Ideas
Explore the world's #1 largest database of ideas and innovations, with 480,597 inspiring examples.
Trend Reports
Discover why 1,297 brands rely on our AI-powered Trend Reports to get better, faster insights.
Newsletter
Join 104,008 subscribers who rely on our weekly newsletter to keep up with need-to-know trends and insights.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Consumer Insights
Uncover major shifts and emerging opportunities with our exclusive PRO research.
Trend Reports
Discover why 1,297 brands rely on our AI-powered Trend Reports to get better, faster insights.
Newsletter
Join 104,008 subscribers who rely on our weekly newsletter to keep up with need-to-know trends and insights.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Advisory & Services
Accelerate innovation and ignite disruptive thinking with our award-winning programs and research.
Trend Reports
Get fast, customized trend reports, presentations and deep dives 20x faster than traditional research.
Plans
Get started today with a free consultation, our self-serve tools, or a dedicated program.
Articles & Magazine
Get inspired with our 4,233 innovation strategy articles, keynote, videos and innovation tools.
Innovation Awards
Trend Hunter’s Innovation Strategy Awards recognize the best innovation tactics gathered from our interviews with some of the world's most notable business leaders, authors and change makers.
Advisory & Services
Accelerate innovation and ignite disruptive thinking with our award-winning programs and research.
Innovation Assessment
Enhance your innovation potential with a deeper understanding of your unique innovation archetype and how your organization benchmarks.
FuturistU
Prepare for the years ahead with 100+ lessons, tactics, tools and frameworks with our full learning database.
Innovation Books
Join 20,000,000 people getting better and faster with our New York Times Bestselling books and keynote videos.
Jeremy Gutsche
Ignite your event or virtual event with our CEO, a NY Times Bestselling Author and one of the top innovation keynote speakers.
Our Team of Speakers & Virtual Presenters
Inspire your group with our most popular speakers on innovation, trends, change and futurism.
Custom Training & Events
Bring the Future Festival experience directly to your team or co-hosted custom event.
Custom Masterclasses
Join the world's leading brands who leverage our custom programs to accelerate innovation.
FuturistU 5-Day Program
Become a Futurist with our immersive 5-Day program at Future Festival World Summit.
Online eLearning
Learn the fundamentals of futurism and trends with 100+ online courses about innovation.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Contact
Get in touch to learn more, ask a question or submit a tip.
About Us
Learn more about Trend Hunter and how we accelerate innovation.
Follow-Us
Join our 3,500,000 social media followers, on the cutting edge.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
FAQ
Get answers to common questions about Trend Hunter.
Community
Stay on the cutting-edge with the help of the Trend Hunter community.
Team
Meet the team trusted by hundreds of leading businesses worldwide.
Jobs
Find opportunities to accelerate your career with the #1 Trend Firm.
News
Catch up on noteworthy Trend Hunter news and media mentions.
Join
Build a portfolio and put your trend-spotting abilities to the test.
Advertising
Supercharge your marketing by partnering with Trend Hunter.
Portfolio
Visit your public portfolio and browse your past articles.
Add a Trend
Write up an article and showcase your trend-spotting skills.
My Trends
Edit your articles and see how they stack up on the leaderboards.
Settings
Edit your profile, connect your social media accounts, and more.
Add a trend, customize your dashboard, or track topics.
Future Festival
Innovation Events
Join the world's top innovators at our in person events.
Free Webinars
Learn to innovate through chaos, navigate the new normal and maintain work culture from home.
Custom Training & Events
Bring the Future Festival experience directly to your team or co-hosted custom event.
Search our database of 480,597 cutting edge ideas.

Homemade Plywood Gadgets

Clean the Sky - Positive Eco Trends & Breakthroughs

David Mellis' DIY Mobile Phone Defies Mass Production

— June 21, 2012 — Art & Design
As many companies are beginning to understand, do-it-yourself is serious business, which underlines the importance of exploring DIY products like this DIY mobile phone by MIT Ph.D. student David Mellis.

Mellis, who is part of MIT's High-Low Tech group, has created this DIY mobile phone to explore the "possibilities for individual construction and customization of the most ubiquitous of electronic devices, the cellphone," as the High-Low Tech blog states. One of the goals was to test the potential of the popular DIY practice in regards to consumer electronics, and to understand the requirements necessary for people to build their own gadgets.

The phone uses open source designs for its casing and circuit board. The DIY mobile phone prototype itself accepts standard SIM cards, and it features a laser-cut plywood encasing as well as as a 1.8-inch TFT screen.
Trend Themes
1. DIY Electronics - The DIY trend in electronics is creating opportunities for individual construction and customization of ubiquitous electronic devices, like cellphones.
2. Open Source Design - Open source designs become an emerging trend in creating electronic gadgets which give consumers the possibility to assemble their devices like this DIY mobile phone.
3. Customization - Customization is trending as more consumers crave unique products, and this DIY mobile phone provides a way for customization creating a unique mobile phone that made by themselves.
Industry Implications
1. Consumer Electronics - The consumer electronics industry can disruptively innovate to cater to the DIY trend by offering more open-source designs to allow for customization of electronic devices.
2. Phone Accessories - The phone accessories industry can capitalize on this trend of DIY mobile phone cases through offering easy-to-use tools such as laser cutters for consumers to customize their devices.
3. Telecommunications - The telecommunications industry can benefit from this trend by offering more educational resources for customers who seek to build their own gadgets like a DIY mobile phone.
3.1
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness