Future design

From Yenra

In July 2009, LG Mobile Phones named Emily Albinski the winner of its 2nd Annual Design the Future competition.

The idea competition challenged participants to create a concept to define the future of personal mobile communication. More than eight hundred designs were submitted in the competition in a battle for over $80,000 in awards. LG awarded $20,000 to the first place winner, $10,000 to second place and $5,000 to third place. LG also presented 40 honorable mentions of $1,000 plus an LG U.S. phone.

First place winner Albinski, a professional full-time freelance designer, created the CC on the theme of connectivity. The winning concept of a modular phone, which could be used by LG in the future, includes a core phone that can be inserted into a touch screen or netbook shell depending on the user's needs. By design, the winning concept would allow users to connect in many different contexts and environments. Albinski, a science and technology enthusiast, refined and laid out her concept in just four days. In 2008, she participated in the challenge and submitted a USB necklace in the LG Swarovski Crystal Vision design contest.

Many of the design concepts submitted demonstrated the desire to stay connected and multi-task in a wearable option. One honorable mention concept - titled Morph - featured a touch screen phone with a flexible display that can be bent and worn around the wrist. Another honorable mention concept - the HiFi - included a touch screen phone that can be converted into a hands-free headphone for listening to music and making calls.

This year's competition featured more awards and attracted a record number of submissions from design enthusiasts. Entries were judged on four categories: need fulfillment, creativity/originality, feasibility and polish and appeal.

Both seasoned and aspiring designers used their imagination, creativity and 2D and 3D engineering software to create their designs.