ANALOG MEMORY DESK

The Analog Memory Desk, created by Kristen Camara, is a 60" wide desk made of hard maple wood that comes with a roll of 1,100 yards of butcher paper. The paper sits on a roll that is held on a rack between two legs of the desk. The paper stretches across the desktop then comes back down to roll back up on the opposite end. Both rolls can be controlled by turning the wooden handles to wind and unwind the paper. The paper acts as one continuous notepad. When an area of the paper has been filled with notes, one simply turns the wooden peg to reveal more blank space.

This desk is great for people who often find themselves needing to jot things down as they work. It isn't intended to be an organized log of work but as a means for quick note-taking. Camara herself says it is an easy, always available way to work out a quick math problem or take down notes during web design. While it is not meant to organize your thoughts, the Analog Memory Desk has an advantage over Post-It notes in that if a person needed, he or she could roll back the paper in search of old information whereas a Post-It is likely to be thrown out shortly after use. The roll is replaceable but one could opt to use the desk as a standard drawing table. The desk might be improved by including a storage space or two, but overall it is an interesting option for designers.

HOVDING AIRBAG HELMET

The Hovding Airbag Helmet was developed in Sweden by two industrial design students. Cyclists themselves, the two students sought an alternative to cumbersome hard-shell helmets. Their idea was to employ an airbag system akin to that of cars. The Hovding collar is worn around the neck like a brace made of what its website calls "waterproof functional fabric." Inside the brace is the deflated airbag. When deployed, the airbag fills with air, wrapping itself around the user's head with the exception of the facial area. The collar contains sensors that monitor changes in speed, angle and other factors that would indicate an accident is about to occur. When the sensors are alerted, the airbag deploys and fills in a tenth of a second.

The set-it-and-forget-it quality of the Hovding makes it enticing to regular cyclists. The collar weighs only 1.5 lbs and zips in the front, and once it's on it just quietly rests on your shoulders until needed. Its website boasts that, in addition to being convenient, the Hovding is among the safest helmets on the market. That may well be true when the Hovding is in full form but there are too many variables that might impede its efficacy. The system relies on its sensors being functional when an accident happens. Anyone with a car knows that sometimes sensors fail. There is no way to know that the sensors are working and calibrated, unfortunately. The collar is rechargeable and its battery life is good, but everyone has at one point or another forgotten to charge a device. This is a minor inconvenience when it's a cell phone or music player, but when it is a device intended to save your life you had better hope you don't forget. There is also the possibility that the airbag snags on a purse strap or scarf and is unable to fully protect the cyclists head before impact. Certain hairstyles -- a mohawk, for example -- can keep it from deploying successfully as well. It's true that a mohawk would not work in a traditional helmet either but at least you know what to expect.

All variables aside, the Hovding is a great concept assuming it works in the event that it's needed. The biggest drawback is its prohibitive cost. At $525, it is not an easily justifiable purchase for most people. It can be used for years and years on a daily basis, making it a worthwhile investment, but it can also deploy on first use. Once activated, the airbag cannot be reused. All of a sudden that hardshell looks pretty good.

VINO2GO

The Vino2Go does exactly as its name suggests: it allows a person to take a serving of wine to go. The product is made of acrylic and is double-walled. The outer wall is shaped as a standard reusable bottle but the inner wall takes the shape of a wine glass including stem. The stem is purely for aesthetic because, as with a real wine glass, no wine is contained within. The manufacturer boasts that the double-wall design keeps in the wine cooler for longer. On top is a plastic lid with a small opening for sipping. The lids come in different colors to indicate the type of wine.

It is the adult equivalent of children's sippy cup. Generally, these types of cups are used for children because they are prone to spilling. Clearly a product intended for adults, the "sippy cup" idea is confusingly infantilizing. The portability of wine has never seemed to me to be an issue. Most wine bottles are relatively slim and a few can be carried easily in a regular tote bag. This cup, in fact, makes wine less portable. Should you want more than a single glass of wine, you would need to carry a few of these which would take up more space than a bottle of wine and some stackable cups. It is difficult to imagine a scenario in which an adult would need this type of cup for wine. Most situations in which one might want to take coffee or water with them don't seem like they would or should apply to wine. If you're running or driving, you probably shouldn't be sipping wine.

