This smart device connects wheelchairs to elevators
The project looks to enable wheelchair users to navigate modern buildings more easily, and was inspired by care home residents moving around their facility.
Product
News, views and analysis on the latest product and industrial design stories, covering transport, tech products and homewares.
Japanese textile designer Sudō Reiko’s innovative materials subject of new exhibition
Sudō reflects on her career, sustainability and being inspired by “little everyday moments” ahead of an upcoming exhibition at Japan House in London.
Design inspiration: the best projects from April
From swimming tigers, to “more-than-human” forests, these projects from the likes of Matt Willey, Kate Moross, Superflux and Mucho are our favourites of the month.
Unilever reveals “world’s first adaptive deodorant” for people with disabilities
Degree Inclusive is a collaboration between disabled designer Christina Mallon and product design studio Sour.
Design Age Institute launches suite of new initiatives
The organisation has announced a Design Age Directory and a community for designers and “ageing humans” to challenge negative stereotypes.
Design Museum and Camille Walala open supermarket for redesigned essentials
Designers have been enlisted to rethink essential items such as bread bags, coffee jars and toilet roll for the pop-up shop.
Salt water lamp WaterLight set to power communities without electricity
The portable device takes inspiration from indigenous practices at the borders of Venezuela and Colombia.
Pearson Lloyd designs stairlift fit “for the 21st century”
Flow X is the result of 10 years of research, design and development according to the studio, and takes aim at the outdated offering currently on the market.
This non-invasive armband uses machine learning to screen for Covid
The Tiger Tech Covid Plus monitor aims to provide an indication about the presence of the virus within three to five minutes.
Designers in Residence explores mental health in black British communities
Other projects from this year’s all-female line-up looked at our relationship to microbes in cities and Nigerian textiles.
Dyson designs product to remove formaldehyde from the home
The air purifier features new sensing technology to destroy potentially dangerous indoor pollutants, thereby ensuring a cleaner home environment.
Product design’s gender crisis: “If businesses don’t adapt they’ll become obsolete”
Kinneir Dufort CEO Merle Hall talks inequality in industrial design, untapped business potential and the studio’s new female-centred department.
Morag Myerscough turns installations into jewellery in latest collaboration
The designer has teamed up with statement jewellery company Tatty Devine to launch a collection inspired by her most recent works.
Designers and scientists are uniting to develop UV cleaning products
With the help of cutting-edge light science, designers are developing interventions that use UV light to sanitise both at home and in public.
Benjamin Hubert crafts “high-spirited” look for wellness start-up Never Go Alone
The wellbeing range includes refillable sanitisation products and customisable face masks aimed at city dwellers and travellers.
Design Week Awards 2021 entry deadline extended
You now have an extra three weeks to get your entries over before the deadline on 1 April and find out everything you need to know here.
Virgil Abloh partners with Braun to reinvent classic product as “functional art”
To mark Braun’s 100-year anniversary, the designer has redesigned the Wandanlage stereo system in a bid to bring the product in front of a new audience.
Gomi partners with Lime to turn old e-bike batteries into speakers
More than 50,000 battery cells from the micro-mobility company’s e-bike fleet will be reused to power Gomi’s new line of Bluetooth speakers.
How is the “world’s most advanced social robot” designed?
Exploring the design process at Furhat Robotics, which aims to create human-like interactions between robots with the help of a full-time magician.
Meet the design studios making new products and businesses in uncertain times
From virtual property presentation platforms to craftivism clothing kits, studios are using the current situation to explore new avenues.
Why a cardboard shortage is driving innovation in packaging design
Online shopping, office closures and Brexit have all impacted cardboard supplies. Material innovation and smarter packaging design could provide a solution.
Coca-Cola tests paper bottle but is it the answer?
The bottle is made by Danish company Paboco and features an extra strong paper shell, 100 per cent recycled plastic enclosure and liner inside.
£16 million offered for sustainable plastic packaging design solutions
Innovate UK is looking for “bold and ambitious” projects that tackle the sustainability challenges related to plastic packaging.
What role can designers play in the introduction of alternative meat products?
As alternative protein sources become more prevalent, we explore how design can help shape the journey from production to branding.