Hi Friends! I’m excited to share this week’s Designing Near Future. Here are the latest updates from the design industry, all in bite-sized, easy-to-digest pieces.

Breakdown of what’s in store today:

⭐ 6 Stories: Underrated Tech from CES 2025

💊 3 Resources: Secret Creative Resources That Pros Use

⚡ 1 Tip: Cognitive Load Theory

Reading time: 4 minutes

⭐ Stories - Underrated Tech from CES 2025

1. A Lifelogging Camera

LUCI, an AI-powered wearable camera by OpenInterX, might be my favorite CES 2025 find. Compact yet powerful, it records up to 4 hours of 4K video, processes footage on your phone or an add-on Hub, and uses AI to organize content seamlessly. It’s modularity and LifeOS is what completes the system. Simply put, It’s designed for creators for the purpose of lifelogging. (Source)

2. A Sustainable Alternative to Lithium-Ion

Singapore-based startup Flint has unveiled a revolutionary battery made from cellulose, offering a greener, more scalable alternative to lithium-ion. Fully flexible and capable of shrinking to coin size or fitting into smartwatch straps, these batteries decompose in just six weeks when discarded. If this becomes popular it could be a potential breakthrough in reducing lithium mining's environmental toll. (Source)

3. Make Any Object Move Autonomously

Wheel.me’s autonomous wheels might just be my 2nd favorite from CES 2025. These smart wheels turn ordinary road cases into self-driving units, making event load-ins and load-outs incredibly smooth. It’s such a simple idea that this could really be a game-changer for live events and beyond. (Source)

4. Xpeng Aeroht’s Built A Modular Flying Car

Alright, I know this is technically not under-rated but Xpeng’s Land Aircraft Carrier, a minivan with a foldable eVTOL tucked in the back, feels straight out of sci-fi. In my opinion, it’s one of the boldest concepts at CES this year. Priced under 300k, it promises to redefine travel by blending land and air, but can they deliver on such ambitious plans? I doubt. But it sure as heck made waves at the show. (Source)

5. Withings’ OMNIA: Health Tech Gets Personal

Withings’ OMNIA is pushing health tech to the next level. (I have always been a fan of the company btw). Its sleek, mirrored design and AI-driven insights connect the dots between heart health, sleep, activity, and nutrition. By syncing data from multiple Withings devices, it creates a holistic health profile that feels both futuristic and helpful. (Source)

6. A Table Lamp that is a Robot?

Mi-Mo, a prototype robot from Japanese firm Jizai, looks like the Pixar lamp and acts as a “general purpose AI robot” powered by LLMs. While its CES demo was mostly cute waving and shimmying, Jizai envisions Mi-Mo as an open platform for tasks like childcare, elder care, or entirely new uses. Developers will soon get their hands on it, with a modular design ready for custom hardware and software. Imagine, robotic furniture! Pretty Cool. (Source)

💊 Resources

3 links to boost your creativity.

• Startups Gallery is A handpicked gallery of outstanding early-stage companies, startup jobs and fundraising news.

• Nokia Archive showcases 20 years of Nokia’s design history - both seen and unseen

• Condense 4 Years of Design School into 3 Months was a fun watch this last week

⚡ Tip

Cognitive Load Theory

Cognitive Load Theory explains how mental effort impacts our ability to process and act on information. Generally, the key is to reduce unnecessary distractions while fostering the right kind of effort to create engaging, intuitive, and meaningful experiences.

I think the real magic of Cognitive Load Theory lies not just in reducing complexity, but in strategically designing friction. While the default advice is to simplify, sometimes adding deliberate hurdles can lead to better engagement. For example, CAPTCHA tests or multi-step forms seem like annoying friction, but they filter out bots or low-intent users. Similarly, games or apps like Duolingo use playful cognitive challenges to make users feel more invested - effort creates value when it’s purposeful.

Often overlooked but reducing cognitive load too much can backfire. Think about Netflix’s auto-play feature or endless scrolling on social media. Sure, it’s seamless, but it removes opportunities for intentional choice, often leaving users feeling passive or drained. Sometimes, a little cognitive effort - like asking someone to pause and decide - can lead to more satisfying outcomes.

My running thesis is that some mental strain is necessary for learning and growth. If users breeze through an experience without engaging their minds, it can feel shallow. Great design isn’t just about making things easier right? Infuse meaning tactically. So, instead of always asking, How can I simplify this?, maybe the better question is, What kind of cognitive effort is worth asking for?

Happy Designing!