USA | Design Indaba

Cyborg beetles designed for search and rescue

University team develops a remote-controlled beetle that could replace mechanical drones. >
A mobile sterilisation box for safe surgeries in rural areas

A sterile pod built into a modified container may be suitable for maternal and neonatal care, oral health care and post-disaster relief. >
Go-getters of the digital art movement

Digital design duo Reed + Rader talk VR, AR and breaking down the barrier between real and simulated worlds. >
Talking umbrella keeps people out of the rain

The Oombrella uses sensor technology to tell users when it is about to rain. >
Iwan Baan: Looking at architecture through a photographer's lens

Architectural photographer, Iwan Baan talks about a trip to Chicago and how he goes about capturing the essence and energy of the city and its architecture. >
Cubetto: A coding tutor for kids as young as three

Cubetto by Primo Toys is a kid-friendly, wooden robot that teaches kids to code in a way they can see and touch. >
Nature already has a solution to water contamination

Researchers look into an ancient Native American method of purifying water with cactus goo. >
Portable water purification for developing nations

LifeStraw is a portable and affordable water purification tool for people in developing countries. >
A faster, cheaper way to filter water using graphene

Scientists have created a graphene-based water filter that could be a solution to the water crisis. >
Virtual reality used for drug rehabilitation

Programme at the University of Houston treats drug and alcohol addiction with immersive VR scenarios. >
A tiny, smart patch could replace insulin shots for diabetes sufferers

A painless patch could mean that millions of diabetes sufferers no longer have to inject themselves to correct their insulin levels. >
Electronic wastelands raise questions about sustainable design

Photo exhibition E-waste Tsunami calls on designers to think up better ways to deal with e-waste. >
US digital artist talks representation of minorities in graphic design

Jeff Manning’s work is inspired by music and informed by the need to represent minorities in graphic design. >
Saving a font from extinction

Reviving a forgotten font designed by Alvin Lustig, an iconic, contemporary American graphic designer. >
31 Bits’ holistic business model empowers Ugandan women

Jewellery brand creates a sustainable income for Ugandan artisans while teaching them skills to become self-reliant. >
A new, sustainable way to make plastic

Researchers at Stanford have found a way to create sustainable plastic using inedible plant materials. >
IKEA's next step for sustainability

The eco-responsible furniture company is transitioning to biobased packaging made out of mushrooms. >
Perfect man-made waves

Kelly Slater's high-performance, man-made wave pool has been met with scepticism in the industry. >
Jua Kali interprets the ingenuity of Nairobi's informal sector

Kenyan artist Tahir Carl Karmali's photomontage series deconstructs hacker culture in Kenya. >
Global artists recreate monsters thought up by children

The Monster Project facilitates art with children by reimagining their monsters. >
Urban Farm Pod: A plant growing sphere in urban spaces

Terreform ONE’s Plug-In-Ecology project brings vertical farming to urban spaces. >
Shape-shifting textile cloud can change sound quality in a room

BLOOM is a knitted origami surface that can alter the ambient acoustics of public spaces. >
MFA’s #techstyle: Fashion that moves, interacts and adapts

The Museum of Fine Arts’ #techstyle exhibition takes a look at where fashion design is headed thanks to its relationship with technology. >
Candyfloss characters in comical GIFs with a feminist touch

Inspired by Instagram artists, Swedish art director Sofia Hydman creates GIFs depicting chubby, confident girls. >

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