This week’s curio: Paddle concept phone

Researchers at Hasselt University’s iMinds Institute have concepted a digital device that transforms from a handheld phone to a tablet to a scrollable loop. Inspired by folding plate puzzles, the phone was designed for intuitive physical controls like turning pages or flipping surfaces. The current prototype relies on external sensors and projectors but future iterations may use touch-sensitive e-ink displays.

This week’s question:
What other innovations incorporate deformable design?

The Weekly Curio is a small morsel of design to whet your curiosity and stimulate wonder. Inspired by the intellectually striking objects found in Enlightenment-era Wunderkammern, a new intriguing trinket or beguiling bibelot will be published each week paired with a thought-provoking question.