Hasta La Ideas

You may not have thought much about the design of your router – that little white box that sits blinking in the corner as it beams your wi-fi signal around the house – but a bunch of Goldsmiths students have been looking at its potential as art piece, time piece and energy saver.

TalkTalk asked the students to imagine what the Routers of the Future might look like. They came up with four prototypes:

Route O’Clock creates a picture of the varying signal strength throughout the day, so that people can make the most of their internet connection by going online at the best times. Complete with twenty-four glowing segments, the display indicates signal strength as time passes.

Energy Saver, on the other hand, switches itself off when not in use. It has four hooks for house keys. When the last person to leave home lifts their keys off the router, it turns itself off.

Then we have Hybrid which, apparently, “combines traditional craftsmanship, classical lines and modern technology. For the first time, the router becomes an elegant and practical addition to users’ homes. A 60’s revival style statement, the handmade Hybrid Router seamlessly integrates the guts of a traditional router with a funky hardwood side table”.

And, lastly, Jelly Fish. “It has been designed to become the centre of attention; a talking point which brings people together,” it says on the press bumpf.

More about the project is explained in this slightly cheesy video