20 most recent innovations in household

Helix Hand-Held Citrus Press

Mon, 13 Mar 2017 00:00:00 Z

Keep your hands safe from working too hard and use the Helix Hand-Held Citrus Press from Joseph Joseph. This vibrant device utilizes a unique twisting mechanism. With this, the Helix Citrus Press gets all the juice from your fruits with far less effort. Ideal for any citrus, the Helix Citrus Press is perfect for spritzing your dishes with lemon and lime. It even uses bright yellow and green colors in the design. The Helix Citrus Press delivers power to the fruit that would ordinarily put strain on your hands. Additionally, it ensures all of the juice flow from the device and onto your intended food.

Brush Vacuum Cleaner Attachment

Tue, 24 Jan 2017 00:00:00 Z

The main thought behind this invention is, that instead of a single large opening there would be many small suction areas through many tubes. Through these the suction would be optimally distributed. Very small, fine areas could be cleaned and small parts and objects would not get lost. It is based on the principle of a brush. With a brush, you can clean almost any area. It fits onto all uneven surfaces and can be used anywhere. The only disadvantage is, a brush cannot vacuum up dust.

Flame-Monitoring Stovetops

Thu, 05 Jan 2017 00:00:00 Z

Utilizing a gas stove range usually requires chefs to bend down and look at the base underneath the pot or pan to see if the flame is on, but the 'MirrorHob' aims to eliminate this. Featuring a small V-shaped accent, the 'MirrorHob' puts a reflective portion onto the rear section of the stove to make seeing how big or small the flame is a simple process. Users will no longer have to lift the cooking vessel or crouch down to look underneath again thanks to the functional design of the stove range.

Hair and Hand Dryer Combo Saves Space

Tue, 06 Sep 2016 00:00:00 Z

The combination Hair and Hand Dryer helps reduce bathroom clutter while also offering a more hygienic alternative to a towel.

Conceived by Jaewan Choi, the Hair and Hand Dryer features can function like a normal hair dryer, with its sleek shape and comfortable grip. After use, however, the device can be slipped inside a waterproof frame attached the wall, which enlarges the surface area of the hot air release and turns it into a hand dryer. The storage base also recharges the dryer, eliminating the need for wires.

The Hair and Hand Dryer was the recipient of the A’Design Award competition.

An Effortless Key Ring

Wed, 24 Aug 2016 00:00:00 Z

The key ring was invented more than a century ago; a simple device that holds our keys together.

Key rings are hard to use, requiring force and prying. They chip fingernails, hurt, and cause relentless frustration.

By adding a small tab it is now very easy to add keys to the ring.

Rolling Knife

Tue, 05 Jan 2016 00:00:00 Z

The kitchen knife is getting a makeover with a new design featuring a circular grip for improved ergonomics and versatility. Called Bolo, the designers tweaked the traditional knife design to change the movement of the blade and the way the user interacts with it.

Bolo's creator, chef Randall Cornfield, says the angle of the blade and the grip on the handle in traditional knives put too much stress on the wrist and hand. With the Bolo, the user applies the force of their hand above the blade, this way avoiding unnatural movements with hand and wrist. The placement of the grip around a circular blade is also claimed to enable more precise cutting.

The rolling knife can double as a chopper by holding its blade brake. It also includes an optional pastry blade to cut through dough more easily, and a tenderizer blade for meat. The Bolo knife is dishwasher safe, and the blade can be removed by opening the bolt for a thorough clean.

Knock To Control Your Devices

Fri, 07 Aug 2015 00:00:00 Z

Designed for internet-connected homes, the Knocki mounts onto most any solid surface—such as a table or wall—to allow the homeowner to control their devices with a knock.

Developed by Swan Solutions, the disc-shaped Knocki is equipped with WiFi as well as the designers’ patent-pending technology that enables the device to differentiate deliberate knocks from random vibrations. The unit can recognize up to ten different knock patterns, each of which can be personalized to trigger specific actions—such as changing the music or sending a text when someone knocks at the door.

