There is an inherent problem with the design of shower heads. Not some of them, all of them. The problem is that their very design creates the ideal circumstances for mold to thrive within them, internally, in areas that you cannot access for cleaning.A bathtub faucet or kitchen sink tap is simply just a shaped pipe that allows water to flow through them. When you turn the water off, the pipe mouths quickly dry, thanks to their relatively wide shape and local airflow.Showerheads, however, are complex workings of intricate inner channels and nozzles, designed to break the water flow into spray patterns that end users find desirable. These channels are all inside the showerhead and get little airflow. The channels can never really dry out completely, and over time, that interal dampness allows bacteria and mold—including the dreaded black mold--to thrive. In this shot of a showerhead that has been cut open by a saw, a lot of what you see is the detritus of the cut plastic, but you can also see the brown stuff. And deeper inside the head, you find this: The mother of Steve Sunshine, an inventor, was suffering from respiratory issues. Sunshine disassembled her showerhead and found it was filled with mold. He subsequently designed this ShowerClear: This ingenious design pops open, so that after a shower you can let the shower head's innards dry out. It also makes it easy to clean, so you can eliminate mineral build-up. (This eliminates the mild hassle that many of us undertake to clean our showerheads, which is soaking them in a vessel filled with vinegar for a few hours.) The ShowerClear heads come in a variety of finishes and run $140.

This case study is from Brooklyn-based Curve ID.JAVAR is a Colombian-based company focused on industrial kitchen equipment. For more than 30 years, JAVAR has been part of the transformation of the butcher industry in Colombia, contributing to build products that meet compliance with stricter sanitary standards. JAVAR approached us to develop an all-new range of meat grinders that will be built in Colombia and designed to meet international sanitary standards. Our process started with an in-depth research phase in which we learned how these machines are built and about the butcher industry of Colombia as well as the U.S.With these findings, we gained valuable knowledge that helped us guide the design of the project. We sketched a wide variety of different forms that give the product a robust and easy to clean look. After down-selecting our design ideas, we began to define how the machine will be manufactured, keeping the number of parts low and capable of adapting to different model sizes. After several rounds of CAD development and working closely with engineers, we had enough data to begin prototyping and testing. Our final design focused on easy-to-clean surfaces with a robust stance that communicates durability. You can see more of Curve ID's work here.

Here's what we looked at this week:Objets d'esign: Lexon is releasing speaker and lamp versions of Jeff Koons' Balloon Dog sculpture. Volvo's new Multi-Adaptive Safety Belt compensates for different sizes, shapes and crash severities.Dometic's designey coolers use a different manufacturing method. Wandercraft's Eve, the world's first self-balancing exoskeleton, allows people to walk again.U.C. Berkeley's tiny pogo robot has a unique locomotion style.BARE designs a better—and less expensive—Dutch oven featuring a host of UX improvements.Clever materials use: How to clear standing water on a flat roof using rope.Architecture that works with challenging terrain, not against it: The Zig-Zag Resort, by JA Joubert and UNS Architects.Industrial design firm APE creates the Echo Pro, a perfect-fitting bike helmet with a novel adjustment mechanism.The Splay Max: A folding portable 35" monitor.Industrial Design student work: Dashiell Schaeffer's Curvesse rocking chair, made from a single sheet of plywood.These unusual, "anti-ligature" doorknobs are designed with a grim functional purpose.Designey tool kits: A trend with legs.BareBag's unusual design approach: Bags that serve as hanging points for other bags.From Germany, the NOHRD SlimBeam is a handcrafted, attractive piece of home exercise equipment.Why America's streetlights have been turning purple.When industrial design is subject to aftermarket modifications: BoxPlates to undo the PlayStation 5's look.This ShowerClear design fixes the mold problem all showerheads have.Industrial design case study: Curve ID tackles industrial kitchen equipment for JAVAR.

