photo mary lou jepsen invented the display that made the OLPC so power-efficient, and she presents the case for the green design of the laptop as the result of a concerted effort to address the needs of developing countries. where there is little electricity and limited tooling, the laptop had to be durable, power-efficient and […]
Category Archives: product design
greener than thou
Also posted in energy, fabrication, open objects, universal design
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fictional computing
pierre wellner’s 1991 digital desk is a seminal piece of human-computer interaction research, but it’s also a pioneering video. in today’s interaction world, video documentation is essential to show how a dynamic, responsive system works. in many ways, videos are the documentation media best suited to interaction design. as wellner’s video demonstrates, it’s not necessary […]
Also posted in animation, augmented reality
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postcard-maker
john kestner’s photoradio is a concept for a digital picture frame that can also print – so that the images you email your friends and family can become real, tangible postcards. it was aimed at bridging the gap between generations, so that young people who are accustomed to communicating by computer can have a seamless […]
Also posted in blogogracy, tangible, universal design
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all-natural electronics
noah vawter’s Synth From Nothin’ tries to answer the question ‘if i was stranded on a desert island, how could i make a synthesizer?’ at the same time the research project tries to discover whether it’s possible to make electronics without the semiconductor industry, and in turn whether electronics can be all-natural and sustainable. from […]
Also posted in art, energy, environment, materials
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renewable packaging
i just picked up this balinesian sea salt packaged in a coconut at whole foods because i couldn’t resist the packaging design (or lack thereof). never mind the idea of shipping salt, let alone from bali. the coconut packaging has three distinct advantages over the plastic, metal foil and paper that the other foods are […]
Also posted in energy, environment, fabrication, livingbreathing, marketing, materials, open objects, traceability, upcycling
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audio players of the future
looking at old consumer electronics can make you realize just how far we haven’t come – i just discovered transistor.org, sarah lowrey’s website dedicated to her transistor radio collection. flipping through these vintage audio players you can find a lot of the trends that seem so pervasive today, as well as design ideas we still […]
Also posted in customization, energy, environment, fabrication, materials
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breastware
there is an urban legend that the champagne ‘coupe’ (above right) was modeled on marie antoinette‘s breast, however the idea of breast-shaped dishware is not without support: in the queen’s dairy at rambouillet was a ceramic tea service which included four milk cups (of course) rumored to be modeled on her breasts (above left). unfortunately […]
Also posted in customization, marketing, possessed products, soft/glowing
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design for the (tech-savvy) masses
design democracy is a yearly competition based on the belief that mass customization is a viable alternative to mass production. unlike ponoko, this competition is based on free trade in design patterns that you can then make yourself at your local highly computerized wood shop. but given that finding and manufacturing this kind of product […]
Also posted in 2d, 3d, conviviality, customization, fabrication, furniture, futurecraft, marketing, open objects
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