Concepts form the backbone of innovation, and our ability to build on them and refine them sits at the very core of our future. YD’s always had its finger on pulse when it comes to conceptual designs. We honestly love them (even the impossible ones) because they help showcase a designer’s ability to step out of their comfort zone, and imagine something for a scenario that’s either partially or completely out of our reach. That’s one of the many reasons why we fly down to Singapore every year for the Red Dot Design Concept Awards. The Red Dot Design Concept Awards bring light to innovative and inspirational design concepts. These concepts start with a game-changing idea, and transform into a product visualization. The purpose of the Red Dot Design Concept Award is to scope out these interesting projects and bring them into the limelight, so that one day, they may develop into practical products that change our world. Live from the Red Dot Design Concept Awards 2019 in Singapore, here are our top winners from their Best of Best category… with the grand-prize Luminary Award winning project at the very end! You saw it here first!
01. Smart Intelligent Stroller by DO and BE Design
The Smart Intelligent Stroller is by far the most advanced way to travel with your child. The stroller comes with a hood that extends all the way down, giving the child a safe covering from top to bottom, while an internal system helps purify air and maintain a pleasant temperature and humidity levels inside the stroller, keeping the baby comfortable.
02. Tri-Cane by Jordan Lau Tsz Chun
This nifty walking stick can turn into a stool when you need! The Tri-cane considers the needs of the person using it, offering more than just support. The cane’s innovative design allows the handle to open up into a seat, while the cane itself comes with three collapsible legs that open outwards, turning it into a tripod-stool.
03. Smartians by Frolic Studio
Born out of necessity (or sheer laziness and genius combined), the Smartians actuators help turn these physical experiences into digital ones. The tiny actuators come with a base, a smart hub, and a wide variety of attachments that can perform actions like pulling, pushing, twisting, rotating, releasing, etc. Use your ingenuity and a combination of these attachments to turn regular, tactile experiences around your house into smart ones. The Smartians can turn lights on or off, rotate the dial on the thermostat, put the kettle on, or even water your plants
04. NeoMano Robotic Glove by Neofect
Designed to give the power of movement to people with paralysis, the NeoMano Robotic Glove sits on the hand, allowing the index finger, middle finger, and thumb grip onto objects and release them when needed. The ‘grip’ button on the controller flexes the fingers to make a gripping gesture and tightens the grip. The ‘release’ button loosens the fingers to relax the grip and returns the hand to its neutral position.
05. Dry Mountain Gas Stove by Shenzhen Shenwenjiao Design
The Dry Mountain Gas Stove has a meditative quality about it, brought about by its inspiration from Japanese and Buddhist landscape gardens. The stove’s design is dominated by curved, soft forms that make it appear calming, while also giving you a little extra countertop space, thanks to the rounded edges. The stove’s wavy resting plate is one of its strongest visual features. The wave-inspired plate doesn’t just provide an allure to the stove, it also makes it easier to clean when you’re done, with a cloth and a single swooping action.
06. Complete Plate by Lu Di
Designed as an aesthetic and functional take on the sushi-eating experience, the Complete Plate has a ramped channel running along its rim that lets you pour soy sauce into it. The ramped-design works almost like a clock, as the soy sauce level keeps diminishing with each dip, completing a full circle, giving you a very clear idea when you run out of sauce!
07. Doggy Leg by Guo Jiaxin, Li Zhi, Ma Huanhuan, Wang Yiru, Wang Yunqing, Yao Wenhua, Prof. Xu Kun, Prof. Zhang Yong
This prosthetic leg for our furry friends helps them scamper around with no difficulties! The flexible prosthesis was designed to mimic real-limb movement, thanks to an elastic plate connecting the upper and lower elements, so the leg feels absolutely natural in use as well as while resting.
08. Cord Reel Table by Zinus Inc.
Part table, part extension box, and complete ingenuity, the Cord Reel Table lets you wheel it around the house, thanks to its handle and its single-wheel design… but it does more than just that. It also lays out a wire between the table and the plug-point it’s connected to, giving you the ability to plug in and charge your phone or smart speaker from anywhere around the house! Hey Alexa, isn’t that a brilliant idea?
09. Lightweight Skateboard by Shenzhen Hanma Creative Technology
This porous skateboard may seem outwardly fragile, but it’s designed and engineered to be as strong as any other regular skateboard, if not stronger. Designed to be more sturdy and ecologically conscious than wood, the Lightweight Skateboard is die-casted using a magnesium alloy that’s finished using CNC Machining. The high-strength, low-weight skateboard comes with an adjustable wheel-base too, giving it even more of an edge over your regular wooden skateboard!
10. Lilium Jet by Lilium GmbH [Luminary Winner!]
With 36 tilting jet engines that give this eVTOL the power of flight, the Lilium Jet is capable of carrying up to 5 passengers for a distance of 300km on a single charge! It boasts of a wingspan of only 11 meters, with a design that has no tail, rudder, gearboxes, or oil circuits, making its design truly revolutionary. The luminary winning design is all set for its debut in 2025, with a hope that future models will be able to fly autonomously too!