Here's what we looked at this week:When marketing trumps product design: A digital camera with fake analog controls becomes a crowdfunding smash. This ATMO drone from Caltech smoothly transitions from flight to four-wheeling. In Germany, in-curb EV chargers have been rolled out in a pilot program. They're 99% reliable.This unique recessed handrail feature, designed by Adjaye Associates.Industrial design firm No Picnic makes even telecommunications gear look good.The Archibald, by industrial designer Leo Salzedo, is a convoluted towel radiator made from a single steel tube.Whirlpool's retrofittable, rotating lower-level dishwasher rack improves accessibility.Industrial designer Nik Bentel's Loopy Chair, inspired by bike racks.Sky View's smart design feature makes transparent stargazing tents practical.Architect turned product designer develops the Kara Pod, a countertop air-to-water device that also makes coffee.Engineer Patrick Schlott fixes old payphones, re-installs them in public places and provides free calls.Japanese specialty woodworking tools: A Knot Remover kit.Far cheaper, pellet-based industrial 3D printing from Pollen AM.Square's new handheld reader, created in collaboration with industrial design firm Huge Design.Peter Donder's mysterious and beautiful robotic chicken feet.The Macaron, Mavimatt's quirky furniture piece with a hidden table surface.This heavy-duty steel media cart is by Modern Industrial Furniture, founded by a tech worker turned furniture designer.Hyundai's incredible WIA autonomous robot parking valets.Industrial design case study: Y Studios designs a laptop privacy shield.

I think the difference between fun Italian product designs from the '90s vs. now, is that in the '90s it was mass-market; now it's aimed at the luxury sector. Alessi made quirky bottle openers that anyone could own. Mavimatt, a furniture brand whose design spirit reminds me of '90s Alessi, is not priced for the masses. Here's their Macaron coffee table, inspired by the French pastry:The mechanism for the hidden table surface looks fun to manipulate:Being handmade and made-to-order, the piece is expensive enough that no price is listed; you have to contact them for a quote.

Payphones "were the only things that were built to last for decades and be out in the elements," says electrical engineer Patrick Schlott. He should know; as a hobby, he buys secondhand payphones, rewires them, then asks local businesses in rural Vermont if they'd let him install them. His goal is to offer, for free, public telephone service. (Schlott foots the bill himself.) "It's assumed most folks own cell phones," writes Schlott. "Well, not everyone does, sometimes they don't work out on dirt roads, sometimes you forget your charger, and sometimes you just really need to make a phone call. We aim to provide a valuable public service to the community while teaching people about the US telephone system that has over a century of history behind it." Schlott's company, RandTel, currently operates three phones in his neck of Vermont: One at the North Tunbridge General Store in Tunbridge, one at the Latham Library and a third—a rotary model from the 1950s--at the town of Randolph's information booth. He's particularly proud of that last one, as "This installation is 100% solar-powered, provided graciously by Catamount Solar," he writes. "Many thanks to the White River Valley Chamber of Commerce for hosting!" Here's a look at what Schlott does:

When crafting objects or structures out of real wood, knots are part of the aesthetic. But particularly demanding clients might find them objectionable. Enter this Knot Remover kit, from Japanese tool manufacturer Star-M. First you drill the knot out with the tapered bit. Then you attach this thing, which is essentially a giant pencil sharpener, to your drill.You select a dowel of the appropriate size and go at it.Pound the dowel in with glue, flush-cut it, and you're good to go. (No idea why they don't include a shot of the completed process.)

Saudi Arabia is currently building the largest urban park in the world. At six square miles the King Salman Park, which should be completed around 2026, will be five times the size of New York's Central Park. The Visitor's Centre was erected last year. Designed by Adjaye Associates, the firm headed by Ghanaian-British architect Sir David Adjaye, the structure features rammed-earth walls precisely placed to create passive cooling. What really caught my eye is this handrail detail that I've never seen before:I poked around and found a couple other examples of recessed handrails (they're pretty rare). This is at Bloomberg's Hong Kong office, designed by Neri & Hu: And this is at a private residence in Toronto, designed by PLANT Architect Inc.: I prefer Adjaye's design over the other two. There's something decidedly unfriendly about the right angle corner the latter two designs present you with.

