Matroshka Small Space Solution

Inspired by the Russian dolls of the same name, the Matroshka is a compact living concept aiming to maximize quality of life and storage space.  Its furniture is multifunctional, nesting within each other in many different ways.

The Matroshka at its most compact form, maximizing floor space:

The area under the red/orange pillows and the area underneath the purple pillow can be independently pulled or retracted under the working area.  Pulling the right side yields the assembly below.

The left side houses a table with four stools:

This table can be pulled out and placed in the middle of the couch to be used as a coffee table.

The table's height can also be adjusted.  Combining this with the stools can create a functional dining area for four.  Take note of the steps at the left side, which again double as storage space.

This picture shows another configuration, created by pulling both sides of the "couch" to its maximum length.  I have no idea where the seat on the right side of the picture came from.

And finally, an extra rolled-up cushion can transform the couch into a single-person bed. (or two really skinny, silent sleepers)

The bed cushion, pillows, and most of the living room items can be stored in the seats, which double as storage boxes:

The "nested doll" concept permeates every part of the design.  Most, if not all of the furniture is hollow, and even the working area shelf/divider exhibits a honeycomb structure:

While the place looks like it's be terribly hard to clean, the design looks feasible, cost-effective and comfortable enough to pitch to small-space condominium construction.

Source: Matroshka

USB Rechargeable Battery

USBcell is a rechargeable battery that plugs in to any standard USB port.  With over 15 billion Alkaline batteries made and thrown away each year, USBCELL offers a eco-friendly alternative as can be re-used hundreds of times without the need for an additional charger or cable.

While a good idea in theory, there are still limitations, as can be gathered by the product's Amazon page:

1. Costs much more than a regular battery

2. Tendency to separate

3. Long charging time

4. Possibility of overcharging or burning out the computer's motherboard

but these seem to be problems that can be solved with product development.

Source: USBcell

V Lock

Keys are notoriously difficult to align to locks, especially at night.  The V Lock by Junjie Zhang solves this problem by creating a large groove on top of the lock, "funneling" the key to the hole easily.

Aside from being a remarkably intuitive design, it's actually cheaper than a regular lock due to less material being used. 

Source: Yanko Design

Piggyback Plugs

A piggyback plug is a plug that also serves as a socket, as shown below:

With only a slight increase in manufacturing costs, the piggyback plug allows multiple appliances to be plugged in without the need for an extension cord.  This design has been out in Europe and Australia for many years, but has not been put into widespread use.

Source: Drumalarm

Self-prescripting Eyeglasses for $1

More than 153 million people around the world with poor or no eyesight either don't have access to or can't afford vision correction, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Ninety percent live in low- or middle-income countries, WHO reports, where optometrists are harder to come by and individually crafted lenses cost too much for many.

A British physicist, Josh Silver, wants to solve that problem. He has his sights set on the lofty goal of distributing one billion pairs of glasses, at $1 a pair, by 2020.

The glasses are round plastic frames with lenses made of clear sacs of silicon oil, sandwiched between two clear plastic circles.

As a wearer adjusts the dials he or she can control how much liquid is loaded into each sac (thereby custom forming each membrane's curvature); this fine-tunes the glasses to an individual's prescription. After the world comes into focus, the sacs are sealed off permanently with a small valve, and the adjusting mechanisms are removed.

Here is a video of Josh demonstrating his invention in a TED talk, via YouTube:

Source: Scientific American

Resealable Soda Can

From Johan Debroyers, a concept for a resealable soda can, that only requires an additional investment of a circular sheet of metal:

Source: Youtube

Zero Angle Digital Camera

The most sensitive parts of cameras are the lens and LCD at the back. The Zero Angle Digital camera concept protects both of these parts by literally flipping inside-out.

Source: Yanko Design