Dustbusting drones and 3D food printers: Eight gadgets that could change your home forever
Flying mini-robot cleaners, expanding walls that filter the air and 3D food printers could all be in our homes soon, according to the judges at the Electrolux Design Lab.
Your Roomba might not cut it any more, thanks to this flying robot concept called “Mab”, which would see hundreds of tiny drones picking up dust.
Clean Tech
Flying mini-robot cleaners, expanding walls that filter the air and 3D food printers all won prizes in the contest, organised by the home appliance firm.
The winning concept, by Adrian Perez Zapata from Colombia, is an automated cleaning system consisting of hundreds of flying mini-robots.
The robots clean surfaces by touching them with a drop of water.
Mab scans the house, determine the areas to clean and sends the robots flying.
“I was in my university gardens when I observed the controlled flight of bees pollinating a flower, and how magical it is to see swarms of bees working together,” Perez Zapata said.
“My concept Mab only requires a short initial configuration to function autonomously, so you could arrive home and see a swarm of mini-robots roaming around cleaning independently.
This means you could sit back and relax, as you observe with great astonishment the little Mab ‘fairies’ working their magic autonomously.”
Judges hailed the concept as a major step forward in home robotics.
“This year’s winning concept renews the idea of looking at the robot, seeing it not as one unit that mimics a person, but instead as something inspired by the magical logic of nature’s collaborative efforts and group intelligence,” said Stefano Marzano, Chief Design Officer at Electrolux and Head of Jury.
“The Mab is an innovative concept which could be relevant to minimize the daily cleaning efforts of consumers as well as businesses, while maximizing the results”
Click through our gallery of the other winners below
[Source: Electrolux Design Lab]
OZ-1 air purifier
OZ-1 is an air purifier and stress reliever to be worn as a necklace. The fashion piece cleans the air and emits aroma therapeutic and scents, both covers and scents to OZ-1 can be chosen according to taste and preference.
Nutrima
Nutrima calculates the nutritional values, possible toxins and freshness of your food. The appliance is foldable, easy to bring along and supported by an app that maps your experiences and tips you off about resellers with high quality ingredients.
3F vacuum cleaner
The 3F vacuum cleaner can change form and expand to suit the task required. This remote controlled and programmable cleaner can be used in compact or wide mode. It also scents the air according to the fragrance of your choice.
Atomium 3D food printer
Atomium is a 3D printer that uses molecular ingredients to construct food layer by layer. Draw the shape of the food you would like to eat and show it to the appliance. Atomium scans the image and prints food in the desired shape.
The Breathing Wall
Breathing Wall is a wall integrated air cleaning concept which pulsates and changes shape as it cleans the air. Inspired by the gulls of a fish, it can be customized to suit individual needs as it also scents the air you breathe and changes colour according to your choice.
Global Chef – cook with friends
Global Chef is a kitchen appliance that brings people together all across the world by using laser hologram technology. With the help of the appliance you can cook with your loved ones or take cooking lessons from top chefs.
Kitchen Hub – making your cupboards smart
Kitchen Hub is a household food stock controller helping you know what ingredients you have at home and when they expire. You can reduce food waste, find recipes and coordinate with the individual diets of each family member.
Mark Prigg
