallest footprint and longest range in its class. But here’s where it gets exciting: designed from the inside out, the LDV 190 doesn’t just carry boxes—it carries innovation. With a low floor and roomy cabin paired with steer-by-wire technology, it’s a breeze for drivers of all abilities to hop in and navigate.

The LDV 190 isn’t your average delivery van; it’s a mobile marvel of adaptability. Its patent-pending interchangeable rear cargo cartridge lets you tailor your setup, whether it’s barn doors that swing wide open at 270 degrees, sleek tambour doors, or a tailgate with a loading ramp. Inside, you’ll find a whopping 172 cubic feet of cargo space, plus more in the front if you opt for the single-seat configuration. And let’s talk about organization—shelving, storage bins, and a sliding cargo floor with a hefty 1000-lb capacity make loading and unloading a symphony of efficiency. The interior is lit up with LED brilliance, and optional composite translucent roof panels welcome natural light, creating a pleasant glow. With the LDV 190, it’s not just about getting from A to B—it’s about transforming the journey into something more sustainable, innovative, and human-centered.

U9 Flagship High-End Audio Engine TV by Hisense

Drawing inspiration from high-performance car engineering, the U9 Audio Engine TV features an audio system that echoes engine cone design for a truly robust sound experience. Its one-piece zero-bezel frame and 360-degree sound deliver a carefully engineered blend of visual elegance and sonic immersion, setting new trends in the industry.

This TV is designed to be both a centerpiece in your living room and a remarkable piece of home décor. The side-surround array speaker system offers richly layered sound, enhancing your viewing experience with its authentic audio delivery. Even amidst intense competition, Hisense remains focused on leading the way in audio-visual technology, offering consumers a premium experience that underscores its commitment to quality and innovation.

Surge S32 by Hero Motocorp

The Surge S32 by Hero MotoCorp is an innovative electric vehicle that effortlessly shifts between a two-wheeler and a three-wheeler, adapting to your mobility needs with ease. Drawing inspiration from a warrior’s helmet, the design features a striking front fascia enhanced by a sleek piano black finish with silver accents, maintaining a balanced and robust aesthetic. This versatile vehicle not only embodies style but also fulfills the promise of eco-friendly, multipurpose driving.

The exterior flaunts sleek lines and vibrant color options, while the interior provides a minimalist yet luxurious feel, emphasizing comfort and elegance. Equipped with cutting-edge automated controls and sensors, the Surge S32 prioritizes safety on every journey. Its flexible design aims to reduce road congestion by serving multiple purposes in one vehicle. With over 50 patents filed, Hero MotoCorp has developed the AMSEP® platform, a scalable solution supporting a range of vehicle types from load carriers to passenger and utility vehicles, underscoring the Surge S32’s blend of style and functionality in the electric vehicle landscape.

Ventete aH-1 Cycle Helmet by Ventente Limited (Luminary Winner)

Ventete reimagines head protection with the aH-1 Cycle Helmet, an elegant fusion of functionality and innovation inspired by origami. Foregoing traditional foam, this inflatable, micro-collapsible helmet is designed for the modern urban traveler who values spontaneity as much as safety. In a striking shift away from half a century of conventional helmet materials, the Ventete aH-1 makes carrying a helmet as easy as pocketing a paperback. With a pneumatic structural design secured by 15 global patents, this helmet deflates to less than 3.5 cm. Inflation takes just 30 seconds with its compact USB-C pump, seamlessly integrating convenience into your daily ride.

Yet, the aH-1 is about more than just portability; it excels in comfort and safety. Unlike foam helmets, its unique chambered construction allows air to flow freely, providing superior cooling. Tests by the Swiss Federal Lab highlight its exceptional thermal comfort, rivaling the feeling of riding bareheaded. Safety isn’t an afterthought—it’s engineered in. Developed over nearly a decade by skilled architects and engineers, the Ventete aH-1 not only meets CE/UKCA safety standards but also shines in tests at HeadLab, Imperial College London, where its enhanced protection against rotational impacts places it at the forefront of helmet technology. Crafted in Switzerland, this helmet embodies a new era of quality and innovation in urban cycling.

