When it comes to drool-worthy retro gaming device customizations, Swedish designer, craftsman and innovator Love Hultén never fails to disappoint. Previously, Hultén has channeled his inspiration in early space travels, vintage audio mixing consoles and industrial cabinets to develop his Pixelkabinett 42 Collection – a collection that aims to bring the past to the present…

It’s a problem that’s plagued riders for over a century and has even spawned an entire industry of accessories: the flat bicycle tire. Although many have come to just take flat tires in stride with a variety of fix kits or even entire tube replacements in their riding gear, the problem of a flat bicycle…

One might not normally associate basic design and engineering education with Nerf Blasters, yet the past year has seen some Blaster releases that play double-duty as an interactive learning tool for basic engineering principles. Back in January of this year, the brand announced their Nerf N-Strike Modulus ECS-10 Blaster – a design that encourages kids…

Tasked with re-packaging an existing product for semester-long Package Design course, industrial design student Jessica Stoll turned to creating a new user experience for one of the most iconic meals of our generation: The Big Mac Value Meal. Designed for an on-the-go lifestyle, the new package plays double duty as both a carrying purse and…

When you already have Tim Cook as an investor before heading into a Kickstarter campaign, chances are you’ve already got a winner on your hands. At least, this has been the case for a group of enthusiastic shower aficionados who are already making a splash on Kickstarter with their Nebia Shower. Led by CEO Philip…

When it comes to model making, every architect, designer or engineer has their own proven method – whether it starts with a simple sketch and moves to foam core or with various found materials. Regardless of how they got there though, the model that client sees is likely to be considerably more polished – and…

When it was first bottled under contract in Chattanooga, Tennessee in 1899, Coca-Cola was sold in straight-sided bottles with a metal stopper that looked more like vessels for whiskey rather than a refreshing thirst quencher. Over the next two decades, the soda would become so popular that it spawned an entire new industry of competitors…

Walls. Love ’em or hate ’em, they just look better with something on them. Unless you’re still 15 years old, that Pearl Jam poster just isn’t going to cut it anymore. For those who’ve been wondering what the heck to put on their walls, we just might have the solution – and best of all,…

Despite the seemingly endless amount of project management and instant messaging apps, spitwads and Nerf darts are oftentimes still used as a form of communication between some engineering and design teams. Whether you have an ongoing game of office warfare or not, it also never hurts to be prepared. For those who simply just want…

Although manufactured toy construction sets – such as Tinkertoy – have been in existence for over a century now, it wasn’t until the desktop fabrication revolution a few years ago when we started to see how the design and production of similar sets can be created at home by the consumer – in fact, it…

When it comes to interior lighting options, few designs ever openly encourage users to actually interact with light bulbs beyond placing them in a socket – however the Arc Wall Light from industrial designer Vedat Ulgen is anything but your average light design. Made from solid walnut, the hand cut Arc Wall Light features channels…

Between the Evolution Door from Klemens Torggler to the Fletcher Capstan Table from Fletcher Burwell-Taylor, kinetic furniture designs have been slowly finding their way into the mainstream thanks to their mesmerizing shape-shifting characteristics that are the result of some tedious engineering. More recently, New York-based kinetic artist Ian Stell has created what is likely to…

If you’ve been paying any attention to Japan’s Olympic stadium woes in preparation for the upcoming Tokyo 2020 games, then you’ll know that the situation has become a complete mess. The original design of the $2 billion stadium by Zaha Hadid was met with fury by many of the country’s own architects who said it…

Despite the various conveniences that modern laptops, tablets and smartphones provide us throughout any given day, there’s no denying that the devices constantly remind us of a fast-paced world that’s obsessed with shiny new gadgetry and rapid obsolescence caused by poor build quality. But what if we could embed just a little bit of ‘lasting…

Since debuting in 1917, the Chuck Taylor All Star has since become one of the world’s top-selling and most celebrated sneakers. Worn by everybody from punk rockers such as the Ramones to casual Hamptons weekenders, no shoe can claim as wide of a market nor as many stories as the Converse Chuck Taylor All Star…

Although there are plenty of iconic furniture designs that are so recognizable that even non industrial designers can easily call them by name, few are as recognizable as the original Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman, which was released in 1956 by designers Charles and Ray Eames. The chair and ottoman set, which is the result…

Thanks to a growing network of designers and engineers who been actively donating their time, energy and 3D printers towards the development of low-cost (or free) customized prosthetic devices, those who rely on the devices have never had as many options as they do today. Among others, e-NABLE has been actively establishing a global network…

Jaquet Droz Charming Bird has no substance to it. The watch is more for aesthetics than technical expertise. But combine the technology and aesthetics together, encapsulated in the watchmaker’s history, and you have a watch that is absolutely chock full of substance and intriguing to a fault.