DROP REST MUG

The Drop Rest Mug, designed by Kim Keun Ae, is a white ceramic coffee mug with a simple added element to improve its use. The new feature is a thin crevice that wraps around the entire mug. The crevice sits at about an inch and a half from the bottom, just above where the lower ear of the mug attaches.

The fine indentation acts like a small gutter to gather any droplets that may slide down the mug's exterior. This prevents the coffee from hitting tabletops which can damage some surfaces. It also makes it a little safer to work and drink at the same time. The mug can be rested over paperwork with a lessened likelihood of leaving a coffee ring stain on your documents. It does nothing to prevent spills, but it certainly helps with the minor drips we're accustomed to when sipping on coffee.

COFFEE MAKING ALARM CLOCK

Industrial designer Joshua Renouf has created an alarm clock that does away with the jarring beeps and boops we all abhor. The alarm clock, known as the Barisieur, instead brews a cup of coffee to coax its owner out of sleep mode. The coffee maker is prepared the night before, making sure coffee is in the metal funnel that hangs over the glass cup and that water is in the glass boiling flask. Both the flask and the cup sit on a removable wooden tray. The wooden tray sits atop the clock portion of this product. A short glass, similar to a test tube, is also tucked away into the tray, dropping into the clock. The tube is sealed and kept cool to hold milk or creamer. The alarm clock comes with an On/Off switch for the coffee maker and a timer for the user to set up how early the coffee should begin to brew. Next to the timer is a small drawer that holds coffee grounds and sugar.

The smell of fresh-brewed coffee permeating the bedroom will be enough to wake some. For those that need a little extra help, there is an audible aspect to the brew. The water used to make the coffee is boiled via induction heating using stainless steel ball bearings. The sound of the ball bearings moving about, running into one another, in the glass flask appeals to the ears to make the coffee maker a multi-sensory alarm clock.

Timed coffee makers are available in most department stores but few, if any, are designed to work in the bedroom. Many people can't bring themselves to operate in the mornings without a cup of coffee, and unfortunately getting out of bed in the first place is the hardest part. This product brings the coffee to the user and it eases them out sleep gently. The coffee making portion looks like science meets rustic, and it's an interesting combination. The clock portion could do with a makeover, making it look slightly less stark and utilitarian.

ANTI-THEFT LUNCH BAGS

The Anti-Theft Lunch Bags created by product designer Sherwood Forlee are resealable plastic bags for carrying food. They look very much like your average sandwich Ziploc with one major exception: the giant green splotches on either side of the bag. The splotches are in organic shapes, meant to resemble moldy growth. Forlee's idea was to create a bag that would discourage others from taking what it isn't theirs.

The idea is funny and may work the first time a person encounters it. However, after a few times one of two things will become clear to the potential food thief: this is fake, or (worse yet) this person is disgusting. It is an amusing product to by once and try, but beyond the short-lived laughs, the Anti-Theft Lunch Bags don't bring anything new to the table. Unless you are person who is committed to quirkiness, it would make more sense to stick with the classics. For the same price of 25 of Sherwood's Lunch Bags, you could walk out of Target with 300 Ziploc bags of the same size.

POPCORN MONSOON

The Popcorn Monsoon is very much like a traditional popcorn air popper. The appliance heats the kernels of popcorn to a point that they explode to create the tasty, edible snack. It is not a new process, but it has been given a facelift. The redesign gives the air popper a look that would fit in well in a laboratory. There are two similar sized yellow containers on either side of a small gray platform. One of the containers is the heating end, where the kernels get popped. The energy from the popping action shoots the popcorn up a transparent tubing that then curves downward over the opposite container. This container is just to catch the popcorn and to be used as a small bowl from which to snack. The tubing is secured by a long metal stick with a hooped end which the tubing is inserted through. There is another small, much thinner tube that sprouts out of the main tube near the heating container. This is where corn kernels are poured in using a matching yellow scoop. Once the kernels have been deposited, a small cork is fitted in the entry point.

