The Electrolux Design Lab is an annual, global design competition open to undergraduate and graduate industrial design students who are invited to present innovative ideas for household appliances of the future.
This year’s theme is ‘Designs For The Next 90 Years’. Awesomeness.
Czech designer Martin Miklica is my favourite finalist this year with ‘Le Petit Prince’, a robotic greenhouse destined for Mars. This little robot has been designed “to facilitate the future exploration and population of Mars”:
Electrolux says:
“Le Petit Prince takes care of a plant it carries inside its glass case, which is mounted on top of its four-legged pod. In search of nutrients to care for the plant, the robot is programmed to intuitively learn the optimal method to find what it needs. It also reports its movements and progress to its fellow greenhouse robots via wireless communication so that they can learn from each other.”
A neat little explanatory video:
Martin has ideas about how we will relate to machines in 90 years time:
At that time, we won’t think of machines as dumb boxes with buttons, but more as partners that obey our commands, but still have their own minds. They will be more autonomous and think and make decisions on their own.
I’d love to agree, and wish him luck in the awards. Winners are being announced today, via live webcast. If you’re interested, here’s the link that you should visit in time for the award ceremony at 4.45pm GMT.