Click here to view more Award-winning designs from the Red Dot Award: Design Concept

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3D-printed concrete chair uses generative design for strength and a distinct hollow aesthetic

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If the CHAIR N°ONE looks like a 3D wireframe come to life, it’s absolutely intentional. Designed by Martin Oberhauser of Studio Oberhauser, the CHAIR N°ONE is the first series of design chairs 3D printed in concrete by selective cement activation. The process involves selectively binding pieces of cement similar to the kind seen in resin 3D printing. The result is a spectacular chair that’s entirely hollow yet structurally sound. Made sustainably using recycled glass as a base material along with concrete, the CHAIR N°ONE has an appeal so unique, it transforms concrete from being a utilitarian material to one with immense sculptural and aesthetic potential.

Designer: Studio Oberhauser

The hollow, almost organic design of the CHAIR N°ONE can be attributed to its use of parametric design to achieve a form that’s equal parts durable and lightweight. Inspired by “intricate bionic structures”, the chair has an almost coral-like beauty to it, featuring a perforated exterior and a hollow interior. The chair’s form, however, remains blob-like and contours wonderfully to the human body. You’ve got a comfortable backrest as well as two armrests, almost like a hard, rigid beanbag.

The way selective cement activation works is very similar to other forms of 3D printing. Fine layers of a dry cement-sand mixture are solidified locally by applying water. This way, layer by layer, complex 3D objects can be created with a high degree of geometric freedom. The CHAIR N°ONE also uses crushed, recycled glass as a base material, providing an element of sustainability to the chair’s overall design. “The cement printing compounds can be chosen based on indoor or outdoor use of the CHAIR N°ONE, making the chair a universally usable piece of artistic design furniture”, says Martin Oberhauser.

The CHAIR N°ONE is a winner of the Red Dot Best Of Best Award for the year 2022.

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Meet DEX, an autonomous quadruped cargo robot that can navigate factories in the future

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It’s like Boston Dynamics’ robot dog… but with the actual ability to ‘fetch’ cargo within factories and warehouses!

Named DEX for its Dual EXtendable legs (as well as a play on the word dexterity), this purpose-built robot from Schaeffler is a champion of mobility, with jointed legs as well as wheels that allow it to move across flat or uneven surfaces, work up and down ramps, and even climb stairs to get to different parts of a factory floor. Equipped with a flat platform on top and a host of sensors immediately beneath it, DEX can autonomously move around, carrying cargo from point A to B while easily avoiding obstacles that may come in its way.

Designer: Schaeffler (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.

Best described as an AMR (Autonomous Mobile Robot), DEX works in conjunction with human workers, aiding them and understanding their needs and requirements to improve efficiency. Through its unique design that can autonomously navigate a wide variety of surfaces, DEX “reimagines the dexterity and intelligence of collaborative robots”.

“DEX has a seamless way of understanding both non-verbal and verbal communication”, say the designers at Schaeffer. “With other robots, they work collectively to reduce the strain on workers. DEX can also be controlled using hand gestures and voice commands, thereby reducing the complexity of interacting with robots.”

While autonomous robots have been around for years now (in warehouses, if not the streets), what makes DEX so incredibly innovative is its format. Sure, anyone can attach sensors to a forklift truck, but DEX’s ability to conquer terrains, maneuver tight spaces, and also avoid obstacles with great reflexes is something not every AMR can boast of.

DEX does this through its uniquely designed bi-directional extendable legs that allow the robot to move up and down and even forward and backward. 4 sets of 360° wheels give it even more maneuverability with multiple degrees of freedom, along with the ability to move smoothly and rapidly across flat surfaces. When DEX encounters slopes, terrain, or stairs, the wheels take the proverbial back seat and the 4 legs kick into action, making it go from a rolling robot to a walking one. All throughout its use, a ring of lights around it synchronizes with the robot’s movement, communicating intention clearly to ensure seamless human/robot collaboration.

The DEX is a Best of Best winner of the Red Dot Design Concept Award for the year 2022.

