Dedicated to inspiring designers, inventors & the creative spirit in all of us.

Here is a not-so-short, short history of why there are so many variations of the outlet plug around the world. A little history, a little geography and whole a lot of humor. Enjoy.

The Coil Lamp, created for an exhibition of conceptual furniture in Chicago, has now found its way to your living room. The one of a kind lamp is made from wrapping an orange, 100 foot cord around an acrylic skeleton to create the form of a lamp. Bright idea? Sure.

This design is an award winner from Japan’s Ryoji Takahashi that offers a new look and feel to shredding. The tube-like paper shredder can be held over a waste basket and is less obtrusive than the traditional rectangular electric paper shredder. Seems to be a desk-friendly redesign; now we have to wait until it comes to the States.

I can’t think of a better way to remind yourself to take off your shoes at the door than to have your slippers waiting for you when you get there. This slipper mat is a smart design, for sure.

Travel friendly design has been extended to man’s best friend, thanks to the Travel-tainer. Conveniently compact and smart for travel, this container has pop-off water and food dishes with an air-tight container for dry pet food. I guess it could work with cereal and milk too, if you prefer.

This may look like an electronics device, but it definitely isn’t. It is a wallet that secures your personal items from being compromised electronically. RFID theft, or radio frequency identity theft, can happen without you even knowing. This clamshell of a storage space blocks any person who may try to grab your information from the Visa, Mastercard, and American Express cards in your purse or pocket. Now you can forget about hackers in crowds electronically taking what is your’s.

The new Xeros washing machine system uses about 1 cup of water, compared to the gallons we are accustomed to using for regular loads of laundry. Xeros technology uses reusable nylon polymer beads to agitate your clothes during the wash cycle; nylon polymer has an inherent polarity that attracts stains and can absorb them from slightly dampened garments using around a cup of water. What a great, eco-friendly design!

This inverter for your car is pretty clever. Sized to fit perfectly into your cup holder (because it is a cup shape, as you can see), you can juice up any 2 electronic devices and have a USB hub to boot as well. Even the logo is entertaining, mimicking the likes of a few famous coffee brands. The design makes such a great attempt at realism, it may get thrown out with some take-out if you are not careful.

This wireless surge protector switch takes the chore out of conserving energy. Simply assign your electronic devices to the ‘always on’ or ‘can be powered down’ ports of this surge protector. Then, the next time you leave home, all you have to do is use the wireless switch that you mount next to your light switch to save on your electric bill. Simply brilliant!

This earphone concept, Y I Sound Invention, features a zipping action to keep ear bud cords from tangling up when not in use. This ingenious design includes a volume control and brightly colored zipper teeth to help form follow function. When users are finished listening to their sound device, they simply zip up and put it away. Smart design for sure!