The Emergence of Interconnected Consumer Goods Reshaping the World of Aesthetics and Functionality
In the present day, we're witnessing a rapid expansion of connected devices, from smartphones and household appliances to cars and buildings. It's predicted that by 2020, there'll be a staggering 50 billion connected devices across the globe, with one in four people donning connected clothing by 2025!
These gadgets hold the potential to streamline our daily lives, making them more efficient and convenient. However, they also present new challenges for designers, engineers, manufacturers, and entrepreneurs who are developing them. The tech industry, with its rich history of powerful design solutions, is well-equipped to help today's innovators tackle these challenges and reshape our thinking about designing consumer devices for the connected future.
So, what are the primary trends driving the 'Era of Connection'?
Firstly, we're seeing the lines between hardware and software, as well as the physical and digital worlds, blurring as internet-connected devices (IoT) become more prevalent. The Nest thermostat may have initially captured the public's attention, but more and more devices will blend practical function with data collection, analysis, and action.
Businesses in various industries are harnessing the connected era – from public transportation to agriculture. For example, Floatility has created a connected electric scooter for urban use, allowing users to track their nearest available scooters via GPS. Meanwhile, Agrilution has developed a connected growing device for home gardening, enabling users to monitor and optimize the temperature of their crops via an app.
Internet-connected devices can do more than feed data to other devices – they can also receive software updates from the manufacturer. This means products can improve and grow more efficient over time, rather than becoming increasingly obsolete. A manufacturer, for example, could push out an update via Wi-Fi that turns an older dishwasher as effective as the latest model.
As consumers become accustomed to products improving with time, they'll view these items as service deliverers rather than physical goods. Think about buying a smartphone – the initial purchase is just the beginning, as consumers immediately customize and personalize the device through apps and software utilities.
Designing for the Connected Era
In this context, how do designers create devices that exist in both the physical and digital world and within a larger ecosystem? How do they create innovative products that can adapt while still offering users a simple, elegant, and meaningful interaction? How do they make products that work collaboratively and learn from users, constantly evolving with new features and functionality?
Getting these elements right will be crucial for transforming connected devices like smart locks, smart thermostats, and more from buzzwords to essential tools that save time, costs, and offer other benefits. Unfortunately, there's no single tool or solution to solve this problem. However, just as designers now use tools to create things we wouldn't have dreamt of 20 or 30 years ago, it's vital to empower designers with software optimized for the design of connected devices.
A focus on education, ecosystem building, access to technology, and creative collaboration will be crucial ingredients in shaping the connected future.
Sourced from Asif Moghal, manufacturing industry manager, Autodesk
Smart-home devices and gadgets, like connected thermostats and electric scooters, are blending practical function with cloud-computing capabilities, collectively shaping the Era of Connection. In this connected future, technology will empower designers to create devices that adapt, learn, and evolve with user interaction, setting the stage for smart-home devices to become essential tools for daily life.
