Yanko Design - Form Beyond Function

Nuro takes the man out of ‘deliveryman’

Posted: 31 Jan 2018 11:32 AM PST

The self-driving car industry is turning into somewhat of an entire ecosystem of its own of late, and that’s nobody’s fault but all of our own for hyping it up. However, just when we thought all hope was lost for finding something a little different, two Google engineers have risen to the top with their interesting spin on autonomous transportation in the form of Nuro. Focused on deliveries, Nuro delivers explicitly the kind that is low-speed, local, and last-mile: groceries, laundry, and take-out orders. Everything you need that’s reliable, short distance and easily accessible right?

While all the other start-ups are looking into automation in a grand scheme of things, these two Google engineers are smartly working towards a niche section of the autonomous transport ecosystem and doing it right. With the increase in Amazon packages more than ever before, it’s understandable that people are getting pickier with their delivery schedules. Albeit the talk of drone delivery is very much at large, there is no stopping the security of 4 wheels getting two and from your door thanks to the systems already in place. It’s hard to see Nuro not succeeding shortly, mostly due to the design approach these guys have taken both in hardware and software. This delivery car is filled to the brim with tech that would make any autonomous car look silly and then some.

Designer: Nuro

Jacuzzi for Your Glasses?!

Posted: 31 Jan 2018 06:50 AM PST

You never know how dirty your spectacles are until someone tells you. At least I don’t. They gather fingerprints, dust, scratches galore and I literally need to be told to wipe them clean… and then I use the base of my shirt to wipe them, adding to the scratches because you’re supposed to use microfiber and not just any regular cloth. The spectacles are a rare case study of a product that transitioned from actually being a vision correction device to now being a style statement. In that jump from being a medical device to a fashion object, the spectacle lost its need to be given due treatment as a medical device.

So while some may say the Smartclean Vision.5 seems a little excessive, I say it’s a blessing. Fill it up with regular water (you could even use a drop of liquid soap too), switch it on, and leave your spectacles inside while the Vision.5 uses ultrasonic vibrations to agitate the water, allowing it to gently but efficiently clean any dirt, dust, grime, oil, smudges you may have on your spectacles. Probably a dozen times more effective than wiping your spectacles with a cloth, the Vision.5 cleanses every nook and cranny of your spectacles (even the dirt that accumulates around the nose-pad) and leaves them looking brand new in just five minutes. The size of a power bank, and available in a rather pleasant variety of colors, the Vision.5 can even be carried around with you, and you may just want to carry a microfiber cloth to wipe the water off your shiny, spotless spectacles. And no, we know what you’re thinking but it’s best if you don’t use these for your contact lenses… or murder weapons.

Designer: Davie Lan

Click here to Buy Now: $77.00 $88.00

Click here to Buy Now: $77.00 $88.00

Bathroom Bliss for Your OCD

Posted: 31 Jan 2018 05:20 AM PST

I thought this looked familiar and it’s because this shower caddy has been front in center at Bed Bath & Beyond’s bathroom section since 2015! (I was just there using those ubiquitous 20% coupons!) This is one handy shower caddy. Unlike similar rubber products, it won’t dull. Unlike other metal units, its anodized aluminum finish won’t rust. With multiple tiers, a handy dish for soap and an easy-to-mount hook, it’s sure to keep your shower free of clutter. It may not be new… but it’s tried-and-true!

Designer: Mason Umholtz for OXO

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Click here to Buy Now

The Fire Extinguisher You Wear

Posted: 31 Jan 2018 04:07 AM PST

The Strap Extinguisher is a convenient and intuitive twist on the fire extinguisher that can be used with only one hand. When pulling the strap over the body and on the shoulder, the safety pin connecting the strap and nozzle is instantly pulled out so it’s ready to use immediately.

Carried over the shoulder, the user can keep one hand free to guide others or help navigate their way to safety. This paired with intuitive operation make rapid response possible and prevent confusion in time-sensitive emergency situations.

The Strap Extinguisher is a winner of the K-Design Award for the year 2017.

Designers: Youngtae Cha, Chanbin Park, Seokyeong Lee & Yeahee Ku​

A Light that’s Appealing and A’peel’ing!

Posted: 30 Jan 2018 04:00 PM PST

As far as interaction design goes, the Rolo is the best lamp I’ve seen in the past few months. It ditches the concept of regulator switches, for something more tactile and a’peel’ing (I can’t use that pun enough). The lampshade itself takes inspiration from the exterior of a banana, and you’re required to peel its layers to reveal the light source in between. In doing so, you allow more light to shine through, so the more you peel, the brighter the room gets.

Rolo brings an innocent, playful quality to the lamp, and even though it’s much easier to use your smartphone to brighten or dim down your lights, there’s something much more inviting about the Rolo, going to show that technology can never replace the joy of a well-designed product experience. 11/10 would love to have this in their homes!

Designer: Smallgran

Surf’s up! Even without the waves!

Posted: 30 Jan 2018 02:00 PM PST

Surfing and wakeboarding are two incredible sports that take a huge amount of skill to execute – but the downfall is you can’t just practice every day… if there are no waves, you’re quite simply out of luck, and you’ll just have to come back the next day. Radinn’s electric motored G2X Jetboard is the answer to all that and more. Hitting speeds of up to 34 miles per hour, this all-electric, environmentally friendly Jetboard is like a surfboard on steroids.

Taking a total of 2 hours to charge fully, this board is perfect for throwing into the back of the car and getting down to the lake. Unfortunately, that quick charge is directly relatable to the ride time – producing only 35 minutes of power at full speed. But don’t let that detract you, weighing in at just 88 pounds, this Jetboard is insane! In my opinion, I think it’s a great way to beat the traffic – simply Jetboard down the river to work.

Designer: Radinn

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A perfect ‘iMac’cessory

Posted: 30 Jan 2018 11:55 AM PST

The way the iMac Clamp Hub sits on the iMac is nothing short of fascinating. It makes use of a series of small slots running around the base (the speaker grill) to dock itself in a rather beautiful manner, flushing perfectly with the surface of the iMac’s front, while giving you the one thing Apple couldn’t. Accessibility.

Using a Type-C jack, the iMac Clamp Hub connects to your desktop, instantly giving you 3 USB ports, a Type C port, and two card reader slots (an absolute blessing if you use your iMac for photography post-processing). The beauty of the Clamp Hub is the fact that it not only gives you more ports, it gives you more ports exactly where you need them, so you’re not fumbling around to locate them on the back of the iMac. Satechi even went to lengths to ensure that the hub matched the iMac perfectly in color, material, and finish, creating products that bring true value to the users, while looking their part. Mr. Cook, do take note.

Designer: Satechi

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