USA | Design Indaba

Coffee waste transformed into a new superfood

CoffeeFlour creates jobs and builds communities by repurposing discarded coffee waste. >
SHE: Sanitary pads made from discarded banana tree material

Sustainable Heath Enterprises (SHE) manufactures affordable sanitary pads made from banana tree fibres to keep Rwanda’s girls and women in school and work. >
Bringing bones to life: Artist prototypes a hand grown out of stem cells

Artist Amy Karle’s Regenerative Reliquary is an open-source biotech project showcasing a human hand grown out of stem cells. >
The Sync Project: Music as precision medicine

The Sync Project is a platform that investigates the therapeutic power of music by mapping its effects on the brain. >
Online platform activates movement against police brutality

Campaign Zero aims to set the wheels of change in motion by simplifying the issue of police brutality through design. >
WellBe: An anti-stress bracelet for personalised well-being

The WellBe bracelet monitors your heart rate and uses a patent-pending algorithm to determine your stress and calmness level. >
Are human skulls beautiful? David Orr uses mirrors to find their symmetry

Los Angeles-based photographer David Orr’s subject matter might be a bit macabre but his pictures explore cultural ideals of perfection and symmetry. >
The Hubble Cantata: A live VR experience of the cosmos

The Hubble Cantata taps into Virtual Reality, live performance and high-tech sound engineering to introduce New Yorkers to the cosmos. >
Ori revolutionises compact city living

Compact modular unit designed to simultaneously function as a storage space, bedroom, living room and workspace. >
It’s not an organism but it’s certainly alive, says the creator of the cyborg stingray

In an effort to learn more about the heart and its functions, researchers created a living cyborg using the cells of rat’s heart. >
Nima senses microscopic amounts of gluten

Nima detects gluten in foods that are labelled as "gluten-free" but may have picked up microscopic amounts of the protein during the cooking process. >
Photographer’s new book shows the awkward humanity of fame

Known for his quirky photography style, Uneasy is a book of Chris Buck’s portraits of the famous from 1986 to 2016. >
Wearable device acts as 24/7 physical therapist to Parkinson’s Disease patients

Xeed is a smart device designed to improve the treatment of patients suffering from Parkinson's Disease by monitoring their tremor patterns. >
New controller allows upper-limb amputees to play video games using their feet

GEAR’s creators say it allows amputees to control video game characters with the same precision as able-bodied users. >
Dencity competition winners foster new ideas that tackle high density in informal settlements

Social, architectural and technological solutions to improve the living conditions in the world’s urban slums. >
Nimb discreetly sends alerts in emergency situations

If you’re in distress, the Nimb ring sends your location to family and friends. >
Project Nourished: A virtual reality experience that tricks your taste buds

Experience designer Jinsoo An’s Project Nourished creates virtual worlds where any food dream is possible. >
Cozmo, the unpredictable robotic companion

Tech innovation company Anki have designed a tiny robotic companion like no other. >
Addressing packaging waste one pizza box at a time

GreenBox is a reconfigurable pizza box designed for multiple use >
Public art melts away in political protest

Created by American design duo LigoranoReese, these ice sculptures show the disintegration of the American Dream. >
New smart material reacts to light, heals itself and remembers its shape

Researchers at WSU have for the first time developed a smart material with more than one function. >
American inventor uses 200-year-old technology to create a cutting-edge engine

By coupling one of NASA’s Stirling engines with electric hybrid technology, Josh MacDowell manages to drive a 100 kilometres on less than three litres of petrol >
Sustainable plastic products made out of air pollution

AirCarbon is a plastic polymer made out of methane emissions that would otherwise be polluting the air. >
Alby Apparel promises liquid-repellent breathable clothes

Using patented Fillium technology, wearing these Alby Apparel clothes promises to dramatically reduce your washing load. >

Pages