It may seem inconceivable for some, but the days of carrying around a smartphone everywhere might be inching toward its dusk. Increasingly, wearables are being positioned to offload our focus and interactions from a physical screen to augmented reality devices projecting images directly in front of our eyes, or in the case of the Humane AI Pin, right onto our hands.

Worn like a brooch and reminiscent of something between a Starfleet badge merged with the Apple iPod nano, the square wearable is basically the core of a smartphone extracted from its screen-based trappings and further enhanced by OpenAI’s ChatGPT to function as a screen-less smart assistant. Inside an Octa-core Qualcomm® Snapdragon processor with 4GB of memory and 32GB of storage powers a customized Android-based operating system. The top quarter of the device is slightly angled, allowing the camera to capture images more accurately in line with its wearer, imparting the appearance of very small angled calculator sans numerical buttons.

Three colors options are available: Equinox, Lunar, and Eclipse

Guided by voice recognition, and sensing the world around it with optical sensors and microphone, Humane compels a more heads up perception of the world allowing users to capture what they see and hear without craning our necks toward a screen. The built-in f/2.4 aperture camera captures 13MP (4208×3120 px) photos, with video slated to be an additional option.

Users can also physically interact with the AI Pin by holding down the touchpad front, with additional gestures such as touch, tap, and swipe available to navigate the pin while answering calls or responding to texts; a two fingers press compels the device to go into Interpreter mode. The pin is even capable of inflecting certain tone with emotions of excitement or nervousness as it transcribes voice into text messaging, such is the potential permitted by AI-enhanced software.

And now for the most novel feature: AI Pin’s Laser Ink Display. Designed to track a user’s palm, the laser ink display uses the hand as a canvas for text, graphics,

and UI elements at 720p resolution – a true palm pilot.

Humane AI Pin’s gesture navigation recognizes the tilt and roll of a wrist, alongside the closing of the fingers to offer precise and responsive interactions sans a screen.

Simple gestures again come into play while navigating menus or options projected onto the palm; for example, closing the fingers as shown above makes a selection.

Humane was founded by two former Apple engineers, Imran Chaudhri and co-founder Bethany Bongiorno, and in many ways their device seems reminiscent of the work each did across iterations of the iPad, Apple Watch, and iPhone hardware alongside the software enabling their features.

Concerns about privacy are addressed by the Pin’s “trust light” that turns on whenever the microphone or camera is activated.

It’s too soon to predict when a wearable screen-less smartphone becomes a normal accessory worn by many (joining smart eyeglasses/sunglasses), but the Humane AI Pin projects the possibilities of a near future when we abandon icon and GUI navigation for an interactive relationship between the physical world with AI-enhanced technologies – a sort of compromise that liberates our eyes from a smartphone screen and back toward the very things and people around us.

Humane will also offer an assortment of colorful plastic “shields” to protect and personalize their Pin.

The Humane AI Pin is available starting at $699.

Gregory Han is a Senior Editor at Design Milk. A Los Angeles native with a profound love and curiosity for design, hiking, tide pools, and road trips, a selection of his adventures and musings can be found at gregoryhan.com.

This year marks another 12 months of Designer Desktops, one of our oldest columns on the site. We love collaborating with different artists, brands, and creatives to design free downloadable desktop wallpapers that showcase a range of artistic styles, from graphic design to textiles to wallcoverings. If you missed any of 2023’s designs, be sure to check them out below for a ton of inspirational quotes and eye-catching backgrounds for your tech devices.

“Initially, we designed lots and lots of chairs,” said Alberto Brogliato of the development of the Trave chair. “Some were even aesthetically pleasing and beautiful, but none had that special something that would have secured its place in the Magis collection.” In other words, it wasn’t easy to create a steam-bent wood chair that’s contemporary in design but employs age-old technology. But once BrogliatoTraverso embraced Magis’ mindset of pushing the boundaries of design, things started falling into place.

Modern design is oftentimes about taking away until you can’t. The Trave chair features a simple bar of solid ash, which the entirety of the design is focused upon. It’s also where the legs, seat, and backrest are attached – quite literally the piece’s backbone. The addition of a large, padded seat and backrest increases comfort without compromising on aesthetic or craftsmanship.

Trave’s production pushes solid wood bending technology to its limits. “It took a great deal of trial and error before we managed to bend a piece of that size with this kind of curve,” BrogliatoTraverso share. It takes seven days to create the central curved beam, during which time it’s soaked in steam, immediately bent, then placed in a drying kiln. Once dry, it’s prepared to be joined with the legs and cushions.