As if throwing a ceramic vase, bowl or tea kettle on a wheel doesn’t already demand enough skill and patience with your hands, one can only imagine the amount of patience it would take to perform the exact same process on pieces that measure just 1″ tall. Yet, these ceramic miniatures are exactly what self-described…

Some would say sketching is severely limited in most 3D design software. Some wouldn’t even call it sketching, but more a fork jab into the gum-line process of tediously picking points to create kinda the shape you’re looking for. UMake is asking you to toss that process (lay down that fork) and put your ideas…

Considering how much time we spend at our keyboards (well, many of us anyways), even the slightest of design changes can make a world of difference in how we interact with our digital toolkits – good or bad. Apple understands this and has even brought their latest keyboard technologies front and center for their latest…

When it comes to staying innovative in an age where toys are being replaced by touchscreen devices and apps, leave it to NERF to keep churning out new ways of experiencing the same toy over and over again. Yesterday, the toy blaster brand that’s responsible for more than a handful of office warfare battles announced…

As electronic manufacturers including Apple and Samsung race to produce the next great consumer electronics product with each season, its no surprise that over 152 million mobile devices – including smartphones and tablets – are disposed of each year (that’s over 416,000 per day) worldwide. So, while Moore’s Law has previously encouraged us to adopt…

As of June of 2015, over five million (and counting) Raspberry Pis have been sold to a new generation of Makers, Hackers, Developers, Tinkerers and Programmers. Already the fastest selling British personal computer, it has also shipped the second largest number of individual units behind Amstrad PCW – AKA the “Personal Computer Word Processor” -…

It’s no secret that one of the fastest ways to improve any digital workflow is to learn a program’s hot keys. Whether the program in question is Photoshop, SolidWorks, MODO or even your OS itself, knowing the keys can be a lifesaver for bouncing quickly between tasks. The problem of course – is actually learning…

Although we’ve come to know the Dyson brand as an authority on vacuum cleaners – and more recently, fans that utilize Bladeless Fan Technologies – the company has also been quietly improving the lighting experience, too. Led by Jake Dyson, son of company founder James, the company’s new CSYS line of lamps are capable of…

It’s not surprising that using additive manufacturing to create large-scale objects – such as chairs – hasn’t really taken off; between the size of a 3D printer needed combined with the cost of filament, you may as well truck over to your nearest Design Within Reach and pick up your favorite Herman Miller or Eames.…

Known primarily for being one of the best typographers of all time, German typographer Erik Spiekermann has created dozens of iconic typefaces for both commercial and corporate clients that many have come to recognize; he was also among those interviewed in Gary Hustwit’s 2007 documentary Helvetica. The designer, who Monocle Magazine has called the “world’s…

I’m not ashamed to say it. I want to buy a truck, just to buy a Billy Box. Austin-based Billy Boxes is fresh on the truck bed scene making everyone from tailgaters to hunters turn their head. Up until now, the chunky tool boxes have been the same-old accessory, a bit ‘meh’, lacking in their…

The last time we heard from Swedish designer, craftsman and innovator Love Hultén, he was sending ripples through the design community with his modular Brix System of handcrafted wooden electronic devices. Inspired by his own childhood experiences of playing with the retro 1979-1987 “Legoland Space” LEGO bricks, the conceptual collection consists of eight 6:1 scale…

Of all of the things that came out in 1984 – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Spinal Tap, The Karate Kid, Transformers and the first John Hughes film, among others – an iPhone (or more appropriately – a Macintosh Phone) was not one of them. However, 1984 was also the year that Apple ran their iconic…

Ladies and gentlemen – start your engines or as Nigel Tufnel from Spinal Tap would say “These go to eleven!”. This is Fiat S76, more famously known as The Beast of Turin from 1911 and it easily goes to eleven and beyond. This magnificent car was built during the short Edwardian (or Brass) Era, spanning…

Although we’ve been seeing an increase in electric skateboard options as of late, few have really taken off to become go-to modes of transportation – yet. However, when it comes to the wide range of various water toys that allow us to become the Rocketeer or James Bond for a few minutes in our lives,…

