20 most recent innovations in office

Inkless Printer

Wed, 09 Nov 2016 00:00:00 Z

We’re all familiar with the problems surrounding ink cartridges: they’re expensive, bad for the environment and just when you want to print that important document, your cartridge runs out of ink.

With the method of Inkless, the paper is carbonized. If you would normally try this with thin material, such as paper, you would burn through it quickly. The resulting print would also not be permanent in that case and would not be black enough. Inkless has a much better control over the carbonization process, which means we don’t have to print as deep and therefore do not damage the paper. Furthermore, we have developed a solution which ensures that the print is black enough and also permanent. The technology is protected by several patents.

Multifunctional Tool Pen

Thu, 27 Nov 2014 00:00:00 Z

If you’re going to drop a pen in your pocket for unexpected note taking, you may as well choose one that can come in handy in other situations. This Multifunction Tool Pen isn’t just a trusty writing instrument, it also includes both a flathead and Phillips head screwdriver, a level, a stylus, an eraser, and a ruler.

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.

A Compass That Can Draw Digital Files

Wed, 26 Nov 2014 00:00:00 Z

Ken Nakagaki's Comppass brings an age old design tool into the modern era. "The initial idea came from simple curiosity. How would it feel to draw a square with a compass?" Nakagaki told Dezeen.

Equipped with Bluetooth, it is able to draw 2-D shapes from digital files that are beamed over via iPhone. Two steel rods emerge from a center that is stuck into the paper, and by rotating the rods 360 degrees, the attached arm can trace or cut the programmed shape, just like a regular compass drawing a circle. The Comppass also can easily trace existing shapes from paper—or any desired shape you conjure up—to store in its memory as a digital file from which exact copies can be made immediately. Even more amazingly, the "copy and paste" function even works with 3-D objects, automatically drawing a shape that can be folded into the dimensions measured.

"Down the ages, people have been used rulers or compasses to draw precise figures with their own hands," Nakagaki told Dezeen. "On the other hand, as computers developed, CAD software has enabled us to draw precise figures and duplicate them easily on the display. But these systems lack the intuitiveness of drawing on paper. We needed a drawing tool that included the advantages of both digital and manual."

Nakagaki's Comppass was shortlisted for the James Dyson Foundation Award, which went to James Roberts for his cheap inflatable baby incubator.

Chairless Chair

Mon, 25 Aug 2014 00:00:00 Z

If you work somewhere such as a factory, warehouse, or restaurant kitchen, then you'll know how tiring it can be to stand for several hours at a time. Unfortunately, however, it isn't always practical or safe to carry a stool around with you wherever you go. That's why Swiss start-up noonee has created the Chairless Chair. Worn as an exoskeleton on the back of the legs, it lets you walk or even run as needed, but can be locked into a supporting structure when you go into a sitting position.

Company CEO Keith Gunura started developing the Chairless Chair in 2009, when he was a student in the Bioinspired Robotics Lab at the ETH Zurich research institute. He was inspired to do so by memories of his first job, in which he worked while standing at a packaging line.

Now in prototype form and being actively marketed, the device utilizes a powered variable damper to support the wearer's body weight. The user simply bends their knees to get themselves down to the level at which they'd like to sit, and then engages the damper. The Chairless Chair then locks into that configuration, directing their weight down to the heels of their shoes, to which it is attached – it also attaches to the thighs via straps, and to the waist using a belt.

Retractable Ruler

Thu, 21 Aug 2014 00:00:00 Z

The Duplo ruler design by Serbian innovator Snežana Jeremić looks like a regular ruler until you pick it up to use it. Divided up into two colored sections, the one side of the ruler has the ability to extend and retract making it super easy for designers, architects and engineers to measure and draw.

Most rulers are designed to be a rectangular unit with numbers along the side that consumers can use to measure objects and plot lines. The Duplo ruler keeps this familiar concept and simply redesigns the functionality of the ruler so that it is more practical for everyday use. The black part of the ruler stays put while the yellow side portion has the ability to slide around and snap into position making it easier to remember measurements.

Pen With A Twist

Tue, 15 Jul 2014 00:00:00 Z

Beyond Object has set out to redefine the way we all think a pen should look like. The London-based design house launched a pen collection with a unique, dislocated twist mechanism called Align. With a minimal body, Align is divided into three parts, with the middle section being dislocated when the pen is closed. When you’re ready to use the pen, simply twist it to align the middle part with the lower part of the body.