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Ex-Aston Martin engineer designed a sleek ‘packable’ cycling helmet that flips inward to become 50% slimmer

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It’s almost hilarious, but the two leading reasons for people not wearing helmets are the fact that it ruins their hair, and that it’s too bulky to carry or store anywhere. While there isn’t really an immediate solution to the former (apart from going bald), an ex-Aston Martin engineer devised a clever way to solve the latter problem. Meet the Flip-Clip Go, a Red Dot Award-winning ‘packable’ helmet that folds down to occupy 50% of its original volume, making it easier to carry with you when not in use.

The helmet’s patented design features a flippable top that turns its dome-shaped form into a frisbee that’s easier to stash in bags, carry under one’s arms, or place inside the cargo space in scooters. Measuring 81mm in thickness when closed, the Flip-Clip Go’s bulkiness gets reduced by 50%, making it much more convenient than traditional bulky helmets that can be cumbersome to carry around.

The helmet’s highlight is its Flip-Clip™ Technology, which allows it to alter its volume by flipping and folding inwards. This nifty little feature turns the bulbous helmet into an 81mm disc that’s about as bulky as a novel or a dictionary. Cutting the original helmet’s mass by up to 50%, the folded helmet can easily be stashed away, so you don’t need to rely on archaic techniques like locking your helmet to your bike.

The helmet was conceptualized by Josh Cohen, Dom Cotton, and Will Wood, friends and bicycle enthusiasts alike (and co-founders of Newlane). The light bulb moment came when Josh used a hire bike in Central London. Feeling a sense of vulnerability without the helmet, he spoke to Dom, who immediately hopped on board and was soon followed by Will, an ex-engineer at Aston Martin who helped conceive the helmet’s design, its details, and finalize its material choices to create a helmet that was effective, lightweight, sustainable, and yet affordable.

The Flip-Clip Go helmet comes made entirely from recycled plastics, salvaged from oceans and landfills, before being treated, processed, cleaned, and re-molded. It comes with a relatively bare-basics design, featuring an airy construction that relies on honeycomb structures, and is supported by a protective inner layer of expanded polystyrene (EPS). Manufactured in partnership with Cameron-Price in the UK, each helmet helps recycle as many as 20 plastic bottles worth of plastic, and Newlane hopes to be entirely carbon-free by 2030.

The Flip-Clip Go helmet is a winner of the Red Dot Design Concept Award for the year 2021.

Designer: Newlane

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Cutting Edge Design Concepts that were granted the 2021 Red Dot ‘Best of Best’ Award

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You can’t envision any future without conceptualization. Concepts have always interested us and have been the backbone of Yanko Design because they present an image of products, technologies, experiences, and consequently, futures. They showcase an inventiveness and creativity that’s truly worth appreciating and that’s where we see a massive overlap of interest with our friends who host the Red Dot Design Concept Awards.

This year’s Red Dot Design Concept Awards: Best of Best honors some exciting concepts. Whether it’s the cutting-edge technology used in consumer electronics, or in the health sector, or design that uplifts user experiences and environments, Red Dot’s Best Of Best is our annual go-to for designs that speak of creativity, cross-discipline collaboration, and marvelous execution. Here are a few of our favorites from this year’s Red Dot Design Concept Award: Best of Best! Scroll right to the bottom to see which project won the Luminary Design Award! You saw it here first!

Click here to view more Award-winning designs from the 2021 Red Dot Design Concept Award.

Cognixion One AR Headset by STEL Design

Cognixion One is the world’s first wearable speech-generating device, combining a Brain-Computer-Interface with Augmented Reality to enable communication in those with disabilities like never before. Three context-aware, predictive keyboard options, radial sentence builder tools, and an integrated AI assistant are all powered by 6 occipital-placed electrodes and 4G mobility, enabling comfortable use and functionality to the wearer, who’s presented with a new, intuitive way to communicate with the world. Designed for tetraplegic users with communication disabilities, the technology is usable in any position, in any environment.

