Awesome Design Ideas » Interaction Design

Neuroon Open Sleep Tracker by Kamil Adamczyk

toma — Tue, 15 Aug 2017 19:11:16 +0000

Salvador Dali, Leonardo da Vinci, Nikola Tesla, Thomas Edison, Napoleon Bonaparte, and Buckminster Fuller. Do you know what all these geniuses had in common? They all mastered the art of productivity by hacking their sleep cycles to the fullest extent. By calibrating their sleep needs and planning out sleep timings, they could satisfy their body with almost 3-4 hours of intense, deep sleep and stay productive for 20 hours or more.

Every single person has a different sleep requirement. Timing, duration, intensity, and even sleep conditions change from person to person. The only problem is we don’t know them. I for one, may be a sleeper who just needs five hours from midnight to 5am, whereas you may be able to satisfy your sleep needs with just four hours, from say 2am to 6am. That’s where sleep assistants come in. They can be an app, or a wearable, but nothing is quite as effective as a smart headband. Designed for the explicit purpose of giving you precise control over your sleep, the Neuroon Open (you may remember them from their previous campaign) is an open-source headband that can be used for effective sleeping, smart waking, deep meditation, polyphasic sleep, and lucid dreaming. The wearable comes in two parts, an EEG (electroencephalogram) that measures brain-waves, and an eye-mask that has LEDs within it, to help you wake up, or to trigger a lucid dream. The EEG can be used to monitor brain waves, allowing you to get a precise reading of your sleep habits and needs, also allowing you to meditate by playing out audio cues to lull your brain into the correct meditative state. Pair this with the eye-mask and you have a consolidated sleep assistant resting against your forehead, analyzing your mind’s needs and presenting them to you with medical-grade accuracy via Neuroon’s app, that comes with a wide variety of features

Neuroon Open’s most incredible feature is its ability to go to the extent of creating the perfect environment for sleep and waking. It pairs with your thermostat, smart-lights, and audio devices to make sure your immediate surroundings are conducive to a good night’s sleep, and/or a well-lit environment that makes you feel refreshed and invigorated. All these features are further empowered by Neuroon’s open-source network, that allows users to customize their Neuroon Opens to the max, and even develop on it, based on their needs. Serious tinkerers can even build their own Neuroon headbands by accessing the electronics guides on Neuroon’s websites!

Created for anyone who’s ever said the words “If only there were more than 24 hours in a day”, Neuroon Open’s purpose is to juice every bit of productivity out of your 24 hours. Instead of sleeping those eight hours (which is a myth), Neuroon tells you how many hours your body needs, allowing you to add up to an entire day of productivity to your week.

Design by Kamil Adamczyk

BUY NOW: $119.00

Reissue of Humanscale by Henry Dreyfuss Associates

toma — Fri, 07 Jul 2017 17:38:27 +0000

A majority of the occupations we humans carry out are human-centric… and almost everything designers do revolves around human interaction and emotion; and while most products we design today have evolved from physical to digital, there’s always one key binding factor. The user… and the user hasn’t physically changed much (or even at all) in the past century, and probably won’t for the foreseeable future. Because design as a practice inhibits human evolution i.e., it changes circumstances so that we, without changing the way we are, can achieve the great feats.

Back in the 70s, Henry Dreyfuss (the designer of the iconic circular Honeywell thermostat that inspired the Nest) realized the importance of human ergonomic data in designing for humans. He then embarked on a mission to capture human proportions at a scale never done before. The result? A definitive guide to human anthropometry, for both men and women of all ages, sizes, and walks of life. This data (more than 60,000 pieces of information) found its way into the original Humanscale book, printed from the 70s to the 80s. They changed the face of Industrial Design, ushering in the age of human-centric design (probably the only way to design good products). However, the MIT Press stopped printing these guides in the 80s, and they became collectibles and antiques, rather than becoming a staple in every designer’s collection. We clearly see the lack of incorporating human factors into designs today, with the most talked-about example being the smartphone, that chose to grow bigger, while human hands remained the same size. There’s a reason people still strongly feel the iPhone 5 was the best smartphone to use and handle.

Chancing upon one of the last prints of the Humanscale from the 90s, the designers at IA Collaborative decided to pitch a reprint of these manuals that contained data so exhaustive, nothing close to a manual this detailed has ever been printed since. “The applications are almost endless,” says Westra, IA’s design engineering lead. “We use them for everything from medical devices to appliances to sporting goods to watches to consumer electronics.”

The reprints will be exact copies of the original featuring the same data (which hasn’t changed since). Bundled into 3 books and 9 beautiful selector charts that lay out data with the simple rotation of a wheel (in a way these books and charts were designed keeping in mind the very factors they contain), these reprints will be available at a mere fraction of the cost of the originals (which you can find for roughly $2,000 on Ebay). The series of books and charts can be bought independently for $79 or in a complete collection for just $199.