The solid ash frame is available in a natural finish and two stained options, oak and black. There’s also a wide variety of fabrics to choose from for the upholstery. Thanks to this versatility, the timeless Trave chair can be suited to any setting, residential or commercial.

To learn more about the Trave chair, visit magisdesign.com.

Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based writer and designer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, from Fashion Plates to MoMA and far beyond. When not searching out the visual arts, she’s likely sharing her favorite finds with others. Kelly can also be found tracking down new music, teaching herself to play the ukulele, or on the couch with her three pets – Bebe, Rainey, and Remy. Find her @designcrush on social.

Hitoshi Saruta of CUBO design architect had a client that loved their cars – so much so that the architect decided a typical, built-in garage wouldn’t do. Instead, he designed a 24-sided volume that resembles a circus tent and functions as the client’s vacation home. The first floor acts as a garage and living space while the second story houses the owner’s bedroom with a jacuzzi and waterfall shower.

Bailey Hikawa takes a sculptural approach when it comes to designing these iPhone cases. Leaning more art than tech accessory, the cases are wild and amusing yet still functional and ergonomic. Would you go for the shrimp-encased cover or the Geta which gives you an ultra-secure grip?

These deliciously cute inflatable pool floats by NYC design studio Jumbo for The Standard Hotel makes us want to float around in the water with an actual bowl of pasta. They’re inspired by everyone’s favorite pasta shapes – macaroni, shells, farfalle, rigatoni, lasagna, tortellini, and ravioli – and make you feel like you’re floating in a giant “pot” of water.

Laptops get cold too! Inspired by the iconic black puffer jacket that everyone dons as soon as the temps drop, designer Nik Bentel of his eponymous studio created a crossbody bag that can also be used as a laptop cover no matter what the weather is. A testament to his design philosophy (“How can we reimagine the use and potential of everyday, mundane objects?”), the bag is a statement piece, a conversation starter, and a tribute to the timeless winter staple.

Designed by architecture studio Hassell, in partnership with 3D-printing studio Nagami and creative collective to.org, these 3D-printed pavilions are a solution to the growing problem of global plastic waste that also helps alleviate the effects of climate change on housing. The structure is constructed with recycled plastic and engineered for inclement weather and harsh climates around the world.

Who says home theaters have to look anything like public theaters? Designed by Matter Make, the Cinema Visiona challenges the norms of scale and aesthetics, inviting you to embark on a cinematic journey like no other. The undulating seating encourages users to explore around to find their perfect spot that’s comfortable to their own preferences of sitting or lounging.

This accessory dwelling unit (ADU) might be the ultimate solution for small space living. Designed by architects Juan Ruiz and Amelia Tapia, the IWI is a design project comprising two wooden modules that connect via an accordion-like folding structure. When expanded, the space acts as a small room that can function as an office, studio, yoga room, relaxation zone, workshop, guest room, etc. When not in use, it can simply be pushed back to minimize its physical footprint.

The Topolino by Fiat makes the goal of owning a car easier for younger generations who don’t want to be tied down with years of car payments. While the mini-EV electric quadricycle is closer to a golf cart than genuine automobile, the compact vehicle is attractive for its modest price – $10,770, a steep contrast from the price tag of $48,000, or what Kelley Blue Book estimates is the average cost of a new set of wheels.

You never know, your car might secretly be a car aficionado. Thankfully, Tesla has just the thing for them: a pet bed made from cardboard that’s inspired by the angled Tesla Cybertruck. Cat owners know the joy that a cardboard box brings to their furry felines and this one takes it up a notch, reductive aesthetic and all.

And the most popular WTF post of 2023 is…

Couches are often bulky pieces of furniture that take up a lot of room to store and transport. The problem then begs the question, “Can a couch be designed to go flat, be put into envelope-like packaging, and then carried around by a human?” The answer is yes. Designed by SPACE10 in collaboration with Panter&Tourron, Couch in an Envelope is a lightweight, flat-packed seating design made for contemporary living.

As the Senior Contributing Editor, Vy Yang is obsessed with discovering ways to live well + with intention through design. She’s probably sharing what she finds over on Instagram stories. You can also find her at vytranyang.com.

If there’s one thing Hogai can’t stand, it’s monochromatic interiors. The brand operates on the premise that the more color, the better – a color advocate, if you will. Inspired by Memphis Style, the new Caregiver Blankets Collection is its latest way to add creative character to living spaces. Featuring four distinct, double-sided designs – Green Point, Red Dot, Pink Boobies, and Black Donut – Hogai hopes that they act as a catalyst, bringing even more joy to your space.

