Wireless devices have gone a long way in seamlessly integrating technology into a home. But getting rid of wires was only the first step in transforming electronics from an eyesore to an accessory of a well-designed living area.
“Smart devices” are now leading the charge in making tech beautiful. Take Google’s OnHub, a wireless router that doesn’t look like a spaceship, or Nest’s 360 turnaround from cheap white plastic rectangles.
Layer Design
One newer technology that has yet to be as aesthetically pleasing is the wireless charging mat. They certainly aren’t the ugliest piece of technology to ever be created, but they tend to take up a good bit of room when not in use.
Layer Design founder Benjamin Hubert is looking to change that with his “Charging Tray,” a collection of ceramic trays with integrated induction charging. The tray comes in various sizes with different design elements crafted to accommodate both phones and tablets.
The elegant ceramic pieces not only charge your wireless charging-enabled devices, but also double as that can’t-live-without container you throw everything you have in your hands and pockets into when you enter your home.
Layer Design
The homeware piece consists of two main layers: a compression-molded silicon module that sits on the tray’s bottom and allows for wireless charging, and the tray itself, which was created by Italian ceramics brand Bitossi Ceramiche. Charging Tray is available in four sizes and comes in four different glaze finishes: salt, matte, crackle, and soba.
Layer Design
There is little need to worry about the Charging Tray becoming obsolete, either. The modular design means that the silicon bottom can be taken off and replaced whenever newer technology becomes the industry standard.
Benjamin Hubert and Layer Design have several other devices that bridge the gap between beauty and industry, including a smartwatch, wheelchair, and donation box.
H/T designboom