The reprints of the Humanscale base themselves completely on the original, using the same printing material and quality, and retaining more than 60,000 pieces of data measured out in the 70s. Perfect for industrial design, interior design, transportation, and almost any design field that bases itself on human proportions (yes, app design too), the Humanscale is a must-have in every designer’s collection of books, not to mention design studios and schools. IA Collaborative aims to digitize the data too in a way that’s just as easy and accessible as opening a book or rotating a selector chart wheel. Their aim is to make the information accessible to designer practitioners, learners, and educators world-wide… because the best designs consider the people who are using them.

Design by Henry Dreyfuss Associates
BUY NOW: $199.00

The Komorebi Lamp by Leslie Nooteboom

toma — Thu, 11 May 2017 20:33:59 +0000

The Komorebi lamp is a hallmark of great product design because its idea and execution reflects uniqueness and sheer brilliance. Designed to illuminate, but in a way that is seemingly natural and definitely desirable, the lamp doesn’t emit light, but the illusion of sunlight coming to you from your window.

On the inside of the Komorebi lies a projector, that contains video loops of light-patterns that form on walls when sunlight peers through trees, or reflects off water bodies. Select the style you find most ambient and Komorebi casts a beautiful and realistic light shimmer on the wall, looking just like the sun entering your room. What’s more incredible is Komorebi’s ability to position itself and point the reflection at different parts of the wall, corresponding with the sun’s movement from east to west with the passing of time.

London-based designer Leslie Nooteboom is currently looking for investors and product development specialists who can help him translate this from prototype to a final product… and why not? The Komorebi may just easily be the most beautiful lamp ever built.

Design by Leslie Nooteboom

The Plankpad by Passionfruit B.V.

toma — Sun, 02 Apr 2017 13:18:01 +0000

You know what the worst part about exercising is? The exercising. Some people love the rush of blood and the drop of sweat, but me? As I run on the treadmill or lift the weights or do my planks, I can’t help but count the minutes till I’m done, and they almost always feel like an eternity. Take planks for starters (my mortal enemy)… Einstein didn’t need a train and lightning bolts to prove that time wasn’t absolute. If he just performed a few plank he’d know that time warps, slows down when you’re doing them.

Introduce, however, the Plankpad to your exercise, and it has the miraculous ability to speed up time. What does it do? It distracts you from your timekeeping! The Plankpad gamifies exercise, turning it into a pastime. The board comes made from wood, with a rocking base. Just load one of Plankpad’s games onto your smartphone and place them on the Plankpad and begin your exercise. The game relies on your smartphone’s gyroscope to work, so you’re literally tilting the Plankpad left and right to control the game. Not only does this work your muscles more, it also distracts you from the activity itself, letting you, dare I say, enjoy your exercise. The Plankpad, with its solid construction, can even be used as a balance-board, while the game on your phone (still kept on the pad) can be beamed to a television, allowing you to work your muscles and play away, keeping score while working your core! Now this one has to be tried to be believed!

Lamp Bloom by Constantin Bolimond

toma — Thu, 27 Feb 2014 05:03:47 +0000

Design is based on flowers shape and structure. Power of lighting is regulated by the level of petals opening. Interesting effects can be implemented by using sensors. For example, optical sensor: flower opening in the dark, in this case, BLOOM will “bloom” at night.

Designer Constantin Bolimond | Moscow, Russian Federation

Prism nightlight by Nicholas Baker

toma — Wed, 26 Feb 2014 04:38:40 +0000

Industrial designer Nicholas Baker about project: “Prism nightlight is a bedside light, turned on by a simple tilt. The goal of this project was to explore a personal light device and create an innovative product taking inspiration from a notable designer. I researched the subtle subconscious cues from Naoto Fukasawa’s design philosophy, along with his playful attitude to create my design. The Prism is a simple nightlight, inspired by the classic see-saw. The light is turned on by a single tilt of the product, easing the hassle of finding and flipping a switch in the middle of the night.”

Nicholas Baker | Savannah, GA, USA

Finger Mouse by Shinji Nukumi

toma — Sun, 19 Jan 2014 14:29:23 +0000

Art Director, Developer and designer Shinji Nukumi about concept: “Current mice are too big. Control computers with a swipe of your finger. If possible, we want computer operation to be easier. If it could be made more compact and simple, computers would be easier to use, and computer operation more enjoyable.”

Designer Shinji Nukumi | Tokyo, Japan

Cactus – warm and colds fridge by Erik Edward Kim

toma — Sun, 19 Jan 2014 13:48:36 +0000

The Cactus is a hybrid kinda appliance, one that moves from a freezer to a refrigerator to a food warmer. Consider it as a food storage box that keeps your eatables either warm or cold, depending upon the requirement. Designed for use in nuclear households, the appliance goes against the typical principle of conducting heat from the outside to cool the inners of a fridge.The Cactus scores a full ten on the design department. It’s very kawaii in looks and everything inside it has been designed keeping food specifics and usage in mind.

