Using a process more familiar to the footwear industry (like the JS Shoe), Ikea is introducing its first piece of 3D-knit furniture — a chair. High-end design firms have begun to play with 3D knit fabrics, but Ikea will be among one of the first to introduce the process on a global scale.
While it’s been around a while, 3D knitting is going a bit more mainstream lately. Using a digital design and your measurements, the machine can knit a piece of clothing perfectly fit for you. Ikea’s machine can knit with wool, but also linen, cotton, and polyester, materials much more suited to furniture.
The stretchy fabric created with the 3D knitting process mimics the comfort of a hammock and is designed to look semi-transparent and to be lightweight. The chair is part of Ikea’s PS Collection.
“At Ikea, we have been curious about this 3D knitting technique for some time,” designer Sarah Fager told Dezeen. “We have all seen it being used in those colorful sneakers and it’s a really smart way to produce things, since it’s fully automatized.”
Ikea’s PS 2017 Collection also includes items made entirely from recycled products, like a set of vases created using glass unfit for other use. Much of the collection as a whole was designed on the factory floor. “By working directly with the suppliers, the designers also have found ways to create comfort using as little material as possible and to flatpack furnishings more efficiently,”PS 2017 creative lead James Futcher said earlier this year. “For example, the development team was exploring the use of a flat-bed knitting machine to create a very thin, lightweight material that is not only extremely comfortable but also eliminates the need to pack and ship big pieces of foam.”
The 3D knitted chairs will be available in early 2017 in pink or grey, with a white or black frame. They’ll cost $158 (£125).
Outdoor security cameras are not always practical if you live in an apartment or rental. Drilling into an exterior wall may be off-limits, while pointing a regular indoor camera through a window can create another problem once reflections start showing up after dark.
Baseus is trying to solve both issues with the new PrimeSentinel W1, a $69.99 security camera designed specifically to monitor the outdoors through glass. It mounts directly to a window without drilling and uses a 4K Starlight sensor with an F1.0 aperture for full-color monitoring during the day and at night.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
Technology evolves every day, transforming how we live and work. Our devices are becoming more than tools we use. They are increasingly capable companions that help streamline day-to-day routines and spark creative ideas. If you have been waiting for the right moment to upgrade your tech setup, the Discover Samsung Shopping Event offers an opportunity to explore what connected, AI-powered living can look like.
With AI progressing so fast, it's only a matter of time before we start getting AI companions like the ones we used to see in movies like R2-D2, Wall-E, or Baymax. Now, Singapore-based OKA Technology has unveiled Mori, a cute little AI companion that looks less like a conventional home robot and more like someone turned the Pokémon Foongus into a table lamp.
Mori isn't meant to clean your house or control your smart home, but to serve as what OKA calls a "Nature Companion." It uses subtle movements, warm lighting, nature-inspired sounds, and small reactions to make its presence around the house feel calming rather than distracting. Mori can sit quietly while you read, sway along to music, welcome you when you enter a room, or encourage you to slow down for a moment without requiring a screen or a conversation.