The Design Institute of Australia (DIA) defines industrial designers as “[Those who] develop and prepare products for manufacture... They explore solutions to meet marketing, manufacturing and financial requirements and arrive at the optimum design of a product. They consider both functional and aesthetic aspects and pay particular attention to ergonomics, those factors that relate to ease of use and human behaviour.” Industrial design, therefore, goes beyond just making products aesthetically appealing. In fact, it’s core purpose is to develop an effectively functioning product of a high quality build that is also user friendly and efficient to produce. These fundamental principles of good product design are inherently good for business. A well-functioning, high-quality, user-friendly, and appealing product improves your competitive advantage while efficient use of materials and manufacturing processes reduces production and distribution costs.

An average modern household in Australia consists of only 2 - 3 people, yet conventional dishwashers hold up to 13 place settings. This results in use of an unnecessary amount of water and electricity as a typical dishwasher consumes about 13 litres of water per cycle. The alternative, hand-washing, uses even more water, up to about 30 litres. Good industrial design considers the efficiency of a product, it aims to minimise the amount of resources required to operate it and the amount of components and materials it is made of. An example of the outcome of such a well-considered industrial design approach is Tetra by Heatworks. 

For effective climate change prevention, the world needs to address the fact that currently, electricity is actually not a ‘clean’ source of power. Yes, driving a Tesla contributes to carbon emissions! so does every electrical appliance in your home. The Australian Energy Regulator puts the total output contribution of Fossil Fuel sources to the Australian Electricity Grid at 85.1%, and the International Energy Agency recorded Coal power plant contributions to global C02 emissions at 46%. Hydro, wind, and solar power are currently the most popular solutions being pursued to reduce the reliance on carbon generated power. However, industrial designers across the world are applying their creative expertise in developing off-the-grid solutions out of interesting zero-emissions technologies as alternatives. Such solutions include the Bioluminescent and organically powered lamps by Teresa van Dongen, a photosynthesis-powered lamp by Ermi van Oers, and foot-powered tiles by Pavegen.

The list of drones designed for commercial applications, other than professional photography has thus far been relatively short. It seems that most drones on the market presently are designed and promoted for leisure. We have seen cases of them being used for meaningful purposes such as surveillance; including patrolling of forests to identify fires early, and National Parks to tackle poaching. However, few have been shown providing such direct benefit as saving lives in immediate danger.

“All wrapped up here sir! Will there be anything else?” Said J.A.R.V.I.S. after the exhilarating action-packed battle scene on an oil rig in Iron Man 3. Since the premiere of the Iron Man movie series, J.A.R.V.I.S. (Just A Rather Very Intelligent System) has played a major role in Tony Stark’s awesome super-hero capabilities and has made the films’ scenes more futuristic. That future, where you could command your home, communications, and life like a wealthy super-hero is now one step closer thanks to the Duo Ai.

Nature has continued to be ignored long after the alarm has been raised on the level of all forms of pollution; air, soil, and water. Natural reserves of resources also continue to be depleted at the expense of global ecosystems. Emulating nature itself in the design of products; a practice referred to as biomimicry, may just be the most successful approach towards improving our current environmental situation while delivering better performing solutions.

MADA Now is an annual exhibition that showcases the work of MADA’s final year students that is open to the public. It is based in MADA’s learning spaces and galleries with a variety of projects from over 300 students that have studied in either the art, design, or architecture disciplines. The work showcased includes; paintings, sculptures, sound pieces, architectural models, industrial design prototypes, communication design artwork, illustrations, and animations.

Joany Badenhorst is a great friend of Hone PD and an ambassador for Form Prosthetics. Through insightful feedback, she has contributed greatly to the development of Form's Prosthetic Covers designed by Hone. We were excited to see her recognised as the SportsWoman of the Year by Cosmopolitan magazine in October.

Nowadays, everything in our lives is interconnected. From smartphones and computers to our home’s lights, thermostats and water systems. Technology has evolved so much that now even our houses can be intelligent. 
 

We were lucky to have our work featured at Dutch Design Week this year in the lovely city of Eindhoven. 

Joany Badenhorst is a 23 year-old Para-Snowboard World Championships Multi-Medalist and Australia’s first female representative in the sport.