In the case that the onslaught of superhero-themed movies coming out over the next few years isn’t enough to keep comic book fans busy, publishers including Marvel and DC Comics are in the process of announcing literally truckloads of toys and action figures ranging from your run-of-the-mill $10 posable figures to more complex trophy case-worthy…

If you were to take on a fourth-generation Italian company that produces chairs, sofas and other furniture as a client for a new furniture collection, the chances of straying too far from tradition are likely to be somewhat slim. Rather, the focus would more likely be on enhancing existing details and processes while maintaining the…

Roy Barazani is the rare type of person that I want to personally meet and congratulate on his ingenious product idea. His product, The OFFBITS, is a line of open-source robots that encourages users to add their own stray upcycled hardware components. Originally designed with “unused and unloved” bits and pieces, the ‘build-it-yourself’ kits can…

Since it was unveiled almost exactly one year ago, Google’s NYC-based 30 Weeks: A Founders Program for Designers incubator has been nothing short of a success story that even established design firms should probably take notes on. In collaboration with existing NYC design schools and institutions including Hyper Island, SVA, Parsons, Pratt, The Cooper Union…

During the 9-5 grind, Ken Jasinski is an Industrial Designer and his wife Quan is a Color Specialist – both working in technology. While grad school has always been of interest to them, they instead chose to spend their hard earned money and spare time on launching Butter. During the past several years they have been slowly building Buttur and the brand’s first…

Although we may not have functional hover boards yet (that don’t rely on a leaf blower at least), the past few years have presented skaters with a bevy of new technologies that have helped switch-up the four-wheeled board experience for the better. Of course, technology will never replace the raw skill of shredding the gnar…

A couple of months ago, I left my day job to give myself the freedom to explore my curiosities and pursue some nagging, deep rooted – but altogether indefinite – ideas. The best way I can describe it is that it feels like there is some rope tied around my waist pulling me forward, and…

Animal trophy heads or skulls have adorned the mantle of many a freemason’s living room over the years. Whether their presence has helped solidify an aura of mystery and manliness that some crave or is a sentimental object that’s been handed down over generations, few could have probably ever imagined what a trophy head would…

Between the trends of both designing products outside of a company’s product category and the rise of privatized space exploration, it was only a matter of time before we started seeing designers (and their brands) come out of the woodwork with their own take on spacecraft designs. While well known industrial/concept designers such as Scott…

Creating life-sized objects out of LEGOs is nothing new – but creating life-sized LEGO objects that actually work? Now we’re talking. Love Hulten, a Swedish designer, craftsman and innovator who focuses on fusing modern technology with traditional artisan craft, has recently created the Brix System; a collection of hand crafted modular devices that are custom…

These days – as sad as it may be – it’s not surprising for somebody to take out a smartphone or tablet during breakfast, lunch or dinner. What used to be “just checking email” or “responding to a text” has now become surfing the web, browsing Instagram and crushing opponents on Words with Friends. After…

Last time we heard from Mininch, the new hand tool company had raised over a quarter-million dollars from their first Kickstarter campaign – where they were hawking a unique multi-tool design that featured multiple bits in a pen-sized package. Their product, which was simply called “Tool Pen”, was aimed at the “Fix It Yourself” generation…

As cycling continues to increase as a standard form of transportation around the world, we’ve also naturally been seeing an increasing amount of accessory designs that aim to make riding a bike to work or to meet up with friends at the bar a more personal experience. Among other companies aimed at making the cycling…

Like most teenagers, Simon Morris dreamt of owning his own hoverboard. Naturally, this led to an obsession with magnetic levitation and he soon began building his own hoverboard prototypes with magnets – much to the amusement of his friends and family. With a working magnetic hoverboard prototype under his arm (which actually worked but wasn’t…

Last week at the Salone del Mobile furniture show in Milan, Ford Motor Company unveiled what they’ve been doing to keep their designers busy as of late – and it has nothing to do with designing the future of automobiles. Rather, the company had some of their A-list designers behind their recently-announced 2017 Ford GT…

Back in 2013, many of the world’s best architects and designers attended the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. Among other concepts being presented for the first time, this was where “Blockitecture” was introduced to the world by James Paulius. Paulius, a product designer who…

Considering that recent statistics have proven that 62% of Americans believe that we will eventually be living in a “Keyless Era”, it should come with little surprise that there is an increasing demand for smart locks of all shapes and sizes that speak to different markets. According to those statistics, 4 out of 5 Americans…