Find Your Belongings Using Augmented Reality

Tue, 03 Mar 2015 00:00:00 Z

If you have a tendency to sometimes misplace your belongings, a new location tracking device called Pixie may be able to help you locate them a little quicker using augmented reality.

The Pixie sensors can be added to anything from your keys, wallet, smartphone or remote control to even providing data about your your pets location directly to the companion app on your smartphone.

“Pixie Points are the smartest, friendliest, most useful tags in the world, and the only ones that provide precise location. Each one contains our innovative signaling technology that enables the Pixies to communicate with our app, and with each other.

What you see is what you find. Your phone’s camera becomes a treasure map, where “x” marks the spot. Our platform reveals the location of any object – even through walls, down to inches.

Create individual kits with matching checklists and get notified when something is not where it is supposed to be. Pixify your luggage, your computer bag, anything.

IoT connects objects to the Internet – but it doesn’t know the actual whereabouts of anything. So we invented the Location of Things – a technology platform that knows where everything is, all the time. It’s mobile. It’s built to grow. And don’t worry, it’s totally private.”

For more information on the new Pixie sensors jump over to the official website for details and the ability to pre-order.

Portable Washing Machine

Thu, 15 Jan 2015 00:00:00 Z

The Dolfi Washing Machine is an amazing portable one that fits into the luggage without a fuss. Promising you a speedy and efficient washing of clothes, when out on the go … the system uses innovative ultrasound technology to do the cleaning. Who couldn’t do with a fresh pair of undies and white shirt while living out of a suitcase for the better part of the month!

Spillproof Wine Glass

Wed, 03 Dec 2014 00:00:00 Z

To avoid spillages at the dinner table, San Francisco duo Superduperstudio has shaped these wine glasses so they rest at an angle when knocked over.

Saturn Wine Glasses by Superduperstudio don't have a traditional stem and base, but instead are indented around the bottom of the bowl. The glasses rest upright on a flat surface beneath the bowl and stack within one another for compact storage. When knocked from upright, the vessels tip to rest on the wide curved edge above the base instead of falling horizontal and spilling the contents.

When knocked from upright, the vessels tip to rest on the wide curved edge above the base instead of falling horizontal and spilling the contents.

Two sizes for red and white wine hold about the same amount of liquid as average glasses – 150-175 millimetres for red and 120-150 millilitres for white – while remaining "spillproof".

Wine glasses are usually designed with stems to prevent the transfer of heat from the hand to the liquid.

"One small downside for not having a traditional stem seems to be how the temperature of your hand affects the temperature of the wine, but isn't as big of a problem in the red as the white," Yamane told Dezeen.

The vessels are hand-shaped then blown in a mould in Oakland, California. Each piece is then annealed overnight – a process that involves slowly cooling the glass to strengthen it – before being returned to the kiln for just long enough to soften and finish the edges in a process known as fire-polishing.

While prototyping the designs, Superduperstudio developed a technique of creating wooden moulds so they could quickly and cheaply make multiple versions each day.

The different glass iterations they created were tested and adapted to find perfect the shape.

Wireless Christmas Lights

Mon, 01 Dec 2014 00:00:00 Z

Christmas is centered around the concept of light, as people in the Northern Hemisphere are struggling through the darkest parts of winter when the days are their shortest. That’s why Christmas lights are such an icon of the festive season. The tradition is now about to get a touch of wireless magic, as a company called Powered by Aura has developed a system to wirelessly power up Christmas tree lights.

The centerpiece of the system is the forest green Aura Power Ring, which can be placed underneath smaller trees less than 5 ft (1.5 m) tall, or snapped around the middle of trees measuring between 5 and 10 ft (3 m). Plugging into a standard outlet, the ring wirelessly transfers power to the LED ornaments that light up autmatically when entering the power field. To do this safely, the transmitter and receivers are precisely tuned so the energy does not interfere with the surroundings.