“We believe in the power of color and the life it brings to everyday surroundings,” said Patrycja Bruź-Soniewicka, Hogai’s founder and creative director. “With this collection, we invite contemporary consumers to embrace bold design choices and infuse their spaces with a burst of color.”

Black Donut

High-quality cotton yarns and acrylic fibers give the blankets their softness and durability, ready to warm and comfort you when you need it most. The meticulous design and manufacturing of the Caregiver Blankets Collection, both done in Poland, further carries Hogai’s commitment to elevating the every day through functionality and aesthetics.

Black Donut

Green Point

Green Point

Green Point

Green Point

Pink Boobies

Pink Boobies

Pink Boobies

Red Dot

Red Dot

Red Dot

To learn more about the Caregiver Blanket Collection, visit hogai.store.

Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based writer and designer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, from Fashion Plates to MoMA and far beyond. When not searching out the visual arts, she’s likely sharing her favorite finds with others. Kelly can also be found tracking down new music, teaching herself to play the ukulele, or on the couch with her three pets – Bebe, Rainey, and Remy. Find her @designcrush on social.

Vantablack, the “world’s darkest material,” absorbs up to 99.965% of visible light. Staring at anything varnished with the unique coating seems like gazing into an endless abyss without start nor end. While not nearly as optically dark, the limited edition Maserati MC20 Notte Edition super sports car embodies a similar mesmerizing shaded presence designed to camouflage itself as an automotive predator of the night.

Limited to just 50 cars for the entire world, the restyled Maserati MC20 Notte Edition is a racing world inspired silhouette further enhanced by a gradient of black paint, transitioning from a glossy black shade to a black matte ‘nero essenza’ paint from the top down. Aggressively sinister, the resulting bodywork is something akin to a vehicle one might imagine belonging to the stable of Bruce Wayne.

Furthermore, to impart the Notte Edition with its unique signature appearance, Maserati reference driver and former GT1 world champion Andrea Bertolini has embellished the MC20 with several “Midas touch” details, with the vehicle’s Trident insignia, side logos, and the Maserati signature all adorned with luxurious matte white gold.

The nocturnal aesthetic continues inside, with the MC20 Notte featuring 6-way power sport seats in Alcantara black/grey enlivened with a few touches of yellow stitching​. The seats are adorned with the brand’s Trident across each headrest​, and the MC20’s racing DNA is further communicated by carbon fiber inserts accessorizing the car’s Alcantara sport steering wheel.

The nocturnal beast rides upon 20” matte black birdcage wheels with matte white golden accents and all-black brake calipers. Inside, a “UNA DI 50” badge clearly communicates the exclusive nature of the vehicle.

An exclusive metal plate celebrating the MC20 Notte Edition along with a distinctive ‘UNA DI 50’ (one of 50) signature is applied between the two headrests to make sure occupants know you’re one of the 50 drivers in the world fortunate enough to snag one of these F1-derived 621 hp V6 Nettuno engine-powered super cars. No pricing yet, but expect to pay more than the $215,000 price tag associated with the standard MC20 for this sinister styled variant.

Gregory Han is a Senior Editor at Design Milk. A Los Angeles native with a profound love and curiosity for design, hiking, tide pools, and road trips, a selection of his adventures and musings can be found at gregoryhan.com.

DIORAMA – a series of three freestanding mixed media sculptures by artisans Amy Cushing and Lara Sparey – distills a variety of multidimensional scenes into an amalgam of colored glass and black metal artifacts to offer respite from the din of existence. This collaboration between the unique graphic stylings of public artists Cushing, maker of bespoke colored glass, and Sparey, a metalwork artist, is born from friendship, a deep appreciation for the other’s specialty, and a fusion of robust industry knowledge.

All objects in the series are one-off pieces – roughly 12 x 9 x 6 inches each – composed of powder coated steel, either black or off-white, with dichroic kiln-formed glass and mica accents. Though seemingly contrasting crafts, the partnership indicates where the artists are in exploring the boundaries of their work, respectively, as Cushing experiments with metal’s structural implications and Sparey accentuates the precision of her material against a second element.

DIORAMA Sculpture – Foundry on view with Smithson Projects

The joint endeavor holds great potential for scaling up, with aspirations to interrupt or activate architectural spaces of the interior and exterior kind, as the duo are slated to develop this visual language further. Fresh colorways and designs are in progress due to launch February 24, 2024.

DIORAMA Sculpture – Lunar on view with Smithson Projects

Contemporary art is often a byproduct of arrogance or a symptom of the maker’s ego with very little to say. DIORAMA does not shirk the responsibility to have meaning behind the minimalist aesthetic. Instead, it invites the viewer to participate in an active dialogue with each piece by speaking to individual imaginations and unique human experiences. “In a world of chaos, there is something reassuring and inspiring about creating one’s own joyful place, getting lost and disappearing,” Cushing and Sparey say when asked of the series’ greater context. “That is what we did when creating the work, and that is what we hope for people moving forward.”