Beyond Object looked to Gestalt psychology when designing the pen, as their theories “explain how the human mind tends to organize information intuitively”. So, they looked to create an object that uses the intuitive impulses of the human behavior to operate. The finished product is a sculptural pen, crafted out of high-grade aluminum, with an innovative twist.

See-Through Highlighter Tip

Thu, 13 Mar 2014 00:00:00 Z

Not since Liquid Paper has there been an innovation in office supplies as awesome as this highlighter's see-through tip that makes it easier to see the text as you're... well... highlighting it.

Cooked up by the Mitsubishi Pencil Company—which sounds like it would have an awesome factory tour—the cheap $1.60 Uni Promark View uses a thinned water-based pigment ink that flows down a channel inside the highlighter's clear plastic tip. The design provides a window so that you can always see the text you're highlighting, and don't accidentally overshoot the end of a sentence. Technically it's not a problem that's ever really cost someone a passing grade, but that doesn't mean it wasn't worth solving.

Contrast Ruler

Fri, 17 Jan 2014 00:00:00 Z

Here's a simple but rather clever design improvement for clear plastic rulers that most of us would have probably welcomed back in grade school. Nendo's new Contrast Ruler features metric markings that fade from black to white, so no matter what color of surface you're working on and shows through, you can always easily discern the tick marks.

Wingnut pencil sharper

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 00:00:00 Z

Wingnuts are an ingenious piece of hardware designed with two metal "wings" one each side, so that they can be easily turned and tightened by hand without tools. This same principle applied to the pencil sharpener allows unrivaled ease of operation. Our industrial heritage offers something tactile and appealing in an age of modern gadgets. Perfect for anyone with a workshop, or a pencil. Or both. Chrome plated, solid metal.

Hand crank operated height-adjustable workstation

Tue, 06 Nov 2012 00:00:00 Z

XTable, designed by Danish design studio KiBiSi, takes what is an established method for adjusting heights and applies it to office furniture. The table comprises a rectangular tabletop supported by a cross-shaped pair of legs. These are set far enough back from the sitting position so as not to limit legroom, but are planted on the floor by sturdy horizontal runners lying front to back on each side.

The legs can be adjusted to different heights using a hand crank, in a similar way to how ironing boards and car jacks operate. This means that XTable can be raised or lowered to suit an individual's needs as and when required. XTable could also be used in a hot desking environment, with each person who shares the workspace able to quickly and easily modify it to suit their own individual tastes.

Detachable magnetic stapler that works absolutely anywhere

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 00:00:00 Z

This new take on the classic stapler, features a detachable magnetic base allowing you to drive a staple through almost anything, anywhere.

Typically, if you wanted to manually bind a stack of pages together like a book, you needed a stapler with an incredibly long arm to reach the center of the page. The Align gets around this with a design that separates into two parts, but still stays perfectly aligned thanks to a strong magnet in the base so the staple gets properly bent. Its real beauty is how simple an upgrade to the classic design it is, because the new stapler looks pretty much exactly like a classic Swingline—but secretly it's far more useful.

Laser 'unprinter' wipes documents in a flash

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 00:00:00 Z

An engineering team at the University of Cambridge in the UK has figured out how to erase pages by vaporising common toners using a laser-based technique that doesn't damage the underlying paper.

Toshiba of Japan already sells

a special laser printer/copier

(that uses a blue toner which can be almost completely erased with heat treatment. David Leal-Ayala and his colleagues at Cambridge have taken the idea a step further, though, with a method that can recover the paper from any laser printed or photocopied document. After testing and ruling out toner removal processes that use mechanical abrasion and chemical solvents, they focused on the most promising method: laser pulses which vaporise toner particles in thin layers until they are no more.

"The key idea was to find a laser energy level that is high enough to ablate - or vaporise - the toner that at the same time is lower than the destruction threshold of the paper substrate. It turns out the best wavelength is 532 nanometres - that's green visible light - with a pulse length of 4 nanoseconds, which is quite long," Leal-Ayala told New Scientist.

Shape changing lamp shade

Mon, 07 May 2012 00:00:00 Z

Overhead lighting is possibly the least flexible way to illuminate a room. Flip a switch, the bulb goes on, and light shines down. End of story. It you want to switch up the lighting for, say, a little more mood, you're out of luck. Unless you've chosen the impossibly clever Greta pendant lamp, which can throw light onto your ceiling with the pull of a drawstring.

Designed by Whatswhat, a trio of young designers who met at school, Greta began as a class project but is now a fully-realized piece which can add some personality to your living room. The 55cm tall lamp comes in six colors and is priced like the attractive centerpiece it is. But some will find it worth it for the ability to see a room in a new light by pulling a string.