It is interesting how something as simple as giving an old idea a new shape can make a traditional appliance appealing once again. The design of the air popper is reminiscent of the seemingly scientific process used to make coffee in an episode of the TV series Breaking Bad.

The popper is much less intricate than the coffee maker in Breaking Bad but the transparent tubing and metal accents give it a similar aesthetic.

SMART LIGHT

Lampp is described by its creators at Jordi Canudas Studios as a "smart lamp." It is part phone application, part phone accessory. The accessory is a globular, translucent silicone that sits over the phone when it is lying flat. The idea is that the phone will serve as a light source and the plastic globe will diffuse the light to create a mood. The application controls the color of the light being projected. There are preset moods such as Romantic, which is warm tones, and Night, which focuses on cool tones.

The "smart lamp" does indeed create a soothing glow, but it is essentially makes a night light of mobile devices. There are mood night lights on the market already that can be adjusted and turned off or on but remote control. There is a slight inconvenience in having to lift the silicone shade each time the user wants to change the setting. This may not be a huge deal to some, as more than likely once the mood is set it is set for the night. The bigger inconvenience is when a person wants to use his or her phone. The moment a phone call comes in the lamp ceases to be a lamp. The other main disadvantage is keeping it on eats at the phone's battery life. Unless a person is specifically looking for a night/mood light that travels easy, a traditional lamp might be a better option.

ZIP BED

Italian furniture company, Florida Smart Italian Design, has designed a bed for the slacker crowd. The Zip Bed is as its name suggests: a bed with a zipper! The zipper runs along the entire top edge of the bed. When unzipped, the removable piece can act as a comforter if needed. Beneath the attachable comforter is a bed as we all know it. Linens, pillows and a queen sized mattress. On the outside, the bed frame appears to have a rounded, futuristic aesthetic created by the padding ensconcing it. This bed allows its user maintain a tidy bedroom without tucking sheets and fluffing pillows after a night's sleep. Instead, all one has to do is throw the zippable comforter over top and pull the zipper across the bed's perimeter. 

The bed comes in limited colors and there are no options for patterns. If changing up the look of the bed is important to the buyer, this is probably not the right fit for them. However, the bed itself is an interesting design and might be enough for some to overlook that aspect of it. The concept may have been developed with efficiency more prominently in mind. That being said, the look of the bed was not thrown to the wind. The interior of the comforter comes in contrasting colors to add a bit of pop.

Its design is reminiscent of older sci-fi films that depicted furniture and clothing as very streamlined and no frills in a society where productivity is valued above individuality. Being that we are not living in such a society, this bed does stand out for its uniqueness. It almost seems like a bonus that it does a fine job of concealing that we hate making our beds.

MULTI MASHER

The Multi Masher is an update on the standard kitchen tool. This new take on the masher makes the item not quite multi-purpose but a multi-output tool. It differs from the standard masher by having additional surfaces with which to press foods. There are three total surfaces that are together in one plastic triangular piece. The first of the three surfaces is made of several bars, almost like a grill, for a coarser pressing. The second surface contains medium-sized hexagonal holes much like the classic metal potato masher. The final surface has smaller round holes for a finer output, akin to a potato ricer. To alternate between the surfaces, the rubberized handle is removed by unlatching the open end and sliding out over the thin, flat plastic that separates each surface panel. 

Given that a particular tool can do more than a single thing well, it can be a great asset to have in the home. Space saving can be very key for people with limited storage. Although this particular invention cannot be fully considered multi-purpose, it does have an advantage over the standard masher for its versatility. The Multi Masher is a simple redesign to a kitchen essential that I can only see being well-received by amateur cooks to professional chefs.

