Flip the Script
Seven surprising takes on familiar designs.
We’ve encountered an incredible number of “world’s firsts” here at Kickstarter. And as thrilling as it is to see a hoverboard or human-powered helicopter take flight for the first time, it’s equally impressive when designers start with utterly familiar objects and find surprising ways to breathe new life into them. From making a complex fabrication tool feel simple and user-friendly to crafting a beautifully refined version of a ubiquitous paper product, these creators are picking up where others left off and adding their own left-field ideas.
Maslow CNC
CNC routers are remarkable creative tools — translating digital designs into precisely cut physical parts — but their size and cost tend to swallow up workshop space and project budgets. Bar Smith invented Maslow to make these machines more accessible to makers, home woodworkers, and artists, employing a novel, open-source design that literally offers a new angle on traditional CNCs’ horizontal layout. View project.
Comp
After extensively researching their history, Pentagram designer Aron Fay set out to design a high-quality, modern version of the classic marbled composition book. It’s a beautiful place to keep your ideas. View Project.
Bonjour
This talking, artificial-intelligence powered alarm clock knows about way more than just time. Its chiming voice wakes you with a briefing on the weather, traffic, and what you have planned for the day. Feel like sleeping in? Bonjour knows whether that’s a good idea given your workout goals and morning schedule. View Project.
SafariSeat
Growing up in Kenya, Janna Deeble came to understand that people with limited mobility in developing countries have specific needs. So he created SafariSeat, a wheelchair that’s equipped to handle rugged terrain in places where pavement is scarce. Beyond this enhanced functionality, a thoughtful, open-source design assures that craftspeople in rural communities can build and repair it using locally available materials. View Project.
Boulon Blanc
Forget what you know about clunky folding furniture. A quick lift turns this elegant coffee table into a full-height dinner table thanks to a swiveling, aircraft-inspired leg design. View Project.
Vue
The term “smart glasses” usually calls to mind bulky, awkward, face-mounted gadgets. Vue’s audio-equipped connected specs sport a variety of useful features, the most impressive of which may well be the fact that they look like everyday glasses. View Project.
The Spontaneous Pop-up Display (SPUD)
The ever-growing processing power of ever-shrinking mobile devices means that our phones can do many things that once required large desktop computers. But smaller isn’t necessarily better when it comes to screens. This 24-inch digital display folds up like an umbrella, enabling on-the-go working and watching without so much squinting. View Project.
This collection was first featured in our Invent newsletter, a twice-monthly look at the most interesting new projects and trends in Design & Technology on Kickstarter. Sign up to stay in the loop.