Pickup Truck by Canoo

Designed by the eponymous California-based startup, the Canoo Pickup Truck is a modular electric pickup designed for a variety of scenarios. Unveiled just this year, the new pickup emphasizes modularity and looks to maximize its utility. It has tables folding down around the vehicle, various hidden storage areas, and numerous charging points on the exterior of the truck. The pickup will offer over 200 miles of range with an option between a dual- or rear-motor configuration. Currently in its concept stage, the Red Dot Best of Best Award-winning vehicle is slated to go into production by 2023.

Flowspace Pod by Microsoft Office Envisioning Team

Designed for hybrid workplaces, Flowspace is an innovative little private pod for solo working in crowded offices. Draped in gray felt, Flowspace comes with automated privacy panels that create a hybrid of a conventional desk and round pod. As currently conceptualized, each pod comes with its own desktop computer, desk, and stool. The desktop computer’s monitor spans almost the entire panel inside the pod, making it an ideal screen for heavy workloads and even presentations. The pod itself comes in two halves to combine and provide plenty of privacy amidst busy work zones. Whenever you want to get back to the WFH grind, Flowspace creates a temporary sanctuary for focus and deep work.

Jinni Virtual Assistant Zhong Zuozheng

Here’s a question nobody probably ever thought of… how do deaf and mute people communicate with voice assistants? Or specifically, with smart speakers? It’s a question that Jinni, a sign-language-based smart assistant, hopes to answer. Equipped with a camera that can read sign language inputs, and a large screen that can communicate with its user, Jinni brings the power of virtual assistants to a subset of people that are often ignored when designing mainstream tech. Just as the smart speaker is a ubiquitous little gadget in homes, Jinni hopes to do the same for the deaf and mute communities, giving them the same access to life-changing tech.

Mollie Salt & Pepper Shaker by Anshuman Kumar

Mollie is an adorably playful salt-and-pepper shaker tool that embodies Zen aesthetics for an interactive seasoning experience. Designed to look like a shaker, it makes the act of ‘shaking’ salt or pepper over your meals much more fun and engaging… although be careful, it’s pretty easy to get carried away and end up with an over-salted meal! Ultimately, Mollie introduces a new playful facet to eating and preparing food!

The ‘Flip-Clip’ Helmet by Newlane

The Newlane ‘Flip Clip’ is a truly packable helmet designed to make carrying headgear easy and convenient. The helmet’s patented design features a flippable top that turns its dome-shaped form into a frisbee that’s easier to stash in bags, carry under arms, or place inside the cargo space in scooters. Measuring 81mm in thickness when closed, the helmet’s bulkiness gets reduced by 50%, making it much more convenient than traditional bulky helmets that can be cumbersome to carry around.

Virgin Galactic Spaceship Interior by Seymourpowell

Envisioned by UK-based creative consultancy Seymourpowell, the Virgin Galactic Spaceship Interior provides a unique customer experience that is suitable for a zero-G environment, elevating access to the view of Earth from Space while ensuring safety within a strict weight budget. Designed for the VSS Unity (which embarked on its first fully-crewed sub-orbital mission with Richard Branson on the 11th of July), the interiors provide space for 6 passengers and come with 12 large, porthole-style windows, 6 of which are positioned directly next to the individual passenger seats, offering a stellar view. The cabin interior is also complemented by icy hues of white, silver, and teal, intended to be reflective of space itself and the Earth below.

.lumen – Glasses for the Blind by DESIRO Vision for .lumen [Luminary Winner 2021]

Founded as a research startup with the mission of empowering the blind, .lumen just unveiled their first wearable, a head-worn gadget for the visually impaired, that mimics the helpful characteristics of a guide dog. The guide dog, unanimously seen as a good solution, has multiple drawbacks – high cost of training, and most blind people can’t take care of guide dogs on their own. Due to this, there are only around 20,000 guide dogs for 40 million blind people. The Red Dot Luminary Award-winning .lumen offers a much more scalable solution to solving the daily problems of the visually impaired. Designed to sit on heads the way a VR or AR headset would (without obstructing the eye region), the .lumen glasses can do three things incredibly well. It can understand an environment, its objects, their positions/movement in 3D; it can then compute interaction paths to wanted objects, or generally, based on context; and finally, the glasses can transmit information to the blind using haptic and auditory impulses.