BARCELONA CHAIR

BREAKING BAD BOX SET PACKAGING

OVO SPEAKER FOR IPHONES

The Ovo speaker is an analog amplifier made of carved marble. Its shape is hollowed and nearly cylindrical with one side shaved slightly to create a small flat surface area. The flat area is minimal and purely to keep the the speaker from otherwise rolling when set down on a smooth surface. The closed end of the cylinder is similarly rounded and has a larger flat surface for propping up at an angle. At the same rounded end, there is a rectangular slot for placing an iPhone. The rectangular slot contains a small opening that leads to the interior hollowed area. When an iPhone is placed in it, the speaker on the phone feeds audio into the small opening which is then amplified using sound diffusion. The only electricity used in this process is in the phone battery and that is only to power the iPhone itself.

It is a very sleek, unassuming design aesthetic. The carved marble has such a sculptural aspect to it that it could sit beautifully on a shelf or coffee table as a piece of art. It is only when an iPhone is placed in it that one would realize it is functional. This may not be enough to fill a room with dance music at a house party but it can serve quite useful for a quiet day in the house. It takes a basic principle of sound and applies it to contemporary technology in a way that is both humbling and easy on the eyes.

LENTO SMOKE ALARM

The smoke alarm is an object we are all accustomed to seeing in our homes. Generally, they exist in the background, drawing no attention except for when it is serving its purpose of alerting us of a potential fire. Because it is a device whose purpose is purely preventive, we have chosen not to highlight its presence in our homes. As a result, most smoke alarms come in a standard circular shape and its color almost always white. Recently, Finnish company Jalo Helsinki released a line of smoke alarms that offers something different in the market.

The Jalo alarms come in various colors which definitely veers off the beaten path as far as smoke alarms go. The options are a surprise -- available in green, pink, black, and more standard gray and white -- being that we typically don't look up twice at the benign objects on our ceiling. Even more interesting than their color is their shape. The smoke alarms are made in the form of a moth, the ugly step-sister to the butterfly. It has been suggested that the idea behind the moth shape is a tip of the hat to moths predilection to fire. Some may appreciate the whimsy, but how often do we stop and marvel when we come across a real moth? A more common reaction is that of annoyance.

I believe credit is due for the attempt at uniqueness; however, this particular concept reminds me of the old refrain: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." A beautiful chandelier it is not.

FRUIT BOWL / DINNER TABLE

The majority of families in the United States have a dinner table in their home. It is a basic piece of furniture that remained mostly the same over time. Yes, they are made in different styles with different materials, in different sizes, in different colors or finishes. The general idea, however, has remained the same: a flat surface sitting atop four legs. 

Artist/designer Sebastian Errazuriz created a dinner table in tribute to his grandmother who always made sure to have a bowl of fresh fruit out. Errazuriz's concept makes the fruit bowl an actual part of the table. A concave carving in the center of the plywood tabletop acts as the fruit bowl. The carving is deep enough to comfortably hold the contents of a medium-sized fruit bowl without fear of pieces rolling out and across the table. While the idea of a fruit bowl has never seemed particularly problematic, having one incorporated into the table seems a clever option. It is in an area of the table that is not used to eat from so it does not negatively impact the dining experience. In fact, the "bowl" can be used for placing a main course or even for decorative centerpieces. 

The fruit bowl table offers a good alternative to the traditional table without being so out of the ordinary that it isolates people with more traditional design sensibilities. It might benefit from a sort of lid for the bowl indentation if an occasion arises when a fully even surface is necessary.

BULBS AS CUPS

The Lucky Liquor Co. is a cocktail bar in Edinburgh, Scotland known for being a little different than the average bar. One of their standout quirks is this light bulb glass used to serve drinks. The light bulb is the size of a standard household bulb with screw-base and all. The bulb is then placed in a coiled wired that comes to a flat circular base for balance. The bulb rests screw side up and at roughly a 45-degree angle. A straw is inserted through the screw base opening for drinkability.

It is definitely a novel way of serving a drink! There is a certain sense of "otherness" that will appeal to a younger generation. An older drinker, more settled in his or her ways, is less likely to venture into a cocktail bar that steers away from tradition. Peculiarities such as this will draw in a certain type of crowd as well. Twenty-somethings with a firm eye on partying will not place much importance on nuances like these, but a more creative personality type will appreciate the thoughtfulness.

