Interview with DEX design team

Schaeffler and Orcadesign Consultants shares more with Red Dot about Dual EXtendable (DEX), the Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR).

Dual EXtendable (DEX), the Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) is among the top five projects nominated for the top prize, the Red Dot: Luminary at the Red Dot Award: Design Concept. It is selected among the Red Dot: Best of the Best winners, and serves as an inspiration to aspire towards. From the category Mobility and Transportation, the Red Dot: Best of the Best winning concept is designed to navigate the factories of the future. The concept’s direction uses visual cues from automotive design to create a sense of wonder and excitement for the user.

Design team from Schaeffler and Orcadesign Consultants shares more with Red Dot.

Tell us about your team.

We’re a multi-cultural group of creators and visionaries from all disciplines and backgrounds. We merge human-centred design and advanced engineering in our work to deliver state of the art products. We’re diverse from gender, nationalities and expertise. This is what gives us the edge to think different and approach challenges from innovative angles.

How important is the role of design in projects like Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR)?

The AMR project was exploratory and collaborative in nature.
It sets out to explore the possibilities of such technology being applied to different industries. And it was recognised that both technology and design are important to creating a solution that is not only feasible, but also desirable.

While the technology team had defined the solution’s blueprint, the role of the design team was to help the technology team visualise the vision, integrate their expectations on the product behaviours, and define the user experience including form and touch points. As such, technological and design development of the AMR went hand-in-hand, leveraging each other's expertise throughout the collaborative process. An example was the technology team’s willingness to make adjustments to the layout of components, giving higher priority to a preferred user experience.

Design gives form to technology and also humanises it. Without design, the product may well be a working electrical mechanical solution to address a need or a problem, although it can execute its intended tasks effectively. With design, the solution takes shape in a way that presents and communicates itself to users more effectively and desirably. A well designed solution also captures customers' attention and increases their willingness to adopt.

What does winning a design award, especially the Red Dot mean to you or to the team?

This award represents what happens when engineering, design and technology come together. When we combine and build upon each other’s strength, we deliver meaningful innovation. We hope to continue leading the change.

What does being among the top five mean to this project?

Being nominated is a big deal to us, among all the great designs out there in the world, our design are able to be among the top 5. This is really a great honour for me and my team. 

Red Dot Award: Design Concept 2024 final submissions end 24 April

The search of the best new product ideas, concepts, prototypes and ready to launch products is now happening, Red Dot Award: Design Concept is open to all entries of concepts and ready for market products from designers, design teams, companies, studios and universities from all over the world. This is the last chance to compete in this year’s Red Dot Award: Design Concept and to communicate one’s design and innovative competency.

Submission Dates:

Entire registration period: 1 December 2023 – 24 April 2024

For further information, visit: www.red-dot.org/design-concept

Register and submit at dc.red-dot.sg