Technology Forecasting Project.
Exploring the Future of Consumer Products.

Featured in BusinessWeek, this speculative future vision project envisioned a range of consumer products that could evolve within a decade.

Related Services
Interaction Design, Visual Interface Design, Future Vision Work

Role
Visual Interface Design

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Objects From the Future

This conceptual technology forecasting project brought together contributors from all IDEO locations and various craft disciplines. The team explored a range of interface possibilities, including stylus, touch, and voice integration, to understand how these different affordances could enhance user interaction and experience. Some concepts proved strikingly prescient, such as the Agent—a personal communication device equipped with fingerprint detection for secure financial transactions and health monitoring. This concept closely mirrored the functionality of today’s iPhone.

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Concepts from the BusinessWeek 2010 Technology Forecasting project looked ten years into the future of consumer devices and technological trends.

Key Concepts

The Desktop of the Future

The team explored innovative ways to interact with digital content, developing concepts that included large, flat, stylus-driven, high-resolution displays. The vision also encompassed thin, transparent speakers, wireless printers, and tube-shaped portable computers with flexible displays, all pushing the boundaries of what future devices might look like and how they could be used.

Ahead of Its Time

The "Agent" device stood out as a particularly accurate prediction of future technology. Featuring a fingerprint recognition reader, a high-resolution screen, and a wireless communications protocol, it was envisioned as an indispensable tool for the coming decade, blending security, convenience, and cutting-edge functionality.

Project 2010 Gallery