The Design Intelligence Awards are Open for Entry The DIA, an international design competition, founded in 2015 by the China Academy of Art in collaboration with other organizations, has a mission to connect cultures through design by recognizing innovative, forward-thinking, and sustainable solutions to real-world problems.DIA brings together a global network of entrepreneurs, creatives, and innovators to address major societal challenges. It is considered one of the most prestigious international design awards, despite its relatively recent inception.It's time to submit your entry which is free until June 20th!Product Award CategoriesCultural Innovation Focus: Culture as a driving force for design. Recognizes: Revival of traditional culture Design craftsmanship Cultural IP value and sustainable development. Eligible Entries: Culture gifts, stationery, packaging Fashion accessories, tableware, furniture, lighting products related to cultural tourism and social innovation.Life Wisdom Focus: Enhancing daily living and addressing societal needs. Recognizes: Intelligent design in everyday life care for vulnerable groups. Eligible Entries: Electronics, digital devices, smart home technology, kitchen/bathroom essentials, household appliances, elderly care, maternal/child supplies, personal care, toys, pet products, leisure/sports gear, disaster prevention items, use of new tech/materials. Industrial Equipment Focus: Driving industrial transformation and efficiency. Recognizes: Strategic, emerging industry tools, and high-efficiency production solutions. Eligible Entries: Transportation, logistics, medical and construction equipment, agricultural, forestry, and military tools, office equipment, green energy solutions, robotics, and automation equipment. Development and Application of AI Focus: Innovations in artificial intelligence and smart technologies. Recognizes: Forward-looking AI applications across industries. Eligible Entries: Smart cities, mobility, business, healthcare, education, smart community systems, industrial internet, VR, and spatial computing.Use this Invitation Code: US2025-PMPC1KK to skip the first review round and fast track to the next level!

Here's an adjective, used to describe materials, that you may not have heard of: "Rate-sensitive." It refers to when a material responds to the speed of a force applied to it. As an example, concrete is not rate-sensitive: If you walk into a concrete barrier or drive into it at 80 miles an hour, it remains the same hardness. In contrast, water is rate-sensitive. You can gently push your hand down through the surface of a lake. But if you slap downwards with all your might, the water turns hard and resists.This magical property has been engineered into a proprietary material by Delta Three Oscar, a British manufacturer of ballistic protection gear. The material, D3O, contains a secret sauce of polymers suspended in a lubricating medium. Wrapped in foam that has been specially engineered for comfort on the human head, D30 is what the company's Halo 3 Ballistic Helmet Liner is made out of. The resultant product exceeds the U.S. Army's AR/PD 10-02 blunt impact requirements by 33%, and its shape is designed to accommodate a variety of communications headsets. At just 80g (2.8 oz), the company bills it as "the world's lightest, most comfortable ballistic helmet liner." It features 12 integrated airflow channels for ventilation, and the material contacting the head is anti-microbial and moisture-wicking. It's also been designed to be easy for soldiers to install these in the field. The head-contacting side features type on it, which both labels the three different parts and allows the soldier to determine the pieces are oriented correctly (i.e. the type should be read so that none of it appears upside-down). These notches help the soldier align the pieces correctly from side-to-side. The helmet-facing side is lined with hook-and-loop fabric that adheres it to the helmet interior. Embossed letters indicate which of the three pieces you're holding. Two corners on the front and rear pieces are recessed so that they don't interfere with the helmet's harness bolts. (Absent this feature, the liner would try to push away from the helmet at these points.) The Halo liners have been integrated into the U.S. Army's new Integrated Head Protection System (IHPS) helmets, which are replacing the two-decades-old Advanced Combat Helmet (ACH) and Enhanced Combat Helmet (ECH) over the next three years.Fun fact: The cost of the Riddell SpeedFlex helmets worn by many players in the NFL, where the average salary is $3.2 million, costs roughly the same as an IHPS helmet worn by a PFC in the 82nd Airborne, average salary $27,119. About $450 a pop.

The so-called Russian Wedding Ring was a jewelry design that allegedly emerged from 19th-century Russia. It consists of three interlocked rings, each of them sized slightly larger than the target finger size, so that all three together will slide smoothly onto a finger. In the 1920s Cartier co-opted the design, releasing their Trinity Ring. Each of the three rings was a different tone of gold: Rose, yellow and white. (In a bit of marketing spin, it was even claimed that the poet Jean Cocteau designed these for Cartier; in fact, it appears he was simply associated with them as the 20th-century version of an influencer.) So how are these made? If you're familiar with casting, you'll have figured out that if they were all the same metal, you could cast it all as one piece with thinner supporting structures connecting the rings; you'd break those off, then grind and polish the rings smooth. It would likely be a nightmare for the craftsperson charged with the finishing tasks, as two rings would always be in the way while you worked on the third. However, the casting method is out if you're using different metals. So how was it done? In this short video, silversmith Jessica Hickman-Woolcott of the Cognac Jewellery School shows you how. (Although she's using the same metal for all three rings, you get the idea.)