Click here to view more Award-winning designs from the 2021 Red Dot Design Concept Award.

Microsoft’s office pod creates a private working space to help you get away from the noise!

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As we gradually make our way back into the office, we can’t help but miss the best parts of working alone from home. We have our favorite chairs, our home desks, and our desktop computers. You can’t beat the social element of office working, but sometimes you just need to get away from the noise. Designed for hybrid workplaces, Flowspace from Microsoft was recently recognized by Red Dot Design and given its Best of the Best Award for its innovation as an office pod for solo working in crowded offices.

Draped in gray felt, Flowspace comes with automated privacy panels that create a hybrid of a conventional desk and round pod. As currently conceptualized, each pod comes with its own desktop computer, desk, and stool. The desktop computer’s monitor spans almost the entire panel inside the pod, making it an ideal screen for heavy workloads and even presentations. The pod itself comes in two halves to combine and provide plenty of privacy amidst busy work zones. Whenever you want to get back to the WFH grind, Flowspace creates a temporary sanctuary for focus and deep work. With the so-called ‘new normal’ making its way around the globe, we’re all eager to have a little bit of both–the charm of working alone and the excitement of collaboration.

Microsoft is known for streamlining our workdays. From computer programs to actual computers, Microsoft has always designed the necessary equipment for us to get through various tasks throughout the day. Flowspace is yet another addition to Microsoft’s long catalog of office supplies that make the work grind that much easier.

Designer: Microsoft

This tiny cubic USB-C hub doubles as a laptop stand, effectively cooling and charging your MacBook Pro!

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When we’re on a roll at work or on our own creative projects, we depend on our laptops to bring us to the finish line, or at least to lunch. That means the WiFi connection has to be consistent, the battery better last, and we gotta have the best seat in the coffee shop (next to the outlets). Jimlo Z Studio recently debuted their pocket-sized, eight-in-one USB-C Hub and MacBook Stand, HUB–OX, that gives us the power boost we need to meet our deadlines before lunch.

Designed to be portable and compact, HUB–OX initially comes as a lightweight, palm-sized USB-C hub, which splits into two halves, both equipped with plenty of charging slots, HDMI connections, and ethernet ports. HUB–OX is compatible with MacBook Pro models that have four USB-C ports, generally any MacBook Pro from 2016 or any of its succeeding generations. When HUB–OX is split in two, users can plug the USB-C chargers into all four of their MacBook Pro’s ports, lifting their laptops to an angle of 7.7° to keep them charged and at eye level for the rest of the day. Working at our laptops for long periods of time often makes us want to crane our necks and spines to meet our screens. The small hoist HUB–OX gives our MacBook Pros is just enough to keep our necks straight and spines against our chairs. In addition to helping our posture while working, the built-in laptop stand allows for better heat dissipation from our laptops’ heat sinks, keeping our laptops cool and their fans low.

Equipped with 100W of power and an HDMI port that can project 4K pictures at 30Hz, HUB–OX makes an ideal computer accessory for business projects and extended work periods. Then, when you feel like working at that cafe without any WiFi, HUB–OX has an RJ45 ethernet port with internet speeds ranging from 10 to 1,000Mbps. As soon as the workday is done and all that’s left to do is finish your cup of coffee, HUB–OX clicks back into its initial box form with magnetic snapping, so you can hit your lunch break.

Designer: Jimlo Z Studio

HUB—OX comes as a palm-sized laptop hub, equipped with USB-C, HDMI, and ethernet ports.

HUB—OX can also split into two halves that plug into MacBook Pro’s USB-C ports, giving your laptop a good boost.

The USB-C chargers built into HUB—OX plug into the MacBook Pro’s ports, providing a laptop stand as well as 100W worth of charge.

When used as a laptop stand, HUB—OX provides better heat dissipation for your laptop’s heat sink.

Multiple devices can be connected to HUB—OX at once.

Early sketches of HUB—OX.

Prototyping and multiple ideations led to HUB—OX’s final form.

HUB—OX was designed to fit in the palm of your hand to be as portable and compact as possible.

HUB—OX’s built-in HDMI port projects 4K pictures at 30Hz.