Rickard Hederstierna from Lund Institute of Technology in Sweden is the winner of the Electrolux Design Lab 2009 competition for inventing Cocoon. The winner was announced at finals in London on September 24, at 100% Design London, the UK's leading architecture and design event.
"Cocoon" is a sustainable response to the world's growing population and its desire to consume meat and fish. Similar to heating popcorn in a microwave, Cocoon prepares pre-packaged meat and fish dishes by heating muscle cells identified by radio frequency identification (RFID) signals. The signals detect the specific dish and then suggest the required cooking time. This process uses science to create food, lifting a burden on the planet by reducing the need for further intensive farming and fishing.
Jury Motivation
A jury of internationally-recognized designers judged the entries based on intuitive design, innovation, and consumer insight.
Their motivation: "Cocoon addresses a controversial issue that is very real: humankind's continued desire to eat meat and fish. A great design concept polarizes opinion, and this is exactly what Cocoon achieves by exploring this issue. An inviting, tactile design, the Cocoon resembles a gemstone with a metal accent reflecting the heritage of the Swedish art-glass industry. Cocoon meets all of the brief's criteria: it is daring, cutting edge and truly innovative in its focus on social and environmental issues."