There are a lot of devices, furniture, and accessories created for plant parents especially since the pandemic. These products help first-time and expert caretakers to maintain their green pets even when they are doing other things at home. Even though I know I probably will never have need for these things since plants die on me no matter what I do (or don’t do), I know a lot of people around me who would like to have additional help when taking care of their plants.
Designer: Doyeon Lee
Planta is a product concept for a planter that will let owners “interact” with their greens through virtual means. It will let you know the status or health condition of your plants through a “conversation” with the shadows from a beam projector. Of course, you can always just look at the plants themselves but if you’re new to taking care of plants then you may not recognize these things by sight. The device will help you know through other, virtual means.
The projector shows shadows that indicate your plant’s health. If there’s a low shadow then it means you need to water them. Then you’ll see the shadows become “vibrant” and even sway around to let you know they’re healthy. There is also an automatic motion sensor that will illuminate the plant side if it detects you’re there and then the projection plate slide when there’s no motion around it. You’ll also receive the remaining cultivation and harvest time through a graphic user interface.
There is of course a lamp in the device that can automatically turn on when it needs a light source. Underneath that is the space where you put your plants. There are six holes where you can plant them in and then harvest them later on. There is a wall at the back where the virtual shadows will be projected on and which will show you if your plants are happy with the way you’re taking care of them. This seems to be a pretty useful device for those who are new to being plant parents although this black thumb of mine will most likely still kill anything green that passes my way.
I have been using the keyboard for the most part of my work life, which is just a short 15 years now. During this time there have been a range of keyboards I have used and have experienced swollen wrists, tired forearms and sleepless nights. Thankful there’s never been an episode of Carpal tunnel syndrome. It’s a common condition among many workaholics of the modern era; keyboard is one of the biggest contributors to the problem. Addressing the issue at its heart, a designer has conceived a mechanical keyboard with a cushioned armrest.
It’s little denying the fact that the time people use their keyboards has increased a great deal in the last decade. This dependence has also given rise to tunnel syndrome that causes tingling, numbness and at times severe pain in the forearm and the hand. Carpal tunnel syndrome can worsen over time, if left untreated. To prevent the next generation from reaching a point where they have to deal with swollen and painful wrists due to extensive time typing on the keyboard, the mechanical, Bluetooth keyboard HUE_ is provided with a cushion palm rest.
Designer: HYUNGWOO SEO
There are many keyboards out there that come with a secondary palm rest or one with an embedded option. However, they are inconvenient to travel with. This is the second big problem the HUE_ intends to address. For this, the cushion palm rest folds over the keyboard like a tablet cover, to render it extremely portable and protect it from accidental falls and spills. Being mechanical, the keyboard also allows the user to change the keys like any other variant currently on the market.
Designed with the idea of comfort and safety, the cushiony extension of the keyboard ensures the forearm and wrist are comfortably positioned while typing. This leaves the median nerve, which runs from the forearm into the palm of the hand, relaxed. The median never if compressed at the wrist can lead to Carpal tunnel syndrome. Adding to user convenience, the palm rest is detachable; it can be easily removed for washing or if you don’t want to use it for some reason.
In a new study, researchers from the University of Konstanz in Germany discovered that spiders, specifically the jumping spider species Evarcha arcuata, experience moments of rapidly shifting eye movement while they sleep—a sign that indicates they may be dreaming. These twitches are similar to that of other animals who experience REM sleep, the phase in slumber in which dreaming occurs. To find more concrete proof of a dream state, the ecologists will continue to observe spiders, experimenting with rousing spiders from slumber to ascertain how much they depend on sleep or if they are just resting their eyes. While the research is still ongoing, the study has raised interesting questions about sleep’s purpose and evolution, reflecting how humans and animals may be more alike than previously thought. Read more about it at The Wall Street Journal.
Copenhagen-based design studio ferm LIVING utilizes a two-tone mix of clay to create this cup and saucer set’s marbled pattern, which is unique to each piece and enhanced by an elegant high-gloss glazed finish. The oversized shape of the saucer contributes to an aesthetic that’s simultaneously bold and minimal.
Many product designers and furniture makers love using wood. It has natural beauty, whether finished or not, and is significantly more sustainable than other materials, even if it means cutting down trees. Wood is, of course, biodegradable, especially if not treated with harmful chemicals, but it can also be recycled and reused for other purposes. That’s not to say that there is no waste involved when using wood to create things, especially the sawdust and chips that fly off during the manufacturing process. These tiny pieces of wood are often taken for granted, but one company has figured out how to use this material to create beautiful products that won’t make you believe they were 3D printed from sawdust.
Just like typical dust or dirt, sawdust is considered to be something to clean out and throw away as a byproduct of cutting down pieces of wood. Considering their tiny sizes, no one worries about their impact on the environment. Collectively, however, they make up a good portion of the waste that we produce, and that number will only grow higher the more we produce wooden furniture, decorations, and products.
