Royal College of Art graduate Min-Kyu Choi has designed a folding version of the standard UK electrical plug.
The folded plug is more suitable for travelling than the bulky standard version.
Choi has also designed a USB charger version and Multi Flat Plug (below), which allows three devices to share power from one plug that takes up more or less the same amount of space as a standard plug.
Choi’s work is included in Royal College of Art show two, which runs until 5 July (closed 3 July).
Here’s some info from Choi about the plugs followed by full details of the RCA show:
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‘Mac book Air,’ Apple’s latest master-piece, is the world’s thinnest laptop ever. However, here in the U.K, we still use the world’s biggest three-pin plug.
Most people carry laptops with adapters and plugs because laptop batteries have limitations on the time they can be used. When people carry laptops with U.K plugs in a bag, it always causes problems such as tearing paper, scratching laptop surfaces and, sometimes, it breaks other stuff. The main problem is the UK standard 3-pin plug is not considered in the process of designing for mobility.
My all intention of the project was directed to make the plug as slim as possible and follow the British Standard regulation at the same time.
‘Folding Plug’ changes the shape form the normal U.K plug into a 10mm thickness object, solving these damaging problems.
The ‘Folding Plug’ is also advantageous when people have to travel aboard. People normally carry up to three electronic devices for their long-term journey, such as a mobile phone, a digital camera or an iPod, However, we usually carry only one universal plug. Whilst multi-plug adapters and USB chargers allow us to use one plug socket for many devices, they are still bulky objects.
The flat properties of my folding plug have inspired the development of a multi-plug adapter that also performs in space-saving ways. By using the folding plug whilst it is folded, ‘Multi Flat Plug’ and ‘USB Charger’ allows for 3 devices to be plugged into the mains, but only inhabiting a little more space than a standard 3-pin UK plug.
Open 26 June – 5 July, 11am – 8pm (closed 3 July; exhibition will close at 5pm on 30 June, 1 July and 5 July). Please note that the TEXTILES section will close for an industry reception at 5.30pm on Monday June 29. Fashion Accessories will therefore also be inaccessible to the public during this event.
The final part of the graduate shows includes work by students from the following courses: Animation, Architecture, Communication Art & Design, Conservation, Critical and Historical Studies, Design Products, Design Interactions, Fashion Footwear and Accessories, History of Design, Industrial Design Engineering, Textiles and Vehicle Design.
Some work will be for sale or commission.
Free admission
Royal College of Art, Kensington Gore, London SW7 2EU
Tube: High Street Kensington/South Kensington, Buses: 9, 10, 52, 452
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Posted by Marcus Fairs
June 29th, 2009 at 6:35 am
oh wow
June 29th, 2009 at 6:39 am
what an exellent and practical idéa. a real design solution for a real problem.
June 29th, 2009 at 7:48 am
Great idea for a problem few people would have considered. Inspired throughout.
The use of the folded properties to create a small multi plug is great, and is certainly among the designs I have seen that I truly wish are integrated into products.
June 29th, 2009 at 8:26 am
please go into production!!!!
June 29th, 2009 at 8:28 am
nice work.
June 29th, 2009 at 8:30 am
Three words…
I LOVE IT
June 29th, 2009 at 8:39 am
Good job!
June 29th, 2009 at 8:49 am
This is of the genial simplicity section! Always striking to see how simple and functional design becomes beautiful of itself.
June 29th, 2009 at 8:53 am
It’s a killer app …. I organize a “design battle” in France about what is good design for future , design education for people and for students via all the new digitals webs tools eg design blogs in “revue du design”. Killer app ? Do we need Doctor…. in design?
See also this japonese product for US and Japan.. an other killer app
http://revuedesign.wordpress.com/2009/06/22/multi-prises-node-metaphys/
June 29th, 2009 at 9:10 am
Absolutely brilliant!! I hate those bulky UK plugs!! How it should have been designed in the first place!!