Touchscreens were really cool 15 years ago, when the iPad first came out. Now that the novelty's worn off, more people seem to realize that navigating submenus sucks. Manufacturers, particularly automotive ones, love touchscreens because it reduces their production costs. But the user experience suffers for it, and leaves many craving physical knobs, buttons, dials and switches.A Bulgarian company called Enhance manufactures an aftermarket knob for the Tesla. In keeping with the puerility of the target market, it's called the S3XY Knob. The retrofittable knob, which comes in a housing flanked with four programmable buttons, communicates with the car via Bluetooth and Tesla's API. It's mounted in the center console and allows drivers to access the climate control, media playback, drive modes and more without needing to fuss with the touchscreen. Visual feedback comes via a small circular screen atop the knob.Here's a demo of what it can do:The company also makes standalone S3XY Buttons for Teslas that are user-programmable. They come with stickers of various functions. The knobs run about $450, and buy-in for the buttons starts at $330 for a four-pack.The question is whether these objects will proliferate, or if manufacturers will listen to customer feedback and give people the kinds of controls they actually like.

This portable Erika 85 table saw, by German manufacturer Mafell, has a number of tricks up its sleeve. First off, it's designed to be easy for one person to set up:One of the feet has an instant height-adjustment feature, making uneven floors quickly dealt with:And while you can push material through the saw, the conventional way……it also performs this magic trick:When crosscutting or cutting miters, rather than pushing the workpiece on a sled, you hold the piece stationary and the saw slides towards you. The company reckons this is easier and more precise than doing it the other way around. It's also easier than sliding chunky workpieces towards the saw:Lastly, a simple but desirable feature. The saw has a built-in light that illuminates exactly where you want to see:I think the pull feature would take some getting used to, because I've never seen a table saw that had this feature. But that's because I'm based in the 'States. Mafell has been producing this design for a whopping 40 years.

Like many countries, the Netherlands currently faces a housing crunch. Unlike many countries, the Dutch have a history of working with water to build out their environment. This ambitious Spoorweghaven Floating Community, a proposal for Rotterdam, thus aims to float affordable housing in an underutilized canal.The proposal was designed by Maritime Architecture Studio (MAST), a Copenhagen-based architecture firm that specializes in floating construction. It calls for a multitude of buildings housing more than a hundred low-cost apartments, as well as commercial and recreational space. "The Spoorweghaven floating community would connect to the city's already expansive bicycle infrastructure and also create new possibilities for transportation by boat. Public pathways would link the two sides of the harbour and allow bicycle access directly to the apartment buildings and to public bicycle parking facilities at each access bridge to the community. Recreational boat moorings are also provided between floating buildings and a continuous `blue ribbon´ around the community allows access from the city centre directly to the apartment buildings and public spaces." "Floating public walkways and green spaces provide new flexible spaces for residents in the new apartments and the surrounding area. Rooftop terraces and roof gardens also provide more private outdoor spaces for residents at the same time as preserving the view from surrounding apartments." "In order to improve the water quality in the harbour MAST worked with Scottish company Biomatrix to incorporate over 900m2 of floating reed beds around the perimeter of the site. Reedbeds like these have been installed in cities across Europe where they have been effective at reducing nutrients in water and providing habitat for waterbirds and fish." "The floating buildings would be constructed off site from CLT and towed into the dock for a short installation period. This would mean minimal impact on the community and a more efficient build process in a working dock outside of the city centre. It also permits the buildings to be repurposed on another site at the duration of a long term lease. This opportunity, to move buildings rather than demolish them when they cease to make financial sense in a given location, could dramatically increase the life span of floating buildings and give them a significant edge in sustainability over traditional apartment buildings." "These floating communities could also provide a far more sustainable alternative to large land reclamation projects which are underway around the globe." The proposal has received the support of Rotterdam officials, though no date for breaking ground—er, water—has yet been announced. That may change as pressure increases: The Netherlands has set a target of building one million new homes by 2030, and the country is famously short of land to build them on.

