Fagor Spoutnik - innovative spherical microwave

Some time ago we worked with European appliance maker Fagor on the microwave of the future as a collaborative project with the Royal College of Art (IDE programme).

One of the well received ideas we created was based around the cloche (or as I called it at the time the 'Butler' service of hot food - the shiny hemisphere used to reveal gourmet delights). Fagor developed the product true to the original concept.

The inventive step was propositional - the microwave is a box with a door on the front mainly because this is an easy shape to manufacture in terms of a casing but also significantly in terms of the Faraday cage which protects us all from the potentially harmful microwaves. The proposition was that if we changed the shape of the Faraday case we could have a much more useable form factor. This would allow access from multiple angles and allowing plates and other containers to be placed simply on a platter rather than fed through a doorway - hey presto the Fagor Spoutnik! Gratifyingly close to our original concept. Taking the microwave out from the shadows and corners. Hope it does well or at least makes people think...

http://www.fagor.co.uk/spoutnik/

'Future of Labour' project in Japan, Sept 2011

I am currently in Tokyo helping to run a Royal College of Art/ Tokyo University i-School/ Tohoku University workshop entitled 'the future of labour' in response to the earthquake and tsunami disaster of March this year. Last week we visited the area around Kesennuma city. Our arrival in the area was shocking even though we'd seen the media coverage - nothing could have prepared us for the sheer force and scale of the distruction which was evident immediately. Cars had been crunched like aluminium foil; buildings tumbled away or shattered leaving bare foundations; ships were lifted into city centres; fire damage added even more to the misery and decimated homes, businesses and communities. Evidence of bent steel girders and columns showed the raw power of the tsunami. But ultimately the most moving insight was the evidence of people and their lives - bicycles, shoes, children's cuddly toys, trading cards...

Within a short time our immersion has made us even more determined that this visit and workshop must deliver tangible positive ideas for the future of this beautiful area. More on this soon...

Tapwater.org at Limetree Festival

Lifebottle and Tapwater.org will be at Limetree Festival 26th- 28th August. This is the world's first plastic packaging free music and arts festival with zero waste to landfill policy. Should be fun! Carleen Anderson is amazing.

www.limetreefestival.co.uk

tapwater.org now fully live and stocked with lifebottles

One of the projects on which we've been working for 2 years has now gone completely live

www.tapwater.org

Revenue from sales of lifebottles goes into free installation of tap water dispensers in schools. The whole thrust is to reduce or eliminate disposable plastic water bottles. We've designed the identity and all of the products (lifebottles, ice stick etc). There's a great map and app which helps you find free tapwater when you are out and about. Over 1000 shops, cafes, pubs etc have already signed up (for free) to provide free tap water and to be searchable via the map and app.

Michael Green the founder of tapwater.org tracked me down after seeing my London on Tap carafe. Find out more about him here

www.julietshield.com/promote-tap-water-get-rid-of-plastic-bottles/

As it's for a good cause we'd like to promote it to as many people as possible - please spread the word and buy a lifebottle or two ;)

Spring with Gusto - Fresh Air and Fun Pegs

OK so things are warming up a bit after a seemingly endless winter. We've designed and produced some funky laundry pegs for energy company E.ON aimed at making the whole process more fun and less energy intensive.

In their words:-

'Tumble dryers are one of the biggest energy guzzlers in the home, so E.ON has launched the Fresh Air and Fun peg bag and pegs to make hanging the washing out to dry fun.

Each peg back contains 10 pegs with a variety of unique accessories that react to the outdoor conditions. There are:

* 2 x red windmill pegs that spin round when the wind blows
* 2 x green windmill pegs
* 2 x pegs that change colour in the sun
* 4 x pegs with windchimes'

We had a lot of fun developing and testing these products.

They can be purchased from www.eonshop.co.uk following the 'latest products' link. £9.99 gets you a slice of Fresh Air and Fun.

iPulse Wins Beauty Award

The iPulse light therapy hair removal device designed by Gusto for CyDen has picked up a Telva Beauty Award. The award is for 'best beauty device for in home use'. This is the European version of the same device as sold in Boots under the name 'Smooth Skin' and which has recently become Boots' best selling electrical item as well as the top selling product on Boots.com

This is a result of the combination of CyDen's innovative patented technology and Gusto's user centred Industrial Design. Gusto worked closely with the in-house team on this and other projects.

http://www.boots.com/en/Boots-Smooth-Skin/

Towards safer glassware in pubs, bars and clubs...

The UK Home Office project with which we were involved last year has been progressed to prototype stage. Aimed at reducing incidences of 'glassing' attacks in pubs and clubs (at least 5000 reported incidences a year with often horrific consequences), the project is a Designing out Crime initiative for the Design and Technology Alliance. Neil Barron from Gusto worked with Innovation RCA at the Royal College of Art and a number of other parties including The Materials KTN through a series of workshops and brainstorms to generate ways forward.

The project was underpinned by two main questions: 'What if we could create a new type of safe drinking vessel for pubs, bars and clubs, especially those where preventing accidental or violent injury is a significant concern?' and...

'What if they were as safe as plastic or paper, operationally and commercially viable, yet gave consumers a social drinking experience equal to or better than conventional glass?'

The first phase of the project resulted in a series of design briefs which were then delivered to tender. Design Bridge won the job and developed two prototypes which were launched yesterday at the Design Council with the presence of all parties and the Home Secretary, Alan Johnson MP. The aim is to take one or both of the ideas into production. They are well explained in the film (to follow). We sincerely hope this leads to a safer drinking experience in pubs, bars and clubs.



http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8495617.stm