June 29th, 2009 at 9:20 am
very nice idea!
June 29th, 2009 at 9:23 am
brilliant
June 29th, 2009 at 9:40 am
really good,
June 29th, 2009 at 10:13 am
wow…this is great. i want one!!! ASAP.
June 29th, 2009 at 10:33 am
Help !!!
Too much stop what else? New direction in RCA? in Eindhoven ?
http://www.interaction.rca.ac.uk/people/alumni/07-09/hayeon-yoo/projects/project2.html
June 29th, 2009 at 10:50 am
Great & brave thinking! Brave as it is a complete rethink of a low end commodity product.
I can only see Apple investing in a great user experience. This should come with the UK iPhone/iPod/MB/MBpro.
June 29th, 2009 at 10:57 am
Great design -or even better: Britian could skip insisting on their silly plugs and “go european” -and while they were at it, maybe condersider the same with their imperial units, bajonet light blubs, right hand side driving etc.
June 29th, 2009 at 11:01 am
Absolutely amazing.
June 29th, 2009 at 11:31 am
Dezeen… please note:
THIS is world class industrial design.
More please.
oh, and thanks!
June 29th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
i have to say i just took Prof. Z Global Vizion’s advice (see above) and clicked on the link he posted, my gosh, the compass phone, its so romantic, i hope that goes into production, i think it could be enviormentally friendly too (hope so), i defiantly want one, so much better than texting etc,
June 29th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
i can see Apple there! – Think different
June 29th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
Brilliant in all ramification. Good adaptation,modification and transformation of design. INSPIRING WORK! thanks.
db
June 29th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
apple anyone?
June 29th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
Amazing design, cant wait to buy one, one day.
Though I could see Apple buying and selling the rights for this design
June 29th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
I think Andreas should stop being so zenophobic. The whole world used to drive on the right until Napoleon decided he wanted his empire to be less ‘British’. And if the European Union would like to pay for all our appliances to have new plugs and all our buildings to have new sockets them we’ll gladly ‘comply’ with your request.
June 29th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
F*cking great idea
June 29th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
Great object…does this function though? It doesn’t appear that there’s any space within the folding mechanism for two 220V wires plus the grounded line.
If this isn’t fully functional, I’d be disappointed. If it’s possible to maintain this size and design it to actually work, the designer should have done so – the electronics are not complex. If it isn’t possible to maintain this size in a working model, then it simply isn’t a design for a plug. Great for a science fiction movie set, but don’t expect to see this in our homes.
June 29th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
i will pay for it!!
June 29th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
Actually the 3-pin plug is much safer than the 2 pin. And the South African 3-pin (similar to the old fashioned 3 pin we used to have) is much bulkier.
This one looks really nice, but I’d wonder how durable it is.
June 29th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
This is just amazing
I’m almost speachless…
June 29th, 2009 at 4:30 pm
that’s what design is for;
Bravo!!!!
June 29th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
Bloody brilliant.
June 29th, 2009 at 10:08 pm
Absolutely great!!!
June 29th, 2009 at 11:24 pm
I love the idea of this, handy for the plug sockets on the wall with something in front of them like shelves. I’d definitely replace most of my plugs with these!
June 30th, 2009 at 12:22 am
Perfect
June 30th, 2009 at 12:44 am
Stunning!
June 30th, 2009 at 1:16 am
Make heaps, sell them all, and become a billionaire!
I want to buy a couple from the first batch.
June 30th, 2009 at 2:50 am
wow, i would buy it in a flash.
June 30th, 2009 at 5:29 am
great!!!
June 30th, 2009 at 12:03 pm
I really wasnt even vaguely interested from the first image but this is one of those products that has been very well thought out and is a genuine solution to a growing problem, certainly in my office. Brilliant!!
June 30th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Marvellous work, Congratulations!