Power isn't the only wireless aspect of the Aura system, with users able to connect to the power ring via Wi-Fi and control the ornaments with a remote control or through an app available for Android and iOS. This allows the user to remotely turn all the lights on and off, set schedules, and set timers.

Aside from the ease of decorating a tree without dealing with a tangle of wires, the Aura system also cuts the risk of fires as there is no direct heat involved and no wires to short circuit. Additionally, unlike wired lights where the bulbs are all connected and one broken bulb can mean tossing the entire strand, the Aura bulbs all operate independently of each other. Besides being safer and tidier, the absence of wires also allows for more flexibility when placing lights around the tree.

One-Cup Coffee Filter

Wed, 26 Nov 2014 00:00:00 Z

The Coffee Gourmet is designed for producing one cup at a time, and the company promises that it produces a "superior" flavor. The strength of the brew can be altered by exposing more or less of the Coffee Gourmet's filter as required. The device is then filled with the recommended amount of ground coffee and is hooked onto the side of a mug, hanging down inside.

When the advised near-boiling water is poured into the device, it is soaked up by the coffee grinds. The grinds initially block the filter, but as they soak up the water they produce carbon dioxide and start floating to the top. This is said to ensure that no liquid passes through the filter until the coffee has been adequately saturated and has had time to "bloom."

A constant source of fresh, near-boiling water is poured into the Coffee Gourmet until the mug is filled. This ensures that the temperature remains at a constant 95-98º C (203-208º F) and there is enough pressure produced to push the water through the filter. The process takes about 30-40 seconds, which ensures that there is no "over extraction" from the grinds and avoids producing a bitter flavor. This is a common problem with other brewing methods.

Spring Nutcracker

Mon, 17 Nov 2014 00:00:00 Z

Naomi cracks nuts by means of a helical spring with a striker attached inside: The nut is placed in the stainless steel bowl of the nutcracker, and the spring body placed over it. The spring is fixed at the table top with two fingers aside, and the ball on the end of the spring is pulled upwards. When it is released, the striker shoots down and cracks the nut. At the same time the spiral spring closes to prevent shell pieces from flying around.

Cheaper LED Bulbs Due To Convection Cooling

Wed, 29 Oct 2014 00:00:00 Z

Cree has already gone a long way towards making incandescent light bulbs obsolete, by introducing its relatively normal-looking, inexpensive LED bulbs. Today, however, the company announced that those bulbs will soon be ... well, even more normal-looking and inexpensive, thanks to the elimination of the heat sink.

On the current generation of Cree LED bulbs, the heat sink takes the form of a sort of multi-finned collar that goes around the base of the bulb. This gives the bulb additional surface area, allowing it to better dissipate the heat that it generates while running.

The new bulbs, however, incorporate a convection-based technology that Cree calls 4Flow Filament Design. This incorporates slots both in the base of the bulb, and at the top. As heat generated by the bulb rises and exits out the slots on top, it continuously draws cooler ambient air in through the slots on the bottom. This eliminates the need for the heat sink, resulting in a cheaper-to-manufacture, lighter bulb.

Magnetic Strip To Hang Bottles In Your Fridge

Mon, 20 Oct 2014 00:00:00 Z

Unless you're lucky enough to have a second drinks-only fridge in the garage, your bottled beverages are probably battling leftovers and condiments for shelf space in your kitchen fridge. But you can end that war once and for all with the magnetic bottleLoft that lets you simply hang bottles from the roof of your fridge, freeing up shelf space below.

Kettle That Only Heats the Water You Actually Use

Thu, 16 Oct 2014 00:00:00 Z

MIITO is an innovative product that heats liquids directly in the vessel to be used, hence eliminating the heating of excess water. Simply fill your cup with water, place it onto the induction base and immerse the rod in the liquid. The induction base heats the rod, which then heats the liquid surrounding it. MIITO works with non-ferrous vessels of any size, for example a pot of tea when inviting guests. MIITO can also heat your soup or milk for a coffee. The clean shape of the rod allows it to be cleaned easily.