DIORAMA, by Amy Cushing and Laura Sparey, on view to create a continuous vista

DIORAMA Sculpture – Vista

Vista
Rural landscapes are made more romantic as Vista captures rolling hills and light leaks through tree canopies across a sun-drenched countryside.

DIORAMA Sculpture – Lunar

Lunar
An urban skyline flirts with the moon as it pierces a cloud in the ethereal moment emulated by Lunar’s dream-like architectural cityscape.

DIORAMA Sculpture – Foundry

Foundry
A nod to the trade, Foundry borrows bits and bobbins from vague machinery forms, factory rooftops, and the concept of production.

About the Artists

Artists Amy Cushing and Lara Sparey

Amy Cushing’s principal source of inspiration is color and the language it conveys. Her glass work is material and process led, often abstract and site-specific having been multidisciplinary trained in Public Art. Amy has an extensive knowledge of the technical and aesthetic compatibility of glass colors; hand-crafting unique artwork, sculptures, and large scale installations.

Lara Sparey is a metalwork artist creating large scale work for public spaces. With a strong graphic and bold illustrative quality, much of Lara’s work uses precise CNC manufacturing processes such as water jet and laser cutting, sandblasting, and routing. Lara also teaches design and is an established printmaker.

Photos in situ and biographies courtesy of Smithson Project.
Silhouetted photography by Agata Pec.

With professional degrees in architecture and journalism, Joseph has a desire to make living beautifully accessible. His work seeks to enrich the lives of others with visual communication and storytelling through design. A regular contributor to titles under the SANDOW Design Group, including Luxe and Metropolis, Joseph serves the Design Milk team as their Managing Editor. When not practicing, he teaches visual communication, theory, and design. The New York-based writer has also contributed to exhibitions hosted by the AIA New York’s Center for Architecture and Architectural Digest, and recently published essays and collage illustrations with Proseterity, a literary publication.

Indian designer Palaash is co-founder of soft-geometry alongside his wife, Utharaa Zacharias. Their San Francisco-based studio practice is focused on making collectible furniture, lighting, and objects centered around softness and hand-making.

Texas-born and Chicago-based, Holly is a triple-threat with a good business mind, great taste, and striking instincts. Her 50-year career in interior design has inspired change and innovation throughout the industry, particularly in its approach to showrooms.

San Francisco Eichler Photo: Seth Smoot

Christine is the principal and founder of Form + Field, an interior design firm promoting joy and well-being through empathetic and creatively integrated interiors. A multi-disciplinary creative, she cultivates every project as a partnership.

The Grand Mulberry Photo: Glen-Gery

What Morris, founder and principal of Morris Adjmi Architects, is best at is revitalizing post-industrial neighborhoods and historic districts with architecture that bridges the past and the present.

Ironic Meets Iconic Photo: Corey Szopinski

Amy describes her approach as subtractive, peeling back the layers of a space to find the soul of every home. Her resulting modern rebuilds use thoughtful materials to enhance – not overwhelm – the space underneath.

Utah European Modern Photo: Amy Bartlam

Molly, co-founder and principal designer at Light and Dwell, studied interior design as she grew up, fascinated by creativity and transforming spaces. Now, she designs homes where families can gather, entertain, and lounge while creating memories.

Harlem Brownstone Staircase Photo: Duplex Imaging courtesy Courtney Bolster

Anna is CEO and co-founder of Bolster, a New York City-based firm offering in-house design, architecture, and build services. So far, she has completed 100+ renovations throughout New York City and in Mexico, where she’s originally from.

Photo courtesy RISD Social Gretel

The New York-based graphic designer is Head of Design at Gretel. Dylan’s expertise lies in translating core values, strategy, and voice into striking visual executions for big name clients.

Rudolph Project Photo: Haris Kenjar

Steve, partner, AIA at Hoedemaker Pfeiffer, is a third-generation Seattle native whose life always brings him back to the region and his family farm located in the San Juan Islands. He even names the plot as one of his most treasured possessions.

And the most popular Friday Five post of 2023 is…

MENU Stance Vase Photo: Rich Stapleton

Colin has mastered how to execute and capture visual storytelling through the arranging of objects. The experience has led him to make an unspoken promise to the forgotten corners of the home, that he would transform them into something worthy of attention.

Check out the rest of Design Milk’s end of the year coverage here!

Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based writer and designer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, from Fashion Plates to MoMA and far beyond. When not searching out the visual arts, she’s likely sharing her favorite finds with others. Kelly can also be found tracking down new music, teaching herself to play the ukulele, or on the couch with her three pets – Bebe, Rainey, and Remy. Find her @designcrush on social.

You may have seen pastry chef Eunji Lee and chef and husband Matthieu Lobry’s New York Flatiron District Lysée Bakery’s most famous creation in your feed before: an adorably realized corn mousse dessert meticulously piped to resemble the husked vegetable in its entirety. The boutique patisserie’s reputation for high-quality and visually stimulating pastries combines Lee’s multiple influences as a Korean-French-New Yorker into a menu of edible art that feeds the eyes as it satiates the taste buds.

Australian biomaterials company Great Wrap’s alternative to cling film is made using discarded potato skins and the starch from cassava root. The alternative food wrap keeps food from spoiling just like traditional plastic wrap, but then biodegrades once discarded in as little as 180 days once added to the compost, making it a promising development in the realm of environmentally-friendly food preservation that we hope we all come to cling onto.

TJ Girard spotlights an easy to grow and common garden plant with distinctively cheerful flowers that are also completely edible. With its peppery and slightly spicy flavor, the leaves and flowers make for a surprising savory cocktail ingredient. Check out TJ’s enticing twist on the Dirty Martini and get ready to be the toast of the town at your next gathering.

A banquet of color and texture were (photographically) served across The Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year awards again. The annual celebration of the art of food photography and film once again captivated audiences, with winners awarded during a ceremony held at BAFTA London on May 16th. Check out the online gallery showcasing categories ranging from “Food for Celebration,” food photography taken with phone cameras, to images capturing the “Politics of Food.”

Waste not, want not. That’s the ethos behind PEELSPHERE®, a company that transforms banana peels and other fruit and vegetable waste into a durable and versatile leather-like material that offers an excellent alternative to traditional plastics.

TJ Girard speaks with Gabriela Lawrence, Co-Founder and Chief Communications Officer of Oaxacan mezcal brand Doce Trecenas about how the mindfully made Oaxacan mezcal brand utilized a bold and contemporary color palette with modern typography across their packaging. The goal: to connect with conscious consumers seeking mindful choices as clear in values as the spirit itself.

They say variety is the spice of life, which makes German designer Jonas Finkeldei’s Stui dual spice shaker a culinary tool without compromise, seamlessly integrating a dual chamber salt and pepper shaker wrapped in an all-in-one minimalist, oak and beech design.

Design Museum Holon’s most recent show FOOD just concluded last month, but you can enjoy some of the artistic highlights exploring the intricate thought-provoking, and seductive relationship between humans and what we eat, whether it evokes desire or repulsion.

A towering brutalist and experimentatal installation provided the perfect backdrop to unveil Dirty Dishes, a limited series of irreverent tableware in a minimalist installation and pop-up showcasing the plant based contemporary Thai gastronomy of Michelin-starred Chef Dalad Kambhu, the immersive gastronomic creation between studio WE ARE ONA, and Crosby Studios.

Check out the rest of Design Milk’s end of the year coverage here!

Gregory Han is a Senior Editor at Design Milk. A Los Angeles native with a profound love and curiosity for design, hiking, tide pools, and road trips, a selection of his adventures and musings can be found at gregoryhan.com.

Pardon the pun, but is there nothing British consumer electronics company Nothing won’t explore designing? Everything the minimalist mobile device, earbud, and shockingly affordable smartwatch maker designs revolves around the theme of transparency, and now we can include fashion amongst the brand’s efforts to create a whole lifestyle behind the concept of nothingness.

Designed in collaboration with Swedish consumer electronics cool kids brand, teenage engineering, Nothing Apparel’s wardrobe launches with a minimal collection of caps, backpacks, coats, tracksuits, and other fashionable expressions of Nothing’s founding design principle of transparency.

If Kendall Roy went full-on Silicon Valley, he might very well be caught wearing Nothing.

Nothing Apparel’s first foray into fashion arrives as a semi-transparent Labcoat joined alongside a matching Transparent Cap, each inspired by the clean room aesthetic of the 1970s-era IBM factory floor.

The brand followed up the collection’s Dover Street Market, London preview with an official inaugural apparel drop earlier this month at the Nothing Store Soho and online, with additional pieces in the pipeline for a TBD 2024 launch.

Gregory Han is a Senior Editor at Design Milk. A Los Angeles native with a profound love and curiosity for design, hiking, tide pools, and road trips, a selection of his adventures and musings can be found at gregoryhan.com.