Designer Erik Edward Kim

Audio orbs by Studio Total

toma — Fri, 17 Jan 2014 14:02:12 +0000

Have you ever entered a small confined space you have also experienced the silence and solitude that you’ll find inside. Spherical spaces almost completely blocks the noise from the outside world. This was our starting point when we developed the AudioOrbs. The first spherical speaker you can enter. Based on the Micasa Lab Cocoon developed by the same team we have fitted the AudoOrbs with speakers instead of storage modules.

Fitted with Tempur pillows that adjust after the shape of your body ensures that not only the design gives the Orb a floating expression, you will feel like you are floating when inside the Orb. The 18 speakers mounted inside gives you a rich and full audio spectrum. Inside the Orb the outside world fades away, ideal for relaxation.

Chameleon Bandage by Xue Xing Wu, Zi Yu Li, Yue Hua Zhu & Zhi Qiang Wang

toma — Mon, 16 Dec 2013 16:53:49 +0000

The concept of band-aid protection a notch higher by becoming literally invisible. How this Chameleon Bandage work we have no idea since the designers have not clarified it yet. Imagine how cool will it be to sport a bandage that blends with your skin tone, especially for those awkward places on your chin or cheek.

Designers: Xue Xing Wu | Zi Yu Li | Yue Hua Zhu | Zhi Qiang Wang | Guiding Teacher – Xiang Long Pan

Rising Table by Robert van Embricqs

toma — Tue, 10 Dec 2013 11:59:10 +0000

Architectural & Furniture designer Robert van Embricqs about the project: “A conscious choice for functionality in design, doesn’t necessarily mean one has to be burdened by conformity, let alone predictability. The Rising Table ignores the cliched notion that a table is little more than a flat surface that is held up by four separate legs. The result is a surprising mixture of fluid design that blends the multifaceted tabletop with the latticework of wooden beams that function as the center of the construct. From there, the table sprouts four wooden beams that hold up the entire construct. Not only does this design approach rid itself of every single predictable feature when one imagines a table, it also emphasizes that the Rising Table is indeed made from a single piece of wood. This proves the Rising Table isn’t merely an eye catcher when it comes to design, it can also hold its own as a functional piece of furniture, albeit with a twist.

Sidenote: the applied construction techniques to create both the Rising Chair and the Rising Table, emphasize on its relative applicable ease for production on a mass scale.”

Robert van Embricqs | Amsterdam, Netherlands

Gro Rocking Horse by Michael Svane Knap and Christian Troels

toma — Thu, 05 Dec 2013 18:30:19 +0000

GRO^ is a new interpretation of the classic rocking horse. With a simple aesthetic that speaks to adults and with a simple function that speaks to children. Rocking horse is built on Fritz Hansen’s knowledge about furniture made of veneers, as well as an idea to create a children’s furniture that contains a simple Scandinavian style.

Industrial designer Michael Svane Knap | Product designer Christian Troels | Denmark

Epilogue to the Incandescent Bulb by Raviv Lifshitz

toma — Fri, 02 Aug 2013 18:10:03 +0000

“The classic incandescent bulb, now celebrating its one hundred and thirtieth anniversary, is facing the end of its reign. Sales of this bulb have almost ceased in many countries around the world and it is gradually being taken out of service for ecological reasons. Many regret the loss of the warm quality of the light produced by the bulbs, symbolizing a household “Pillar of Fire” regarded as a foundation of modern life. “Epilogue to the Incandescent Bulb” conveys our “last respects” to the incandescent bulb by intensifying the light source of one bulb through a system of magnifying glasses projecting its light with an intensified texture and vigor on the walls of the surrounding space thanks to the optics of magnifying glasses.”

Raviv Lifshitz | Izrael

Rotation Bookshelf by Sherry An

toma — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 11:36:11 +0000

Rotate and Share
“What can I think of being put between two rooms? Some hooks for hanging, shelves settling books, and boxes for extra something might all be good ideas of sharing. Think about to change my beloved books with a person next door, or to trade some hung fashion items into my new look. What do I expect to see in the end? All of them!!!” – says Sherry An.

You can rotate the bookshelf to share the books with others who live next door to you. Set this bookshelf in the wall which is between your rooms to save more space. Otherwise, there are extra two boxes and some hangers for putting some stuff. There are different sizes of shelves for you to arrange. You can put across for books, or set it straight to be bookends.

Design: Sherry An | Hsinchu City, Taiwan

Land Peel: foldable floor mat by Shin Yamashita

toma — Wed, 26 Jun 2013 16:32:06 +0000

Japanese industrial design student Shin Yamashita from the Kyoto Institute of Technology designed the Land Peel: a flexible three-piece mat made for sitting, reading, even napping by simply lifting and folding the panels to create a table, a seat or rest.

Shin Yamashita | Japan