MIITO does not have an on/off button: simply lift the rod from the base and it shifts to “Standby” mode. In this mode a small current flows which detects the ferrous material of the induction plate. Once a vessel is placed onto the base and the rod is placed inside, the full induction power turns on and heats the induction plate of the rod. The device signals once the liquid has boiled and shifts back into “Standby”. By placing the rod on the base the device shuts off.

Mug That Won’t Tip Over

Fri, 26 Sep 2014 00:00:00 Z

We’ve all spilt a drink on our work at one time or another. If you were lucky, this just ruined your paperwork but if not, you destroyed your laptop, your outfit and your day in one fell swoop.

A team of industrial designers and engineers have come to the rescue by creating a cup that doesn’t fall over when knocked. Mighty Mug is the first mug to use Smartgrip Technology, which means that it creates a powerful airlock when placed on a flat surface. This prevents it from falling over if bumped or pushed.

You may imagine that such a mug would be hard to pick up, but because it uses patented Smartgrip Technology instead of suction or a magnet, it’s just as easy to lift as a normal mug.

Led by Jayme Smaldone, the Brooklyn-based team behind Mighty Mug spent three years perfecting the design. They were inspired the type of mug-related accident that many of us are familiar with, Smaldone explains "When a big spill ruined an important computer of ours, we set out to create a better, smarter mug – a mug that would stand up to accidental knocks and bumps".

Tray That Thaws Frozen Foods Faster

Thu, 25 Sep 2014 00:00:00 Z

Defrost frozen meats in a fraction of the time—and without hot water or electricity—with the ThawTHAT! II defrosting tray.

The ThawTHAT! II is made of anodized aluminum and features an "energy reservoir" equipped with heat-pipes and a bio-safe thermo liquid. The liquid actively draws the cold away from any item placed on the surface of the tray, drastically reducing the thawing time. The ThawTHAT! II is also designed with a gently concave surface that allows liquids to flow into the built-in drip catcher.

In tests, the ThatTHAT!II proved able to thaw a 9 oz. steak in just 13 minutes (compared to 28 minutes on the kitchen counter top).

Multifaceted Key Holder

Mon, 15 Sep 2014 00:00:00 Z

The KeySmart is a multifaceted key holder that is the perfect place to keep your car, garage and house keys together. With a Swiss Army-inspired design, the KeySmart holds all of your keys in an expandable design that is sleek, compact and functional.

Carrying your keys is about to get a lot more high-tech with the KeySmart keychain. This nifty gadget has an innovative folding design that stacks up to 100 keys inside one compact rectangular design. Users can access their keys by flipping them out like you would with a Swiss Army knife. You can even add USB extensions if you want to keep your files and keys all in one sleek place. The KeySmart fits snugly inside your pocket without the need for a bulky or noisy keyring.

Foldable Spoon With Different Capacities

Wed, 03 Sep 2014 00:00:00 Z

Beautiful in its simplicity, Rahul Agarwal's Polygons measuring spoon design is a multi-hinged piece of flat polypropylene that folds into four different volume measurements, from a teaspoon to two tablespoons, depending on how you pick it up.

Folding the flat piece of polypropylene into the desired volume doesn't require any origami expertize, but is as simple as gripping the sides of the strip and squeezing. The volume varies depending on how far along the strip you squeeze and each measure folds tightly enough to use with liquids or powders. And since its natural shape is flat, it's easy to wipe residue off the Polygons spoon and clean it when you're done.

Agarwhal sees the spoon's flat-pack nature as its key advantage – you can even use it as a bookmark for your cookbooks, or build a version of it into the packaging of a medicine, for example.