The six finalists have been announced for the 2014 Electrolux Design Lab – a global competition to explore to the future of home appliances.
This year, 1,7000 student designers stretched their imaginations to come up with incredible design concepts to change the way we live for the better. The winner of the competition will be chosen from the finalists after presenting their concepts to a jury in Paris on 12 November 2014.
The concepts are based on the theme ‘Creating Healthy Homes’ and the winner will receive 5,000 euros and a six-month paid internship at an Electrolux global design centre. Second prize is 3,000 euros and third prize is 2,000 euros.
“The finalists’ concepts are truly innovative and offer new ideas on how we might be living our lives in the future, whether it’s eating healthier or being more sustainable,” said Lars Erikson, head of Electrolux Design and the Design Lab jury.
Unfortunately the Star Wars knife didn’t make the cut, but Appliance Retailer is pleased to see the hologram hunting game among the finalists.
Future Hunter-Gatherer by Pan Wang from China / UK
Forget just shopping for your groceries online, Future Hunter-Gatherer is a “virtual grocery shopping experience.” Say you want fish for dinner, it projects a hologram of a fish which the user must “catch.” The food the user collects in the game is then transmitted to the local grocery store or market, where a real person will process the order and deliver them to the user’s door.
UrbanCone by Michał Pośpiech from Poland
UrbanCone is an air purification device designed to mimic the movement of a jellyfish. It lifts up and flies in the air purifying it as it goes thanks to ultra light construction and photovoltaic solar panel wings.
PETE by Kovács Apor from Hungary
Nothing to wear? Excess of plastic bottles? Well, you’re in luck.
PETE lets consumers choose the desired clothing type, colour and cutting, while the machine gives the amount of PET bottles needed for the fabrication. It then turns the bottles into polyester and prints the garments.
Pure Towel by Leobardo Armenta from Mexico
PureTowel uses ultraviolet rays and a high speed dryer fan to dry as well as purify a towel to “eliminate 99.9 per cent of the bacteria.”
Set To Mimic by Sorina Răsteanu from Romania
Set to Mimic is a set of smart kitchenware that recreates tastes and smells of your food to your preference. By placing a transparent gel patch with a microchip on your head, the plate and glass communicates wirelessly with your brain, to make you experience a taste or smell from the past by tapping in to your memory. For example making you feel like you are eating chips when in fact you are eating cauliflour.
Lotus by Fulden Dehneli from Turkey
Lotus is an air purifier with three portable and rechargeable air cleaning balls. While the main body offers a general purification, the balls can be taken anywhere according to need, for example to be placed in the kitchen when chopping garlic.
These mind-bending concepts are further explained in a series of videos which you can find here.
Tess’ Tips:
First place: Pure Towel
Second place: Lotus
Third place: PETE