June 30th, 2009 at 5:34 pm
Amazing design love the fact that you could can rotate the plug pins (Can accomodate curent standards but could also accomodate better future socket design) My Father had an idea a while back for a similar design utilising vertical pins. Look forward to the day of no trailing gang adapters!
Would love to see this in real life at show but cannot make due to broken leg.
cheers!
June 30th, 2009 at 6:41 pm
Had a similar idea some years ago when another company designed a clam shell – no screw plug and wondered why they did not take it further. Your effort beats any idea I have seen to date – well done get it into production! The computer guys will be you market.
July 1st, 2009 at 5:01 am
I am sorry,but there is something wrong in the article:
Choi’s work is included in Royal College of Art show two, which runs until 5 July (closed 3 July).
The word two should be too,right?
July 2nd, 2009 at 5:00 am
BRAVO!! Great Design…..I’d love to change all of mine
July 2nd, 2009 at 10:33 am
maybe the uk should redesign their plug standard as a whole.
July 2nd, 2009 at 12:41 pm
Great idea, congrats!
July 2nd, 2009 at 1:52 pm
Congratulations on surfing the merciless comments page of Dezeen with 99% (?) positive comments. Testament to a very very good design I guess.
BUT! I love the U.K. plugs. Super super solid. Have you tried to plug four Euro plugs into one of their multi blocks? They fall out while you’re using your circular saw. Tsk.
Vive la 3 pin!
July 3rd, 2009 at 1:53 am
perfect and well considered, well done!
July 3rd, 2009 at 6:41 am
this might be in the list of design that change the world, brilliant!!
July 3rd, 2009 at 7:41 am
Well, that’s one of the best designs I’ve seen in last months. Very nice!
July 4th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
WOW!!!!!!!!! brilliant!!
July 6th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
This does look brilliant, but I’m not convinced it’s a working prototype that complies with regulations – where does the fuse go?
Could do with seeing an internal shot/diagram. I guess I should get along to the RCA for a closer look…
July 8th, 2009 at 2:20 am
same comments for
“Ultra Lead by Georges Moanack”
http://www.dezeen.com/2009/07/03/ultra-lead-by-georges-moanack/#comment-290448
at least we can use it!
July 8th, 2009 at 4:45 pm
Genius!! Apple will be all over this – I hope they will anyway! Also worth noting that with the mobile phone industry looking at a universal charger solution this could be a great product to be included, in the UK at least. Has a Euro/US version been designed?
good luck with it!
July 8th, 2009 at 9:35 pm
This is absolute GENIUS !!! Well done!
July 9th, 2009 at 6:27 am
Min-Kyu
GRRRREEEAATTT job, from one Industrial Designer to another- you have hit the sweet spot!
However, for technical realization, you must be careful with the way the electrical wires are articulated and articulate, as it is easy to fray their insulating jackets. This causes fires!
Great job!
July 9th, 2009 at 6:06 pm
the fuse is in that cute red circle down the spine of the plug – you can pull it out
i had the chance to see this first hand with the guy there explaining it to me, he was lovely, and this is such a beautiful and useful little thing
great great great
July 10th, 2009 at 11:20 pm
Martin – ” Has a Euro/US version been designed?”
I think that was the inspiration – the US plug especially is tiny, and folds in on all apple adapters. The EU plug is hardly troublesome. It is surprising when you move countries a bit how big the accepted UK plug is (partly from the earthing standard that very few other countries have)
July 20th, 2009 at 9:34 am
Genius. This is indeed very practical.
August 18th, 2009 at 8:26 pm
This is one of those “this is so obvious I wonder why nobody thought of it before” ideas. Excellent. Any idea when some manufacturer is going to take it up? You deserve to make a fortune from the patent.
September 10th, 2009 at 9:52 am
A very elegant design
September 25th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
Did you get funding to take this project further… ? if not are you still interested?
October 26th, 2009 at 9:04 pm
Absolutely brillant! the same principal can be apply with almost all plugs from all over the world.