With the U.S. experiencing social turmoil, economic uncertainty and a fracturing of international bonds, it's a strange time to re-introduce a patriotic font that is meant to have global appeal. For reasons unknown Delve Fonts, a California-based digital type foundry, has re-released this Astra Nova font. Designed in 1969 by designer/photographer François Robert, it was inspired by the stars on the American flag and "channels his admiration for the best aspects of American culture," according to Delve. The original design was simply called "Astra," and it won a Letraset design competition in 1973. The new, "revitalized" digital version has had the "Nova" tacked onto it and is "ready to once again perform its duty inspiring hope and positivity," Delve says. The firm notes that the updated version "supports 442 languages including Vietnamese and Greek, plus broad support for Afrikan and Oceanian languages." Diplomacy through typography? If you're of the Make American Fonts Great Again persuasion, Astra Nova goes for $29.

What a time to be alive—especially if you're in the business of making things that people actually want to touch, wear, and, well... use intimately.San Francisco-based Crave launched their latest edition of the Tease Necklace while doing something radical in our current trade war environment. Instead of the usual manufacturing shell game (where your "designed in California" product mysteriously appears from a factory you've never heard of), they're offering customers a choice:- Made in China - Assembled in USA - Fully Made in USASame product. Three different manufacturing stories. Full transparency on what each option actually means, and how much each option costs. The price breakdown on the Kickstarter page provides a quick eduction on supply chain economics. The Uncomfortable Truth About "Choice"When most brands talk about consumer choice, they mean colorways or storage tiers. This is different. This is helping customers understand how the sausage gets made—or in this case, how the vibrator gets manufactured.For design professionals, these choices are pretty well understood. When working in the gap between concept and reality, every material choice, every manufacturing process, every supply chain decision shapes the final product, often times in ways that marketing teams prefer to gloss over.Think about your last product launch. How much of the manufacturing complexity made it into the final story? How many compromises got buried under "premium materials" and "precision engineering"?Why This Matters Beyond the ObviousThe real innovation here isn't the product itself—it's the process transparency. In an industry where NDAs shroud everything from injection molding parameters to assembly line workflows, consumer honesty is an eye-opener.Communicating even part of the manufacturing story is a challenge for mose products and companies. Meanwhile, rising labor costs in China, reshoring initiatives, tariff uncertainties—the old playbook of "design here, make there" is getting complicated fast. Yet most companies are still operating like it's 2015, hoping their supply chain issues will magically resolve themselves.Crave is simply saying: "Here's how three different approaches to making the same thing actually work. You choose."The Design Lesson Hidden in Plain SightStrip away the provocative product category, and you're left with something fascinating: a masterclass in manufacturing communication. No corporate hedging about "exploring domestic production capabilities" or "optimizing our global footprint." Just three options, three stories, three different ways to navigate the current manufacturing reality.It's the kind of supply chain transparency that B2B companies spend millions trying to achieve through "digital transformation" initiatives and "end-to-end visibility platforms." Yet here it is, demonstrated through a piece of intimate jewelry that most procurement teams would blush discussing.The Uncomfortable QuestionsIf a small firm can offer this level of manufacturing choice and transparency, why can't larger companies? Is it really about scale and complexity, or is it about corporate comfort zones?More pointedly: What other uncomfortable truths about our manufacturing processes are we avoiding? How much of our "Designed in [insert prestigious location]" storytelling is really just geographic marketing?In a world where every other product claims to be "thoughtfully designed" and "consciously made," actual transparency feels revolutionary. Sometimes the most important design lessons come from the most unexpected places. The Tease Vibrator Necklace is currently live on Kickstarter, with 47 days to go on the "All-Or-Nothing" funding campaign.

This modern take on the doorknob is by L.A.-based industrial designer Will Zhang. Called the Spoke knob, it's made of solid brass. If you prefer alternatives to the brass look, it comes in a number of finshes.One thing to note: "The Spoke knob requires handing to ensure that the spoke itself is directed towards the bottom right when at rest, as intended in the design.""Handing" means you've got to pay attention to whether the door you're spec'ing this for is right- or left-handed, in order to get the knobs oriented the way the designer wanted it. I guess the idea is that if you've got a room where multiple Spoke knobs are visible at once on differently-handed doors, you want visual consistency. The installer had better be on their toes. d The Spoke is in production by door hardware manufacturer Emtek, where Zhang is the Design Director.