Often times we look to redesigns to improve on a concept but this take on a drink cup was made purely for aesthetic. There is little practicality to this design -- the size of the bulb is small so it can't hold as much as a standard glass could; pouring the drink is made more difficult due to the size of the cup's opening; and the glass, if made from the same glass as a regular household bulb, is more fragile than traditional drink cups. It is an interesting idea but ultimately not very effective for drinking. 

LIQUIGLIDE

LiquiGlide is a new design feature developed by MIT Professor Kripa Varanasi and former MIT student Dave Smith. It is a permanent-liquid coating that prevents sticking and aids in smooth evacuation or emptying. The above images shows two bottles of the same product -- one of the bottles is standard off-the-shelf while the interior of the one on the right is coated with LiquiGlide. The coating itself is a mixture of a solid texture and an extremely slippery liquid. These individual components are decided upon depending on the chemical makeup of the container. The texture helps bind the liquid to the bottle, making the product inside the container sit on a thin layer of liquid.

The original intention of the LiquiGlide was to prevent clogs in oil and pipelines but when companies around the world began to see its functionality, many reached out to inquire regarding its availability for more practical, everyday uses for the average person. The technology behind this creation is quite clearly innovative but the service it provides seems to deceivingly simplistic. We have all dealt with trying to get out the last of the ketchup in the bottle only to have it spit and sputter all over our plates and clothes. It's simple but it serves a very helpful purpose. Not only does it prevent that frustration but let's think of all the near-empty bottles of honey, cooking oils, shampoo, etc. that we throw out in a year because the alternative is sitting patiently with a bottle while it oh so slowly travels down and out the bottle opening. Who knows how much money that adds up to when we really stop to think about it!

OREO PACKAGING

In 1912, Nabisco, then known as The National Biscuit Company, first introduced the Oreo. The original packaging for the now-famous cookie was in the form of a tin box with a removable lid. The label on the tin was very ornamental and made the tin an interesting keepsake. The metal packaging surely helped preserve freshness as it made it easy to reseal. However, the tin was rather bulky. They could potentially be repurposed for other things, and of course simply throwing them out with the usual garbage was another obvious option, but when the cost of the packaging is a factor for a consumer it's difficult not to want a better option.

Over the years, Nabisco has changed the packaging for the Oreo, moving to a cardboard box and today to something entirely different to what the cookie debuted in. Today Oreos come in a grooved, thin plastic tray which sits inside a plastic wrap. The wrap contains an opening at the wide, flat top of the package. The opening is covered by a resealable adhesive flap that lifts to unveil access to the cookies. This new iteration of this plastic packaging is surprisingly effective at sealing in freshness compared to older versions that required the plastic tray to slide in and out of its encasing wrap without the ability to really close the package.

This type of packaging, while more complex in its design, is made of more cost-effective materials. This makes it easier to dispose of and makes the cookie overall more accessible to the consumer. Unfortunately part of the nature of our evermore disposal society is that sustainability is not always accounted for.

FROSTED GLASS LIGHT FIXTURE

The lighting fixture featured here hangs from the ceiling of a restaurant and is composed of two frosted glass shades held together and in place by a metal bracket. The fixture hangs from a solitary metal pole which attaches to a double-ended light bulb socket. Each side has thin metal rods that act as something of a cage to the glass shades. At the base of the fixture is an oblong metal plate that is secured in place by the aforementioned rods. The metal base holds each shade in place, which is a terrific feature for a city prone to earthquakes. Without the plate, there is the possibility that the shades might swing and hit one another, potentially shattering the glass.

The glass shades serve to subdue the light outward while still allowing for illumination across a broader space than would a metal or plastic shade. The intensity of the light, however, is still focused downward where it is most needed, the dinner table. The doubling up of two sources of light in one fixture seems to make it so that its reach spans a greater area without the intensity of a bright white bulb. The dimmer lighting works well in this restaurant setting. The industrial feel of the fixture is also a good fit! If not for the grooves in the glass shade, the fixture might appear to be purely utilitarian -- this simple touch gives a subtle hint at caring about its visual appeal.