Snow is fun but it ain’t no joke. If you suddenly take injury or fall ill, it becomes a nightmare obstacle for both you and rescuers. The Firun is an inflatable rescue carriage light enough to wear as a backpack. Using an inflated solution provides cushioning and makes it a lot easier to drag. I know it’s kind of tasteless to say this but I imagine a pack of dogs pulling me, MUSH!

Designer: Janine Züst

There are some new bots called OSP on the drawing board. Using advance robotics, these guys autonomously work together to contain an oil spill by surrounding it with an inflatable barrier. Once contained, clean-up crews can jump in and suck the oil out. After reading this, my Roomba just quit.

Designer: Ji-hoon Kim

“All I ask is a small ship, and a star to steer her by…” I know, the actual Masefield quote refers to a “tall” ship, but when a tall ship is a tall order and you feel the deep need to set sail, the “Urban Skiff” by Thomas Giger, Anita Meyer, Florian Ueker, Femke Morf & Thomas Etter, just might be your perfect escape plan from the urban jungle.

Designer: Thomas Etter

LED technology is probably the greatest thing to happen in illumination since the invention of the candle. LED’s are energy efficient, cool to the touch and give off a clean, attractive light. Designer Luc Schouten has elevated LED usage to new heights with this whimsical “Floating Light” design that uses helium filled latex balloons anchored by a small LED base.

Designer: Luc Schouten

As apartments and cars become increasingly compact, that surfboard you never seem to find the time to use just takes up more and more space. Nicholas Notara has decided to devote some time to the problem and has created the collapsible surfboard. This carbon-fiber board has been carefully designed to maintain the balance and weight of its traditional counterpart, but with the help of two pins and a quick release lever can halve in size.

Designer: Nicholas Notara

Adventuring thrill seekers know the right equipment is key to a successful trip but making sure you have everything you need is a chore, especially if you’re one that likes to rock climb, base jump, snowboard, etc. The Modular Travel bag is a modular concept that snaps on only what you need. For example, you could have one module for rock climbing, one for base jumping, and one for snowboarding. You just snap on which ever module you need to the strap skeleton which comes with comfy padded shoulder straps and pockets for extra goodies.

Designer: Teo Song Wei

Modern times being what they are, with sky high real estate prices and space in most larger cities running out quickly, designers are constantly put to task and have made “Necessity the Mother of Invention” yet again. Apartment living can be both practical and convenient for urban centric lifestyles, but the limited space available in most squares-of-air is usually enough to drive us to prescription drugs.

Designer: Christian Lessing

“There is nothing quite so good as burial at sea. It is simple, tidy, and not very incriminating.” - Alfred Hitchcock. Truer words can not be spoken and the designers of the “Shell” Urn by LOTS of Limited are clearly on the same wavelength as the Master of Suspense. Evolving past religious dogma, the designers have created a unique and dignified way to leave this reality, while at the same time celebrating your appreciation for nature and good design.. one last time.

Designer: Lots Design

The Song Bird bird feeder does double duty by protecting your stores of grain from unscrupolous squirrels while providing temporary shelter for birds to feed. The feeder can be hung or staked into the ground. Turn it upside down to fill it with food. Once you invert it, food comes down two narrow channels on either side of the opening in the middle.

Designer: Sehwan Oh

Don’t you love the days following a rainstorm? The streets seem to gleam, the air is cleaner, and people are generally in a better mood to finally see the sun again. The only thing that sucks are all those wet benches and chairs. Fortunately clever designers (the Korean design gang) came up with a simple solution. The slats on these benches can rotate to the dry side by cranking the handle.

Designer: Sungwoo Park