As it turns out, sawdust can actually be used as a material for creating other things, thanks to the almost magical technology of 3D printing. 3D printers can now use almost any kind of source material, from metal to chocolate to PET bottles, so it was only a matter of time before someone had the bright idea to use sawdust as well. And as a test of the usefulness of this proprietary process, a line of beautiful home accessories was made to showcase the flexibility and quality of 3D printed sawdust products.
The Vine collection includes a vase-like vessel, a dish tray, a basket, and a bowl that look like a series of wooden rods twisted to create pleasing curves and shapes. No adhesives or extra connecting parts were used to finish their forms, ensuring that the products were sustainable and recyclable from start to finish. The twisting shapes are a testament to the capabilities of Forust’s 3D printer, but they also serve as metaphors for the organic nature of trees that eventually end up as source materials for these products.
While these 3D printed containers are designed to show none of the natural grains that wood is known for, the technology does actually support recreating the appearance of different wood grains, including those from endangered trees. It can also add colors to different grainless surfaces, expanding the kinds of designs that it can support.
3D printing is a truly amazing technology that has opened the doors to new designs and new materials. It still needs plenty of design thinking, experimentation, and even courage to try out new things, especially ones that could revolutionize the industry and help save the planet in the long run. It’s only too easy to take for granted tiny pieces of sawdust because of their size, but they do add up to form mountains of waste that are also wasted opportunities. Thankfully, there are indeed a few enterprising and responsible minds out there that prove how even dust can become beautiful, sustainable products that can improve the quality of our lives as well as that of the planet.
In many ways, being a freelancer is ideal. You get to make your own hours, choose your own projects, and negotiate your own terms. However, with so much freedom also comes an immense amount of responsibility. Freelancers are tasked with acquiring clients, managing operating expenses, growing their income, and ensuring their company’s compliance with relevant legal and regulatory statutes.
So if you’re a freelancer, you’re going to wear a lot of hats and you’re going to have to cultivate expertise in diverse domains to ensure that your freelance business survives and thrives in the long term. As a freelancer, perhaps the most important issues you will encounter are those relating to intellectual property (IP) law, contracts, and non-disclosure agreements (NDA).
IP and freelancing
When you’re a freelancer, perhaps the first and most important question you will ask is who owns the rights to your work product or intellectual property (IP)? IP is typically assumed to “belong” legally to the person who creates it. In such cases, you would be able to use your creations as you see fit, from repurposing your content for future clients or for displaying your work in an online portfolio to market your freelancing services.
However, there’s a strong likelihood that your clients will want to secure the rights to your work product for themselves. Commercial clients, in particular, are likely to have pre-established protocols for contracting with freelancers.
These are usually defined by the contracts which clients may require before commissioning your work and will define who owns the IP rights and how the work may be used both by the client and the creator in the future. In many cases, commercial clients will prohibit you from using the content for any purpose, including marketing. You may be unable to include it in an online portfolio, especially if the portfolio is available to the public. In addition, because the client’s contract in essence may stipulate that they have paid for ownership rights, they may well publish the content under the name of the client or their company.
Understanding contracts
As you probably surmised from the section above, when it comes to freelancing and intellectual property rights, the contract is everything. Again, it can generally be assumed that you retain ownership of the content you have created unless and until a contract or IP agreement is signed and ratified.
Nevertheless, if you’re doing freelance work, it’s far better to be safe than sorry when protecting your content. That means if you’re not prepared to sign over the ownership rights of your work product to your clients, then it’s a good idea to draw up a legally binding contract of your own. This should explicitly and comprehensively detail who retains the right to “own” the content you create, how the content can be used, exactly, and for how long.
The good news is that you can enjoy the protections of a legal contract without forgoing the opportunity to work remotely with clients who may be scattered across the globe. For example, you can securely send, receive, and sign legally-binding contracts using many different platforms, such as Adobe. When using digital contracts, though, it’s important to ensure that your documents cannot be altered once a digital signature has been attached.
Considering NDAs
When you’re freelancing, there’s a good chance that you’re going to be working with a wide range of clients, some of whom may even compete with one another. In light of this, you may find that your client requires you to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) before a work agreement can be made.
In most cases, this is a reasonable request, as the work you do for your client is likely to involve sensitive information that is incumbent upon the client and the client’s partners to protect. Fulfilling the terms of an NDA may require you to do more than simply keep mum about what you learned about the company while working for them, however. After all, clients do take some risks when hiring a freelancer, especially if that freelancer works remotely and travels frequently.
Indeed, if you’re a digital nomad, then you’re probably going to need to take some additional precautions to ensure you’re complying with the NDA or privacy clauses that may be embedded in your work contract. You might, for instance, install a virtual private network (VPN) on your work devices to reduce the risk that your systems may be hacked and your data stolen.