Pivot, the flexible power strip

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 00:00:00 Z

We have all been there, 30 outlets, but only able to use 6. Nothing is more frustrating than buying a monster power strip with 30 or more outlets only to find most of them are un-useable. Not because there is something wrong with the outlets, but the shape of the power adapter you are plugging in ends up covering 2 or 3 additional outlets. Then there are those fat power adapters that can only be plugged in from one angle and naturally that angle makes almost half the power strip useless. Pivot Power, from Quirky has a solution. Pivot Power is a flexible power strip that can help reduce some of that frustration.

Each outlet on the Pivot Power can bend or flex to help find a more convenient angle to plug something in. There is a hinge between every outlet on the strip. This allows more flexibility when choosing how to plug something in, literally. They only swivel in the side to side direction; it would have been nice to see one or two of the outlets bend in the vertical direction also. But as it is, the Pivot Power could probably help simplify the process many of us have to deal with when trying to find a free outlet.

It comes in white with six feet of cord and six flexible outlets. Six outlets is not enough for most of us, so we will have to buy a few. Just don’t give in to the temptation to daisy-chain the power strips together in a long line with one plugged in to another.

Magnetic USB hub

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 00:00:00 Z

The Elecom U2H-Z10S 10 Port USB Hub is a "must-have" office accessory that is designed with a hidden magnet allowing you to place it anywhere on the steel desk. Using the power from an outlet, it can also charge most electronic devices with USB charge compatible. The slim body does not take up a lot of space and sits nicely on the edge. Available in 3 different colors with black, white, and silver.

Specifications

Interface: USB2.0 The maximum transfer rate: 480Mbps Supply current: Within the total 4700mA Size: D184 x H23 x W23mm Mass: 76g

Toshiba Tech's erasable toner lets you photo-uncopy

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 00:00:00 Z

Put away the matches, finally there's an eco-friendly way to get rid of those ill-thought photocopy pranks. Toshiba Tech has developed a toner that can be erased, letting you use a sheet of paper up to five times. Unlike similar solutions, you don't need special paper, but you will need one of the compatible copiers. The idea is similar to Pilot's erasable ball-point pen system, but uses heat instead of friction. As you'll see in the video over the break, a trace of the erased image remains slightly visible, so you'll still want the shredder for those sensitive documents. A built-in scanner means you can archive documents and also lets the machine sort paper into what can and can't be reused automatically. At the minute, you can only print in blue, but Toshiba Tech promises more options are on the way, and a full-color version is in the pipes. While the price is still undecided at this time, the creators hope that with the long-term paper savings, it'll only be the toner, not your budget, doing the disappearing.

Albatros, a bookmark that follows your reading

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 00:00:00 Z

The Albatros is a new kind of bookmark that follows your reading. No need to remember the page number, each time you turn one, it inserts itself at the right place. The Albatros bookmarks have been invented and developed by Oscar Lhermitte and are made in France.

See it this way: the Albatros bookmark enables you to forget about bookmarks. Once you’ve placed it in your book, it will take care of the rest. If you are reading a novel and suddenly have to rush to catch the bus, simply drop the book in your bag; you will find the Albatros at the page you stopped last.

The Albatros bookmark consists of a thin piece of polyester that is inserted in the book; thanks to its structure and shape, every time you turn a page, the bookmark follows it. Placing the bookmark in a book is done in the blink of an eye. Its repositionable adhesive allows it to last a long time without damaging any pages. Once you have finished reading the book, leave the bookmark in place or simply discard it. It works on any book, pocketbook, sketchbook, diary, of any format.

Center Tape

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:00:00 Z

Designers Hwang Youn Has & Han Seung Bum have spent time and money developing sticky tape that is divided into three bands, two opaque ones at the sides and a transparent one in the middle. Why: To be able to get the tape to run in a straight line down the center of a cardboard box?

Constrained Ball

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 00:00:00 Z

Usually we need a foot ruler to draw straight and precise lines on a paper or canvas, but Korean product designer Giha Woo has developed an innovative drawing aid named the “Constrained Ball” that attaching to your pen or pencil lets you draw straight lines with minimum fuss. You can fasten the aid at the tip of your ballpoint pen to roll it freely in one direction to avoid winding lines on the paper. With Constrained Ball lets, users not only can draw clear-cut lines in horizontal and vertical directions, but strokes in 45-degree angles as well without the use of a ruler or any other accessory.