Fujitsu announced the selection of winners for the Fujitsu Design Award 2011: A Life with Future Computing.
Over 1,000 PC design submissions were received during the competition. The Grand Prize was awarded to "The Aid," an ICT-enabled cane from the Life-Design category for innovative "lifestyles" for the year 2020. Runner-Up Prizes were awarded to "Crowd," a PC design that can be operated to fit a variety of usage scenarios from the Lifebook category for notebook PCs launching in 2013; and "Integral Cord," an innovative ICT-cord enabling a wide range of uses and communications applications from the Life-Design category.
The Aid
Designer: Egle Ugintaite
By using a cane that provides mobile navigation and health management services, users who have difficulty leaving their homes can become active members of society. This design takes into consideration how ICT devices can be useful in users' daily lives and deploys services that are integrated with social infrastructure.
Crowd Runner-Up Prize (Lifebook Category)
Designer: Philipp Schaake
Crowd features a variety of different usage styles including a slate configuration, notebook configuration, and a configuration in which the screen and keyboard are separate. This design idea showcases a notebook that can be flexibly operated to fit any application or intended use. With an emphasis on the notebook's back cover, the PC can even be operated when closed.
Integral Cord (Life-Design Category)
Designer: Raphael Lang / Yu-Lin Hou / Chan Wing Tak
This ICT-cord device can be easily positioned in any configuration, with a computer screen displayed inside the space enclosed by the cord. In addition to allowing for a diverse range of applications, this design creates new opportunities for communication by allowing multiple people to operate the display screen at the same time.
Anderson Judge's Special Award (awarded by Ross Lovegrove)
Designer: Ma Yiwei / Tao Ying
In envisioning more opportunities for users to carry around their PCs, this notebook has been designed for ease-of-use when the user is both sitting and standing, making possible various operational styles that fit a wide range of different usage scenarios.
The Haunted Mountain Judge's Special Award (awarded by Mad Ma Yansong)
Designer: Lou Xiaoyu
This design's approach appeals to the five senses through added functionalities-including LCD projector displays, virus alerts, and audio sensors-featuring physical movement and scent, thus allowing users to enjoy the advanced capabilities of PCs.
River Runs Through City Judge's Special Award (awarded by Birgit Lohmann)
Designer: Chikara Ohno
This proposed design for building social infrastructure is inspired by periods in history during which civilization flourished along riverbanks. It aims to give shape to urban culture by spreading visualized information through a geographic region like a flowing river.
Frame Series Judge's Special Award (awarded by Gwenael Nicolas)
Designer: Florian Langer / Patrick Decker
This innovative notebook brings together the individual features of devices like smartphones and slate terminals within a single computer frame. The result is an integrated PC that harnesses the strengths of multiple devices.
Smile Cup Judge's Special Award (awarded by Toshiyuki Inoko)
Designer: Nikita Mokhirev
Inspired by emoticons, this communication-based cup can convey information on the user's mood as they are enjoying a cup of tea.
The Total Recall Agent Judge's Special Award (awarded by Nobuo Otani)
Designer: Shohei Nakamura / MoonHwan Lee / YoungWook Jung
A "travel agent" in the shape of a flying balloon that records one's activities while on vacation and uses cloud computing technology to share these travel experiences with others. This design also includes travel guide functionality.
ecoPad Judge's Special Award (awarded by Kimitaka Kato)
Designer: Yonggu Do / Jun-se Kim / Eun-ha Seo
Electricity is generated when the user presses the touchscreen of this PC, which can power itself. The design is environmentally-friendly and technically viable.