The takeaway
The freelancer’s life is at once exciting, challenging, rewarding, and liberating. You have to develop skill sets far beyond the products you create or the services you provide. This includes mastering the nuances of intellectual property law, work contracts, and non-disclosure agreements. It may feel as if such topics are far outside your wheelhouse, but attending to these critical concerns can protect you and your business from lawsuits, hefty fines, or the misuse of your original content.
Creative consultant Portia Stewart shares her career journey and advice.
1. What made you want to start your own company?
I was inspired to launch Mind Full Creatives because I saw a disconnect between the super smart creatives who come up with amazing ideas and the super smart business execs who set the strategy (and budget!) for the business. Consulting lets me work with many different companies and teams, helping them to connect creativity and innovation to company strategy and growth.
It’s also given me much greater freedom to create a schedule that works with an intentional approach to life. If I want to block an hour to do yoga or schedule an art day with my friends at the local marketplace, I do.
2. What does your typical day-to-day look like?
No two days are the same, and I love that. There are days where I’m traveling to speak, days when the schedule fills up with meetings and, every once in a while, a quiet day where I’m plugging away at the work. And there’s always work, whether it’s planning brainstorming workshops for clients, marketing, developing the business or researching new tools. I also steal time to take lots of online education.
3. What interests you about the world of content strategy?
I love the experimentation process in content strategy. There are always opportunities to do A/B testing, to try something new and to watch it fly or flop.
4. You’ve been working in media for 20+ years. How have you seen it evolve? What is your advice to new media professionals?
We have a million ways to reach our audiences now, and we need to be in all of the places our audiences live. It’s fun and challenging and it takes relentless fine tuning. Change is the only constant!
5. Who or what inspires you in your career?
Meeting new people! I believe everyone is creative, and unlocking that super power is an ingredient for career growth. When I see that spark in others, I get excited.
6. Anything else you’d like to add?
The media landscape has changed significantly since I started my career. Job titles aren’t the same, the responsibilities have definitely changed, and everyone feels crunched for time. But there’s still such a need for the work those in the media perform. Career paths are often more like winding roads than straight shots, and I encourage people who are looking for a new path to look wide—you might find your next calling in a place you don’t expect.
Accompanying the announcement of Irish multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Anna Mieke’s forthcoming, eight-song LP, Theatre (out 18 November), comes the mesmerizing single “For A Time.” The alt-folk track balances sensations both gentle and engulfing. “It’s a song of humid heat, burning summer, a pool,” says Mieke. “Rotting fruit, flies, the density of a greenhouse in August, carpeted stairs, a diving board. But also loss, and that feeling of fading and forgetting, of passing on. It reflects that feeling of nostalgia for a time you never actually experienced, or a person you never had the chance to meet, but feel you know well.” Mieke also lent creative direction to the official music video (directed and edited by Louise Gaffney), which features a shimmering, mystical performance by a “Disco Yeti.”
Elos is a project by Souhaïb Ghanmi, in his final year as an industrial design student at Switzerland’s ECAL. Ghanmi started by identifying a ready source of materials:
“In the meat industry in Switzerland, there are more than 230,000 tonnes of waste each year from slaughterhouses. I am looking into the recycling of agro-food waste, in particular bones, which pollute by their disintegration, and thus use the maximum of the animal. Bone is, for me, a forgotten and untapped material despite its many properties.”
“Elos is a range of switches and sockets using bone meal for its electrical insulation properties.”
“The socket is inspired by the articulation of the femur head allowing the cable to be accompanied thus avoiding wear and the organic shapes of the switches are inspired by the cutting of long bones.”
“Added to the family, a cover variant combining a cable reel and a telephone charging station.”
Pretty creative use of material! Ghanmi is now a minted industrial designer working for a home décor brand, and I hope he’s able to convince them to use bone. I think the material is beautiful.
Jokes aside, that’s actually a medical recovery aid, not a pet owner attempting to humiliate their pooch. The Lick Sleeve, designed by veterinary surgeon Dr. David Allman, “shields your dog’s injured hind leg from destructive licking and scratching, and debris such as dirt and mud. It’s a form-fitting cover for your dog’s rear leg, with a comfortable design for stress-free recovery.”
“[Dr. Allman’s] frustration with the “cone of shame” and other protective solutions led to the Lick Sleeve. Dr. Allman designed the sleeve to help raise compliance rates during recovery — in fact, pet owners tend to keep it on three times longer than the cone.”
Customer reviews (complete with cute photos, above) are effusive, with purchasers reporting the sleeve effectively prevents their dogs from pulling out stitches and licking at incisions, where cones and neck donuts did not. You can read through them here.
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