This Shield concept is by PDR, an industrial design consultancy based in Cardiff, Wales. It aims to bring dignity to those who are required to live with catheters. Shield is a simple and low-cost redesign that utilises recycled single-use disposable plastic sterilisation tray wraps and drapes, commonly used in hospital operating theatres. Long term catheter use is a standard treatment that affects millions of people across Europe each year. Urine is collected externally in external drainage bag, typically held in a simple wireframe. These bags and frames cause many difficulties in handling and emptying and cause particular distress and stigmatisation through the visibility of up to 1.5L of urine and a very obvious hospital item at home.Overnight urine bag stands have remained largely unchanged for decades. It is often, though not exclusively older people, receiving care at home who are on a long-term catheter plan and use overnight bag stands. Embarrassment at both the display of bag contents and the practical challenges of removing the bag from the wireframe and emptying safely in the toilet is very real. Added to this are the very real issues of sustainability and waste, an issue of increasing awareness at hospitals around the world. There is little economic incentive for manufacturers to address this problem and hospitals have few options in addressing the problems described.Shield is a simple and low-cost redesign that utilises recycled single-use disposable plastic sterilisation tray wraps and drapes, commonly used in hospital operating theatre's. The design replaces a design that has not changed in 50 years, it provides a firm stable platform, an easy to empty and easy to handle drainage bag, and discreetly hides the contents from view. Shield is a simple product that provides stability and security to a 2L drainage bag whilst simultaneously allowing for more discreet use in a domestic setting. Use of recycled hospital waste material, specifically single-use disposable sterilisation tray wraps and drapes used in operating theatre's that would otherwise be incinerated are recycled to produces a sterile material in sheet and granular form with a unique surface finish that is suited to use in a more domestic environment. This ultra low-cost materials is processed to produce Shield in finishes that vary, creating unique finishes which are dependent on the colour and mix of the recycled polypropylene material. The product is stable in use and through its simple clean form unobtrusively sits next to a bed or chair at home. The bag with easy-grip, secure handle is designed for use by weakened and arthritic hands that may need to carry up to 2kg of fluid and lifts straight out to be easily carried to the bathroom before release with an easy turn large surface drainage tap. This approach avoids the current system of removing from wire lugs and attempting to carry, often in two hands a full bag that can leak and is difficult to empty without spilling.Shield provides a relatively simple solution to a patient-centred problem that has existed for over 50 years. The simple, clean snap together construction allows easy assembly by unskilled labour and its use of a recycled hospital waste material provided free by hospital trusts when approached from a circular economy perspective creates a highly functional material at very little additional energy consumption and cost. You can see more of PDR's work here.

Here's what we looked at this week:Crucial Detail's Ona Wine Chiller is an unusual-looking object for keeping wine bottles cool. Marc 3DP's love letter to 3D-printed fidget toys.A jeweler shows you her method for making Trinity Rings.The Newave: A modular surfboard that breaks down for transport.Inside the design of the Delta Three Oscar Halo system, a high-end ballistic helmet liner.China hosts world's first humanoid robot fighting competition, and more are on the way.Remedial design: Touchscreen backlash prompts aftermarket control knob and buttons for Teslas.Mafell's crazy pull-push portable table saw.A Dutch-Danish housing crunch solution: Build floating neighborhoods.MAFGA (Make American Fonts Great Again)?Swatchbox's Second Life Samples program is an easy way to recycle your firm's material samples.Extreme package design: The Art Edition of the "Calatrava - Complete Works" book.Once known for scissors, Fiskars has a hit with a demolition tool, their Pro IsoCore Wrecking Bar.A modern take on the doorknob by industrial designer Will Zhang.Industrial design case study: PDR brings dignity to catheter bags.

If you're a fan of the architect Santiago Calatrava, you can buy Taschen's "Calatrava – Complete Works 1979 – Today" coffee table book for $200. The nearly-700-page tome is loaded with text and images including both photos and his original watercolor sketches. If you're a Calatrava superfan, you can pony up for the special Art Edition of the book. This version, of which only 300 were produced, comes with two signed lithographs and a pretty on-brand package design by Calatrava himself: The Art Edition is a tad pricier at $2,500.