MyMiniFactory and Polymaker Want You to Design the Appliances of the Future

Among my other major accomplishments, I’ve watched a lot of movies and TV shows during my life. My tastes tend to run toward the science fictional and fantastical, so I think I can say I’m a pretty good authority on things that don’t exist. One thing that’s both scary and awesome at the same time, though, is that a lot of the things that existed only in the fictional universes of my childhood are actual realities today. I’ve had a lot of déjà vu when reading about modern technology; some of the laughably out-there “houses of the future” from old movies and TV look a lot like current architecture and interior design.

MyMiniFactory wants you to help design the households of the future. In partnership with filament manufacturer Polymaker, MMF has announced that they are currently accepting design submissions for the Future of Home Appliance Accessories Design Competition. You’re invited to use your imagination to design the appliance of your dreams, no matter how outlandish. Whether it’s a hack or improvement to an existing device, or a completely new invention, MyMiniFactory will accept it. A combination blender and coffee maker? Sure! A vacuum cleaner that also toasts bread? Why not? If it can conceivably be 3D printed, it’s fair game.

Submissions will be accepted until December 17, and there is no limit to how many design ideas you can submit, as long as they are your own original work. Designs should be in STL format; if they contain multiple parts, they must be zipped up with instructions and/or diagrams regarding assembly. All submissions will be test printed by MMF, but bonus points will be awarded if you print your own design and submit a photograph of it in situ. The first fifty people to submit will receive a 250g spool of Polymaker filament, as long as they also complete a quick survey on the contest home page.

All STL files will be made available for free to the public, and the winning design will be decided by the number of downloads during the voting period, which will start on December 22 and run until January 6. (Multiple downloads by the same user do not count, so no stuffing the ballot box.) The winner will be announced on January 8. The first place winner will receive $1,000, second place will be awarded $500, and third place will receive $250.

All design submissions will be made open source, with invitations to the public to hack, remix or adapt them for commercial or non-commercial purposes. So if a variation of your music-playing hair dryer shows up on the market in a few years, don’t be surprised, but be flattered. You may just be the next designer of the future.  Will you be taking part in this challenge?  Let us know in the 3D Printed Appliance forum thread on 3DPB.com.